PRINCETON, N. J. Collection of Puritan Literature. Division ^r^^TJ^^) Number ^ * •* I Vera Cffidies RiCH! BERNARD, vigilant if> .. _i r . r r r ! lV:Hotfa.irJBoht?m, ad oiumtti c&0 LcnJir A Threefold TREATISE OF THE SABBATH, diftinctly divided into f PATRIARCH ALL? * ^ tt Thc♦ ♦ ♦> ♦♦ > **fr >>^>frfr $»t^4#* < , < > 4 , > t >'fr> To the right Honourable the LonjsTcm- porall in the High Court of Parliament. To the Honourable theKnights,Citizens,and Eur- gefles in the Houfe of Commons. more ejpecialty To the Grand Committee for Religion. To the Committee for the Remonftranee. To the Committee for Minifters maintenance and fuppreffion of fcandalous Minifters. more particularly, To the Knights,and Burgefles otSomerfet-fyire, or Parliament-men dwelling in that County,namely 5 Sir John Paulett, Knight Sir Wii.Portm AN,Baronet Sir John Stoweil, Knight of the Bath. Sir Ralph HoPTON,Knight of the Bath. SirFRANCISPoPHAM,K Sir Edward Rodney, K SitPeter Wroth, K. Mr. Digby. Mr. Popham. Mr.LuTTERILL; Mr. Basset. Mr. Smith. Mr.pHELIPS. Mr.P YNE. Mr. Hunt. Mr.KiRT on. Mr. Searle. Mr. John Ashe. Rijht Honourable Lor is, andjou the Honourable tAffembly of the Houfe of Commons, Here hath beet* no Chriftian Church be- yond the feas, departed from Rome, which hath given fo much honourable refpeft unto the Lords day ( our Chriftian Sabbath ) as a 2 wee The Epijl/e wee here in this our flourifhing Kingdorae and Nation •• And it was our glory fo to honour the Lord Ghrift ; and it will be our great unhappinefle to faile in this our Chriftian duty, fo confirmed by Scripture, and the generallpra&iceofall true worfhippers of his glorious name throughout the whole Chriftian world 3 the (pace of thefe fix- teene hundred yeares. Yet in this our timcand of late dayes x are ftepped up among us certaine vaine men, prophane enough, who have attempted to deprive Chrift Jefus of his glory ( in the religious obfervation of this day, grounded upon his glorious Rcfurre&ion ) and us of our fpirituall confolation, in keeping an whole day fet apart for his worftiipand fervice. For this end, books upon books havebeene written, and by licence pafled the Preflc, to take away the morallity of the fourth Cf>mmande- meht, never, in any age heretofore, doubted of; to makealfo people beleeve, that our Chriftian Sab- bath hath no warrant from thence, and that it is not of divine inftitution, but alterable from that firft day of the week, equallizing their devifed ho- ly-dayes with it, and allowing alfo the like vaine fports npon this day, as upon the other dayes, cal- ling fuch as relisioufly fet the whole day apart for holy ufes, SabmarUns^ and Iudaizers, thus re- proaching^ and in their fenfe, belying thofe that more truly honour Chrift than they doe. And that they might fecurely go on m thefe / * their Dedicatory* their prophancerrours without controiilc>and per- fwade the more inconfiderate fort, that what they have written, are truths, and unanfwerable $ they have flopped the meanes of printing found Anti- dotes to their empoyfoned propositions, where- upon they have beene bold to infult over godly orthodox Divines, with too many words of info- Iency, fcorne, and much contempt; which they have borne with great patience, waiting the Lords leifure till he (hould bee pleafed in his good time to give liberty for the publifhingof their learned labours, which have of long time lien by them. And now(blefled be God) the time is come, the way is made open by your honourable wifdomes, goodnefle, power, and authority, for godly and learned men to difcover the vaine boaftings, and the folly of thofe evill ones, to the view of all. Some of ours proceed polemically, and have made anfwer fully to the beftefteemed of thofe prophane writers. Some only write pofitively, to difcover the truth, and to make it knowne in aplaineway, that the mcaneft capacity may bee rightly enfor- med : This way have I taken in this threefold Treatife, humbly craving pardon for my bold pre- emption in prefenting to your honourable view thefe my weak endeavours. But the caufe is Chrifts, and fo deferves accepL- tation and promotion : God hath appointed you at this time, as his worthieft and meeteft inflru- ments for this end : I cannot therefore feek for other Patrons in exalting the honour of Chrift, a 3 which The E pi pi which by thefe men hath been fo difhonoured, and his people fo abufed. For the redrefle whereof, as you have nobly begun, fo to proceed on to do ever valiantly in tbebeft fervice of your God, there (hall not be wantingthe hearty and carneft prayers of Your humble Servant and Suppliant Richard Bernard, Londm, March 26. 1 £4 u The -J itr i&f "Ar i$f ~^U T&f i!r ik ilr -& ntr tig tit "Jr \tf "*J/ it* *>tr S3gBS5$gggSg£gBgSSSg&ggS&gB£g£SgBi esisesaaeeeaiBgiSBBiBBBifiglgi &u m JQL, ^Jt Jfi. ^, ^Jt Jp. Jfi, J|U JJl. ^Jt J|t ^Jt ^Jt ^t ^i. Jp, jrh jjh Faults to be correfted* P\Agc j. Jinc 21. fir grant r***/ ground, pag. 50. 1. 24. /*r raignc read rainc. pag. 57. 1. li.for no r**W only, pag. 5p. 1. i2./cr 10 rad by. pag. 71 . J. e*for fourtum rend quarturn. pag. 73. !• 31.4b/* before, pag. 78. J. 28. for John read Jofua. pag. 95. 1. 22. /** and */?*r */?*• nw*i reft. pag. 1 27 .J. 21 . for plaucit read placuit. The reft of the efcapes I pray the Gentle Reader to corre&. -*!r -&r ■& tie -^fr \tr "\lr itr "xlr "A - if# i4» *\tr "ik ^ \tf ^ir "A" *p, Jp, JQL JQL JfL ^H ^t ^JV ^JV -^ ^i ^fc ^V ^t -^Jt ^l ^Ji ^ftjrtjftj^f The Contents of the Patri- archal! Sabbath. Section i. OF the firfi Sabbath, and why called *P atriarchall. S E c t. 2. Of the conceit of an Anticipation or Pro- _lepfis,and what it is. Sect. 3. ^Arguments againfi this Anticipation or ^ro- ieffis. S E e T. 4; Of another conceit concerning Defiination, and what it is, alfo confuted. S E c T. 5. Of the true mderftanding of the words in Gen. a. 3. Sect. 6* That in Gen. 2. 3. is the Inftitution of the Sabbath, S e c t. 7. The Injlitution was binding, and required the obfervation of the Sabbath, from the beginning, S E c t. g # The Sabbath was obferved of Gods people, before the Law given at Mount Sinai. OF THE PATRI ARCHALL SABB AT H. AND THE ORIGINALL THEREO F. Gen. 2. 3. And Qod bkffedtbe feventh-day and ftnBifiedh. Section. I. Ofthe firft Sabbath y and why called Patrtarchall, N tbefe words is the inftitution ofthe Sab- bath before the Law given on Mount. Sinai. I call it the Patriarshall Sabbath, ber caufeit was known and obfervcd of the holy Fathers,of Adam^nd ofthe other Pa- triarkes, till Mafes and Ifrael received the Law. And to diftinguifh it from the Mofaicall and Chri- ftian Sabbaths,of which in the two Treatifes following* Some there be , and more of late, than heretofore, thai do deny the Sabbath to be here initituted. A Becauic, 2 J Treat) 'fe of the Becaufe , fay fbme of them, ( for they be not alL'of one minde ) that Mofes delivered the words by a figure* called Anticipation or Prolepjis : Other fbme, that they be words of detonation, that in time to come the feventh day fhould be blefTed and fandtified to Ifrael for the Sabbath day; and fo the words not to be taken for a prefent Inftitution of the Sab- bath day then. So the Queftion is, whether the Sabbath day in this place ofGcnefo hath its firft ground and eftabliftimcnt, and here its firft inftitution. Many of the Ancients, fome of the Icarnedft Jewifh Rabbies,vcry many judicious Divines among us Protectants, land divers learned Papifts,do hold the affirmative. Some ( few in comparifon of the other ) do hold the nega- tive, upon the former fuppofitions ; luppofitions I call them, for that they have no ground of Realbn from cither the Let- ter, or Circumftance of the Tex*. Section II. Of the conceit of an Anticipation or Prolepjts, and what it is. ^BS&SS&Ofi**** 4 hi $ conceit of an Anticipation in the words, HI Pll was,laith^?Aww.f,*»«pf*«» eommemum; and is in- j^gy|g|dced contrary to the plaine meaning of Mo fa his whole narration, and the letter of text. Here its fit in the firft place to fliewwhat is an. pation. It's the feting down of a thing in order of ftory which comcth to be (bin order of time afterwards. The Rcafcn of every fuch Anticipation is from the P of the Hitiorie, who writeth down things not as they \ old at the fint, but as they then were, when he wr ftory. Such an Anticipation here, feme of them only fo i do reft on others who affirmc it, without allegation ions for this their conception, and brain birth. ^ntici- beforc, enman were of ote the ay, or ofrea- But Partriarcball Sabbath. But there is one ©f late who hath produced his grounds for ir. i.Becaufe, faith he, the words may be thus tranflated: And God hath hlejftd thefeventh day, ana hath fanftified it % Anf\ . None (b tranflatethe words,otherwife than the for- mer in verfe 2. Perfecit & retjuitvit, no advantage to beta- ken more in the word hath blejfcd, and hath fanftified, than rn faying, He hleffedandfanftifUtL Hath, is but an Englifh particle, and not of force in the Hebrew, tn the Greek , or Latine, which yet if we addeto the other verbs, as, He hath ended , and hath rested, fpcakingof that fame time, would be abfurd. Anf 2. Thus to devifc a Tranflation from all that have Englifhed the words, as a rcafbn to build thereon a new con- ceit, is no found dealing, but a perverting of the true fenfe. 2. For that diverfc places are named el fe where, by an An- ticipation, faith he. Anf. This will not conclude, therefore here is an Antici- pation, becaufe there? For^in thole other placcs,there evidently appeareth the g ii mk ofthe ProMs, why of ncceflitic it fhould be fo taken : there would elfe raanifdily be an untruth uttered, which cannot be here underfiood , when the words are taken , as they be in the text, as then, and at that rime fo. Yet thefetworeafbns,(fornomorcl finde) arcoocly the weak undcTpropers of their fancie. Se c tion III. ^Arguments againfl this Anticipation orProtefps. tyirgtiment j. Here the words may be taken literally without danger of any umrtreh, contradi<5ti©n, or abfarditie , there is no-figure and anticipation. For in a plain narration, to take the words figuratively, is to abufc the Scripture, and to make it as a nofe of wax. Botthefe words, He He fed and fan&ified, applied to that A 2 felf A Treatifcoftht /elf-fame fingular day in which he refted , haveinthemno falihood , no contradiction, no abfurdky . Therefore here is no Anticipation. Let any {hew wherein thefalftiood , the contradiction or obfurditie,in Co applying and understanding of the words is; if they cannot, they muft give over lAbnlenfis commemum & figmentztm, ^Argument* z< EVery Prolepfis isonely in places, or in the defcription of » things,and actions done by men,butnot of Gods divine inftitution, no inftance can be givenjiereof. But thefe words are not fpoken of any place, nor a£t, nor I thing of men, but an a& of Gods inftitution , who is faid to pleffe and fan6tifie the day; and are words of his divine in- ftitution. And therefore here is no Anticipation till it can be proved, that one may fo differ from all other in holy Story. Argument. 3. In every Anticipation,the name, a 34* which a6t was when the Tabernacle was bbiilt,and the Tefiimony made afterwards : Exo.25.znd 26 '. and 2?. on which the truth of this a& ofesfaron de- pendeth. In 1 .Sam. 17. 54. is a prolepfis, for the a& of David here mentioned could n ^t be true, till afterward he won the ftrong hold ofZion, and got Iernfalem : 2. Sam. 5 . 7. In allthefe,and in every other prolepfis, there is fuch a de- pendance fo clear and evident, as none can doubt of the truth of Patriarchal! Sabbath* of the figure, except we would faulcie the narration with an untruth. But now thefe words in Cjen. 2. 3. have not their truth de- pend ant upon any thing afcer recorded in Scripture, which was before this ad of God in time. For who can fay truely, and follidJy prove it, that the words in Exo. 20. u. weretheinfiitutionofthe Sabbath in time before this in Cjenejis. For tis manifeit that the Sabbath waskept before the pro- mulgation of the Law. £v*. itf. 50. And again the words in Sxo. 20. u.flicw us, not what new thing God didthen,but what he had done, when he refted thefeventh day, from his fix dayes works in the Crea- tion, For asGodtelleth them whathe had done in the very firft fixdayesin the beginning, fo he told them whathe did that very feventh on which he retted from his work -, he bleiTed, and hallowed it, and made'Jt the Sabbath. Therefore its to be concluded , from the nature of atrue Prolepfis,andthedependanceofthat which is firft ipeken, upon that which maketh it Co in time, that here is no Antici- pation. Argument, 4. IN every Anticipation the thing fofpoken of, is generally known to be come to parte before the Penman wrote it :as thofe former inftances do fhew. If here then wereaProlepfis, Gods bleflingand fanclify- ing the feventhday, fhould have been known generally,and theinftitution before Mofes tyme, who wrote thishiftory of Genejls^ If they will not acknowledge it wasfo known before^/*?- fes wrote (jenejls^ then is there no Anticipation. If they grant it to be generally known, then muft they yeeld that the Sabbath day was before the giving of the Law, and generally foknown. If they fay it was known unto all Ifrael onely after the gi- ving of the Law; then I ask them. A 3 1. What J Treatifeof the i . What Sabbath that was, which was knowne to Ifrael at the raining of Manna ? 2. How they know that Mofes wrote (jtnejis afcer the time of the giving of the Law ? If only it was generally knowne from that time, and not before, from whence hce muft take occafion ( as they fay ) to infert the words into the fecond ofGenefis and third verfe, by way of a Paren- thefis. .Argument 5. THcy have no ground whereupon to fettle their Prolcp- fis : no Scripture have ever any of them alleadgcd,but cither the fixtcemh ofExed. or the twentieth, and eleventh verfe. But in neither of thefe can they fetch their rife for it Not out o(Exod. the fifteenth, for there are no words of Gods blcffing and fan<5tifying the day, mentioned in all that chapter. Not out of Sxvd. thetwcntieth,forthe reafbnsforenamed in the third argument : Therefore in the words (jctt. 2. 3. is no Prolepfis. ^Argument 6* EVery Anticipation in holy Story hath its ground for it within fome convenient fpaceof time. Ufually and commonly the thing anticipated is recorded within the fame book where the Prolcpfis is. Sometime in the fame chapter, j»d. 15. 14. 17. and 2.1.5. that Mofcs wrote Gcncfis in A/i- diaa:Eu[cbC*~ furknfis holds it written be- fore the Ifrae- Jitcs commis.g cut of JBgypt lib»7.fap,z. dt Prafa.Ev.10*. What is meant by Deftinati- on« Ol 'ur agree, ment. J Treatife of ihi day to Ifrael : and therefore in "writing offyneps he occafi- onally inferted the words in Gtn.%% 3. by way of a Paren- chefis. But till they can prove this, every one may fee their fandy building, and withall admire, that any learned men dare thus to wraftle with their wits to overthrow a divine in- rlitution. Thus much for this. Anticipation, Section. IV. Of another conceit concerning Dcftination, and what it isy alfo confuted,.. T is clearc that there is no Anticipation in the words, which fomc perhaps well weighing, have deviled another fhifc to darken the plainc narra- tion, that here fliould not be conceived a prelent inftitution of the firii Sabbath : and this is by interpreting the words by way of Destination , which ftiffeiy fbme maintaine contrary to the opinion and judgement of many learned men, v afwell Papift as Protcfiant Divines as afterwards (feaU be flawed. For better proceeding herein^ to fhew the error, and to clearc thetruth : Jet us fee, .fir it what they rneane by Defti- nation, to \yir,.Gods purpofc and intention to have the fe~ veiuh day mentioned in Gen. 2.3. to be the Sabbath day in actual! ufc, after the giving of the Law upon Mount Si- nai, 2450 ycares after Gods creation ofthcVorld, and his refting on thefuft feventh day : this is their conceited Desti- nation of the day. Next, before 1 come to their Reafons, let us fee what they yecld us. Firft, that God beftowed a ipcciall prerogative, and pre- ferment upon the feventh day, letting it apart from the reft of the week : That this was done (faith a learned OppoliteJ we all agree, but when it was done is the queftion. Secondly, Patriarchal I Sabbath. Secondly, it is faid further > that when God had -ended his workes , he ordained and appointed that the feventh day, the day of his owne reft, fhould bee that on which his Church fhould reft , and follow his example ; and this was that great blefling and prerogative bcitowed on that day. Thirdly , it is moreover granted , that the feventh day was from the beginning the day of Gods reft, and might have been imployed as the Lords Sabbath ; and fbmc dayes doubtleflc were thus beftowed, and perhaps this. Fourthly, and laftly, that the caufc and reafonofthe Sabbaths fan&ificationj (to wit,Gods reft ) was from the beginning, though the fanclifi cation it felfc was a long time after From all this note : Firft,that the feventh day was the day of Gods own reft; Secondly, that this his reft was the caule orreafbn of the Sabbaths ian (^y fo; Pererins and Eufebitu Ccfkrienjts fay other wife : Set opinions againft opinions. Sccondly,there is no confcqucnce from the Antecedent, Mofes having heard the Law, wrote therefore in Gen. 2. j. of the Sabbaths San&ifi cation, by Deftination; here is a rope of fa nd indeed : for had he written thofc words in Genefis for the inftru£Hon of the Jfraeiitcs, why mentioned not he the Law of God given at Sinai, to make more plaine the Definition , and the ful- filling of it? for rcafon would that hee fliould havedone fo. Thirdly, if the words m eftwatus: I anfwer firft, that none tranflateth the Text it felfe fb. Junius and Treme- Uus, Arias LMomanuSy F Ugnine ,the SeptUAgtntjhe Chtlde ptraphrafe, the vulgar Edition • all of them tranflate it by Sanftificavtt,and none by'Deftinavit. Secondly, no where do the Dictionaries expreffc the Hebrew Word in Gen.!*?. by Dcftinavit, but by Significavit : Why therefore toould a lingular expreflion by any on finglc manoccafion any to wrelt a Text of Scripture, from itscommon and plainc fenfe, to uphold a new device? Thirdly, though Mufculus doth thus exprefTe the Word, doth hce therefore coy hc fuch an interpretation? He doth not. And therefore his Deitina- tion is no more, but the letting apart of the day to bee a Sabbath, to ordaine and chufeit forthatend. Fourthly, that none may be deceived by the Word Defiination, wee muft underftandthat there is a double Detonation, 1 A future Dfflination for time and imployment, the time longer or (hotter , as there is ufe of the thing de- tonated to future time, becaufe the thing detonated in Gods decree , hath not exigence or being before fuch a time. This was the Destination of Cyrus fpoken of by Epti 44. 2 8. and 45M Jong before he was borne, and when he was made King, in the flrft yecre of hisraignc, hc per- formed that which God had detonated him unto t Efdr.j.j. B 2 2 Chr* II SecAvernarius Schindkrui and the reft. 12 4ffip.tr . A Treatifeofthe 2 Chren. 3 6". 2 2. To this kind of Defoliation muft be refer- red, Ieremie to bee a Prophet before he was borne : Solohn ifopf/VfChrifts fore- runner, and Saint *PW a chofen vcffell to beare Chrifts name before the Gentiles and Kings,and the Children of Ifrael. And thisDcftination may be fpo- ken of Chrift ordained to be the MeflGas, and to fhew himfelfe to bee fo in his appointed and deftinated time. Now thisDcftination is indeed nothing clfc, but Gods pre- ordination of a thing to bee which hath not either prcfcnt being, or not fitly the time come for the ufc and iraploy~ ment thereof; but neither of thefe can be faid of the day on which God refted, as is cleare by what is^ before gaa- ted by our Advcrfaries. 2 Prefem 1>eftixation for time and imployrncnt, (b alfb« as the thing DeftinAtedJbt for continuance, and may come to a greater folemnity, more at onetime than at another : as for example to evidence it in per (on s, places, and times. 1 Forperfons, the Levitcs were deftinated to thefervice of the Tabernacle , and were actually admitted to the fervice thereof, prefently upon their choyce ; for they were fit, and the time feafbnable for theufc the Tabernacle* 2 For places, when the Tabernacle was made, it was deftinated to the folemnc worftiip and fevvice of God,, and was prefently employed y fo was the Temple after Solomonhtd built it. 3 For times, ^4M y ExoL 12.2. was appointed the beginning of Monthcs, and the fourteenth day of the Month deftinated to the eating of the Faffcovcr ; and. though it was to be continued for the times to come, and to bee obferved with greater folemnity, yet then was it actually in ufe. So that with the inftitution, there was the prcfcnt obfcrvation , though with greater folemnity afterwards performed. Thus may we think of the firft fe- venth day Sabbath, fo deftinated for a Sabbath to be kept with greater fblemnitie, after Ifraels deliverance out of Egypt ; yet nothing hindereth to belccve, if we take what before is granted, that there was a prefent obfervation of the day. What I findc to bee objected againft this, is Patriarchal/ Sabbath. is anfwered in this Se&ion afterwards. 5. Argument, Solemn Fcafts, memorialls of Gods great mercies, were ordained ki Sinai jout deftinated to be kept ho- 4y in £*»**«* So that between the inftitution, andobferva- tion may be a great diftance. And therefore it is nor unrea- sonable to hold the obfervation of the firft feventh day Sabbath to be deferred to the time after the Law given. 1. Anfir. Yet here is a great difference between a few yecrsin one age, and many ages throughout the old world, and the ages following for abovethoufands of ycers. Second- ly, There was at the time of the inftkutionof thofc Fcafts, the time and place appointed when they were to be kept, but no fuch thing in Gentps , touching any future time, for the obfervation of it, for then the fancied deftination had been clear, and thecjueftion had been ended. Thirdly,Therc was no reafon for the keeping of fpme of thofc loleran Fcafts, as the feaft of wecks,or of harveft : Exo, 34.22. becaufein the wildernefTe they did neither fbwnor reap: So the Feaft ef Tabernacles after the gathering in of corn and wine, < Dtut4 1 6. 1 3. becaufc then they dwelt not in houfes,to make them boothcs,to remember that hi the Wilderneffe they fo dwelt* for as yet they were in Tents in the Wilderneffe ; nor had they fields of cor ne nor vineyards to gather in corne and wine. Therefore there was reafon for deft ma ting the obfer- vation of thofe Fcafts till afterwards. But fuch found reaf©n$ of deftinating the obfervation of the feventh day Sabbath for fb many hundred yecrs arc yet to feek :The PaiTcover thcyi kept when it wasinftituted $ and after > in the wilderneffe : T^uns, $.1.5. and fb bo doubt other holy dayes then infti* tutcd, fuch as then could be kept. 4. Argument, The rcafbn and ground of the obfervation of the Sabbath was not rill Ifraels comming out of Egypt; Dent. 5.15* where it is faid, that Ifrael was afervant inE- gy pt, and that the Lord brought him out with a mighty hand ; Therefore the Lord his God commanded him to keep the Sabbath day : We fee hence, that the keeping of the; day did depend on fuch a deliverance ; therefore we rnajr well acknowledge a deftination for the obfervation , till the B 1 ground '4 J Treat? fe of the ground of the obfervation become to pafle, which was not till then. i • A n(w. It is granted before, that the eau fe and reafbn for the Sabbath, was Gods reft. Sccondly,in £xo. 20. 1 1. It is rendered as the only reafbn why God then commanded the obfervation of the Sabbath; Nor did God himfelf give any other reafbn or ground for the keeping of it holy, but only his bleffing and fan&ifyingofthc day on which he did reft: Therefore this was the ground of obferving the day ; which ground was laid down at the beginning of the world,as be- fore is acknowledged ; and therefore there was no need of a deft inacion to cxpc& another ground for the obfervation of the day fb many hundred yeers after* Thirdly, Concerning deliverance out of £gypt,it is prefaced by God himfelf before all the Commandments, as a ftrong motive from his mercy, to move Ifrael to the obfervation of every Commandment, and not of the fourth alone : For upon the rehearfall of that bcnefit,the Lord gave them that his wholcLawjConfifting of ten Commandment$«Fourthly,theformerpartof vcrfc 1 5. in 'Deut. 5. is to be read as within a Parenthcfis,foasthe be- ginning of the later part of it, at therefore ,muft have relati- on to reft mentioned in the end of the fourteenth verfc, and not to the deliverance out of Egypt , mentioned within the parcnthefis, as the ground of the Sabbath : for ( if it be mark- ed well ) it beginncth with remember that thou waft a fer- vant,to move them topity their fcrrants, as God in mercy pitied them, to bring them out of Egypt with fb ftrong an hand. So thus rightly underft a nding the text,it is altogether impertinent to be brought for deftinating the keeping of the feventh day, till Ifraels deliverance out of Egypt. It is to be lamented that men of good Learning fhould wrong Gods word with fuch a Mifinterpretation,to uphold a mecrc ima- ginary D eft i nation , which neither Wtt, nor Learning can make good. 5. ArgttM is as clear as the Noon -day, from Nehe. p. 14. that the weekly Sabbath was made known to the Iftaclitcs under Mofes at Sinai, and not before unto their Fathers: And therefore the place in Gtnefts muft be underft ood by way of deftination. Anfw. Partriarchall Sabbath. i. Anfa. Note well, the place in Nehemiah is retrained to 5/>fctt,whcreof it is faid,that God made there the Sabbath -known to lfrael ; yet before that, lfrael knew and kept the Sabbath in the wild erndTc of Sin. Exo. itf. i. 26* before they came to Sinai. Secondly feeing they knew theSabbath before they came to SinAt, the words tho* nutdeft known muft not be interpreted of a knowledge of bare information of that which they knew not before, but of a knowledge of far- ther ratification at Sinai , for there his holy Sabbath was made known to them, i. By his own pcrfbn, but before in Ex$d. itf. by CWofcs. 2. Now more certainly by a lively voicc,and Gods own writing; when before it was delivered by tradition to the Patriarches,and not in writing. 3. More fully concerning the perfbns which were to ob- fcrvcit,not only thcParents,Maftcrs,and Magi(trates,in their own perfons,but their Sons, Daughters, Men, and Maidfer- vant?,thcir CatteII>and the Stranger within thegates. 4. The manner alio prefcribed, not to do any ferviie work on the day. Thcfe things he made known unto them, and all this to all Ifrael at once by his voice of Majeftierrom heaven, which was never done before,nor fo made known to their Fathers. Laftry,if any yet will conceive it of fuch an informing them of which neither they nor their Fathers ever knew be- fore,I dcfire th€m plainly to fhew me,whyGod fhould con- cealefrom all the holy men of God/rom Adam t© Mofis y \\\± reftingonthefcventh day,hisietting it apart for a Sabbath, deftinating it for his Church to reft on, and to follow his ex- ample in time to come? Let any one give anyinftance at any time where God really o^ftinated any thing,time,place, orperfbnforfutufcuie,and did not make any acquainted with it to live in expectation of it? There maybe inftances given to the contrary. Then this will follow ,that God de- ftinating the feventh day for Sabbath in time to come , as theyfay , the deft ination was madeknown totheFathers, and therefore they knew of a Sabbath before the time that Nehemish *5 ,6 | A Treatife of the J&ehe miah (peaketh of,efpecialIy considering, what an Op- pofite doth freely acknowledge. i . That the Seventh day might have been imploycd as the Lords Sabbath. 2. That fbmc dayes, doubtleiTe, were thfls beftowed : And, 3. Perhaps thatday : Could then all the Fathers be Sim- ly ignorant of the feventh day Sabbath ? Thushavel Shewcdthcftrongeft arguments for deft i nati- on that I can read of in any of the laft difputcrs rot it. Now I come to the Reafbns, againft this fained destination. Reafin i. EVery Hiftt>ry is made of things exiftcnt, but if the words in Gen. 2 . 3 . be to be understood of what God intended ton of the Sabbath is mentioned and plainly witncfTcd, Exod.16.30. Reafon 2. THere was no Commandement given to */f learncd and feen from God on that day; I may think, it fliould have been fuch matter, as might be agreeable enough to that his eftate of innocency. 4. jidams perfc&ion of knowledge in holyncffe and righteoufncfle,with uprightneffe and innocency of life , did furnifh him with matter of heavenly Contemplation , and madehim bold to prcfent himfclf before God in a fpeciali manner that day, and was fitted to fpend the reft of that day in heavenly meditations, who prepared himlelf, and ftrcng» thened his faith in the a durance of etcrn all life in heaven, whither he fhould have been tranflated in Gods appointed tkne; for cternalllifjpvas promhed from the worlds begin- ning y Titns 1.2. whereof the Tree of life was a Sacrament, as the Fathers and other learned men do hold. So that in this regard, thefeventh day a Sabbath to the Lord, agreed right well to his eftate in innocency. 5. If the day wasblefTed and fan&ified of God (which muft needs be granted, If the Anticipation and Deftina- tions bee removed ) then a blefled and fan£tificd day, agreed well to his holy and blefled ftate of innocencic, not any jtrrc or unfittingnefle comming betwecne. 6 The day I of Gods reft ing was not only exemplary ta Adam> but to all ^iJUms feed, had he and they abode in innocencic Now then all men labouring the fix dayes, had it beene unagreeable to their holinefle and innocencic, to have beftowed the feventh day in meditations, heaven- ly contemplations, pray fing God in the beautie of his crea- tures, and the like? This furely would have flood with the very higheft degree of their excellencies in their ftate of perfection. 7 And laftly, tsfdaw had on him, as all men fhould have, a double calling; one for his body, his particular calling in the duties of rightcoufnefle , for which he was allowed fix dayes; and another for his foule, his general! calling to be performed in duties of holinefle, for which the feventh day was ordained : So that in this refped a .ferenth day Sabbath, wis not disagreeable to the ftate of innocency. Reafin 2 3 J Treatifeofthe T* Reajhn. 5 . Hcmoft ancient primitive Fathers, as lufline tjlfartjr> Tertullian, Irentus, affirm that none of the Patriarches living before -&/*/£/, obferved a Sabbath. Therefore in Gen. 2 # 3 . is a Detonation for future time. 1 . Anfto. There be as many Fathers/who affirm the con- trary, and alio Jewifh Rabbies. 2. Affirmations are not to be rcfted on , but the proofes produced. 3. Thofe Fathers, are to be underftood of a ceremoni- ous obfervation , which they deny to be kept before Mofes time. They do not deny any Sabbath^ have been kept at all. They deny what the Jews did ftand for ( againft whom they wrote) to wit, for Circumcifion,and a Sabbath cere + monially kept. Such a Sabbath to be kept by the Patriarchs the Fathers deny. Section. V. Of the true underfiandtng of the words in Gen. 2. 3. Aving cleared the text, Gen. 2. 3. of thefetwo. rubs, of a Prolepfis,and of a future Deftination, it follows that it muft be understood plainely without either of t{iem,and the words to be con- ceived as they be written and delivcrcdjwhkhisjthatatthat prefent time, that firfi icventh day on which God refted, was it which he Welled and fanftified. How can this be denycdPDoth not Lfrfofes proceed or- derly in his hiftoricall narration ? Firjft he relates Gods Work every of the fix dayes ; and having ended that,he theft immediatly following fpeaketh of the feventh day,and what God did on that day, to wit, that God refted on that fame feventhday, and fa notified it. That this is clcarely ib to be underftood without a figure, I thus prove. Firft, this third verie is connexed to the fecood by the copulative Pttrtatcbatl Sabbath. copulative conj^nclionawi, tying (in the continued narra - tion)withan W, Gods retting, to Godsendingofhis work on that feventh d3y,in verfe2. Then^ to his rcfting,with ano- ther and, he adjoyneth his blefling and fandtifying the fame feventh day. Now, as the ending his work of fix dayes, and and his retting from his wotk on the immediate feventh day following, arc coupled together, and not, in any indifferent mans undemanding, feparable from one the other, in the narration; fo are his retting, and his bleffing and fan&i- fying of the fame feventh day,knittogether, and fb conceive- ably to every ones common apprxhenfton, tied one to the other, as the other be without any difference in Mofis rela- tion. Therefore if the former verfe be clear e, fo is the later, Co any not anticipated with a prejudicate opinion, defti- nated to errour. Secondly, God himfclfe publishing the Law of the Sab- bath in Exed. 20. r 1 ; doth there as Afo,fa doth here in Ge- nefis 2. 2, 3- couple together the fame things, his finifhing of his work in fix dayes ( who made heaven and earth >jhe fea> and Ml that in them is) with his retting on the fevetlth day, and then, that he blefed the Sabbath day and hallowed it : clcarcly thus verifying the truth of Mofes narration by his eonjoyning of the things together, and then by (peaking alfoof all tbefe his a<5ts as then done in the time perre&ly paft, in. the words, made, refted, blefed, and fanStifiedl therefore may we fee God himiclfe ( if we will fee ) teaching us to understand Jkf of es plainly, and that without any Anticipa- tion or Defamation. Thirdly, the feventh day inj£/*#* 2.. 3. is that firft feventh day in which God retted , and not another feventh day, which fhould be 2450 yeares after, when the Law fhould be given at Mount Sinai. For, Firft, the conjunction end will not admit of faeh ± diftin- for take away a Par en- thefts, and yet the fenfe rcrnayneth, and the former fol- lowing words are knit without any abfurditie : but take away thefc words, And, God bUjfedthe [event h day and fanfttfied it, Gen. 2.3. Firft , there is no meaning left to cxprefTe what«bencfit man fliould have by Gods retting on the Sabbath day, as CMofes telleth us, what benefit accrued to man by Gods working upon every other of the fix daics : for as God wrought on them, and^diftinguiflied them for mans ufe, even lb mult wee conceive of his diflinguidiing the feventh day, and refting on it for mans good, as well as the other dayes. But if thefe words be a Parenthefis y and taken away , then had not Mofes toJd us of any ufe or benefit of this day. Secondly, take thefe words away, then the fecond verfc, with the later part of the third vcrfe y will abfurdly bee conjoyned. In veril fecond, it is thus , t/fnd he refied on the feventh day from all his xvorkgs \which he had made. And in verfethird , it then fliould follow immediately , becaufe that in it hee had rcfted from all his wor^., which God made and created. So hce rcftcd , becaufe he refted; But now if the whole third verfe be in the Parenthefis t then»asl faid, the benefit of the day in which God reft cc l is taken from us , that is, the blefting and fan&i/ying of it for our ufe. Therefore for thefc reafbns wee «]ay° n ot admit of z Parenthefis, nvr is there any fuch thing j n t }, e Hebrew Text, nor in the Greei, nor in "Pagme^ nor m Vatablus translation , nor in the Caldc* Paraphrafe, nor in Montanns, nor in Tremelins and Junius, nor in the Vulgar Edition, nor in our laft learned Englifh tranfla- D * tion, q8 A Trcarifeofth& tion. This new Parenthejjs , is but an idle conception, brought forth to blunder the cteare fireamc of the Text. Section. V I. 7lW/'»Gen.2.g. is the Institution of the Sabbath, He words in i 3 where it is {aid , too morrow is the reft of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Here the word blejfed, is not fpoken of, as to call it the bleffed Sabbath , but the word holy is mentio- ned only, having reference to G©ds fan&ifying of it, and including therein his blefllng of it. Now the words thus cleerely opened, they mud needs argue the Inlticution of the Sabbath. For full, here is a Sabbath made, which Chrilt telleth us , was for man, Afarkj2. 27. Secondly , here is Gods ownc example for mans imitation, as is evident in Sxod.io* by Gods urging his own example for rcfting on the Sabbath. Thirdly , here are his word- of inftitution , in that it is faid , He bleffed it, and fanftified it , that is , hee ordained it to bee an holy Sabbath unto the Lord , to bee dedicated to his own fervice, as LMtfes informerh us, before the Law was promulgated, Exod.\6*2%* Fourthly andlaftly, hee confirmeth it with a rcafon in the end or the third verfe of (jtn. 2. Therefore it is the Lords infritution for |to bee his Sabbath day, and to bee kept holy of us, as the Commandemcnt alfo teachcth, and appointeth us to doe. 3 The Lord in the promulgation of the Law, doth fetch from this place of Genefts 9 xhc originall of the Sabbath, D 3 * laying 39 3° «• J Treatife of the laying thcground of his precept to keep it holy, upon the in- ftitution repeated in Exod. 20. 1 1 . 4. In €xod. 3 1« It is worth our obfervation , that there the keeping of the Sabbath is not urged from the Command- ment lately given in the Decaloguc,as reafon would in mans judgcment,but from the firft feventh dayes reft, and rcfrefh- ment after his fix dayes work, as we may read in the 1 5. 1 6> 1 7. verfesof that chapter. 5 . CMofes in Exod. 16*16. maketh mention of fix dayes, and of the feventh day Sabbath, and tellech them, that God had given them the Sabbath : verfe 29. fpeaking of it as a time before : For as fix dayes were before, fb alio was the fe- venth day theSabbath,for when fbme did break it,ver.27.the Lord faith , How longwillye refufe to keep my Commandments And Laws t He would not have faid, How long for the breach only of the firft feventh day Sabbath,if they had not done Co long before. Therefore the feventh day was Sabbath long before this time of gathering the Manna. 6. S. P*«/fpeaking of a Reft or keeping a Sabbath to the people of God. Heb. 4. 9. fctcheth from the originall, Gods own reft on the feventh day, even from the Creation, verfe 4. 7* Jewifli Doctors have been of this opinion : Genebrad in his Qhron. citeth four : Broughton in his content of Scripture, noteth two Ramban on Cjen. 26 • Aben-Ezsir, on Exod. 20. and fcter Martyr on Cenefis alleadgcth Rabbi j4gnon y Philo Iud&m demwdi opificio is of this judgement. For he faith the feventh day God vouchfafed to call it holy. And Tertullian cannot deny that the Jews held the day to be fan&ified from the worlds beginning, Ltb.^. adverf. Iud&os 4 8. Doclor Rivet out otWalUns on the fourth Gom- mandmcnt,doth reckon up to this purpofc, the confent of thirty famous Proteftant Divines. Luther, Zuinglius, CAlvin>Teter Martyr , Bnllinger , Zanchms^Vrjinus , and others, to the number of thirrf,I fay; yet hementioneth not learned T*r the Arke theTypicall Church, fhould reft on the feventh day; and as he ending his work of Creation, and blefled the feventh day ; fo hee ending his work of his judgement, upon the nnfullword, upon the feventh day, on which the earth was dryed : which feventh day might very likely be the feventh day Sabbath ; what may bee faid to the contrary I know not : For the Sabbath day , as now fometimes it doth , might fall upon the feven- teenth day of one Month, and on the twenty feventh day of another Month. Fourthly, in ordayning thcPaffeover to bee kept upon a feventh day , Exod. 12. 3, £• for the fourteenth day was the feventh day ; for if wee reckon from the firft day of the Moneth, to the tenth, and the keeping up of the Lamb till the fourteenth day, it muft be the fecond feventh day of the Month, which thejewes began a: the evening, and continued to the evening. Fift- ly s in the Lords appointing the feail of unleavened bread, to confift of the number of feven dayes, and the feventh day to be an holy Convocation, Sxcd.ii.15,16- and a feaft unto the Lord, Sxod. 1 3. e>. Sixthly, in his not rayning of Mannah on the feventh day, becaufe he would , have no gathering on that day. All thefe put together, I doe ftiew that God did much extoll the feventh day be- fore his pecple, and thofe holy Patriarchies, to ftirre them ! up to oDferve the feventh day Sabbath. Seventhly , to • addc to all thefe theLords (peaking to tyahy of the num- bet of feven dayes to bting in the Fioud, and opening the windowes of Heaven, and breaking up the fountainesof ! the great deep on the feventcenth day of the fecond Month, Gen.y.ii. and in bringing the Floud upon the old \vorld, upon the feventh day , (jen.j.io. as the lear- ned Tranflatours have it in the Margin, So Iremelim and Innmt give us it , from the Hebrew Text : Futi tp- f&nm dterum fefttmo ; Vattbbts hath it , Cum illuxifet dies feptimw ,that hereby , among other the wicked nefles Ej of 37 3* J Treatife of the of the times, God might fhew his wrath againft thofe evili men, for profanation of the Sabbath, and the contempt of that his holy inftitution. Here I might annex the Patriarch Noah, his obfervati- on of the number of [even, againe and againc , in fend- ing out the Dove; Gen g.io. 12. and likewife (being come out of the Arke) in his facrificing an acceptable offering -to God, on the feven and twentieth day of the Month, in which hee came forth, ^».8.i4-2o. 25. like enough to bee i6 23.26* Thirdly, of the Lord their God, which they knew, from ^Abrahams dzyesfien. 17.7. and by LMofes in Egypt, Exod.6^* Fourthly, That in it they fhould not d$e any man- ner tfwor'^i this they were forewarned of, €xod.i6. 29. and fome were reproved for offending, verf. 28. Fiftly, that in fix dayes God made heaven and earth, &c This was evident of old time unto the Fathers, (]en t 24. 3. 7. And Jaftly, that hee rcfted the feventh day , bJcffed and hallowed the Sabbath ; Gods owne words of the infti- t\ii\OT\,(jen.2. 2. |. So that we ice it clear from the fourth Commandcmeot, and the words thereto annexed, that this Law was known & pracljftd before it was given in Horeb, 9 Andlaftly, to make up all fure; Mofes tellcth us in plain words, that the feventh day Sabbath was kept, Extd. 16. 30. and that the people rcfted on the feventh day, which he faith was a Sabbath to the Lord, verfe2 5» the reft of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, verfi.23. Now this Text being fb cleave, that it cannot be de- nied, except one dare fay Mofes lyed. Some have endea- voured to darken the truth, and to becloud the antiqui- tic of the Sabbath, in the former inftitution, and uie there- of, by being pleafed to vent their erroneous conception, and to fay (but without any ground of reafon) that this Chapter Exod. 16. fpeaketh of the firft inftitution of the Sabbath. But for anfwer hereto, I doe deny that any fuch in- ftitution can here be proved; and to make this elcare, looke into the Text, and obferve two things ; firft, what God fpake; fecondly, what God did to findc an inftitu- tion : firft God himfelfe fpake of giving of Manna , alio of gathering a certaine rate every day, and on the fixth day twice as much, verfe 4. 5. 23. but in all this chapter, Godfpeaks not fb much as one word of the feventhday Sabbath , nor doth he fay , that hee blelTed or fan&ified it, nor doth CWofes write v any fuch thing of God in this chapter as he fpeaketh of Gods refting, blcifing, and fan- F edifying ¥ 1 42 7 reatife of tht edifying it in Cjen. 2. 3. as hcc fhould have done, if any anticipation were there, with relation to this place: fe- condly, what God (pake in verfe 28. is implicitly of the Sabbath; firft wrapping it up among his Commandc- ments and Lawes given before this time , to them and their Fathers; fo farre is he from inftituting a Sabbath in this place. Secondly, hcreproveth them for the breach of it, as al> ready commanded before with other his Commandc- ments and precepts there mentioned. Now if God (pake no words of the Sabbath, but what the people were to doe in iix dayes, and efpecially on thefixth , God paf- fing by the very naming of the feventh day , and where hejfpeaketh of it implicitly, it is only by way of rcproofe, to the people for tranlgreffingand breaking of it : How can here be the institution of the Sabbath ? feeing God doth not fo much as name it, but reproves the breach of it, which implyeth it to have beene before this time,el(e fhould he have reproved them for a tranlgreflton and a fin, where- of there was no Law. Next let us fee what Gods ads were, whether they will afford an institution. Firft, hee gave them the Manna verf. 1 5. but this blefling was only on the fix working dayes; what is this to the institution of the Sabbath? tru- ly no more than his fix dayes work in the Creation for the inftitution of the feventh day for a Sabbath. Secondly, he prcferved the Manna, gathered on the fixth day in the morning, from breeding of wormes , and from stinking, being kept over night to bee eaten on the feventh day : what is this to the institution of the day? The blesTing, was not the blefling of the day, but of the eating of the Manna on the Sabbath day , for which caufe God did prefcrve it , that they might keep the Sabbath before this time bkfTed and fanclified, Cjen. 2. 3. Thus we fee, that neither by any words of God, nor by his deeds, can here bee proved the feventh dayes in- ftitution for the Sabbath. Secondly, let us fee what may bee gathered from Afofes y Patriarchal! Sabbath, 43 Mofes 3 for inftitution of the Sabbath here in this time. True it is , that hce nameth the feventh day, three or or foure times in this Chapter ; which he faith was the Sabbath, but not as an inltitution ; neither could Cftlo- fes inftitute the Sabbath : for what God here did not, he could not doe : but he mentioneth here the Sabbath ; 1 As a reafbn why hee approved the peoples a& , in gathering on the fixth day two Omers; becaufe the next day the morrow after, was the red of the holy ^abbath unto the Loid ; Exod. 16. 23. Here is no inftituticn, nor reafbn alleadged for it, as in (]en. 2. 3. but it is brought as a reafbn for a thing of another nature to approve of the collection of a double rate of Manna, on the fixth day. 2 He nameth it againe in verfe, 25. but occafioncd- by the Manna, which was, that they fhould eat the refer ved Manna , for that none was to be found that day in the fields ; becaufe it was the Sabbath day , on which they were to red : So here is a rcafon, why they (houlcf not goe and feek Manna, but to eat what was gathered be- fore, but no institution of the day , but an appointment of the meanes ufed for to red on the day formerly in- ftituted. 3 Hee mentioncth it againe in verfe 26* to the fame purpofe,to keep them within on the feventh day Sab- bath , becaule fix dayes the Lord would give it them to gather, but on the feventh day Sabbath, there fhould none be found; which words make no inititution, but are >an information for the preventing of the breach of the Sabbath. 4 He nameth it in verfe 29. upon the Lords reproving them for the breach of the Sabbarh, by fome going forth to feek Manna contrary to fo much fore-warning given by LMofes ; whereupon^?/?/ dealeth a little more roundly with them, as a man having authority : faying, See, fir the Lord hath gwenyou the Sabbath, therefore he givttti 'you on the fixth day the bread of two lUyes ; abide jee every man in his place, let no man goe out of his place on the Sab- bath day. in thefe words CMofes firtt commands every F 2 man 44 A Treatife of the man to abide within, and that none fhould goc outtofeek it on the feventh day. Thefe be the only words of any Com- ma nd about the Sabbath in this chapter, which doe not in- ftitute the day, but ferve only to prevent the peoples finnin^ any more in going out to fcek it, as they had done. Secondly, Mafes giveth two reafbns for his fo Arid a charge laid upon them, which he would have them to fee and confider of, for the better re/training of themfclves from the breach of tne Sabbath. The firft is from Gods grace and favour, that he had given them the Sabbath : And the other is, that he al lowed them on the iixth day the bread of cwodayes. Where out of thefe words Jetusobferve two things. The flrft is, that the mentioning of the Sabbath commeth only in frill occafionally concerning the Manna, and not of purpofcto inftitute a Sabbath; but wholly in all the foure places, it is fpoken of, cither of gathering the double rate of Manna, or ofjhe eating the Manna refer ved, or of gathering Manna on every of the fix dayes, or of tarrying within, and not to goeoutto feek it when it was not to be found ; and all this to this end, that the Sabbath might be kept more care- fully of the people, as the event plainly fliewcth : For upon thefe confidcrations about the Manna, the people harkened to Utfofef, and did reft on the feventh day, vcrfe 30. The fecond thing, wherewith I will and may conclude my anfwer, is, ( that which may fatisfle-any, not wilfully averfe from the truth) the change of the tenfe, in the two reafbns : UWofts fpeakingofGods giving of Manna (becaufe it was at this time given whilft the people were in the wil- dernefic of Z'm, Exod. i6.i.)faichintheprefenttcn(e, Bat vohi*\ hegiveth you in thefixth day the bread of twodayes r but fpcakingof the Sabbath, he uttercth the words in the pretcrperfedt tenfc y Jehovah dedit vobis ipfftm S 'Mat urn : The Lord hath given to you the Sabbath, as that fame which was of old, which evidently declareth the Sabbath to have beenc before this time, and not now at this prefent in this place inftituted : For if it had becne now at this time given, as the Manna was, Mofes would have faid, hegiveth you the Sabbath , and not, he hath given it. Having' "atriarchall Sabbath, Having thus anfwercd this place of Exod. i6» yet one thing remaineth to be removed as a great block in the way; which is the filcnt parting over the obfervation of the Sab- bath from the Creation till the rayning of Manna : and thereforethey are bold to conclude from a mecre Negative, that there was no obfervation of the Sabbath. Anfyv. i. I have proved the institution, Gen. 2. %. which is enough to prove, that they ought to have obferved, which if they did not, wasfin in them : but the reverence we owe to thofe holy men of God, bindcth us to think better of them than fo. 2. I have fhewed my rcafons why wee are to bee perfwaded that the Sabbath was kept of them, of more force to confirme this aflertion, than fucn a weak argument from the bare filent pafllng it over hiftorically, can bee of any validity to refell it. For as the hilloricall narration ofMofes foeaketh nothing ofthe obfervation of the day, after the inttnution of it ; fo we may finde after it was commanded on Mount Sinai, that no mention is made of any obfervation of the day in all the book ofjofhtta, nor in the book ofthe Judges ; nor in Ruth y nor in the firft or fecond of Samuel, nor in the firft book ofthe Kings : fhall we therefore conclude, that in all this time, valiant Jojbua, the Princes of the people, the wor- thy Judges, holy Samuel, zealous 'David, and others, did nctobferve the Sabbath? In all theHirtory of Hcftcrno mention is made of God ; will we therefore fay hec was not then knowne or worfhipped of MordecM, Hefitr, and the religious Jewe>? God by his fpirit directed the holy Penmen to write fo, in fuch manner, and of fuch things, as he in his heavenly wifdome thought fitteft to make rehearfall of to pofleritics, and not to embolden men to deny fuch and fuch things not to have beene, becaufc the Lord was not pleafedto mention them. If we fhould thus reafon,what an ill face of a Church would we imagine to have beenc in the world till Lftfofer his dayes. For the better clearing of this point, and to manifeft the • F 1 abfurd 4* 46 J Treat if e of the abfurd and impious reafbning from the filence of Scripture in this fort, I will divide the times from the Creation till (JMofeSy and then let men fee the filent pa fling over of many things and whether men dare to deny the obfervation of the Sabbath upon that only very felfefame ground. i. From the Creation to the fail, how long, is uncertain, the Story is only in two chapters and no more : In this fpaceis not one word of Adams worfhippingofGod, not a word of any holy duties pra£tifed : May we think there- fore he performed no fuch thing to God ? If we he afhamed to to conclude from the filence of the Scripture herein, why dare any deny Adams obfervation of the Sabbath, upon no other ground ? feeing he knew it to beinftituted, and had Gods example of retting before him for his imitation ? But yce will perhaps fay, that Adam could not keep it, becaufc he fdl before the Sabbath day. Anfvo, Learned Zanchitu is confident to affirmc, that Chrilttookan humane (hape, and conferred with Adam> and taught him how to keep the Sabbath to the Lord. And it feemes to me fomewhat unlikely that God would fiiffer Adam to fall the very day of his creation. Firft, Adam was made the fixth day, what time is not noted; let it be in the morning, it cannot be then; firft be- caufeofthe things to be done before he fell : i. All lows of beafts and foules were brought to him to name them, every feverall fort according to their natures, which took up fbme time. 2. He was caft into a dcepe fleepe. 3. A rib was taken out of his fide, and thereof the woman was made. 4. The Lord brought her to ^dam^ and married them, who fpake of her, and of the conjunction of man and wife. 5. God put them into Paradife to drefTe the Garden, and gave them a Commandement : all which took upfome fpace of time. Secondly, in refpeft of the time of the temptation, the Serpents comming into the Garden, then the conference betweene him and Eve, and after betweene Sve and Adam : the temptation was net (o fuddenly begun and ended, as the fliortneiTc of the Story may feeme to intimate. Thirdly,! Patriarchal/ Sabbath, 47 Thirdly, the things done after the fall: i. A confufed flhameof face to fee themfelves naked: 2.Their (owing leaves to cover their nakednefle: $ . Their hiding themfelves,which was in the coole of the day. 4/rheir examination, and an- fwer,and then the fentence after upon all. Fourthly and laftly,the catting ofthem forth of Paradifc. All which may give us to think, that thefc things could not well happen upon his day of creation. 2. It is not likely, that£^ would fofuddenly ftraggle from her husbands company, and fo immediately to be fet upon by the Serpent, as fooncas they were in the Garden. 3. They could not conceive of the excellency of their ftate of perfection, nor of the efficacy of Gods blerfed image and likenefle in them, if they had enjoyed no time for the ex- preffion thereof : For what time could they have had toge- ther to difcerne of each others excellency, to contemplate upon Gods creatures, to behold their glorious habitation, andtopraifeGodfor his goodneife, if they had fallen the fame day. 4. The words of Gods approbation of all his works : he farv every thing that he hadmade, and behold, it was very good, Gen, j. 31. which approbation he gave of them at the end of the fixth day : For upon the words written by Mofes of Gods feeing all things very good, he addeth, and the Evening andthe Morning wot the Jtxth day, that is, the day natural! was R ni fh ed, for fo the words are to be under flood of every of the other five day es, ver/e 5.8- 13- ip» 2 3« Now God fpeaking in the end of the lixth day fo well of all his works, if Adam had fallen on that day, and God had curled the earth for mans fin, how could it be faid, that hee faw every thing good, when through the fin of man, all things on a fudden came to be out of frame. 5. It cannot ftand with the beginning of the (econd chapter of Genejts, that Adam fhould fall the firft fixth day: bccau(e,whcn Mefeshzd mentioned in the other chapter the fixth day confifting of the evening and morning; hebegineth with afummary repetition of all Gods works. (Jene % 2. 1 . as yet without crack or flaw in them : fccondly with mention- ing 4 8 A Treatise of the ing of Gods ending his work which he had made , and not marred again by curfing of it, as yet, Gene. 2. 2. Thirdly Mofes telleth us, how God rcfled on the feventh day (to wit) from all his work which he had made. Now what is refting, but the Lords ceafing to create further any other things, than what he had created, and his pleafurcable de- light in the full accompli fhment of his works done in thole fix dayes ? And his refting was from his work made; fo it was from his creating only, and not from punifhing, as his relting fli ou Id have beenc, had man fallen before his reft here fpoken of, (Jen. 2. 2. Therefore from all thefc reafbns it is very likely, that tAdam and SveftW not on the day of their creation. But now to returne againc to the point. 2 From Adams catting out of Paradife unto the reftoring of religion by Setb, (jen. 4. 26. which was the (pace of 235 ycares, which Story is conteined in one only chap- ter, Gen. 4. In this fpace of 2 3 5 yeares, there is no mention of Adams pcrfonall repentance, of his faith, and love to God ; not a word of his praying to God, of his worfhipping of him, or of any duty performed by him, unto God, or man ; can any or will any conclude hence, that sAdam failed in all thefe ? No ; why then, upon the fame reafbn, dare any conclude no keeping of the Sabbath by Adam> becaufe it is not re- corded, that he obferved it : efpccially, feeing wee read of Gods refting, and of the inftitution and making it the Sab- bath for man ? 3. From the reftoring of religion by Seth^wnto the Flood, was 1422 yeares, all which long fpace of time is hiftoried within two chapters and a halfe in (Jen. 5. and 6". to vcrfe 17. of the feventh chapter. Now in all this time, for fo many hundreds of yeares wherein lived many holy men,thcfbnnes of God mentioned in (jen. 5 . y et not one word by LMofes fet downc of any puolick wor(hip,in offering facrifices, as before ; not a word of any holy meeting any where, not a word of any good they did one to another, not a word of any thing worthy note of any of them, cr of their children, fave of Enoch and 2^oah: Tatriarcball Sabbath. 49 Noah : will we hence conclude them defe&ive in all things ? no, then why judge we them defective in keeping of the Sabbath ? IV. From the day of tbefloud, and Noabs entring into the Ark, unto the calling of Abraham cut of Vr^ which is ' the (pace of 352. yeers, fome fay 427. yeers comprehended \ in part of the feventh Chapter from the feventeenth Verfe to the end, and in the 8, 9, jo, 1 1, foure Chapters, and no more. In this (pace nothing is fpoken of any Divine praifcs, of; any fblemn meetings of them together \ can we conclude, j that (b many holy men mentioned in Chapter 1 1. of bleffed Stems race, did fail therein ? if not, why dare we fay, they ■ kept not the Sabbath ? V. From Abrahams calling out of Vr to Jacobs going | down into Egypt, is about 2 1 5. yeers, this fpace is ftoried in j many Chapters from Gen.i 2. 1046. In which fpace, though Morall duties were performed, : and that its faid in the generall terms, Gw.26.5 . chat Abra- \ bam kept the Lords charge, his Commandements, his Sta- tutes, and his Laws, yet the particulars of thefe are not ex- prt fTed 5 And therefore here may we include theobfervati- oncf the Sabbath, and can no more feclude it, then we can other duties oblerved, wliicbyet are not related to be kept by him in particular: efpecially if we confider how God includeth the fourth Commandement among them, ExoeL\6.i%. as before is declared. If any yet deny it to be kept of Abraham, becaufe it is not nominated, why deny they not as well other things to have been performed by him, feeing they are not by name rrentioned ? VI. From Jacobs going into Ezftt, to the bringing of them out under Mofes intothe Wildernefleof Sin, fpoken of mExdd.16,1. The fpace was alfo 215 ycers, for they came to this Wildernefle upon the fifteenth day, of the fecond moneth, after their departure from Egypt, which was at the full end of the 4 30. veers, as God foretold Abraham, Gm.15. G The 5 o jTreatifecf the \ The ftory of all this rime is comprised in the fivelaft I Chapters oiGenefi^ and in the firft fixteen Chapters of | Exodtv. In which fpace after Jacobs departure from Canaan notone word of their worfhipping of God, of no Altar, no Sacrifice, no holy duties in publike 5 yet I hope we will | net fay, that all thele things were neglected of them, be- caufe not mentioned ; if not, then no mo. e may we deny to them the obfervation of the Sabbath 5 for nOiV at this time I they bang in the Wildernefle of Sin, Exod. \6. it is plainly ! faid, they refted upon the feventh day, as an holy reft and Sabbath to the Lord. Thus have I e'early u\ewed,tbat their negative Argument from the Scripture is no good rea (on to deny the obfervati- on of the Sabbath in all this fpace of time', except they will deny upon the fame ground, fo many holy men to have '{inmllv negle&ed other neceflary duties., alio, as is before rehearied. But before I conclude, I think a QuefUon fit to be pro- pounded and anfwered. §htefl. Why was now in Exod. \6. the keeping of the Sabbath fb plainly fpoken off, and not before > Anfw.i. Now the people hungring after food for the belly, Exod 16.3, and the Lord determining that he would rrijpe Marwabi which they fhould gather everyday by a certain rate, nndonthe fixt day twice as much, thereafon was, becaufethe (eventb day was the Lords Sabbath, on which tlay the Lord raigned no Mmnah, nor would he have any to go forth to feek it, for that it was an holy reft unto the Lord: This was the rea(bn of the mentioning of it, as appeareth by all that which is before delivered out of the Text. II. Because now they were a people openly Separated to God from all other Nations, and an holy people, Dtut. 7.6. Exod. 79* 6. Therefore aflbene as he had delivered them, C within fix weeks (pace or thereabouts^) after they came from Egpt 9 he rook order for their keeping holy the Sabbath day., as a'lpeciall evidence of their holyneffe before _____ God 5 Tttrwcbail SaHatb. yj God ; the breach whereof he reproved as the breach of all / his Commandments and Laws, both then, Exod,i6, 28. and afterwards 5 in fo high cfteem bad God his inftitution of his Sabbath: and no marvell, becaute by the breach of it God is much di (honoured , and in the obfervation of jr. The three firft Commandments of the flrit Table are kept in publike view before men ; for in observing the Sabbath day, we profeffe the God of Ifraei as the firft Commandment teacheth. Then in afTembling together, and worfhipping God, we do what the fecond Commandment bindeth us to do : and when on that day we contemplate upon the crea- 1 tures, takeoccafion thereby to praiie him, andfhewan l outward holy behaviour to advance his glory, we do whac the third Commandment commandeth us to do : fo tlut the ' holy obfervation of the day to the Lord, keepeth up a pub- lick practice of all our duties to every Commandment of the firft Tcble : therefore no marvelJ it was that God took or- der fo fbon for the keeping of the Sabbath day. III. Becau/eGod intended not un till this time, to fet ; out any glorious face of his Church hiftorically unto us; ; but rather other things* happening in thecourfeof times, \ from the fall,as in the Story doth appear unto this time. I. From the Fall to the Floud > the ill fruits of Adam* fall,and the increafecf fin to mans deftru&ion is recorded. j 2. From the Floud to Abraham ^ the planting of the I world by people, with their prefumptuousfin«iog,cau£o^ * them to be Mattered over the face of the earth, according to j their diftinft languages. { 3. From Abraham to Ifraels going into Egypt, God 1 moved Mofts to record the carriage of Abraham 5 Ifaac and Jacob , as private families ( upon which the Church confi- | ftedj living among idolaters , as pilgrims and ftrangers, I while they were in Canaan\ till God brought them into Egypt. 4. From the entrance into Egypt to their mighty delive- rance, God was pleafed to inftrucl Mofes to fet down how Jofepb came into Egypt , his troubles and honour 5 how by G 2 him 5* A Treat* ft of tbe&c* him Iftaeicame intoEgyptby Joftphsmczm 5 the peaceable reft., there till another Kin garofe, and then of their heavie, bondage>till God ient Mofes to free them. But now God intending to make glorious his people, j and his worftiip more publickly ro be observed of all Ifrael! at one fet time weekly., CMofes relateththe Lords pleafurei concerning the Sabbath> not to have it neglected, but fb- 1 lemnely to be kept as an holy reft unto the Lord 3 according to Gods firft inftitution thereof] Gen. 2. 3, And thus much for the PatriarcbaB-Sabbttb 3 before the Law publifhed upon mount Sinai. \ FfKfS- ' TREATISE OF THE MOSAICALL SABBATH. By %ichard "Bernard^ Reftor of IZatcomb. Exod. ji, ij. Six dayes may workjte done, but in the Seventh it the Sabbath of reft, holyto the Lord, whomever doth any work-in the Sabbath day, he Jhalljurelykt^ut to death. London, * Primed for Ed&ard Blacfynore, and arc to be fold, at the figne of the Angel in fouls Church-yard, i 641. J I The Contents. i. 2. 3- 4- 5- 6. 7- 8. \YT h Of the Law of the ten Commandments. Of the Naturalitie of the Law. Of the Extemallitic or Po/itive'neffeofthe Law. Of the Spirituallitie of the Law. Of the Moralitie of the Law. That there are un Commandments . Of the fourth Commandment , in what words con- tained. p. Of the meaning ofthe words of the Commandment. 10. of the reft upon the Sabbath. 1 1 . Of the day for the reft. 1 2 . Of the words annexed to the Commandment. 1 3 . Ofthefcope of the word*. 1 4. of the diretiorie in the words. 1 5 . That one day in feven muft be the Sabbath day, 1 6. ofthefeventhday Sabbath. 1 7. Of the fix dayes work. 18. Of the rtjiriclion from work on the feventh day Sabbath. 19. Of works which might be done on the Sabbath. 2 o. of the rigorous ftncfneffe fuppofed to befut upon the Ifraelites that day. 21. of the reafon added unto the diretforie, with tbe con- clufion. 2 2 . The j immkt The Concents^ 2 % , Tfe arguments to prove H eeremoniall y anfmred f 23. T^tf the fourth Commandment is no fart ccremo- niall. 14. The fourth Cmmandment is aperpetuall Precept. 2 5 . Hotv much of the Mofaicall Sabbath is in the Com- mandment to be kept holy . 2 6. How the day was kept, zj.of Judai&ing and trm under fianding thereof OF . 57 OF THE MOSAIC ALL SABBATH- SlCTIOH. I. Why it U called J 9. Gill the Sabbath here Mofaicall 3 not as any new Sabbath from the "former^ being the fame with the Patriarchal! Sabbath 3 farther now ratified and j eftabliflhed. Nor do I Co name it, as if Mofes were the inftitutor of it ? orcnefy^ 7 publifher of it. But because God, the Lord of the Sabbath did give this Cornmaiidement of , the Sabbath, with the reft of his divine precepts, when he bad ordained Mojts the Ruler over his people Ifrael under , him: and for that he delivered to Mojts the two Tables in which the Com mandements were written, to deliver them unto the people. H Sect. 58 Jtreati/eof the Section. II. Of the Law of the ten Commandments. T He Law of which the precept of the Sabbath is part, isfaidby the Apoftletobe holy and fpirituall, Rom.j. 12, 14 ♦ and if that Commandment Thou (halt not luft, be boly > jnfl^udgood y fo is the whole I,aw ? and every Com- mandement thereof. His encomiis legem integram oraat A[h>* fiolw, faith Paraus, f, This whole Law hath in it Naturalitk, Pofitivencfle , Spiritualitieand Moralitie. \S ic t'i oh. III. Of the Naturalitie of the Law. I. '~T" N He Naturalitie of the Law is fo much thereof, as JL by the principles of Divinicie in Nature, written in all mens hearts, Rom. 2.14, 15. and farthered by the cormnon light of Chrift, Job. 1 .9. may be known and aflen- tedunto. And this knowledge is more or lefle, asNaturall men partake of that naturall light : for from hence arifeth the difference in naturall men, and not from the common principles* which be one and the fame in all men. From this Naturalitie in the Law, it may be called the Law of Nature, not fo as if it were the work of Nature, but for that its in every mans nature, God writing it in every mans heart, ftw.2. 15. fincc the fall, at the time of the fouls infafion into the body, as God did to Adam before his fall. This Naturalitie of the Law confifts in generalls, and cannot reach to true Specialities* without fbme further help and better dire&ion,yet by deductions it may go far towards the Specialities. This ferves to make all men inexcufable, Rom. 1 .20. Sect. Mo/aicall Sabbath. 59 SlITlOM. IV* Of the Externalitie or Pofithenejfe of the Law. ! THe Externalitie or PofitiveneflTe of this Law is the openly making known of Gods Will in the Comman- dements given by word of mouth, and after written in the two Tables of Stone. This Externalitie of precepts , the Lord added for his Church, unto thofe generall rules,and principles in nature, and to that common light in all men. For the Lord never (urTered his Church to be only di- rected by that light in nature, never fince Adams fall, who having it in perfection, could not guide himfelf to it . And therefore we read , befor# Mofes days , of Gods Word, of his ipeaking to Adam 9 Noah, and to Abraham^} viva Voce^ giving his charge, Commandements, Statutes, and Laws, of which the Lord maketh mention to Ifaac tel- ling him, that in keeping thefe Abraham obeyed his voyce, Gen.i6. 5. This Pofitivenefle or Externalitie is to guide thofe Ge- neralities^ to more Specialities, which naturall men could never rightly difcover without this help of Gods extetnall precepts. This confifts in the Letter, and written words of the Law in theComraanderaents,and the farther meaning there- of is to bs learned fr©m other Scriptures, to know what is contained in the fhort precepts. This Externalitie properly belongeth to the outward man, for the ordering of it. And this Externalttie may bedifpenfed with, in fome precepts, though the natural itie cannot: for this is written in every mans heart, but (6 is not this Externalicie. We fee Gods difpenfation in fbme* Specialities, as Gods I allowing Cain to marry with his Sifter : alfb Polygamic in j the Patriarches : In Gods commanding Abraham to kill his J H 2 fbnne: 6o jiTreatifeof the * It teacheth a! fo that for the proportion of this time, the creature muft depend and waite upon his Creator : who alone can make the work of fix dayes fcrve to keep us feven. By light of nature tisno way fit thefer- vant fhould prefcribeunro hisMafter, but rather the Matter unto , hisfervant ; cfpev;al!y"con- fidet ing e*£ i ground of thai jdiftin&ionof I fervi a liber em turn. (brine: lathe Magiftrate commanded to kill rhe offender: Pwtf.jj.o, fb in warre to kill, M1wfc.31.17. In his allow- ing of the Iiraelics to rob and ipoile the Egyptians, Exod. 3.22. And what is it but a difpenfation , when God raifeth up lome to fpoile other ? And that children may leave their parents in cafe of Marriage, Gen. 2.24. and Mjttb. 1 9.?. and that variance may be berween them for tha Gofpelfake? The Coramandements of this Law in refpeft of the meer Extern alkie., roanifefted in Specialities maybecalied Pofi- tive laws 5 as fuperaddkaments for Specialities of thofe generals: as for example, Naturalise teacheth me a God: but the Pofitiveneflc telleth me thao I muft have only the God of Ijrael for my god : Nature teacheth to worfhip God, but the Pofitive precept forbids to make any graven image or likenefie thereby, to worfhip him, but to worfhip in fpirit and in truth : Nature teacheth to honour God, the Pofitive Commandement forbids the taking of Gods name in vaine: Nature * teacheth to have a time to fcrve God fblemnly, the Pofitive precept com man deth a Sabbath day 3 and dire&cth us to the keeping of a feventh day Sabbath. Section, V. Of the Spirituality of the Lw. T He Spirituality of the Law is the fpirituall extenfion of every precept of the Law beyond all that which th 2 naturality reacheth unto, and above tfce fpeciality of the Letter of the Commandements in the external itie thereof I call it the Spiritualise of the Law, for that this know- ledge is only attained by thefpirirs fpeciall illumination, and grace. Andconfiftsnotintheonly bare knowledge of the minde touching the extenfion, but alfb in the hearts affection, drawn on along with the utmoft ex ent of the underftanding, to love what is commanded, to hate what is forbidden Mofaicall Sabbath , 61 forbidden, to joy in obedience, to fbrrow for failings, and falls, fearing ever to offend. This Spirituality is that which is promi/ed of God in hi* Covenant of Grace, made with his People, to be written in the minde and heart* J^.31.33. HebS.10. This is the reparation of that blefled image of God, con- fiding in wifedome, holinefle, righteoufhefle, and upright- neflTe,Cc/^.io.E^4.24. EccUf.7.2?. The Naturality is common to all, in and out of the j Ghurch. The Externality belongeth to thofe in the Church, and in this refpeft may the Law be faid to be given only to the Ifraelits. This all the outward children of the Church may attain unto, and others out of the Church by converging with and coming among them, or thefe going unto them, or getting fbme of the writings of the Church ; For its not poffible, that the learned Heathen got all their knowledge by the j Naturality in them, and their common light, but by the j acceflion of the helps from the Church, Therefore to gather, that whatfoever we finde in their writing concerning God, and the things appertaining to him, to be all from their meer light in nature, will not hold for a found conclufion. This Spirituality is proper only to the E left 3 The firft is by infeription, butbettred by diligent improvement of : thofe principles and helps from the Church : The fecond is by information, and bettered by good education, and in- ftrucYion publikely and privately in the Church. The third j is by the fpeciall inspiration of Gods holy Spirit in a con- usant ufe of the means , and in the grace of Selfcdeniall which every one mnft come with that will be a true obedi- ent obferver of the Law. H Sect, 6z ^(Treatife of the Section. VI. Of the Morality of the Law, THeMoralitie of the Law properly fpeaking, anddi- ftin&ly to common underftandingis not the Naturali- se, nor perpetuity of the Law, as if thefe three indiiHn&ly were all one. But the Moralitie of the Law is the Laws power, binding the whole man outwardly to the good be- haviour in all good manners concerning holinefie towards God, and righteoufnefle towards man, according to the Naturalitie, Externality, and Spiritualise of the Law. And from this consideration truely, properly, diftin&ly, and clearly it is, and may be called the Morall Law ; the brief Epitome of Chrfftian Ethick, Oeconomick, Politicks, and Ecclefiafticks, and of whatsoever duty we owe to God or man. Sect ion. VII. 7*bat there are ten Commandements* HAving thus prefaced the fe neceffariz frficognita^ I come to the fourth Commandement for the right under- standing whereof many things are to be made clear. Firft that there are ten Commandements of the Law: I would not (peak of this, but that one hath pleated to call this number vulgar Idols. I. Its the number which Mofes recordeth, Exod.^q. 2 8 . Denarii, and hoUeth De^.10.4. and faith, God added no more, T)tut % %i 2 . more then ten there was not, nor fewer may we make them, leaft we be guilty of the curfe,and break the Commandement, Vent. 4. 2. of adding to, and taking from Veut.i 2.32. j 1 1. Its commonly called the Decalogue by the mod lear- [ ned Divines. III. Our Mofaicall Sabbath. 63 III. Our Church in che Caccehifmc would have children to be taught that thete are ten Commandements. IV. Saint Augufiinc in Epifi. 118. cap .12. /peaks of ten Commandements. V. ThePapifts though they rob God of one facriledgi- oufly, yet do not diminish his number of ten. VI. The number hath thus been reckoned for three thoufand and two hundred of yeers and more, and never either denyed, or lightly disregarded, till the Spirit of too much boldneflein fc me hath dared without Shame to /peak contemptuously of the number. Section. VIII. Of tbe fourth Commmdermnt in rvbat words contained. T His fourth Commandement is and hath been hitherto accounted one of them, and is a Commandement in forme of Speech So delivered unto us. But here we are carefully to confider which is the Com- mandement, and in what words its comprehended. The miftake herein hath occasioned all the contention concerning the perpetuity of the Commandement. The Commandement is contained only intheSe words: Remember tbou the Sabbath day to h$ep it holy, I. Mofes in the repetition of the Law, Petff.5.1 2. Shew- eth us this plainly, who upon the words of the Commande- ment, Keep the Sabbath day to fanBifie it , addeth immedi- ately theSe words, ai the Lord thy God hath commanded thee* between the precept and the next words following, Sixe days pah thou labour^ &:. And Sb evidently telleth us which be the words of the Commandement, and thereto holdeth j our thoughts: fo we may not take any of the following ' words to be any part of the fubftance of the Commande- 1 ment. II. The learned have fet the Commandement apart by it felf in a diftinft VerSe : Ex<\20.8. from the words following. III. The 64 Deut. 5. 12. A Treatife of the III. The Lord himfelf in the promulgation of tbe Law> in every other of the Command ements, where reaibnsbe added, maketh a difference between the Commandemenr, and the reafbns annexed, as we may fee in the fecond, third, and fitch, and therefore fo here. I V. Every reaibnable mans undemanding giveth him to know a difference between a Commandemenc , and that which, for (brae caufe, is annexed thereto, as here we may clearly fee ir. SictiOn. IX. Of the meaning of the words tfihe ' Commandemcnt. THus knowing the Commandement it is fit to under* ftand the meaning. Remember (that is^ be mindefull of it, fo, that thou for- get it not, call it to minde, tnink upon it, and confider the Sabbath as a day to be observed, and kept, and therefore Mofes putteth kfep for Remember. The Sabbath day ("that is) the reft day: for Sabbarh fig- nifiethceflation and reft, taken from Gods reft, Gen.2.2. Mofes calleth it the Sahbath of reft, Exod. 31.15. Sabbatnm cejj'jttionii : and this reft is Rtepiies fan&a> Exod. 3 1. 1 7. an holy Sabbath, Exod.16.15. Nbe 9. 14. and the day is an holy day, Exod.tf.2 . But not fo the reft, nor day, in them- felves ; but a reft unto Lord, Exod.16.23.25. and 35. 2. holy to the Lord, Exod.^ 1. 15. Stn&ificata, as fbme tranflation hath it, iet apart and feparaced to the fervice ofCJod, as a fan&ified reft and day, which the Lord calleth his holy day, Ifai. ^8.3 1. lokeepitholy : This is the end of remembring the Sab- bath day, to fanttifie it (chat is) as God did fet it apart, and ordained it for holy ufes, and his wo fhip, fo we are to count it the Lords, Operating it from other days, and be- llowing the reft, and the day of reft, upon the Lord, for \ chat end and uia,for which he hath made the reft and the day Inoly : This is to keep it holv. From ', Mofaicall Sabbath, *S From the Comraanderaent thus underftood, we may ob- serve. i. That aSabbath> a reft, is impofed upon us, Extd. 23.12. 2. That God hath appointed a day for this reft. 3. That both the reft and day, are holy, fan&ified for holy ufes to the Lord. 4. That we are to keep holy the reft day, or the day of reft 5 both the reft, and the day. Sbct ion. X. Of the reft upon the Sabbath. THE Commandcment chargeth us with reft, with this rauft we begin and keep the day, without this no Sab- bath day : It hath it denomination from reft : The day for the holy ufe of the reft, is (aid tobeblefled: Exod,20. 1 1 . And from Gods refting be isfaidto blefleand (an&ifieir. Gen. 2.3. This reft is principally mentioned 5 the day is called the reft of the holy Sabbath, The reft of the holy reft, Exod.i 6.*3.the Sabbath of reft, Exod.$i.i 5. Therefore this is the firft thing, in thefirft place to beobferved, in the keeping of the day holy unto the Lord,which is., by making our reft holy to him, by imploying our reft bolily : For the dayls kept for the reft fake, by Gods own example, and be- cause of the holy ufe of the reft upon that day, wherein we do reft, and not for the days fake, for without the reft we could not keep the day ; nor would God have com- manded the day, but for that he refted and made the reft holy for holy u(es on that day. The Consideration of this would cut off much prophaneffe and make us better ob- fervers of the day unto the Lord. Section. XI. Of the day for t'e reft. 'He Lord having impofed reft upon us D in the next place he enjoynethus a day for the reft : Time is neceffary I for \ 66 JTreatijtof the See this Simile in the next Treatifemore at, large. v ior all things, and without time we cannot reft : Nature and experience teacheth this. This time allotted by Godbaday, butintheComroan- dement the day isnotdeterminately (et down, it pkcheth; upon no certain fet day; But theCommandementis^K?-; member the Sxbbatb day ( to wit) what day (bever, to keep it \ boly, So the rnly obfervation of the day istheftbftanceof the comet. This generality is agreeable to the Naturalitie of the Law. And thus the Lord delivered the Commandement. i. To lay down in it the naturality of the Law, afwell as in the reft of the Gommandoments. 2. Andfbto holdup the perpetuity of it 3 with all the other precepts. 3. To teach that no one certain fet day is of the very fafc- ftance of the Commandement : Therefareis it propounded indifinkly without limitation. 4» To inform us that tbcfevoithday from the Creation, ("as Bifhop Andrews &oth hold in his Catechiticall doftrine) is not of the fiibftance of theCommandement # J. This was for an admittance of the Changeablenefleof the day; For this CommandemeRt being affirmative, and propounded in general 1 tcrmes maketh it applicative to this, or that day, To this, while it remaineth, and to that which may come in the roome of it, when this is changed, and taken awa^ : as thus. Honour tbe King (to w\t) whofcever is King. If S ml be King, honour him, when he is dead, and David be King, honour him: So is it in this Commandement, Keepbtly tbe Stbbatb day, while the feventh day from the Creation is the Sabbath, keep it holy : if it be changed^ and the firft day of the week be tbe Sabbath, then ke:p it holy : God forefeeing it neceffary that the fevench day from the Creation was to be changed, he propounded the Law fb, as to make the day alterable, as being for the time^ byway of application be- longing unto the Commandement,but not of the fubftance, no more then Sml was of the fubftance of this Commande- ment, Honour the King. If Mo/aicall Sabbath, 61 If this had been,or were welt pondered,^ Contro vcrfie of the Sabbath had been prevented, and fhould ceafc now to trouble the Church. Section XI h Of the words annexed f the Commandement. WHen God gave this his Commandement, he himfeif annexed words unto the Commandemeat,purpoft- i ly to guide his people in the right underftanding of this Pre- j cept,and to binde them by reafons tothe obedience thereof unto the worlds end. To all the Commandements God made a Preface, to en- force obedience to ail of them* even from his Covenant of Grace, made with Abraham to be his God> and the God of his feed after him, Gen. 17*7. calling himfclf. The Ltrd their God, in giving his Law, and remembring them of that their j great deliverance, which he had promifed alio umoAbra* iam^Qen. 15.13514. To the fecond, third , and fifth Commandements, he ad- 1 ded reafbns, all which the learned take to be for the ratifica- tion of the Commandements, and to urge us to keep them, and Co do interpret tbewords accordingly. The words of God knit to this Commandement, have,' no doubt, been added for the like purpofc, even to be a Confirmation and an eftablifhraent of the Precept, and the perpetuity thereof and to move us to keep it. Yet never thelefle of late, divers have endeavoured to fiflioutof the words , matter to change the nature of the Commandement, from Morall fas they fpeak ) to Cercrao- niall, and to take away fb the perpetuity of the Comman- dement, and therewithall mens hearts, and conferences from affe&ing and obeying it, as beiag no Commandement now obliging any Cbrift ian,and fo do they rob God of one of Wb Commarxicmems facrilegioufry. I 2 But 68 A Treat jfe of the But the words are Co to be interpreted ( according to Gods intention ) as may uphold :he nature and perpetuity of the Precept as the words annexed to the other Comrmn- dements do very forcibly, as alfb to binde us unto acarefull keeping of the Precept, as they do very effe&ually, and do meet with all that which our corrupt nature may perverily bbjeft againft our obedience thereunto. Lithe words we are to note 3 i. The Scope of all the words, 2. The Matter > which is, i. A Directory guiding to the obfervation of the Com- mandement in Gods allowing of us fixe dayes,and the refer- ving of the Seventh tohimfelf. 2 . A reafon of his thus approportionating time between him and us for labour and reft. 3. A Conclufion in the laft words,upon which this fourth Gommandement is railed : As if God had (aid, I have from the beginning blefled and hallowed the Sabbath day, there- fore I do command them to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy : Thus inferring th- Commandementfrom the prime inftitution :.Note it well ; So as the Commandemcnt is a binding Law from the firft inftitution,for the Sabbaths more fblemn obfervation for ever* Section XIII. Of the fcofe of the words. THe ftope and ufe of the words, is to take man from his own boctome : For after the Lords Memento^ before the Comraandement, to forget oblivion and fbrgetfulneffe of h,thrpugh worldly diftra&ions 5 Heclofely anfweretb,and meeteth with mans corruption,which might hinder him, in (ubmitting to this Commandement. If any man fliould be unwilling to give God a day, he (heweth his bounty in giving us fix, for fear of repining. If any man fliall think fix d*yes not enough for his world- ly Mofaicall Sabbath. 6 9 ly affairs, the Lord prefcribeth a means, which is labour, by which he may finifh all that he hath to do, if he loyter nor, nor bufie himlelf in other mens matters. Ifany man mould undervalue thefeventh day D as of mans deviling, God 3 to prevent this contempt, here challengeth it to himfelf, and prefenceth himlelf in his Soveraign autho- rity over us, faying, it ps the* Sabbath of the Lord tbjGad. Ifany man fluuld fuppofe that he might deterre off to the Sabbath day ibme of his week dayes works , the L rd doth inhibite him from doing any fuch manner of work, for fearofincroaching upon his Sabbath. Ifany man mould claim any exemption for himlelf or a- ny under him, God comech with his charge upon parents, and matters, up:n children , and upon Grangers, for fear of any miiapplying itonely to fbme.or a conceit of any difpen- fation for other fbme. Ifany man mould ask an example of imitation, and per- haps prefume to negleft it, becaufe great men little regard jk : God hath given us his ow n example, both for labour on | Sixe dayes, and relt on the Seventh day. If any man (hould doubt of any good hereby , and en- I quire and aske what good and benefit, he might reap by the obfervation of this day, more than of any other r The Lord telleth him that he hath bleffed the day for him. Andlaftly, if aay man mould leave his worldly bufi*. nefle, and might now follow his vain pleafures :The Lord i telleth him that he hath lan&ified it to holy vifes. Thus God J fbrtifieth his Commandement , and wifely meeteth with mans corruptions^ keep us in a carefull obfervation of this Commandement. * This is re- markably of great force to direct us aright in our Chi i ftian Sabbath. For tie day of the Lords reft, muftbe the day of our reft. Now the day of the Lords reft may be ei- ther the day of the Lord our Creators reft, or the i^y of the Lord, our Redeemers reft. I 3 Sect* yO jtTrtatife of the SlCTlON XI V. 0/V&an *.io. 13. and ' fom^ Mofaicall Sabbath, 75 (brae part of the day to his fervicc publikly, if he appoint it, as under Mefes he did a dayly worfhip and offering of Sacrifices morning and evening, yea he may take a whole day, as once in a moneth, once in a yeer, as he ordained Feftivallsin/yW; and when he calleth for publike Faft* ing by his judgements, Joel 2.1 5 . or for publike thankfgi* ving by feme Angular mercies, we arc to fet fome time apart for the fame, as the Jews did, E&cr 9.19,22. Section. XVIII. Of the Rejlri&ionfrom Vfrrh^on the Seventh day Sabbath. IN the fix daye$ we are to do all that we have todo> but on the Sabbath day, neither we our felves, nor any under our powerto reftrain them, nor our Cattell, are to do any manner of work# Thefe words being here to be taken as a rule of dire&ion for ever touching the Sabbath : They muft fo be underftood as may ftand with the perpetuity of the Commandement for holy reft, andfanttification of the day in holy duties. The words (we muft know) are no Commandement, no more then the former words, Six dayes Jbalt thou labour : The Lorduieth not to adde * precepts to his precepts-^brobfer- vation of them ; If they were a precept, it fhould.be nega- tive and fo binde from all works for ever : But we finde that albeit fbme works were forbidden, yet God allowed divers works to be done on the Sabbath day. The words therefore are only a reftri&ion from fbrne works, but not a negative forbidding of every work with- out exception. The works from which we are here reftrained this day, arefuch works, as upon other dayes we may do f and not -he work of fin, which never ought to be done) fuch are fervilemechanick works of our ordinary profeflion, trade, occupation, and calling, lawfully to be done in the other fiV dayes, which thus I prove. f K 2 1. This * It was fit, if not neccfiary, not only to prefcribc the portion of time to be fct apart for Gods fer- vice, but alfo the particulari- ty of the day, or not to leave that to the w. of man. -_ -^. 76 JlTreatifeof the t . This reftri&ion is from the liberty of our labour, and the doing of all we have to do in the allowed fix dayes, Six dayes fhah ibott labour , and do all thy work^ then prelently folioweth the reftraint,2>tf* the Seventh day is tbeSabbathjn it no manner of wor\ (to witjof the nature of the former Six dayes work* 2. Becaufe here is mention of men and raaid-fervants,and i cattell, which commonly are fet about fuch works. I 3 . For that God propounds his pattern for refting on his 1 Seventh day from his work of his Creation in thefeverall Sixe dayes. 4. Other Scriptures do ftrengthen this Expofition* as a j reftriftionfrommchkindeof weeks work on thofework- I ing dayes. In Exod, 34.21* there Earing time, and Harveft is men- tioned, in which time, about fuch things., men are not to la- bour on the Sabbath day* As the work about Husbandry is retrained, io buying and felling of Corne, yea, thoughts andfpeeches about the farae,were forbidden yAmos 8.$.buying and felling of wares* and of Victuals, ?&&. 1©. ji. & 13. 16,17, 18. Carrying of burthens, arid doing any fuch work on the Sabbath,7*r,i7, 21,22,24,27* All which Husbandry, buying and felling, carrying of burthens, Nebemiab (harply reproved, and called it the pro- phaning of the Sabbath,^. 1 3. 1 5, 1 6, 1 8, 1 p.Thefe be the works from which they were retrained on the Sabbath day. But the Prophet Efay concerning the Spirituality of the Commandement goeth further, and telleth them that they were to call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, ho- norable, and to turn away their feet from the Sabbath 2 this heexpoundeth to be, the not doing of our own pleafure on the Lords holy day; which he fees forth in three things* i* In not doing our own wayes, 2. In not finding our own plea- fures : 3. In not fpeaking our own words : Then the Prophet telleth us, that this is to honour God, and that herein we fhew, that wedelight our fHves in the Lord, Efay 58.13*14. Laftly,^ Mofaicall Sabbath. 77 Laftly^they were reftrained ro hold themfelves from all j chat which iSj i. Againft theNaturalityoftheLaw,asnottokeepthe j day ro the Lord 3 but to travell the whole day, work the j whole day, or play the whole day* 2 + Againft the Externality, which is in outward holy reft, and fanctky,as to lie lazily at home fleeping,to go toChurch unprepared, Eccl. 5. 1 . as men go to any other place* 3* Againft the Spirituality , delighting in vanity, and not in the Lord that day. 4. Againft Morality, when men carry not themfelves in a decent, feemly behaviour, becoming holinefle* but rudely either in,or out of the Aflemblies. Section XIX. Of the mrk£ which might be done on the SMatb, NOw left any mould gather from all aforej delivered, that not only fervile works are reftrained,as mLcv.il. I 7, $ ji 1, tf ^6. Numb. i$.i$& 29.1. but alfo all other works from EW.20.10.and that upon pain of death,EaW. 31.14, 15.& 3)*^» Lev. 23.3. we are to know what works for . ail this were allowed to be done on the -Sabbath day. i* Works of Piety, commanded to be done on the Sab- . bath : which be not our works, bun Divine, not humane, as reading and preaching the Word, AB.i 5.2 1.& 1 3, the kil- ling of Beafts for Sacrifice > and what work foever was in and about Gods worfhip and (ervice,Nw»£.28 .p,io* 1 Cbr. 22.31. 2 Cbron*, 8. 1 J, the ordering the Lamps, Lev.2^%. and putting new bread before the Lord, Lev. 24.8. 1 Chton. 9.32. 2 C/)w. 24 for as thejews themfelves fpake,in the Temple there was no Sabbath : for that the reft on that day gave place to the labour in and about Gods fervice there 1 fee Frao. Lhcjh, on Lft&ttb,i 2 .5. So to Circumcife an In- i hnujob. 7.23. when the eighth day fell on the Sabbath. 1 2. Work or labour , tending to piety and Gods wor- K 3 (hip: 7* jTnatife of the (hip : as to blow a Trumpet, Num.i 0,2,10. for the aflembly, as we do ring a Bel. To travell to the Prophet, 1 Km* 4.23. ! P/j.84.6,7. thence was a Sabbath dayes journey, Atf.x .1 2. • about two miles, fifteen Furlongs,compare thefe three texts ! together,this in A&.i . 1 2, with LvA.24.50. and Job.i 1 .1 8. To go in and out on the Sabbath about the ffrv ice of the Temple, 2 King. 1 1. 5,7,9* To ftand watchmen in time of need by command of authority, to prevent in others the prophaning of the Sabbath, Neb. 1 3.22. Exod i*. III. Works of prefervation from Gods own exam pie, who albeit he refted the feventh day from his work&of crea- tion 3 yet not from his work of prefervation of all that which he had made. So although he would not rain Mannab^ on the Sabbath day, yet would he preferve it from worms, and from ftinkingon the Sabbath. I Likewife may we do the works of prefervation, which are called the works of Neceffity, on this day. But this ne- 1 ceflitie muft have warrant from the affirmative part of fbme Commandement of the fecond Table, requiring this of us. I and not what we think, or make a matter of neceflity !forinftance; as The fifth Commandement bindeth us to obey authof kis Now if we be commanded by fiipream power, to ftand watchman on this day, we are to cto it,2V>6.i 2.2 2. So may we ftand armed for the Kings fafety,2 Kin.i i„ 5,6,7.2 Ckro. 23, 4, 5, 8. and for our Countrey : 1 Kiu.10.19. Yea, up- on command we may befeidge and aflault the Citie of an J enemy, John 6\8, 16,20. Alio an offender may be attached, j be brought before authority, and the Magiftrate on this day I may fend him to the Goale, Num.if. 34. Its thought that Pharaoh fent the Ifraelites out of Egypt on the Sabbath day : fee Ainfiv. on Vent. 5.14. The fixt Commandement chargcthme with tke keeping of mine own life, and the life of mine neighbour-* By a necefTity of this Commandement its lawfull ; 1 . To drefle food for us, as our Saviour warranted his Diftiplcs in rubbing ears of Come to eat them, Manb.ii. 1,2,3. iMo/aicail Sabbath. 79 1,2,3,4,7. And this is not only in neceflhieof me«r hun- ger, bucfbrnecefiiryof Gate, and dependance of many to befed,A T ?&.5.i8. Here isfpoken of daily provifion, Vno* quoqnc dieter fingulos dies. 2. TofeekthePhyfitian for help, and for the Pbyfitian to prepare his Phyfick , Luk^ 13 . 14, 1 J. Job. 9. 6, 1 1 y 1 4. Mjt.li. 10. andtocurcdifeafef} Job.}4£&. £*^.I3.l2, 13. & 14. 3,4. &£.iC 3. To fly for fafety of life, 1 K. 19. 3,8. 4. To fight for our lives if need require* 1 teach*. 2.4 1 . 5. To fave the lifeof another>£*/^6.9. Tbefc works and the like may we do by warrant of the Sixt Commandement on this day. The Seventh Commandement requireth Chafiity , and comely Decency. Therefore upon neceflity of this Commaa- dement, it is needfull to put on rayment for common hone- fty,to hide our nakedneue,and decently to clothe ourfelves, as all ever have done^ on this day, fo to wa(h and be clean ,to comb the head, brufli thy garments, and the like. The Eighth Commandement is in the affirmative part, that wepreferveouc own and our neighbours eftate: Its hence lawfull ;to fodder and water Cattell , Luk^ 1 3. 15. To pull a Beaft out of the pit, Luk^ 14. 5. To take up that which is our own, if it be without and abroad , 'to carry it home,^. 5^9j i i- To quench an boufeonfire,and 0- ther things of the like nature : for in all tbeferafe and fuch like, the Sabbath was made for man,fo it giveth place, and admits of fuch works warranted by the Commandements of the fecond Table. IV. We may do works of Charity and Mtrcy^ and that which is good on the Sabbath day, L»k^ 6*9. Such were all the Cures which Chrift wrought on the Sabbath day : which albeit they might have been tfone upon another day, yet fome coming to him to be healed,other occafionally be 6eld of him with the eye of pity, he heakd and cured them. V. And laftly,befides all ihefe works of Piety, and tend- £t go A Treatife of the ing.tQPiety,ofneceflIty and charity, there be deeds ofin- differency lawmll,as thefe; To walk in the fields* as Chrift with his Apoftles, and others did^ Mat. i 2.1. To make a Feaft, and ye invite Guefts to go unto it, Lw/^14. 1. Thus may we fee from authority of holy Scripture , and warrant from Chrift, the Lord of the Sabbath, Mat. X 2. 8. what was lawfull to be done on the Jewifli Sabbath day ; So that they had as much liberty, as wehave^if the Jews of later times had not miftaken it, and from former prophana- tion of the Sabbath, both before the Captivity, Eze. 20. 12. 16. &22.8.26.8c.23.38.andafter,^ki£i?* hadnotfal- len to their Jewifli and foolifti luperftition condemned by Chrift. Section. XX. Of the rigorow firiUneffe fuffeftd to befutupon the Ifraelitcs that day. T Hat here we may hot be deceived, . We are not to regard the writings of the Jewifli Rabbiet of later times, infe&e^with their own fiiperftition, upon miftakes ofScripture. 2. We rauft have recourfe to the Originall Sabbath, which the fourth Commandement propoundeth and main- tained], as we may oblerve in the reafbn of the direction . Now in that was no reftraint unto-^w*,but to reft from his week dayes work, drcfling theGardemSonowonely fervile work in this directory added to the Commandement, is forbidden, as before I have proved, in Sett.ij. 3. The inftances ©f labour in the Old Teftament, were not breaches of the Sabbath, nor fo were judged, nor can be proved to be fb. 4. Our Saviour Chrift > thewifeft Expofitor ofhisFa- ___ m m thers Mofaicall Sabbath. 81 thers Precepts ,and the exa&eft obferver of his Fathers Wil J, alwayes in all thingSjboth by word and deed, teileth us that the Law of the Comraan dements laid no fuch yoak upon them, in any fuch rigorous ftri&nefle. 5. We rauft make a difference between the Comman de- ment it Ce\f, with the words annexed, uttered by God im- mediately upon Mount Sinai to Ifrael , and (bine other precepts given concerning the Sabbath by him afterwards, but mediately by Mojes to the people : for the one is per- \ manent, and admits of works, as I have (hewed, but the j other are tranfient,and for fomeufe only for a fpace occali- | onally delivered,binding to more ftrictnefle for the time. They that go about to lay upon Ifrael a rigorous drift reft on the Sabbath, from every leaft work which might be done without tra^ell or diftrafticn, do it, 1. To difference them from us*by our more iuppofed freedome and liberty, as if the Ifraelits hadbe.ntyed^by venue of the fourth Commandement it felf to a more p re- rife ftriftneflcj th:n we now are, Co as they might do al- moft nothing, no not to go out of their doores on the Sab- bath-day. 2. Hereupon to make the Commandement Ceremoniall in this imagined ftri&neffe. 3. And Co to overthrow the Naturality of the fourth Commandement i and perpetuity of it as nothing belonging now unto us. And for this purpofe one of late in his Trea- tife of the Sabbath, and Lords dzyfinCbap.2. of the fourth part goeth about to prove this Co great ftri&nefle : for he faith, I. That none were to go out of their doores on the Sabbath day, not only not to make a journey, but not to go out to walk although fbftly : And this he col left eth be- cause that they might not go out to gather Mxnnab on this day. Anfo.x* This was not a prohibition limply to go out, but only not to go out to gathir LM.mrub : for they had not finned in walking out, but they didfinnein going to L feek 8* jTreatifeof the feek Mannah, which the Lord diti not rain on that day, and had forbidden th.m to go out to feek for it. 2 , If ic were not lawfuR to go out on the Sabbath day;, how was it that fbme found, in the Wildernefle, a man ga- thering (licks, and yet they blamelefTe: They went out, eife had they not found him, Nam. 1 5 . 3 2 5 3 3 . Yea, if it fo fell out, upon the Sabbath day, there were caufes of going . out of their houfes, Devt.ii. 10,1 2,1 3. 3, Though this gathering of Mmnab^ feem to this man to be done without paines : its not fb, for it was not at their doores, as he faith, but on the outfide, about the hoft, on the face of the Wildernefle, ExoJ. \6. 13, 14. fb as they miift go abroad for it; neither was it without paines, to gather an Omer for every one, of fuch a frnall thing as k was*, 1 i ke to Coriander feed , Vcrfa 1 . 4, But grant it had Been fo, yet know, that to labour for food, was in the nature of*a weekly fervile work ; fb that here is prohibited the fix cUyes labour for bodily necefla- ries, which they had then no need to do. II. He faith, that the Ifraelites were to prepare their Mannab^ to bake and feeth, what they would on the fixt day, that fo they might prevent that labour on the Sabbath day, Exod. 16,23. So they might not belike, dreffe, and make ready any food on the reft day. Anftv. 1. The words in Verf. 23. do not undeniably im- ply that : that which remained over and above their baking andfeething, was baken, and fodden with the reft : but ra- i ther the contrary, as thus, bake what you will bake, and j feeth what you will, to day, and that which remaineth o- ver, to wit, not baken, nor fodden, lay it up for you to be kept, untill the morrow ; for Mofes hid not, feeth, and bake all, andfbreferve fbme for tomorrow, bur bake and feeth what you will of it, which implyetb, that fome was not baked and fad ien» 7. Albeit, he feemeth necefTarily to inferre, becaufe Mofes faid. next day, eatethat to day^ to wit, which was re- served, andhadnowormesinit,norftanke: Verfei^z^. that / Mofaicall Sabbath 83 that it was baken or fbdden over night. But if ir had been fo the miracle had not been fo great : for that which the people did referve without warrant and had wormes, and frank, was as they gathered it, and not either baken, or fodden for any thing tbat can be gathered j put of the text. j Again, the only bare mentioning of eating, doth not in* ferre their not baking or teething, more then the bare naming of the peoples baking and teething will inferre their not before grinding of it, of which not a word there in the text : Itsmoft like that which remained over, was ground with the relt, either in Mil ls,or beaten in Mortars, as they uted to do, N///».i 1 .8. and fo the Meal thereof was reterved to be baken or fodden the next day 5 which if foj , they abftained from no other work, then tervile> as we do, j from carrying our Corn to the Mfll to be ground of the j Millerd, which is his weeks dayes labour. 3. But grant all this to be fo, yet this was but for the i time of the Matmab,\zi him prove that it was fb im Carum^ my inftances before do (hew the contrary. Nor was this preparation, but about the Marmab^ becaJte it required fucn labour, in the Mill and Mortar, to make it ready, a tervilework, not fit for the Sabbath, being fb much for fb many Thou fan ds. TIL Healleadgeth,Ex^.3?.j. That they were prohi- bited to kindle a fire throughout all their habitations on j their Sabbath day, Exvd. 35.3. Anfer % \ % Confider that this Gommandemerit, wasgiven j fbmefpaceof time after the giving; of the Law : in which I fpacethey making a fire, they offended not, and therefore • this ftriftnefTe was not from the nature of the fourth Com- ' mandement it telf. 2 . This inhibition muft be underftood of kindling a fire^ for wo>k forbidden to be done c n the Sabbath day : for elf e there is no Coherenceof this P^rfe with the formei-.* m which Mofts doth tell them, that God would have no fix dayes work done, on the Sabbath, to wit, tervile 5 Therefore L 2 fori 34 A Treatife of the Exod 1 1.14. 17*24. for this end not to kindle a fire. 3. Some hold this Commandement to concern only ma- king of fire for the furtherance of the Work of the Taber- nacle 5 For therefore is here the Sabbath mentioned to (hew, that the Work of the Tabernacle^ mould give place to the S bbath. 4. Learned men both Proteftants and Papifts hold, that to kindle a fire was not (imply forbidden : for being a ne- gative precept, it (houid not have admitted at any time the making of a fire in any of their habitations. Is it like that in Winter they never made fire on their Sabbath? The fea- fonwas fbmetime cold in that Countrey, aswemayreade, John 1 8. 18. And what a Feaft was that, to which Chrift went on the Sabbath day, Lul^ 14. 1. mayic bemppofed there was no fire ? Laftlynote, that hacTthis been a durable precept thefe words had been added to it, a Statute for ever throughout your generations : as we may fee of forbidding work, in Lev It, 23.31 and it was ufaall in a durable Law to adde the word for ever : for which many other texts may be produced, which is wanting here, as but temporary. IV. Hebringeth forth the puniftiment of him that ga- thered (ticks on the Sabbath day, Num.i 5> 32,3 6. Anfa % \. That here one was found gathering of flicks upon the Sabbath day, and brought before authority for it, and his fentence was to dye, and he was ftoned to death, cannot be denied, But that it hence is to be colle&ed, tbat therefore it was an exaft ftri&nefle impofed upon Ifrael by the fourth Com- mandement, not fb much as to g ther (ticks upon the Sab- bath day 3 reft to be proved ; For, r . The fourth Commandement it (elf is affirmative, and not negative , and therefore neceffarilv inferreth not the I forbidding of fuch an aft forever to thelfraelites. 2. The words in the directory, Thou jhalt de no wor^ are with a reftri&ion, as I hare proved. ?. It is manifeft that the moft zealous for the Sabbath, have Mcjaicall Sabbath. % have had meatc drefled then, flefh-meate, and whither that Nelie.5.58. could be without fire, and fire without wood ftickesor bones, or fbme other fewell, let any judge. 4. There was no prohibition for fuch a work before fet down expreffely, and therefore they knew not what to do, till they asked Councell of the Lord concerning him. 5. This mans fin was great before God : it appeareth by the greateft puniftiment in Aided upon him > as was ftone- ingtodeathinJ/r^/ 5 but how came it to be fo, notfimpiy in breach of the fourth Commandement, but it was as learned men hold a prefiimptuous fin, a great fin, for fuch aonedefpifcththe\Vord> and reproacheth God, Nkm.15. 30,31. Now that he finned prefumptuoufly,it is fb to be judged. 1 • By the Connexion of the Story : for Mofes having fet down a Law from God, againft prefiimptuous tranC greflions., Nnrn.15. 30,3 1. He biingeth this for an inftance thereof immediately, J^r/e 32. 2. Becanfe he finned againft two accefibry precepts con- cerning the Sabbath. The one tha* none mould go out on that day, about worldly bufinefle, as to labour for food; Exod.i6.ig. Theother that none mould kindle a fire then, Exod 35.3. Now Contrary to thefe, this man went out, in- to the Wildernefle to gather flicks, no doubt, to kindle a fire. Therefore he finned againft the firft in going forth about fuchabufineffe, and in his intention, to kindle and make ■ a fire againft the fjcond: therefore his fin was great, while ; thele two acceflbry precepts flood in force : But thefe being nor perpetuall, this punimment on him proveth not the point of fuch a precifeftri&nefc of the fourth Commande- ' menr, to be ever obferved of tbelfaelites. V, Andlaftly, He bringeth in the holy women, follow- j ers of Chrift, who would not annoint Chrifts body on the Sabbath day ; but refted from that work* as the Text faith, according to the Commandement? as thinking thcmfelves bound tofo precifean obfervation by the Commandement. L 3 fafo. $6 jTreatijt of the Anfojr Thdc words, according to the Conrmandemenh may be thus expounded, that is, as they underftocd it by the Jewes interpretation, fuperftitioufly : For thefe godly women 3 being trained up by the then Do&ors of the Church, obferved the Sabbath as they had learned it from them : And albeit, th? work was to the honour of Chrift, yet for that it was not of necelfity to be done on that day, nor at all, inrefpeftof Chrifts body, but only a Cuftome for an honourable buriall, therefore they did reft frcm do- ing that work on that day. II. Take the reft according to the true meaning of the Commandement, which impofed reft , this their reft was according to the Comraandement ; and in that they did not this work, it was according to the Commandement, for- bidding fervile work, as the words in the Directory are to beunderftood. For they could not annoint him, but they muft firft buy their (pices and oyntments, which they might not do, buy- ing and felling on the Sabbath being forbidden .--That they could not buy them on the Fryday, as we (peak, is evident : For it was late ere Chrifts body was taken from the Crofle, at even, Mittb. iy, 57. then they did awake, to fee his buriall, Z,*j^2 3.55. in which (pace the Sabbath was come on : (fox they reckoned/rom the Evening, to the Evening^ and therefore ftayed they till afcer the Sabbatb,to buy them, Thus we fee his proofes, no proofes to argue any precife ftri&nefle in the words, (Thou Jbalt do no workj) more to them then to us, by the Law. S I C T ION XXI. Of the tea fin added unto the Dire&ory with the Gmclufion. THe Lord himfelf addeth a reafbn unto his former words, why he giveth us Six dayes, and referveth the feventh Mo/aicall Sabbath. 7* Seventh to himfelf; for that in fix dayes he made all things, and refted the Sevemh day. In which words be layeth down,as an unalcerablc ground of apportion ating time between God and us , which is his own example of working fix dayes , and refting the Se- venth, in the beginning of the world* which, as they be pair and irrevocable^ to is this portioning of time between him and us, to be perpetuall , elfe were his example thus pro- pounded in his Donation, and refervation,to no purpose. He in this dividing of the dayes of the week,thus between himandus 3 refle&eduponhim(elf 5 looked onely to what himself had done, 3nd 10 gave Co many dayes to us, and refer- ved onely one to him felt Now what can be more permanent, than Gods own (elf, in his own irrevocable Aft 5, from the worlds beginning,to belaid for the foundation of this his thus apportioning the week to us. The Lord our God having thus laid down before them his unchangeable reservation of the Seventh day for himfeJf after his irrevocable gift of fix dayes to us , he concludeth with theft words $ Mcnfm the Lord blejfedtbe Seventh day, and fan&rfied it. Its agreed on all hands > that here are the words of the Inftitution of the Sabbath: not one of the late Writers gain- fayeth this, that I have read or heard of. TheraainoftheControverfie is, that here is flay they) thefirft Inftitution, the ground of the ProlepfisjinG*^^* and we fay,they be a repetition of the Inftitution, laid down before in that place ofGmefis, where no Prolepfis is. For as the Lord here in the former words repeateth what i he did in fix dayes , and that he refted the leventh day ; (b he repeateth his Inftitution of the Sabbath then, what he did with the day on which be refted, that is,becauiehe had finiftied ail his work in Cix dayes,and refted thefeventh day, he blefied and fanCtified it, to mew them here by this, 1. The Antiquity of the Sabbath day, from the begin- ning. 2. The 1 8£ - ■ ■ it r i i i ■ i ., ■ ,4Treatife of the t. The Stability thereof , al(b grounded Co upon Gods re ft, not alterable. 3 . Why he charged the Com man dement of keepiag holy the Sabbath day upon them among the other Precepts, and that alio with a Memento* above any of the reft. i For in the repetition here of the Inft itution^heLor d kee- peth the word, Sabbath^ in the CommandemeBt, faying. He blejfed the Sabbath day, and not as commonly we read ic,he blefTed the Seventh day , left any fliould make that indivi- duall Seventh day, on which God refted, to be of the iub- ftanceof the Commandement , which God in his wifdom (let it be well obferved) left out in the Precept ,and here a- gainin the repetition of the Inftitution,andonelynarneth the Sabbath, what Seventh day fbever it be , either that for the time, or another in the room of it : which Sabbath is the bleded and hallowed day of the Lord., and (b to be account- ed of for ever 3 as appearetb by all that hath been faid, if men be not difpofed to wrangle againft the truth* From all which is before delivered , its very apparent, True, taking that this fourth Commandement is no way Ceremoniall, it in an indc- but a permanent Law to the worlds end , and not Ceremo- finite notion, niall,as in the following Sections I mall make it manifeft. commanding ° -Je fan&ifying _ ofonedayin feven. S I C T I ON. XXI I. The Arguments to prove it Ceremoniall 9 anfivered MEn difpofed to wipe out this Commandement out of the Decalogue^ fain would make it Ceremoniall ; but their arguments, broughtfbr this purpofe, are of no validi- ty : They fay it was Ceremoniall, I. Fortheexattftri&nefTeof it, which they have imagi- ned, but I have proved it to be onely an imagination : For that ftrift obfervation which was kept, was but for a time, and from acceflbry Commandements , not from the f;;urth Commandement it felf. 1 n. In Mofaicall Sabbath, 29 I I. In their keeping of chat feventh day: But the Seventh day is not of the fubftance of the Comraan dement; and a fe- venth day is proved to be pcrpetuall. Nor was the feventh in the firft Inftitution Ccremoniall : And the Church obfer- veth (till a Seventh day. III. For that the Seventh day is abrogated , but this is not fb, its changed, but not abrogated, as meer Ceremonies be. I V. It was a figne (fay they ) between God and the H- ndites'.Exod. 31.13,17. £2^20.12. God, in giving his Law, faith no fuch thing: and ftill wernuft make a differ- ence between the Law it (elf, and what after were added for inftru&ion, as the then ftate of the people required. Again, every figne is not a Ceremony ; for the Rain-bow was a figne, Gm> 9 . yet no Ceremony. Moreover, the reafbn added why it was a figne, belong* eth to us, For infix dayes theLordmade heaven and earth, and on the Seventh day he retted, Exod, 31.17. The end why he made it , a figne doth alike appertain to us, to wit, That they might know him to be the Lord thac j Sanftified them, Exod. 31. 13. Ezel^ 20. 12. And are not wetolearnandknowasmuchin keeping ourreft-day in holy duties? yea, bleffed are they that do learn this leffon, to know the Lord , that he doth fanttifie them in the ufe 9/ his Ordinances, upon the day of our reft* V. It was a memoriall, fay, they, of their deliverance out of Egypt, Prttf.5.15. This reafbn was Mojcs addition to move the people to pity their fervants and cattell : Muft Mofis his charitable ufe made of the Sabbath, and his argu- ment to perfwade them to mercy , from Gods mercy to them, alter the nature of the Precept, and difannull it ? The words in the beginning of the verfe , may be conceived in a Parenthefir, and are brought in onely as a memoriall of that great deliverance , as God remembred it in the preface to all the Commandements,to move them to obferve the whole Law ; and the word, Therefore , is to be annexed to the end of the 14 verfe,as indeed it ought in fenfe and reafbn • which M being §0 jiTreatifecf the * Generally the Fathers take it toprefi- \ gure Ghnfts ; reft 3 thatday ; onely, full and I wholly in his praife : as D. j Andn'mKis \ S tar-Chamber fpce«b, ac- knowledger^. being (b, the words prove noc the Sabbath to be inftituted for a memoriall of their deliverance from^yp^though they had good caufe to remember it on this day^and in keeping the fourth Comman dement, impofing reft, as aUb in obfer- ving the firft and all the other • for , as I faid^ its in the Pre- face ro the whole Law, as never to be forgotten of them, but to be remembred as a ftrong motive > toftirre them up to obedience. V Ii Say they, its ranked by the Apoftle, Col. 2. 16,17. among (hadows. But the place is not meant of the weekly Sabbaths* I. The weekly Sabbath is the fubftance of the fourth Commandement : and therefore durable, not abolifhed^ as the Apoftle fpeaketh of thefe Sabbaths. II, The Apoftle fpeaketh hereof fuch things as cannot agtee with the weekly Sabbaths. 1. The Tearm, Ordinances, ver£ 14. mew where the Sabbath of the week is called an Ordinance ? 2. The word, Ordinances, are expounded to be the Gommandements contained in Ordinances : and thefe were the middle partition-wall between the Jew and Gentile, ta- ken away on the CrofTe,E^.2.i5. But the Sabbath day was no part of the partition-wall between the Jews and the Gen- tiles, for we keep ftiil aSabbath unro the Lord* 3. They are the hand writings againft us, and contrary to us , blotted out , and abolifhed , Col.i. 14. Epb. 2. 15. but not (b the weekly Sabbath. 4. Thefe were afhadow of things to come, whereof, the j body was Chrift,ver£i 7-but the *Sabbath of the week was no fuch thing : if we confider it in it originall , and not of ( the declaratory, cloathed with it acceflbries , as Bp. Laki fpeaketh : for , faith he, before the fail, the c abbath was a kinde of reft, ftiadowing out our e^eruall reft, but not of j that whereof Cbriii it the Body, To us the Lords day is a i fbretafteof that eternall reft , and I hold theftudow to be aslaftiugastheworld. Thus this leaned Father and Do- ftor in our Church , who faith further , that they who al- leadge Mofakall Sabbath 91 leadgetheCW.2, \6. are out of che argument, becauft it fpeaksof ftiadows, whereof Chrift is the body, which he deniethof the weekly Sabbath, confidering it in the origi- nallinfkiution, and not after the fall made a fhadow by acceflbries. III. Here the Sabbaths are equalized,with meat, drink , holy-day, new Moon, which were the (hadow of things to come. Therefore hereby muft be underftood other Sabbaths, Such were thefe Sabbaths,the fiift day of the feventh mo- neth, Lev. 2 3.24332, the feventh yeer, Lev. 25,4. the yeer of Jubilee y Lev. 2 5 .8, 1 1 . So the holy Convocation of the Feftivall times, the firft day,L«>. 23.7. the feventh day, verf 8. the eighth and the tench, ver£ 27,32* all whichwere called Sabbaths , 39. the fame mentioned with the new Moons, Efa. i, 13. called ap- pointed Feafts, verfe T4. Thofe kinde of Sabbaths muft be here meant, 1. Thefe were called Ordinances, as the Apoftlecalleth them here. 2. Thefe were of the paptition-wall., and aboliflied., and taken out of the way. 3 * A fhadow of things to come. 4. Thus the word, Sabbaths , taken, agtee well with meat, drink, new Moon,and holy day. 5 . The Apoftle varying the number from new Moon and holy day Angularly, to Sabbaths plurally, would have us to underftand the annexed Convocations, called Sab- baths,!^. 23. 39, before mentioned. Thus we fee their arguments , what little ftrength they have to prove the fourth Commandement Ceremoniall. 1 Section. XXII I. That the fourth Commandement , is in no part Ceremoniall. T is clear enough that the fourth Commandement is not Ceremoniall not in part, as feme do grant it, much lefle M 2 tfie ^Treati/eof the the whole, as forac of late boldly affirm it to be. i . The inftitution of the Sabbath, on which the Com- mandement is grounded, commanding no mcrc,then at the jkft inftitution, was before the fill., when there was no need of any Ceremony. 2. God never made himself an example of any Ceremo- niall precept, as he doth in this. 3 A Ceremoniall precept confifts wholly, or in part of fome Ceremoniall Service prescribed by it ^ but no fhch Ser- vice, neither in whole, nor in part, in this, neither in the day, uor in the ft rift observation of it, as before is proved. 4. All, and every Ceremoniall precepts, and politically were g'ven mediately, only by Mojes^ Levit, 27. 34* Deut^. 1 4. But this was given immediately by God himfelf. ?. That which was Ceremoniall was properly and di- reft -y the School-mafter to Chrift : For the Ceremoniall Law was that proper, and direft School-Matter, G 1I.4. 24. But this precept is not any part of that School-mafter to Chrift, properly and direftly. 6. Whatsoever was Ceremoniall, wasCirnull,H*«mo.i. and 5.22, 4. lis matter of one and the fame Covenant of God, P^.4.i3 # ando,i5. 5. It was ordained byAngellsin the hand of a Media- tor,^/. 3.1 p. 6. It was put into the fame Ark^and pre/erved ever there with the reft , Vettt. 10,5. 1 Kin.S.p. I V. That which Jems Chrift,as God man* or man God, as Mediators Lord of, is perpetuall 5 for what anthoritie he fohathfrom his Father, he never layethitdown unto the end of all things, 1 Cor. 15. 24,28. ButthusisChrift Lord of the Sabbath, Mattb. 1 2. 8. Therefore is it durable to the worlds end. V. Its Gods Commandement made upon his own infti- tution, from the worlds beginning as I before have proved 5 which inftitution of blefling and fan&ifying the Sabbath day, is upon Gods own work in fix dayes, and his refting on the feventh day : giving to us the fix,and reserving unto himfelfthe feventh unchangeably, as appeareth by our ta- king pofleflion of the fix dayes for thoufands of yeers. Therefore the Commandement made upon the inftitution, and the inftitution fettled upon unchangeable grounds, the Commandement muft needs be perpetual I. V I. That Commandement is perpetuall , the breach whereof maketh us guilty of all the other perpetuall pre- cepts, and of the whole Law : for this it could not do, if it> and they were not in an untyable link together. But the breaking of this fourth Commandement, in not keeping the^abbath, makes men guilty of the breach of the whole Law? and of all the reft of theCommandements. 1 . Before the haw given at Mount Sinai Hxod % 1 6. 27, 28. where God doth charge, them with the breach of his Com- mandements and Laws^becaufe they had broken the Sabbath. 2. After the Law given- for all the breach of the Lords Satutes, and defpifingof his judgements, are concluded with this. They polluted my Sabbaths : This doth the Pro* phet Ezecbfcl very often, Ezecb.io. 12,1 3, 2 r, 24 . and 22. '8.26 Mcjaicall Sabbath. i 8.26. As if the careful! obferving of the Sabbath might have prevented all. And no marvell, for the hallowing of the Sabbath, was a figne, that they knew the Lord to be their SancYifier, Exod. 20.1 2. 10. thatthey delighted in the Lord, and honoured hhu, 7/J/.58. 13,14. and that they rook hold of the Cove- nant, Ifji.<)6.6, 3, Vnder the Gifpel, Jam. 2 .10. where theApoftlemak- eth him that offendeth in one point, guilty of all the whole Law. Now if we not enly break, bur take away this fourth Commandernent, we are guilty of the whole Law, unlefle we can (hew that God hath blotted out 3 and repealed this Commandernent out of his Law, fince he put it in, if he have, (hew where, if not,then the Commandernent remai- neth, and lb in breaking it, we offend againft the whole Law. VII. This Commandernent is perpetual] > for that the obftrvation of the things therein commanded, are,by Gods appointment, in their ufe, the publike pra&ife and profefFi- on of the moil neceflary duties , of the three former pre* cepts, and the publike upholding of the fame: For the and holy reft faoctification of the day, being rightly im- ployed, is in the publike profeffion of the true God, the God of Ifrsel 7 as the firR Commandernent teacheth. In our worshipping of this God, as the lecond Commandernent teacheth. In the glorifying of his holy Name, in theufeof all his ordinances in P faints of praifes, in mediration of all his works, to take occafion of thanklgiving, as the third Com raandement doth teach . So that in truth, the keeping of this fourth Commanded menr, is the publike upholding weekly of thole Comman- dements, the practice and profdfion cf the principall (Sides thereof, whichbeperpetuallas the Ccmmandements them- felves be. If any fay, the Churches observation of this day, from her own ordinance, and other dayes by her appointment may fupply the want of this Commandernent though it be taken awa y. But ' g6 ^Treatife of the »ilui.jmli,uiii i l nwmm .nw. i w .ii-— -■ »j~j^«»ji ■ ■mhh.il-. --- ...- - i i j But here being an immediate Gommandement of God for this purpofe once given, with To great authority, what I rcalbn is there to let this go, and to reft upon an ordinance of lefle force to binde * VIII. That which the light of nature can finde out of it felf for fubftance, andeafily will aflent unto for thecir- cumftance, when its hoi pen by due and right means, that precept is naturall, and then, (ay I, perpetuall : I read not o f any which deny this : fee Thomas Aquinas i and that he is to be wormipped pubiikely : So it will en- force a time for this his wormipjand reafon by naturall lighc from Common principles in all men to know, and to wor- fhipGod, will thus proceed. 1, Worfhip is an ac\ion,and every aftion muft be allow- ed it time : and a publike aft, a publike time. 2. This time of fblemne worfhip cannot be all the time, and the whole time of mens lives: for that there mu ft be a time for other things. $. That therefore if not all, then fbme time forfuch publike fervice is to be fet apart, from the reft of the time of life. 4. That this parting of time, muft needs be a fet time, that Ae certainty of a publike fervice time may be pubiikely known, elfe how mail they meet together ? Thusfarre naturall light will go, with an unanimous confent in all of any common Capacitie in difecurfe; and this is the knowledge of the fourth Gommandement groun- ded in man by his light in Nature, touching the fubftance of the Gommandement. II. By Mofaicall Sabbath. 97 I I. By the help of inftra&ion it will readily aflent unco the Circuraftance, both in regard of what (pace, as alio how much within chat fpace, is to be allotted unto God, for his publike Service : For let this thing be propounded to a difcourfive naturail underftandmg> and Zee, if it do not eafily yeild. That the let and 1 y mitts d fpace Ind quantity of time, muft be prfefcribed either by God or man. But not by man, for if left to man then, i. Either to every man feverally, and fb tot capitz^mfenfw, and never an agreement. 2. Ortoallmankirideconjoyntly: who can never meet to- gether. 3. Or to forae one over all the world, which Monarchicall power never any had yet, for I count not Adam and Noab Monarches in this fenfe. 4. Or to fbme fpeciall perfbns of equall authority over all : nor did God yet ereft fuch an Ariftocratie. 5. Or to feverall Princes in their feverall Dominions, and here we fee a diicrepancy. Therefore feeing men cannot agree, the difcourfive naturail underftanding will not leave this time to man. Then will it allow it unto God, as mod equall to him to prescribe the fame : Now if it be Gods authority to fee the time, then will reafbn perfwade further, a::d think, 1. That certainly God hath fee down the time. 2. That I am to feek and make inquiry after the time, when 3 and how much he hath appointed. 3. That this inquiry muft be by thebeft meanvhe moft lure, and certain ty,to come to the knowledge of the time determined. 4. That means is, and can be no other, but Gods own re- vealed will. 5 . That this revealed will is known by his Word^on which, even naturail underftanding maketh a man to rcft,3stheKj.i- then did upon the Oracles of their gods. Now thenar mans na- turail light be informed, that God hath commanded a Sabbath in a week,allowingus firft fix dayes,and the feventh ref.rved only fertile Sabbath, man in his underftanding will ac' - \v!cdge it great reafbn to yeild it him. Thus we lie how n acure infor- N med, S>8 A Treatife of the U med, can reach unto the Circumftance of the fourth Comman- dement, and therefore its perpetuail. I X. Thats a perpetuail Law and precept, which we are daily to pray unto God to write in our hearts, and to. incline our hearts to keep,and to be mercifull therein unto us. But thus are we to pray unto Gcd concerning this Comman- dement, and that by the Direction of our Church, every Lords Day publikly : Therefore is it perpetuall,elie we mock God in to praying. Theholy and learned Bifhop Lakes, underftands itofour Lords day grounded upon the fourth Commandement. j And who can think them to be of any other minde.. that added this prayer tothis 9 and every one of the Commandments The Authors of the Homilies undcrftood it fo,it is more then probable , for that they call the Lords day, our Chriftian Sab- bath,and affirm it to be the Commandment of God. It hath been underftoodof all (6 heretofore till of late,wbofe perverfe anfwers to it are but unconfcionable perverfion of k, and without foliditie; yea,(ome anfwers ridiculous and abfurd. X. That Law, is perpetuail, the breach whereof God hath puniftied heretofore , and yet doth, and lately within theie few yeers , with very remarkable judgements : For Gods punifh- ments he fendeth for breach of his own Laws 5 if the Law were not in force j then were there no fin, and therefhouldbeno punifhment; this our Homily taketh notice of. And albeit mch judgements might fall upon other dayes, yet let any fbber fpi- rit tell me, why iuch happen on tbefe dayes (b frequently, what may be the caufe, but fin and breach of this Commandment > i X I. That Commandment which the Church of God hath 1 from the beginning of it unto this day obferved, as one of Gods i Commandments that is perpetuail : But fo hath this been ob- I ierved : For let any (hew that any Church fince Chrift ever re- jected this as none of Gods CommandmentsrWho are they that ever durft deny it, or ever attempted to expunge it out of the Decalogue ? The Papifts make it a Commandment of God, I fo doth our Homily, our Book of Common-Prayer , the Book j fet out by King Henry the eighth > approved by one and twenty Prelates, and many Doctors, and by the Parliament, alloweth ! this for a Commandmentjaffirming that the breach thereof doth much Mo/aicall Sabbath. 99 much offend God,andprovokethhis wrath and indignation a- gainft us. Therefore it being ib held to be one of Gods Commandments in all ages hitherto , itremaineth in all fbber mens account the Commandment ofGod. It cannot be perpetu- ail fay fbme,becaufe it is a pofitive precept. But I have (hewed : i . That it is in nature acknowledged both for fubftancc and circuBiftance, 2. Albeit it were pofitive> it would not follow, that there- fore it fhould not be perpetual 1. For a precept may bePefitivum njturah , and fb durable , for the pofitivenefle taketh not away the naturality of it,but it remaineth perpetuall, although the precept have further revelation, then the naturality thereof can extend unto : For the pofitivenefle, only accommodateth the naturalitie tofbme fpeciall certainty. Again, albeit the precept be meerly pofitive, yet might it be perpetuall, as the Law, to Adam of not eating the forbidden fruit : it was per- petuall to Adjm^ and all mankinde, as we may fee in the bring- ing of death upon us, afwellas upon Adam. Alfo, is not the inftitution of Baptifme, and the Lords Supper pofitive, and not naturall; yet as durable as the world, to the fecond coming of Chrift : For here we muft know two things, whether the Law benaturalL, or pofitive, in which they do agree. 1 . The authority of both is Divine, of both God is the Author, and both binde the Confcicnce to obedience. 2. The independancy of both: for neither have any depen- dancy of mans will,either to eftablifh or alter them and both are in difpenfable, and unalterable, by mans authority : The Con- tinuance of both,are to be judged by Gods only will and inden- tion, albeit they be not both alike in their Natures , in fbme things. Si ct ion XXV. Hovp much of the Mofaicall SMatb y is in the Commmdmtnt to be kept holy. THe Sabbath inftituted by God, and commanded to Ifrael in this fourth Cormuandment,is to be underftood not of fome part, but of the whole day. i . The time in the precept, is a day, not a part of a day, nor j N 2 the 4 8 JfTreatiJeof the the greater part, much lefle fbme few houres in die day, can be counted a day, neither was it (b with the Jews. 2. Gods gift of fix dayes, we underftand for full fix dayes, and fbno doubt is the day of reft, the Sabbath day to be taken in the Commandment. 3. What God blefled and fancYified, he fan&ified wholly, as holy things,veflels. Numb. 31.6. holy oyntment, Exod, 30.25 . Garments and the like. So holy places^as the Tabernacle, Exod. 29. ^ 4. This, northofe were holy only in part, but wholly. So is Gods holy time, holy, for the whole time. 4. The people of God kept the whole day from the begin- ning to the end, Exod.i 6.30. and this appeareth (b in Nebe. 1 3 . 1 p. and by the holy women followers of Gbrift, Marh^ 1 61 ■*, Lttf^i M5>}6. and 24.1. 5 . The reproofe of thofe that went out to (eek Mmnab^ m, the morning before the Sun ro(e, Exod. r6. 27. and the punifiv ment of him that did gather flicks, Num.i 5 . doth (new it, that the whole day is to be (et apart for the Lord. And though fome works might be done : yet the day was the Lord s,thc whole day; 6. If the whole day was not the Lords, then it was partly T holy, and partly unholy, (acred, and common too 5 but in holy writ we reade not of any fuch partaking (takes with God. Therefore we arc to underftand the whole day for Sabbath* Section XxVI. Hw the Day wot kept. THe people of God, having cea/ed from their labours, as the Law commanded, E»W. 20.8. and 31,14. £0^.23. $6. and betaking theimelves to the holy reft, and to make an holy u(e thereof unto the Lord, it being an holy day, and the reft of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, Exod. 16. 23. and 35. 2. They thus obferved the day, and kept it holy. I. Before tbefublik{ meeting. 1 . They began with private preparation \ as they were com- manded. !♦ To look unto their feet before they entred into the houfe of the Lord, Ecclefo.i. 1 2. To Mofaicall Sabbath. 49 2 f To reconcile themfelves one to another 3 Muttb,^. 2^2^.. x 3, To be of a clean Converfation^/.xtf.tf.elfe God regarded not their coming, I/ai. 1.12,1 6 ,17. and 66.3. P/y.50. 16,17. 4. To have an high eiteem of their Aflemblies - as holy Con- vocations,£«\23.3. and the houle, as the houfe of God, 1 Cbr. 9.27. ?p.274, fuch were blefled, as did abide therc,?/^^. II. Ingoing, It was i. With Angular affe&ion, of love to the place, Pfal 26. 8. and defire to dwell there, Pfa 27.4, and vehement longing for lt,Pfa.42.i,2.*nd%+> i,2 4 2 . With care for otbersexciting them to go : the Paftors,the people, jkr. 31. 6. and they one another 7^.50.4,5, Micb.^2. ' and the parties excited to be glad thereof, Pp* 1 12 , 1 . 3. It was with the voice of joy and praifes, P [1,4.2,4. 4. Their end in going was to be taught, and under(tdnd,and that they might walk in Gods waves, Ifa'1.2 .2. Afeta8.»3* III. D^^.5.i4,i 5. 2. Of the Lord their God, and how he did (anftifie them, Ezecb.20.20. Exod.i 1. 1 3,14. 3. Of another reft, fpirituall, here, and heavenly hereafter, Hel>4.9>ii. 5. They this day were to fhew their delight in the Lord, count the day honourable to the Lord, and learn to exprefle felt denyall of their own thoughts,delight s,and work,!/! 58.13,14. 6. On this day they did not raft, Judith 8 Abut made merry, for it was called the day of their gladneffe, Num.io.io. wherein they might cheerfully refrefh tbemielves, and fend relief unto the poor, after fuch former duties done towards the Evening 5 1 but this mirth was for their understanding of the Word_, 2^.8. 1 9, 10, Mofaicall Sabbath. l0 ? 9, 10,11,12. Ic is true, that this holy day to the Lord was the fealt of Tabernacles, but why they might not now do Co on the Sabbath day, I fee nothing to the contrary. For the ft rift pre- cepts in the WiidernefTe were out of date; aud the Primitive Church, who obferved our Chriftian Sabbath in the roome of the Jewifh did make a feaft after the end of Divine fa-vice. Seefbr theobfervation of that Sabbath, Pbilojudtus devita MoJis b de vitx Contempts : Dt legations fua ad Cajtm C > far em cltcdby JValltui de Sab. pag.127. 134.1$?. 136. SeealfoD^. Kimcbien Pfa t $l. cited by Gomaritt in his Book deSabfag$j, Section XXVII. Of Judaizing) and true wider ft anding thereof. IT pleafed Come to taxe others of Judai (me concerning the Sabbath day. And why of Judaifme ? know they why? Judaifme was from the Jews, but the Sabbath was long before this name became peculiar to a fingle tribe in l\ratl 9 Jndab Co called. Seeing they fallen, as they muft, Judaifme upon the Jews, let us fee ( after thisTribe^ was feparated from the ten tribsof //>WJ how they did Sabbatize 5 for fo we (hall behold their Judaifme, that we may judge with righteous judgement. For the better underft anding hereof, let us confider the Jews | as before Chri ft scorning, when he was come, and afterwards in the times following. Of thefe we muft have a twofold confi* deration, as faultlefle,or faulty. 1. As Faultlefle, this is no Judaizing, for in our difcourfe its taken in ill part. They ever held, and do hold the fourth Com- mandment, perpetuall : and Co ought we as is before proved. They held the fcventhday Sabbath from the Creation, which they had a warrant from God to do till the Refurretfion of ' Chrift : Co farre faultkfie without Judaizing in an ill fenfe. As faulty and thus, 1 . Before thecoming of Chrift we /hall read, that they were, 1 . Obiervers of the Sabbath in a bare reft, from fervile work, but then doing their own waie?, finding their own pleafores, not delighting themfelvesin theLord,nor labouring for Selt-de- nyall on thatdaj : Of this their Sabbatizing,the Prophet Jfa'ub fpeaketh, ; 104 4 Treat*/ e of the fpeaketh, who herein laboured co reform them, Ifai. $ 8. 1 5,14. 2. Great prophaners of the Sabbath, as appeareth by the j Prophets complaints, Jer.1j.27 .Ezecb.io.i 3, 16,21,24, and 22,8. By Gods punching of them, driving them out of their Land as Captives, for tbe breachof theSabbath,2 Cbron.36.21. asGodhadthreatned, Levit. 26.34.35. By the Story in Nebe. 1 3.1 5 5 i 8. where Nebemiab tellechthem, that the prophaning i»f the Sabbath was the fin of their Fathers, and the evill of their captivity befell them for it. Now who wich us do fb Ju* daize, and Sabbatize both thefe wayes, let the world judge. 1 1. At Cbrifis coming^ we may read That the Jews ceafing from fiich former prophaneffe , now were become groflyruperftitious , not allowing fuch tilings to be done, as might be lawfully done , without the breach of the fourth Commandemenr, as in former inftances are cleared:This foolifh fuperftition our Saviour confuted by word, and by his works. And therefore none of found judgement with us do fb Sabbatize; our onely care is to obferve the Commandement, as the godly Jews did, mewed in the former 26 St&ion , and as the holy reft requireth in keeping the day holy , as fet apart for holy ends, without puttingany hohnefle in the day it felf. III. After Cbrip Afcenfion : and his Kingdome eretted ; the Jews did faulty in their Sabbatizing : i 1 . In obferving the Seventh day from the Creation , which I was at that time out of date ; and now not to be obferved of any ! Chriftian, if any do, thefe be Sabbatarians* and do properly Ju- ; daize, and not others* Its a foul fin, to belye and flandermen, and to brand them with names of reproach falfly. 2* In carnally keeping the Sabbath , as the Imperiall Edift of* Cbarles the Great doth fpeak D for thefe kept it in idleneile, j in dancing and revelling: See Ignatius , in hisEpiftleto the j Magn. St. Auguftme de confenfu Evangelitt. lib^.cap^J. Thisjewifli Sabbatizing, let thofebe blamed for, who are j guilty, and the fault be where it is . Thus much for the MofaicaB Sabbath, FINIS. A Large TREATISE OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH, THE LORDS DAY; alfb now commonly called SUNDAY. By Richard Bernard Re&our ofBatcmhe. wee ought to doe all things f or the tmh j M ^T agatnft tt 5 for hee that (fr^th ajrainfi the trutt ftriveth againft God: for God is Sh? ' Let every fth*dofChrift obferve the Lords dar Ta n ,7~- Ep. ad Magne/1 Inthe honour ofCbr7filL'¥r V" CJem. Rom. Conft. l,b. 7 . e^.^ R £r ~iir T&r itr "4r ^fc* ifr- **k "A- 'A- "A -A" ^ 3&r lir lir ^1 JJV JJL ^Jt ^Ji ^Jt JJV ^C ^p, ^T JJL J|t «C «t ^t «. JTL m. 1 he Contents of this Treatife. Chapter i . ' THc Preface, fhewing wherein wee generally confent and agree in one. Chap. 2. Of the title ef Lords day, and of the name Sunday. Chap. 3. Of the name Sabbath given to this our Lords day or Sunday. Chap. 4. Of the Reafons why it may be fo called, without offence. Chap. 5. In what circuit of time this day hath beene kept , to wit, weekly, with the Reafin thereof Chap. 6' Ofthefirfl day of the week,, that it is the Lords day , and alfo the f event h day. Chap. 7. Of the time when this fir ft day began u be the Lords day, and upon what ground. Chap. 8. Of the divers opinions concerning the beginning and ending of the Lords day: and wherein Confidence may reft it felfe. Chap. p. The authority is divine by which it was eftablijhed. Chap. 1 o. It is of divine authority from Chrift himfelfe. Chap. 1 1 . Of fime Objections which may be made agatnft it, anfwered* Chap. 1 2. That this day cannot be changed* Chap. 1 3. Of the honourable eft e erne of this our Lords day, and that it is to be preferred before all other feftiv all day es. Chap. 1 4. This day is to be kept holy, and the whole day too. Chap. 1 5. How this day is to bee kept holy, morally, as the ancient Sabbath was kept. Chap . 1 6. How our Lords day was kept in the t/4poftlesdaycs and the Primitive times, ^ O 2 Chap. 107 ; io8 A Treatise of the Chap . 1 7. How our Church would have our Sunday kept holy. Chap. 1 8 . How Chriftian Smperours would have it kept by their Jmperiall Conftitutions. Chap. 1 p. How it was to be kept by the Edicls of Chriftian Kings in this our Kingdome 9 Chap. 2 o. How our late Soveraigne King James, and now our King Charics would have it obferved. C h ap. 2 1 . What Councells and Synods have decreed touching the obfervation of this day . Chap. 22. WhatPopes, the CanonLaw, Archbifhops,Bifhops \ and other learned men have fatd concerning the hallowing of this day % Chap. 2 2 . Cjod would have our Lords day religioujly obferved, and not to be prophaned. Chap. 24. Of exemplary judgements immediate from (jod, again ft the prophaners of the Lords day. Chap. 2f. Of exemplary judgements mediate from God, againft the prophaners of the Lords day. Chap. 2 6* Of examples of cafuall judgements, againft the prophaners of the Lords day. Chap.27. Ofobjeblions which may be, or are made againftthe producing of judgements in this cafejwith anfwers thereto. Ch ap. 2 8 . Of the ferious ponder ation of thefe things. C h ap. 2 9. Concerning Jports unlaw full at all times, much more on the Lords day ; and why fiorts lawful! at other times, are on this day to be forborne; with feme objections made, and anfwers to the fame. It is the faying of S. ssfnguftine. Bonum eft homini, ut eum veritai vincat volentem, Epift. 1 74. To thisagrecth a learned mans fentence. I Satins foret, a veritate vinci nos, quam contra veritatem vin- cer* poffe alium. Bucerus. ^Author igiturhujm TraUatus, quodcunque ineo fcripfit ut veritatis fincere ftudiofus pro veritate, non ut contentiofus quicquam contra veritatem fcripfit* 1 A ^^4»^^4»^^^^^^^w4r^T»m. A T R E A T I S E OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH CHAP. L The Preface , jhewing wherein wee generally confent and agree in one* T will not be amifle ( ere I enter upon the Treatife , which for the honour of Jefus, God bleifed for ever , I here undertake ) briefly to lay before the judicicus, a few things, for feare of miftakc, while wee c .^^ ^^ ^ ^ a maintaine the obfcrvation of a fet folemn day weekly, for the worfhip of Chrift, and a Chriftian- like ftrickt keeping of it holy. i Wee hereby reje£t| the loofe opinions of the Families, Anabaptitts, and wicked Libertines; who would be free from any time of fet folemn dayes,for Gods publick fcrvice and worfhip , contrary to the command of God under the Law; and the conftant cuftome of the Church underthe Goipel, among all Orthodox Chiiftians, in all places, throughout the whole Chriftian world , in all ages , for O i thefe 7 ios( no In exam. Tri- dent Cencil. If emeus lib. i. cap. it. & Ephan. de H*- rcf. cap. 30. See the former Treanfe. J Treat if c of the tliele 1 600 yeers; Co that, faith Chemmtim, it is barbaric* pe- tulantia y moft rude impudencie^ barbarous folly , as one tran- ilateth it, not to obferve that day with all due folemnity, which hathfo longtime beene kept by the Church of(jod : This wit- neffeth, Ignatius, lohn the Apoftlcs Difciple, Iuftine Mar- tyr $.Auguftine ,Tertullian .Athanaftus s Maximus Tauronen- fis, Dionyfins Biftiop of Corinth, in an Epiftle of his to Soter Bifliop of Rome : Againft thefe Familifts,Anabaptifts, and Libertines, hath written Vrjin in his Chatechifme, Zanchie in his Oper.fex dierum, and Maiter Rogers in his Difplay of the Family of Love. 3 I 2 Wee renounce all Traskjts and Brabornian errours , in theirpoints of Judaifme : Againft the Author of the firft fort, learned Biftiop Andrews hath fully fhewed himfelfe, by his ipeech in the Starre Chamber : Againft the later, the late learned Bifliop of Sly, Doctor White, hath written at large, purpofely to confute Brabornes Judz'i zing, in ftanding for thejewifh Sabbath: Againft which tencnt , Mufculw, Vrjin,and Bellarmine, hzth alio written : yea, Hereticks , as the Ebionits and Cerinthians holding this, have been con- demned, as the Fathers witnefle. The feventh day Sab- bath from the Creation, now called Saturday, is changed , and not under the Golpcl to beobferved of us, as an holy day to the Lord. 3 Albeit we doe hold the fourth Cemmandement to be pcrpetuall,yet we conceive it to be (0 , without any of thole acceflbrie percepts delivered by Mofes, whereby though it was in it felfe originally not ccremoniall , yet was it by the keeping of thole precepts ceremonioudy ob- served. 4 As that Law required reft, and the holy ufeofthat reft, to be imploycd on that Sabbath day,for the keeping of it ho- ly ; fb doth it now,by analogic and proportion, for the holy obfervation of our weekly Sabbath, Reft wee doc hold ne- ceffary for the day , yet not like thef oolifh ftperftitious reft of the later Jewes, grounded on vainc Traditions, confuted byChrift. Nor doe we require it other wife than anecef- j fary meanes to further us to holy duties , not as aworfliip of Chrijiian Sabbath. / III of God in itfelfe; nor doc wee deny works to be done, works of pietic,andforpietie, works of charity , andthofc that be works of neceflitie; for all were allowed under the Law, as in the other Treatife is proved. Moreover, wee account the day holy , yet not for any inherent holineiTc therein, but for that it is fet apart for holy ufes : And the difference betwecne this and other folemn holy dayes, de- dicated tothe honour of Chrift, wetaketobe; that this is grounded on authoritie divine, and unchangeable, and (b not the other; yet to be obfcrved with reft to religious du- tiesj as isordeyned by the authority of the Church, which is not at any time to be dcfpifcd. Thcie things premiied, J fuppofe,wee that defire for the honour of JefusChrilt,thathisday befblemnly kept, none of ripe judgement will condemne us of Judaifme, ifthey wellunderitand either us, or themielves,hereafcer. A cha- ritable interpretation would amend all , which were to bee wifhed, to quench the heat of contention , by either igno- ranrjy or wilfully mifconceiving of us : For we hold no- thing, but what hath beene held by Orthodox Divines, the beft,.and moftin all ages, as in the enfuing ^chapters of this Treatiic, framed to the capacitie of the common ibrt, will clearly be mademanifeft. CHAP. II. Of the title of Lords day, and of the name Sunday. His terme of Lords day > though none can deny it to belong to the day, yet forne few, and but very few ( to fhew perhaps more wit, as they __ m think, to be able to fay fomething to any thing, than worth of matter) do make it, as it were, doubtfull to underftand what day (houid be meant by the Lords day in Revel, l . i o. But this place of hhn hath generally beene expounded, and taken for the day which wee now call Sunday , the firjrdayoftkcwce e, by Ar et as , i4ndreat Cafaricnjts , by Beda, II 2 re rat. temp, cap. 6. Lib.4. €ap. 21, Libj.cap.zi. Contra Fakfl. Wi.mPffr J Treatise of the Jnot.1Cor.i61 In Rkem.Tcfl. Apoc.j. Sywopf, (o'fiVto- Beda, by our Jater Divines, and by the fuffragc of the Church , the belt Expofitor of the word : which day hath conftantly fince the time ofthe Apoftle S,J<**, confuting of many Learned Divines, it is called the Sabbath day. Do6tor Heylin inhis Hiftoricall Search, tellcth us, that the firft he found was oncTetrus sAlfotifns^ whocalled the Lords day our Chriflian Sabbath i who lived about the time of Ruper- tw , many yeers before Knox and whitingham took breath. But come we neerer home, it is called the Sabbath day in King lames his proclamation 1603. In all our Letters pa- rente till very lately , in cur Churches Ecclcfiatticall Confti- unions, Canon 70, in our Homilies very often. Doctor RainoldS) in the Conference at Hampton Court , made a moti- on for the prciervation of the Lords day from propria netfe, under the name of the Sahbarh day, without offence then, or any exception taken againft it. The learned Doctor and re- verend Bifliop, Bifliop Andrews , in his fpecch againft 7jw^e,calleth it our *f^J*^*rA ,- fame Rifhops heretofore, in their Articles of Vitiation havecalied it the Sabbath day \ Learned men in our Church of all degrees and forts, have in their writings, allowed by authoriry,exprcffcd the Lords day by this name, without any diilike,ever fince the reformati- on in thedayesof Qneeat Elizabeths raign>in all the time of Learned King lames , and alfo of this our now gracious So- veraign. Learned Doctor Feat ley , in his Handmaid to devo tion % oftentimes Calleth it theSabbath, and in capitall letters, the Chrtfttan Sabbath ; Matter Prtmrofe , in his very lately published book* concerning the Lords day,calls it often the Sabbath. And therefore without crrour we may with the Ancients, with our Kings, with our reverend Bifhops, and learned Di- vines, call k the Sabbath day. And as no man of judgement and charitably minded will condemn them, that among us call the Lords day Sunday, for hcathcniili SoUrians, lb fhould no moderate fpirit brand othert for Jewifh Sabbat*^ rtans, who call the day a Sabbath , nor think amyftcry of iniquity to be in it :For will any fey that our Kings,rcvereod Prelates, the Clergie cotnpofiag the Canons , the Compilers of Cbriftian Sabbath, "5 oftr*HotniIies,aj*d learned Divines, as afore&td , had in their thoughts any myttery of iniQuity? No, Cod for- bid ; of which we may well be pcrfwaded , for God pro- phetically fpeaketh of the Sabbath under the Compel , in Efm. 66- 1 f. CHAP. IIII. Of theReafont why it may be fo called, without offence. S it is and hath been fo called , (b it is not without reaibn to give it this name : For, i . It bath no evill in it, nor any (uch myftcry to bringany,asis iuppofed by forne, incojudaifme, Mofai- caJl bo .dagc,ot to cait a icgall burden upon mens Conicien- ces (from which heavy yoak we are freed by the Lord Je- fusChrift)as it would appear , if moderate and foberlpirits might have leave to make known the truth which they hold, yea, they would eafily. to indiff rent men, clear tbemfelves from Judaizing, whkb unjultly is charged upon them ; What though fbmc ignorant and ra(h,havc uttered their monftrous Paradoxes, as (erne fay they have, and io parted the bounds and limits of truth out of inconsiderate zeal, are all others to be cemurcd to be men of the iamc mould i Brotherly love and C ha ritie cannot but be better Judges. 2 We fee it carrieth antiquity with it, and hath hadaJ- lowancc for a long time in the Churches of Cbrift. 5 It is our rclt d.y , and fo , indeed, a S a bath ; for the word Sabbath b nothing elfe but reft, fo the name well agrceth withthe nature of the thing. 4 Thi v name belt leadeth us to the duty of the da yywhic h is to ceaie from weekdy works, which are not works of pie- ty, works of chanty, nor works of neceffiry, andtoimploy our holy reft on this holy day in the publike wotfhip and fervice of Chrift,and in other Chri ft ian duties, as is very ex- cellently fct forth in our thirteenth Canon. 5 Learned and holy BMhop Lakfs faith in hisThefs, that P a eternaU ii6 A Treatife of the i:Coi:.iJ.z4. 2 ^ I©bn J. 27. eternall reft was fbadowed out in the firft Sabbath , which our Lords day continueth,and is afore- tafte of our eter nail reft \and afhadow thereof as lafting as the world. This being fb,it may weH be called the Sabbath day. 6 If the fourth Commandment hath any perpetuity in it, for a weekly day to be kept , and ours being a weekly refting day ; then it may be called a Sabbath, the Com- mandment propounding fuch a day under the name of Sabbath. 7 All holy dayes, appointed by God ,befides the weekly Sabbath*were called Sabbaths, and that upon thefe reafons ; becaufeon them they reftcd to perform holy duties, dnd had a holy Convocation : Now why may not our Lords day,be- caufcof our reft to holy duties, and forthepublickaffem- blies on that day,be fo called ? Our Linwood out oftAquinat hnh,Dies Dominions diet foteft dies S abb atifluia eft requies & vacdtio adDeum, 8 The very Gentiles gave the name of Sabbath to their Feftivalls, as the Learned have obferved. 9 Chrift Iefiis js the Lord oftheSabbath,not only as God, but as he is God»man,or Mediatour, for fo himfelfe faith,*/;? fonne of man is Lordalfo of the Sabbath* et & in- ftituta Major urn pro legetenenda funt. Now this observation of a day within a week, is from Gods inftitution before the Law , from the Creation , who having fet down thedayes of a week ,took one within the circuit of the week for his publick worfhip , which healfo commanded his people to obferve under the Law;both which hath been proved in the two former Treatifes. Now for the finding of proportion of time, who can better proportion it for himlelf than God himfelf ? That is thefitteft that can be imagined, T^ature cannot but acknowledge his wifdom and good- P 3 nejfe tUu fUett fair pcfcP C# XJJKhV QlPOLl InhisEccl. Pol.pag.379- Cytcdby Mr. S^rini on the Sab.pag.17. and 34* Cyced by D: Htj line a. j. p. z Gtn.%. E*o. 10: n8 pas. 24. z f. Iniot.Com.ccL 7 In his Tb fit. Luther, bietertus on Dom.pofiTnn. Among the Scholcmcn lacebm de ffa.!en. and o- thers. St Ik on '-'4 a i4. Agai.iit Br& pag. 90, A Treatise of the I nejfe in his choyce, faith Matter Dow . Hence is ir, no doubc, J that Peter Martyr faid, that one day of a week.be confec rated : to Godsworjhip,ts an ordinance of perpetual/ force /and Reve ! rend Bifhop Lakes confidently averreth, that the feventh part of time is Gods ordinance , as everlafttng as the world : for faith the fame Father of our Church , the Lords day onely ehangeth,but altereth not the portion of time preferred by the fourth Commandment > by which we are guided to it: Yea ibrnchave held, that one day in (even is the mor all part of the Commandment, iurclam, there is acknowledged an equity in thatLaw durable for ever, both for a time t z% alio for the conveniency and fufficiency of time; to which equity it is confbnant , faith Learned Bifhop White, that one day in feven be an holy day , wherein Chrifiian people ought to reft , and give tbemfelves to religious exercifes : who faith further, that the common and not ur all equity of that Contmandtment is mora// ( to wit ) that Gods people are obliged to obferve a convenient and fufficieut time for publicity and folemhc divine wvrfkip, and for reltgtous and Scc/efiafticall duties : A*dabftinence from fecu/ar labour and negotiation, and keeping holy one day of every weekly both for mans temporal! and not ur all refrcjbingjtnd for the spiritual/ good of his foul \is very agreeable both to naturalland religious equity, audit ts groun- ded upon the ancient cuftomand praft if e of gods people in time of the Law. And we Chr*ft ian * having obtained* larger mea- sure of divine grace, and our obligation to ferve God and Chrift, upon hts heavenly promtfes, being greater than m the time of the lews : /f m thofe former times of greater darknejfe the Lords people obferve da weekcly Sabbath day ; then fur ely wtjhou/dbe ungratefully and negligent of ourownfalvatton,ifweye/duotto God a weekly day, orafuffaenttimeforbis fervice as we// as the lews dtdt Thus you fee how we agree in the proportion of time, one day in the week, according co Gods designation -of timc,and the equity of the Law. GHAP. Chriflian Sabbath, 119 CHAP. VI. Of the firft day iff the week; that it is the Lords day, and alfo the [event h day* S we muft have a day within the week, ib is it need. full 10 know which day in the week it is, which we are to observe for the Lords day, elfe (hould wee be unccrtaine; for one would keep one day, and others another day. In Scripture the fir ft day in the week^ mentioned in Mae. 28. 1. Mark; 16.2,9.^1^.24.1. Joh.io.i.ip. A6t.io.-j. I Cor. 16. 2.) is that which is called in Rev. 1.10. the Lords day : So faith S. Auguft. the firftday oftheweek is that day, %• **- cjHt fofteaDies Dominictts appellatus tft : S. C/r#//afifirmeth In Mn lib. 8. the very fame. Our Sunday, faith Juftine Martyr, is the cap.tf.ApJl.^. firft day of the vpeekj Our Homily faith the firft day after the 3 ewifh Sabbath is our Sunday : It is our Lords day, faid the Divines in Ireland. The former Scriptures arc interpreted by all Expoficors, the Fathers Greek and Latine, the later writers, Proteftants and Papifts, to bee the Lords day:/*. tannot well bt d'. nyed, faith B. White, that the firft day of every weekjwas the Chrifiian weekly holy day ; /* is manifest, faith Doctor Pocklingtonjhat the firftday of the weekj* the Lords I day : and toftrcngthen more this truth, learned Beut faith, that he hath read in a UManufcript, T U» wjftAtdi*, added to the Text in 1 £V. 1 6. *. fo Crifyine in his Greek Lexicon. This firft day of the week hath beene obicrved for our Lords day ever, and no true GhrilUan Church can be named that ever brake off the curtomc of this day. Tbisuniverfali unity of foCatholique acuftomeis fufficicm to fettle any Chriftianinhis faith of this truth, that the firft day of the week^is the Lords day : For what better Expohtor than the Churches continuall practice and obfervation , which muft needs bee from a fetled judgement of the truth of the time obferved. Our Church telieth us in the Homily, that this cuftome hath beene kept m ail agei, without any gatne-faymg. And: See the many Expofit. ci. ted by Matter Str.fe t .6u 120 J Treat if e of the And although this day, after the Tewifli account, bee the firft day of the week, yet ncvertheleffe itkeepeththe pro- portion of time, ia the Commandement,the feventh part of a week, fo as it may be called the feventh day, though not that feventh day, I fay the feventh day. Let none here make a Mir about thefeventh and # feventh, for the feventh day, and not a feventh day, is the Sabbath of the Lord our God : for the particle the and not a is to bee prefixed to fe- venth, and not only becaufc of the fix dayes in which the world was made, the dayes of the Creation ( as is commonly and onely fo fuppofcd to bee taken ) but for the donation of fix dayes to us by God, and that in the promulgation of this Law, and Commandement, as is in the former Trcatife (hewed. Alwayes ia counting of numbers, we our felves, in any ordinary number of feven, when fix is ta- ken out, doe not fay, there remaineth a feventh, but the feventh ; for a fhould note an uncctainty , but the doth not. God, of feventh dayes ( for there are no more in a week, nor ever was ) hath given us for ever irrevocably fix of them for to labour in, and to doe all that wee have to doe, Sxod. 20.9. Thefe dayes we take to our felves as Gods gift, from his words in the Law: Now if we have fix of the feven cer- tainly knowne unto us, can we reafbnably fay a feventh is the Lords, or the feventh is his? A feventh may be fpoken of whole numbers, where a certainty is not determined, nor pitched upon, nor taken out, but where the number is no more but (even in a week ( as none heretofore, nor any now count more) there iix being taken out for us, the feventh is left, as a certaine day not to bee doubted of, for the Lord. So as yet the feventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord *ht Cjod , both by Gods donation of fix to us, and our counting our dayes to come to the feventh, having tak^n to us the fix. For our fir ft day of the week is Muiiday, and fo wee ac- count forward to the Lords day, as the feventh day, and our Sabbath andreftingday. And moftfit it is, that wee fhould ftill hold the feventh day Cbriftian Sabbath. •Diesdcmini- ca reprefentat mcmoriam Creation is mundi, non day for our Sabbath*, that we might, whilft wc honour the Sonne in finishing the work of our redemption, not forget the honour of his Father for his perfecting of the work of the worlds Creation, andhisrefting from the fame, which cannot bee by obfeiving any other day, but the feventh day* Sabbacum; namdiedominica incepic mundus fieri, unde luflirm Apn. i. Et Leo Epifl. adDivfarhm, dicuni diem dominicam coiitam oH mcmoriam mundi CrcaticnJs, quamob rcfurrc&i- oncm Chrifli; Beliarm. deenhu fantt. iib.), ap. no. f 121 CHAT. VII. Of the time when this fir ft day began to be the Lords day, and upon what ground. His firft day obferved, was the very firft day im- mediately after the Jewifli Sabbath : Co the Scrip- tures confirme it to us ; whereto agreeth the exhor- tation of Ignatius , -After the Sabbath, let every friend ofChrift make the Lords day afolemne Feftivall. And thcreafbnof this was, becaufe of. the Lords rcfiir- rc£tion, by which the Lords day was declared to Chriftians, and from that time began to be celebrated : and in another place it is faid, that the Lords RefurreEkion promifed us an eternallday, and it did confecrate unt$ us the Lords day : And Leo faith the fame, Dominicum diem nobis Salvatoris refur- rettio confecravit. In theconftitutions of the Apoftlesit is ordained to bekeptholy in the memorial! of the rcfurredtion; ibaCounceliheldatP^r/Vin *Ann§ 029 ordeined the like. Bifhop White alleadging reafbns why the Lords day was preferred before other weekly dayes, faith, that the Primi- tive Church could have made choyce of no other day of the weel^ more proper and convenient for the felemne and religious worjh/p and fer vice of(hrifi : Great was this wor k,h'\th Athanafms, for we doe celebrate it, 06 a memoriall of the beginning of a new Creation : Yea, ob excellent iam tanti miraculi proprie dies Domimca appellatur, faith another. And indeed the work^efthe day is the ground, faith Bifhop Lakes, of the hal- Q^ lowing Mar. 28. 1. Mar. \6. 2 . 9 . Luke 24. 1. Ioh. 20. 1. 19. Ad Magnef. S. Aug. ad I an. epi'ii9>&*$e. De vtrbo Apo. fer.rf.Epi.H, Ca. fo. Againft Brab* P*g- **9* *7°. In Pf, 25. InTJcJis 46. 43.45. 122 G* A Jreatifeofthe lowing of the day , whether it be weekly, monthly, or yeerly; as particulars evince in Scriptures and Stories; now when God doth any rare, great, and remarkeable workes, hee will be honoured with a Commemoration day , for that wor\ • if thi work^ concerne the whole \ by the whole Church, and by a, part , if it concerne a fart : by which practice or worj^ (jods willis underftood, which guideth the Church, whtre the precept u wanting. This u a facred rule obferveable in the inftitution of all facred Fcafts, both divine and humane, faith that Father, Now God railing Chri ft from the dead, upon the firft day of the week, this remarkable work, was to have that day, a day of Commemoration, above and before all other. i Becaufe it was the firft notable work of God, im- mediately follow ing the Jcwifh Sabbath; which being to ceafe, the next glorious work of God following, muft needs bee the ground of another Feftivall; and in ftead of the other, for it is a rule in mortality (faith the reve- rend Father Bifhop Lakes, that none in reafon can deny due refpclt unto the worke , and therefore cannot deny the hal- lowing of the day , to wit, on which it was wrought. 2 The raifing up of Chrift from the dead, declared him mightily to bee the fonne of God, Rom. 1.4. God fulfilling hereby to the children , the ptomife made to their Fathers > hce being manifeft thus to be the Sonne of God , his begotten Sonne in the day of his refurreclion , as the Conquerour of hell, death, the power of the grave, and of Satans Dominion, c/4#. 15.31. 32. t 3. and pre- ferred above men and Angels, Heb. 1.5. 3 This is the work above all others, which the Scrip- ture fb often mentioneth for the Father* glory in his Son, in that he raifed him up from the dead, Rom. 1.4. Gal. 1.5. e/*#. 2. 24. 32. & 3« 26 & 4. 10. & 10.40. and in many othcx Scriptures. 4 This is it by which Jefus is made both Lord and Chrift, to fit upon the throne of David, t/ftt. 2 c 30, 3 J > I 6. It Chrijiian Sabbatb. I I2 ? 5 It is the work of cur perfect redemption, and full ju- ftirl cation, Rom. ^..2 5. 6 This was the ad which to beare witnefle of, he prin- cipally choie his Apoftlcs, e/*#.io. 41. & 1.22. which work the Apoftles firft taught to the Jewes, Att. 2. and to theGentiles, AEb. 10. and for which they firft chiefly fuffered. 7 This is the a<£t on which dependeth all our comfort, and without affurance whereof S. Paul tclleth us , lus preaching was in vainc,and cur faith in vaine,i C#r.i 5.14. and Co our Chridianitie nothing worth. 8 This his redirection was to his Apoftles and Difciples full of comfort : and that which is moft joyfull to all Chriftians, for our jurtification, Rom. 4. 25. as alfo for the hope of our eternall ialvation , 1 Pet, 1. ;. & 3. 21. for if Chrift had not rifen, wee had beene all in our finncs , 1 Cor, 1 5. 17. his birth , his life, his differing had done us no good. Therefore from the beginning hath the Church held this -ever for the mod remarkable work of Chrift, and to keep this day Feftivall , on which hee arofefrom the dead. For that it being the moft remarkable work of God,next and immediately after the Jewifh Sabbath , as Ifaid, it re- quired a Feftivall , and that wichin the fpace of a week , within which fpace God from the creation relervcd a day tohimfelfe; and its notfit, that under theGolpel, fbglori- ous a work of our redemption by Chriftsrcfiirre6Hon, for the reftauration of the world, ftiould be more feldome re- membred upon a fet day, then was the work of creation of the world before and under the Law. cu CHAP. i*4 J Tr eat if e of the CHAP. VIII. Of the divers opinions concerning the beginning and ending of the Lords day : and wherein conscience may reft it f elf e. Here arc divers opinions about the beginning and ending of this our Chriitian Sabbath. Some hold it from midnight, to midnjght; this is the judgement of very learned Divines: fbme fay it beginneth in the Morning, and fohoJdcthon till the next Morning ; not many of this opinion, asbeing weakeft, and fartheft from the truth. Some hold it to be- gin at the Evening, and to end at the Evening; and of this judgment are many ancient Fathers, and fundry Counccls, And the ancient observation of the Saturday in the aficr- noone, as a preparative thereto, may feeme to confirmc as much. But I amperfwaded, if we keep the day fromthe Mor- ning to the Evening , the coniciences of men neede not trouble them about any other curious fearch : So that there be a religious preparation to it, and a religious care in ending of it, not rufhing into it with unfan&ifled hearts, nor concluding it with profancife : For the nights arc gi- ven for bodily reft , and theday for labour (as the TfalmiFt fpeaketh) when the Sunne arifeth, wan goeth forth to his la hours and work^ mttllthe Sveni^g, Pfal. i 04. 2 2. 2 3. When the night commeth no man can work^, faith our Saviour , Joh.y 4. Now a day for labour a mongft the Jeweswas twelve houres , Joh. 1 1 . 9 from fix to fix, LMatt. 20. 1. 2 8- but otherwife it was from the beginning of the Mor- ning light, gen. 1. 5. to the darke of the Evening, Judg. 10.9.14.16- Johm.S.ip. Wrov.j.g. And wee fee in the fourth Commandementthat albeit, as it is held, a natural! day doth [comprehend the night and day , yet is that time only mentioned in which men arc to labour, and to doe all that they have to doe, in the fix dayes, which is on the day time , and not in the night. And lb , as they do well who n labour Chiftian Sabbath, labour painfully and honcHy in the day light, and take the night for their quiet repofe and reft in the fix dayes : In like manner do they well, who religiouflyferve the Lord Chrift in the light of the day, though the night before, and the night after, they thankfully take benefit of the fame for corporall reft. Neither doe we read, that any were complay- nedof, or punifhed,as breakers of the Sabbath ; but for their tranfgreflion and finne committed in the day time. Our Saviour Chrift honoured this our Lords day, with his vifiblc pretence among his Difciples and followers on the day time : At the Sun rifing early in the morning, Mark. T6.2 9' then after mtheaftcrnoone, continuing till the day was farre fpent towards the Evening > Luk^ 24. 29. John 20 1 p. upon the fame day at fupper time; yea, Icon- felle it is probable to bee forr-ewhat late within the Eve- ning, and that /pace properly called the beginning of the night, but not farre within. And wee read how the Jewes on the day time kept their Sabbath, and God appointed his fervice in the Tabernacle and the Temple from Mor- ning to the Evening facrificc, and had no facrificesinthe night time. And thus was the Lords day kept , except up~ on feme cxtraordinarie occahons , as in *A&s 20.27. and as afterwards, in the time of bloody pcrfecution , but not in fetlcd dayes of peace. Qncft. Here feme may aske , Are we then to be careleffe and regardlejfe of the night before, and the Evening after . ? Anfw, Not fo: for on other dayes we begin the Mor- ning with prayer for a blefljng, unleffe we look for none; and end it in the Evening with prayfe and thanklgiving, if we be not unthankful!. Ifthuswedce, asweought,on the week dayes, than much mote on the Lords day , fet apart for holy duties : The night of which day before, and the Evening after , are to bee more pioufly cenfidered of, than the like times of the week dayes. Our Saturday halfe holy day, our Evening Prayer, as a preparative to the Sabbath, teach us to enter upon the Sabbath holily , and to take the nights reft , notonely for repairing ftrength of body for labour, as on working dayes, but to bee more Q -J <» 13? lz6 In his Hift. of the Sabbath A Treat if e of the fit to doefcrvice and worfhip unto God , without drowfci* neiTe of fpirit : And in the end of the day, to behave our felves fb, as it may appeare wee have received a fpirituall blefling that' day , and have increafed in knowledge and other holy graces, in the ufc of Gods holy ordinance. CHAP. IX. The authority is divine by which it was cftab lifted. His our Lords day can have no lefle than di- vine authorise for it. I Whether it bee conceived to bee foun- ded upon the perpetuall equitie of the fcurth Commandement , as is made manifeft in the former Treatife , and by that which is iaid in the firft chapter of this. Nor is this any new conception in thefe our now prefent dayes : For or this fome began to think 600 yeeres agoe, as Doctor Heylin acknowledged : but no doubt it was before , for elfe how could the whole Church of Chrift retainethe fourth Commandement in the Deca- logue, without application to a weekly folemne day, feeing the fubftaneeoftheCommandcment is concerning the obfei- vation of a reft day for his worfhip and fervice every week ? whereto elfe couId>they properly and directly apply it , and hold the intention of the will of God in giving his faid Law ? And if it have no ground from the Commandement, how is it, that in our Homily it is faid , wee haveCjeds ex- prejfe Commandement to keep it? and left the Makers of tbefe Homilies might be though- to miltake, they often mention the Commandement : now what other this is than the fourth I defire to know ■ And let any tell me, in a minde affeclcd with the love cf the truth, and net in a contra- dicting fpirit, how it truly can bee faid, that the Church of Chrift hath kept, or rather not broken the faid Comman- dement, i ow thefe 1 tfooyeers, if it hath not been observed in our weekly Lords day ? 2 Or whether we take the observation of this day, to have its ground from Scripture, as well we may : for thispo- fition Chriftian Sabbath. fition, that ?>ies dominicus nititur verbo Dr*,waspublick- Jy maintained by a Do&or at the Commencement in Cam- bridge , in Anno 1603. and by the Vice ChancelJour fo determined, nor was then oppofed by any other Doctors, nor in the Univerfitic of Oxford any Antithefs put up againft it ^Neither was there juft caufc why,for is it not cal- led the Lords day, ^f.1.10. and arc not alfbtheChriftian meetings mentioned on this day in Att.io.j.&c in 1 Cor.i 1.20 where it is (aid , When yee therefore are gathered together (in die r Domini noflri) on our Lords day, as the ancient Syriacl^ Tranflation hath it ? Sure it is that long fince Clotaire King of France grounded his Edicl, about the keeping of this day , upon the Law and holy Scripture. So Charles the great ^x^ of France , in i^fnnoj^g had the fame ground in hisregall Edi6t,faying, Statuimus fecundum quod in lege *Dominus pracepit : And likewife Leo the Emperour of C on - ftantiMOple,cz\\zo\ c Phylofophu< i in Anno 886 feeking to re- forme abufes upon the Lords day, in his Ccnftitution de- clared, that what he had in that behalfe determined, was, fecundum quod Spiritui Santlo, ab ipfeque inflttuti* Aposlolis plaucit according to the mindc of the Holy Ghoft ,and of the Apo(tlcs-in(truci:cd by him. Now may it reafenably bee thought , that fuch great Princes fliould without the advice of the Learned Clergy in thole dayes, lay downe fuch grounds for their procee- dings, conftdering how Charles the (jreat caufed five fe- vcrall Synods at one time to bee aifcmbled about the fame ? Scripture there is for ir , and fo then held : And therefore the keeping ofthisday is of divine authority. 3 Or whether wee tinderftand Divine, according to that judicious roan, the Authour of the Antidote againft. Sabbath crrours, That which may bee by humane dtfcourfe upon reafons of congruttie , probably deduced from the word of God , as a thing mofi conveniently to beeobferved,by all fuch as defire unfemedly to order their wayes according to (jods holy will : As alfott may be 'proved from e qui tie, either in the Law of nature, or by vertue of divine inslhution , or ] by fome Analogy and proportion which the Lowes given to the 127 Leg. Almum tit 39. ap. ir'tfjon. Comfit. H nS Againft BYub. De hup. contr. D0nat.L4jc.zl On 1. Cori Hom.45. Againft BrabS pag.xii. InhisSer.p.24 fee aJfo more In pag.s. In Gen, z.^.on fourth Com. J Treatise of the the Jews, fo far as reafon and, equity hold alike, or by fame pro- bable tnfinuations thereof in the new Teftament, whereto adde the continuall pratticc of the Church ; for as he faith, Lex cur- rit cum praxi :|then mayjt be faid to be de jure dtvino. Now ailthefedo, as-hegranteth(and may fully be proved, and cafilydifcerned,from that which hath beerHaid in the two former Treatifes, and what in this is-aiready , and (hall be delivered ) in fbme meafure-concurre for the observation of the weekly Sabbath ; and therefore iseftablifhed upon di- vine authority. 4 Or whether we maintaine it to be an inftitution Apofto- licall,as many do, it is divine : We bcleeve, faith that Father of our Church,Bifhop White, that the holy ssfpoftles ordained the Sunday to be a weekly holy day, and he addeth his rcafbn, becaufe the primitive Fathers, who lived fome of them in the tsfpoft/es dayes, and others of them immediatly after , and who fucceededthemin the ^pofiolicall Churches , did univerfally maintaine the religious obfervation of this day : For faith Saint ^Auguftine, Quod univerfaliter tenet Ecclefia, nee Qonciltis in- ft hut urn, fed femper retentum est, nonnifi author itate c/fpofto- licatraditum, rettijfime creditur. Saint Chryfiftome affirmeth it, that the Lords day was made a weekly holy day by the tsfpo. Hies: Who , faith Bifh op White , at fometimes obferved this daythemfelves, 4£b. io« 7. Saint Bafill and Iftchins numbers the obfervation of the Lords day among Apoftolicall tradi- tions, and Saint aAugufrine provcth it by his former genera 11 rule, faith the fame Father,Bifhop White. Do&or Pockling- ton (zith ,that Saint Taul had ordered in Galatia and Corinth, that his Difctples were to have their meetings on the fir ft day of the week^ w hereunto they fubmittedthemfelves, and fodtd,&ith he,thewholeChurchofCjod by their example for ever after; He telleth us alfb, that the tsfpoftles and 1>ifciples of Chrift thought it fit to appoint, and command the day to be kept holy : And , indeed, in the place of 1. Cor. itf . 2. is a plain A- poftolicallordinancc, which carricth the force of a Com- mandment, as Pifcator noteth; and Bifhop Hooper, which albeit it be about a Collection, yet he appointeth it upon the ruit day of the week. And hearefor this what the Learned Bi/hop Cbriftian Sabbath. B 1 fhop White faith of thi s place : Although this text of Stint Paul make no expreffe mention if Cburch-ajfcmblies this day, yet becaufeit was the Cuftome ofChriftianSyOndltkewife a thing convenient to give almes upon the Church -elayei \it cannot well be gainfaidy but that, if in Corinth and (jalatt*, the firfi day of every wee^ xvas appointed to be the day for almes and [charitable contributions ; the fame was alfothe Chrtjiians weekly holy day for their religious ajfcmb lies. This opinion for the Apoftolicall tradition, as it hath the fufFrage of the aricicnt,fo of later writers,men very Learned ; Bcza faith it ifiApoftolica & veradsvinztraditionis. Apoftoli, faith Mercer y tn c i>omtmcum diem converterunt y to wit , the Sabbath : Hereto agree many Papiftes, who hold that the Lords day was eltablifhed by che Apoftles, and that Juffu Dominicoy as ibmefay, by Chrifts Commandment: And that thefe places AH. 207. 1 . fir. 1 e>. 1 Rev. 1. 1 o« do manifeft ly confirm the fame ; Doctor Heylw acknow- ledged without doubting^*/ the religious obfervation of this day had the approbation and authority of the Apoftles > and may very well be accounted among ft tjApoftolicall traditions. Now their authority is no lefTcthan divine. i.Becaufe they were inlt rucked by Jefus Ghrift himfclfe in all things which he heard from his Father,/^* 1 5 .1 5. who gave them Commandments concerning the Kingdom of God , by che infufionof his fpirit,to make them receive the fame, AH. \. 2. SecondIy,For thatthey had this holy fpirit to guide them in- to all truth, John 1 6. 1 3. in teaching, both for matter,^?. 2.4.14. and 4. 8. and manner, i.Cor.2.1^. •*&, 2.4. In anlwering Adverfaries UWattb. 10. 20. UWar. jg. n. Luk* 12.12. In refblving doubts, AH. 10. 19. and 11.12. In decreeing Canons, and judging of Controvcrfics, for fee- ling of mens minds in theChurch, tAH. 1 5. 28. In rebuke- ing (harply the wicked e^vft. 1 3. p. In ordering matters in the Congregation, j. fir. 14. 37. with cap. 7. i g.Inordi- nationofMimftcrs, whom they ordainedin every Church, AH. 14. 2 3. and thelc fo ordained by them,arcfaicltobe let over the people by the Holy Ghoft, AH. 2 0.2$. no doubt,bc- caufe-the holy Apoftles were guided by the Holy Ghoft in R fuch I I29 AgainftSr^. iir. Tn Re v.i. to: In Gen. Ktaft.onRev. 1. 10. Hcf. confef.Rom. Catecb. on 5. Tom. Irtifim V-192. cvrf.R0m.0n3. precept, tell. Tom j.decu't. fir.ftoli.j.ca. io.ir.wicho- thcr s cited by Splfctf.jUg.Ij. iSo Apol; i. yjpt& tbZ Tb Wfrontef.Hom. de Semime. valla us citcrh other 7^. , n hhdif.dcSab. See ^i/.W his 5y»0/>. Pap. // Treatife of the fuch ordinations :yea,in their advice about things indifferent they had afliftance of Gods fpirit, i m Cor. j. 40. Now then put all thefe things together, can it be imagined, that the A- poftlesobferving this day, Att.to.y, and fctting a glorious title upon it, Rev. 1.10. that it can be other than divine,thcy guided herein by the Holy Ghoft ? who ordained alfo upon this day,the firft day of the week, to prepare for the poor; and why on this day ? becaufe ; as Bi(h op #'£#an univerfall circumftance is this for obfervation ofthis day, by allChriftian people', and by the generall confenc of the whole Church of Chrift , in all ages. Therefore this day was not 1 eft to the A potties to be determined, but ap- pointed by Chirft himfclfe. Undoubtedly Chrift would imitate his Father , and fet a day for his publick worfhip, as he did : And can we fuppofc our Lord Je&s Chrift , to bee leffc carcfull than the Tur- kifh Mahomet, or other Idoll Worfhippers,in ordaining a fblcrmiday for his publick fervicc? But if this day which we obferve be not of his appoint- ment, then have wee none; for all other dayes are the ordinances of the Church, and oblerved only by humane authoritie. 4 That which the Apoftles did obferve, not only by in- fpiration , but by way of injun&icn and command from Chrift here on earth , through the Holy Ghoft^ that hec ordained , and left it nottothemtoordaine : But the Apo- ftles did obferve the Lords day not only by infpiration, but by way of injunction and commandement from Chrift here on carth,through the Holy Ghofl : And therefore he left it not to his Apoftles. The LMinor \ s thus proved from jftt.j.i. where it is faid, that Chrift Jefus, through the Holy Ghott, gave Com- mandements to his Apoftles, in [which Commandcmcnts is included the Lords day ,as before is proved : which Com- mandement with the reft , he gave them through the Holy Ghoft (that is) he in giving them, did convey his holy Spirit into them, to make them to underftand them ,jtoretaine them in memory, to make conference to obferve them, and to teach others to obferve them as commanded from him : for fo much thefe words, through the Hely (Jhoft, import, when hec gave them Commandcments, and fpake of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God : So that through the Holy Cjhofl here is n©t meant , as afterwards the divine infpiration of the Spiritdiredtingthem, as occafion ferved, to ordaine things expedient and profitable for the Churches of Chrift, which he himfelfej immediately commanded not; S but '!* Gal. 3« /i Treatifeofthe but left them to them , as by the wifdome of his fpirit, they ffiould be informed. But here is to be underfrood,the then operation of his Spi- rit upon them to receive the Commandemets, which at that prcfent in his own perfon he gave them , which they fhould obferve, and teach others to obfervc,as hisownCommande- ments, and as he himfeJfe had charged them to doe in Matt. 28. 20. when ( as here in j48s\.) he was to depart from them, and toafcendup to his Father. Of other things after Chrifts afcenfion ( the Apoftles fpake from the Holy Ghoft by way of inffirttiwi , but of aJl thefc things before his afcenfion , from the Holy Ghoft by way otinjmUiin, and Commandement of Chrift* Note this well. Argument 6*. IF Chrift him(elfedid inftitutcaday for his folemn wor- fhip under the La w, then he did inftitutc fach a day under the Gofpel : Stit hedid founder the Law i Ergv 9 now under theGofpel. Thefequel is apparant, becaufche is as faith- full, and as carefull for his people now, as then : Now that under the Law hee inftituted a day for hispublick worfhip> wemuft know that he was among thelfraclitesin the wil* dernefle, t for. 10.9. for hee was the Angel oh Mount- Sinai, who fpake with UWofa, ABs 7. 38. even the Lord Jehovah) Exod. J 9. 3.21. »for the whole Trinitie gave the Law then. Ti>e Father by voyce uttered it, the Holy Ghoft wrore it, ExocL gt. 18. for he is the finger of God*/**^. tT. 2C compared with, UKttth. 12*1%. and JefusChrift the McdiaTof gave by Angels to dfefes, the two Tables to bee delivered to Ifrael; in which a Commandement was written for a lofemne fet day for divine worftiip : Thus did Chnft then , and ib may wee beleevc his care Jiadfbrhis Church now , till the eternail Sabbath doth come in the higheit heavens. Argument 7. WHatloeverwas prefigured in the old Teitaracmto be ofufcm the new, that was inftituted by Cbrift when Chrijlian Sabbath. \ U9 when hcccame :for the Text,C*/. 2.17. tcllcth us plainly that the body of thofe fhaddowcs is of Chrift, (that is) he finished them, he fulfilled hem, he did ordainc other things for them. The truth of this might be ftie wed in particular inftanccs of thofe fhaddowes, but chat k is fully laid open by others. Bur this day the firft day of the week called the Lords day was prefigured. Firft, by the eighth day of circumcifio*, S. Augufime provcth that by it out Lordsday was fhaddowed; S.Cjprian faith that circumcihon was commanded on the eighth day, as a Sacrament of the eighth day, that Chrift {hould rife from the dead. Secondly, Ignatius faith, it was fore&ene in certaine titled of the Tfaimes iliperfcribed pro octavo, the eighth : $0 hereto agreeth Saint tAuguftine in his fifteenth Sermon de verbis tApo ft. Thirdly, by memorable things done on the firft day of the week, as Wolphius aotcth out of an Hebrew Writer of a* book called SedaroIar»Rabba 9 ch^.y. as that the cloud of Gods Majefty on this day firft fate on Gods people : tyf/trott and his children firft executed their Priefthood ; God firft folemnly bleiTed his people : The Princes of his pcoplefirft offered pub lickiy to God. The firft day where- in fire defcended from heaven : The fir3 day of the world, of the yeere, of the week , &c. All (hackiowing that it fliould bee the firft and chicfe day of the New Tcfta- menr. Therefore this day , thus prefigured, to bee of ufe in the New Teflament, was inftituted by Chrift, when hee came in the flefh : which firft day of the week, as it was the firft day of time, mentioned in the beginning of the firft book of the Bible, ibis it mentioned with a glorious Title of the Lords day, in the beginning of the laft book of the Bible, to the pray fe of our Alpha and Omega Jefus Chrift/ S 2 Argument Epi.&dlan.ii}. cap.i$. Ad l idum,. lib. i-Eprft to.& 59 Ed*, fie, lgpat.ad.Mag-: *ef. mlpk. Cron. de tempo; tli.iiC.i* Gen. i 5. 140 A Treatise of the 7**>y ^Argument 8. IF the feventh day was by GoVls immediate inftitution, then was the change of it into our Sunday by Jefus Chrift his immediate inftitution : But the antecedent is true, AtifvepccL Objett. i. T is not commanded in the New Teflament* Ergo, hee inftkuted it not. jinf.i. If it were not, yet might hee bee the Iaftkutorof it , by his reft ing, blcfTing.and ob- ferving theday, as his Fathers reft ing, and blefling thefe- venth day , was his inftitution of it , as is proved in the firft Treatiie. 2. I havefTicwed, thatChrift gave Commandements of the things pertayning to the kingdome of God, whereof the obfervation of this day is one. And therefore hee gave Commandcment concerning this day. Obje&.z. It is not exprefly commanded. Anfw. i. This objection is made before, to which I have in part anfwered. 2. I anfwer furtiier, that our book of Homilies telleth us againe and againe, that there is expreffc Commandement lor it: The Authors of this book fay there is; The Obje- ctors fay there is not : let one againft the other. To the book allthcMiniftcrs in the Church of England havefob- icribed, but not to this Objection againft it. !• I anfwer, there is in theNcwTcftament noformall cxpreffion of any of the other Commandements of the firft Table, neither of the firft, norfecond, nor third, becaufe they ftood in force , and therefore no need formally to cxpreiTe them : no more need was there for any fuch cxpreifion of this. Firft , becaufe the fourth Commandement ftood ftill in force, as well as the reft : for firft, Chrift did challenge Lordfhip over this fourth Commandement, in his afiurned humane nature, UlfattL 1 2. 8 to ftrew that in his ftate of humiliation, hee loft not his authoritieovcrk : Secondly , becauiethe changing of the fcventhday into another day , was4 143 In Homily of Prayer. 144 A Treatise of the S$e the other Trcttifc, was not the taking away of the fourth Commandement, but only the accommodation of the fame Commandment to our Lords day, for the continuation of it (till. For if the fourth Commmandement bee not obfcrved in keeping of this our Lords day, then will it follow, I That either there is no fourth Commandement,andfo not ten Commandements/which number hath bin obferved without addition, or diminution, to this day , thefpace of 3221 yeeres in Gcds Church, both of the Jewes, and of the Gentiles : or elfe if it beoneoftheTcnne, as God gave it , £x-0.2O. for one of them,then have we lived in finfull neglect of this Commandement now this 1600 yeeres. 2 It will follow that Chrift hath loft his Lordfhip of it, or fuffered one of his Fathers Commandemcnts to be carc- lefly neglected ; neither of which may bee granted without indignit'te offered to Chrift, and his truth; I That Chrift had not come to fulfill,buttodeftroythc Law, contrary to M*tth. 5.17. for if he neither kept the for. mer day, but took it away, nor ordcincd certainely in the roome of it another day, he had deftrcyed this Law. 4 It al(b will follow, that the Sonne fliould not be ho- noured of all men as they have honoured the Father with the fourth Gomrnandcmcnt , and with a fet day by his appoint- mentfor his publkk worfhip and fblemn fervice: But all men fhould honour the Son,as they honour the Father, loh.f. 2 5. And therefore with this fourth Commandement , and with a fet day by his appointment for his publick and felcmne worfhip and fervice fhould he be honoured. ObjeB. 3. The taking away of the feventh day ap- pointed by God,difanuJleth the Commandement it felfe. t/infiv. Not fo s for we muft wifely underftand and dif- cernc betweene the fubftance of the Commandement, and circumftancc ; between the fubftance of the Commande- ment it felfe, and the accommodation thereof unto a day: The Commandement '^Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy .-This only is the Commandement , fb by Mofes ft is cleare (note it well) in Deut. 5.12. Tbc application and accommodation of the Commande- ment Cbriftian Sabbath, I meat was unto the feventh day , which day may be taken a- i way,asiiotofthefubitance,buta circumftancccftheCom- ! mandementofthe Sabbath & reft day, apply cd unto thatfe- I vench day,and yet the Commandement be ftill of force : As for example in the accommodation of another precept thus; Honour the King, i Pet. 2.17. This is a Commander ment, whomever is King : The accommodation of that may be thus : Saul is King, this is not of the fubftance of the Commandement, yet while Saul'is King, we arc comman- ded to honour King Saul, but in time Saulis taken away, neverthelefle the Commandement, Honour the Kixg y \s of force to another pcrfon in his dead, as2)4Wfucceeding,thc Commandement is, honour King David. The fame Com- mandement which bindeth me to honour the King, bindeth me to honour Saul while he is King : And when Saul is taken away, and David appointed in his ftead, I am bound by the felfefamc Law to honour David. Even fo is the accommodation of this fourth Comman- dement, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy : this is the Commandement what day foever it be applyed unto.Thc ac» commodation is, the feventh day is the Sabbath day to keep it holy : this the Commandement doth binde us unto, as long as the day is unchanged and not taken away : But the day being altered, yet the Commandement abideih , and is of force, when another day is appointed in its roome, as is now our Lords day. And therefore the Commandement is, Remember the Lords day to keep it holy. From whence here note, that as the taking away of Saul j took not away the Commandemcntof honouring the King, and Davids comming in Sauls ft cad held up the practice of che fanKCommandcmcnt:E ven fo the taking away of the fe- venth day took not away the authentic of the fourth Com- mandement, and the bringing in of the Lords day in ftead thereof, holdeth up the practice of it, and by it we are bound to obferve this day, as the Jewes their day : And therefore may we pray as cur Church teacheth m : Lordbav* mercy upon us, and incline ounhearts to keep $his Law : o/ind that without any ]udais^ing at a&. T CHAP, 45 «4<5 On Ktvij.lo. In Cafes of Confc. ca, i6» InhhThefis. A Treat if e of the CHAP. XII. That this day cannot be changed. Ec have heard how that the day is of a divine io- ftitution, and therefore is not fubjed to alteration by man : The Church, faith our learned Doctor Fulk^, hath no authority to change it ; fb holds Matter Perkins: Bifhop Lakes peaking of Chrifts refur- region giveth this rcafbn, faying, as no man can change the ivork^ to another day , fo no wan can therefore change the day : This is an undoubted rule in Theology , faith that learned man. 2 • What honour and dignity the Holy Ghoft giveth unto a day, cannot by the authority of man be taken from it, to put it upon any other day : but the firft day of the week hath by the holy fpirit this fiiperfcription fet upon it, The Lords day; therefore it is not alterable by any, to any other day, to call that the Lords day. 3. If the Church can change it, then hath the Church authority to weaken the grounds on which the obfervation of the day was furl fetled, but that fhe hath not; or clfc can bring better reafbns for the alteration, elle it were folly to alter it : but there never was hitherto, nor now is, nor ever /hall be, any fuch reafbn to alter the day, as there was forfetling of the day ( to wit) the blefTed refurrc&ton of the Lord Jeius ,• of the excellent glory of which work yee have heard before: Therefore the Church cannot change it into another day. 4. Whofbever changeth one thing for another, in matters of an high nature, muft have equall power with the firft Inftitutors, or receive authority fb to do from them : But the Church hath not fuch authority in her felfe, or by de- legation from either Chrift, or from his Apoftlcs: And there- fore cannot change the day. 5. It hathbeene ratified by many Synods, by ancient Councetts, by Imperial] Constitutions, and Edicts of Kings, eftablifhed Chri[\ian Sabbath. eftabliflhed by the Lawes of Kingdomes and Countreys, as it cannot be altered. 6. The long continued cuftome of obferving it, from the firft day in the Apoftles time by the whole Primitive Church, and by all Chriftian Churches fincc in all ages, for thefc 1600 ycares without any gain-faying, maketh it unalterable, it being obferved upon fuch grounds, as is before mentioned. T© conclude, towhatpurpofc is it for any now to hold die change thereof, when never from the beginning, there was ever any one particular Church, any Synod, or Coun- cell, or any Orthodox writer in ancient times, attempted it ; Nor ever durft any power on earth goe about it. But all the holy Fathers, and pioufly learned have with free content endeavoured the (ctling and honouring of this day, as majr appearein their writings and praifes of the fame, as fhall be manifeft in the next chapter. It is not therefore changeable, cither abfolutely or practi- cally; nor have Chriftians at any time> lakh Bifliop White, judged it reafonable or convenient to alter fitch an ancient and well grounded cuftome, which is commonly reputed to bee an lApoftolicall tradition. To this let me adde in the laft place, the judgement of that reverend Authour of the Antidote ; That feeing the observation of the Lords day hath beene con- firmed byfo many Conftitutions Ecclefiafricall and Imperial^ and hath wit hall continued with fuch uniforme confent through the whole Chriftian world for fo many ages , ever fine e the tApo files times, the fourth ( not to dilute what foe may or may not doe ex plcnitudine poteftatis ) ought not to attempt the altering of it to any other day of the weeks T 2 CHAP. *47 Page of his book 208. Page 11. of his Sermon,. In Orat Anton. Againft Brab. page 197. Ad &l&&ne(. See the quo- tation of thefe in B. vbite A Treatife of the CHAP. XIIL Of the honourable efleeme of this our Lords day, and that it is to be preferred before all other fefttvall dayes. Here be many reafons to manifeft the honourable- nefTe of this day, and to preferre it before all other FcftivaUs. 1. The bleflcd Apoftle hath exalted it with the glorious title of the Lords day. Rev. 1. 10. The Lord Chrill his day, as BifhopJ^/'/^fpeaks, a title proper and pe- Miliar to it ; Now things and per fins named the Lords ,arefa- cred and venerable > faith he, tn the highefl degree : which day was generally and religicufly obferved of all Chriiti- ans. And albeit the Apoftles took advantage to goe and teach in the Jewifh Synagogues upon their Sabbath, ye& ( faith Doctor Pockjington ) for which he citeth Sufcbins and Ignatius \ the blejfed Martyrs in the Primitive Churchy by the doftrine and example of S. Paul and the ^Apoftles, Jo unf eigne dly abhorred the observation of the Jewtjb Sabbath , that they efieemed the obfervers thereof and the* contemners of the Lords day , the veryfonnes of perdition, and enemies of our Saviour, and fellers of Chrift z So d if- regarded they the one, and honoured the other. 2. The ancient Fathers and others have given it tearmes of honour. Jusline Martyr called it Sunday, as many others afcer him, no doubt, as the chiefe of dayes, as the Sunne is the moft glorious to our eyes above all other planets. In Cod. Jutt. lib. 3. tip. 12. it is called venerabilis dies Solis, the ve- nerable and much honoured Sunday, as Bifhop fVhiteex- preffeth it. Ignatius the Martyr, who lived at leaft thirty yeares in the dayes of S. John, and was his hearer, calleth the day, the Queene and Paramount of dayes : Eufebius I calleth it, the printipall andthe firft :S.Chryfol\omc,aroyaM day. Greg. Nazian. faith it is higher than the higheft, and with admiration wonderful/ above all other dayes : S. Bafil, thefrftfuits 0jSf&7*r.*Chryfologus, the primate of dayes: t/f ty Cbriftzan Sabbath. day above all other dayes to be efteemed, fa it h Bellarmine and Stella. The Councell at Matifcon held it the day of our new Birth ; 'Durand fakb, Dominica dies primztiem obtinet, & mai or eft inter alios dies > Rational, lib.j.defeftivit. Thus we fee it honourably graced with very high titles, which no other Feftivail reached unto. 3. Thcobfcvationof this day is not only of Protectants, but alfoof Papifts,held to be de jure d/vino, and givereafon for it, as is before manifefted : But no other holy day fo held, by any learned Protcftant, in any reformed Church. 4. Eafter day, that 10 eftecmed high day, about the oblervation whereof in former times there was fuch con- tention ( when theconfent for the Lords day was univer- sally agreed upon unanimoufly ever) yet for the more honour to ir, it was ordeined to be celebrated on the Lords dayonly,aswcrlndeittobeobicrvedtothisday» s. Though the often returne of this our Lords day weekly, makcth vaine people lefletoeiteem it than other dayes which fall more fcldome ; yet the truth is, in the judgement of the wife, this day recciveth the moreglory and honour : For by being our weekly holy day,k comnxth in ftead of tbejewifh Sabbath, by the equity of the fourth Commandement, and it is for the great honour of our Lord Jefus, by the up- holdingof his Lordfhip {UU over the Sabbath ; betweenc which and cur weekly Sunday, there is an analogy and proportion , as Doctor Heybn acknowledged at large: which is not fb in any other Feitivall among Chriftians. 6 It hath had the ft art before all other holy dayes , to be firit honoured with Chriiban publick meetings , holy Con- vocations and Affcmblies, ukz 2 °- * 2 - And into the Temple earely in the morning, came hec to teach , John 8. 2. and the people to hcare, Luk;. 21.38.. whither the Jewes al wayes refbrted, John \ g. 20. Mere alfo the Apoftles preached, Atts ? .. 1 . 1 zv& 5 . 2 1 . 2^.42. And in this place, no- doubt was it, in which the Scribes and Pharifcsfate to teach the people, Lftfatth 2 ?. %. It is moft certaine that on theSabbath day inthc Syna- gogues, there was conftant reading and preaching, IABj t ? . 21 . & 1 J. 27. In the nK>rmng,Chrift went in to preach, Mark. 6- 2. in other places it is not foevident what time it was , whether in the forenoone, or after noonc , when hec came into their Synagogues, Mark;i* 21. £*^'4-i& & 1 2. 10. nor what time o£ the day the Apoftles went into the Synagogues,e/##.ri2.t4.& 14.1.& 17.2. 10. & 18.4.1?. nor is it certain, whether they did depart home a while,and cameagaine; It may be they held out from the beginning to thcending, and to the breaking up of the Congregation, as it feemeth probable in €^#£12.43. 6^(*&r f .8..hutit is J Chrijlian Sxbbatb. '55 is certain* that upon their dayes of fa ft ing, they did hold out and continued together, from the beginnings thcent^ T^ehem. 9. g. Whatsoever they did for the time , they holily begun their Divine esercifes with ablefling* Nehe. 8. tf. and en- ded with a blerTingj/Vnw*.^. a j. 2$. Lcv.g. 21.23. CHAP. XVI. How om Lirdsdaywaskeptin the tsfpoftles daj m and the Prtrnttine times. HeLords day being know* to bee an holy day, and to be kept holy , the Church reftcd on this day, for performance of religious and Chriftian duties, as Dodtor Heylin ack now iedgeth. There was an aflfembly of Chriftians, they came toge- ther, faith the Text, Afts 20. 7. who came together? the whole Church, 1 Cor. 14.22. whither? intofome one place, 1 £V. 1 1 . 20. & 1 4. 25. for then they had no Temples , but met together where they conveniently might: when, and on what day did they aifemble together? On the first day of the weeke , as Luke tclleth us , Atls 20. 7. and the ^/rwf^tranflation of the 1 Cor. 11.20. hath it in die Do- minicoi Of this Jufi. ^Martyr bearcth witneiTc; upon the Sunday all of us ajfemble in the Congregation, all that abide in the Cities or about in the fields, do meet together in fome place : Coimus in fotum & Congregationem, faith Tertul. on the Lords day hemeaneth : £j^rf/*»tellcthus,that the Sunday was the day, wherein they met,together. So Saint Augufline allbcnformethus ; we Chriftians aflemblcwith much diligence on the Lords day, faith Clemens ^om.conft it Apofi. lui.ca. 36. Into this Congregation would fome Gentiles come fbmetime, 1 Cor. 14. 25. and none profeffing Chrift might forfakeit,//r£. 10,2 5. Thos wee fee clearely without doubting from Scriptures, and Fathers, when and where Chriftians met to worfhip Chrift. ^^^ V 2 iBcing Hifto.^g.95. part. 2 . In Apol.r In ApoI.M^.39, with cap. 14. & 16. Lib.i.EpiJl ?, deCivit.Dci. LiiMpB. 1.5* Tertttl. cap.s 9 . la A}ol. Apol. In civit.l.ii. J Treatise of the Being met together, let us fee what was done in the Con - gr eg at ion. I. For Prayer. THey prayed together , thus we read of them in the firft Congregation after Chrirts Afcenfion, A&s 1. 14. 24. fo afterwards, AcJs 4.23. 24. & i<5. 13. For prayer was one part of their Divine Service mentioned in Aft. 2.42. The Apoftles were much addicled to prayer, as well as preaching, Ails 6.4. and they and the Chriftian beleevers were frequent in it, as ccca/ions were offered tAEk.\6.i6* & 8. 15. & 1 J. J. & 20. 36. & 1 2. j. x 2- To the perfor- mance of this dutie with thankfgiving they were exhor- ted, 1 Tim. 2. 1.2, 2. For Reading. TKere was reading ofche Scriptures,of the Apofl Ies wri- tings,by the ApolUes command, Col. 4* 1 6 a charge by the Lord, 1 Thef^.i-j. and the Apoftles decrees, %^ft. 1 5. go.. 31. They mettogether, faith aFather, Toheare theholy Scriptures re hearfed: In theCongrcation,faith Jttft Martyr J /£#.4.i.2.0fthisfpeakech this fame Apoftle in \Cor. 14, and giveth order for thcufe of mens gifts in the Congregati- on; The preaching then was with reprebenfton,Wnh exhor- tation, 2 Tim. 4. 2. admonition , A6t. 20. 31. with convincing of erronrs^l\x.\.g. with confolation, 1 Cor. 14. 3. Thematter wastheword^/ig.5.&;i4«25«& 17.1$. Rom. 10. 8.- 2* Tim J Chrijiian Sabbath. i>7 Tim. 4. 2. The manner was,not with entiling words of mans wifdome, buc in the demonstration of thefpirit , and power ofGod,i Cor.2.4.*}.Tt>eendfotccnvctf\on,*s1tt.i6*l%.20. and to fa ve men, __#. u. 14. Of preaching, and making a Sermon on this day, fpeaketh Jufl. LMartjr, and Saint ^Augufline in the fore cited places. When the Sermon was done, they fent up their prayers unto the Lord, faith, Juftine Martyr. 4. For receiving of the Sacraments. ON the flrft day of the week, or Lords day, they re- ceived the Lords flipper, AB. 20. 7. They came to- gether to break bread, faith the Text : So did the C orirtht- rf»/come together to receive the Sacrament, 1 Cor. 1 1. 20. This J ufl. Martyr ,aIfo certifierhus of, and S.+s4nguftine, in the Primitive times, it was adminiitred every Sunday. 5. For Pfalmes. THcy in the Congregation fang Pfalmes, fo the Apo- (llc intimateth to us, 1 C er ' J 4- which as they might learne frcm the ancient people of God, as is obferved in. the former Treati!c : fo from our Saviour and his Apol.les, who fang a Pfaime when the PalTeover was received, and the Sacrament instituted and adminiftred , Mark* 14. 26. \Plmiefecwidus in.anEpiiileto Traian, maketh mention of Chriliians iingjng of Hymnes , when they met together ro worfhip Chrift before day : How comfortable finging of ! Pfalmes bee. when men flng with underftanding, and with the fpirit , as they ought, 1 C&r. 14.15. we may fee by Pant and ^/rf/fnging Pfalmes in priibn, Aft. i<5. 25. 6. For care of the poore. THe true Church of Chrift bad ever care for the poore, from the very firft Plantation , as we may (ce,Acls 2. 45. and 4.34. And for this purpoie were Deacons appointed, tsflt.6* Trie Apoftlcs gave a charge for to remember the poore, , pag 114. See Dr. #<»j/i& Hiftor.part. 2. /'•US. Apolog. fpeaketh much of: And this continued in the Christian pri- mitive Cengtegations :Tbey made collections for the wid- dowes (of whom care fhould ever be had, &sftt. tf.i . 1 Tim' 5. 3.) for the fatherldTe (as religion ttachcth /*»**/ 1.17J for the iick, poore people, captives, exiles, and Grangers, wh ich came fromfarre, as Just. ^Martyr, witnefTcth, j For Excommunication and Ordination, UPon ;u(t caufeonthisday , when they did meet , the (entence of Excommunication was pronounced againft feme, which were very notorious offenders, 1 Cor. 5.4. 5. On this day it was thought moft proper for inverting men with holy Orders, for that the holy Ghoft defended upon the Apoitles this day , and there gave us, as it were, thisce- leftiall rule, that on this day alone we fhould conferre fpiti- tuall Orders, in quo collate funt omnia dona gratiarum^KW fpi- tuall graces are conferred. And it was appointed, that fuch men, as were to receive Ordination fhould continue fafting from theEv.cn before, that /pending all that time in prayer, humbling themfeives before the Lord , they might be the better fitted to receive his graces. 8 Of their Love-Feafts. Divine Service being ended, Chriftiansobfcrved a Love- Feaft, or feaft of charity, where all the rich and poore fate downe promifcuoufly together , recreating themfeives with godly conference , and ringing of Pfalmes/ which as Tertutlian faith,did admit of Nihil vilitatis y nihil immodeftti, and at what time he faith , non prius dijcumbitur 9 quam oratio adSDeum praguftetur. Of this fpcaks alfb S.Chrjfeftome, r Omnes ', commune inibant conv'pvium pauper thus , & qui nihil habebant vocatis & omnibus commumter vtfcenribuf, S. Paul toueheth upon thefeFcafts , 1 C#r. 1 T. and S. Juderafe 1 2. and this came, as there wet finde, tobeabufed even in the Apoftlcs dayes. Wee may Learne ofSJaul ( who was a pattern to them, no doubt, in the end and breaking up of the Congregation) that they departed with prayer, as he did, lAtti 20. $$• 9 °f Chrtftian Sabbath. p. Of what was done when the Congregation was broken up. WHcn the publick fervice was ended, S.Taul went into an houie where hee was invited, and there prayed, ^iUs \6* r e». Such no douht, as were well minded, as the #*ra«tf,{earched the Scriptures concerning the things taughtthem, ^lt. 17. 1?. But for this the Fathers tell us what people ought to do. Saint Ambrofe exhorted the people to he converfam all the day i»prajer y or reading, or if any could not read that he fbould labour to be fed with conference. Saint Cbyfift 6me y c Job* 3* Horn* was offended with the people that then did not meditate on the word heard, who was earneft with thenv hat prefemly upon their camming home {hey would take the Bible into their haj*df y andmakerekcarfallwith their wives and children of that which had been taught them out of the WordofCjod. But let us come to that which luftine CWartyrfuthy and T ertullian y when they were departed out of the Congregation they ever remembred one another of thoft things which they had heard* They weirt not , faith Te rtnlli- an, in C^ervtas Cafionttm netfue in cUffet difcvrfatiov*m y nee in eruptiones lafciviar/tm,fedad eandem cur am modeftix,& pudi- citia, nt which they {hewed, when they were in the Congregatioo . Thus the primitive Chaftiaas kept the Lords day : And if credit may he given to MP Stx.11.tom, Apol i9- n ca ,a. i6o J Treatife of the to that, which Theodoret wnttthy as Do&or Heylin cytcth him, of the Feftivalis in thofe times above 1 200 yeeres agoe, how they were Modefta y Cafia /Temper anti a />/ interrogans CHAP. XVII. How our Church would have our Sunday kept holy. Ur Church hath taken orderfor the keeping holy ' of the Lordsday : For the better undcrftanding whereof, let us look into her certaine judgement evidenced by the undeniable Records eftabJiftied by the fupreameft Authority, and fiibicribed unto by all the Clergy of England. The firfi is the bookjf Common Prayer > confirmed by sAft of Parliament. t. It rmketh our Sunday to bee obferved for an holy day. 2. Icappointeth our Aifembling, and therein to pcr- 'orme holy duties: as Firft Prayer: Secondly, Reading the Scriptures; Chrifiian Sabbath. Scriptures, Thirdly, finging of pfalmcs. Fourthly,Sermons> Fifthly, Collections for thepoore. Sixthly , The admini- ftration of the Sacraments. Scventhly,Prayersat the depar- ture, g. And that the day may be well obferved, it orders etruhis meeting both for the forenooneand afternoone : cal- ling the one Morning prayer, for that it mult begin in rcafon betime and the other Svenwg prayer, bce&vfc it muft bring the evening with it : So the times of Service (hould hold us (but for the intermiflion betwecne ) from the morning, untill the evening. 4. ItordcreththeMinirlersdiltin&ly to rehearfe all the ten Commandments and the people kneeling , after every Commandment to aske God mercy for their tranf- grenjngof the fame and grace to have their hearts inclined to keep every one of them, and to write them in their hearts. Now the Fourth Commandment by this rehearfall often, and by the peoples prayer ( except the Minifter mocke the people and the people mocke God , and that by impofed duty from authority, which God forbid we fhould thinke J is ac- knowledged : Frift,To be a Law and Commandment of God, not onely heretofore, but now at this day. Secondly, To be one of the ten, which God himfelfe fpake. Thirdly, That it is a Law and Commandment upon us , that make this prayer: Fourthly, That we are bound to keep it : Fifthly That of our (elves we cannot be inclined in our hearts to keep it, till God incline our hearts unto it. Sixthly, That wc fhould have a joy-nt four callings the Homily exhortethffl/ftwz ungodlmeffe >and filthinejfe, pride prauncetng prancfyng. pricking, point ingjain- ting or to be gorgeous and gay : Like\\ifc } tobe>vare of gluttony, drun^eneffe, and other fruits thereof mentioned ; to avoidealfi wantonnes toy ifh talking, and filthy fit jhlines. Thus we lee. what a Uriel oblervation of the Lord s day ourHomily prcicribeth unto us. It hath been the honour of our Church hitherto to outftrip all Chriftian Churches in the world in the fan&ifingoftheLordsday. Our Common prayer book,Ca- non, and Homily would hold us to it,if they had any autho- rity over us. X 2 CHAP. 1 64 J Treatise of the Evfehde vita Confiant. l^ r c. 13. feriis. This Conftitu- tion reverend tlo\tY much approveth of, £cd.r*l. Sen. CHAP. XVIII. How ChrtftianEmperours would have it kept , by their Imperiall C^fiitmons-. Ee have heard how the godly among the ancient people of God, kept their rclt-day morally: How our day was kept in the Primitive Church :How our now prefent Church of England would have it kept holy. Now we come to the higheft powers of Authorise, abroad and at home, to learne how by them it fhould bee kept. 1 Imperial Constitutions* COnftantine thefirft Chriftian Empcrour, who thought - the chicfeft and moft proper day for the devotion of his fubjc&s, was the Lords day, declared his pleafure, that every one who lived in the Roman Empire, fhouki reft in that day weekly, which is inftitutedto our Saviour,androlay afidc all bufinciTes, and attend the Lord : who therefore forbade keeping of Courts, fitting in judgement, and ^Artificers to ufi their trades : In c Die Dominico, &c. fay Jmperiall Conftitu- tions, the whole mindes of Chrtftians and Beleevers jhould be bufied in the worjhip of God. The Empcrour Leo ordained, that the Lords day Jhould be kept holy by all forts, and to be a day of reft. It is ourrvtll,fahhhc, according to the meaning of the Holy Ghcft, andof the Apo files by him dtreb~ted,that on thefacredday whereon we were refioredunto our integrity, allmenfhall reft themfelves and furceafe from labour, neither the husbandmen 5 nor others putting their hands that day to prohibited worke :for if the levies didfo much reverence their Sabbath, which onely was a [haddow of ours ; are not we which inhabit e lights and the truth of grace obliged to honour that day which the Lord hath honoured, and hath therein delivered vs both from dishonour, and from death ; are not we bound to keep it fingularly, and inviolably ,fufficiently contented with a liber ail grant of all the reft, and not incroaching on that one , which Cjodhathchofcn fori Chrijlian Sabbath. i6 5 for his Service : T^ay were it not wretchlejfe flighting , and con- tempt of all Religion to make that Hunting , Weaving , drcffingQloth , making garments, X \ needle cod. I. ?. ///. jz.de firm & lkflin.li, 3. ttt. xi. Ccd. Tbcod. Anno £84. luflhisn Cod, l.^.tit.it.Ux, dt farm. Anno 1174. i66 I Cited by Bi. (hop White, pg* 221, J Treatise of the needlework , carding Waoll , beating Hemp, wafbing Clothes, (hearing Sheep, but that they come to the Church, toDivine Service, and magmfie the Lord their God for thofe good things, which ox that day he hath done for them. This Great Charles forbad a Ho Markets, and Law dayes on this day which was confirmed by five Conncels, which he earned to-be gathered. Thus we fee the care of Emperours, CHAP. XIX. How it was to be kept by the SdtEls of Chriflian Kings in this our Kingdome. e Kings in this Ifland .of Great Brittainc, have from time to time fhc wed a religious care, con- cerning the obfervation of our Sunday. In King Inasxzigci^Anno £88, 900 ycers fince, a Maftcr might not force his bond fervant to work , if he did,thcfer- vantwas freed, and the M after was punifhed, and was to pay thirty (hillings; but if the fervant wrought without his Mailers commandement, hee friould bcewhipt, or re- deeme his whipping with a price; and if a Freeman, to Joofc his freedome,or pay three pounds. King Alured and Edwardhh (bnne^inaleagucbetwecn ! him and (junthranKingofthe'Danes , in this Jand didpro- hibke all Markets, and other kinds of works whatfbever on the Sunday? The thing bought was forfeited, and to pay money too , and the fervant working, being a Freeman, was to bee made a Have, or to redceme himfelfe : if a (lave, then to be beaten, andhisMaftcrtoaniwer,tforcauhnghim to work : Noneguiltie wastodieonthisday for his offence, but to beimprifonedtiilthedaywaspaft. King Athelflan forbad buying and felling on this day,un- der a penaltie. King €dgar, commanded every Sunday to be celebrated of every one from Saturday at three aclock in theaftcr- noone,till Munday morning at break of the day. King Chriftian Sabbath. i r *Ag e > tr *at tn e Sun- day might be called the Sabbath a s before I noted , for that we were tken to rclt from all fer vile work, arts mechanick, husbandry, law-dayes, markets ,and to bee bulled at our prayers , publick fcrvicc of the Church , in Hymnes and fpirituall Songs, and hearing of Sermons. King Edward the Fourth, in his raigne were forbidden,, as unUwfulI games, T>ice 3 quoits, tennis, bowling ; as alfo the filling ofjhooes, bootes , nor &as it lawful! for Shooma^ers to put upon the feet , or full on tlie Ugges any (koces er boots on Sandayes : In v^hofe time it was judged , That f ale made §n a Sunday of any thing, mes not good, nor Altered the propertie of it. King Edward the Sixth , it was ia his dayes manifeftcd by Act of Parliament , that the Sundayes were holy dayes, and other dayes there exprcfled , wherein Chriftians fhould ecafefrom allkhadcof iabour,and apply thcmfelves only and wholly unto holy works properly belonging to true religion, which holy works were to be called Cjods Service ychcremto fitch times and dayes were fimStified and hallowed ( that is to fay) feparated (marke ic well) from All profane ufes. In -Queen Elizabeth her reigne, this Statute ot King Edward the Sixth was in ufcand practice : and the obfcrya- tioft of the holy day was enjoyned by the twentieth of her Majeftics 168 A Treatife of the Anno i^oj. M*y 7. Majcftics Injunctions, in the fame words, wkh our now thirteenth Canon , which was taken out. of that In- junction. Thus farre for this Kingdomc before the happy uni- ting of the two Kingdomcs in one* CHAP- XX. How our Ute S over aigne King J*mes,andmw our King Charles would have it obferved. IngJ^w^thelearnedft King that ever this Na- tion had, at his entrance of his reigne, feat out his royall pleafure by Proclamation, in which we may obferve ; Firft, thathee calleth the day, againc and againc the Sabbath day : Secondly, the drift of the Proclamation was bothfor the better obferving of the day, and for the avoidingl of all impious profanation of it .-Third- ly, that he forbad Beare- baitings, Bull-baitings, Enterludes, Common Plates, and other like dtfordered or unlawfull exer- cifes or paFltmes. After this in the Conference at Hampton Court , when that great Scholer Doctor RainolddcCivcd a ftraightcr courfc for the Reformation of the abufe of the Sabbath ; there was found a generall unanimous content thereto of the King , of the Prelates , and of that honourable Affembly met then in that place. Furthermore when the Parliament was held, and a Con- vocation of jthe reverend Clergie the fame ycere, the pious Canon before men cioncd agreeing almoft verbatim with the Quecncs Injunction, was then framed, for the keeping holy the Lords day with other holy dayes : Alfb in the felfe fame ycere at the Commencement in Cambridge , as before hath been noted, a Doctor held this Thefis, Dies Domimcw nititur verbo*Dei, and fb determined by the Vice-Chancclour. Laftly , as tefore in the raigne of Queene Slizateth, Co in King James his time, large Treatifcs of Celebrating the Chriflian Sabbath. I69 the Lords day, were publifhed under Authority iicenfing the fame; among which was the Practice of Piety by a Bifhop, and Bifhop Downhams expofition upon the Com- mandements; to mention- no other of lower rank, though fome of them learned and reverend Divines. K'w.g Charles, our now gracious Soveraigne, hath with the flower ofthrs whole Land, by A6t of Parliament de- clared hiiruclfe with them concerning the holy obfervation of this day ; Firlt, In giving it the title of the Lords day , Secondly , In affirming that in the keeping of the day holy , it is a principal! part of the true Service ofCjod : Then un- doubtedly , hec highly pleafeth God , who keepeth holy the whole day .-For by the judgment of the King, and.the whole State, fuch a one as keepeth it is performing a prin- cipal! part of the true Service of God : Thirdly, In prohi- biting on this day all meetings , ajftmblies, or concourfe of people , out of their owne Partakes, for anyfportes orpaftimes whatfo- ever ; *AllBearc-battings,Bull~battings, Common 'PlaieSjSn- ter fades, or any other unlawful I exerctfes or paftimes. Alfo that no Carryer , Waggoner yWaine-manJSar-man, or Drover, travellon the Lords day : Or any Butcher by himfelfejr by any other, with his privitie and con fent, kill or jell any vitluall on this day. Hereto may I adde our Common Law , by which as the Sages in the Law haverefblved it, That the day is exemp. ted from Law-dayes, publ/k Sejfions in Courts of juftice, and that no plea is to be holden, no writ of a Scire facias,w#.fi? beare date on a Sunday, for if it doe, it is an err our :fo a Fine levied with Proclamations , if the Proclamations bee made on this day, all of them are held erroneous alls : And all this was for the folemnitie of the day,, as alio the intent that the people might apply themfelves to prayer, and Gods publick Wor- fhipand Service. Thus we feethe honour ablenefle of this day, and the high efteeme thereof, as it hath beene, aid ftill ought to bee in our Kingdome amongft all faithful! Chriitians. Y CHAP. 170 See Dr. Hey tin pg. I12. J Treatise of the CHAP. XXI. What Counee/s and Synods have decreed touching the ebfervation of this day, T cannot be, but where Emperours and Kings have taken care for keeping holy the Lords day, they had the judgement of the godly Divines in their times : But to clearc more this point, let us fee what hath by the learned beene decreed concernirg this. The Councell of Carthage decreed to petition the Em - perour then , that there might bee no Shewcs , nor other Playcs on the Lords day, &c. The C our ' ct ^held at Aragon, would have no fentence prcnounced in 2ny caufe on the Lords day. The third Councell at Orleance informcth us, that husbandly, reaping, hedging, and fuch fcrvile works were prohibited. The Councell at CHafion de- creed , that the day.fliould be kept holy, calling it the Lords day , the day of our neve birth , the ever lofting day of reft , infwnated unto us, under the Jhadow of the f event b day or Sabbath in the Law and the Prophets. On this, day none were to meddle in Litigiom Qontr over fie s ^ in al\ ions or Law Suits , nor prepare hus Oxen for daily labour ; but to goe to the Church, and there powre out his fault in teares and prayers , celebrate the day with one accord, offer unto (fad thetr free and voluntary fervice, exercife themftves in Hymnes and finging praijes unto God , betrg intent thereon in minde and body , &c The Councell at llingulofimm in Bavaria determined, that upon Sunday , every one being intent upon Divine reft > fhould abftaine from prophsne or common bufineffes. In xhz C'ouncell of Angiers trades- men were appointed to lay by their labours, and among thofe the Miller ,wd the Barber. The Councell at Coleinedc- creed , that the people fliould be diligently admonifhed, why other holy dayes ( but cfpecially the Lords day , which hath beene alwayes famous in the Church from the Apoftles time) were inftituted (to wit) that all might equally Chrifiian Sabbath. 71 equally come together, to heare the Word of the Lord, to receive the Sacraments , to apply their mindes to (jod alone , to be [pent only in Prayers , Hymne-s , Pfalmes , and fpirituall Songs, And here were prohibited Playes, Dances, wicked D'fcourfes, filthy Songs, all Luxurie, and Vittualling Honfes were commanded to befhut up. Concilium Biturienfe y cxhorteth faying, Let them praBice nothing but that which favours ofpietie, and there are prohibited prophane u4ffembltes, ryotous Feafls, Dances, {JWorices, difguifes Stage Play es, and going to *Alehoufes. Concilium Bafiltenfe, forbad *Dice and Tables , and would that fuch as did walks with chafte eyes , mode fly , and gravstie , jhou/d not goeto Dancing. In a Synod held at Friuli, it was decreed, That all ChrU flian men, fhould with all reverence and devotion , honour the Lords day, and abftaine from all carnallafts, Etiam * a pro- priis conjugibus , and all earthly labours , and goe to the Church devoutly* A Synode held in tAken or tAqaifgra- num 800. yeeres agoe held , that in reverence to the Lords day, it ftiould no more bee lawfull to marry, or bee married. In a Roman Synod under Leo the fourth, it was decreed, that no Market, no not for meat flhould be kept, and no perfbn {hould receive judgment on that day. And under ^Alexander the third, in aC**«- cell of Con^igne it was ordained ; that none fhould bee doomed to death, or condemned to bodily punifliment. In a Synod at Coy , it was decreed , that men fiiould j doe no fervile work , nor take any journey. A Synod at Tetricow in Polonia, forbad Taverne -meetings, Dice, C*rds, and fuch like paftimes , as alfo infirumentall mufick^and Dancing. Y a CHAP. * So $: Align. in 144. Serm. de temfore. 17* Sec Jaf. lcn~ tham his focie- ty ofScfaipag. 1 74. citing L*o the firft, and L(0 the third, their decrees for caret nil obfervationof the Lords day. A Treatise of the CHAP. XXII. What Topes, the Canon Law, Archbifoops , Bifhops, and other learned men, have faid concerning the hallowing of this day. I Topes. Ope Alexander the third faith that both the old and new Teftament depute the feventh day unto reft. Pope (jregory the ninth commanded a re- straint from labour both of man and beaft. In Pope Eugenius his time the Princes and Prelates ( as Doctor Heylm confelTeth ) did agree together to raife the Lords day to as high a pitch as they faircly might, and a Canon was made by that Pope in a Synod at Rome 800 yearcs agoe to forbid bu/lnefTcs and works of labour, criminallcaufcs and vaine /ports on the Lords day, and other Feftivalls. Tope tyregory in Spifl. 3. lib. 11. held it not lawfull for any to bath thcmfelves out of luxury and pleafure on the Lords j day, but that wee fhould reft from our earthly labours, and by all meanes abide in prayers, &c. By the Canon Law grinding hath beene inhibited, and by the fame I. awes travelling hath beene forbidden, and counted a mortall finne : See at large Doctor H'eylin out of Tofiatns, theftri&neflc of the obfervation of the Lords day and holy dayes ; let me zdde one thing out ofSumma Angel, tft. interrogations in confeffwne : The Priefts did ask the con- fi tents as a iinne, whether they had fifed paftimes and dancings on the Lords day. Our Linwood the Canonift de fonfecr* *Z)//?. i*ca. Jemina faith, Die Dominico nihil aliud agendum y nifiDeo vacandum, nulla cperatio in ilia die fantJa agatur, nifi tantum Hymnis>& Pfalmis,& Canticis ftirttualtbus dies ilia, tranfgatur. 3 zArch. Cbrijlian Sabbath. A Zchbifiop /ftps Ablates aiTemble< Archbijhops andBifhops. with the afTent and counfcll of the Pre- embled in a Synod i 349, decreed that there fliould bee a gcnerall rcfiraint from all manner of fervile work, and that the Sunday fhould begin at the Saturday at Evening. Cuthbert ArchbtfhopDarobernia in a Synod Anno 747 with the reft, decreed that the Lords day fhould bee celebrated with the reverence moll meet, and to be dedica- ted only tothefcrviceofGod. Our Jail ssfrchbijhopT) c£tor tAbbotCo honoured the Lords day, as he by his Chaplains licenfed divers Treatifes for obfervation of the Lords day; and when a Minifler prefented him with a book to bee li- cenfed, which was made for liberty on that day, he took it of him, and before his face burnt it in the fire. For Bifhops, S. Ambrofe telleth us, it is well knowne, faith he, how carefully the Bifhops doe reftraine all toying, light, and filthy 'Dances, if at other times, then on the Lords day. Bifhop Babington on Exed. 1 6- faith, that Drivings, Dances, Wake s, Wantonneffe, B ear e- baiting, and Bull-bait tng were wicked prophanation of the Lords day. Bifhop D ] own- ham on the Commandcments faith, They that keep the day for idle reft, make it Sabbatum Bourn or lAfmorum : They that defile it with drunkenneffc and the lkc, make it Sabba- tum Diaboli : and they that propfoancit with Iports, make it Sabbatum aui'ei vituli: Bifhop Hooper, that GodJy Martyr faitii> The Lord fa notified the Sabbath day, not that wee fhould give oui fel ves to ilineffe^or to fuch Sthmcall paftimes, as is now uied amongft Ethnic all people, &c. Bifhop Bayly in his P raft ice of Piety faith, We are this day to abftainefom the works of our callings, carrying burdens, F aires, and Afar- kets,ftudying anj Book but Scripture and Divinity, all re- creations and jports, groffe feeding , liberall drinking, and talking about worldly things : Bifhop White hath uttered an holy fpeech, who faith, that all ktnde of recreations which areofevill quality in resell: of their object 1 , or, are attended with evill and vicious circumflances , are unlawfully andif ufed j on the Lords day, are facrilegious ; for they rob God of hti I Y 1 honour, 173 O 1 the ten Cominji-dc- Aeainft Biab. *74 J Treatife of the In his Serrr. pag.j$. Pag- f- In Eccl. Pol. ca.$. fig. 38 5- In his d'f- courfe of the Sab. fag. 28. Specul. morale j^.3. Conuo6. de Dominic. 3. advent. honour, to whofe worfif andfervke the holy day is devoted, and they defile the fifties of men, for the denjing and edifying whereof ths holy day is appointed g , Learned 'Divines. Niche, de Clemangiis denovis celebrkatibus , noninfUtu- endis,xe\\% us, that efpecially the Lords day and fbJcmne Fcrtivalls fhould be wholy and onely confcerated to more ipeciall worfhip and (pent in duties of Devotion, in lauding and bleffing him for his more Ipeciall favours : Doclor PocJ^- lington hath a right fpeech ( howfbever it be that a little after he varieth ) faying, Ifthcfirft dayoftheweekbethe Lords day, ( as he in another place yeelds \t)wemufllook^to do the Lwds worh^on it , and not trench upon him by doing our own vrorkc thereon : yea, he cyteth Saint sAuguftine for this , that men fhould leave all worldly bnfineffes on Saints dayes, EtmaximeDiebusDominicis, especially onthe Lords dayes that they betake themfelves wholly to the Lords fervice. R eve- rend Hooker faith, that the voluntary fcandalous contempt of the reft from labour wherewith Godispublickly ferved, wee cannot too feverely correct and bridle : Malter Dow teachcth accflation from ordinary labours, and holds them unlawfull on this day, as they hinder a man from applying himfelfe to divine duties, and therein are contrary to the divine precept and the morality thereof. He requireth firft, A morning preparation in private. Secondly, Warneth men that they doe not by improvidence, or negligence \ or forgetful- neffe draw upon themfelves a neceffuy to omit or hinder the dutyes to which this day is confecrated. Thirdly, that the hindrances and our defefts bee fupplied by private Devotions and Ulfeditations. Fourthly, that it is good and commendable to pend the reft of the day in holy meditations, private prayer, reading, and calling to minde what we have read or heard. Vtncentius Bellevecenjis and BeUarmine have condemned Stage-playes, Enterludes, ho alfoin a fhort Catcchifme upon the Commandments would have the Chri- ftians keep the Sabbath in ceafing from worldly labours, from finne , and idJcnefTe, and to doe things as might be for the good and benefit of their foulcs. It were tedious torecite the learned in thelater times, teaching the holy obfervation of this our Lords day :1 will end only with the harmonieof ConfcfTions, where it isfaid, that the Lords day ever fince the Affiles time was confecra- ted to religious exercifes And unto holy reft. tiles 175 In the Hiftory of the ira'dcn, part. 3.b.i. Setf* 16, cap. CHAP. XXIII. God would have our Lords day re/igiaujly obferved, and not to be prof honed, Od doth informe us by his word, by which wee finde his inftituticn of one day in a week from the creation (as in the fir ft Treatife have bcene proved ) to bee fan^tificd to holy wee, finde alio the fameeftablifhed by his Law gi- ven on Mount Sinai, as is manifefkd us the former Trea tife : And from the word in the New Teftaroent , we finde one day, the fir ft day of the week, to have been obfrrved, 1 and the cbiervation continued now this i6ooyeeres:l So that one day in a week hath b.ene given tto God as ■ facred and holy for holy reft in his worfhip, and for holy j duties to be performed publ:ckly&pnvately,uow above five I thoufand five hundred & fcurdcoreyeers,fomc count 6eco, a time long enough to fettle this truth,toobfervefoch a day : and as the holy people in the former time* before Chrift I kept their day holily, morally , fo fhculd wee our day too. But asGod inclruftcthby his word , fo doth hee alfo by hisworks ; he is faid to ipcak by the work of his providence: I Genef. 24. 50. 51. And when his judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world arc to learnc rightecuf- neffc thereby : and even in this for not obferving hu day ; for as before he puni&ed his people for the propria- nation Efai. z 6 . 10. i 7 6 Iudg-9- 2?. Treat if e of the zChr. 2o.li. is nation of their Sabbath , as the Scripture witneffeth in many places ; So hath the Lord punimed the prophanation of our Chriftian Sabbath dedicated to his honour, and lcr- vicc, and hath pleaded by his punifhmcnts for the lanitifi- cation thereof, and to deterre men from the prophaning of it. This we muft lcnow that there is no cvill in a C ity but the Lord doth it, ( to Wit J the evill of punifhment ,• and the fame commeth for fin, of what nature or kinde foeverthe judge- ments be : which are three fold. i Immediate judgements wherein Gods hand is clearely feene, which all will eafily acknowledge with feare; Such a judgement was the drowning of the old world , the burning of Sodome and Gomorrah with fire from heaven : So that of Nadab and %/4b'thu> with the 250 Princes alfb with fire from heaven ; fuch a judgement was that of Lots wife turned into a pillar of fait , CMiriam and 2 ? Chrifiian Sabbath. lf 7 12,23. D***' l 9*5* that fucha-onefo killed is delivered by God into the mans hand that killed him: €xo. ii« 1 3. By this kind of 'way came wicked Ahab to his death, 1 Kings 22. 34. even by a man Shooting an arrow at an adventure: So isihAZtiah his idolatrous fonne by falling downc through a Latteflecamcto hisend. 2 Kings 1. 2. and 27000 by the fall a of wall in Aphekr. 1 Kings 20. 50. which no doubt the Lord overthrew andcaufcdtofall upon them to flay them. And we mutt know that cafuall harmes, and death come for fin , fo our Saviour tells us, Lu^_. 13.4. that they were finners on whom the Tower of Siloe fell, though others were not to judge them the greateft finners above all : yea, cafuall lolfes in outward things come for fin. 2. foron. 20. 37* Therefore be the judgements of God of any kinde,they arc to be taken notice of, and we are to make ufe thereof, to beware offin, and to repent lead welikewifcperifh,and not to flight the lea ft cafuall harme as moft doe: For CMofes remembreth the people of Ulfiriam, and our Saviour willed his hearers to remember IWj wife: 'and Saint Taul fets the examples of the punifhment of the Ifraelites before the Co- rinthians,and tells themthat thefe things hapned to them for enfamples,and were written for our admonition. Where- fore what punifhments have heretofore fallen out, or now happen amongft us, wearctoobfervcthem,and Jay themto heart; For faith the Pfalmiit , s/iilmen frail feare and de- c/arc the work^of (jod, for they frail mftlyconjider his doing, Pfal. 64. 9. That the abufe of this our facred Lords day, hath pro- ked God to wrath is aknowledged ; Gtuilter faith, it is not to be doubted, butthattheprophanationof the Lords day is not the leaflcauie ofthcevillsand calamities of our age. And BelUrmjne confefleth alio that the Difordcrs, Dances, Pvcvclls,and the iikc,on the Lords dayes and other Feaflivals, were the occafion of ail publick calamities, and judgments, which they fuflrcred ; and rcckoncthup,famine>povcrtie,pc- ftilence,fcdition : &concludcththus in gencral,all plagues and fcourges. Of this fin fpeakech our late learned King James, Z and Deut.24.9. Luk.17 J2. i.Cor.io. Hem. in Matt. xtfi, in Mark. z8. fo in Luk. Ioh. and Acts Co?.^«.6.p.&c. 178 Difeipul. de J Treatife of the and ©ur U6w Sovcraigne King ^^rife/, in the exhortation added to the books of the two former Fails , and to this now alio, and doc with the reverend Prelates acknowledge that among other finncs, the not-keeping holy of the Lords day, but polluting it, is the caufe of the plague breaking out upon us : yea, our Homily tellcth us, that God hath declared himfclfe much grieved for the prophanation of this day. This is further acknowledged by many learned men, who have b«ene (peciall obfervers of the judgements hapningaswell in times heretofore, as in our dayes : which may be reduced to the three heads before mentioned. . ; CHAP. XXIV. Of txemfUry judgements immediate from £/W, *&**/? the frophaners of the Lords day* N a Councellheld &tP arisen ^#"*8ao,8ooyeers agoe, the reverend Bifhcps there aifembJed, fbme by relation , others of their own knowledge, af- fume , that fome men following their husbandry, were flainc with Lightning and Thunder , other fbmc pu- niihed with a it range convulfion of their joynts, and fi. newes, and mitcrably perifhed for their dishonouring of f© great a day. CjregortnsTHrantnfit , who lived a iooo yeeresrtnce, in the end of the fifth Century, or in the very beginning of the iixth, as BelUrmmes Chronicle hath it ; faid , that for the difhonour done to the Lords day in working, fire from heaven, burned both men and houlcs in the City of Lomages. Do&or Beard of #*»//#£&?», telleth us in his Theatre of Gods jugdements how fire from heaven burned up a worldlings Barae, and all the graine in it, for conveying his corne on a Sunday in Sermon time out of the field. To theie maybe added many other of the like nature: One would needs^though diiwaded by othcrs,ring an Hogge ©a the Lords day in the morning, but in the ringing, daggered, Chriftian Sabbath. ftaggered,fcIldowne, and never (pake more, though hec lived eight dayes after. A great man ufing every Lords day to hunt hi Sermon time, had a child by his wife , with an head like a dog with eares, and chaps, and cryed like an hound. A Grafiers Servant, would tuceds drive his Cattcli ort the Lords day in the mornings from the Inne where he Jay Saturday night , when he might have Hayed in the Jxme, buthee was not gone a (tones caft from the Towne but fell downedead fuddenly , though before in good health. A man on theLordsday though intreated to the contra- ry by his wife, would take his Hatchet and Shovell to make an end of his work left before undone ; but he was fuddenly (truck dead in the ditch and ib ended his work and lie to- gether. One (erving a Writ of Subptxa on another, comming from Gods Service on thisday : he after (bmc words of re- proofefor fb doing, and his light anfwer thereto, dyed in the place without (peaking mere words. Cercainc dilbrderly youths would in despite of the Church-wardcflsringon this day, but the prinopall Com- panion , who had gathered them together , was (trucken with gkldineife, as if he had beendrunk, whilft he was ring- ing, whereof hefickned, and dyed of that (kknefTc fhortly after. A (coffer rejoycing at others evils, and the licentious li- bcrtic which many took upon theLordsday, was (trucken withadead ralfey, all over one (idc,and with blindnefie, and dumbnefle, fo as he could neither goe, fee, nor (peak : and ly- ing thus in miferablepainc , died within afhorttime after the (IrokcofGod upon him. Thefc few initanccs may fcrve for the immediate hand of God upon prophancrs of the Lords day. I paflc by, how fil- thy drunkards have felt the Lords hand againft them on thisday. * 79 l i CHAP. Thta:r.hiftor, i8o J Treatifeoftbe to t -" : CHAP. XXV. Of exemplary judgements mediate from God, againfl the prvpbaners of the Lords day, 1 J Briftians in name fhould be ChriAians indeed.and one further another unto goodncfle, specially on the Lords day, which fliould bee provoca- tive to good duties , and to the ftirring of us up to fliew the vertuc of Chrift his refurre&ion in us, and! our Chriftian love or»e to another, as at all times, Co chiefly on this day : but where lufls rule and perfons arc pro- phage, the Lord lea veth them to thcmfelves , to become his infirurnents to punifh their prophanation of this day; as appeareth by thefe examples. Some on the Lords day would goe to Bowles ( a forbid- den game to the common fort) at which play two falling out, the one threw a bowlc at the other, and (truck him fo on the head, as thebloud iflued out , of which blow hee dyed fhortly after. Certaine youthes f contrary to the order in the dtclarati- cn ) would goe out of their owne Parifh on the Lords day, into another to play at Fives ± the Mother of one of thefe earneflly difwaded him, but goe he would, and returning homewards at night, with his companions, they fell firft to juftling, after to boxing, fo as t heir' bloud being moved one of his fellowes (tabbed him in the left fide, and fc wounded him, as he dyed the next day at night. At a Wakcon the Lords day,among others, two fitting and drinking, till late at night fell out,but at firft they were parted a while, after commcth one of them in againe , and feeing the other fitting by the fire, with his back towards him, commeth behind him, and with an hatchet chineth him downe the back , Co as his bowels fell out : thecruell murtherer flying , and being hotly purfued > leaped into a river and drowned himfelfe. j A wanton Maide hyred on the Lords day, a fellow to go to the next Parifh to fetch thence a Minilircll (not war- ranted Cbrijiian Sabbath. 181 ranted by the Declaration) that fhec, and others might Dance : but that night was fhee gotten with child, which at the time of its birth, fhc murthered, and was put to death for the fame, confeffing theoccafion of her ill hap, to be herprophanation of the Lords day. Upon a Whitfuncray in the aftcrnoone two fcllowes meet- ing at theBall (again not allowed by the Declaration) the one killed the other : Alfo upon a Lords day in the after- noonc, one with much contempt againft hisMinifter, as appeared by his words, would take up Cudgells to play with another (a fport not allowed them) but at the iecond or third bout , one of his eyes was (truck out of his head. A fellow drunk ar the Churcruhoufe where he dwelr, on the the Lords day ( a foulc fin both for the time and place) was the next day , fo given over of God, as hec became his owne executioner, and hanged himfelfe. One difpofed toVevell-rout, without due bounds of pre- ferred order , would in the Church- houfe keep an Ale on the Lords day and other dayes both night and day _\vithout controule : But fee the Lords band , on the Sunday night, his youngest fonne was taken for fleajingofapurfeout of anothers pocket , while he lay drunk in the Chuich-houfe on the board and that week hiseldeit lbn was by one flabd to death. . A poore man af:er hce had heard a good Sermon (as hce faid) when he came from the barrc unto a Minister, would goto a Revell (an ill name for Chriftians meeting together) into another Parifh , where occafionally falling out with one he killed him ; running out of the Church-yard to doc the bloody fad, for which at the next AiTiflcs, he was excu- ted, lamenting his ill hap, that he could not tarry at home. More instances of quarrclling,fighting 5 and killing of one another , might bee given to terrifie men from fuch fmfull wayes,and from fuch prophaneflc of the Lords day ; cfpeci- allyconfeerated to the laud and honour of Jefus Chriit our blelTed Lord and Saviour. 1 z CHAP. lo*2 A Treatise of the StorpeiChxon. Doftrr Utard in his Theatre Th«fe two in- ftances are ci- ted by Biihop Xayly. CHAP. XXVI. Of examples of cafnall judgements tgtinftthe Prefhaners of the Lords d*y. ■ F fuch like judgement* as happon as it were at una- wares,uncxr*6tedly,Ihavegivcninflanccs in holy writ: And therefore by the recording of them, God would have us not only 10 take notice of fueh, but alfb to make good ufeof them, as the Lord fhall direct us in wifedome, in charity, and well-mindcdneiTc fo to doe. For it muft indeed bee acknowledged that in this fort of judgements the particular application to particular pcrfbns for this and thata<5t isnoteafie, but requircth prudencyof circumfpc6tk>n,and carcfullobfervation of all circumftances concurring to make a true ufeof them in the application to others, though not the like difficult in all, nor yet Co hard for the parties upon whom fuch cafuall judgements doe fall, to apply them home to thcmfclvcs for inftrudtion. And therefore have they beene obferved and recorded : Among very many, take thefe few examples. Famous and memorable is the fall of the Scaffold in ^Paris garden, where many were gathered together on the Lords day to fee the rude fport of Bear-baiting, the fall whereof flew eight pcrfbns, and many others were hurt and fore bruifed. A great number gathered on this day to fee a Play a&ed in a chamber ; the floore fell downe, by meanes whereof many were hurt, and fomckild. Stratford upon Wt/^was twice on fire, and both times on the Lords day, whereby it was almoft confumed, chiefly for prophaning the Lords day , and for contemning the word of God out of the mouth of his faithfull Mi- nifters. * Tevertcn, (whole remembrance, faith mine Authour, made his heart to bleed) was twice alio almoft utterly con- fumed with fire, 400 houfes at once in a flame ; and in the firft Chriflian Sabbath. 8* firft fire were about fifty perfbns confumed; which was for the horrible prophanation of the Lords day, occasioned chiefly by their Munday-rnarkcu Of the firft judgement they were fore- warned by their Preacher, telling them that fbme heavy judgement God would bring upon the Towne, as it hapned, not long after his death. Two brethren on the Lords day in the forenoone came from a Market-towne to an Uncle they had, there to dine; after dinner they took horfeagaine, but had not gone farre, but one of the horfes fell downe dead : who going back againe to their Uncles houfe, the other horic being put up into the Stable, within an houre or two after died in the place. One would ride after dinner on the Lords day, about a worldly bufinelfe, which he needed not then to have done ; and therefore was difwaded from it, but goe hec would, his way was over a bridge, on which when he came, a puffc of wind blew his hat into the river, which he feeking to re- cover by going into the river, both he ami his horfewere drowned, nor could he be found till fi(hes had fouleJy de- voured his flefh. The jW4£^w£r»y^f report, that a husbandman grinding his corne on the Lords day, the meale was (ez on fire : And i it is knowne to many, that a Millers wifefetting her Mill j on going, and fhe buhc in her Mill on the Lords day, in the morning the Mill-houfc fell upon her, and kild her; of which by the fall of a Stone there, but a few dayes,orbut a week before, fhee had a faire warning given, yet not ma- king good ufe of it> fhe there ended herdayes. Fourceene youths adventuring to play at foot-ball upon j the river of Trent on the Sabbath day, when it was, as they | thought, hard frozen, meeting together in a (hove, the Ice brake, and the^vcrc all drowned. I might here reheard many more cafuall judgements of many forts, which ha\£ hapned upon fuchashavc propha- ned this day. Fires have beene kindled, it not being known how, in time of peoples ryoting on this day, which burnt downe many houfes r Some in one place, forac in another, on i8 4 J Treatife of the on this day fome going out to fwimme have becne drowned : Some riding to merriments (which commonly negle£t di- vine fervice ) have fallen from their horfes and broken their necks : More of this kindc might be rchearfed, but let mee conclude with the words of theAuthourofthc TraElice of Ttety : If thefe be not fufficicnt to terrific thy heart from the wilfull prophanation of the Lords day, proceed on in thy prophanation, it may bee the Lord will make thee the next example to teach others to keep his Sabbaths better. _ CHAP. XXVII. Of objections which may be, or are made againflthe prodtteeing of Judgements in this cafe; with anfvers thereto. S mens underftanding leadeth them, (b are their hearts affected more crleffe, fcemc the thing never fo dreadfully or terrifying to our common apprc- henfions; as I finde in this particular caie. Some reject thefe and other like relations as fabulous, and fo give no credit to them, holding them perhaps for PU frandes, as formerly were the Popifh legends to move feare in peoples hearts with telling of talcs. Thefe fore-mentioned examples are none fuch ; it is a foule finnc to bely God,nor need his caufe any lies to ftreng* then it : we live now in a clearer light, than to be led away altogether with fabulous relations. Others, becaufe /bme of the judgements fceme cafuall, and fo commonly held in this very refpe£t, make a tufh at the al- legation of them : But however fome be apprehended as cafuall, many being immediate from God, none but the Heathen PhiliftimesPriefts will judge them meere chances : And for fuch as be cafuall, let us confider, that a Sparrow cannot light on the ground without^Jie will,aud providence of our heavenly Father. And arc the haires of our head numbred? Certainly then, -things which feeme moft con- tingent, and fuch a6ts as thefe judged fo cafuall, muft needs fall Chriflian Sabbath. i8 5 fallout by the will of God, and the guidance of hisfpeciall providence, and his divine hand. And therefore not to bee lightly palled over with a tufh, and flighted as a meere ac- cident without^ dueobfcrvation,and ufe. Some think, that there is not much heed to be taken of thefe judgements concerning this day, for that the fclfe fa me may bee found to fall out at other times, and other holy- dayes : And therefore nothing can be concluded more pe- culiarly for this day, than for any other, from thefe judgements. No doubt, but it may Co happen and fall out, that a Drunkard may fall from his horfe and break his neck afvvell on any other holy day, as on the Lords day : A Cud- gel-player may on another day be hurt, and have his eye ftmck out as well as on this day: One may kill another, houfes may bee on fire, and mtn by fvvimming may bee drowned afwell at ocher times, as on the Lords day : The like accidents may fall alike at all times ; for <3od though hepunifhtheprophanationofhisownc day with his judge- ments, yet he refer ve> lotany Ipeciall judgements to be in- Aided upon Sabbath-breakers, as peculiar tothem for that finne : For if fo, men would not thus difputethe cafe, and flcight the argument ; for the judgement would clearely decide the controverfie, and put men to filence. But as I havefaid, the fame punifhments may light upon all forts of offenders alike at any time: NeverthelefTc, wee may not neglect to take good notice of Gods hand, not only in gene- rail to conceive where fuch hurts, and harms happen, that there is finne which hath procured it, upon fuch perfons as vainc,andilldi/pofcd(forweare to judge othervvife of af- flictions on the Godly, which happen upon a job for triall ) but alio to endeavour to finde out the finne in particular in a fober fcarcb and godly humility. And thus much nmft we doc for the work of Conscience, which Itirreth not upon an only generality ; but upon knowledge of this or that par- ticular finne apply ed home to cur felves, upon the breach of fome precept : Thus fhall w§inftru<3 our (elves by obfer- ving judgements, to take heed of particular finnes, A a Now i%6 J Tfeatife of the Now to findeout the finne, and thcfinner in his finne, which God pointcth out by his hand upon him. i Enquire into thetranfgreffion of the Law, for by it commeth the knowledge of finne, which isthetranigrefTi- on of the Law : upon this ground we cannot miflc of the finne. 2 In the next place, ponder fcriou fly all the concurring circumftances concerning the punifhment happening : And here note i The notorious qualities of the perfbn upon whom the judgement lights ; whether he be a common fwearer, drun- kard, fornicator, a defpifer of holy duties, or groflely care- lefle of them. 2 What evill he was faying or doing when the punifhment befell him. 3 Where hce was, in what place prohibited. 4 His intention difcovered robe nought, ungodly, or unjuft. 5 How he did, or fpeake in an evill manner. Laftly, the time is very confidcrable when any fuch thing was done, at what time the judgement hapned. By all thefe concurring circumftances duely weighed with mature deliberation, tbedivinehandmay beobferved very u(efully,evcn in common, and fuch as be called cafuall ac- cidents : As for inflancc, A May- pole fet upon the Lords day, falleth and killeth one ; one is fet up upon a holy day in rime of divine fervicc, which killeth another, as initances may be given: Thefirft hapneth for the prophanation of the day, becaufe they brake the divine ordinance of God, who hath appointed the obfer- vation and keeping holy of the day : The other, for the pro- phanc contempt of Gods divine fervice on that other day. To play at foot-ball on the Sunday, the example is fearfull offourtcenc drowned together playing on the ice, for that they prophaned the day : At ffiidUngton in the edge of Hertford-fare, not farre from Hitchm, upon an holy clay a company of fellowes intended a match at foot-ball, fomc of them were come into the Church, and to call the reft together, one tolled the Bell ; prcferitly it began to thunder, and on a fudden was fecnea black ball to come tumbling downe a bill ncare by> and came dire&ly to the Church, and Chrijlian Sabbath, and there flew into the Bell-Free, and firft flew liim that tolled the bell, then fluftred about the Church , and hurt di- vers; and at laft did buifc in funder, leaving behindcit afil- thie ftinch like to brimftone. Now albeit this was not on the Lords day,yct were they thus fearcfuliy punifhed. Firft, In plotting an unlawfull fport, on that day againft the authori- ty of chcMagiftratc.Sccondly,By making the Church,a con- fecratedplacc,their randevouze. Thirdly,by prophanely tol- ing a Bcll,the principall ufe whereof,was to give notice to the people to come and ferve God , and not to draw youths to vaine and unlawfull fports. Fourthly and laftly, in purpo- sing to fpend the time, dedicated to facred ufes, in their boiftc- rous, rude, andharmefulliporting. Thus we fee how we may take notice of tht judgments for breach of the Sabbath, though punifhments of thelikena- ture, ( yeafometimes worfe) happen upon other daies. To C onclude this,it is not good to take off our a wcfull thoughts from Gods hand, upon breakers of the Sabbath , leaft we grow prefumptuous and fall into finne, and (b procure to our {circs the defcivcd judgements which have light upon others : And let us confider , how God threats to deftory fuch as regard not his workes , and the operation of his hand . Laftly,fome arefbfarrc from having any regard at all to thii argument drawne from the judgements of God, as they hold the allegation of thcm,in this cau(t,to be impious rafli- nefle, impious , and rafh prefumption , vaine obfervations, next allied to fupcrftition,yca, a prophane kindcof obferva- | tion : a ftrangly prefumptuous and dareing manner to perkc up into Gods throne, and a taking upon men to readc the darkc and divine Characters of the caufes of his infcrutablc i judgements, and an unfufferablc arrogancy in fuch as pro- [ ducc them, making God to beare falfe witneffe , fooliftily: triumphing before the victory , with faying, Loe the judge- \ ments of God, Loe the judgements of the Lord, ent of Heaven, making them fpeakc Gods indignation againft thepropha- aation of the Lords day. What fhould move any thus tocondemne, and cenfure A a 2 fuch 187 Pfa.i8.f. i88 i. Cor. io. Pral. , a* 5 < Efay.j-.iii > A Treatise of the fuch as bring Gods judgements againft the prophaners of the Lords day;Thcy may perhaps better know with in them- felves,than they yet haveexprelTed unto others. If any have failed in trueth of Story, or related examples not to purpofe (or what if but commoa,and ordinary , yet true yet may examples be memorable, though common and ordinary; for God makes themfo common, becaufe he would not have them forgotten ) orthatbave put Caufam , pro non Ctufa, they are left to anfwerc for themfclves. For my part, I fup- pofe, without feare of mens fore-mentioned heaviedoome, that we may with lowly reverence, and with an holy awe- fullneffe of divine Ma jefty fobcrJy obferve his judgements : and for thefe Rcafons. Firft, the Scriptures are full of examples of Gods judge- ment*, to teach us to obfcrvcthemnow,as then they were : For whatfbevcr is written , is written for our learning, ac- cording to the nature of the things left us to read, and un- derltand. Secondly., Our Saviour Chrift minded his Hearers of the deftruc'tion of the old world, of Sodome, and of Lots wife to makeufc thereof for their inftru&ion. Thirdly,Saint < 7W/mentioneth fore-pafi judgements,not tothejewes among whom they happened, but to converted Gentiles, the C orint >° ians : He narneththe.finnes , and then the punifhments, and telleth them , that they were written forenfampIes,and for our admonition, that we fhould not doe as they did. If judgements paft,(erve for this ufe> are we not tomak«»the fame ufe of judgements prcfent,whicn dayly happen among us? I doubt not but we may, and ought fo to doe. Fourthly, The holy Pfalmift hyeth it down as 2 fin, and threatnethdeftrudtion as a punifhment, becaufe they regard- ed not, they did not confidcr, nor underftood , as the word fignificth,the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands; The like doth the Prophet €jai in his time complain of , they were given to fcaftings and wine, and to the Pipe, and other muiicall inftruments, but they regarded not the work of the Lord, neither Coniidered the operation of his _____ handsj Chrijiian Sabbath. bands, as many in our times, and Specially on the folcmne daies, fct apart for Gods worfliip : At which times, if evills befall any of them, arc wee (lightly to pafTe them by ? Should we not learnc by other mens harmes to take out a leflbnforourfelves? when thcScorncr is punifhcd,thc Simple is made wife, faith Salomon. Fifthly, It is a duty, yea, a grace commended in the God- ly, that they will learne righteoufnes , when they fee the judgements of God in the earth : but it is cleane contrary to the wicked, they will not behold the Majefty of the Lord, when he ipareth them, and when they behold others puni- fhed, yet they will not learnc righteoufnelTe. Marke ,. how thePrcphet here judgeth them for wicked, whofrom judge- ments on others, and from his favour towards themfelves, will not Jearne righteoufnelTe. Si thly,Ihaveftiewedthat goo yceres ago, how the Re- verend Prelates at the Synod in Paris, hid toheart the; fearc- fuli judgements which befell fbme, for theprophanation of the Louis d?y : Gnalter, as you have heard , durft avcrre boldly, confidently faying , that it was not to be doubted, that theprophanation of the Lords day , was not the leaft can fe oft he evils', and calamities in thole times : Bellarmms dudtfay as much. In the exhortation addrdto our Faft- Booke, is it not acknowledged } that the plague hapned ( a- | mong other finncs ) for the polluting, and not keeping holy the Lords day > Learned men from time to time have made Catalogues of ruch judgements as have hapned upon this day.The Authour of the Prarlife of^Ptctie^ book thirty five times reprinted, allowed by authority, and dedicated to our Now Dread Soveraigne, when he was Dnk$ of Tsrkf , and after when IxtwzsPrtece of Wales ) rchearfeth many judge- ments upon Sabbath-breakers, as he caileth them , and is bold in the Conclufion to affirme; that thofe judgements which he rnentioneth may be fufficient unto them ( whof hearts are not feared) how wrathfully God is difpleafcd with them, who are wilful' 1 prophaners of the Loids day. Whatfihall wc lay of all thefe Reverend Fathers aforc- ic?9 Wc arctaughc to magmfie his worko, which ir,cn behold. lob ;S. 24. Pro. 2i. 11. Efa. z6 9.10. Aa 3 time,} 190 A Treatise of the time, of our Reverend Prelates in their exhortation, of Lear- ncdDivines, afwcll Papifts, asProteftant* in theirobfer- vation of judgments, and applying them for the breach of the Lords day, that herein they were itrangely prcfiimptu- ous, that their obfervation was rafh, vainc, and impious,and they in fo doing deferved to be cenfured for infufferable arro- gancy ? now God forbid. I prefume, the fpirit of wiled ome will not fulTcrany moderate minde to think it: nor ever did let any fuch a condemning cenfurc and deadly doome, paffethe pen of any upon them for fo doing. Nor indeed, was there caufe, nor yet is, if the judgements be wifely ap- plied. For is it not acknowledged by a learned Oppofite, that in fomc cafes, it is lawfull to apply particular judgements to par- ticular finnes of particular perlbns? Then why not in this cafe, if the cafe be put right, to wit, for the prophanation of the day, and not hailed and drawn to other by-ends,and by- refpe£t,s, not intended in the production of thefc judgements? For another learned Oppofite faith thus, without all quefti- on, ( whether the obfervation of the Lords day flands by vcr- tueof Gods immediate precept in the fourth Commandc- ment, or otherwife : or onely by Apoftolicall, or Ecdefiaiti- call Conftitution ) the prophanation of the day ( marke the words) muft needs bee a greivous finne, and powerfully- attractive of Divine vengeance, feeing it is acknowledged by all, that in the prophanation of that day, both Gods precept (asfarreasit ismorall in the fourth Commandement ) is violated, and the authority] ( which God hath commanded all Christians to obey ) is contemned. If then the propha- nation of the day be a greivous finnc, and powerfully-at- tractive of Divine vengeance, when God layeth his hand upon the prophaners of the day, what letteth any fbber fpirit to apply the judgement ? Gods way cs, are not our wayes, Efa.^. g. faith one; true, not in his mercics,of which the Prophet there fpeaketh ; arid yet we fearc not to apply his mercies to our comfort,and to the comfort of others. But the judgements of God are unfearchable, Rom.i 1.3 3 . j . what J Chrijlian Sabbath. what judgements? fuch judgements as we fpcake of ? The A- poftle fpeaketh not of the works of his juftice for fin, imme- diate, mediate, or cafuaJJ, which happen in the fight of men, and are fo made manifeft, and are notunfearchable. But the Apoftle by judgements underftandcth the hidden determina- tions of Gods meancs to bring about the mauifcitation of his ju(tice,and mercy to this and that people, as to the Jews, and to the Gentiles ; which made the Apoftle to cry out, Oh the depth of the riches of the nifedome, and knowledge of God, &c. If the finne be manifeft, and the punifhment vifiblc, here is not an unfcarchablc judgement , nor fuch, his waypaft finding out. Thefetwo places alleadged , that of Efrjr for judgements of mercies, and this of the Romanes mif-under- ftood, and mif-appy led to our matter in hand, do not hinder the aj plying foberiy Gcds judgements when they fallout upon men, in their finfull courfes. Our Saviour fufficiently ( will fbmefay ) taketh us off fromthis rafh attempt; i. In the blind mans cafe, John p. 2. In the fall of the tower of Si/oam^nd maffacrc committed on the Galileans : And 3. the whole booke of Job fcrres to (hew the folly of raine men. Firft, For the place of John p. concerning the blinde man, there is no application of any judgement by the difcipJes, they doe only ask him a qucftion, faying, Maftcr, whodid finne, this man or his parents? They knew not the caufc,they ©nly fuppofed, there might be fbme fin, in the one, or in the other, why the man was borne blinde : Our Saviour anfwers them, and direfteth their thoughts to an higher confedera- tion upon theoccafion of his healing : but he condemncth them not of any rafhnefle as in fomc other cafes he did,when fbmetimes they asked him aqueftion. This text taxcth not thefoberjninded forobfervingfinncs,and applying of judge- ments, when they happen. Secondly, Concerning, Lvlp 13.1,2,2,4, it is toas little purpofc : for here fome tell Chrift of that which befell the (JaliUans f and our Saviour himfelfe bringeth in the fall of the tower: but here is no mention of the people* apprehending of 19 1 I $11 lob *S. i- 1 lob 42- V ^r Treatifeofthe of any finne, For which they might apply to them the judge - ments : nor doth our Saviour finde fault with them for any fuch conceit: but heeonely maketh a fuppofttion , if any thought them to bee the greateft (inners aboue all others chat dwelt in thofe places, they erred in fb thinking, and taught them the right ufe thereof, to wit, to repent, leaft they themfelves fhouid perifh : This Text is againft fuch as raiTiIy judge fuch tobethe greateft finners, who perifh by either mediate, or cafuall judgements ; but who doe fo judge of thofe whom God hath pun iflbed forprophaninghisday ? for my part I know none of fb prefumptuous a fpiric : we (peak of the finne , wee apply the judgement , and defire men to make the ufe thereof, which Chrilt doth here, tore- pent, that they may not likewifeperifb; and this we have warrant to doe. Thirdly, for the whole book of Job, which* is faid to ferve for this purpofe, to fhew the folly of vaine men, prcfuming to particularize the foot-fteps of the Lord , as if hee proceeded in juftice according to our fancies. Innfwcr, all might well have been fpared in this matter , for it maketh nothing againft the obfervation , and ap- plication of Gods judgements , againft the prophanation of theLordsday. Job was a very holy man, his friends could not Tcdnvince him of any open crime : and yet for the ft range manner of Gods afflicting him, they raflhly con- demned him. They realbned from Gods hand upon him, to make him guiltie of foule offences, which they could not juftly taxe him of, for which Elihu reproveth them : But we reafbn from the finne, the prophanation of the day , (which is acknowledged a grievous fin) to thepuniflhrnen^ that God is offended, and therefore the fin to be avoided. In this, is neither folly ,nor we vaine men, nor led by fancje,nor doe wee darken counfell by words without know ledge, for which God reproved Job , not EHhufox finding faulc with Job ; fox Elihts hisreprehenfion of Job was found,andgood, againft which Job'mtde no reply. Oh,butyetfbmemay fay, if it bee denyed, that either the evill infli&ed-is a judgement, or that it was for this (to wit, the Cbriflian Sabbath. l 93 thcprophanjng of the Lords day) infli&ed, wee arc forth- with put to fhame , and lilcnce. Sooner faid than proved : Can any denythecvill befallen to be a judgement? For the better understanding hereof we muft know the word judgement to be takcn,two wayes; Firft, for the extraordinary vindicative Juii ice, the dread J full revenging hand of God , in his wrathfull vengeance, plaguing fome notorions wicked ones, as. the Sodomites, Egyptians , Jehoram the fon of Jehofaphtt with a rotting difeafe incurable,ib that he Itank above ground, and the like; Secondly, for ordinary punishments, which may happen to any, fo as the word judgement taken ini Cor.\i. 29. where the word tranflated damnation is ^i^jWada^judgemerit: Co alio in 1 Pet,q. 17. it is ufed for any kinde of puniiri merit which God infflicts upon men for fin ; In this later fenie the evill befalling the Sabbach-breakcts , is a judgement, and a due de£rved punishment, as the word is expounded by the learned in Gal. 5. 1 o. Shall not fire from heaiven, thundering and lightning, by which feme have been killed,be held a judgement? was not the fall of Paris-gardens Scaffold, which hurt and kild Co many , a judgement? Thefe and other evils hapning, fuch as be before mentioned, have been held to be judgements ; and why any fhould deny them to be fo now, they give no reafon, nor indeed,can they, if they take the word judgement aright, as in this cafe fomc Oppoiites doe; who affirme that irreligious contempt of Gods ordinances, appointed on this day , by the Church, and law of the Land, may pull down Gods judgements ■■: yea, that if this day were changed into another, there wou Id beascxemplarie judgments of God from heaven againft chis kinde of ungodlinerTeof Jmen, as ever were in any ages upon the Lords day.lt is no fhamc we lee to call them judgements. And we may without fhame fay that thefe evils bwtell them for prophaning the Lords day , and not keeping it holy. Our Church in the Homily, and in the fore-mentio- ned exhortation , the Fathers in that Synod , and learned men have averred as much , whole affirmation may beop- pofed to any private roans negation, if we had. no reafon to B b itrengthen 194 J Treattfe of the flrengthen the aflertion. But is it not granted that the prophanation of the day is a grievous fin ? And doth not the fourth Cornmandement impofe a morall dutic , which is to keep holy the day of re(t ? The fan&ifi cation of the day is impofed upon us, and this are we preffed to remem- ber. Lctthedaybe what it will, appointed by divine au- thorities as our Lords day is acknowledged to be, wee are to keep it holy. To keep the day fct apart by a divine inftitution , holy , is the maine fubftance of the fourth Commandement, and a morall dutie: And therefore the not keeping holy the Lords day, but polluting it, is (a finne, againft the fourth Comma ridemenc, and the breach of a mo- rall dutic, and therefore for this did the evills befall thofe, thatprophancd the day. But fbme will peradventure fay, that it was the propha- nation, and irreligious contempt of Gods ordinances ap- pointed upon this day by our Church, and the lawesofthe land ( (inncs highly provoking Gods wrath) which brought fuch evils upon them. It may be fb, for vaine and prophane enough are fuch perfbns , with whom the Lord is difpleafcd, who may adde one finne to another, to the prophaning of the day, an irro* ligious disregard of holy duties, with difbbedience to Au- thoritie i but this finne maketh not the other to be no caufc of the evills hapning to them, but ferveth rather the more to aggravate the other finne, and fb more fpeedily to hafteh their judgement. And tothis,fbme, it maybe, will adde an other caufe, to wit, the licentioufnefle of fuch,as have bin punifhed,fwar- ving from thole dirred ions & limitation prescribed to them. I will not deny this neither, for certaine it is, that almoft all the inftances which lately have beene given , are of thofe which have runnc out beyond their bounds in the Declaration : and no marveli for fuch as care not for Gods Command ements,will eafily tranfgrefTethe limits prescribed by man. But yet here is no difcord in the affign- ment of the caufe of their punifhment, the prophanation of the day :for in one and the fame action, where God is difbbeyed. Chriftian Sabbath. J 9 f dif-obeyed^e Church dif-regared, and authority neglc&cd; and for all this together the parties puniflhcd , yet the principal! cauft is the finnc againft God ; as in this caufe it is cleare enough. NevcrtheleiTe, feme cannot perad venture be fatisfied with all this, that it is Iawfullto apply thefe judgements to par- ticular perfbns, except certaine rules be obferved herein, fuch asthemftlves lay downe for guidance in the fame. Theft rules I will write downe, and then give anfwer to them as I may. The rules which I finde laid downe for this purpoft are thefe following. i Rule. We muft have either extraordinary revelation ofthepunifhmentsfor thefinne, of which now there is no expectation in the wife : or immediately by the word wee rnuft find thofe particular fins threatned with thoft particu- lar judgements, which we fee to be executed upon them. Sometime we finde in Scripture particular judgements threatned for fomc particular finnes, which fome have com- mitted, and bcencpunifhed for. But there be above a thou- fand finnes mentioned in Scripture, and five hundred of them without any particular threatning added. This rule is not alwayes obftrvable. Wee fee ftverall kindes of pu- nifhments inflicted for fbme particnlar finnes, which were not threatned before, to light upon the offenders. V^ziab for attempting to offer incenft, was fmittcn with an incu- blc Leprofie : 'Hadab and Abihu were burnt with fire from heaven for their finnc : tsliuinia* and Saphtra for their lying to the Holy Ghoft kild immediately in the placer Jeroboams arme withered for itretching it out againft the Prophet : A- ntaziakfor filencing a Prophet, given over to ftek his owne overthrow: Judas for betraying Chrift left to be hi s owne executioner: Herod eaten with wormes for hisfinne, yet none of theft particular judgements were threatned for theft particular finnes. What therefore though we have no threatning that God would punifh prophanefie on this day with fuch particular judgements as nave befallen them; mult we not think thoft evillstohavc happened to them for that finne? A finnc dc- B 6 2 ftrves l$6 A Treatife of the ferves punifliment,but what way and how God- will punifli, that hee referves to bimfelfc, and feldomc hath revealed it, though fometimes as we fee by T^athan to David, 2 Sam. 12* t i, 12. and by Mofes to the Ifraelites, againft Korah and bis company, T^umb.i^* 30. 2 Rule. That which we fuppofe to bepunifhed, muft bee truly, and indeed a finne, and not a point difputable, but re- creations on the Lords day, whether lawfully or unlawfull are difputable : arid therefore without unfurTerablean'ogancy we cannot apply the evils happening as judgements for fii*. Notruthisfoclcare, but by agitation, tiding, and exercife of wit, may become di-fputable. This might bee fhewed in many things evident enough j till they come into queftion. The morality of the fourth Commandcment was heretofore very manifeft,and the keeping holy the Sabbath day was of the morality, and the not- keeping holy the Sabbath day, but polluting it, was a finne. The Lord in the old Testament threatned to punifh, and did feverely punifh the breach of that Law ; and the fame^finne hee yet punifheth in fome, though not in all that prophane the Lords day,obferved of us Chrittians,as our ChriRian Sabbath,as hath been proved. Ifthcfe judgements come notfor the propha nation of the day,(as before I fhewed it hath been acknowledged) where- fore hath God fb long, and fo often laid his hand on ma- ny? If God be not provoked to anger, hee will doe us no hurt. Ier. 25. 5. Hee doth not willingly afflict nor greive us. Lam. 5. 33. Therefore when hee doth hurt, and af- flict thefe vaine, looted and licentious fort of perfbnson this day, what finne ( for they doe finne) evidenced by Gods handagainll them, what finne, I fay, may wee fuppofe it to bee, but their prophanefle ? and if the cafe bee fo doubtfull as fome would make it, yet whether is k not better to make this ufe ofthefejudgements,tofanclify the day with due re- verence, rather than in doubtfull cafe to take our pleafurable liberty ? for the rule is good, QhocL dnbitas, ncfeccris y for fb we are fure not to finne. 3 Rule. That wefind it by obfervation to have ever been, and continually, or for the mod part fo. What Chrijiian Sabbath* 197 What finne is there that may agree with this rule, that hath ever, and continually, or for the molt partfome judgement to fct it out by, and by which it may be dif- covered? For as an Oppofite in this our cafe,faith, are there notthoufands ( more is the pitty) that prcphane the Lords day in greater mcafure,than any of thofe in whom inftances have been made, which never felt any exemplary cvill ? S© may I fay of many other finnes, and finfull men wallowing in their fjlthinefle ; where finde we that ever and continu- ally, or forthemoft part, that vengeance furTersnot amur- therertolive? Have not many lived, and do not many live guilty of bloud ? hath ever,and continual ly,and for the moll part,thcdrunkard,theglutton,theadulterer,thecruell extor- tioner, and the like wicked ones, been made exemplary by judgements upon them, that any fhould expect ever , conti- nually , or for the moft part, judgements upon Sabbath breakers ? But it is a pretty cunning for men todevife rules out of their owne braincs 3 and lay them dow nc as Afaxtmes to try their Adverfariestenentsbyjand to reject them as not found, becaufe they agree not to their crooked rule. Yet concerning the matter in hand let me lay thus much, thefo frequent accidents as fbme call them in fo great varie- ty, and happening fb thick together in many placc^ may worke amazement, and do anfwere better to the rule, than what other finne with following judgements up- on the offenders may be produced : It' is faid,(and but foid,) that inch accidents fall out as frequently upon other dayes: Let them thatfo fay bepleafcd totakethepaincs to cbferve, and gather a Catalrgue,and prelent them to the vkw of the world to givefatisfa&iom 4. Rule. When the finner is taken in the very manner,th'c Lords hand may be oblerved therein, the finne co-operating with the judgement, either naturally, or morally. When the finne,and the judgement meet together, it is v6- ry eertain,that the judgement then points out the ftn,which is at that time committed ■, to be thecaufe of that punifh- ment. Whilft Vuzab was laying his hand upon the Arke, B b 3 he 198 Num.io.i.i* i. Sam. J. LKin.2a.48.49 2. Chr.10.37. J Treatise of the — he was ftruck dead, therefore the touching of the Arkc* was the caufe of the judgement : Nafab and tAbihu offered ftrangefire, and whileft they were offering , fire from hea- ven light upon them, therefore the offering Grange fire was the caufe why this fire from above was fcnt down upon them. Plagues fell upon the Philiftimes whilft they deteined the Ark therefore the withholding the Ark was the fin which made God foto plague them, and was not a Chance. Jeho- jbaphat joy nedhimfelfe with nsihaz,Uh to make (hips to go to Ofhir for gold, but were broken at Ez,ion- Cjchtr , which cafuall croffe befell him for that fin as appeareth by the ufe Jehojhapbat made of it afterwards , for he made not a tufli of it but refufed to joyne any more with Ahaz,iahs fervants: the Prophet alfo applycd that cafuall punishment to that fin. TheHoly Prophet did notlightly reckon of fuch a hand of God, but was taught by the Lord to obferve it, and to apply it to the particular finne. Many other inftances might be brought toconfirmethistructhifnecd were out of the Scrip- tures. Therefore this being a rulccertaine , then the hand of God may be observed againft our Sabbath-breakers ; for their prophanations did co-operate to the hurt of many, and to the death of fbmc : They were punifhed in their ades and deedes doing. It is not the questioning to make the mat- ter doubtfull, that can overthrow the rule laid, nor fickneffe, nor death happening when any are about a good thing ; for the good thing,co-opcrateth not with the ficknefTe,nor with the death following: preaching and praying procure not hurts, nor evils, and therefore cannot be produced fitly for this cafe, to take the fober minde off from obferving Gods punifhments upon fuch aswefpeakof in this difcourfe. It is a truth undeniable,that the true cftimation of things dependes not upon the events or accidents following it: for where the a£ls be apparantly good , the ill events and acci- dents concurring,cannot make the good to become evill, nor tobefo judged in any wife mans underftanding, nor the party afflicted to be judged ill of, in his good a&, by men charitably-minded. But on the contrary , if evill events,and ill accidents meet with ill deedes , there the offenders may without Chriftian Sabbath. 19*' without the breach ofCharitic, be judged to bccjuftJypu- niflied. And I ftppofc that cvill events and ill accidents, happening very often where a&s bedonc which be ill, in great probability, may probably witnefle Gods difpleafure againft fudi as fo doc cvill without prophanely making the Lord to bearcfalfe witnfle with us in fuch a caie. j. For the rule of retaliation, it is not applyable to our purpofe, and therefore I pafTc it by, as neither furthering, nor hindring the'eaufc in hand. Though upon the Lords day God may proceed againft prophane men by retaliation, as for inftance known to my felfe to be a truth : A lewd fel- low tall and ftrong, in a Market Town upon a Lords day drinking in an Alc-houfc with his fellow,they fell out about fprinkling of the Cup with an Orcnge-pill, and were lb inraged , as this bigge fellow wounded the other deadly , whereupon he fled into the Low-Countries ; a yeerc after thefelfefame day twelve- month on the Lordsday, in the fame Town returned he home; as fooncashc was come, one skilfull in fencing (but a little fellow) would goe and drink with him , and in drinking , they two quarrelled about the fprinkling of the Cup with an Orenge-pill, who could doc it beft ; but when the little fellow ftood upon his skill, the other faid, that if heedtirft fay he could fprinkle it either better, or as well as hee, hec he would fight with him, the other apt enough thereto they agreed , fourthwith into the field they wen: taking their fvvords; the little fellow after a few bouts, rannc the other quit thorough , who being tail, clofed with kin*, and ftuck his fwordin the little fellowes back, and broke it, whilft the fword was in his owne body, and then fell down and dyed in the place, the other went back into the Town, but dyed alfb that day. 6 Rule, The conference of the finner is many times a good direcler to point out to ui that curfed thing : If fo , then whatfhall we fay in this cafe? for divers Prophaners of the Lords day , have upon their hurts felt withall the accufation of confeience, and acknowledged, that thofe harmes befell thena fordoing fiich things as they did on the Lords 2CO J Treatifeoftht Lords day. Some dying bewailed their finnes, others li- ving made good ufe thereof, and herein reformed them- Celvcs , of which examples may bee brought to make this good. From all this which hath been delivered , it may appeare I hope that it is not rafh preemption, nor any vaine, and prophane obfervation, to take notice with reverence of the immediate, the mediate, and cafuall judgements which happen upon the Lords day , for the better ftirring of us up to the fan&ifi cation of the whole day, with readineiTe of will , to the honour of our Lord Jefiis , fo it be without fuperltition , and hypocrifie; which fuch as undcrftan- dingly know to obfervc the day aright, are farre from both in their intention and practice. — ' CHAP. XXVIII. Of the fcrioHS fonder ation afthefe things* Hriftian Reader, that loyeft thine ownefoule, lay afide all prejudice in the caufe , labour for felfe- deniall , and be in love with the truth : Behold the Primitive times , weigh the records of our Church, the care of Emperours,and Kings, take notice of the Decrees of Councells, and Synods, the judgement of the learned in the Church, both the Ancient and Modernc , the many to the few of a contrary rninde , and lay to heart thefc feverall kinds of Gods judgemcnts,by all which we may fee, what God, and all good men, would have us to doe, and what to avoid on this day without any Judaizing at all; For we doe not put, as the Jewes'didjholinefFeintheday, as holy in itlelfe, bat as a day fet apart by divine authority, for holy duties : Nor doe we make our reft holy, but in the ufc of it requifiteto holy performances of the facred duties of the day : for without celTation from our own profits and pleafures, we cannot apply our felves to Divine Services; and therefore it being both as a meanesto take us off, from the hinderanecs of holy duties, as alio a furtherance to Chriftian Sabbath. 221 to the exercifes of holinefle, which on this' day arc pubJick- : Iy and privately to be performed, we prefTc the keeping of a Reft .'Ifwebe wellunderftood,Ifuppofe none would fay, wee did Judaize, nor call us by the new reproachful! name of Sabbatarian? xi we hold no more for restraint, than holy men have done in former ages. Doctor Heylin doth tell us that the fifth and iixth Genturie were fully bent to give the Lords day all' fit honour , not only in prohibiting all unlawfull plcafures, but in (commanding a forbearance of fome lawfu II bu fin efles, fitch as they found to be ■mafV hinderance to religious duties. S, Augustine long before, aklowed on- the Lordsday no w r andring about woods, and 'fields, with noyfe and clamours, no telling of tales, no playing at dice, nor dancing on this day : yea, he findes jfault,that. whilft they reited from a good work, the work of their calling, they relied not from vaine and drifting ^orks, as if (faith he) one time of the day were fet apart to the Service of God ,-and the^eft of the day andthcnight,to their owne pleafurcs. Termlltan, before him tclleth us, how hoiily the Sabbath was kept after the breaking up of ,the Congregation, as-beforehath becnedelivered. And it is worthy to be marked out of Doctor Hejlw,though he make mention of recreations, cap. 3 ./-*£. 8 4. <£* cap. ^pag. 123. in his Hiftorie of the Sabbath ; yet hath he not produced any one teftimonie of any one Father for the now conceit of Chriftianlibertie concerning recreations, of which he faith , after dinner until Evening Prayer,and after Evening Prayer untill the time of Supper, there isnoqueftion to be made, [ but all were pra&hed, which were not prohibited : But had there beene proofes , bee fur el y would have produced one Father or other for them. But come we now to our Oppo- fites, and fee what they fay for" us without Judaizing,and infteedofall the reft, I take only here the learned,Bifhop White y who faith thus , fo farre forth as fecular labour, and paftime,or recreation, are impediments to facred and religi- ous duties publick or private to bee performed upon holy dayes, they are to be avoided, and abftinencc from them muft bcufed according to the equitie of divine law, and the Cc precept In Stwi'dt See before Mx.zrcrewood. Pag, 161. tzt.xil* 222 OkjeU. ■«** ■■ * * ' A Treatise of the precept of the Church , othcrwife they arc facrilegious (ci- ting QriM for his purpofc ) becaufc they are meancs to robbe God of his honour, and to hinder the fpirituaJl edifi- cation of Chriftian people ^ and becaufc abftinence from la- bour , and from recreation upon the holy day is fubfcrvicnt to the exercife of religious duties ; and on the contrary, fc- cular labour, andpaftimeare impediments thereunto , and if they be a&ed at fuch times , as the precept of God, and the Church prohibite, they are prophanations of Gods holy day :Thc fame learned Father in another place in his book againft Braborn , faith, that becaufe the Lords day, and other holy dayes are devoted to the Service of God, and ap- pointed to the exercife of religious and fpirituallduties;Chri- ftian people are to pcrferrc their religious offices of thofe dayes before their word Jy picafures>, and profit, and the more obfervant they arc hereof, the more they pleafeGod, if other actions of their life, be fiitable to their devotions? yea, he fakh further ( and fb much as we may fay , and no more) that devout Chriftians , who arc fb pioufly afFcclfcd, as that upon the Lords day , and other holy dayes , they dga rcfblvetofequeftcr, and retire thcmfclvcs from feailai bm-- fineffes, and ordinary pleafures and delights, to the cud they may more freely attend the fervice of (Thrift, and apply their mindes to fpiricuali and heavenly mcditations,are to be commended , and encourged : For the doing thereof, is a work of grace , and godlineffe pleafing a>nd' acceptable to God : for which he quoteth , fit. 3. 2. Jvh+ 6* 17 •■ Let none fay, that flefh and blood cannot apply it felfefoholily, an whole day together : for, firft, flefn and blood fhall not inherit the kingdome of heaven, 1 Car. 15. 50. Secondly, we muft ftrive to doe by grace, what wee cannot doe by nature, clfc we fliall never doc at any time true fervice to God , ac- cording to any of his Commandemcnts. Thirdly, God muft not loofe his right of fervice from us, becaufc we have pro- cured to our fclves wretched natures, fbonc weary of all fpi- rituall duties. Fourthly, lazie ftrvants can hardly undergoc any labour, muchlertctoholdoutaday, yet the awe they bcareto their earthly Matters: makcth them to doc it : fo fliould Chrifiian Sabbath. ftiouldGods fcaremove us to this. Fifthly, Imperfe&ion* through corruption of nature arc one thing, for they bee in thebcrt; buttonourifh them, and willingly to yeeld unto them, is another i I cannot doe what I ought by. nature, will I therefore not endearour to doe what 1 fliould doe by grace ? God forbid. Sixthly and laftly, let me ask any pious heart, any confcionable Chrifiian, why fliould men be more indulgent to weak nature, ycelding to flefti and blood, in and about the fourth CommandeHicut, for keep- ing of a day whoLIy to him, than in and about our whole fervice and obedience to any of the other nine? SceingGod hath made his difpleafure fo remarkable in many judgements againft Sabbath-breakers, both aforetime under the Law, and now fince under the Gofpel. Let raeagaine ask, is there any true Chriftian and lover of Jefus, but will out of confcionable and mature delibera- tion approve of fuch a pious and heavenly obfervation of the day ,as thebefore mentioned reverend father fpeaketh of, yea and count them moft happy that could delight themfelves in fo heavenly a manner, for the only honour and glory of Chrift? If fo, then let me once more be bold here to ask? Firft, why are any derided, mocked, and abufed with the oppro- brious name of Sabbatarians, who feek thus to extoll and magnific the Lord of life without Jewifti fuperftition ? Se- condly, why fliould any bee offended with the endeavour in any to keep ftriclly the day, though they cannot attaine to the perfection of it? feeing it is not reprehenfible; no Scripture againft it,no Fathers reproving it,no Counceli con- demning it, nor any holy men cenfuring it, as Judaizing in any agc,fince the glorious Afcenfion of J cfus Chrift ? Third- ly, why may not men bee taught thus to doe ? why may they not be exhorted to put to their beft endeavoures to at- taine unto it in the beft manner they can, fo it be without fuperftition and putting any holinefle in the day itfelfe? Fourthly, why fliould wee not on this day, one day in the wek, give Chrift all the glory we can pcffibly , in our love to him, and moil foJemnely fhew it forth to the further C c i graccing * 2 3 224 Sec Matter Benham hi j So- ciety of Saints pag. 1 60. 176. his religious and large d f- courfe about fports and re- creations. 1 Pet. 4 . 3. A Treatise of the gracing and magnifying of his name? If any be defirous to anfwenhefe queftions, let them firft turne their thoughts to Ghritt, and hearken then what conference will fay, and thereafter make their anfwer* CHAP. XXIX. Concerning fports, unlawfult at all times, much more on the Lords day ; and whj (ports {onfall at other times, are on this Aaj to be forborne pv/th fome objections made, and answers to the fame. Oncer ning fports, games, and paflimes, icis agreed upon, that they are not all of one fort .-Therefore Jet us confider whatthofe be which are to be for- borne on the Lords clay. 1 AJJ finfull vanities,' which bee unlawful! by Gods word, as fool ifh talking, andjeafting, £ph. 5.4. Idle wouis, Ulfat. 12. 3<5- corrupt communication, Eph. 4. 29. toying wantonnerTe, Rom. 1 3 . ! :>. Compotations, exceffe of wine, or ftrong drink, lafcivicuineiTe, either in words, fongs, ge- fture, or aclioi, banqucttings, i^Pet.^ .3. Rcvellings rec- koned among the Mnnes of the flcili, which fccludc from heaven, CjaL 5. 20. andpraitifedamongft theHeathen,and condemned by S. 'Peter, asHeathenifb, with other fins ac- companyirg it, 1 Pet. 4. 3. Ryoting, Rom. 15. 13. Thefe lc condemned by God himfelfe, none may ufe at any time, and much lc(Te on the Lords day, or any holy day .- And yet if our paftime-followers bee with-heid from all thefe, their rudefporting would be no delight to them : For the common Rufiicksdoe horribly defile thcmfelves with thefe things, as the fruits declare in their drunkennefTe, fighting, quarrel- ling, ba (lard -breeding, and the like, hefides murthers com- mitted fbmetimes. 2 All fports, games, paftimes, and pleafures, which bee made unla wfull by the Lawes of our Land, and Canons of our Chrifiiait Sabbath. 22 our Church, are not to beufed at other times,thcnnoton the Lords day, by the rude vulgars and common multitude, who are prohibited, firft all Beare-baiting, Bull-baiting, Interludes, common Playes, Bowling, Diceing, Carding, Tables, Coits, Cailes, Luggcts, Shove-groat, Foot-ball, Fencing, and all meetings out of their ownc parifhes on the Lords day, for any {ports or paftimes whatfoeyer. Secondly, All fuch fpons and pleafures as cannot be done, but by fuch perfons as are prohibited to wander abroad, and by the Law judged to be vagabonds, and wandering rogues: fuch bee Jugglers, Fortune-tellers, Fencers, Gipfies, Players, Pipers, Harpers, and wandering Minftrcls, Players upon Tabors, and Timbrels, Souldiers toiling the pike, going as wanderers to get money on this day. Thirdly, all plea (tires in prohibi- ted places, as Gaming-houses, Bowling-alleys, and Tip- ling-houfes. Fourthly, all fports whatfoeverin the Church or Church-yard forbidden by the Canonsof our Church in thofe places ; and here, methinks, the reafon is good, if fports and playes pollute an holy place, then fports and paitimes pollute an holy time. 3 All fports, games, playes, paftimes, and pleafures,as have been condemned by the confent of ancient Fathers, Im- per;aJlCcnfiituticns,edicl$ of picusKings,by the learned Fa- thers, and Divines in K • ouncellsand Synods,and many grave and worthy CJerksjProtcitafH^andPipift 5 , have fpoken a- gaimt it, in honour and due reverence to their perfons , and learned judgements, wc fnould forbeare on the Lords day : For that in other things they are much iegardcd,their judge- ments are approved, andjtheir authorities alleadged. And may it notfeemreafonable unto us in this thing, which men acknowledge to be only matter of recreation, to condiicend unto them Pcfpeciallyconfideringthat no ancient Father,no Councell, no Synod, can be produced for allowance of iport?,games,playes,andpa(timcsto beufed upon thcLords day: nor can beexerclfcdonrhis our Lords day within the bounds of the Apoftolicall rules , made by the holy directi- on of Gods fpirit, for the ufe, and pra&ife of indifferent things which may not be done to greive another uncharita- C c 3 bly. 431 2l6 iCor.g.n. A Treatife of the My, Rom. i 4. 1 5. nor whereby another may ftumblc,be of- fended, or made weak , verfe 21. 1 £V. g. 1 ?. For we muft give no offence, 1 Cor. to. 32. nor muft we look what /imply initfelfeis lawfull, but what is convenient, or expe- dient, or profitable, 1 Cor. tf.12.and 10.23. and thatthe fame be to the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Thcfe rules arc holy and hea venly,and bindc the Conscience though up- on conceitc of Chriftian liberty, few make confeience of ob- fervingthem, when yet notwithftanding , the Chriftian li- berty which iome talke of, if it be not rather licentious loofeneiTc, is either reftrained within the limits of theferules ; Of which the Apoftle Saint Taul made great Confeience; but many in thefedayes make a very jeaft andmockcof, as too precifc a incitie, and a loife of Liberty. What the (ports, games,paftimes and pleafures be, which the Fathers have de- claimed againft what the edicts of Kings and Empcrours have difanulled, what Councells and Synods have decreed againft , and what Learned and Godly men have both writ- ten and fpoken againft, have been before fet downeyto which I adde here C onc *^ Hm t^ntiftodorenfe in Anno. 614.* a thoufand yeares fince,at which were 45 Eifliops and others of the Clergic,Iearned men, who did forbid, and expell pub- lick dancing of women : Synodns Turonenjis in Anno. 1583. prohibited on the Lords day, rioting, publick Feafts, Galli- ards, Dancing,Clamours,MoricesHunting, Hawking, to fervcwineorvi&ualls in Innes,or victualling houfcs,to any but ftrangers, the playing of prizes, Comedies , Tragedies, and other fpe£tacles. In France, in theraigneof Charles the ninth,and Henry the third, all dancing was prohibited un- der paine of imprifbnment : For what doth dancing produce in the rude vulgars,but lafcivious wantonnciTe,and the fruit, thebegctingof baft ards, and fometime thereupon hath en- dued unnaturallmurthers by Mothers, thereby thinking to hide the former fin : Of which there be too many examples, and of which one inftance before of one gotten with child on the Lords day at night, after dancing. 4 All (ports may well be judged to be forborne on the Lords day, which God hath by his hand fhewed his diiplea- fure Cbrifiian Sabbath. fureagainft,upon the a&orson this day : for the reverence we owe to God, in beholding his handy work by which he lefTonsus,andgivcthusinftru6tion;if it be not to obfervc the day better, to what then ? if we (hall make tUis ule of ic Jamfurewcdoe not offend. Thus we fee what fports are oa this day to be laid afide ; And if fo, I hope wcD,the day will be better employed of many . Let it not be offenfiveto any that I propound thefc Rca- fons to their pious confederations to leave their paftimes this day, i The Scripture forbiding the doing ofour ownc waies, finding our owne pleafiires,and fpeakingof our owne words Efay. 58. 1 3. By ouiwne he doth meane what we do plea fe to doc, or fpeake without warrant from him , of our owne heades, fiom our owne worldly or carnall defires, for all this is properly our owne; But if we doe what God com- mandes, and what he warrants us, that is not properly our owne, but Gods : For in the former wedoefervc our {chc$ y andareourown :in this wefervcGod , and are his- This fcripeure is the only place in holy writt which tcacheth us how to keep a S abbath ipirkuall unto God, by teaching firft what to avoide^nd then what we fhould be taken up with, on this day (to mtj with an honourable eftecme of the day, in confidering whole day it is,Gods holy day; then what de- light we take in it y as a Sabbath day, and count it honour- able, and Co doe him honour, fhewing that we delight our fclves in the Lord, verfi 14. This text fpeaketh ftrft, of no- thing proper to the Jewes, but what is common to us, in keeping our Chriitian Sabbath with them. And therefore the Prophet doth mention onely the Sabbath day and not their feventh day. Now Chrift is ftiil Lord of the Sabbath, (JPfatt.12, 2. Here is nothing fpoken but what isdurable for ever,in keeping an holy day to the Lord : which is,Firft, That the day be held an holy day. Secondly, Thatitbeof theLord. Thirdly, That it be a reft day. Fourthly, That we delight in it and eftecme it honourable. Fifthly, That on this day we honour him, not dGing what we pleafe,but for- faking our felvcs , do what he would have us to doe , and fo 227 Heb.'4. 10. 7uwcreadin Exod, 32* 6. r8» if • of eating, drinking, and rifinguptoplay,finging,and dancing; but it was upon a day made for the fcrvice of the golden Calfe, and honour thereof, but condemned by S. ?«/ 1 Ctr.i o. 7* and greivoufly punifhed by the command of€xod. 32. 2S. wealfbrcad (but when there was no King inlfrael, and when every one did that which fcemed good in his owne eyes ) that the daughters of Shil** on a Fcftrvall day of the Lord, came out in dances, Quod erat, faith Peter Martyr on this place, 2)/V Feft* abuti : Neither doc wee read, that it was a mixt dancing of men and women together, as our dances Chriflian Sabbath. dances pleaded for commonly be, contrary Co all the in- fiances in holy writ. We may alfo hcare what that itarned Bifhop White telleth us, how the Rabbinf out of the Tdhuul affirme, that it was permitted yong peopjk %Q re- create and fport themfclvcs uponfome part of the -Sabbath, with running, leaping, or dancing, provided that it bee in honour of the Sabbath : Note this well, then not for raeerc corporall recreation, as our youths ufe their fports. But what credit can be given to tbcfc late Rabbins ? For it is well knownc,thartheJewesin the time of the Fathers, be- came prophaners of their Sabbaths,by rcveUing,and thelikc, as Jqarned Doctor Trideaux witneffcth ; and therefore their example not to be imitated or regarded. 8 Ncedleflcly to doe on the Lords day, what may (if but propably ) hazard finning, and Co the provoking of God to anger,is a great preemption that the hearts ofiuch are not pofiefled with that holy feare, which maketh men ever jea- lous of their doings, left peradventure they fhould at any time offend God. Butforfuchtofporton thcl^ordsday, as have vigour,ftrength,and hcalth,to exprcfle the bodies a«fti- vity in their pleafurable delights (for of fuch the controver- fie only is) it is necdlefTe, whether you refpeel their bodies, or their mindes, and ipirits. And therefore ofiuch are fports to bee forborne this day. i They tre not needful for the body : If the body hath loft any ftrength by weekly labour, ftirring fports, and paftimes which are commonly performed with violent mo- tion, cannot repaire the loft ftrength. Firft, they arc not 1 the ordinary meanes appointed by God for recovery thereof, but whoifome food,quict reft, moderate ileep,good phyfick, and the like, as the caufi (Kail require. Secondly, iports, I and paftimes are commonly (b violently puriued, as mens bodies grow thereby the more weary, and (bin ftead of re- J pay ring, decay their ftrength. Thirdly, for ordinary and common refreshment, for the reviving of the body to returnc with more lightfomcncflc and alacrity to work, God hath given the painfull labourer reft and fleepin the night,for eve- ry dayes labour a nights reft, for fix dayes, fix nights, as ki D d 2 his ?3* Pjge rj8. •£« 2 3 2 J Treatifevftht i Thcff.j, his wifdome he thought fit, and fufficient, according to that in the TfaL 104. 22. 23. Man works on the day, and reft atEvening. But now for bodily ftrength, if weakned by la- bour in the weeke before, to refrcfh it for the weeke follow- ing, a man hath firft the Saturday night, then the whole Sunday from fcrvile labour, and laftly Sunday night, two nights and a day for corporall reft, fo that to an healthy body apt for labour recreations,fports,and paftimes this day arc necdle(Tc,for if every nights reft in the week day can by Godsbleffing preferve ft rength,rccover the decay of it , and make it apt for new labour, then much more two nights and a day, if we pray for a blefling thereon. Fourchly, The pcr- ibns addicted to fporting may be reduced to three (brts,either tainduftrioufly-painfull,ortoflack«-handed,idleand lazy in worke,or to the holy day perfbns,fueh as either have little ca nothing to doe, living idlely like Droanes in an Hive upon the fweat of other mensbrows,inordinate livers not worthy to eat : Thefc la ft neede no recreations but rather a whip for 1 correction. Thefecond fort are cither rich mens children, (not wearied with worke whofe labour is rather a loytering then painfull diligence ) or flouthfull fervants ; (ports , and paftimes to thefctwo rather increase in them idleneffc than a will to work, for thefe commonly are they which follow moft after fports : And experience telleth us, that fuch as moft love pkafurc, are the 1c aft takers of pains^thegreateft Loy- terers, and the lazieft work-men, and labourers. The third fort which gft hardly their living with the fweat of their brows^poore men, and their poore children, crave qui- et reft, and nor painefull pafiime. For fports arc often perfor- med with greater labour of thfe body then the work of a mans vocation. Reft is beft forthefe, and (porting, and paftime needleffc in reipec't of their bodies. 2 They are not ^eedfull for the minde and fpirit : For what good can fports, gameing, and paftime, afford man in this refpeel on this day, after he hath been in Gods houfc ? Can they fharpen his defire to returne more chearefully to delight in holy duties ? It is impoffible, and the clean con- trary is found by experience in fuch as turnethe Sabbaths _____ holy Chrijiian Sabbath. holy reft, and their time, which fhould be for meditation, into pleaiureable recreations. They cannot this day fet an edge on, nor fharpen thefpi- rit to make the body more vivacious,chearfuiJ, and lively to eoe about a mans calling^rade, art or profeflion, in the week following. x Sports and paflimes on one day have mo fuch vi- gour and force to hold up the sjtrits for an after dayes worke. It is the nights reft,and not the /porting on the Lords day, that doth it. 2 They are not feafonable recreations on this day , to quicken the fpirits by them: For feafonable recreations is in labouring time, and is to be intermixt betweene labour, and labour, for to refrefh the wearinelTe of the fpirits , to rcturne fpeedily againe to labour. Recreation is, or fhould be ,. as a baite to a Traveller, a bit, and away , as a wheting to a Mowers lithe to cut afrefti , or as an houres fleepe in the day time, fliort and fweet,to a wearied man, that mud hold to his work : But the Lords day is not the time of Labour, but of reft : There is a reft a night before, there is a reft on the day, and the nights reft following : What needs then recreation in the time of Co much reft, when recreation hath ever relation to labour, and not to cafe. 3 There k no ctufc of the dulling and blunting of the fpirits on this day, that there fhould need fports, and paft imes for recreation : For if the fpirits bewearyedihis day, it is one of thefewaics following. i Either with bcdiJy labour about worldly bufineiTe, which ought not to be done, which rather men flieuld with tears bewaile, then leaving labour to runnc to fports for re- creation. 2 Orn?/>/>^reftofthebcdy in doing nothing, but ei- ther ftandingidlely, fit chatting, or lying afleep like beafts, and fo become drowzic,or lazie. Becaufe moM per ions ignorant of the heavenly u(c of an holy reft, know not how to beftow the time , but either about the world,or about plcafures,whenthcy arc out of the D d 3 Church 2 34 Neh.8.i2. A Treatife of the Church. But the well inftru&ed know how to fpend it bet- ter, and if flouthfulldrowfineffefliould take hold on them, they know how to ltirre their bodies by walking, and in ^walking to meditateon Chrift and his benefits aione , or to have fome to conferre with, or to goe elfc aJone to prayer,or having a family to inftrudt them,and fo ftiake of their floutb, and not by gaming, fporting, and playing. g Or elfe the fpirits are dull by going to the Church, aud there continuing for the time : If thi s be alledged ; i I aske, how long are fiich pcrfbns in the whole dayes (pace at the Church ? In fome Parifhes (and too many of them) one houre in the forenoone , and lefTc in the after- noone, or an houre and halfe in the forenoone, andasmuch in the afternoone, and grant to the utmoft in the whole day, three houres and a halfe, or fourc houres, and that alfo at divided times, with a long paufc betwecne , perhaps of three or fourc houres. Can foure houres in and about Chrifts Service and Worftiip,in twenty foure, dull and weaken the fpirits of any, which carry the name of Chriftians, and have any life of faving grace in them? 2 I aske againe of thefe lovers of pleafures , firit, whether they come fbone to Church,and are at the begin- ning, and fo abide to the end? Secondly, while they ft ay there, doe they not deep ? or doe they not (it idlely gazing about ? or are they not carryed away with many by- thoughts ? If (b, as too true, can they then plead the dulling of their fpirits by fo ftaying finfully in the Congregation, drawing neare with their bodies, but in fbule and heart be farre from God ? 3 I aske them , arc they indeed devout Worshippers, and attentive heaters? and doe they fb undcrftand thera- feJves, that they know what they have beene doing, what they have'reaped thereby ? then furely they cannot depart away dull in /pirit, but bee glad of that they have heard , glorifying the word of the Lord, and fb depart a way with joy, becaufc they have underftood the words declared to them. Neither is it poffible, that they fhould be fo poffefTed with fuch prophane dotage and folly, that they fhould think Chrifiian Sabbath. think (if they found any dulneffe in hearing) that /porting and playing, gaming , and paftime, to be the meanes to re- move fuch fpiricuall dulneffe, and to recover their fpirits to a more chearful] and quicker attendance to Gods word* with joyfulneffeof minde and heart in { the ufe of Gods or- dinance ? So to think is both without religion , and alfb void of very reafbn it Celfe. Therefore from hence, and from the fubftance of all that hath bcene faid, I conclude, that on this day, (ports, games, and paftimes, are ncedleflc , and to be forborne. And here I end, praying thus for my felfe and others. Oh Lord have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep thy Law; And this ourfacred dayjo the ho- nour of thy Sonne our Lord Jefus Chrifl \: And from Judaiz,ing and Pagani- z>ing; And from all prophanejfe good Lord de~ liver hs. John 7. 17. If any man will doe his will y hee jhall know of theDoHrine whether it be of God, or no. 2 35 Finis hujus Operis. SI WF* %*-\ ■ •l. v