saturday, january 7. 1659. ordered by the parliament, that all mayors and justices of the peace, and all other officers and ministers, ... england and wales. parliament. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a82961 of text r211447 in the english short title catalog (thomason 669.f.22[60]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 1 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a82961 wing e1738 thomason 669.f.22[60] estc r211447 99870172 99870172 163642 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a82961) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 163642) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 247:669f22[60]) saturday, january 7. 1659. ordered by the parliament, that all mayors and justices of the peace, and all other officers and ministers, ... england and wales. parliament. 1 sheet ([1] p.) printed by john streater, and john macock, printers to the parliament, london : 1659. [i.e. 1660] title from caption and first lines of text. an order of parliament for the due and strict observation of the lord's day. annotation on thomason copy: "jan. 9". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng sunday legislation -england -early works to 1800. a82961 r211447 (thomason 669.f.22[60]). civilwar no saturday, january 7. 1659. ordered by the parliament, that all mayors and justices of the peace, and all other officers and ministers, ... england and wales. parliament. 1659 106 3 0 0 0 0 0 283 f the rate of 283 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2007-10 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-10 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-11 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2007-11 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion blazon or coat of arms incorporating the commonwealth flag (1649-1651) saturday , january 7 ▪ 1659. ordered by the parliament , that all mayors ▪ iustices of the peace , and all other officers and ministers , whom it doth or may concern ▪ be , and are hereby required and enjoyned to see , that all acts and laws , for the due and strict observation of the lords day be put in effectual execution . ordered , that this vote be forthwith printed and published . thomas st nicholas , clerk of the parliament . london , printed by john streater , and john macock , printers to the parliament , 1659. die martis, 23 martii, 1646. an order of the lords and commons assembled in parliament, for putting in due execution the laws and ordinances for observing the lords-day, and publique fast days, and for preventing of disorders and tumults on those days. england and wales. parliament. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a82937 of text r212323 in the english short title catalog (thomason 669.f.9[83]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 3 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a82937 wing e1708 thomason 669.f.9[83] estc r212323 99870955 99870955 161181 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a82937) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 161181) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 245:669f9[83]) die martis, 23 martii, 1646. an order of the lords and commons assembled in parliament, for putting in due execution the laws and ordinances for observing the lords-day, and publique fast days, and for preventing of disorders and tumults on those days. england and wales. parliament. 1 sheet ([1] p.) printed for edward husband, printer to the honorable house of commons, london : march 24. 1646. [i.e. 1647] signed: io:brown, cleric. parliamentorum., h:elsynge, cler. parl. d. com. order to print signed by elsynge alone. with engraved border. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng fasts and feasts -england -early works to 1800. sunday -early works to 1800. great britain -history -civil war, 1642-1649 -early works to 1800. a82937 r212323 (thomason 669.f.9[83]). civilwar no die martis, 23 martii, 1646. an order of the lords and commons assembled in parliament, for putting in due execution the laws and ordinances england and wales. parliament. 1646 390 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-10 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-10 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-11 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-11 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion die martis , 23 martii , 1646. an order of the lords and commons assembled in parliament , for putting in due execution the laws and ordinances for observing the lords-day , and publique fast days , and for preventing of disorders and tumults on those days . upon information of the great disorders and tumults committed in moor-fields the last lords-day ( being the lords-day ) by divers loose irreligious people in disorderly ale-houses , it is ordered by the lords and commons assembled in parliament , that the lord major , iustices of the peace , and other officers of the city of london and liberties thereof ; and the sheriffs of london and middlesex , the iustices of peace and officers of the county of middlesex and westminster , and the liberties ; the iustices of peace of surrey , and the borough of southwark , be hereby enjoyned to take especial care , that the laws and ordinances for the due observing of the lords-day , and the publique fast days , be observed , and put in strict execution ; and that they do suppress all unnecessary alehouses , & all alehouses where any disorders shal be committed . and the lords and commons in parliament assembled do declare , that they will take notice of all iustices of peace , or other officers , as shall not with diligence perform their duties in putting in due execution the laws and ordinances for the observing of the lords-day , and the publique fast days . it is further ordered , that this order be forthwith printed , and published the next lords-day by the several ministers in london , westminster , and lines of communication , and at the next quarter sessions in london and middlesex , and in the borough of southwark , and at the next assizes in the county of surrey . io: brown , cleric . parliamentorum . h : elsynge , cler. parl. d. com. die martis , 23 martii , 1646. ordered by the commons assembled in parliament , that this order be forthwith printed and published . h : elsynge , cler. parl. d. com. london , printed for edward husband , printer to the honorable house of commons . march 24. 1646. by the mayor. to the aldermen of the ward of [blank] forasmuch as the lords day, commonly called sunday, is of late much broken and prophaned, by a disorderly sort of people, in frequenting tavernes, alehouses, and the like, ... city of london (england). lord mayor. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a88467 of text r211998 in the english short title catalog (thomason 669.f.7[54]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 3 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a88467 wing l2878e thomason 669.f.7[54] estc r211998 99870657 99870657 161035 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a88467) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 161035) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 245:669f7[54]) by the mayor. to the aldermen of the ward of [blank] forasmuch as the lords day, commonly called sunday, is of late much broken and prophaned, by a disorderly sort of people, in frequenting tavernes, alehouses, and the like, ... city of london (england). lord mayor. wollaston, john, sir. 1 sheet ([1] p.) printed by richard cotes, printer to the honourable city of london, [london] : [1643] title from caption and first lines of text. the form of an order by the mayor of london to the several wards, for the due observance of the lord's day. dated at end: this second of november, 1643. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng sunday -early works to 1800. london (england) -history -17th century -early works to 1800. a88467 r211998 (thomason 669.f.7[54]). civilwar no by the mayor. to the aldermen of the ward of [blank] forasmuch as the lords day, commonly called sunday, is of late much broken and prophane city of london 1643 495 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-08 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-09 elspeth healey sampled and proofread 2007-09 elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion by the mayor . to the alderman of the ward of forasmuch as the lords day , commonly called sunday , is of late much broken and prophaned , by a disorderly sort of people , in frequenting tavernes , alehouses , and the like , and in carrying and putting to sale victuall , and other things , and exercising unlawfull games and pastimes , to the great dishonour of god , and reproach of religion . these are therefore to will and require you , in his maiesties name , forthwith upon sight hereof , to give strict charge and command unto all and every the church-wardens and constables within your ward , that from henceforth they doe not permit or suffer any person or persons , in the time of divine service , or at any time upon the lords day , to be tipling in any taverne , inne , tobaccoshop , alehouse , or other victualling house whatsoever , nor suffer any fruiterers , or herb-women , to stand with fruite , herbes , or other victuall or wares , in any streetes , lanes , or allies , within your ward , or any other wayes , to put those or any other things to sale on that day , at any time of the day , or in the evening thereof , or any milkewomen to cry milke on that day , in any the streetes , or places aforesaid , nor to permit or suffer any person or persons to use or exercise upon that day their labour in unlading any vessels of fruite , or other goods , and carrying goods on shore , or in the streetes , or to doe any unlawfull exercises and pastimes , within your ward , and that expresse charge be given to every keeper of any taverne , inne , cookes-shop , tobacco house , alehouse , or any other tipler or victualler whatsoever within your ward , that hereafter they receive not or suffer to remaine any person or persons whatsoever as their guests or customers , to tipple , eate , drinke , or take tobacco in their houses upon the lords day , other then that inholders may receive their ordinary guests , or travellers and such like , who come to remaine for a time in their inne , for dispatch of their necessary businesse . and if any person or persons , shall bee found offending in the premises , that then they bee brought before me the lord mayor , or some other of his maiesties iustices of the peace , to the end they may receive such punishment as to iustice shall appertaine . and hereof not to faile , as you will answer the contrary at your perill . this second of november , 1643. michel . printed by richard cotes , printer to the honourable city of london . by the mayor. whereas the lords day, (commonly called sunday) is of late much broken and prophaned by diverse disorderly people, in carrying and putting to sale diverse victuals and other things: ... city of london (england). lord mayor. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a88466 of text r211716 in the english short title catalog (thomason 669.f.7[22]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 4 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a88466 wing l2878d thomason 669.f.7[22] estc r211716 99870422 99870422 161004 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a88466) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 161004) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 245:669f7[22]) by the mayor. whereas the lords day, (commonly called sunday) is of late much broken and prophaned by diverse disorderly people, in carrying and putting to sale diverse victuals and other things: ... city of london (england). lord mayor. penington, isaac, sir, 1587?-1660. 1 sheet ([1] p.) s.n., [london : 1643] title from caption and first lines of text. a proclamation from sir isaac penington, lord mayor of london, regulating the sale of milk on sunday. imprint from wing. dated and signed at end: given under my hand this nineteenth day of june, anno dom. 1643. and in the nineteenth yeare of the reigne of our sovereigne lord king charles, of england &c. isaac pennington mayor. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng sunday -england -17th century -early works to 1800. london (england) -history -17th century. a88466 r211716 (thomason 669.f.7[22]). civilwar no by the mayor. whereas the lords day, (commonly called sunday) is of late much broken and prophaned by diverse disorderly people, in carrying city of london 1643 675 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-08 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-09 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-09 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion blazon or coat of arms by the mayor . whereas the lords day , ( commonly called sunday ) is of late much broken and prophaned by diverse disorderly people , in carrying and putting to sale diverse victuals and other things : yet in regard of the inevitable necessity of milke for many infants , sicke , aged , and many medicines , as well on the lords day as in the weeke dayes , without which they cannot subsist ; by reason whereof , the sale of milke on that day cannot be avoided . and whereas the milkewomen in the city of london , and places adjacent , have most earnestly petitioned , that order might be taken aswell about the sale of milke on the said dayes , that they might neverthelesse injoy the ordinances of god , and sanctifie the sabbath in obedience to the commands of god , and the pious lawes of the kingdome in that behalfe made . as also to prevent the great abuse and fraud which is used by divers single persons using the said calling , give great prices for their milke to the milke-masters , ( those of the said calling ( which have families to maintaine , and many parish , and church duties to pay ) not being able to give the like ) and to make up their money againe in retailing their milke , doe usually deceive the common wealth , in selling by false measures , and vending flatten milke for new : it is therefore ordered , that all and every person using the said calling of milke-selling , and which are house keepers within the city of london and places adjacent , may repaire to the houses of their customers , and serve them only in the morning of every lords day with milke , they not exceeding the houres of eight of the clocke ( in the summer , ) and nine of the clocke ( in the winter time ) of the same mornings , for the sale and serving thereof at the furthest ; and that no such retaylers of milke , shall presume to cry or sell any milke during the residue of the said dayes , nor in the evening of the same . and it is further ordered , that no milkemasters within the city of london , and places adjacent , shall sell the milke ( which their kine doth yeeld in the evening of the sabbath dayes ) to any of their retailing customers whatsoever ; and that the same evenings milke ( from time to time ) of every sabbath day , shall remaine and be unto the respective milkemasters ( owners thereof ) unto their owne accompts , as their owne proper goods and chattels , without ( any way ) charging the same , either to , or upon their ( then ) retailing customer ; or mollesting , suing or troubling them or any of them , for any losse or dammage that shall or may arise or grow thereby . and lastly , for the preventing of the inhancing of the prices of milke , and the great deceite which is daily used as foresaid , by many idle and extravagant single persons in retailing of milke . it is ordered , that no milkemaster whatsoever at any time or times hereafter , shall utter , vend , or sell their milke to any retailing single person or persons whatsoever : and if any person or persons shall be found offending in the premises : that then they be brought before me the lord mayor , or some other of his majesties iustices of the peace , to the end they may receive such punishment as to iustice shall appertaine . given under my hand this nineteenth day of june , anno dom. 1643. and in the nineteenth yeare of the reigne of our soveraigne lord king charles , of england , &c. isaac pennington mayor forasmuch as notwithstanding divers good acts and ordinances of parliament made for the better observation of the lords-day, days of publique humiliation, and thanksgiving, and the many endeavours used for the due execution thereof it is observed that the lords day is very much prophaned, ... city of london (england). lord mayor. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a88482 of text r211836 in the english short title catalog (thomason 669.f.20[33]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 4 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a88482 wing l2883l thomason 669.f.20[33] estc r211836 99870528 99870528 163450 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a88482) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 163450) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 247:669f20[33]) forasmuch as notwithstanding divers good acts and ordinances of parliament made for the better observation of the lords-day, days of publique humiliation, and thanksgiving, and the many endeavours used for the due execution thereof it is observed that the lords day is very much prophaned, ... city of london (england). lord mayor. tichborne, robert, sir, d. 1682. 1 sheet ([1] p.) s.n., [london : 1656] title from opening lines of text. imprint from wing. dated at end: [handwritten] 12th day of [handwritten] nouemb. 1656. annotation on thomason copy: "12th nouemb.". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng sunday legislation -england -london -early works to 1800. public worship -england -early works to 1800. london (england) -history -17th century -early works to 1800. a88482 r211836 (thomason 669.f.20[33]). civilwar no london sc. forasmuch as notwithstanding divers good acts and ordinances of parliament made for the better observation of the lords-day, daye city of london 1656 749 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-08 jason colman sampled and proofread 2007-08 jason colman text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion blazon or coat of arms blazon or coat of arms forasmuch as notwithstanding divers good acts and ordinances of parliament made for the better observation of the lords-day , dayes of publique humiliation , and thanksgiving ; and the many endeavours used for the due execution thereof : it is observed that the lords day is very much prophaned , and the observation thereof , and others the dayes aforesaid , are very much neglected within this city and the liberties thereof , by vintners , inholders , ale-house-keepers , butchers , fruiterers , cookes , tobacco-sellers , keepers of ordinaries , and such like , by suffering tipling and drinking in their houses ; and by them and others in selling , and exposing to sale divers commodities , and in unlawfull pastimes , and travelling , and working upon the dayes aforesaid , within this city and liberties thereof , to the great dishonour of almighty god , scandall of religion and the government of this city : and whereas also severall persons do keep hackney-coaches , and watermen by rowing upon the river of thames , do ordinarily exercise their callings upon the dayes aforesaid ; i have therefore thought fit for the better discovering and suppressing of the severall offences aforesaid , and for the more exact execution of the severall laws and ordinances made for that purpose , to appoint , and do hereby accordingly appoint the persons here-under named , inhabitants within the said city and liberties , diligently and by all lawfull means to make discovery of all persons offending contrary to the laws and ordinances aforesaid , to my self or any the justices within the said city and liberties , or to any constable or other officer who are authorized by the said acts , or any of them , to apprehend such offenders : and for that end do also will and require , and in the name of his highness the lord protector of the common-wealth of england , scotland , and ireland , hereby straightly charge and command all such constables and others , officers and ministers , within the said city and liberties thereof , to whom it shall appertaine , to be diligent in the execution of the powers and authorities given them by the said laws , or any of them , and also to be aiding and assisting unto them the said persons hereunder particularly named , and every , or any of them in the finding out , & causing to be apprehended , all and every such person and persons , as shall offend in any of the kinds aforesaid , or otherwise contrary to the laws aforesaid , and them and every of them to bring before me , or some other the justices of the peace , within this city and the liberties of the same , to the end that such offenders , and every of them , may be further dealt withall as to justice shall appertain : i doe judge it to bee my duty to use the utmost power that god and men hath betrusted me with , to finde out all offenders in the premises , and to inflict on them the utmost punishment that the law requires for such offences , and doe desire all persons intrusted herewith , to make conscience of doing their utmost , to bring all offenders herein to punishment , that so this city may not lie under the guilt of this crying sinne ; and such as are required by the law upon a penalty to see these lawes duely executed , must expect to suffer what ever the law doth lay on them , if they shall bee found negligent in their duties : and the ministers of every congregation , are hereby desired to be frequent in minding and exhorting their people to use their constant , and vigorous endeavours , to prevent this growing evill , by bringing the offenders to their due punishment , which is a work that will doubtless be highly pleasing to god and all good men , and greatly honorable to our religion and government , which ought to bee the desire and endeavour of all that professe to owne god , jesus christ and the gospell : dated the _____ day of _____ 1656 and to all constables and other officers and ministers of justice within the said city and liberties thereof whom it shall concern . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a88482e-30 london sc. by the major. forasmuch as notwithstanding divers good acts and ordinancees of parliament, and the frequent aadmonitions formerly given in this behalf by the present lord maior, this predecessors late lord maiors of this city, it is observed, that the lords day, and the days of publike fast, are in these sad times of distraction and calamity much profaned, ... city of london (england). lord mayor. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a88475 of text r211019 in the english short title catalog (thomason 669.f.12[102]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 6 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a88475 wing l2882g thomason 669.f.12[102] estc r211019 99869758 99869758 162893 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a88475) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 162893) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 246:669f12[102]) by the major. forasmuch as notwithstanding divers good acts and ordinancees of parliament, and the frequent aadmonitions formerly given in this behalf by the present lord maior, this predecessors late lord maiors of this city, it is observed, that the lords day, and the days of publike fast, are in these sad times of distraction and calamity much profaned, ... city of london (england). lord mayor. warner, john, sir, d. 1648. 1 sheet ([1] p.) printed by richard cotes, printer to the honourable city of london, london : [1648] title from caption and opening lines of text. date of publication from wing. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng sunday legislation -england -early works to 1800. london (england) -history -17th century -early works to 1800. a88475 r211019 (thomason 669.f.12[102]). civilwar no by the major. forasmuch as notwithstanding divers good acts and ordinancees of parliament, and the frequent aadmonitions formerly given in t city of london 1648 1071 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-08 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-09 elspeth healey sampled and proofread 2007-09 elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion ❧ by the major . forasmuch as notwithstanding divers good acts and ordinances of parliament , and the frequent admonitions formerly given in this behalf by the present lord maior , & his predecessors late lord maiors of this city , it is observed , that the lords day , and the days of publike fast , are in these sad times of distraction and calamity much prophaned , and not so strictly and solemnly kept as they ought to be ; and that the odious sin of drunkennesse and prophane swearing and cursing is still too common , being the root and foundation of many other enormous sins , drawing gods heavy iudgments upon this kingdom ; which offences are apprehended to arise and continue , to the great dishonour of almighty god , and reproch of the true protestant religion , through the neglect of due execution of the said acts and ordinances made and established for redresse thereof : wherefore john warner , lord maior of the city of london , intending by all the best means and power that he can use , a reformation of the said evills and mis-demeanors committed within this city and liberties thereof , hath thought fit again to revive and publish this in print , and hereby strictly to charge and command , that henceforth no person or persons whatsoever shall in any wise shew forth or put to sale upon the lords day , and dayes of publique fast , any wares , merchandizes , fruit , herbes , goods or chattells whatsoever ( except in extreme necessity ) nor upon those dayes shall travail with horse , cart , or wagon , without iust cause for the same , nor shall carry any burthens , or doe any worldly labour unnecessarily : and that no vintner or taverner , inholder , alehouse-keeper , cooke , tobacco-seller , nor other victualler or keeper of ordinaries whatsoever , shall receive into his or their houses upon the lords day , and days of publike fast , any person or persons to drink or tipple ; nor shall permit or suffer any person whatsoever upon any other day , to remain and abide tippling and drinking in his or their houses contrary to the acts and ordinances of parliament , and shall shut in his or their gates and doores by nine of the clock in the evening , and keep the same shut untill six of the clock in the morning , for and during the winter season ; and by ten of the clock in the evening , and keep the same shut until five of the clock in the morning , during the summer season ; and between the said houres of shutting in and opening , shall not receive any persons into his or their houses to drink or tipple . and the lord maior doth hereby also charge and command all and every the constables , church-wardens and others , whom it may any way concern , within their severall and respective parishes and precincts within this city and liberties thereof , to notifie and make knowne this his proclamation to all the vintners , inkeepers , alehouse-keepers , cooks , and other victualling houses within the same , and to make diligent search and enquiry of all and every the said offences committed upon those dayes , and other times , as wel in the day as in the night , in any the taverns , innes , alehouses , and other victualling houses & places within their severall and respective divisions , and to take the names and dwelling places of all such persons as they at any time shall know not to observe strictly the lords day , and dayes of publique fast , according to the acts and ordinances of parliament in that behalfe made ; and also the names of all such persons as they shal find at any time drunk , prophanely swearing , cursing , tippling , or drinking contrary to the said acts and ordinances ; and likewise to take the names and dwelling places of all and every the inhabitants of every such house where the offence shall be committed , and present the same , or bring the offenders before the lord maior , or some other of his maiesties iustices of the peace , that such punishment may be inflicted upon them , as by the said acts and ordinances are imposed . and the lord maior doth hereby further charge & command all and every the said constables , churchwardens , and other officers whatsoever , to whom it appertaineth , to see that no rogues , vagabonds and beggers doe hereafter wander or beg in the streets of this city upon the lords day , and dayes of publique fasting , or at any other time ; and that all the acts and ordinances of parliament , in all the parts and branches of the same , as well against the said rogues , vagabonds , and beggers , as against any other offender in the premisses , be duely and exactly executed , as they , and every of them will answer the contrary at their uttermost perills . and his lordship doth also hereby require the aldermen of the severall wards of this city , or their deputies , and common councell men to endeavour to their utmost power a reformation of the said offences , in pursuance of the said acts and ordinances , and to take care that the names of all such of the said constables , churchwardens and other officers as shall at any time be found remisse or negligent in the performance of their respective duties required by the severall acts and ordinances of parliament heretofore made for redresse of the severall offences aforesaid , be returned unto his lordship , or some other of his maiesties iustices of the peace of the city of london , to the end such course may be taken for the severe punishment of such of them as shall so offend , according to iustice , and as the said acts and ordinances require . guildhall london , the eight day of august , 1648. london , printed by richard cotes , printer to the honorable city of london . by the king, a proclamation, for preventing and punishing immorality and prophaneness. england and wales. sovereign (1694-1702 : william iii) 1697 approx. 7 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a96569 wing w2473 estc r42978 38876062 ocm 38876062 152510 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a96569) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 152510) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2299:20) by the king, a proclamation, for preventing and punishing immorality and prophaneness. england and wales. sovereign (1694-1702 : william iii) william iii, king of england, 1650-1702. 1 sheet ([1] p.). printed by charles bill, and the executrix of thomas newcomb, deceas'd ... london : 1697 [i.e. 1698] royal arms with "w r" at top of sheet. "given at our court at kensington the four and twentieth day of february, 1697. in the tenth year of our reign." imperfect: faded. reproduction of original in: guildhall library (london, england) created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sunday legislation -england -early works to 1800. great britain -history -william and mary, 1689-1702. broadsides -london (england) -17th century. 2007-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-07 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-08 jason colman sampled and proofread 2007-08 jason colman text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion by the king , a proclamation , for preventing and punishing immorality and prophaneness . william r. whereas we cannot but be deeply sensible of the great goodness and mercy of almighty god , in putting an end to a long , bloody and expensive war , by the conclusion of an honourable peace , so we are not less touched with a resentment , that notwithstanding this and many other great blessings and deliverances , impiety , prophaneness and immorality do still abound in this our kingdom : and whereas nothing can prove a greater dishonour to a well ordered government , where the christian faith is professed , nor is likelier to provoke god to withdraw his mercy and blessings from us , and instead thereof , to inflict heavy and severe iudgments upon this kingdom , than the open and avowed practice of vice , immorality and prophaneness , which amongst many men has too much prevailed in this our kingdom of late years , to the high displeasure of almighty god , the great scandal of christianity , and the ill and fatal example of the rest of our loving subjects , who have beén soberly educated , and whose inclimations would lead them to the exercise of piety and virtue , did they not daily find such frequent and repeated instances of dissolute living , prophaneness and impiety , which has in a great measure beén occasioned by the neglect of the magistrates not putting in execution those good laws which have beén made for suppressing and punishing thereof , and by the ill example of many in authority , to the great dishonour of god , and reproach of our religion : wherefore , and for that we cannot expect increase or continuance of the blessings we and our subjects enjoy , without providing remedies to prevent the like evils for the future , we think our selves bound by the duty we owe to god , and the care we have of the people committed to our charge , to proceed in taking effectual course , that religion , piety and good manners may , according to our hearty desire , flourish and increase under our administration and government ; and being thereunto moved by the pious address of the commons in parliament assembled , we have thought fit , by the advice of our privy council , to issue this our royal proclamation , and do declare our royal purpose and resolution to discountenance and punish all manner of vice , immorality and prophaneness in all persons from the highest to the lowest degreé within this our realm , and particularly in such who are imployed near our royal person ; and that for the greater incouragement of religion and morality , we will , upon all occasions , distinguish men of piety and virtue by marks of our royal favour . and we do expect that all persons of honour or in place of authority , will to their utmost contribute to the discountenancing men of dissolute and debauched lives , that they being reduced to shame and contempt may be enforced the sooner to reform their ill habits and practices , that the displeasure of good men towards them may supply what the laws ( it may be ) cannot wholly prevent . and for the more effectual reforming these men , who are a discredit to our kingdom , our further pleasure is , and we do hereby strictly charge and command all our iudges , mayors , sheriffs , iustices of the peace , and all other our officers and ministers , both ecclesiastical and civil , and other our subjects , whom it may concern , to be very vigilant and strict in the discovery and the effectual prosecution and punishment of all persons who shall be guilty of excessive drinking , blasphemy , prophane swearing and cursing , lewdness , prophanation of the lords day , or other dissolute , immoral or disorderly practices , as they will answer it to almighty god , and upon pain of our highest displeasure . and for the more effectual proceedings herein , we do hereby direct and command our iudges of assizes and iustices of peace , to give strict charges at the respective assizes and sessions , for the due prosecution and punishment of all persons that shall presume to offend in any the kinds aforesaid , and also of all persons that , contrary to their duty , shall be remiss or negligent in putting the said laws in execution , and that they do at their respective assizes and quarter sessions of the peace , cause this our proclamation to be publickly read in open court immediately before the charge is given . and we do hereby further charge and command every minister in his respective parish or chapel , to read or cause to be read this our proclamation , at least four times in every year , immediately after divine service , and to incite and stir up their respective auditories to the practice of piety and virtue , and the avoiding of all immorality and prophaneness . and to the end that all vice and debauchery may be prevented , and religion and virtue practised by all officers , private soldiers , mariners or others , who are imployed in our service , either by sea or land , we do hereby strictly charge and command all our commanders and officers whatsoever , that they do take care to avoid all prophaneness , debauchery and other immoralities , and that by the piety and virtue of their own lives and conversations they do set good examples to all such as are under their authority , and likewise to take care and inspect the behaviour and manners of all such as are under them , and to punish all those who shall be guilty of any the offences aforesaid . and whereas several wicked and prophane persons have presumed to print and publish several pernicious books and pamphlets , which contain in them impious doctrines against the holy trinity and other fundamental articles of our faith , tending to the subversion of the christian religion , therefore for the punishing the authors and publishers thereof , and for the preventing such impious books and pamphlets being published or printed for the future , we do hereby strictly charge and prohibit all persons that they do not presume to write , print or publish any such pernicious books or pamphlets under the pain of incurring our high displeasure , and of being punished according to the utmost severity of the law. and we do hereby strictly charge and require all our loving subjects to discover and apprehend such person and persons whom they shall know to be the authors or publishers of any such books or pamphlets , and to bring them before some iustice of peace or chief magistrate , in order that they may be proceéded against according to law. given at our court at kensington the four and twentieth day of february , 1697. in the tenth year of our reign . god save the king. london , printed by charles bill , and the executrix of thomas newcomb , deceas'd , printers to the kings most excellent majesty . 1697. act against profaness. edinburgh, the 9. of august 1693. edinburgh (scotland). town council. 1693 approx. 7 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2009-10 (eebo-tcp phase 1). b02996 wing e160ce estc r175145 52529144 ocm 52529144 178767 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. b02996) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 178767) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2770:6) act against profaness. edinburgh, the 9. of august 1693. edinburgh (scotland). town council. mcleod, æneas. 1 sheet ([1] p.) printed by the heir of andrew anderson, printer to their most excellent majesties, [edinburgh] : 1693. caption title. place of publication supplied by wing. arms of the city of edinburgh at head of text. signed at end: extracted by æneas mcleod. imperfect: stained with slight loss of text. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sunday legislation -scotland -edinburgh -early works to 1800. broadsides -scotland -17th century. 2008-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2008-09 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-12 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2008-12 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion nisi dominvs frvstra blazon of city of edinburgh act against profaness . edinburgh , the 9. of august 1693. the which day , the lord provost , baillies , council and deacons of crafts , ordinar and extraordinar , being conveened in council , considering , that the profanation of the lords day , excessive drinking and drukenness , profane swearing and cursing , and other immoralities , are discharged by several acts of parliament , under certain penalties therein contained , and particularly , that by the 3d act of the sixth parliament of king james the sixth ; it is statute and ordained , that there be no mercats holden , nor handle-labouring , or working used on the sabbath-day , or passing to ale-houses or taverns , or selling of meat or drink ; or wilfull remaining from their paroch-church in time of sermon , under the respective penalties contained in the said act : which act is ratified by the first act of the thirteenth parliament , and by the sixth act of the fourteenth parliament of the said king james , as also particularly mentioned in the eighteenth act of the first session of the first parliament of king charles the second , whereby all former acts made for observation of the sabbath-day are ratified , and all keeping of mercats , or using any sort of merchandise on the said day , and all other profanation thereof , is expresly discharged , under the penaltie of ten pounds scots at least ; and if the partie offender be not able to pay the penaltie foresaid , then to be examplary punished in his body according to the merit of his fault : likeas , by the act , ja. 6. parl. 22. cap. 20. it is statute , that persons convict of drukenness , and haunting of taverns and ale-houses after ten of the clock at night , or any time of the day , except the time of travel , or for refreshment , pay for the first fault three pounds scots , or be put in jogs or goal six hours : for the second five pounds , or be put in jogs or goal twelve hours : and for the third ten pounds , or to be put in stocks or goal tw 〈…〉 ●ours . and if they thereafter transgress , to be put in goal till they find caution for their better behaviour . and that by the 〈…〉 parl. 1. sess . 1. cap. 19. all former acts against drunkenness are ratified . and it is further statute , that who drink to excess 〈…〉 , the noblemen twenty pounds , the barron twenty merks , the gentleman , heretor or burgess ten merks , the yeoman fo● 〈…〉 ng , and the servant twenty shilling toties quoties , and the minister the fifth part of his stipend , and that those unable to pay be punished in their persons ; both which acts are again ratified , ch. 2d . parl. 2d . sess . 3d. act 22. likeas , by the act & mary , parl. 5. cap. 16. profain swearing of abominable oaths and detestable execrations is forbid , under the particular pains therein 〈◊〉 prest , which pains arising gradually , for the repeated transgressions do at length end in banishment , or imprisonment for year and day ; which act , is by the act. ja. 6. parl. 7. cap. 103 , ratified with an augmentation of the pains . and it is further statute , that magistrats to burgh and landwart , appoint censores in publick mercats and fairs , with power to exact the said pains , and that housholders dilate offenders within their house , under the pain to be esteemed as offenders themselves . and the said acts against profain swearing and cursing are again ratified , ch. 2. parl. 1. sess . 1. act 19. whereby it is further statute , that who shall blasphame , swear or curse shall pay , the noblemen twenty pounds , the barron twenty merks , the gentleman , heretor or burgess ten merks , the yeamen fourty shilling , the servant twenty shilling toties quoties , and the minister the fifth part of his stipend , and the persons insolvent to be punished in their persons , which acts are of new ratified , ch. 2d . par. 2d . sess . 3d. cap. 22. all which acts are again ratified and revived by the 40 act of the 4. sess . of this current parliament , and ordained to be put to strict execution with all diligence : notwithstanding of all which acts , and the most holy and express law of god , the foundation thereof , and the many promisses and threatnings contained in his word , for the establishing the same , yet it is most manifest , and cannot be enough regreted , that the aforesaid transgressions and excess do every where abound , to the dishonour of god , and the reproach of the protestant religion . therefore the lord provost , baillies , and council of this burgh , do hereby declare , that they will be careful to see the foresaid acts of parliament strictly observed , and the pains thereof exacted , and execute within all their bounds and suburbs , without exception ; and for the better observance of the foresaids acts , made against the profanation of the lords day , they strictly prohibit and discharge , all persons whatsoever within this city or suburbs thereof to brew , or to work any other handle-work , or labour on the lords day , or to be found on the streets standing or walking idlie , or to go in company , or vage to the castle-hill , publick yards or fields on that day , at any time thereof ; and discharge all persons to go to ale-houses or taverns , for eating or drinking the time of sermon , or unseasonably or unnecessarly at any time on the lords day ; and all keepers of taverns & ale-houses to sell any time of the said day to the saids persons , any meat or dri●● to be eaten or drunken otherwise than as above exprest as also all persons to bring in water from the wells to houses on that day , in greater quantities then single pints ; certifying all such persons who shall contraveen thir presents , as also all parents and masters , who shall not restrain their children , apprentices , and servants , that they shall be fined in ten pounds scots for every such deed of contravention ; and if the party offender be not able to pay the penaltie foresaid , then he or she shall be examplary punished in his or her body , according to the merit of the fault . and appoints this act to be printed and published , that none may pretend ignorance . extracted by aeneas m cleod . god save king william and queen mary . printed by the heir of andrew anderson , printer to their most excellent majesties . 1699. certaine queries, proposed by the king, to the lords and commons commisssioners from the honourable houses of parliament, attending his majesty at holdenby, the 23 of this instant aprill, 1647. touching the celebration of the feast of easter. with an answer thereunto, given and presented to his majesty by sir james harrington knight and barronet a commissioner there. england and wales. sovereign (1625-1649 : charles i) this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a78668 of text r201458 in the english short title catalog (thomason e385_5). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 9 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a78668 wing c2155 thomason e385_5 estc r201458 99861962 99861962 160203 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a78668) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 160203) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 61:e385[5]) certaine queries, proposed by the king, to the lords and commons commisssioners from the honourable houses of parliament, attending his majesty at holdenby, the 23 of this instant aprill, 1647. touching the celebration of the feast of easter. with an answer thereunto, given and presented to his majesty by sir james harrington knight and barronet a commissioner there. england and wales. sovereign (1625-1649 : charles i) harrington, james, sir, 1607-1680. england and wales. parliament. [2], 6 p. printed for john giles, london, : aprill 27. 1647. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng charles -i, -king of england, 1600-1649 -early works to 1800. easter -early works to 1800. sabbath -early works to 1800. sunday -early works to 1800. a78668 r201458 (thomason e385_5). civilwar no certaine queries, proposed by the king,: to the lords and commons commisssioners from the honourable houses of parliament, attending his ma england and wales. sovereign 1647 1470 2 0 0 0 0 0 14 c the rate of 14 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-05 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion certaine qveries , proposed by the king , to the lords and commons commissioners from the honourable houses of parliament , attending his majesty at holdenby , the 23 of this instant aprill , 1647. touching the celebration of the feast of easter . with an answer thereunto , given and presented to his majesty by sir james harrington knight and barronet a commissioner there . london , printed for john giles , aprill 27. 1647. i desire to be resolved of this question why the new reformers discharges the keeping of easter ? the reason for this query is , i conceive the celebration of this feast was instituted by the same authority , which changed the jewish sabboth into the lords day or sunday , for it will not be found in scripture where saturday is discharged to be kept , or turned into the sunday , wherefore it must be the churches authority that changed the one and instituted the other ; therefore my opinion is that those who will not keepe this feast , may as well returne to the observation of saturday and refuse the weekely sunday ; when any bodie can shew me that herein i am in an error i shall not be ashamed to confesse and amend it . tell when you know my minde , c. rex . may it please your majesty , i cannot but from the blessed example of our saviour ( who was in his age a new reformer of old errors , viz. the false glosses of the scribes and pharises , mat. 5. 20. ) but accompt all such reformers in our times , blessed also ; but for the keeping of easter although i know not any ordinance of parliament discharging it ; yet with submission to better judgments , i in all dutifulnesse conceive that your majesties reason upon which your queery is built , hath a great mistake even in the foundation of it , you being pleased to lay this for a ground that the change of the sabboth , and the institution of easter are by one and the same equall authority and ecclesiasticall decree , which with your majesties favour i cannot yeild to , for i humbly conceive that the change of the jewish sabboth ( the commemoration of the worke of the creation ) unto the lords day , the remembrance of that greaterwork ( the worke of redemption finished upon this day of the lords resurrection ) was by no lesse then by divine authority , because the keeping of one day in seven as a sabboth to god , was not only sanctified and set a part by gods own example in the creation , gen. 2. ver. 3. and accordingly observed by the israelites many weekes before the law was given ex. 16. ver. 23. but is one of the ten commandements delivered by gods own voyce , on mount sinay , written by his owne finger in tables of stone , commanded by himselfe to be put into the arke of the covenant , which decalogue or ten commandements , are also by our blessed saviour in his sermon upon the mount , declared to be the rule of his peoples morall obedience unto the end of the world , mat. 5. 17. and in the following part of that sermon , wherein hee vindicates the law from the corrupt glosses of the scribes and pharises ; he instances only in morall duties and morall lawes , from all which divines generally infer that the decalogue is to continue in force unto the worlds end ; and therefore it seemes most apparent that no authority that is inferior to that which appointed the seventh day from the creation to be the sabboth , could abrogate that day and appoint another day to be used instead of it , because neither the law of nature nor the holy scripture doth anywhere give the least intimation , that any humane power may change any of the commandements of god , and indeed so many absurdities would follow upon such an assertion , that i am confident your majejesty will not own it ; it remaines therefore that the change of the day must needs be the worke of christ himselfe , or of his apostles , who were divinely inspired , acts 15. 21. and to prove that it was so , viz. that by divine institution , the lords day now succeeds in the room of the jewish sabboth , i shall use no other arguments then those which i finde in learned bishop andrewes his speech in the star chamber at the censure of mr. traske ; who expresly saith , that it hath ever beene the churches doctrine that christ made an end of all sabboths by his sabboth in the grave ; and that presently the lords day came in the place of it , and that according to austens judgement , the lords day is declared to be the christian sabboth by the resurrection of jesus christ , which the said bishop not only saith , but proveth by these arguments , first because he then began the new world heb. 1. 2. by whom he made the world , the first world which ended with his buriall , the second world or new creation which began with his resurrection ; secondly because the foure evangelists say christ rose una sabbatorum , that is the first day of the weeke ; thirdly the apostles kept their holy meetings on that day , to preach and pray and celebrate the lords supper , act. 20. 7. fourthly the day is called the lords day , not onely in the apostles time , but by the apostle john himselfe , revel. 1. 10. and he further addes that this epithite ( dominicum ) in the scripture is onely applied to these two , the lords day and the lords supper , to shew that they are both to be taken alike in the scripture : fifthly he saith wee have not onely example but expresse precept for it , 1 cor. 16. 2. that upon the first day of the weeke which was the day of their assembly , then collections o● oblations should be made ; and lastly he affirmes that in all ages of the church this day was observed ; to this i may adde our saviours rest upon that day from his workes , heb. 4 ▪ 10. his often visiting his apostles during the forty daies after his resurrection , upon that day speaking of the things appertaining to the kingdome of god , act. 1. 3. now what more materiall thing was there to be declared to them then this , the change of the sabboth , and the appointing a set time for his worship , he accordingly appearing thrice upon the first day of the weeke , besides his being seen of the women , mat. 28. 9. to teach and instruct his disciples , first to the two disciples that went to emmaus , luk. 24. 15. secondly to the apostles when thomas was absent , john . 20. ver. 19. and the third time when thomas was present , iohn . 20. 26. as also observe that those wonderfull and extraordinary gifts of the holy ghost were poured out according to his promise upon the apostles and church ( then ) met together , act. 2. 1. the day of penticost being the morrow after the seaventh sabboth , to be accompted from the day of the sheafe-offering , levit. 23. 15. by all which he seemes to have honoured and set apart that day above others for his service ; lastly this being a principall institution might probably be one of those decrees ordained by the apostles as well as that concerning the sacrament , 1 cor. 11. 34. and delivered by paul to the churches in all the cities through which he passed , act. 16. ve . 4. but for the observation of easter to be an annuall festivall to christians i finde nothing in the holy scripture , and your majestie is pleased to place it only upon the churches authority ; and although i will not contend about the churches power of institution of such things as are simply indifferent , yet i suppose i may boldly assert that such things as are instituted onely by ecclesiasticall authority , having no footesteps in the scripture , may be by ecclesiasticall authority be altered and laid aside . your majesties most loyall subject and humble servant . finis . an ordination and declaration of both houses of parliament sent to the lord maior of london for the religious observation of the lords day commonly called sunday and a command from the maior directed to all church-wardens and constables in every ward in the city of london for the due execution thereof : also concerning the election of certaine new captaines chosen for the security of the city in these dangerous times with the names of the said captaines chosen for the new militia : also a relation of a late tumult happening in chancery lane by certaine gentlemen of lincolnes-inne to the great disturbance and amazement of all the inhabitants. england and wales. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a69947 of text r7969 in the english short title catalog (wing e2117). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 11 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a69947 wing e2117 estc r7969 12272903 ocm 12272903 58349 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a69947) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 58349) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 247:e119, no 28 or 1700:24) an ordination and declaration of both houses of parliament sent to the lord maior of london for the religious observation of the lords day commonly called sunday and a command from the maior directed to all church-wardens and constables in every ward in the city of london for the due execution thereof : also concerning the election of certaine new captaines chosen for the security of the city in these dangerous times with the names of the said captaines chosen for the new militia : also a relation of a late tumult happening in chancery lane by certaine gentlemen of lincolnes-inne to the great disturbance and amazement of all the inhabitants. england and wales. penington, isaac, sir, 1587?-1660. 8 p. printed for iohn hawes, london : 1642. this item appears at reel 247:e.119, no. 28 (incorrectly identified?) as wing e1763, and at reel 1700:24 as wing e2117. reproduction of originals in thomason collection, british library, and union theological seminary library, new york. eng sunday legislation -england. london (england) -history -17th century -sources. a69947 r7969 (wing e2117). civilwar no an ordination and declaration of both houses of parliament sent to the lord maior of london, for the religious observation of the lords day, england and wales. parliament 1642 1719 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2005-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-10 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-11 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2005-11 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an ordination and declaration of both houses of parliament sent to the lord maior of london , for the religious observation of the lords-day , commonly called sunday . and a command from the maior , directed to all church-wardens and constables , in every ward in the city of london , for the due execution thereof . also concerning the election of certaine new captaines chosen for the security of the city , in these dangerous times , with the names of the said captaines , chosen for the new militia . also a relation of a late tumult , happening in chancery lane , by certaine gentlemen of lincolnes-inne , to the great disturbance and amazement of all the inhabitants . h. elsing . cler. parl. d. c. london , printed for iohn hawes . 1642. an ordinance and declaration of both houses of parliament , sent to the lord maior of london , for the religious observation of the lords day commonly called sunday . the good of the common-wealth , consisting in the due and religious conformity to the lawes both of god and the king , which the parliament , hath and doth with vigilant and exact care , seeke to promote by their prudent and pious consultations , they considering that nothing is more pleasing to god , and consonant to the protestant religion , than the carefull keeping of the lords day , and vindicating it from the abuses which are commonly committed by prophane persons , who despise all order and regular government concordant to the purity of religion , have heretofore formerly sought to keepe it pure and entire from all prophanation , and the maior of this honourable city of london , duely weighing the premises aforesaid , being the religious observation of the lords day , hath carefully tooke order for the same through all parishes , as may appeare by his speciall command hereunto annexed . and as the feare of god is the beginning of wisedome , & strength unto a nation & kingdome , prayer and supplication unto god , with the observation of the sabboth day , being the internall meanes to avert the imminent dangers now threatning this land , so the vigilant care of the citie , considering the present distractions of the times , and the disorderly tumults of ill-affected persons , as that in chancery lane , and endevouring to restraine all eruptions and civill mutinies , engaging the city into common danger , have therefore , for the more assurance , and safety of the city , lately chosen and elected divers worthy and well-affected captaines , for extraordinary military service upon any emergent occasion , in whose knowledge , vigilancy , and fidelity , they do for the better security of the city , much confide . the names of these men elected captaines , being underneath inserted . the names of the colonels , lievtenant colonels , serjeant majors and captaines , appointed by both houses of parliament , for the ordering and governing of the new militia for the preservation of the city of london . captaine ven , captaine manering , colonels ; captaine roe , captaine bradley , lievtenant colonels ; captaine buxton captaine shepheard serjeant majors . the captaines names . captaine sanders . capt. basse . capt. southerne . capt. hanes . capt. langham . capt. pane . capt. lane , capt. andrewes . capt. back stead . capt. pinchon . capt. stackhouse . capt. simmons . capt. player . capt. wilson . an order from the lord maior of london . forasmuch as the lords-day , commonly called sunday , is of late , much broken and prophaned by a disorderly sort of people , by frequenting tavernes , ale-houses , and the like , and in carrying and putting to sale victuall and other things , and in executing unlawfull games and pastimes , to the great dishonour of god and reproach of religion , whereof the house of commons now assembled have been pleased to take notice , and by their order intimation hath been given , that the statutes for the due observing of the sabbath be put in execution . these are therefore in his majesties name to will and require you , forthwith upon the sight hereof , that you give strict charge and command unto all and every the church-wardens and constables within your ward , that from henceforth they doe not permit or suffer any person or persons in the time of divine service , or at any time upon the sunday other then at dinner or supper-time onely to be drinking in any taverne , inne , or tobacco-shop , ale house , or other victualling house whatsoever , nor suffer any fruiterers or hearbe-women to stand with fruit , hearbes , or other victuall or wares in any streetes , lanes , or allyes within your ward , or any other wayes to put these things , or any other to sale upon the sunday at any time of the day , or in the evening ; or any milke-woman to cry milke on that day in any the streets or places aforesaid , nor to permit or suffer any person to use or exercise upon that day their labour in unlading their vessels of fruit , or any other goods , or in carrying goods on shoare , or in the streets , or in packing and loading any goods , or to doe any unlawfull exercises and pastimes within your ward ; and that expresse charge be given to every keeper of any taverne , inne , cooks shop , tobacco-house , ale-house , or any other tipler or victualler whatsoever within your ward , that hereafter they receive not or suffer to remaine any person or persons whatsoever , as their guests or customers , to tipple , eat , drinke , or take tabacco in their houses upon any sunday , other then that inholders may receive their ordinary guests or travellers , and such like , who come or remaine for a time in their inne for dispatch of their necessary businesse according to the lawes of this kingdome : and if any person or persons shall be found offending in the premisses , that then they be brought before me the lord major , or some other of his majesties iustices of the peace within this city to them , they may receive such punishment as the lawes doe prescribe , or as to justice shall appertaine . and hereof not to faile , as you will answer the contrary at your perill . this 27. day of september . 1642. a relation of a late tumult hapning in chancery-lane by certain gentlemen of lincolnes-inne . the night as wellas the day is not exempted from nefarious practises ; for on the fasting-day night 28 of september , at 11 or 12 a clock , 9 or 10 gentlemen would violently have attempted to set fire on the court of guard-house in chancery-lane , taking thence away divers boards ; but by the sudden confluence and flocking together of many of the inhabitants of the lane , they were disturbed in their intent and opposed , so that they conglomorated and gathered together to the number of 20 or 25 , threatening sudden destruction to all opposers . m. lee an apothecary being a spectator of this beginning mutiny , came downe to give captaine browne information thereof , and desire his assistance , who replyed that there were at the exchangesome city forces , but knew not whether he should meet them oportunely or no ; and therefore he would beat up his drums for security of his owne men , while these distractions continued , and matters were in the heate of agitation . captaine lievtenant flanes led 60 or 80 men into the lane , not advancing any further , because he had certaine information of iminent danger and destruction . this doubtfull retraction in the captaine animated one iohn reeve a cooke to be forward in this designe , desiring his staffe out of his hand , and promising to leade them up boldly to the gates of lincolnes-inne , to affront and suppresse the said delinquents : whereupon , by his earnest perswasion , and forward preferring of himselfe , the captaine at his instigation resigned and delivered him up his staffe , who with a valiant resolution conducted his men forward with his sword drawn and elevated in his hand , victoriously captivating 3 of the delinquents opponents prisoners , who had formerly transported by their owne unjust passion , which blinds judgement , inflicted disgracefull punishment on his man , insomuch as they pumpt him most opprobriously for a trespasse of words , in saying , that the house that was building in iack-an-apes-lane , and in chancery-lane , was a court of guard-house : whereupon they presently carried him away , and in executing on him their punishment of pumping , they upbraided him with many menacing cominations , saying , that they would instruct his ignorance in the definition and nature of a court of guard-house , and teach him to know what it was , and after many bitter and reviling speeches , their anger being growne outragious , they conveyed him to the pump and pumpt him , which disgrace reflecting on his master must needs irritate and incense him much by this indignity thus offered in this conflict and sudden mutiny , he said , iohn reeve was wounded in both his shoulders , the inhabitants by this unexpected tumult were put into a great distraction , feares and murmurs being alwayes the consequents of such temerarious rash actions ; but because they were afraid to give impediment to their trading , that private interest stopt the clamour and activity of this disordered eruption of the gentlemen , and the various accidents aforesaid , though most certaine and too lately done , were silenced . thus discontentments , though long stifled , daily breake out in this kingdome . finis . a letter from a gentleman in manchester to his friend concerning a notorious blasphemer who died in despair &c. gentleman in manchester. 1694 approx. 9 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 3 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a27369 wing b184 estc r28329 10526112 ocm 10526112 45205 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a27369) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 45205) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1394:38) a letter from a gentleman in manchester to his friend concerning a notorious blasphemer who died in despair &c. gentleman in manchester. 4 p. printed for john whitlock, london : 1694. caption title. "licens'd, decemb. 28th, 1694." imprint from colophon. reproduction of original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng socinianism. sunday. 2007-01 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-02 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-03 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-03 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a letter from a gentleman in manchester , to his friend , concerning a notorious blasphemer , who died in despair , &c. licens'd , decemb. 28th . 1694. dear sir , though you are more than one letter in arrears to me already , for which ( according to the rules of correspondence ) i might well expect your returns e're i gave you further credit ; yet being providentially furnish'd with extraordinary matter , i am easily enclin'd to run you one other letter into my debt , the contents of which will be ( indeed ! ) but too sad and surprizing . — i am not unsensible that upon such a melancholy occasion i could have addrest my self to several , more properly than to your self ; blessed be god , you are not of that unhappy number , that in works , and even in words , deny the divine being ; nor dares you entertain the least thought tending to the contempt of our lord and saviour jesus christ , god over all , blessed for ever ! neither the atheism , nor the more pernicious socinianism ( i was about to call it ) of this profane age has tainted your truly christian soul : and yet i think the terrible instance i have before me , of god's indignation against those damnable sins , will not to you be disadvantageously communicated . it may , at least , tend to establish you in your most holy religion ; and thus no doubt but it will be dispers'd by you , much more than by one less seriously dispos'd . and truly , i think such a singular relation cannot be made too publick in our age , wherein all manner of licentiousness does abound ! but before i acquaint you with particulars , give me leave to tell you , that you may relate what you shall have from me with all the assurance in the world. my evidence is a very honest credible person , who saw and heard most of what follows , and who had the rest from eye and ear-witnesses . but i have no reason to imagin that the truth of this divine tragedy will be call'd into any question ; it is known over a great part of the county , and was not so long since acted , but that upon enquiry , full satisfaction may be had about it from persons of the best credit . and now , without more preface , i shall give you a faithful account of matter of fact. at downam , near clithero , in lancashire , there liv'd one t. b. ( the full of his name , for his surviving relations sake , is conceal'd , ) about thirty six years of age , well known in that town , at his death especially by the office he then bore of churchwarden . this miserable creature , notwithstanding the good education which his better parents had bestow'd upon him , had for a great while indulg'd himself in an excess of wickedness , but chiefly in a sacrilegious abuse of the lord●s-day , on which he would use any unlawful exercises : nor did his office restrain him from committing this abomination , but as if he ( who should have been first in punishing ) prided himself in being the ring-leader of the sabbath-breakers , he would not only privately , and at home , but in the very open streets , revel and sport on that holy day . for this , and his other provocations , it pleased god so to leave him to the devil and himself , that he became guilty of such horrid blasphemy as procur'd ( it is to be fear'd ) his ruine in both worlds . the manner of it take thus . — on the 26th . day of august , 1694. being lord's-day ( the day of his sinful excesses ) he gave his attendance at church ; and after service , with the minister that preach'd there that day , he went to the ale-house , where he stay'd not long e're he remov'd to his own house ; in which seeing a bible lie on a table , he takes it up , and turning to the 9th . chapter of st. matthew , bursts out into this horrid expression , christ is a lyar ! upon this , says one that was by , how dare you speak such blasphemous words ? the wretch , pointing then to the 16th . and 17th . verses of that chapter , ( where our blessed saviour saith , no man putteth a piece of new cloth into an old garment , neither do men put new wine into old bottles , ) cryes out , why look here , he proves himself a lyar in these two things , besides many more places in the bible . that night he was struck with much sadness and sighing , which grew upon him every day more than other for that whole week , in which he kept much upon the bed , very listless to speak , or indeed , to take any notice of worldly concerns . the lord●s-day following he seem'd much more troubl●d in mind , and terrify'd in conscience , and he desir'd a neighbour's company all night : he would have pray'd , but could not : his sister , at his request , read by him , but he appear'd little affected with what he heard . two days more he continu'd tossing about in the room , keeping much upon his bed , and torturing himself . on wednesday , several neighbours and others hearing of his grievous condition , came into the chamber to him ; when suddenly he cryes out , turn , turn , turn , ( many times together , ) shut the door , christ is going to leave me . with that , some step'd to the door and shut it ; but he having his eyes still fix'd upon it , with a very hideous noise , cry'd out , it was too late , christ was quite gone and left him , he was damn'd for ever ; he is gone , he is gone ; it is too late , it is too late ; i am damn'd for evermore . this he repeated frequently ; and all that day he cried out of the torments of hell , and that he saw the flames of fire there , and that he was hanging over the flames ; and ( says he ) hell is a hundred thousand fathoms deep , and i am sinking deeper and deeper therein . he added , that he saw a numberless number there which he knew not , only one particular person he mention'd , with whom he had been very conversant , and from whom he was supposed to have contracted abundance of guilt . his relations , and the rest with him , were very much affrighted and troubled at his expressions and behaviour , but especially to see his ghastly and terrifying looks : they spoke together of sending for the minister , and some godly persons to pray with him : but he taking notice of what they said , told them , that it was now too late either to pray for him , or to tell him any thing of christ ; and for you too ( says he , turning to one of his nearest relations ) unless you repent soon . and further , he told them , that if there were hundreds and thousands of ministers to pray for him , it was all to no purpose , it was too late . after this time , he would not endure to hear of prayer , or reading the bible , nor would so much as suffer any to take a bible in their hands ; nay , so great a torment did the sight of a bible , or hearing of prayer seem to him , that upon either , he 'd cry out , let me go , let me go ; i will not stay here . and the minister coming to him with a book in his hand , he would have struck it out ; and tossing and rouling his body , he us'd all the means he could to get out of the room , all along crying out , do you not see the fire flaming in hell , and the lake of hell fire , and the depth of hell , which cannot be fathom'd : o hell-fire ! hell-fire ! fire of hell ! fire of hell ! oh , how i siak down in it ! thus he continu'd crying out , to the great amazement and terrour of all the company , all that day , and part of the night ; and the next day he was speechless : and upon friday , the 7th . of september , 1694. he expir'd , in the morning . ☞ his body , for several hours after his death , sweating very apparently . and thus have i briefly made you this fearful relation , after which i shall but add my hearty prayers for our selves , and for all whose ears are made to tingle with this dreadful report , that we may be preserved continually , by the grace of god , from profaning his holy day ; and above all , from villifying the glorious person of our lord and saviour jesus christ , to forewarn men of the horrid danger whereof this miserable wretch seems to be set up , by divine providence , a terrible and speaking monument ! but here i shall bid you farewell , and with due respects to your self , and the good ladies your sisters , in great haste , i subscribe my self , dear sir , yours most affectionately . manchester , decemb. 10. 1694. london , printed for john whitlock , near stationers-hall , 1694. the doctrine of the sabbath, as it hath been believed and taught, by ancient and eminent christians, collected word for word out of their own writings, and now tendred to the consideration of all the godly, especially to direct them to the parliament, to direct them in their intended act, for the due and strict observation of the lords day. / by a friend to truth, and to the present powers of this common-wealth, in the way of truth. dell, william, d. 1664. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a82315 of text r206297 in the english short title catalog (thomason e597_14). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 18 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a82315 wing d922 thomason e597_14 estc r206297 99865471 99865471 117712 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a82315) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 117712) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 92:e597[14]) the doctrine of the sabbath, as it hath been believed and taught, by ancient and eminent christians, collected word for word out of their own writings, and now tendred to the consideration of all the godly, especially to direct them to the parliament, to direct them in their intended act, for the due and strict observation of the lords day. / by a friend to truth, and to the present powers of this common-wealth, in the way of truth. dell, william, d. 1664. 8 p. printed for giles calvert, and are to be sold at his shop, the sign of the black spread-eagle, at the west-end of pauls, london : 1650. "a friend to truth" = william dell. annotation on thomason copy: "aprill 1649"; the 50 in imprint date is crossed out. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng sunday -early works to 1800. a82315 r206297 (thomason e597_14). civilwar no the doctrine of the sabbath,: as it hath been believed and taught, by ancient and eminent christians, collected word for word out of their dell, william 1650 3153 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 b the rate of 3 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2007-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-04 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-05 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2007-05 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the doctrine of the sabbath , as it hath been believed and taught , by ancient and eminent christians , collected word for word out of their own writings , and now tendred to the consideration of all the godly , especially to the parliament , to direct them in their intended act , for the due and strict observation of the lords day . by a friend to truth , and to the present powers of this common-wealth , in the way of truth . london , printed for giles calvert , and are to be sold at his shop , the sign of the black spread-eagle , at the west-end of pauls . 1650. the doctrine of the sabbath , &c. there is nothing more dangerous ( and yet more common ) among professors , then zeal without knowledge , for by this , men have many times run headlong , against the power of godliness , pretending the form , and against the truth and spirit of the word , pretending the letter of it , yea through this they have killed the prophets and apostles , and christ himself , thinking thereby they did god good service : and even godly men themselves , having in some things more zeal then knowledge , have grosly erred and mistaken in very weighty matters ; peter of a good mind ( as they say ) rebuked christ , for saying he must go to jerusalem , and there suffer death ; and the sons of zebedee , out of the like blind zeal ; would have had fire to have come from heaven to destroy the samaritans , &c. and i doubt not but the parliament , out of a great zeal are providing for the strict observation of the lords day . wherefore that they may take knowledge along with their zeal , or rather in the head of it , as its guide and leader , i have thought good to admonish them , that they search the word of god in this matter , and that without the word they presume to do nothing , though it seem never so glorious , seeing whatever is done without the word , though it seem never so holy and good , yet is nothing else but plain idolatry . and because none should say that i had perverted the word , and given a false sense of it , and am come forth to trouble the church with new light and notions , i have therefore produced in this matter only the testimonies of others , yet such , whose names are pretious in the church for their wisdom and spirituall understanding in the word , as well as for their faith and love , who though dead , yet speak to this matter in these following quotations . testimonies gathered together by that pretious martyr , doctor barnes , which are extant in his works to be read pag. 367. that the true observation of the sabbath consisteth not only in abstaining from bodily labors ; and that to a christian man every day is the sabbath , and not only the seventh day . hierome saith , therefore be certain dayes assigned , that we should come together ; not that that day in the which we come together is holyer then another , but all dayes be alike and equall . and christ is not alonely crucified in parasceden , and risen only on the sonday , but the day of resurrection is alwayes , and alwayes may we eat of the lords flesh , &c. augustine saith , we must observe the sabbath day , not that we should reckon our selves not to labor , but that all things that we do work well , must have an intention to the everlasting rest . wherefore we must observe the holy day , not by corporall idleness , and unto the letter , but spiritually must we rest from vices and concupiscences . wherefore among all the ten commandements , that of the sabbath day is alonely commanded to be figuratively observed , &c. tertullian saith , the carnall circumcision is put away , and extincted at his time . so likewise the observation of the sabbath day is declared to be for a time , for we must keep the sabbath day , not alonely the seventh day , but at all times , as isai. saith , &c. augustine saith , it is come unto me , that certain men , which be of an evill mind , have sowen certain evill things among you , and contrary to the holy faith , so that they do forbid that men should work on the sabbath day . the which men , what other thing shall we call them , but the preachers of antichrist , the which antichrist shall make the sabbath day and the sonday be kept from all manner of work , &c. testimonies proving the same article , translated out of his book de doctorum sententiis . and it shall come to pass from moon to his moon , and from sabbath to sabbath , all flesh shall come to worship before me , saith the lord . for the son of man is also lord of the sabbath . let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink , or in part of an holy day , or of the new moon , or of the sabbath dayes , which are a shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ . after ye have known god , or rather are known of god , how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements , whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage ? ye observe dayes , and moneths , and times , and years ; i am afraid of you , lest i have bestowed upon you labor in vain . the jews were commanded to celebrate the holy sabbath one day in the week , that they should be subject to no burden : but they being loosed from worldly business , i would they had so passed , that they had carryed with them no burden of grievous sins unto the everlasting sabbath of the world to come . let the synagogue of the jews observe the day , let the church observe it to immortality . in the law therefore was a portion , in the gospel is the perfection , &c. whosoever observeth that day hitherunto , as the letter soundeth , judgeth carnally . for if christ hath taken from us that grievous yoke of many observances , that we should not be carnally circumcised , that we should not offer sacrifice for our sins , that on the sabbath of the seventh day we should not abstain from necessary business , and other such like , if we observe them being spiritually understood , and setting aside all shadows , signifying the true light of those things . let us take heed whether we shall therefore say that it pertaineth not to us which is written , that whatsoever one findeth of another mans , he restore again to him that lost it : and many other precepts whereby we learn to live well and godly , and especially that decalogue which is contained in the two tables of stone , the carnall observation of the sabbath only excepted , which signifieth a spirituall sanctification and rest , &c. first , must a man know that the works of the law be of two sorts , for they partly consist in sacraments , and partly in morall precepts . unto the sacraments are referred the circumcision of the flesh , the temporal sabbath , the new moon , the sacrifices , and all such like innumerable observances . unto moral precepts are referred these , thou shalt not slay , &c. the testimony of others in this matter . tindal the martyr saith , and to speak of the sabbath , which was ordained to be their servant & to preach & be a sign unto them , that god through his holy spirit and word doth sanctifie them , in that they obeyed his commandments , and believed , and trusted in his promises , and therefore were charged to leave working , and to come on the holy day to hear the word of god , by which they were sanctified unto it , also they became captive and bound to serve it , saying that they were justified by abstaining from bodily labor ( as ours think also ) insomuch that though they bestowed not the holy day in vertue , prayer , and hearing the word of god , in alms-deeds , in visiting the sick , the needy and comfortless , and so forth , but went up and down idle , yet whatsoever need his neighbor had , he would not have helped him on the sabbath day , as thou mayest see by the ruler of the synagogue , who rebuked christ for healing the people on the holy day , luk. 13. again the same tindal saith , and as for the sabbath , a great matter , we be lords over the sabbath , and may yet change it into the monday , or any other day , as we see need , or may make every tenth day holyday only , if we see a cause why : we may make two every week if it were expedient , and not enough to teach the people . neither was there any cause to change it from the saturday , then to put difference between us and the jews , and lest we should become servants to the day after their superstition . neither needed we any holyday at all , if the people might be taught without it . bernardine ochine saith , since jesus christ the sun of righteousness appeared to the world , we ought to judge all times of grace to be a most holy sabbath , and to take all the times of our life , without putting diversity between one day and another , to be altogether holy & so spend them altogether in the honor and glory of god . but the pope commands the contrary , that there shall be a diversity beween dayes and times in holiness . luther saith , the eighth day signifies allegorically the life to come . for christ rested in the sepulchre , the sabbath day or whole seventh day , but he rose in the day following the sabbath , which is the eighth , and the beginning of a new week , nec numeratur ultra eam alia dies , neither is any day numbred beyond that . for christ by his death conclusit hebdomadas temporum , hath concluded the weeks of times , and in the eighth day entered into another kinde of life , in which there are no more dayes reckoned , but it is one eternal day without any courses of night . luther saith , the sabbath was commanded to the jews in a figure , as the apostle expresly signifies , col. 2. which is a shadow of future things , but the body is of christ . the sabbath signifies , that very spiritual time which christ the sun of righteousness hath illuminated , which hath no night , whence isaiah saith ch. 66. moneth shall be from moneth , and sabbath from sabbath : and the apostle reproves the galatians , that they observed days , and moneths , and times , and yeers , according to the jewish rite , that is only outwardly ; therefore that precept ( yea all ) is ceased to perfect christians , for the law is not given to a righteous man . notwithstanding the church hath retained feasts , because of the necessity of the word of god , for their sakes who are unperfect , for a true righteous man is so like to god , that as god is indifferent to all days , to all places , to all persons , so is he ; every day to him is holyday . but to the weak , who are not yet mortified according to the old man , it is needful that they should be occupied in watchings , fastings , labors , prayers , disciplines , &c. in the use of which , they may attain to the profit of the inner man ; but when the body is chastened & brought into servitude , and the passions of it mortified , then they by degrees may cease , and be so much abated , as the inner man is profited , in such sort , that if he should be perfect , these things ought altogether to cease . this is that the apostle saith , the law is our school-master to bring us unto christ , for the law made nothing perfect , luth. tom . 1. f. 116. luther on isa. 66. sabbath shall be from sabbath , that is saith he , i will change the rites and feasts of the jewish priesthood , and there shall not be in the church , the distinction of the sabbath sed perpetua sabbata erunt , but there shall be perpetual sabboths ; but these are in the spirit and in faith . for because of this flesh of ours , there is need of certain days , wherein we must meet together , for the handling of the word and the sacraments . calvin saith , such a division of dayes belonged to the jews , that they should devoutly observe the dayes commanded , by severing them from others : but amongst christians such a division is ceased . but some will say , we do yet retain some observation of days . i answer , we in no way keep dayes , as if there were any religion in holy dayes , aut quasi fas non sit tunc laborare , or as if it were not lawfull to labor then , but only respect is had of politie and order , not of dayes . and a little after , on these words , the body is of christ , he saith , that the substance of those things which the ceremonies heretofore did figure , is set before our eyes in christ , because he conteines in himself what ever they did foretel should be . and therefore he that recals the ceremonies into use , either overwhelms the manifestation of christ , or spoils christ of his vertue and makes him void . and therefore if any mortal man shall usurp to himself the office of a judge in this matter , let us not obey , seeing christ the lawful judge absolves us . again calvin , on gal. 4. 10. saith , when therefore proper holiness is attributed to dayes by themselves , when one day is distinguished from another for religions sake , when holydays are reckoned part of the worship of god , then dayes are observed amiss . we now , who have a difference of dayes , do not impose the snare of necessity on mens consciences , we do not distinguish between days , as if one day were more holy then another , we do not place therein religion and the worship of god , but we only provide for order and concord . and so the observation with us is free and pure from all superstition . zuinglius saith , fides docet , operante deo omnia bona fieri , & hoc est sabbatum nostrum . faith teaches us that all good things are done by gods working in us , and this is our sabbath . the same zuinglius saith , now here my valentine how the sabboth is rendred ceremonial . if we would have the lords day so bound to time , that it shall be wickedness in aliud tempus transferre , to transfer it to another time , in which resting from our labors equally as in that , we may hear the word of god , if necessity haply shall so require : this day so sollicitously observed , would obtrude upon us a ceremonie . for we are no way bound to time , but time ought so to serve us , that it is lawful , and permitted to each church , when necessity urges ( as is usual to be done , especially at harvest time ) to transfer the solemnity and rest of the lords day or sabbath , to some other day ; or on the lords it self , after the finishing of the holy things , to follow their labor , though not without great necessity . ad valent . compar . p. 254. picus mirandula saith , christus finis legis , est nostrum sabbatum . christ the end of the law , is our sabbath . and paul , heb. 4. 3. we which have believed do enter into rest , and he that is entred into rest ceaseth from his own works , as god did from his . these testimonies presently came to my hand , to which many more might have been added , if time would have suffered , but these are sufficient to hint thus much to men , that the christian sabbath is something more , and else , then the world commonly doth esteem it , and therefore it concerns the parliament , to take heed that they do not impose jewish superstition on the common-wealth , under pretence of gospel-reformation . 1 cor. 2. 15. the spiritual man judgeth all things , yet he himself is judged of no man . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a82315e-120 super gal. cap. 4. epist. 19. adversus judaeos . de consec. dist. 3 cap. pervenit . isa. 66. 23. mat. 12. col. 2. 16. gal. 4 9. ambrose ad irenae . epist. 77. august . de spiritu & lit. cap. 14. august . ad bonifac. l. 3. c. 4. cont. 2. ep. pelag. august . in gal. tindal . p. 274 tindal . p. 287 ☞ ochine in dialog . cont. pap. luther . ad colos. ca. 2. v. 16. articul . 20. ●●bel . ad valentin , comparem . heb. 4. a serious and brief discourse touching the sabbath-day intended to decide and determine all controversies respecting that subject / by thomas cleadon ... cleadon, thomas. 1674 approx. 24 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 6 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2007-10 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a33397 wing c4624 estc r35646 15508926 ocm 15508926 103608 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a33397) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 103608) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1148:42) a serious and brief discourse touching the sabbath-day intended to decide and determine all controversies respecting that subject / by thomas cleadon ... cleadon, thomas. [2], 9 p. printed by a.m. for edwar brewster ..., london : 1674. imperfect: tightly bound with loss of print. reproduction of original in the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sunday. 2006-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-07 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-09 celeste ng sampled and proofread 2006-09 celeste ng text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a serious and brief discourse touching the sabbath-day : intended to decide and determine all controversies respecting that subject . by thomas cleadon , rector of radwinter in the county of essex . london , printed by a. m. for edward brewster , at the sign of the crane in st. paul's church-yard . 1674. of the sabbath . that we may be truly and clearly informed of the doctrine of the sabbath , we must consider and receive these following truths . first , that adam so long as he continued in the estate of innocency in which he was created of god , nor was , nor could be under the obligation of the ten commandments , and so not under the obedience of the fourth commandment : for can it rationally be supposed , that adam being created perfectly holy , gen. 1. 26 , 27 , made after the image of god , which was perfect in adam ; his understanding was as full of concreated light of the knowledg of god and of his works , as was necessary to his present happiness ; and he was suitably perfect in his will and affections ; and therefore while he continued in this perfect holy estate , what need had he of the ten commandments ? or of what use could they be unto him ? he knew not what it was to worship an image , or to take gods name in vain ; nor could he know any of the sins forbidden , nor any of the duties commanded in the second table of the law ; nor was of it any use to him , who was perfectly holy ; nor did he know that god would set apart one day in seven to be more holy than the rest ; for had he continued in the estate of innocency more days than that in which he was created , the eight day , and the ninth , and the tenth day , and every had been alike holy to him , and as much a sabbath to him as the seventh day ; for he would have been still perfectly holy , and therefore not subject to bodily weariness , and so needed not bodily rest ; nor would he then have needed any of those outward duties and ordinances of worship required of us in the second or fourth commandments , for our spiritual edification and comfort ; for he needed not either spiritual information or spiritual comfort , or spiritual growth , as we do since the fall ; a perfect estate of grace and holiness hath no need of any of these spiritual helps and means , no more than the holy saints in heaven have now need or use of them . and hence two things must necessarily be inferred . 1. that man was fallen from his innocency before he was commanded to observe the seventh day as the time of the sabbath or holy rest , as it was afterwards expressed in the fourth commandment ; and it is evident , that gods great design in creating man , was not his continuance in the estate of innocency for one day ; , and therefore as soon as man was created and put into paradise god made a covenant with him for himself and all his posterity , that if he did eat first of the fruit of the tree of knowledg of good and evil , he and all his posterity should presently dye , that is , a spiritual death , by being stript of that holy image of god in which he was created ; but if he did eat first of the tree of life , which stood next to the other , then he and all his posterity should continue for ever in their present holy and happy estate . now the devil hearing and knowing that god had made this covenant with him , and fearing lest adam should eat first of the tree of life , and so he and all his posterity should live for ever ; he being full of envy , and malice , and subtilty , he presently entred into the serpent , and in and by the serpent perswaded and prevailed with eve , and by eve perswades and prevailed with adam to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree ; and so they both , and all their posterity , were deprived of that innocent and holy estate in which they were created ; therefore gods great design in creating man , was , that by his fall he might take occasion to glorifie both his mercy and justice in sending his son into the world to be a redeemer and saviour , which he did in promise immediately upon mans fall , gen. 3. 15 ; and by actual exhibition , when the fulness of time was come , gal. 4. 4 : and therefore adam's continuance in the estate of innocency for so short a time , was most sutable to gods great design in man's creation . 2. this also must necessarily be inferred , that adam being created perfectly innocent and holy , could not fall from that holy and happy estate by any other way , but only by doing some outward act , in its own nature lawful , which god should forbid him to do ; and god forbad him to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledg of good and evil , which was in it self lawful , but became unlawful for him to eat of that fruit , by a positive negative precept from god , gen. 2. 17. for god never made with man but two covenants essentially differing one from the other ; the first was made with man in the estate of innocency , before his fall , expressed in gen. 2. 16 , 17 ; and this , if you will , you may call a covenant of works ; and this covenant he brake , gen. 3. 6. and the second covenant god made with man in his lapsed or fallen estate , being devoid of all spiritual good , overspread with original sin , and under the guilt of eternal death ; and this was a covenant of grace , touching the redemption and salvation of man , a sinner , by the death and sufferings of christ , both god and man ; and this covenant of grace god did reveal and express to adam immediately upon his fall , in gen. 3. 15. and what god hath revealed to be his will in reference to man a sinner , ever since he made that promise , hath been but an explication and amplification of that covenant-promise made in christ . now this covenant of grace ( since that first promise made to man in his lapsed estate ) god hath revealed to man a sinner , or rather to his church and people by such degrees and means as he pleased ; for as for the first two thousand years after that promise , god revealed his will and mind to his people , not by writing , but either by visions , or dreams , or by audible voice , and the like ; but at the end of two thousand years , when god brought his people out of egypt , they being grown to a great nation , in their passage through the wilderness , god established the covenant of grace with them in a more publick way , and after a more solemn manner , upon mount sinai ; and then , and not before , he spake the ten commandments to them with his own mouth ; and also he wrote them in two tables of stone with his own hand , to be unto them , and to all succeeding churches , in covenant with him , a rule to walk by , exod. 31. 18. now these ten words , or ten commandments , are no where in the scripture called the moral law ; but by divine writers they are so called a morando , because they were and are to continue a rule of righteousness and obedience to the church and people of god to the end of the world ; and they are said to be moral , not simply and absolutely , but synecdochically , or in some respect only ; and therefore in the ten commandments rightly to understand them , we must consider two things : first , the substance of every commandment : and secondly , the circumstances of every commandment . now the substance of every commandment is moral , of perpetual equity , and knowable by the light of nature or reason in man fallen ; but the circumstances are positive , and depend upon revelation , or gods positive commands expressed in the scripture . this is true of every one of the ten commandments ; i shall instance only in two of them , which will give light to all the rest : i shall instance in the second and fourth commandments . first , the second commandment concerneth the outward worship of god ; now the morality or substance of this second commandment is this , thou shalt outwardly worship the lord thy god only by such ways and duties as he shall command and appoint . and this may be known to fallen man by the light of reason ; for that doth dictate to him , that there is a god , and that god is to be worshipped , and that he is to be worshipped only by such duties , ways and means , as he shall command and appoint : but for the circumstances of this commandment , namely , the particular duties and ordinances by which god will be outwardly worshipped , they depend wholly upon revelation , and the positive commands of god ; for all the duties of worship commanded of god both in the old and new testament , are to be referred to the second commandment . so the substance or morality of the fourth commandment , is contained in these words only , remember the sabbath-day to keep it holy ; that is , thou shalt keep holy that day of rest which i do appoint ; and this also the light of reason may dictate , that it belongeth to god only to set apart and appoint to his people a day of holy rest ; and all the other words expressed in this commandment , are but circumstantial , and depend upon revelation ; as the appointing the seventh day from the creation to be the day of holy rest to the people of god before christ , was by positive command of god ; for adam in the estate of innocency could not know by his concreated light , that god would finish his work of creation in six days ; and yet god doth make that the ground of his instituting the seventh day to be the day of holy rest , gen. 2. 3. much less could it be known by the light of nature or reason in man fallen : we read of aristotle , that great philospher , who did excel in the light of reason , that he affirmed that the world had no beginning ; and the scripture saith expresly , heb. 11. 3 , by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of god ; and that which we understand by faith , we know by revelation only , which is the ground of faith ; and the seventh day being a created time as well as the other six days , could not be a holy time to fallen man , but by gods special and positive command and institution . 2. a second thing to be considered for the right understanding of the doctrine of the sabbath , is this , that the seventh day from the creation appointed of god to be the sabbath or day of holy rest to the people of god before christs incarnation , being but the positive part of the fourth commandment , did cease and end as a holy sabbath at the time of christs resurrection from the dead ; the reason is , because though it was primarily commanded of god to be so observed ; yet afterwards a typical sense and use was by moses from god added to it ; as circumcision and the passover , they were instituted to be the ordinary sacraments belonging to the church of the jews and were both seals of the covenant of grace ; the first of initiation , the other of confirmation and growth ; yet being also used as typical during the legal administration , they both ceased with the ceremonial law ; and in the room of them christ ordained baptism and the lords supper to be the only sacraments to all christian churches in time of the gospel . so the seventh day from the creation it was primarily by a positive command of god set apart to be the jews weekly holy sabbath ; yet it came to be used also as typical , to signifie to the faithful their spiritual rest in christ in this ●ife , and their eternal rest by and with christ in heaven , as exod. 31. 13 , verily my sabbaths ye shall keep ; for it is a sign betwixt me and you throughout your generations ; which is meant also of the seventh-day-sabbath , as is evident in ver . 14 , 15 , 16 ; and in ver . 17 , it is a sign between me and the children of israel for ever : and it is reckoned up amongst the other jewish festival sabbaths in levit. 23. 2 , and in col. 2. 16 , 17 , which are a shadow of things to come , but the body is christ . and heb. 4. 3 , 4 , 5 , 9. there remaineth therefore a sabbatism to the people of god ; and it is evident that this sabbatism was typified by the seventh-day-sabbath in ver . 4. and from these scriptures it must be granted , that god appointed the rest of the seventh-day not only as a sanctified time of his worship publick and private , but also as a sanctified sign of mans resting on the seed of the woman , and of his eternal rest in heaven ; and therefore as soon as the seed of the woman had finished his sacrifice , and was risen from the dead , the holy rest of the seventh-day ceased , as did all the other types of moses his law , gal. 4. 9 , 10 , 11 ; and in the room of it was appointed by christ the first day of the week . for to deny that god hath instituted another day to be the day of holy rest to christians in the time of the gospel , is to deny the moral part of the fourth commandment . 3. a third thing therefore to be considered for the right understanding of the doctrine of the sabbath is this , that upon the resurrection of christ from the dead , god did appoint the first day of the week to be the day of holy rest to the churches of christ to the end of the world ; which yet in his great wisdom is so contrived , that the weekly return of it is but one day in seven , that still man may have six days for his labour , and god may have the seventh-day to be his holy sabbath , and this by virtue of the moral part of the fourth commandment , and that expressed in these words , remember thou keep holy the sabbath-day ; that is , the day that i shall appoint by posi●ive command to be my holy sabbath-day : now that god hath appointed the first day of the week , it being the eight from the creation , and the seventh day from the resurrection of christ , to be the christian sabbath , hath been , and may be made evident to any one , who can but so far deny himself , as to think that he may err and be mistaken in his opinion , and is resolved to receive the truth whensoever and by whomsoever it shall be made manifest to him from the holy scriptures . now for the proof of this third particular , consider , that the seventh day from the creation being appointed of god by positive command the day of holy rest to the jews ; and that day being also made typical , and so ceased , as hath been already proved ; it was necessary from the moral part of the fourth commandment , that god should appoint another day for his holy sabbath , instead of the seventh day from the creation ; for god only can so set apart and sanctifie a sabbath day as to bind the inward as well as the outward man to be holily exercised all that day , as it is expressed in isa . 58. 13 , 14. now that the first day of the week is appointed and ordained of god to be the christians holy sabbath-day , is sufficiently evidenced by these things . 1. that the eight day from the creation , being the day of christs resurrection from the dead , is very eminent and famous in the old testament before the time of christ his incarnation ; as ▪ 1. no creature was allowed for sacrifice until it was eight days old , exod. 22. 27 , 30. 2. the law of circumcision was strictly tied to the eight day , gen. 17. 12 , and in divers other places ▪ 3. the persons of the priests were not perfectly consecrated to minister in their office , until the eighth day , levit. 8. 33 , and 9. 1. 4. the leprous person was not perfectly cleansed until the eight day , lev. 14. 10 ; nor the polluted nazarite , numb . 6. 10. 5. the last and great day of the feast of tabernacles , was on the eight day , which was a sabbath-day , joh. 7. 37 : and all this to typifie the eminency of the resurrection-day of christ , even above the seventh from the creation ; and all this did clearly intimate and imply , that god would at christs resurrection take off the crown of honour from the seventh day , and set it upon the head of the eight day , the day of his son's resurrection from the dead , having then finished the great work of man's redemption . 2. it is evident by scripture , that it hath been gods frequent practice to set a character or mark of remembrance and honour upon his most considerable works and actions , by setting apart a set and solemn time to be piously observed and kept upon that account : as for his other great works , he commanded only an yearly solemnity , as in exod. 12. 42 , and chap. 13. 3 ▪ and in hest . 9. 20. but the great work of the creation god would have to be remembred and honoured by a weekly solemnity , by setting apart and sanctifying the seventh day from the creation to be observed in the weekly return of it , as his holy sabbath , or day of holy rest , gen. 2. 3. and can we reasonably imagine , that gods pleasure , acquiescence and rest , in raising his son , his only begotten son , from the dead , having finished the great work of redemption , a greater and a more glorious work than that of the creation , and of a more dear and precious resentment to god the father ; that yet this wonderful and blessed work , the very admiration of angels , should not be honoured with a day of remembrance , as frequent , as solemn , as sacred , and by gods own appointment , as the other was , how can it but seem very strange to a considerate , believing , and redeemed christian . 3. the lord jesus himself began to celebrate and solemnize the individual day of his resurrection , by an holy and heavenly conference with two of his disciples as they were going from jerusalem to emaus , luk. 24. 30 ; and behold two of them went the same day ; the evangelist gives special notice of the day : and the same day he did administer the sacrament of the supper to them : ver. 30 , and it came to pass as he sate at meat with them , &c. you see that they were then eating ; and then he took the bread , and blessed it , and brake it , and gave it to them ; these words he useth only in the administration of the holy supper . now the same hour saith the evangelist ) they returned again to jerusalem , and found the eleven gathered together , and them that were with them , ver . 33 , &c. and ver . 36 , &c. now why did the holy ghost give such particular notice of the day , to be the same day , the eight day , the first day of the week , the day of his resurrection from the dead , ver . 1 , but to signifie that christ on that day began to sanctifie the day of his resurrection in religious exercises , to lead the way to all that should believe in him to do the like . now beside this , christ made two other appearances , and each of them was on the first day of the week , the day in which he rose again from the dead , not mentioning any thing spoken or done by him the six days between ; and why all this , but to put a mark of special remembrance and honour on this day , the first day of the week , it being now to become the holy sabbath-day to all christian churches to the end of the world ; and it is very observable , that after christs resurrection , and before his ascension , he spake to his disciples of the things pertaining to the kingdom of god , acts 1. 3 , that is , what the apostles were afterwards to do in the church of god , both in respect of government , and preaching , and writing ; and then commands them that they should not depart from jerusalem , but wait for the promise of the father , ver . 4 ; which they did , as in acts 2. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. now the day on which the holy ghost was sent from heaven , and fell upon the apostles in that miraculous manner , was the first day of the week , as is evident from the computation of the days of pentecost , which are here said to have been fully come ( or fulfilled ) , lev. 23. 15 , 16. 4. it was afterwards the practice of the saints in the apostles days , to solemnize the first day of the week in a religious assembling of themselves for sabbath duties and exercises ; as acts 20. 7. and upon the first day of the week , when the disciples came together to break bread ( meaning , after their usual and accustomed manner ) paul preached unto them , &c. and in 1 cor 16. 1 , 2 , vpon the first day of the week , when ye are met together ; namely , according to your usual custom : and in both these places , the exact notation of the day , the first day of the week , did denote to them , that this was and ought to be the day to be kept by christians for their weekly sabbath ; for the apostles had greatly sinned , and caused the christian churches to have sinned , if they had not direction and command from christ to observe that day of the week holy , as being now the christian sabbath , 1 cor 14. 37 , and the other abolished by christ , as hath been already proved . 5. in rev. 1. 10 , saith the apostle john , i was in the spirit on the lords day , this cannot be meant of the seventh-day-sabbath , for it was above fifty years after christs resurrection when the apostle john wrote to the seven churches of asia , and then the seventh-day-sabbath was generally laid aside by christians , and the first day of the week , the day of christs resurrection , was generally observed and kept by them instead of it ; and therefore this title was by the apostle john given to that day , without any circumstance , as that which was familiarly known , and grown in frequent use and practice in all the christian churches . and as christ ordained the holy supper instead of the passover , and therefore stiled by the apostle paul , the lords supper ; so because christ ordained the day of his resurrection to be the christians day of holy rest , instead of the jewish seventh-day-sabbath ; therefore it is stiled by the apostle john , the lords day . 6. ever since the apostles time , the first day of the week , being the day of christs resurrection hath been generally observed & kept as the christian sabbath in all christian churches throughout all succeeding ages , unto this day . now that they all should live and dye in an erroneous & sinful practice , without repentance , so much controverted , and an inconsiderable party of them , much inferior to multitudes of them both in learning , parts , gifts , and spiritual grace and holiness , should yet only be in the right , who hold the jewish sabbath , the seventh day from the creation , to be still in force , and accordingly do observe and keep it , contrary to the declared judgment and practice of all other christians , cannot be thought but to proceed either from ignorance , or from pride , or from both , one or both of these having been the root and cause of all the schisms , and errors , and heresies , which do , or ever have disquieted and disturbed the churches of jesus christ . finis . a short but cleare discovrse of the institiution, dignity, and end of the lords-day upon occasion of those words of st. iohn ... / written by george hakewill ... hakewill, george, 1578-1649. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a43869 of text r18460 in the english short title catalog (wing h209). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 66 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 21 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a43869 wing h209 estc r18460 12872313 ocm 12872313 94801 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a43869) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 94801) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 255:e173, no 10) a short but cleare discovrse of the institiution, dignity, and end of the lords-day upon occasion of those words of st. iohn ... / written by george hakewill ... hakewill, george, 1578-1649. [2], 38 p. printed by iohn raworth for george thomason and octavian pullen, london : 1641. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng sunday -early works to 1800. a43869 r18460 (wing h209). civilwar no a short, but cleare, discourse, of the institution, dignity, and end of the lords-day. upon occasion of those words of st. iohn. i was in th hakewill, george 1641 12565 168 10 0 0 0 0 142 f the rate of 142 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2002-08 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-08 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-09 chris scherer sampled and proofread 2002-09 chris scherer text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a short , but cleare , discovrse , of the institution , dignity , and end of the lords-day . upon occasion of those words of st. iohn . i was in the spirit on the lords-day . written by george hakewill , doctor in divinity , and arch-deacon of surrey . london , printed by iohn raworth , for george thomason and octavian pullen , mdcxli . revel. 1. 10. i was in the spirit on the lords-day . they are the words as ye see of saint iohn the holy evangelist , the blessed apostle , the beloved disciple , the glorious confessor , the soaring eagle , the sonne of thunder , the divine by an excellency , and the pen-man of this most divine and excellent book of the revelation : and here he makes known unto us the place where , the time when , the state in which he was , when the high and deep mysteries of this book were made known unto him : the place where it was , in the isle of patmos , whither by domitian the emperour , he was banished for the word of god , and the testimony of jesus christ , as it is in the verse going before my text : the time when , on the lords day , the best day of the week , shining among the other dayes vel●…t inter ignes luna minores , as the brightest moon , when she fills-her circle with light , among the other stars : the state in which himself then was , in the spirit , in spirituall exercises , in spirituall meditations , and , by means thereof , in spirituall raptures and elevations , in spirituall ex●…asies of the soul , above the ordinary pitch of humane condition . wee have here presented to our consideration these foure things . first , that there is a certain time , a certain day , which may deservedly be called , and is indeed the lords day . the second , that th●… d●…y here spoken of , is that particular day , and why it is ●…o c●…lled . the third , is the great priviledges , and speciall prerogatives of this day , beyond , and above all other . the fourth , is the duties which belong to us upon this day ; it is to be in the spirit , as st. iohn was ; though not in spirituall trances , yet in spirituall exercises and meditations . for the first of these , it is certain , most certain , that there is not , nor ever was any nation under the cope of heaven since the first creation , which acknowledged a deity , but withall it acknowledged a divine worship and service due to this deity ; and that not onely inward in the minde , but outward , in sacred and solemn rites and observances , as being both the kindely effects , and lively characters of ●…he in bred notions and motions of the soul : and to this purpose they had not onely temples , and altars , and sacrifices , and forms of invocation , but festivall dayes , set dayes , or dayes set apart ; as for the publique and civill affairs , so likewise for the religious rites and ceremonies . and this they had partly from the dictate of reason , which tells us , that every action requires , as a place , so a time suteable thereunto , partly from experience , which teacheth us , that that which is left at randome , and hath no day prefixed , is seldome performed as it should be on any day ; and partly from those broken remainders of the image of god left in them , and an imitation of the church of god , though from it , in the main points of his worship , they had much degenerated . it may be well thought , that the first man created immediately by god himself , even in the state of innocency , had both a certain place and time for the worship of his maker ; howsoever sure it is , that before we reade of the fall of man , we reade of a seventh day , blessed and sanctified by god himself , gen. 2. 3. sanctified , that by man it might be kept holy to his glory ; and blessed , that man by keeping of it holy , might receive a blessing from god . when enos was born of seth , the sonne of adam , it is said , that men then began to call upon the name of the lord , gen. 4. at the last verse : that is ( as i take it ) to call upon his name in publique assemblies ; for which , no doubt but they had a certain place appointed , lest otherwise men might be disappointed in their meetings : and most like it is that it was the same day which abell , and seth , and adam observed before them , and the rest of the patriachs after them , that day in which god himself rested , having fully finished the great work of the worlds creation . etiam ante legem non dubito primis illis patribus doctore deo , diem hunc solennem , augustum & sacrum fuisse , saith the learned mercerus . even before the law i doubt not but this day by gods teaching , was solemn and sacred to those primitive fathers . and peter martyr , nec ejus observatio coepit lege data in sina , sed ante celebrabatur ; neither did the observation thereof begin with the giving of the law in sinai , but it was celebrated before . of the same opinion is rivet , who likewise answers all the arguments brought to the contrary , which together with them i the rather embrace , for that before the giving of the law in mount sinai , we have an expresse and severe charge for the keeping of it in gathering manna , exod. 16. and upon that occasion two such miracles shewed to ratifie and magnifie that day , as seldome shall ye reade of more remarkable thorow the book of god ; whereof the one was , that the manna fell in great plenty upon all the other dayes of the week , but upon the seventh none at all ; the other , that being gathered on the sixth day , it remained sweet till the seventh , and not so on any other day of the week besides : either of which miracles were doubtlesse as great or greater than that fabulous one of plinie , seconded by some of the jewish rabbins , of a river in iudea , which is said to runne the sixe first dayes of the week , and on the seventh to dry up ; so as we shall not need go seek out that river to authorize that day . yet after all this was this very day again for the better observation of it , proclai●…ed in mount sinai , and that in a dreadfull and glorious manner , exod. 20. having a more solemn entrance into it , and more weighty reasons to hedge it in and confirm it , than any other of the commandements . and besides , all the rest are negative onely , the first of the second table , and this last of the first table are affirmative , nay this onely is both affirmative and negative , standing in the midst of the two tables , to shew that they both depend upon the observation of it ; which i conceive to be the reason that in some passages of scripture the keeping of the sabbath day is put for the whole body of gods worship , and pressed with more earnestnesse both in the following chapters of the same book , and in the books following of moses and the prophets , than any of the other precepts ; so as till the coming of christ , and at his coming too , nay , for a while after his death and passion , resurrection and ascention ( that the mother synagogue ( as st. augustine speaks ) might be buried with the greater honour ) it was d●…ely and constantly observed by the church of god . but when the fulnesse of time was come for the abrogation of it , yet the equity of the commandement ( which divines do call the morall part thereof ) remaining still in its full strength and vigour , required not onely some certain time to be set apart for the publique worship of god , but at least one day in seven : which is not onely the judgement of a chrysostome , and b peter martyr , and c bellarmine , and doctor fulke , in his answer to the rhemtsts , commenting upon the words of my text , and other grave divines ; but of our profound and judicious hooker , writing purposely against the schismaticks of our time , so as we need not suspect him of puritanisme : wee are bound ( saith he in the 5th book of his ecclesiasticall policy , and seventeenth paragraph , touching the manner of celebrating festivall dayes ) we are bound to accompt the sanctification of one day in seven , a duty which gods immutable law doth exact for ever , although with us the day be changed , in regard of a new revolution , begun by our saviour christ , yet the same proportion of time , the same proportion of time continueth , which was before by way of a perpetutuall homage , a perpetuall h●…age , never to be dispensed withall , nor remitted . then which , i see not what can be spoken more plainly or more punctually ; which is the rather to be marked , for that the author being a man of admirable learning , and of a deep judgement , and by reason thereof making many doubts to himself , ( which the ignorant by reason of their shallow and narrow capacities , hardly discern , and easily swallow ) is notwithstanding in the point so positive and peremptory as you see . whereunto we may adde the testimony of our homilies , allowed to be read in our churches by publique authority , making also one day in the week by the morall part of the commandement to be consecrated ; and that not in part , but wholly to heavenly exercises of gods true religion and service . and truely this our churches resolution therein to me weighs more than the opinions of many others to the contrary , though i will not censure , much lesse absolutely condemne them . my conclusion shall be , that as the tenth part , ad minimum is gods portion for the fruits of the earth , so the seventh part of his proportion for time : and both of them not onely under the leviticall law but under the gospel ; the number of seven is sacred , as philo in his book de opificio mundi hath learnedly shewed ; but for proof thereof i will go no further then this very book of the revelation , wherein we read of seven angels , and seven trumpets , and seven vialls , and seven seales and seven stars , and seven candlesticks , and seven churches , and seven spirits before the throne of god ; all which seems to imply the number to be mystical and sacred , and consequently most properly due to religious exercises in publick , consisting in the sacred service of allmighty god . all which notwithstanding , some such are found professi●…g themselves christians , as anabaptists and 〈◊〉 , who not only deny any set time to be appropriated to gods service , by the law of christ ; but further affirme , that no such time is now by christians living under the gospell in any sort to bee observed : and to this end they wrest those passages of the apostle gal. 4. 10. rom. 14. 5. col. 2. 16. they wrest them i say , the only scope of the apostle in those passages being to cry downe the ceremomall use , or superstitious abuse of dayes , as well among the iewes as the gentiles ; not to make holy dayes set apart for gods service unlawfull ; nay , it is certaine that in other places hee m●…kes the●… lawf●…ll , and this day here spoken of in my text in pa●…ticular , aswell by his practice as his precept : w●…ich will appear in my second generall part which offers it selfe in the next place ; namely , that t●…e day here spoken of in my text is that particular day , which is now by us christians in a speci●…ll manner set apart for the service of god : in the handling whereof wee have two things to be considered : first the severall names of this day , and then why it is termed the lords day . this day is sometimes called the sabboth , sometimes sunday , sometimes the first day of the week , sometimes the eighth day , and sometimes the lords day , as here in my text . the name of the sabboth ( i must confesse ) in the ancient councels or fathers wee shall hardly find applyed to this day , unlesse withall they adde sabbathum christianorum the s●…bboth of christians ; for when they speak of the sabboth absolutely , without any addition , they alwayes understand the saturday the seventh day , the sabboth day of the j●…wes , which except it bee heedfully observed of those who are conversant in their writings , it may be an occasion of much errour and mistake . which notwithstanding i make no question , but this day may without any just suspition of iudaisme be called the sabboth : and that for these reasons . first , because our saviour himselfe ( as i conceive ) hath so called it : pray that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabboth day ; where he speakes of the destruction of hierusilem , which fell out about forty years after his ascention , whereas the sabboth of the iewes was abrogated by his resurrectio●… , and consequently it cannot well bee understood , but of the sabboth of christians , the day here spoken of . my second reason is , for that sabbath signifying rest , the word in regard of that signification is appliable to our day , as well as to theirs , it being a day of rest to us , as well a●… to them : true indeed it is that the sabbath was so called a day of rest , in a double respect : first because god him●…e upon that day rested from the workes of the creation ; and then because they in imitation of god , and by commandement from god were likewise to rest upon the same day ; whereas ours cannot be called a sabbath in respect of the first , that is gods rest ; but only in respect of the second , that is our rest . my third reason is , for that our lords day succeeded in the place of the sabboth , and was ordained to the same generall end ; as our spirituall exercises are called sacrifices , because they succeed in the place of their sacrifices , so may our lords day not unfitly bee termed the sabbath , because it succeeds in the place of t●…eir sabboth . secondly , this day here spoken of in my text is sometimes called sunday , which though it be a name imposed by the gentiles , who knew not the true god , giving the names of the seven planets to the seven dayes of the week ; yet for distinctions s●…ke i see not , but wee christians may without superstition or relation to them call the dayes of the weeke by the same names that they did , as well as we do the planets ; or as god himselfe calls the stars by ●…eathenish names , ple●…ades , orion , and arcturus with ●…is son●…es , iob 38. or as s. l●…ke acts 28. ●…ells us that the ship of alexandria in which s. paul●…ailed had the signe of castor and pol●…ux , heathenish gods : yet it may not be denyed , but the primitive christians who daily conversed among those i●…olatrous gentil●…s , in de●…station of their idolatry , for the most part forbore those prophane heathenish names ; the first day they usually called the lords day , and the last the sabbath , and those between the first and the last , feria sec●…nda , tertia , qu●…rta , quinta , sexta , the second , third , fourth , fifth , & sixth days of the week ; though they were not so scupulous , but sometimes they were content to use the names of sunday too , as witnesseth eusebi●…s in his fourth book of the life of constantine , hunc salutarem di●…m ( saith he , speaking of the lords day ) quem lucis vel solis appellamus , and so it is called more then once by iustinus martyr , in his second apology : and truly considering that upon this day the light was made , which being first dispersed was afterward gathered into the body of the sunne , and withall that christ the sunne of righteousnesse ( as he is called mal. 4. 2. ) rose again upon this day , i see not but that we christia●…s may without any just offense name it sunday . thirdly , it is sometimes called the first day of the week , thus was it constantly called by the iewes , as being the beginning both of the week and of the world ; thus by moses gen. 1. 5. thus by all the four evangelists math. 28. 1. mark 16. 2. luke 24. 1. io. 20. 1. and again by st. luke acts 20. 7. and by st. paul 1 cor. 16. 2. nay more then so , amongst all nations , that keep any account of weeks , and moneths and years , this day is accounted the first day of the week ; which without doubt they borrowed either by tradition from the patriarchs , and so from adam , or from the writings of mos●…s , which many of them read . but by the way wee are here to observe , that this being the first day of the week cannot possibly bee the seventh ; one of the seven and the first and chief of the seven it is , but the seventh ( if we will follow gods account ) it is not , nor cannot be so called : so that what is spoken in the fourth commandement of the sabbath as the seventh day , i s●…y as t is the seventh day , cannot bee appliable to this day of ours , except we should make the first and the seventh all one . fourthly , it i●… sometimes called the eighth day ; for as it is the first in regard of the week following , so is it the eighth in regard of that going before . sufficiēt war●…ā : we have for this name ioh. 20. 26. where though wee read after eight dayes , yet by the consent of all divines it is to bee understood of the eigh●…h day after christs resurrection , which must needs be the same day of the weeke with the first day of the weeke going before : nos in octava die , quae et prima est perfecti sabbathi , festivitate laetamur , saith s. hillarie : and st. augustine , dies octavus qui & primus , speaking of this day in his epistle to ianuarius , the the same is both the first day and the eighth day ; where he likewise tels us , that this day was not unknown to the holy fathers and prophets , before the incarnation of christ ; nam & pro octava psalmus inscribitur , & octavo die circumcid●…bantur infantes , saith hee ; for both a psalm is intituled for the eighth , and the eighth day after their b●…rth were children circumcised . and again in his enarration upon psal. 89. ( or the 90. as we reckon ) speaking of the number of fifteen made up of seven and eight ; quorum primus ( saith he ) insinuat propter sabbathi observationem testam. vetus , secundus testam. novum propter domini resurrectionem ; whereof the first by reason of the observation of the sabbath signifies the old testament ; t●…e second the ●…ew testament , by reason of our lords resurrection : hinc sunt in templo quinde . cim gradus , hence it is that the ascent to the temple was by fiftee●…e steps , that there are fifteene psalmes of degrees , that the floud rose above the highest mount●…ins fift●…en cubits , & si qui●…us aliis locis sacratus comme●…datur hic numerus , and hence it is if this 〈◊〉 number be recommended unto us , in any other places . whereunto hee might have added , that eight persons were saved in the arke , as saint peter hath piecisely observed in his first epistle and 3. cap. and in that respect , in the second chapter of his second epistle , doth hee call n●…h the eighth person . fifthly and lastly , and chiefly , it is called the lords day , as here in my text , and ag●…in , 1 cor. 16. 1. as beza in his annotations on that place tells us , according to an ancient ●…anuscript which himsel●…e both saw and read : where , by the lord no doubt is understood the lord iesus , which was the usuall name given him by the apostles , both whiles he lived , and af●…er his de●…th , all other lords bein bu●… underlings , and all kings but vassals in regard of him ; from him they hold their crown●… , and ●…o him they m●…st bend their knees , and give an account of their kingdomes ; to him i s●…y who h●…th on his fest●…re and on his thigh a na●…e written , king of kings and lord of lords , being in his power and majesty , as farre above the greatest lords on earth , as they are above the meanest of their subjects . now this day is called the lords day , or this lords day , because to the honour and service of the lord it was both observed , and enjoyned by his apostles specially in memory of his resurrection , and that by speciall order from himself ; of three of these , namely that to the honour of the lord it was observed by his apostles , and specially in memory of his resurrection , no christian i think makes any doubt ; so as neither of them will need any further proof : two things then remain only to be proved : the one , that this day was not only observed by the apostles , but by them also enjoyned to be observed by the church : the other , that both this observation and injunction were by speciall order from the lord himselfe . to prove that it was by the apostles themselves enjoyned to be observed by the church , it shall not bee requisi●…e to vouch any expresse precept of theirs ; it will be sufficient if by necessary deduction from any such precept it bee made clear ; neither can wee otherwise prove many doctrinall poynts in controversie , between us and the church of rome . now for such a kind of proof i would goe no further then that precept of the apostle 1 cor. 16. 1. concerning the collection for the saints , as i have given order to the churches of g●…latia , even so do ye , upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store , as god hath prospered him . that the collection for the poor is here enjoyned ; it cannot be denyed , the words themselves proclaim it ; and that this collection was inseparably annexed to the lords day , because on it the congregation was assembled ; not onely this text , but the ecclesiasticall writers give plentifull testimony : from whence the conclusion in my judgement is clear and fair , that the lords day it self , in which such collections were made , was consequently by them enjoyned ; for where two things are inseparably united , he who enjoyns the on●… , cannot , but by consequent likewise , enjoyn the other : as when god said , let there be light , if light cannot be ●…ep from heat , it was in effect as much as if he had said , let there be heat . thus m●…ch doth doctor rivet collect from these words of the apostle . and thus much , it should seem . saint augustine , in his 251 sermon , de tempore , gathered either 〈◊〉 this , or some other passage of this kinde ; where he teacheth us , that the apostles not onely obs●…ved this day , but religiosa solennitate habendum sanxerunt , decreed it to be kept in a solemn religious manner : from whence we may safely concl●…de , that at leastwise , in his judgement , it was not onely their practice , but their precept . the other point remaining to be proved , is , that both this p●…actice and precept of theirs , was by order from the lord himself , and that not onely by secret inspiration , but by overt acts . as the sacrament is c●…lled t●…e lords supper , because it was instituted by t●…e lord , and that excellent form of prayer whic●… he hath left us , the lords prayer , beca●…se it was co●…posed by the lord ; so is this day called the lords , because it was ordained by him . he is that sonne of man , who is lord even of the sabbat●… ; as he dissolved the sabbath of the jewes , so he appointed the lords day of the christians to succeed it . new lords they say , new lawes , which in him was verified ; new sacraments , new sacrifices , a new priesthood , a new pentecost , a new sabbath . thus old things passed away , and al●… things by him became new ; and if all other things belonging to his service , then surely the day too , in which this service is solemnly to be performed , that so it might be suteable to his service . this blessed day was not only foreseen , and foretold by the psalmist , but the making of it , by the lord . this is the day which the lord hath made , let us rejoyce and be glad in it , psal. 118. 24. where no doubt he prophecies of this very lords day here mentioned in my text ; and so have many of the fathers rightly applied it : and among the rest a athana●…ius , and b ambrose , and c chrysostome ; this is the day saith the great s● . d augustine ; in which our lord was baptized in iordan ; in which he turned water into wine at a wedding feast ; in which he blessed five loaves , wherewith he satisfied five thousand men ; in which he rose again from the dead ; in which he entred into the house where the apostles were assembled , the doors being shut ; in which he sent down the holy ghost upon them ; finally , in which we expect his comming to judgement . besides all which , bellarmine in his third book de cultu sanctorum , and eleventh chapter , is confident , that he was also born on the same day , which he proves by the dominicall letter of that year , falling just upon the 25th of december . and shall we imagine that on this day he was born , on this day baptized , on this day wrought his first and greatest miracles , on this day rose again , on this day appeared to his apostles ; and lastly , on this day sent down the holy ghost upon them ( the three last of which are most evident in holy scripture ) and yet had no speciall designe for the sanctifying of this day in a speciall manner . moreover , it may not be forgotten , that upon this day his apostles , and in them their successors received from him their benediction , their mission , and commission ; peace be unto you , there is the benediction , iohn 20. 19. as my father hath sent me , so i send you , there is their mission , vers. 21. and when he had said this , he breathed on them , and saith unto them , receive the holy ghost ; whose sins ye remit , they are remitted , and whose sins ye retain , they are retained , there is their commission , vers. 22. 23. and again , his disciples being assembled as before ( in all likelihood by his commandment ) for the exercise of religious duties , upon the very same day of the week following , he appears to them again ; as for the imparting of other mysteries unto them , so in particular for the ●…rengthning of thomas his faith , who at his former apparition was absent from that assembly : yea , after this again , before his ascension he appeared unto them sundry times , by the space of forty daies , speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of god ; and good divines are of opinion that he still appeared upon the same day ; as it is certain that ten dayes after his ascension , he sent down the holy ghost the same day upon his apostles , being then again assembled , being the first day of the week , and the day of his resurrection , or the lords-day ; on which he also by the ministry of an angel imparted these most divine revelations to st. iohn ; all which should argue , that this indeed was the day , which he had selected and sealed for the religious assemblies of his church , in all future ages , even to the worlds end . neither is this my opinion alone , but saint cyrill in his exposition upon saint iohns gospel , is of the same minde ; and maldonate the jesuite freely confesseth , that some conjecture may from thence be made , diem dominicum aliquam ex christi voluntate originem habuisse , that the lords day had some kinde of rise , from the will of the lord himself : yet because he seeth the schoolmen take another way , he professeth himself unwilling to forsake their company : but had he been free to take his own course , no doubt he would easily have found therein somewhat more , then a bare conjecture . which i am the rather induced to beleeve , for that ribera a bird of the same feather and nest , in his commentaries upon the words of my text , tels us that iustin martyr in his second apologie to antoninus the emperour teacheth , apostolos a christo hujus diei celebritatem accepisse , that the apostles received the celebrity of this day from the lord himself ; which he disproves not , but rather allowes ; and withall addes , that the apostles themselves delivered it over , and recommended it to the church in their constitutions , as witnesseth clemens , lib. 2. cap. 59. & lib. 5. cap. 9. & lib. 7. cap. 31. 37. and herewith accords the great athanasius in the very entrance of his homilie de semente ; anciently saith he , the sabboth was in greatest request ; sed eam solennitatem dominus in diem dominicum transtulit , but the solemnity thereof , the lord himself hath now put over , and conferred upon the lords-day ; and again , in another place , octavo sabbathum dissolvit : and to me saint augustine in his epistle to ianuarius seemeth to fall in the same way : the lords day , saith he , was declared by the resurrection of the lord , et ab illo coepit habere festivitatem suam , not ab illa , but ab illo , from him it began to be made festivall . to these ancients might be added , of our own divines , doctor fulk in his answer to the rhemists on the words of my text ; and master perkins not only in his exposition of these words , but in his cases of conscience ; and among forraign divines , the learned iunius as well in his lectures ●…pon gen. 2. 3. as his notes upon tertullian ; in the former of which he saith , that this day was set apart for holy uses , non humana traditione , sed christi ipsius observatione & instituto , not by any humane tradition , but by the observation and institution of christ hims●…lf ; in the latter , vt quem dominus tum resurrectione sui corporis , tum ordinaria ecclesiae suae synaxi sanctificaverat , ut cyrillus in iohan. annotavit : as being the day which the lord hath consecrated , not only by the resurrection of his body , but by the ordinary assemblies of his church , as cyrillus upon io●…n hath observed . the summe of all is this , that the apostles had not a freedome of choice left to themselves , what day they would set apart for the publique exercises of religion , but what was foretold by the prophets , what was shaddowed before , and under the law ; what they practised , and delivered herein , they received from the lord : as one of them speaks for all , in another case indeed , yet not improperly appliable to our present purpose : which being so , they doubtlesse derogate much , both from the honour of the lords-day , and from the lord himself , the author thereof , who would make it no better then an humane ordination , or at best an ecclesiasticall constitution , framed according to the pattern of the apostles ; and consequently changeable either by the civill magistrate , as some , or by the church as others : whereas the primitive christians were so constantly resolved of the immutable fixednesse thereof , that they expected his return , to the generall judgement upon the same day , which himself had ordained in all succeeding ages to be kept holy : and therefore they thought they could never sufficiently grace it with the highest titles of preheminence , they could possibly devise : which is my third generall part , and now presents it self to our view : the notable prerogatives i mean , and speciall priviledges of this day beyond , and above all other . as all time , so all dayes which are a part of time are of the lords making : and as a part of time , so are they equall among themselves , as well in dignity as duration ; but in regard of the end to which , and the use for which they are set apart ; so are they distinguished each from the other ; which by syracides is well and truly exprest : why saith he , doth one day excell another , when as all the light of every day in the yeer is from the sun ? whereunto he maketh answer , by the knowledge of the lord , they were distinguished , and he altered seasons and feasts ; some of them hath he made high-dayes , and hallowed them ; and some of them , hath he made ordinary dayes : and surely , if any day be an high-day , it should in reason be the lords-day . the eminency whereof , it shall not be amisse to consider comparatively in relation to other dayes : first to the jewish sabbath ; and then to other dayes of the week , specially other holidayes of the christians . for the first of these , as by the gentiles the lords day was usually called dies solis , sunday ; so was the jewish sabbath dies saturni , saturns-day , or saturday ; and how much the sun in bignesse exceeds , and excells in brightnesse and influence , the starre by them named saturn , so much doth the lords-day exceed , and excell the jewish sabbath . their sabbath was instituted in memory of the creation ; our lords-day of the redemption of the world : now for the creation of the world , god only spake the word , and it was made ; but for the redemption thereof , the eternall word , the sonne of god himself must become incarnate ; and by the space of many yeers , both do , and suffer many things : by means of the creation , man was intituled to the earthly paradise ; by means of the redemption , to the heavenly : by the creation he was made a companion of the angels ; by redemption they are made in some sort his inferiors , being sent forth to minister for their sakes , that shall be heirs of salvation : in the creation all the other creatures have their interest together with man ; the work of redemption is proper to him alone : again , the jewish sabboth was renewed in memory of their deliverance from the bondage of egypt ; but our lords-day ordained to be kept holy , in memory of our deliverance from the bondage of sin and satan , who held us under in a farre more miserable slavery then that of egypt . moreover it is by saint augustine observed , that the israelites passed safely through the read sea , not on the sabboth , but on our lords-day ; and both by him and origen , that the manna fell first , on the first-day of the week , but none on the seventh : where by the manna , origen after his allegorizing manner , understands the sweet dew of heavenly doctrine , and from thence inferres , intelligant iudaei jam tunc praelatam esse dominicam nostram iudaico sabbatho , let the jews know th●…t even then our lords-day was preferred before their sabboth . now in relation to the other dayes of the week , and to other holy-dayes ; this lords day shines among them , as doth the dominicall letter clod in scarlet among the other letters in the calendar ; or as the sunne imparts light to all the other stars ; so doth this day , bearing the name thereof , both light and life to all the other dayes of the week . this day saith eusebius is , tum vere praecipuus , tum haud dubie primus , of all other dayes , as truly the principall , as it is undoubtedly the first . athanasius cals it diem sanctissimum , and sanctissimum festum , the most holy day , the most holy festivall , attributing unto it both the initiation of the world , and mans regeneration . ig●…atius in his epist. to the magnesians stiles it , reginam & princ●…m dierum , the queen and princesse of dayes ; chrysostome , drem r●…galem , a royall day ; leo hath written purposely in commendation of it , in his 81. epistle to dioscorus . saint augustine in sundry treatises of his , takes occasion highly to extoll it ; as namely , in his 251. sermon de tempore , having spoken of some of the most remarkable things which fell out upon this day , his & talibus indic●…is , saith he , dominica dies extat insignis , by these and such like characters is the lords-day become renowned : and again , in his 154. sermon of the same book , venerabilis est hic dies qui dominicus dies , & dies primus atque perfectus est , & dies clarus in quo visa est prima lux , this lords day is a venerable day , the first day , a perfect and shining day , in which the light was first seen . nay , pererius the j●…suite in his commentaries upon the work of the first day , having recounted no lesse then thirteen speciall prerogatives thereof ; at last he thus concludes , haec sunt primi illius diei insignia atque ornamenta , quibus ea dies mirabiliter nobilitatur atque decoratur , these are the ensignes and ornaments of this first day , wherewith it is wonderfully ennobled , and garnished : likewise the hebrew author of the book called sedar , olam , rabba , cap. 7. recordeth many memorable things which were done upon the first day of the week : as so many types that the chief worship of god should ( under the new testament ) be celebrated upon this day . as that on this day the cloud of gods majesty first sate upon his people . aaron and his children first executed their priesthood . god first solemnly blessed his people . the princes of his people first offered publikely unto god . the first day wherein fire descended from heaven . the certainty of these , i leave to the author to prove ; but sure i am , that the primitive church , for more than a thousand yeers after christ , to expresse the greatnesse of their joy upon this day , neither fasted nor kneeled : nay , tertullian goes further , in his book de corona militis , cap. 3. die dominico jejunare nefas ducimus , & de geniculis adorare , we hold it unlawfull upon the lords day , either to fast or to pray kneeling . and saint hilary in his prologue set before his explanation of the psalms , gives the reason thereof ; ne festivitatem spiritualis hujus ●…eatudinis impedirit , lest it might hinder the joy of our spirituall happinesse on that day . look then what the fire is among the elements , the eagle among the fowls , the whale among the fishes , the lion among the beasts , gold among the other metalls , and wheat among the other grains ; the same is the lords day among all the dayes of the week ; this day differing as much from the rest as doth that wax to which the kings great seal is put , from ordinary wax , or that silver upon which the kings arms and image ●…re stamped , from silver unrefined , or in bullion . and for other holy dayes , it is as farre transcendent above them too , as they are beyoud other ordinary dayes : the other holy dayes , consecrated by the authority of the church , and amongst us religiously observed , may not unfitly be resembled to those honorable women spoken of in the 45 psalm , kings daughters were among thy honorable women , but the lords day ordained by the lord himself , and from him derived unto us by his apostles , is as the queen here standing at the kings right hand in gold of ophir , gloriously apparelled ; the rest are as waiting-ladies , she as the empresse , gradiensque deas superem net omnes : and were they all brought into one chain , the medale of this chain could be no other than the lords day . this was , doubtlesse , the generall a●…d constant opinion of antiquity touching th●…s day but i know not how it came to passe , that after ages , by insensible degrees , much degenerating from the simplicity of those primitive times , so infinitely multiplied and magnified their holy dayes beyond all measure and reason , that the lords day began to be fleighted , and at last , with many , to be accounted a common holy day , nay , perchance , inferiour to some of the saints ; insomuch that with us it had lost , not onely the honour due unto it , but the name , by the apostles imposed upon it . which , no doubt , a speciall occasion of that thick cloud of superstition which afterwards over shadowed the face of the church ; and in appearance , the reducing of this day to its originall honour and name , would prove the readiest means to restore the church again to her originall lustre and beauty , even in those parts where that cloud is not yet dispelled ; as in all likelyhood the preserving of that name and honour with us , would likewise serve to preserve that soundnesse of religion which now by gods blessing we have long enjoyed under three such princes , as the world in their severall kindes , and in succession , cannot shew the like . and so i passe to my fourth and last generall part , the duties of the lords day , which , in a word , is to be in the spirit , that is in sptrituall exercises , as saint iohn upon this day was . though he were then banished into the solitary isle of patmos , where he had no means to converse with any christian , much lesse to communicate with their assemblies in religious duties , yet was he present with them in spirit , as saint paul was with the colossians , though absent in body , much desiring to be present with them , and joyning with them , even in his private devotions . a good lesson for such as cannot have accesse to the publique congregation , considering they cannot do what they would , yet to do what they may , which is religiously to observe the lords day in their private houses or chambers , in the ship or in the prison , if their condition be such as they cannot come to the lords house . this is it which saint augustine adviseth , discoursing of the duties of this day , veniat cuique possibile est & oret in conventu ecclesiae pro peccatis suis deum , he who possibly can come , let him come , and in the church , let him there pray to god for the pardon of his sinnes ; qui vero hoc non possit saltem in domo sua oret , & non negligat deo solvere votum & reddere pensum servitutis , but he who cannot come to the church , let him pray in his house , and let him not neglect the paying of his vows to god , and the rendering of that service which is exacted . now for such as have free accesse to the congregation , these spirituall exercises are either publike or private ; publike , in the lords house ; private , in our own houses with our families , or in our chambers and closets , in our gardens , or in the fields . the exercises to be performed , are confession of our faith and our faults , absolution , thanksgiving , humble and hearty prayer , reading and expounding the sacred oracles of god , the private readi●…g of the scriptures or other godly books , the administration and participation of the holy sacraments , the singing of divine hymnes , meditation and conference , as well touching those things we have read and heard , as touching the wonderfull works of god in the creation , and government of the world : this is to be in the spirit , specially if these dutiesbe practised by us in a spirituall manner , that is , if we perform them not faintly or formally , but attentively and devoutly , as knowing that god is a spirit , and will be worshipped by us in spirit and truth , with a perfect heart , and with a willing minde , as the good king david taught his son solomon : withall we must remember , that works of charity are not to be neglected on this day , they being the marks and effects of the spirit . and that we may the better intend these spirituall works in a spirituall manner , we are still to carry in our mindes that this day is the lords day , and not the devills or ours ; and that not a part onely , but the whole day is his , the devils day we make it , if we employ it in sinfull acts ; our own , if in the servile works of our particular callings , or in bodily recreations , which further not , but hinder the practice of our spirituall duties : for sinfull acts , we must be carefull that we incurre not justly the censure of tertullian , siccine exprimitur per publicum gaudium publicum dedecus ? haeccine solennes dies decent quae alios non decent ? malorum licentia pietas erit ? occasio luxur●…ae religio deputabitur ? is our publike joy thus expressed by the publike disgrace ? shall that be thought to become an holy day , which doth not become any day ? shall wicked licentiousnesse be accounted piety ? and occasions of luxury , religion ? if wantonnesse , if drunkennesse , if fighting , if railing , if reviling , if swearing , if cursing be sinnes on every day , surely much more on the lords day . saint hierome likewise in his epistle to eustochium , seems much to mislike excessive feasting and feeding upon these dayes , as being the occasions of luxury , and consequently of quarrelling and wantonnesse ; valde absurdum est nimia saturitate velle honorare martyrem quem scias deo placuisse jejuniis , it is most absurd to in●…end the honour of that martyr with excessive feasting , whom we know to have pleased god with fasting ; and if it can be no honour to the martyr who lost his blood for the lords sake , much lesle to the lord , who redeemed the martyr by his blood . of servile works is that noble constitution of leo the empe. to be understood . we ordain , according . to the true meaning of the holy ghost , and of the apostles thereby directed , that on the sacred day wherein our own integrity was restored , all do rest and surcease labour ; that neither husbandman nor other , on that day , put their hands to forbidden works ; for if the jews did so much reverence their sabboth , which was but a shadow of ours , are not we which inhabite the light and truth of grace , bound to honour that day which the lord himself hath honoured , and hath therein both delivered us from dishonour , and from death ? are not we bound to keep it singular and inviolable , well contenting our selves with so liberall a grant of the rest , and not incroaching upon that one which god hath chosen to his own honour ? were it not wretchlesse neglect of religion to make that very day common , and to think we may do with it as with the rest . which religious edict of his , though it were indeed chiefly bent against bodily labour , yet may it well be extended against such pastimes and recreations on that day , as cannot but withdraw us from the keeping of it inviolable . that unlawfull recreations may not be used on that day , no christian , i think , will deny , since they may not be used on any dayes ; so as all the doubt is touching lawfull recreations , whereof some also there are , which i think no man will affirm to be lawf●…lly used on the lords day , as hawking , hunting , and the like , which are not unlawfull in themselves , but unlawfull on that day because it is the lords d●…y : and for other recreations , if bodily labour , which on other dayes is not onely lawfnll , but necessary , be forbidden because it is the lords day , methinks by the same reason , even lawfull recreations should be forbidden on the same day , as tending no lesse to the violating of that day than bodily labour ; if on that day i may nor sow nor reap , nor carry my corn , no , not in the most uncertain and catching weather , though it carryes a fair shew of keeping those precious fruits of the earth from spoiling which god of his goodnesse hath sent me , shall i presume to use those recreations on that day , which commonly end in the abuse of those good bl●…ssings ? manlike exercises are , doubtlesse , very requisite , but co●…sidering the number of other holy dayes in our church ( under favour be it spoken ) i see no necessity of putting them in practice on the lords day , nor of ranking the lords day with-other holy dayes . some reformed churches in other parts may perchance give way to the use of them on the lords day , which in them is somewhat the more excusable , because they have none other holy days , though for mine own part i think it better if they had , yet that the very same pastors of those churches who admitted or connived at the use of such manlike exercises , as severely cryed down effeminate sports on that day , let one speak for all : if we employ the sunday , saith calvin , to make good cheer , to sport our selves , to go to games and pastimes , shall god in this be honoured , is it not a mockery ? is not this an unhallowing of his name ? and if you please , to calvin we may adde bellarmin , the great champion of the romish church ; who in his explanation of the title of the 91. psalm , according to their account ; which is a psalm or song for the sabbath-day thus writes , errant iudaei qui otium sabbati sibi datum esse existimant ad vacandum convivi●…s & deambulationi ; the jews erre in thinking , that the rest of the sabboth was given them for feasting and walking abroad : wherein he seems to have followed saint augustine in his enarration upon the same passage ; who in particular there censureth them for their dancing , holding it more allowable to plough , then to dance upon the sabbath ; melius est arare quàm saltarc , these be his very words ; and then goes on , illi a bono opere vacant , ab opere nugatorio non vacant , they rest from honest works , from vain works they rest not : et iudaeos imitantur christiani , saith bellarmine ; and those christians imitate the ●…ews , who do the like . nay saint augustine in another place comes fully home to the same point ; where speaking of the lords day , ideo dominicus appellatur , saith he , ut in eo a terrenis operibus , vel mundi illecebris abstinentes , tantùm divinis cultibus serviamus ; therefore it is called the lords day , that abstaining from earthly labours and worldly pleasures , we may wholly intend gods service : and again , in severall places of that sermon , the holy doctors of the church decreed , to transferre all the glory of the jewish sabbath upon this day ; that what they in figure , the same we might celebrate in truth ; let us therefore , my brethren , observe the lords day , and sanctifie it , as to them of old , it was given in charge , touching the sabbath ; from evening to evening ye shall keep my sabbaths . let us take care that our rest be not vain , but from the evening of the sabboth , to the evening of the lords day , being free from all worldly businesse , soli divino cultui vacemus , let us onely intend the service of god ; non foris fabulis , sed intu●… psalmodiae & orationibus studete , do not spend your time in trifles , and telling of tales abroad , but in singing of psalms and prayers at home ; and do not think unus punctus diei ad dei officium , &c. onely one little part of the day is consecrated to gods service , and the residue of the day , together with the night , to your own pleasures : thus saint augustine , and with him doth saint gregory accord , dominico die à labore terreno cessandum est , atque omnimodo orationibus insistendum , upon the lords day we are to rest from earthly labour , and wholly apply our selves to our devotions , that if any sinnes of negligence have escaped in the six dayes , they may be done away by our prayers on the day of the lords resurrection . somewhat more punctuall is ephraim syrus , festivitates dominicas honorare studiosè contendite , celebrantes eas non panegyricè sed divinè ; non mundanè sed spiritualiter ; non instar gentilium sed christianorum . quare non poetarum frontes coronemus , non choraeas ducamus , non chorum exornemus : non tib●…is & cytharis auditum effoeminemus , non mollibus vestibus induamur , nec cingulis undique auro radiantibus cingamur , non commessationibus & ebrietatibus dediti simus , verum i●…ta relinquamus iis , quorum deus venter est , & gloria in confusione ipsorum , earnestly endeavour to honour the lords holy day , solemnizing it not in a pompous , but in a divine ; not in a worldly , but in a spirituall manner ; not as the gentiles , but as christians : let us not hang up garlands before our doors ; let us not be exercised in dancing , or in the setting forth of playes ; let us not effeminate our hearing with piping and harping ; let us not be clad with eff●…minate apparell , nor be girt with girdles shining about with gold ; let us not be given to gluttony and drunkennesse , but let us leave these things to them , whose god is their belly , and their glory to their shame . in the same path with these great lights of the church , doth peter martyr walk , vnum in hebdomada requisivit in quo reliquis oper●…bus valedicentes uni illi tantum incumberemus , he required one day in the week , in which , bidding adieu to all other works , we should onely intend his service . he who gave unto adam a free liberty to eat of all the other trees in paradise , r●…served to himself the tree of the knowledge of good and evill : which served much to aggravate adams offence , that having so large a scope to content himself withall , he would , notwithstanding , fall upon the forbidden fruit ; which is our case ; if having all the dayes of the week save one granted to our use , we presume to intrude upon that which the lord hath reserved to himself , for his own use . it is to this purpose worth the observing , that our saviour , on the very day of his resurrection , which was the first day of the week , and ●…ow the lords day , appeared sundry times ; in the morning , at noon , and at night , thereby to shew , that not a part onely , but the whole day was his ; and again on the eighth day following , which was likewise the lords day , he appeared to his apostles at night , to instruct them , and confirm their faith , thereby to teach us , that even then it ceaseth not to be the lords day . and truely i see not how men can effectually profit by publike hearing , who neglect private conference , and meditation after they have heard : meditation being the concoction of our spirituall food , without which the soul cannot well be nourished . they who bought and sold in atrio templi , in the porch , or utmost part of the temple , thereby prophaned the temple it self and made it a den of theeves , as our saviour censures them ; and i doubt not but he is as tender of this day , and every part thereof , as of his house , or rather more tender ; his house being consecarted to him by men , but his day , by himself , to himself ; and besides , in the primitive church he was long without an house , but not without a day from the very first infancy thereof : which hath made me to wonder , that they who are so zealous for the lords house , and the lords portion , received by the hand of his ministers , should not likewise be as zealous for the religious observation of his day , especially considering that it may give men occasion to suspect , though perchance unjustly , that they pursue their own pomp and profit , in being so hot for the one , and their own ease and pleasure in being so cold for the other . he who stands for the lords house , and the lords portion , because it is the lords , cannot but stand likewise for the lords day , because it is his , his day , doubtlesse having as strong a relation to him , as either his house or his portion , if not a stronger : he who layes sacrilegious hands upon a part of that which is consecrated to the lord , thereby violates the whole ; and therefore were ananias and his wife stricken with sudden death , because the●… kept back , not the whole , but a part of that money they had received for their land , and was entirely d●…e to the lord and his church ; and if we per●…it men to detain from the lord a part of his day , let us take heed lest thereby they be the more emboldened to detain part of his portion , both from him and us . the people , god knows , for the most part , are of themselves apt enough to take more liberty than is fit , to take an ell , where there is but an inch allowed them ; and having once gotten the rains loose , to run away in a full carreer . and if it be observed , it will appear that more mischiefs have ensued upon publique games on the lords day , than on any other day of the week ; nay my self have observed more to have been drowned , who went into the river onely to wash their bodies , on the lords d●…y , than any other day beside . in cornwall , not farre from saint germans , are in a fairplain , certain stones to be seen , which the neighbouring people call the hurlers , because they stand in that order and distance each from other , as hurlers use to do ; and the current tradition among the inhabitants there , is , that certain hurlers , for the prophanation of the lords day in that exercise , were , by gods judgement , turned into those stones : which camden calls a pious errour , and so i beleeve it to be : yet withall from thence i observe the respect , which even in regard of manlike exercises , was born to that day , and that in the depth of popery , for otherwise such a tradition could not have gotten foot and prevailed among them . neither do i alleadge this for want of true examples in this kinde , there being many and me norable , which are recorded by others , as well of forraigne parts , as our own country , in which ( to the honour be it spoken of the reformed religion , and our soveraigne princes , the protectors thereof ) our reverend judges have restrained themselves , and our ordinary carryers have , by publique authority , been restrained from travelling on the lords day , ( though both carry with them the advantage of the publique good ) to the great comfort of such as without all schismaticall humour or peevish affectation of singularity , heartily embrace both the doctrine professed , and discipline practised in the church of england ; and their hope is that other abuses yet remaining and tending to the prophanation of that day may in good time likewise be reformed , as in some forraigne reformed churches they have lately been . lastly , for our instruction and imitation against the prophanation of this day , as well generall councells , and provinciall synods have bent their canons , as emperors , and kings , and commonweals their laws : such were con●…tine the great ( the first christian emperour , born in this island ) and charles the great , canutus the dane , henry the 6th , and edward the 6th , three of our most pious princes , who zealously stood for the religious observation of this day , as nehemiah did for the sanctifying of the jewish sabboth . my conclusion shall be , that if some bodily recreations on the lords day , for the better sanctifying thereof , be thought requisite , yet under correction , i should conceive them more tolerable in the pa●…or , who that day hath spent his spirits in a faithfull discharge of his ministeriall function , than in the people ; and among the people , rather in trades-men and husband men , than in gentlemen , who for the most part , make every day holy-day in following their sports ; and in all with these limitations . first , that they be in their conscience fully perswaded that the games which they use be not onely lawfull in themselves , but also in regard of the day ; for whatsoever is not of faith , is sinne ; that which i think unlawfull , or am not perswaded in my self that it is lawfull , though in it self it be so , yet to me it is sinne ; so as it is a safe rule in divinity , quod dubitas ne feceris , that which thou doubtest of , do not . the second limitation is , that our recreations do not tend to the scandall of others ; if meat make my brother offend , saith the apostle , i will eat no flesh while the world standeth , lest i make my brother to offend ; and yet may publique recreations one day in the week be more easily be forborn , than meat whiles the world standeth . my third limitation is , that these recreations tend to the better sanctification of the lords day , in the refreshing of mens spirits , sanctification being by all divines confessed to be the principall end thereof , which being laid for a ground , the consequence in my judgement , is unavoidable , that all our actions on that day ought more or lesse to be directed and squared thereunto , according to that approved rule of the schools , tantum destinati s●…mendum , quantum ad finem prodest , so much of the means as conduceth to the end , is to be taken , and no more . i will shut up all with that of the evangelicall prophet esay , only changing the jewish sabboth into the lords day , the sabbath of the christians ; if thou turn away thy foot from doing thy pleasure on my holy day , and call it a delight , the holy of the lord , honorable , and shalt honour him , not doing thine own wayes , nor finding thine own pleasure , nor speaking thi●…e own words : then shalt thou delight thy self in the lord , and i will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth , and feed thee with the heritage of jacob thy father ; for the mouth of the lord hath spoken it . god grant that we may so truely serve the lord by a due observation of his day h●…re , that we may eternall raigne with him hereafter . part of a speech delivered in the starre-chamber , against the opinion of mr. traske ; by the right reverend father in god , lancelot , bishop of winchester , deceased . it hath ever been the churches doctrine , that christ made an end of all sabboths , by his sabboth in the grave , that sabboth was the last of them . and that the lords day presently came in place of it : dominicus dies christi resurrectione declaratus est christianis , & ex illo coepit habere festivitatem suam , saith augustine ; the lords day was by the resurrection of christ declared to be the christians day ; and from that very time ( of christs resurrection ) it began to be celebrated , as the christian m●…ns festivall . these two , the day and the supper , have the epithet of {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} dominicum in the scriptures , to shew dominicum is a●…ike to be taken in both . this for the practice . if you will have it in precept , the apostle gives it , ( and in the same word still ) that against {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} the day of their assem●…ly ; every one should lay apart what god should move him to offer to the collection for the saints , and then offer it : which was so ever in use . that , the day of oblations . so have you it in practice and in precept both . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a43869e-190 in gen. 2. 3. loc. com. c●…s 2. c. p 7. in 2 ●… gen. exerci●… . 13. a in gen. 2. hom. 18. b loc. com. class. 2. cap. 7. c de cult. . sanct. lib. 3. cap. 11. his accedt robertus loeus in effigiatione ●…ua veri sabbatismi , pag 48. of the 〈◊〉 and time of prayer . part . 1a. ma●… . 24. 20. vide hieron. epist. h●…bid . quest . 4. & ambros. s●… 61. cap. 19. in prolog. in psalm . expla. epist. 119. idem habet cypri . epist. 8. lib. 3. idem habet hilar. in praefat in ●…salmos salmos . revel. 19. in 2● gen. ever cit. 13 versus finem . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lo●…us in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sab●…mi pag. 47. his c●…usis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apo stol●… , 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domin●…um 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 randum statuerent . mar. 2 27. a hom●…l . in hoc dictum , omnia mihi tradita sunt a patre . b epist. 83. c de resurrect . serm. 5. d serm. de tempo . 15 ●… . to these prerogatives , some 〈◊〉 , that our saviour was likewise circum●…i sed on the lords day , and that on the same day the star first appeared to the wisemen . see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r●…lig . 2. 4. acts 1 3. acts 2. 1. lib. 12. c. 58. in ioh. 20. v. 26. in hoc dictum . om●…ia mibi , &c. ●…ist , 119. lib. 2. cap. 17. in cap 16. apol. piscator eti●…m , dominicum diem ab ipso domi●…o insti●…utum , & ad sanctific●…dum m●…ndatum esse affim●…t . in a●…o . 1. 10. 1 cor. 11. 23. lact. 7. ●… . ca●… . 33. ●… 78 , 79. serm. de temp. 154. super ex hom. 7. devi●…a con●…tan . p. 4. 18 , in epist. ad ubique orthodox . in hom in hoc dillum , om nia mihi tradita sunt . serm. 5. ●…e resurrect . ex h. wolphii 〈◊〉 . de temp. lib. 1. cap. 2. 2. 5. serm. 251. io. 4. 24. 2 chron. 28. 9. a●…ol . 35. leo constit . 54. in deut. 5. serm. 34. the same in effect he hath in his book , de d●…cem chordis , cap. 3. de tem●… . scrm. 251. epistol. lib. 11. ep 3. serm. de festis , pag. 10. edit. colon . an 1604. lo●… . com . ●…lass 2. cap. 7. 〈◊〉 de vita const. lib 4. c. 18. 19 23. rom. ●…4 . 23. 1 cor. 8. 13. cap 48. v. 3 , 14. the doctrine of the sabbath· delivered in the act at oxon. anno, 1622. by dr. prideaux his majesties professour for divinity in that vniversity. and now translated into english for the benefit of the common people. prideaux, john, 1578-1650. 1634 approx. 77 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 31 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-01 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a10094 stc 20348 estc s115223 99850442 99850442 15644 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a10094) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 15644) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1183:15) the doctrine of the sabbath· delivered in the act at oxon. anno, 1622. by dr. prideaux his majesties professour for divinity in that vniversity. and now translated into english for the benefit of the common people. prideaux, john, 1578-1650. heylyn, peter, 1600-1662. [20], 41, [3] p. printed by e[lizabeth] p[urslowe] for henry seile, and are to be sold his shop at the signe of the tygers-head. in st. pauls church-yard, london : 1634. translated by peter heylyn. printer's name from stc. the first leaf and the last leaf are blank. printer's device (mck. 310 or 311) on t.p. running title reads: of the sabbath. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath -early works to 1800. sunday -early works to 1800. 2002-08 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2002-09 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2002-10 rina kor sampled and proofread 2002-10 rina kor text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-12 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the doctrine of the sabbath . delivered in the act at oxon. anno , 1622. by dr. prideavx his majesties professour for divinity in that vniversity . and now translated into english for the benefit of the common people . mark . 2.27 . the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath . london , printed by e. p. for henry seile , and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the tygers-head ▪ in st. pauls church-yard , 1634. the preface of the translator , to the christian reader . of all the controversies which have exercised the church of christ , there is none more ancient than that of the sabbath : so ancient , that it tooke beginning even in the infancy of the church , and grew up with it . for as we read in the acts , there rose up certain of the sect of the pharises , which beleeved , saying , that it was needfull to circumcise the people , and to command them to keepe the law of moses ; whereof the sabbath was a part : which in the generall , as the apostles laboured to suppresse , in the first generall councell holden in ierusalem : so did s. paul , upon occasion of whose ministry this controversie first began , endeavour what he could against this particular . sharply reproving those which hallowed yet the iewish sabbath , and observed dayes , and moneths , and times , as if he had bestowed his labour in vaine upon them . but more particularly in his epistle to the colossians , let no man judge you in respect of an holy day , or of the new moone , or of the sabbath dayes ; which were a shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ. both which expressions of s. paul , are in this following discourse produced to this very purpose . yet notwithstanding all this care , both generally of the apostles , and more especially of s. paul , to suppresse this errour ; it grew up still , and had it's patrons and abettours . ebion and cerinthus , two of the wretchedst hereticks of the primitiue times , and after them apollinaris , are said to countenance and defend it ; which , doubtlesse made the ancient fathers declare themselves more fully in it , as a dangerous point ; which seemed to confirme the iewes in their incredulity , and might occasion others to make question of our saviours comming in the flesh . hence was it , that irenaeus , iustin martyr , tertullian and eusebius , men of renowne for learning in the primitive times ( three of the which are cited in the text of this following discourse , and the fourth quoted in the margin ) affirme for certaine , that never any of the patriarks before moses law , did observe the sabbath : which questionlesse they must have done , had that law beene morall , and dictated by nature , as now some teach us . afterwards by the opposition made by epiphanius , in his confutation of the heresies of the ebionites ; and by the resolutions of theodoret , on the 20. of ezekiel , procopius gazeus , on the second of genesis , by damascen , and our venerable bede ( which two last are here also cited , sect. the 2. ) concurring with the former fathers ; all talke and observation of the iewish sabbath vanished utterly ; and the lords day , which had from the apostles times beene instituted by the church , in the place thereof , was hallowed , without any rivall . nor doe i finde , but that all superstitious fancies about that day , were as wholly abrogated , as the day it selfe . save that saint gregory tells us , how some in rome were so superstitious in this kinde , that they would neither worke upon the saturday , no , nor so much as wash upon the sunday , but after , in the darker times , as it is thought by some , peter de bruis the founder of the petrobusians ( he was burnt for heresie anno 1126. ) began to draw too deepe on these lees of iudaisme ; which here our doctor intimates in the 7. sect. where he joynes the petrobusian with the ebionites , who indeed were iewish in this point . and possibly , from the remainders of this doctrine , fulco a french priest , and a notable hypocrite , as our king richard counted him , lighted upon a new sabbatarian speculation , which afterwards eustachius one of his associates dispersed in england : i call it new , as well i may . for whereas moses gave commandement to the iewes , that they should sanctifie one day onely of the weeke , viz. that seventh whereon god rested : they taught the people that the christian sabbath was to begin on saturday at three of the clock , and to continue till sun-rising on the munday morning : during which latitude of time , it was not lawfull to doe any kinde of worke what ever , no not so much as to bake bread on saturday for the sundayes eating ; to wash or dry linnen for the morrowes wearing . yea , they had miracles in store ▪ pretended to be wrought on such as had not yeelded to their doctrine ; thereby to countenance the superstitious , and confound the weake . and which was more than this , for the authoritie of their device , they had to shew a letter sent from god himselfe , and left prodigiously over the altar in saint simeons church in golgatha : wherein this sabbatarian dreame was imposed forsooth upon all the world , on paine of diverse plagues and terrible comminations , if it were not punctually observed . the letter is at large repeated by roger de hoveden ; and out of him , as i suppose , by matth. paris : who doe withall repeat the miracles , whereby this doctrine was confirmed . i adde no more but this , that could i either beleeve those miracles , which are there related : or saw i any now , like those , to countenance the reviving of this strange opinion ( for now it is revived and published : ) i might perhaps perswade my selfe to entertaine it . but to proceed . immediately upon the reformation of religion in these westerne parts , the controversie brake out afresh ; though in another manner than before it did . for there were some of whom calvin speakes , who would have had all daies alike , all equally to bee regarded ; ( hee meanes the anabaptists , as i take it ) and reckoned that the lords day as the church continued it , was a iewish ceremonie . affirming it to crosse the doctrine of saint paul , who in the texts before remembred , and in the 14. to the rom. did seeme to them , to crie downe all such difference of dayes and times , as the church retained . to meete which vaine and peccant humor , calvin was faine to bend his forces ; declaring how the church might lawfully retaine set times for gods solemne service , without infringing any of s. pauls commandements . but on the other side , as commonly the excesse is more exorbitant than the defect , there wanted not some others , who thought they could not honour the lords day sufficiently , unlesse they did affixe as great a sanctitie unto it , as the iewes did unto their sabbath . so that the change seemed to be onely of the day ; the superstition still remayning no lesse iewish , than before it was . these taught , as now some doe , moralem esse unius diei observationem in hebdomada , the keeping holy to the lord one day in seven , to be the morall part of the fourth commandement : which doctrine , what else is it , ( so hee proceedes , and here the doctor so repeates it in his third section ) than in contempt of the iewes to change the day , and to affixe a greater sanctitie unto the day , than those ever did ? as for himselfe , so farre was hee from favouring any such wayward fancie , that as john barclay makes report , hee had a consultation once , de transferenda solennitate dominica in feriam quintam , to alter the lords day from sunday unto thursday . how true this is i cannot say . but sure it is , that calvin tooke the lords day to be an ecclesiasticall and humane constitution onely , quem veteres in locum sabbati subrogarunt , appointed by our ancestors to supply the place of the iewish sabbath : and ( as our doctor tells us from him in his seventh section ) as alterable by the church at this present time , as first it was , when from the saturday they translated it unto the sunday . so that we see , that calvin here resolves upon three conclusions : first , that the keeping holy of one day in seven , is not the morall part of the fourth commandement : secondly , that the day was changed from the last day of the weeke unto the first , by the authoritie of the church , and not by any divine ordinance : and thirdly , that the day is yet alterable by the church , as at first it was . neither was hee the onely one that hath so determined . for , for the first , that to keepe holy one day of seven , is not the morall part of the fourth commandement , our doctor hath delivered in the third section , that not tostatus onely , but even aquinas , and with him all the schoolemen , have agreed upon it . nor was there any that opposed it in the schooles of rome , that i have met with , till catharinus tooke up armes against tostatus : affirming , but with ill successe , that the commandement of the sabbath was imposed on adam in the first cradle of the world ; there where the lord is said to blesse the seventh day and sanctifie it . which fancie , by our author is rejected , and the opinion of tostatus justified against him , though he name him not . as for the protestant schooles , besides what is affirmed by calvin , and seconded by the doctor in this following discourse ; this seemes to be the judgement of the divines of the low-countries . francisc. gomarus , one knowne sufficiently for his undertakings against arminius , published anno 1628. a little treatise about the originall of the sabbath , and therein principally canvassed these two questions : first , whether the sabbath were ordained by god , immediately on the creation of the world : the second , whether all christians are obliged by the fourth commandement , alwayes to set apart one day in seven , to gods holy worship : both which hee determines negatively . and doctor ryvet , one of the foure professors in leiden , although he differs in the first , yet in the second , which doth most concerne us christians , they agree together : affirming also jointly , that the appointing of the lords day for gods publike service , was neither done by god himselfe , nor by his apostles , but by authoritie of the church . for seconds , gomarus brings in vatablus , and wolfgangus musculus ; and ryvet voucheth the authoritie of our doctor here . for so gomarus , in the assertion and defence of the first opinion against this ryvet ; de quibus etiam cl. & doct. d. prideaux in oratione de sabbato consensionem extare , eodem judicio [ by ryvets information ] libenter intelleximus . i will adde one thing onely , which is briefely this . the hollanders , when they discovered fretum le maire , anno 1615. though they observed a most exact account of their time at sea ; yet at their comming home , they found , comparing their account with theirs in holland , that they had lost a day ; that which was sunday to the one , being munday to the other . which of necessitie must happen , as it is calculated by geographers , to those that compasse the world from west to east : as contrarie , they had got a day , had they sayled in eastward . and now what should these people doe when they were return'd ? if they must sanctifie precisely one day in seven , they must have sanctified a day apart from their other countrymen , and had a sabbath by themselves ; or to comply with others , must have broken the morall law , which must for no respects be violated . see more hereof at large in carpenters geogr. p. 237. &c. next , for the second thesis , that the alteration of the day is onely an humane and ecclesiasticall constitution , the doctor sheweth in the fifth section , the generall consent of all sorts of papists , iesuits , canonists , and schoolemen ; of some great lutherans by name ; and generally , of the remonstrant or arminian divines in their confession : whose tendries in this point , wee may conceive with reason not to be different from the doctrine of the belgick churches ; in that the foure professors of leiden , in their examination or review of that confession , have passed them over without note or opposition . to these besides , are added diverse of our owne ; & e nostris non pauci , as hee speakes it in the generall ; i. e. as i conceive his meaning , such as are neither of the lutheran nor arminian partie . of which , since hee hath instanced in none particularly , i will make bold to borrow two or three testimonies out of the tractate of gomarus , before remembred . and first he brings in bullinger , who in his comment on the first of the revelation calls it ecclesiae consuetudinem , an ecclesiasticall ordinance ; and after addes , sponte ecclesiae receperunt illam diem , &c. the church did of its owne accord agree upon that day , for wee reade not any where that it was commanded . next vrsinus , telling us that god had abrogated the iewish sabbath ; addes presently , that he left it free unto the church , alios dies eligere , to make choice of any other day to be selected for his service ; and that the church made choice of this , in honour of our saviours resurrection . zanchius affirmes the same . nullibi legimus apostolos , &c. we reade not any where ( saith he ) that the apostles did command this day to be observed in the church of god ; onely we finde what the apostles and others of the faithfull used to doe upon it , liberum ergo reliquerunt : which is an argument , that they left it wholly unto the disposition of the church . aretius , simler , dav. paraeus , and bucerus , which are all there alledged , might bee here produced , were not these sufficient ; adde hereunto the generall consent of our english prelates , the architects of our reformation in the time of king edward the sixth ; who in the act of parliament about keeping holy dayes , have determined thus , together with the rest of that grand assembly ; viz. neither is it to be thought that there is any certaine time , or definite number of dayes , prescribed in holy scripture , but that the appointment both of the time and also of the number of the dayes , is left by the authority of gods word , to the authority of christs church , to bee determined and assigned orderly in every country by the discretion of the rulers and ministers thereof , as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of gods glory , and edification of the people . which preamble is not to bee understood of holy dayes , or of saints dayes onely ( whose being left the authority of the church was never questioned ) but of the lords day also : as by the body of the act doth at full appeare . last of all for the third and last conclusion , that still the church hath power to change the day , our doctor , in the seventh section , brings in bullinger , bucer , brentius , vrsinus , and chemnitius , aliisque nostris , with diverse others not named particularly , as they are ; which thinke no otherwise thereof than calvin did , and shewes by what distinction suarez , though otherwise no friend unto the men , doth defend their doctrine : now as the doctrine was , such also is the practise of those men and churches , devoyd of any the least superstitious rigour ; esteeming it to be as a day left arbitrary , and therefore open to all honest exercises and lawfull recreations ; by which the minde may be refreshed , and the spirits quickned . even in geneva it selfe , according as it is related in the inlargement of boterus by robert iohnson , all honest exercises , shooting in peeces , long-bowes , crosse-bowes , &c. are used on the sabbath day , and that both in the morning , before and after the sermon ; neither doe the ministers finde fault therewith , so that they hinder not from hearing of the word at the time appointed . dancing indeed they doe not suffer ; but this not in relation to the sunday , but the sport it selfe , which is held unlawfull , and generally forbidden in the french churches . which strictnesse , as some note , considering how the french doe delight in dancing , hath beene a great hinderance to the growth of the reformed religion in that kingdome . which being so , the judgement and the practise of so many men , and of such severall perswasions in the controverted points of the christian faith , concurring so unanimously together : the miracle is the greater , that wee in england should take up a contrary opinion , and thereby separate our selves from all that are called christian . yet so it is , i skill not how it comes to passe , but so it is , that some amongst us have revivd againe the iewish sabbath , though not the day it selfe , yet the name and thing . teaching that the commandement of sanctifying every seventh day , as in the mosaicall decalogue , is naturall , morall , and perpetuall ; that whereas all things else in the iewish church were so changed that they were cleane taken away ; this day ( meaning the sabbath ) was so changed , that it still remaineth : and lastly , that the sabbath was not any of those ceremonies which were justly abrogated at christs comming . all which positions are condemned for contrary to the articles of the church of england : as in a comment on those articles , perused and by the lawfull authority of the church allowed to bee publike , is most cleere and manifest . which doctrinals though dangerous in themselves , and different from the judgement of the ancient fathers , and of the greatest clerks of the latter times , are not yet halfe so desperate , as that which followeth thereupon , in point of practise . for these positions granted , and entertained as orthodox , what can we else expect ; but such strange paradoxes , as in consideration of the premises , have beene delivered from some pulpits in this kingdome ; as viz. that to doe any servile worke or businesse on the lords day , is as great a sinne , as to kill a man , or commit adultery ; that to throw a bowle , to make a feast , or dresse a wedding dinner on the lords day , is as great a sinne , as for a man to take a knife and cuts his childes throat ; that to ring more bells than one on the lords day , is as great a sinne as to commit murder . the author which reports them all , was present when the broacher of the last position was convented for it . and i beleeve him in the rest . the rather , since i have heard it preached in london , that the law of moses , whereby death temporall was appointed for the sabbath-breaker , was yet in force ; and that who ever did the workes of his ordinary calling on the sabbath day , was to dye therefore . and i know also , that in a towne of my acquaintance , the preachers there had brought the people to that passe , that neither baked nor rost-meat , was to bee found in all the parish for a sundayes dinner throughout the yeere . these are the ordinary fruits of such dangerous doctrines ; and against these and such as these , our author in this following treatise doth addresse himselfe , accusing them that entertaine the former doctrinalls , everywhere , of no lesse than iudaisme , and pressing them with that of austin , that they who literally understand the fourth commandement , doe not yet savour of the spirit , section the third . this when i had considered , when i had seriously observed how much these fancies were repugnant both to the tendries of this church , and judgements of all kinde of writers , and how unsafe to be admitted ; i thought i could not goe about a better worke , than to exhibite to the view of my deare countrymen this following treatise ; delivered first , and after published by the author in another language . the rather , since of late the clamour is encreased , and that there is not any thing now more frequent in some zelots mouthes , ( to use the doctors words ) than that the lords day is with us licentiously , yea sacrilegiously prophaned , section the first . to satisfie whose scruples , and give content unto their mindes , i doubt not but this following discourse will be sufficient : which for that cause i have translated faithfully , and with as good proprietie as i could : not swerving any where from the sence ; and as little as i could , from the phrase and letter . gratum opus agricolis : a worke , as i conceive it , not unsutable to the present times : wherein , besides those peccant fancies before remembred , some have so farre proceeded , as not alone to make the lords day subject to the iewish rigours ; but to bring in againe the iewish sabbath , and abrogate the lords day altogether . i will no longer detaine the reader from the benefit hee shall reape hereby : onely i will crave leave , for his greater benefit , to repeat the summe thereof ; which is briefely this : first , that the sabbath was not instituted in the first creation of the world , nor ever kept by any of the ancient patriarkes , who lived before the law of moses : therefore no morall and perpetuall precept , as the others are , sect. 2. secondly , that the sanctifying of one day in seven , is ceremoniall onely , and obliged the iewes ; not morall , to oblige us christians to the like observance , sect. 3. & 4. thirdly , that the lords day is founded onely on the authoritie of the church , guided therein by the practice of the apostles ; not on the fourth commandement , ( which he calls a scandalous doctrine , sect. 7. ) nor any other expresse authoritie in holy scripture , sect. 6. & 7. then fourthly , that the church hath still authoritie to change the day , though such authoritie be not fit to be put in practise , sect. 7. fifthly , that in the celebration of it , there is no such cessation from the workes of labour required from us , as was exacted of the iewes ; but that we lawfully may dresse meat , proportionable unto every mans estate , and doe such other things as be no hinderance to the publike service appointed for the day , sect. 8. sixtly , that on the lords day all recreations whatsoever are to be allowed , which honestly may refresh the spirits , and encrease mutuall love and neighbourhood amongst us ; and that the names whereby the iewes did use to call their festivals ( whereof the sabbath was the chiefe ) were borrowed from an hebrew word , which signifieth to dance , and to be merry , or make glad the countenance . if so : if all such recreations as encrease good neighbourhood ; then wakes , and feasts , and other meetings of that nature . if such as honestly may refresh the spirits ; then dancing , shooting , wrastling , and all other pastimes , not by law prohibited , which either exercise the body , or revive the minds . and lastly , that it appertaines to the christian magistrate to order and appoint , what pastimes are to be permitted , and what are not , ( obedience unto whose commands , is better farre than sacrifice to any of the idols of our owne inventions : ) not unto every private person , ( or as the doctors owne words are ) not unto every mans rash zeale , who out of a schismaticall stoicisme ( debarring men from lawfull pastimes ) doth incline to iudaisme , sect. 8. adde , for the close of all , how doubtingly our author speakes of the name of sabbath , which now is growne so rife amongst us , sect. 8. concerning which , take here that notable dilemma of iohn barklay , the better to incounter those who stil retaine the name , and impose the rigour : cur perro illum diem plerique sectariorum sabbatum appellaetis , &c. what is the cause ( saith hee ) that many of our sectaries call this day the sabbath ? if they observe it as a sabbath , they must observe it , because god rested on that day : and then they ought to keepe that day whereon god rested ; and not the first , as now they doe , whereon the lord began his labours . if they observe it as the day of our saviours resurrection , why doe they call it still the sabbath ; seeing especially that christ did not altogether rest that day , but valiantly overcame the powers of death ? this is the summe of all : and this is all i have to say unto thee ( good christian reader ) in this present businesse . god give thee a right understanding in all things , and a good will to doe thereafter . the doctrine of the sabbath . or , a speech , delivered in the act at oxon . at the proceeding doctors , of christ . greene . io. tolson . tho. iackson . tho. binson . io. harris . in the yeere of christ , 1622. touching the sabbath . levit . 9.30 . yee shall keepe my sabbath , and reverence my sanctuarie : i am the lord. of the sabbath . sect . i. my annuall taske ( learned and courteous auditors ) is ( as you see ) returned againe : whereto being bound ( as i may say ) like titius unto caucasus , i must of necessitie expose my selfe to so many vultures . divinitie tossed with so many stormes , and by her owne unworthily handled , hath not ( which was much feared ) as yet miscarried . behold i and the sonnes which god hath given mee . and though shee doe not glory , as before shee hath done , of a numerous issue ; yet shee is comforted with these few , whose modestie doth promise to supply that want , and hide her nakednesse . it is my office ( as you know ) according to the custome of this place , honestly to dismisse them hence , being now furnished and provided ; after all their labours . and being it is the seventh yeere , since i first attained unto this place ; and that there want not some litigious differences about the sabbath , which have of late disturbed the quiet of the church : i hope it will not seeme unseasonable , ( fathers and brethren ) to speake unto you somewhat of this argument ; and therein rather to explode their errors , who either seeme to tend , on the one side to atheisme , or on the other side to iudaisme , than any way to brand their persons . and that our following discourse may issue from the purer fountaine , we will derive it from the 19. of levit. v. 30. ( which doubtlesse , for the greater certaintie thereof , is againe repeated , cap. 26. v. 2. ) yee shall keepe my sabbaths . now for the first word sabbath , the learned in the hebrew language derive it not from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which being interpreted , is seven , but from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth to cease , leave off , or rest from labour : and seemes to have affinitie with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to set downe , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to adore , and praise ; all which doe intimate unto us , as well the use of the sabbath , as the duties also of all those who are bound to keepe it . it is not my intent to lay before you such further etymologies , as either are afforded us from plutarch , and the rest of greece ; who fetch it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to triumph , dance , or make glad the countenance : or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a sirname of bacchus ; or at the least , some sonne of his , in coelius rhodiginus , ( whence bacchus priests are frequently called sabbi moenades , or saliares , in ancient authors : ) nor from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is the spleene , from the distempers of the which ( as giraldus thinkes ) the iewes , though very much thereunto inclined , were that day released : nor last of all , from any foule disease in the privie parts , by the aegyptians called sabba ; which fl. iosephus worthily derides in his second booke against appion . it is well knowne from what corrupt channell these derivations have beene drawne by the elder iewes ; who by their bacchanalian rites , gave the world just occasion to suspect , that they did consecrate their sabbath unto revels rather , than gods service . as for these sabbaths , they either were the weekely sabbaths , or those which in the scripture are called sabbaths of yeeres : and these againe , either each seventh yeere , in the which the earth lay fallow ; or every fiftieth yeere , called otherwise the yeere of iubile ; wherein each man returned againe to his owne possession , and inheritance , as the law appointed . there were at least five other meanings of this word , in holy scripture ; of which , consult hospinian in his booke de festis iudaeorum . but for the weekely sabbath mentioned in the decalogue , being it is become to many a rocke of offence ; it will not happily be unwelcome to the wavering mind , so to determine of the point , that they may have something whereupon to fasten . there is not any thing now more frequent in some zelots mouthes , than that the lords day is with us licentiously prophaned : the fourth commandement produced , and expounded literally ; as if it did as much oblige us christians , as once the iewes . and to this purpose all such texts of the old testament , which seeme to presse the rigorous keeping of that day , are alledged at once : and thereupon some men most superstitiously perswaded , neither to kindle fire in the winter time , wherewith to warme themselves ; or to dresse meat for sustentation of the poore , or such as these : which trench not more upon the bounds of christian libertie , than they doe breake the bonds of christian charitie . not so much therefore to abate their zeale , but ( if it may be done ) to direct it rather ; i shall in briefe , and as the time will give me leave , handle especially these three things about the sabbath : first , the institution ; secondly , the alteration of it ; and thirdly , the celebration of the same : that these my sonnes ( together with the rest ) may know the better , how carefully they are to walke in this doubtfull point : neyther diverting on the left hand , with the prophaner sort of people ; nor madly wandering on the right , with braine-sicke persons . sect . ii. and first , the institution of the sabbath is generally referred to god , by all who are instructed by the word of god , that hee created all things , and hath since governed the same . but touching the originall of this institution , and promulgation of the same , it is not yet agreed upon amongst the learned . some fetch the originall thereof from the beginning of the world , when god first blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it . whence well this question may be raysed , whether before the publishing of moses law , the sabbath was to be observed by the law of nature ? they which are commonly more apt to say any thing , than able afterwards to prove it ; maintaine affirmatively , that it was . for what say they , is it not all one , to blesse and sanctifie the seventh day , in the beginning of the world , as to impose it then on the posteritie of adam , to be blest and sanctified ? if all the rest of the commandements flow from the principles of nature , how is this excluded ? can wee conceive , that this onely ceremoniall law crept in , wee know not how , amongst the morals ? or that the prophet moses would have used such care in ordering the decalogue , onely to bring the church into greater troubles . adde hereunto , that torniellus thinkes it hardly credible , that enosh should apart himselfe from the sonnes of cain , to call upon the name of the lord , without some certaine and appointed time for that performance . nor were the frequent sacrifices , as calvin thinks , performed by abraham , and the other patriarkes , without relation to this day . tell mee ( say they ) who can , wherefore , before the publication of the law of moses , there fell no mannah on the seventh day ? had not the sabbath , according to gods first example , beene kept continually , from the foundations of the world. these are indeed such arguments , as make a faire flourish , but conclude nothing . tertullian , a most ancient writer , maintaines the contrarie : doceant adam sabbatizasse , aut abel hostiam deo sanctam offerentem , &c. let them ( sayth hee in a particular tract against the iewes ) assure mee , if they can , that adam ever kept the sabbath ; or abel , when hee offered unto god his accepted sacrifice , had regard thereof ; or that noah kept the same , when hee was busied in preparing of the arke , against the deluge ; or finally , that abraham in offering his sonne isaac ; or that melchisedec , in execution of his priesthood , tooke notice of it . so hee . besides , eusebius doth by this argument , maintaine the ancient patriarkes to have beene christians ( as wee are ) in very truth , though not in name ; because that neyther they nor wee observed the sabbath of the iewes , hist. lib. 1. cap. 4. and thereupon it is affirmed by iustin martyr , in his dialogue with trypho , and bede in his hexameron , that many of those former times were renowned for sanctitie , which neither kept the sabbath , or were circumcised . which also is expressely held by abulensis . it is true , that torniellus doth collect from these words of iob , where wast thou when i layed the foundations of the earth , when the morning starres sung together , and all the sonnes of god shouted for joy , iob . 38.4 , 7. that in the accomplishment of the creation , the angels did observe the sabbath . but then hee addes , that the observance of it heere upon the earth , was not till many ages after . it is true , that calvin hath affirmed , that it may probably be conjectured , that the sanctification of the sabbath was before the law. but many of our later writers are not therewith satisfied : and therefore it concernes them who maintaine the affirmative , to make it good by texts of scripture . sect . iii. for what weake proofes are they , which before were urged ; god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it ; therefore hee then commanded it to be kept holy by his people . moses , as abulensis hath it , spake this by way of anticipation ; rather to shew the equitie of the commandement , than the originall . enosh might call upon the lord , and abraham offer sacrifice , without relation to a set and appointed time ; oftner , and seldomer , as they had occasion . and as for the not falling of the mannah on the sabbath day , this rather was a preparation to the commandement , than any promulgation of it . for put the case , that iacob on the sabbath had neglected labans flocks ; and that the israelites under pharaoh , had not made up their tale of bricks ; neyther had hee escaped a chiding , nor they the insolent furie of their task-masters . and now , according to the principles of these sabbatarians , what would you counsaile them to doe ? did they observe the sabbath ? they were sure of punishment from man : did they neglect it ? they were sure of vengeance from the lord. vnto such straits are they reduced , who would impose the sabbath , as a perpetuall law of nature , upon the consciences of their poore brethren . some men ( perhaps ) will say , that as the fathers before moses , had gods word amongst them , although not written ; and that it was committed unto writing , when as their severall families were growne into a nationall , and a setled church : even so the sabbath had a voluntarie observation , from the first benediction of the same , in private houses ; which after , when the church was growne , and released from bondage , was imposed thereon , as a commandement . suppose it so : yet still the observation of it , is founded on the fourth commandement ; which , whether it bee naturall and morall , or else ceremoniall , wee must consider more distinctly : for that a meere and perishing ceremonie should equally be ranked amongst morall duties , which are alwayes binding , seemes ( at the first sight ) not to stand with reason . therefore it is resolved on by the wiser sort , that there is in the fourth commandement something morall , and some things ceremoniall ; the circumstances ceremoniall , but the substance morall . it is , as abulensis hath it , a dictate of the law of nature , that some set time bee put apart for gods holy worship : but it is ceremoniall and legall , that this worship should bee restrained eyther to one day of seven , or the seventh day precisely from the worlds creation . a time of rest , is therefore morall ; but the set time thereof , is ceremoniall : which is confessed by those who have stood most on this commandement , and urged it even unto a probable suspition of iudaisme . aquinas also so resolves it : and ( which is seldome seene in other cases , the schooleman ( of what sect soever ) say the same . whereby wee may perceive , in what respects the fathers have sometimes pronounced it to be a ceremonie , and a shadow , and a figure onely . three things hath calvin noted in it , of perpetuall observation : first , rest from labour at some certaine and appointed time , that god the better may worke in us : secondly , holding of publike meetings and assemblies , for the exercise of religious duties : thirdly , the ease and recreation both of our servants and our cattell , which otherwise would be tyred with continuall labour . and three things also are alledged by abulensis , to prove it an unstable and an alterable ceremonie : first , the determining of the day to bee one of seven , or the seventh day precisely from the worlds creation ; next , the commencement and continuance thereof , from evening unto evening ; and lastly , the precise and rigid keeping of it , in not kindling fires , and such like . which , howsoever they bee true , and distinctly shew , what still pertaines to us in sanctifying the lords day aright , and what is abrogated by christs comming : yet since the word affords them not , they rather seeme to set downe somewhat of their owne , than produce any thing from scripture . for granting all that hath beene said , yet i will looke upon the text apart , and aske precisely , what it commands us . first there presents it selfe in the very front , the sanctifying of the sabbath . what sabbath ? the seventh day . how reckoned ? from the first of the creation . but this falls just upon the day of the iewish sabbath : and so to urge this commandement for keeping of the lords day , is to bring in iudaisme . whence truely said saint avstin , quisquis diem illum observat , sicut litera sonat , carnaliter sapit : hee that observes that day , according to the literall sence , is but carnally wise . they therefore are but idly busied , who would so farre enlarge the sabbath , or seventh day in this commandement , as to include the lords day in it ; or so to order their account , as that the sabbath of the iewes should fall iumpe with ours . as if there were an end of christian congregations , in case they were not borrowed from the iewish synagogue ; or that the institution of the lords day were of no effect , were it not strengthened and supported by the fourth commandement . calvin is very round with the like false-teachers . such men ( sayth hee ) as idly thinke the observation of one day in seven to be the morall part of the fourth commandement ; what doe they else , but change the day , as in dishonour of the iewes , retaining in their mindes the former sanctitie thereof . and thereunto hee addes : and certainely wee see what dangerous effects they have produced from such a doctrine ; those which adhere to their instructions , having exceedingly out-gone the iewes , in their grosse and carnall superstitions about the sabbath . but this , the changing of the sabbath to the lords day ( which is next in order to be handled ) will more clearely manifest . sect . iv. thus have wee found the institution of the iewish sabbath in the fourth commandement , confirmed by the example of god himselfe ; and wee have also noted , what is to bee retained therein , as morall : it now remaineth to see , what there is in it ceremoniall , and how abrogated . for if this bee not made apparant , and by evident proofes ; the conscience would bee wavering , and relapse at last to iudaisme . for who ( almost ) would not thus reason with himselfe ? i see a precept , ranked amongst other morall precepts , which doth command mee to observe the seventh day precisely , from the first creation : and since the others are in force , why is not this ? it neyther fits the church , nor mee , to repeale the law of god , at our discretions ; but rather to obey his pleasure . what then advise wee to bee done ? not as some doe ; who urge the words of this commandement so farre , till they draw blood instead of comfort . our saviour best resolves this doubt , saying ; the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath : and that the sonne of man was lord of the sabbath ; and therefore had authoritie to change it , for mans greater profit ; as the glosse notes it , out of bede . but heere it is objected , that christ came into the world , not to destroy the law , but to fulfill it . to which , wee say with the apostle : doe wee destroy the law by faith ? god forbid : wee confirme it rather . christ then hath put away the shadow , but retained the light , and spreads it wider than before ; shewing thereby , the excellent harmonie betweene the gospel and the law. saint pavl , rom. 14. and gal. 4. doth generally taxe the iewish observation of dayes and times : particularly hee sheweth us , that the sabbath is abrogated , coloss. the second : let no man judge you ( sayth hee ) in meates and drinkes , or in respect of an holy day , or of the sabbath , which were the shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ . let no man judge you ; i. e. let none condemne you , if you keepe them not : because those shadowes altogether vanished , at the rising of the sunne of righteousnesse . as therefore nature requires meates and drinkes ; but for the choyse thereof , wee are left free , to christian libertie : so reason tells us , that there must be some certaine time appointed for gods publike service ; though from the bondage and necessitie of the iewish sabbath , wee are delivered by the gospel . since then wee see the abrogation of the iewish sabbath ; let us consider , by what right the lords day hath succeeded in the place thereof : wherein i must of force passe over many things , which are at large discussed by others . for to what purpose should i fall upon the anabaptist , the familist , and swencfeldian ? who making all dayes equall , and equally to be regarded , instead of christian libertie , would bring into the church an heathenish licentiousnesse : or else exclaime against the sabbatarians of this age , who by their sabbath-speculations would bring all to iudaisme . iosephus tells us of a river in the land of palestine , that is called sabbaticus ; which being drie sixe dayes , doth on the seventh fill up his channell , and runne very swiftly ▪ contrarie , plinie ; that it runnes swiftly all the sixe dayes , and is drie onely on the seventh . baronius takes iosephus part . the rabbins ( who would prove from hence their sabbath ) take part with plinie . plainely baronius was deceived , as casaubon hath truly noted , by a corrupt copie of iosephus . but howsoever , for the rabbins , they are thus silenced by galatinus . si fluvius ille dum erat , &c. in case ( sayth hee ) that river whiles it was in being , was a good argument that the iewish sabbath was to be observed ; now , since there is no such river extant , it is a better argument , that their sabbath is not any where to be regarded . our fanatick and peevish spirits it were best to send , to make enquirie for this river ; while in meane time wee doe unfold , and for as much as in us is , compose the differences , which have beene raysed in this point , amongst wiser heads . sect . v. they then which are perswaded , that the lords day succeedes in place of the iewish sabbath , affirme it eyther as established by the law of god , and of divine authoritie ; or introduced by ecclesiasticall constitution . they which pretend the first , eyther derive their arguments more weakely , from the old testament ; or else more warily , from the new : and from the old testament they produce two arguments ; one , borrowed from the sanctification of the seventh day , in the first creation of the world ; the other , from the institution of the sabbath , in the fourth commandement . of those which build upon the constitution of the church , some doe affirme it absolutely ; as doe the papists and arminians ; as may bee made apparant out of the iesuites , canonists , and schoole-men , and the confession of the remonstrants . to whom adde brentius , on levit. 23. chemnitius , in his common places ; and of our owne writers , not a few . others so fortifie and corroborate this constitution ecclesiasticall , as if the church did onely publish and continue that , which by the apostles was first ordered . but ( as it seemeth to mee ) these differences are of no great moment : save that the first opinion inclines too much to iudaisme ; and doth too much oppugne ( whether more impudently , or more ignorantly ; that i cannot say ) the received opinion of divines . for who knowes not that common principle of the schoole-men , out of the seventh unto the hebrewes : the priesthood being changed , there is made of necessitie a change also of the law ? whence they conclude , that at this day the morall law bindeth not , as it was published and proclaimed by moses ; but as at first it appertained no lesse unto the gentiles , than the iewes ; and afterwards , was explaned and confirmed by christ , in his holy gospel , zanchius doth strongly prove the same ( amongst other things ) out of this commandement about the sabbath . si decalogus quatenus per mosen traditus fuit israelitis , ad gentes quoque pertineret , &c. if the commandements ( sayth hee ) as they were given by moses unto the israelites , appertained also to the gentiles ; the gentiles had beene bound by this commandement , to sanctifie the sabbath with as much strictnesse , as the iewes . but since it is most evident , that the gentiles never were obliged to keepe that day holy ; it plainely followeth , that they neyther were nor could be bound to keepe the rest of the commandements , as published and proclaimed by moses unto them of israel . nor doe these hot-spurres well observe , how they intangle themselves , by borrowing the authoritie of the lords day from the law of moses . for if they ground themselves upon that commandement ; why keepe they not that day precisely , which the text commandeth ? by what authoritie have they substituted the first day of the weeke , for the seventh day exactly from the worlds creation ? what dispensation have they got , to kindle fire , to dresse and make readie meat , which was prohibited the iewes , by the same commandement . in case they bee ashamed of these and such like beggerly elements , and tell us , that the morall duties of the day are onely now to bee observed ; ( not to say any thing of a distinction so infirme , and which the text affordeth not ) they desert their station ; and will they , nill they , ioyne with them , who letting passe the veile of moses , seeke for the originall of the lords day in the sunne-shine onely of the gospel . sect . vi. for those that make their boast , that they have found the institution of the lords day in the new testament expressely ; let them shew the place . our saviour oftentimes disputed with the pharises , about their superstitious observation of the sabbath day ; and many times explaned the meaning of that commandement : but where is any the least suspition of the abrogation of it ? where any mention , that the lords day was instituted in the place thereof ? well . christ ascended up on high , and left behind him his apostles , to preach the gospel . and what did they ? did they not keepe the iewish sabbath , without noyse , or scruple ? and gladly teach the people , congregated on the sabbath dayes ? nay , more than this : did not the primitive church designe as well the sabbath , as the lords day , unto sacred meetings ? these things are so notorious , that they need no proofe . the papists hereupon inferre , that the lords day is not of any divine institution , but grounded onely on the constitution of the church . a civill ordinance ( sayth brentius ) not a commandement of the gospel . and the remonstrants have declared in their late confession , that by our lord christ iesvs , all difference of dayes was wholly abrogated in the new testament . all which accord exactly with that generall maxime , which in this very argument is layd downe by suarez , and by him borrowed from the schooles : in lege nova non sunt data specialia praecepta divina de accidentalibus observantiis ; that in the new testament there were given no speciall precepts , or directions , touching accidentall duties . yet notwithstanding this , even in the church of rome , anchoranus , panormitan , angelus , and sylvester , have stoutly set themselves against these luke-warme advocates , in affirmation of the divine authoritie of the lords day . for , ( as it rightly is observed by the defenders of the fourth opinion ) it seemed a dangerous thing to the whole fabricke of religion , should humane ordinances limit the necessitie of gods holy worship : or that the church should not assemble , but at the pleasure of the clergie , and they ( perhaps ) not well at one amongst themselves . for what would men busied about their farmes , their yoakes of oxen , and domesticke troubles ! ( as the invited guests in the holy gospel ) would they not easily set at naught an humane ordinance ? would not prophane men easily dispense , with their absenting of themselves from prayers , and preaching , and give themselves free leave of doing or neglecting any thing ; were there not something found in scripture , which more than any humane ordinance , or institution , should binde the conscience ? well therefore , and with good advice , the acts and practice of the apostles hath beene also pressed ; besides , the constant and continuall tradition of the church : that so it may appeare , that in a thing of such great moment , the church did nothing without warrant from those blessed spirits . three texts there are , which are most commonly produced , in full proofe thereof . first , acts 20.7 . vpon the first day of the weeke , when the disciples came together , to breake bread , pavl preached unto them readie to depart upon the morning , and continued his speech till midnight . why is it sayd expressely , that the disciples came together , to heare the word preached , and receive the sacraments , rather on this day than another ; rather than on the iewish sabbath ? were it not then a custome , to celebrate on that day their publike meetings ; the sabbath of the iewes beginning ( by degrees ) to vanish . the fathers , and all interpreters ( almost ) doe so conceive it : though i confesse , that from a casuall fact , i see not how a solemne institution may bee justly grounded . nor may wee argue in this manner ; the disciples met that day together ▪ therefore they gave commandement , that on that day the church should alwayes bee assembled for gods publike worship . who markes not heere a great and notable incoherence ? looke therefore next upon the first to the corinthians , cap. 16. vers . 2. where wee seeme to have a commandement : let every man ( sayth the apostle ) upon the first day of the weeke lay by him in store : what ? collections for the saints : and why ? because hee had so ordered it , in the churches of galatia . heere then wee have an ordinance set downe by the apostle , to bee observed in the church : but what is that hee ordereth ? not that the first day should bee set apart for the lords service ; but that upon the first day of the weeke they make collections for the saints . the third and last , is revel . 1. and 10. i was ( sayth the evangelist ) in the spirit on the lords day : and what day is that ? had hee meant onely the iewish sabbath , doubtlesse hee would have called it so : if any other of the weeke , not eminent above the rest , the title had beene needlesse , and ambiguous ; and rather had obscured , than explaned his meaning . what therefore rests ? but that comparing this place with the former two , interpreters both new and old conclude together , that here the apostle meant the first day of the weeke ; whereupon christ rose , and the disciples came together , for the discharge of holy duties ; and paul commanded , that collections should bee made : as was the custome afterwards , in the primitive church , according unto iustin martyr , who lived verie neere the apostles times . the alteration of the name doth intimate , that the sabbath was also altered ; not in relation to gods worship , but the appointment of the time . sect . vii . what then ? shall wee affirme , that the lords day is founded on divine authoritie ? for my part , ( without prejudice unto any mans opinion ) i assent unto it : however that the arguments like mee not , whereby the opinion is supported . this inference first offends mee , that in the cradle of the world , god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it ; therefore all men are bound to sanctifie it , by the law of nature : since i both doubt , whether the patriarkes did observe it , before moses time ; and have learnt also , that the law of nature is immutable . next this distasts mee , that they would have the spending of one day in seven , on gods holy worship , to bee perpetuall , and morall . as congruous , or convenient , all men admit it ; but cannot see so easily , that it should bee morall , and perpetuall . nor is it , thirdly , without scandall , that the fourth commandement should bee so commonly produced , to iustifie our keeping of the lords day , by the text thereof . if they required no more , but the analogie , the equitie , or the reason of that commandement , wee would not sticke to yeeld unto it : but whiles they stand too close to the very letter , they may ( perhaps ) bee iustly charged with iudaisme . fourthly , as little like i them , who promise much in proofe hereof , out of the new testament , which the text affordeth not . for where is any expresse institution of the lords day , in any one of the apostles , or evangelists ? yea , or what text is there , whence it may necessarily bee collected , in case wee meete an adversarie , who must bee dealt withall exactly ; and will not easily assent , but to solide arguments ? nor lastly , am i satisfied with the bare ordinance of the church ; which with the same facilitie may bee broke , as it was enacted : which absolutely to affirme of the lords day , were too unadvised . therefore , amongst so doth distinguish with us , of divine authoritie , strictly and largely taken : that so , not that alone which is found in scripture may properly be said to have divine authoritie ; but whatsoever by good consequence may bee drawne from thence , eyther in reference to the institution , or some example of it , or ( at least ) some analogie thereunto . and whereas calvin , bullinger , bucerus , brentius , chemnitius , vrsine , and others of the reformed churches affirme , that still the church hath power to change the lords day to some other : suarez doth thus distinguish in it , that it is absolutely alterable , but not practically : that is ( as i conceive it ) that such a power is absolutely in the church , though not convenient now to bee put in practise . the reasons of it , two : first , because instituted ( as generally the fathers grant ) in memorie of our redemption ; made perfect on that day , by our saviours resurrection : next , because not depending barely upon a civill , or ecclesiasticall ordinance ; but on the practice and expresse tradition of the apostles ; who ( questionlesse ) were ledde into all truth by the holy ghost . which beeing so ; if any waywardly shall oppose us , as if they would compose some sabbaticall idoll out of an equall mixture of law and gospel ; they may bee very fitly likened to the iew of tewksburie , mentioned in our common annals : who on a saturday fell by chance into a privi● , and would not then permit himselfe to bee taken out , because it was the iewish sabbath ; nor could bee suffered to bee taken thence the next day following , because the lords day , celebrated by the christians : and so , betwixt both dayes , hee died most miserably , that understood not rightly the celebration and true use of eyther . of which , the celebration of this day , i am next to speake . sect . viii . prayse waiteth for thee , o lord , in sion , and unto thee shall the vow be performed : o thou that hearest prayer , unto thee shall all flesh come . the life of pietie and religion , is gods publike worship ; the soule of publike worship , is the due performance of the same . they which esteeme not this as they ought to doe , whether prophane , carnall , or schismaticall persons , doe not alone ( as much as in them is ) teare the church in pieces , which is the seamelesse coat of christ ; but doe renounce the heritage , bought for us at so great a price , and offered to us with so great mercie . hee that endevours to pursue the severall by-wayes and dissonant clamours of particular men , in this present argument ; entreth into a most inextricable labyrinth . but generally , those things which others have propounded in some obscuritie , may bee reduced most fitly unto these two heads : first , that wee marke distinctly , in the celebration of this day , what speciall duties are commanded ; and next , what offices are permitted . to the discoverie whereof , these words , our god , our neighbours , and our selves , like a mercuriall finger , will direct our journey , amidst the severall turnings of this present world. these three are principally aymed at in those pious duties , which on this day have beene commended to us , or rather imposed on us , by the acts and practice of the apostles . first , the disciples came together , to breake bread , and heare the word : which , without solemne and preparatorie prayers , were a faint devotion , acts 20. this is the honour due to god. collections , secondly , are appointed , 1. corinth . 16. this is in reference to our neighbour . and last of all , saint iohn was in the spirit on the lords day , revel . 1. this in relation to our selves : that so our pious contemplations , borne by the wings of the spirit , may ascend on high ; even to those hills , from whence commeth our salvation . therefore upon this day , gods people are to meet in the congregation , to celebrate divine service , and to heare the word ; almes to bee given , and godly meditations to bee cherished with our best endevours . from whence ariseth that , as an accessorie in the gospel , which was a principall in the law of moses , rest from servile workes , and from the ordinarie workes of our vocation . for since there is not extant eyther commandement , or example , in the gospel , which can affixe the rest of the iewish sabbath to the lords day now celebrated ; and that our christian libertie will not away with that severe and ceremoniall kind of rest , which was then in use : wee onely are so farre to abstaine from worke , as it is an impediment to the performance of such duties as are then commanded . saint hierome on the eighteenth of the acts , affirmeth , that saint paul , when hee had none to whom to preach in the congregation ; did on the lords day use the workes of his occupation : and christ did many things ( as of set purpose ) on the sabbath , ( so hath chemnitius rightly noted ) to manifest , that the legall sabbath was expiring ; and to demonstrate the true use of the christian sabbath : if ( at the least ) the name of sabbath may be used amongst us , which some distast . to end in briefe , those things are all commanded , which doe advance gods publike service ; and those permitted , which are no hinderance thereunto . of this sort specially , are the workes of necessitie : as , to dresse meat , to draw the oxe out of the ditch , to leade our cattell unto water , to quench a dangerous fire , and such as these . then workes of charitie : first , in relation to our selves ; and heere wee are permitted recreations ( of what sort soever ) which serve lawfully to refresh our spirits , and nourish mutuall neighbourhood amongst us : next , in relation unto others ; and heere no labour ( how troublesome soever ) is to bee refused , which may accommodate our neighbour , and cannot fitly bee deferred . where wee must alwayes keepe this rule , that this our christian libertie bee void of scandall ; i meane , of scandall justly given , and not vainely caught at : that wee pretend not charitie [ to absent our selves from religious duties ] when eyther covetousnesse , or loathing , or neglect of gods holy ordinances , are under-hand the principall motives . foure properties there are ( as one rightly noteth ) of all solemne festivals ; sanctitie , rest from labour , cheerefulnesse , and liberalitie : which verie things , the ancients ( by those names , whereby they did expresse their festivals ) doe seeme to intimate . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth to meete , or to bee assembled : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to rejoyce , to dance : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to restraine from workes that are an hinderance . and so amongst the grecians , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an assembly ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes expences : from whence , their solemne festivals were so entituled . and unto all these , whether recreations , or entertainments , feastings , and other indifferent customes ; it onely appertaineth to the religious magistrate to prescribe bounds and limits : not to the rash zeale of every one , which out of a schismaticall stoicisme , not suffering people eyther to use a fanne , or to kill a flea , relapse to iudaisme ; nor on the other side , to every prodigall and debauched companion , who joynes himselfe unto belphegor , and eates the sacrifices of the dead . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a10094-e140 cap. 15.5 . gal. 4.10.11 . cap. 2.16.17 . sect. 4. see austin de h●res●b . & epiphanius . sect. 2. epist. 3. l. 21. in rog. hoveden anno. 1201. anno. 1200. institut . l. 2. cap. 8. sect. 33. ib. sect. 34. paraen , lib. 1. cap. vlt. institut . l. 3. cap. 8. sect. 34. gen. 3. sect. 3. & 7. goma● . desensio sentent . c. 10. investig . sabb. cap. 4. cap. 10. cap. 3. . anno 5. and 6. of edward 6. cap. 3. heylius geogr. in france . roger● on the article● . art. 7. id. in the preface to the articles . paraen . l. 1. cap. vlt. notes for div a10094-e4690 hebr. ● , s●mpos . l. 4. sub finem . lib. 7. cap. 15. de annis & mensibus . levit. ●5 . cap. 3. azor. instit. moral . part . 2. q. 3. hospin . de fest. ethn. & iud. l. 3. cap. 3. annal. sacri ad diem 7. in exod. ad praecept . 4. v. damasc fid . o. th . l. 4. c. 24. irenaeum , l. 4 30. in gen. 2. q. 4. ad d●em 7. sect , 2. in exod. 〈◊〉 praecept . 4. in gen. cap. 2. q. 4. calv. instit. l. 2. cap. 8. zouch . tom. 4. l. 1. cap. 15. in exod. 20. q. 11. ● . 2. q. 122. art . 4. institut . lib. 2. cap. 8. sect . 28. vbi supr● , instit. l. 1. cap. 8. sect . 34. marc. 2.27 . matth. 5. de bello iudaic. l. 7. cap. 24. natur. hist. l. 31. cap. 2. anno 31. n. 38. exer● . 15. sect . 20. lib. 1. cap. 9. bellar. de cult . sanct. l. 3 c. 11. estius in 3. sent. d. 37. sect . 13. vers. 12. tom. 4. l. 1. c. 11. exod. 16.35 . matth. 12. mark. 2. luke 6. ioh. 5. acts 13.17.18 . cap. hosp. de sest . christ. c. 9. montholon . prompt . in sabbat . de relig. l. 2. cap. 1. azor. institut . mor. part . 2. c. 2. zanch. tom . 4. l. 1. c 19. foxe & stowe in vita henr. 3. psal. 65. in loc . com. perk. in case of consc. l. 2. c. 16. rob. lo●u● in ●ffig . sabbat . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a second treatise of the sabbath, or an explication of the fourth commandement. written, by mr edward brerewood professor in gresham colledge in london brerewood, edward, 1565?-1613. 1632 approx. 76 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 26 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-03 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a16724 stc 3624 estc s106452 99842168 99842168 6800 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a16724) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 6800) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 702:12) a second treatise of the sabbath, or an explication of the fourth commandement. written, by mr edward brerewood professor in gresham colledge in london brerewood, edward, 1565?-1613. 50, [2] p. printed by iohn lichfield, and are to be sold by thomas huggins, at oxford : ann. dom. 1632. the last leaf is blank. reproduction of the original in cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sunday -early works to 1800. 2003-01 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-02 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-12 andrew kuster sampled and proofread 2004-12 andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a second treatise of the sabbath , or an explication of the fourth commandement . written , by m r edward brerewood professor in gresham colledge in london . at oxford , printed by iohn lichfield , and are to be sold by thomas huggins . ann. dom. 1632. an explication of the fourth commandement . remember , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zechor memento in exodus , is in deut. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shemor , obserua , obserue . morall , is that which pertaineth to manners , either 1. by the instinct of nature , as belonging to the inwarde law written in our hearts : or 2 by the instruction of discipline , as being of the outward law pronounced by god ; as that of observing the seaventh day ; so that it may be tearmed naturall , as being , not of the institution of nature , but of the disciplining of nature : not of nature as it was at the first ordained by god , but as after informed by him . morall , is not every rule ( in our sense ) that generally doth informe mens manners , that after such a manner the custome of nature informeth them ; but the naturall information of them ; namely that which by the naturall light of vnderstanding wee see to be good or bad ; and by the naturall inclining or declining of the wil , following that light , we affect of obhorre . ob the reason of the commaundement ( because the lord rested the seaventh day ) concerneth equallie iewes and gentiles ; therefore the commandement belongeth equally to them all . sol the lords resting on the seaventh day , is not the reason of the obligatiō , for that followes the decree of gods pleasure onely ; but onely of the election of the day , viz : the 7 th ; namely that for that cause it pleased him to exempt that day before any of the other , and charge it with a commandement of rest . so that there it is not assigned ; as the reason of the commandement , why a sabbath should be observed , but why that day before other was charged with the commandement . by the naturall light of vnderstanding ] not as actuated and perfited by discourse or forraigne discipline , or prescription of lawes , but by the power of nature which belongeth to vs , and is found in all nations . for although that radiant light which shined in our first parents be fallen with their fall , & the beames of it be gone , yet some sparke of that light remaineth , it is not vtterly extinguished , but ( as after the falling of the sunne ) some twilight is left , enough to see the generalities of our duty , if we follow it , and if we follow it not , we despise to be directed , by that light , which is enough to condemne vs. rom. 1. in the commandement of the sabbath are considered 1 the admonition for the observing , remember . 2 the matter commanded . 1. sanctification of the 7 th day . 2. vacation from worke , servile worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 the persons : thou , thy sonne , daughter , man-servant . &c. 4 the reason : because the lord rested on that day from creating . ob. that commandement is charged only with the admonition ( remember ) therefore that specially amongst the rest the lord would name observed . sol. to that commandement specially is the admonition ( remember ) annexed , either , because 1 it is not meerely morall and a law of nature , as the others are , but partly ceremoniall , as touching the determination to a certaine day ; and therefore being not so effectually imprinted by nature in the hearts of men , needed a speciall admonition for the observance , least it should slipp out of mind . 2 it was giuen before in the wildernesse of sin exod. 16. 23 , 26. with the giving of manna , and by some neglected , whereof they are admonished by the word remember . 3 it was not continually to bee obserued every day as the other commandements , but after the intermission of 6. dayes , the 7 th day was to be consecrated to rest ; which they were specially required to remember , least their desire of lucre might cause them to worke on that day also . 4 because it hath relation as 〈◊〉 the reason of the election of that day ( the 〈◊〉 ) to the former times , the times of the creation , because even so god wrought in 6. dayes , & rested the seaventh , which they are charged to remember and doe likewise . 5 because although the transgression of that commandement were in it selfe formally , no more vitious then of the rest , yet in respect of the euill consequences which might follow on the ignorance of gods law , to the hearing whereof that day was consecrated , it was more dangerous . ob. no commandement so vehemently vrged by the prophets , nor the transgression so greviously rebuked as that of the sabbath , therefore it is a principall precept . sol. it is most vehemently exacted , because the observing of it was most neglected , not because it was more excellent then the rest . and the transgression most greivously rebuked , not because the transgression of the commandement being absolutely in it selfe considered , was more sinfull , but because considering it respectiuely in relation to the events and consequences , occasionally proceeding of that transgression , it was more dangerous : forasmuch , as it being the day dedicated to the exercise of their religion ( the only day of the weeke amongst the iewes ) both for invocation and adoration of almighty god , and specially , for their instruction in the law of god , which was that day only read in their synagogues ; vpon the contempt of that commandement , the ignorance of gods law , being the foundation of all divine religion , must of necessity ensue . in which respect , the transgression of it was more perillous amongst the iewes , then amongst christians , who haue other dayes in the weeke besides the sabbath , both for publique prayer , and instruction . touching sanctifying of the sabbath ; the duty in generall of sanctifying it , is commanded by god : but the particular manner of sanctifying it , is not prescribed by him , but the church ; the act is gods ordinance ; the particular manner and limitation of the act touching time , place , order , is the churches decree ; the thing it selfe , or matter , is of divine constitution , but the manner and circumstances of that sanctification were left to the determination of the church . the sabbath day implyeth 1. number , one of seauen . 2. order , the 7 th of that number , none else : for first , in the relating of that commandement it is never found in the scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but every where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 ly the reason assigned for the rest on that day , will not serue for every day of seauen , but only for the 7 th day , namely gods rest from the workes of creation : as the reason assigned now for the celebration of the lords day , namely the resurrection of christ and the descent of the holy ghost , will not fitt any other . and thirdly , if the vnderstanding of the commandement were , one of seauen , and not precisely the seauenth day , then had it beene lawfull for the iewes to haue translated their sabbath to any other day of the weeke . thou shalt doe noe worke , thou nor thy sonne &c. thou ] is not taken generally as in the other commandements , ( where no difference of persons is specified ) but limitedly , as signifying the father , master , owner , freeman , namely that either hath the power to dispose of others , or at least the liberty to dispose of himselfe . 1 because thou is either taken in the same sense in the first place , and in the latter , or otherwise , if otherwise , there is aequivocation committed in the very next words ; if in the same sense , therefore limitedly , as in distinction of children and servants , that is , parents , masters &c. for so it is taken in the latter place . 2 because either the negatiue coniunction ( nor ) excludeth nothing that was not implyed in the word ( thou ) and then it was added superfluously of children , servants , &c : or if it exclude those that are not implyed in the word ( thou ) then is it cleere that the word ( thou ) containeth not children , servants , &c. fathers , masters , freemen , are considered either personally , as particular men ; so the first clause belongs to them , thou shalt doe no worke &c. or relatiuely , as governours of their housholds ▪ so the second clause , thou nor thy sonne &c. as if he had said , neither shalt thou doe worke on the sabbath day , neither shalt thou suffer them that are vnder thy government to doe any . the word ( thou ) importeth every freeman , or every man as farre as he is free , and hath power to keepe it , or to dispose of himselfe . for some are free simply , who by their condition are so ; others limitedly , as servants may be by their masters permission ; namely , so farre as the disposition of themselues , or their owne actions is allowed them . in which case only servants come vnder the obligation of the commandement , but yet that is not as servants , but as in some sort free , namely as they are primary authors themselues of their owne workes , and not as ministers of their masters worke . the sabbath is called holy , not formally , for any peculiar inherent holinesse it hath aboue other dayes , but finally , because it was ordayned and consecrated to holy exercises in the service of god. the comandement is partly morall , remember to sanctify the sabbath ceremoniall : the 7 th day is the sabbath . the sanctification then of the sabbath is morall , but the limitation of it to the seaventh day is ceremoniall . the commandement of sanctifying the sabbath was not giuen from the beginning , as it seemeth , 1 because there was no remembrance that it was obserued by any of the ancient patriarks . 2 because where it is giuen to moses exod. 16. it is spoken of as a new thinge , as the rulers comming , and report to moses vers . 22. and moses answere to them vers . 23. doe plainely declare ; namely that the morrow was the rest of the holy sabbath to the lord , whereof they could not haue beene ignorant , if it had beene vsuall before . 3 because , it is said to be giuen to the israelites exod. 16. 19. to be a signe betweene god and them exod. 31. 13. ezech. 20. 12. but it was not a signe to the israelites more then to other nations , if it had beene giuen from the beginning to adam and his posterity . 4 because , in the beginning there was no occasion in mens labour , to draw them away from the contemplation and worship of god , but that every day might be a sabbath , for the state of innocency admitted neither one nor other , but man of himselfe was most prone to the honour of god. ob. god sanctified the seaventh day presently after the creation , gen. 2. 3. ergo sol. 1 god sanctified it himselfe by resting in himselfe , and producing no more creatures ; but he commanded not adam to sanctifie it : for where it is said that god sanctified the seaventh day , because in it he rested from all his workes ; that ( because ) seemes not so much to note the occasion why hee sanctified it , as the formall cause or condition of the sanctification , which consisted in the rest of god in himselfe , ceasing to worke more in the creation of things . sol. 2 or if it note the occasion ( which i rather thinke ) yet it designeth not the time of the sanctification ; so that although it be said that god sanctified the seaventh day , because he rested in it from the creation ( which moses there fitly obserues , because he writes there of that rest of god ) yet it followeth not that he sanctified it then , when hee rested , but that for that reason hee sanctified that day rather then any other , when he gaue the commandement touching the sabbath in time of the law. sol. 3 or else hee sanctified it from the beginning by destination to sanctifie , ordayning that to be the day which in the law he would sanctify ; but not by actuall explication , to sanctifie or command . in it thou shalt doe no worke . namely , of thy election when thou maist abstaine , or , 2 ly . thou shalt not doe thine owne worke ; but yet a servant out of obedience to his master , as a servant , might if he were commanded : neither is that excluded by the commandement ; for whereas in licensing or commanding the 6. dayes worke he vseth both words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth to worke and labour as a servant , or to serue , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to worke simply without any implication of service ; in commanding the seaventh dayes rest , he saith not ( in opposition to the first ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt not worke as a servant , but only in opposition to the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but had god intended to exclude servants obedience to their masters , touching workes on the sabbath day , as well as workes that are freely done , he would haue added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aswell as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having vsed both in licensing of the 6 dayes worke . and if it be answered that one is implyed in the other , then to expresse both was superfluous in the former place . thou shalt doe no worke ] that is , thine owne , that is referred to thine owne end , for first , they are forbidden to doe that worke on the sabbath , which they were licensed to doe on the six dayes : but that was their owne worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exod. 20. 9. opus tuum . 2 the declaration of esay . 58. 13. importeth it plainely ; if thou turne from doing thine owne will &c. not doing thine owne workes . and of the apostle heb. 4. 10. for he that is entred into his sabbath , hath ceased from his owne workes , as god did from his . but those only ( in gods esteeme ) are a mans owne workes that proceed from his owne will ; which he chooseth to doe , and whereof he is the author : which he doth for his owne sake and satisfaction ; not those which he doth as the minister of another , to whose commandement and inforcement hee is subject . they are not therefore the workes of a servant as a servant , but the workes hee doth freely of himselfe that are there forbidden . q. whether works of labour , or also sinnes be forbidden by the commandement of the sabbath . a both , namely , workes of labour , as it is a day of vacation ; and workes of sinne , as it is a day of sanctification ; for that day being specially dedicated to holynesse , proclaimeth sinnes committed on it to be specially sinfull , because besides the transgression of other commandements , which they naturally import , they imply also the transgression of this commandement , touching the speciall sanctifying of the sabbath day . so that although the act or labour , or work it selfe be but one , as to kill , to steale , &c. yet the guilt is twofold when it is done on the sabbath . the seauenth day is the sabbath of the lord thy god , &c. 1 either because it was the memoriall of his rest after the creation . 2 or because it was the day of mans vacation . commanded by him . 3 or because it was to bee dedicated to his worship and service , and not as the six daies to bee imployed in ordinary worke . thou nor thy sonne , nor thy daughter , &c. in the severall mention of every one with the pronoune ( thy ) it is manifest that relation is still had to ( thou ) mentioned in the first place , and therefore the commandement was giuen to him , to whom all these belonged . nor the stranger that is within thy gates , &c. strangers to the israelites were either in respect of their of-spring only , but not of religion , as proselites , that had receaued the seale of the couenant , circumcision , and these stood meerely in the same obligation with the israelites : or in respect of religion also , which were amongst them on any occasion of outward affayres ; which were by the magistrate to be restrained ; not because the commandement belonged to them directly , but obliquely only , and in relation to the israelites , to whom strangers worke on the sabbath might giue occasion , or example to offend . the worke of a servant , as an absolute person ; namely his free and electiue workes , are forbidden himselfe in the first clause ( thou shalt doe no worke ) but his workes as he is a relatiue person , namely a servant , that is , his imposed workes , which he doth not of his owne will , but by reason of his subjection to his master , are forbidden his master , not him selfe , in the latter clause ( nor thy servant . ) the former clause then ( thou shalt doe no work ) is to bee vnderstood of absolute and free doing , wherein the doers worke according to their owne pleasure , not of respectiue , & enforced doing , where there is mingled some passiuenesse with the doing , as when in respect of their servile subjection to their masters , and feare of their displeasure and punishment , seruants are made to doe those workes , which of their owne will , they would gladly leaue vndone . it is therefore to bee vnderstood of electiue , and not of coactiue workes . to obserue one day of seauen , for the sabbath , is not of the morall law. 1 because that part of the commandement whereby the sabbath is limited to the seuenth day , is confessed to be ceremoniall . 2 because the number , one of seauen , and order , the last of seauen , are not otherwise specified in the commandement then in the very same word ( the seauenth day ) therefore both are either morall , or both ceremoniall . 3 because although some of the ancient haue affirmed that one of 7 is to bee kept holy vnto the lord , yet none of them ( perhaps older then an hundred yeares ) haue said it to be gods morall law. the commandement forbiddeth litterally , servile workes of the body labours . mystically , servile workes of the soule sinnes : and so is s t ambrose to bee vnderstood in luc. 13. that the law forbids servilia opera in sabbato , id est , peccatis gravari . the commandement of the sabbath enioynes 1. outward worship of god by the name of sanctification . 2. cessation from workes as a necessary preparation for that worship : that , as the end , this , as the meanes . but if wee speake not of the immediate but remote ende , it is the inward and spirituall , not outward and ceremoniall worship ; which although it come within the intentiō of the law-giuer , yet not within the obligation of the law , because it being the end vnto which the cōmandement is directed and ordained , cannot be the matter of the commandement , the matter being comprised in the commandement , but the end being outward in relation of it , besides that the inward worship seemeth to be the matter of the first commandement . works of necessity are excused al on the sabbath , because the necessity excuseth the condition of their servilenesse , both common to freemen & servants , because every one is bound by the instinct of nature to avoid mischiefe imminent to himselfe , or his neighbour . and workes of charity because they are enjoyned ( to loue our neighbours as our selues ) by the morall law , whereas servile workes are excluded on the seauenth day but by a ceremoniall commandement . and it is but iust and right , that where they cannot consist together ( i meane where they cannot be both obserued ) that the ceremoniall rather then the morall be omitted . six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy workes , &c. is a permission it seemes and no divine commandement . 1. because , else it should bee vnlawfull to exempt any time out of the six daies , even to worship god , and consequently hee should sinne that should dedicate any of the six daies to that service : as it was a sinne to exempt any time of the seauenth day to doe worke . 2. because in that commandement were involved a double precept , as being of diverse daies , and contrary duties , and contrary qualities , the one affirmatiue , the other negatiue ; which therefore cannot bee the same commandement . 3. the iewes that haue collected 613 commandements of the law , neuer observed this for one of them . in the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eat thy bread . is the inflicting of punishmeut , not the enjoyning of a commandement , a denouncing of malum panae , that he and his posterity was to suffer , not any obliging of them vnto it , as bonum to be done ; as if every one sinned that sweat not when he did eat , or liued not by his sweat . and yet neither hath that any more relatiō to the six dayes then to the 7 th , if it be a commandement ; or if the meaning of it be onely that man should gaine his liuing by his sweat , is it any obligation for labour all the six daies , if by his labour in lesse space hee bee able to purchase it ! in the sweat of thy browes ] that is , thou shalt doe it of necessity being enforced , by the curse laid on the earth , but not of duty , being enioyn'd vnto it by gods commandement , which was no more then the former clause that ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in sorrow hee should eat of the earth : or that to the woman , in sorrow shalt thou bring forth ; or that to the serpent , vpon thy belly shalt thou go , & dust shalt thou eat . &c. he that will not labour neither let him eat , 2. thes , 3. 10. ] not he that cannot , by occasion of impotency ; nor he that needs not , by reason of plenty ; but he that being able , and needing , yet will not worke , let him not eat ; that is , at the charge of others , for as touching their owne , the apostle would not interdict them : for is it not just that a man should sustaine himselfe of his owne ▪ or had the apostles rather a man should perish of famine , then be releived of his owne ? six dayes shalt thou labour ] if it had intended a precept , not a permission , it had beene crossed by gods own commandements of refraining all servile workes in sundry of their anniversary feasts , which of necessitie must often fall on some of the six dayes . and which is more absurd , gods morall commandement ( for such the same men acknowledge it to be ) should be crossed by his ceremoniall praecepts . the lords day of what institution . christ gaue no such commandement to his apostles , for neither is any remembrance found of it in the histories of his life and doctrine , the gospells ; nor record of any such commandement in the writings of the apostles giuen or to bee giuen by christ , or by his appointment to the church , or to the apostles . for if it be said that christ commanded it to the apostles , although the commandement be not mentioned . 1 an vncertaintie is affirmed which cannot bee proued , and christ belied for any thing that appeareth . 2 a doore for the authority of vnwritten traditions is opened which will be ill endured . 3 the apostles are secretly accused for concealing christs commandement from the church . for i demand whether the commandement was giuen them to the end to be published to the church or no ? if not , it cannot bind the church ; for a law is of no force without promulgation , till it bee knowne to be a law , for how can that law binde the consciences as the law of god , which is not declared to be the law and will of god ? if it was giuen the apostles to that end , then they sinned grieuously in concealing that commandement of christ from the church , which he delivered them to be declared to the church . neither were it enough to be declared by speech onely ( which yet cannot be proued ) but they should haue committed it to writing , being of the importance it was , & seeing it concerned not onely the church then being , but the whole church that should bee to the worlds end : whereof their writings were to be directions , but their speech not so . the lords day seemes to bee celebrated in the church rather by imitation of the apostles , then their constitution ; for we finde their example for holy assemblies on that day , but commandement of theirs giuen to the church for celebrating that day , we finde none . ob : the sabbath is an everlasting couenant , exod. 31. 16. but the old sabbath was to cease in our saviours death , therefore , that which succeedeth in place of it , is also of divine ordinance . sol. 1. the sabbath is everlasting in respect of the thing signified , that is , the eternall rest of the elect with god , after the finishing of their labours in the world , wherof the apostle discourseth in the 4 th to the hebr : but not so in respect of the signe . 2. everlasting is taken either absolutely , that hath no end at all . limitedly , that hath no certaine end prefixed , or knowne period appointed for the continuance , although in nature or divine ordinance it hath a determined period . the first the iewes call ( as burg : notes ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ever and ever ; the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely , as in this place : so that the sabbath is said to be everlasting , no otherwise then circumcision is called gen. 17. 13. and the aaronicall priesthood , exod. 28. 43. & 29. 9. that is , not simply so , during all eternity , or all time , but respectiuely , during all the time of the old covenant , or the time of the law , while the israelites were to be gods peculiar people . ob : it was gods ordinance and appointment , that the apostles should ordaine that day to be obserued in the church : therefore it is by divine ordinance . sol. gods ordinance is either secret , namely , the ordinance of his counsell or providence , in which sense the administration of all things is performed by his ordinance . revealed , namely the ordinance of his commandement , declaring such and such things , to be his will. so the institution of the lords day is not his ordinance . hee ordained indeed by his secret decree ( voluntate beneplaciti ) that it should be established insteed of the sabbath ; but hee ordained it not by his owne manifest decree , that is , his commandement ( voluntate signi , or revealed will ) that hee would haue it so . the commandement of the lords day , may be tearmed divine diverse waies . 1 either because the apostles established it , being enlightned , and inspired by the holy ghost to ordaine it . 2 or because they had receiued the authority from god , whereby they were enabled or warranted to doe it . 3 or because it was dedicated or ordained to divine vse , namely the solemne worship of god. so that the preeept of the lords day is in these respects divine , but yet is not a divine precept , because the act of commanding it ; or imposing the observation of it on the church ; is not diuine , but ( at most ) apostolicall . ius divinum , may bee interpreted either . divine ordinance , in which respect , those things only which are instituted by god himselfe are tearmed to be iure divino . divine right ; in which respect those things that belong to the worship of god although the ordinance or commandement whereby they are exacted be humane , may be tearmed to be iure divino . so that things consist iure divino , either originally or materially . originally that proceede from divine institution and haue god for their author . materially ; that belong of right to divine worship , although the right by which they are required be humane institution ( that is ) ordained of men in zeale of gods glory . and in the second sense , the lords day is iustly tearmed to be iure divino . the worship of god that belongeth to the lords day is of the law of god and nature ( thou shalt worship the lord thy god ) but the peculiar belonging of that worship to that day , is not of those lawes , ( that is ) the worship considered in it selfe is de iure divino ; but the annexion of it to that day rather then any other , is but de iure humano , as being meerely ceremoniall . if ius divinum be that , or taken for that which is established by divine authority , the lords day is in some sort de iure divino : in some sort , namely , not by personall , but by delegate divine authority ( that is ) not prescribed personally and immediatly by god himselfe , but only by vertue of that authority which by god was committed to the apostles for the ordering and governing of his church : but being taken for divine ordinance , or commandement , it is not de iure divino . to entitle a commandement divine is required , 1 first that the authoritie be divine whereby it is ordained . 2 that the author himselfe that ordaineth it , be so also : that is , that both the power whereby , and the person that doth immediatly establish it , be divine : which divine authority is confessed to be in the apostolique constitutions , but the immediate authors are denyed to be divine . now as all other events and actions receiue their denomination from their immediate not remote causes , as to bee tearmed necessary or contingent , naturall or violent , divine or humane : so the constitutions of the apostles , although they proceede originally from the instinct and inspiration of the holy ghost , gods spirit ; yet proceeding immediatly from the institution of the apostles themselues , which deliuered them to the church in forme of commandements , they are to be termed humane constitutions , and not properly divine . lawes may be said to be established by god , either in respect of the 1 institution , when they are ordained and prescribed by him , as that of the lords day is not . 2 approbation or confirmation , when they are allowed by him ; and thus it may bee said to be established by him . ob. the decrees of the apostles deliuered to the church proceed from the holy ghost , therefore , they are divine . sol. they proceede from the holy ghost occasionally and mediatly , as disposing the mindes of the apostles to exact them for the good of the church ; but immediatly and actually from the apostles . or else , from the holy ghost by way of inspiration but not by way of iniunction or commandement . i say by way of inspiration , from the holy ghost illuminating the vnderstanding of the apostles to perceiue that such a decree would be good for the church : but not by way of injunction as charging them to impose such a commandement vpon the church . so that here was direction only without obligation , the holy ghost assisting but not appointing ; and therefore no divine commandement . for the establishing of the commandement will no more proue a divine action because the apostles receiued the light whereby they established it from the holy ghost : then the sight of the eye an heavenly action , because it receiueth the light whereby it sees from the sunne . the precept of the lords day was instilled and inspired into the mindes of the apostles as a thing expedient and worthy to bee commanded , but not as a commandement , or that ought of duty or necessity to be commanded . the decree of the lords day is of god , or the spirit of god dispositiuely or directiuely , enlightning the vnderstanding of the apostles & church to see that it was expedient and profitable for the church , but not immediatly or imperatiuely , by way of mandate or obligation , as charging the church to doe it , as in act. 13. 2. separate mee barnabas and saul for the worke to which i haue called them . so that as it proceedes from the holy ghost , it is no commandement , but as from the apostles and church it selfe : as when i giue a man light whereby he may see his way , or else advise him to take that way , i doe not therefore impose any commandement on him to proceede that way . the precept of the lords day , being indeed but an ecclesiasticall or apostolicall constitution , may notwithstanding be tearmed divine . 1 originally ; because the authority whereby the apostles established it was receiued from god. 2 because it was destinated to the worshippe of god : obiectiuely . 3 materially ; because it is of things belonging to divine not humane affaires . 4 exemplarily , because it was ordained by analogie or imitation of the sabbath , which in the old law was commanded by god himselfe . ob : the celebration of the lords day was deduced by the church from the commandement of the sabbath , therefore it is a divine decree . sol : if it were deduced from it by way of illation , as conclusions are from their principles , it were virtually or consequently a divine decree : but it is deriued from it only by imitation or analogie , or by way of example , as from a patterne ; and yet that derivation was not caused by divine ordinance ( for there is no commandement of god to imitate that patterne ) but by humane discourse , reasoning , that it is convenient , that in the new law one day of seauen be reserued for god , because god himselfe so commanded in the old . and that day should be the first of the seauen , because it was the day of christs resurrection , the new law-giuer ; or the day wherein god beganne to create the world : or the day wherein the holy ghost descended visibly from heauen vpon the church . ob : by christs lawes we are bound to heare his apostles & obey them as himselfe , he that heareth you heareth me : luc. 10. 16. as my father sent me , so send i you , &c. ioh. 20. 21. therefore he that transgresseth the apostles commandement , doth also transgresse the commandement of christ. sol : 1. the trangression of the apostles commandement , is also a transgression of christs , not formally and directly , but consequently , and concomitantly , because hee hath charged to obey his apostles , which proueth not the apostles decrees to be divine commandements , but being humane commandements , to be warranted and approued by divine authority . 2 the apostles constitutions may bee tearmed divine commandements , not in respect of their institution , which is humane , as being the act of humane will , and discourse , but in respect of their obligation , because wee are by christs commandement charged and bound to obey them . so that ( he that heareth you heareth me , &c. ) is not to be vnderstood properly , as of the personall or identicall hearing of christ , but analogically as of christs interpretation or estimation , of that obedience or disobedience to his apostles as performed to himselfe , and of their despising , as if himselfe were despised , because the honour or dishonour of the embassadour redoundeth to him that sent him , as in mat. 25. 40. what yee haue done to the least of these , yee haue done it to me , that is , in mine acceptance and estimation . so that these and the like speeches are to be vnderstood as of analogie , not of identity . as my father sent me , so ] so , in the generall manner , that is , immediatly from my side , as i was sent immediatly from my father : or , so , namely in some proportion , and resemblance , not in equalitie : for the father sent his sonne in whom was the fulnesse of power . ( all power is giuen to me , &c. mat. 28. 18 ) but the sonne sent his servants to whom was granted a certaine measure of the spirit , and some participation of power : yet in some manner and resemblance so ; as namely , 1 to the same generall end , as to reconcile men to god , and to preach the gospell , goe teach all nations , &c. 2 furnisht with the same power and graces of the spirit ( but nothing in the same measure ) of binding and loosing sinnes , of doing miracles for the confirmation of the truth . the apostles are considered two waies either as 1 apostles , that is , messengers of christ to preach the gospell , and the things belonging thereto : that is , the articles of faith , the sacraments of grace , & the fundamentall rules of holy life , that is , the precepts of gods morall law : in which respect , all that proceeded from them was de iure divino ; they being but the proclaymers , or messengers to declare gods will vnto men : for in this respect they receaued not only authority to teach , mat. 28. 19. goe and teach all , &c. but also the particular points which they were to teach , vers . 20. 2 governours of the church which they had gotten to christ by appointing , and setting downe of canons , and convenient rules for the good ordering , and discipline of the church : in which respect they receaued authority from christ indeed ; but particular commandement touching the rules , & lawes , which they were to ordaine , they receaued not , seeing they no where declare , or signifie such canons , or commandements to haue beene prescribed by christ to the church , or giuen themselues for that purpose , but deliuer them as their owne ordinances : such as are not to ordaine a presbyter or bishop that had two wiues , tit. 1. 6. & 1. tim 3. 2. and so deacons , viz. and so widowes the wiues of one husband , 1. tim. 5. 9. the ordinance of seaven deacons in the church , act. 6. 3. to make collections for the poore , on the first day of the weeke . 1. cor. 16. 2. to salute each other with an holy kisse , rom. 16. 16. that a woman should pray in the church covered , 1. cor. 11. to annoint the sicke with oyle , ia. 5. 14. the apostles constitutions are not divine ordinances . 1 because the church hath altered , and abolished some of them , as 1. the salutation by kissing : 2. the excluding of widowes vnder 60 yeares old , which were after receaved by the church at 50. novel : 6. canon : 6. after that at 40. concil : chalced : canon . 15. 3. abstaining from things strangled , &c. 2 because the apostles themselues intimate sometimes so much . as , i speake this by permission , not by commandement . 1. cor. 7. 6. to the rest , i speake , not the lord , 1. cor. 7. 12. other things i will order , &c. 1. cor. 11. 34. extreame vnction ( as it is tearmed ) was an apostolique commandement , iam. 5. 3 because neither the divine authority imparted to them by christ , nor the suggestion of the holy ghost , is sufficient to make them divine commandements ? not the authority , because all the power , & authority of princes , is likewise from god : rom. 13. yet their decrees are no divine commandements . and secondly , because gods commandements , are declarations of gods pleasure , what he would haue done ; therefore imparting of authority to giue commandements , without specifying what he would haue commanded , is not sufficient to make them gods commandements . not the inspiration of the holy ghost , being but by illumination , or suggestion ; 1 because all the good workes of men should by the same reason be divine actions , as proceeding from the suggestion of the holy ghost . 2 because if inspirations of the holy ghost be divine commandements , it followeth that so many divine commandements are given to men , as good workes , or wordes , or thoughts proceed from them ▪ and withall that infinitely more commandements are imposed by god , to good , them to wicked men . 4 because christ gaue not the apostles alone that power of ordayning lawes in the church , as for themselues personally , but to the church , in whose name , as being the first governours of it , they receiued it : for else it should follow , that now the church , since the apostles times , is destitute of power to make lawes : and consequently , that all the lawes brought into the church by generall counsells are vniust , because established without lawfull authority , and that many mischiefes of heresies , and schismes , may befall the church , which she hath no power , or meanes to helpe . if therefore that authority of ordaining lawes was giuen by god to the church ( in whose behalfe the apostles receiued it ) it followeth that if the apostles decrees be divine commmandements , because they receiued that power from god , that all the ordinances of the church , by the same reason are divine commandements . 5 because if the law of obseruing the lords day be a divine commandement , then it is so , either because it proceeded from god immediatly , without the intervention of man ( which must bee shewed out of the word of god ) or else if it be to be reputed a divine commandement because it proceeded from god mediatly , then all humane lawes , that are good and just , are also divine comandements . by me kings raigne and princes , &c. prov. 8. 15. 6 because if the constitutions of the apostles , deliuered to the church , had beene gods commandements imposed on the church by them ( as the judiciall and ceremoniall precepts of the old lawe were by moses ) then would they haue signified withall to the church , that they had beene gods owne commandements , whereof they were but the messengers , or reporters ( as moses and the prophets vse was thus saith the lord ) for otherwise they should wrong both the church , who would haue receiued them with the more reverence , knowing them to be gods owne commandements , and not the apostles ; and also god himselfe , by not declaring them to the church , to bee gods owne commandements , which god had given as his commandements to the church . but if it be answered , that the ordinance of the lords day was not an inspiration only , but a divine revelation of gods pleasure touching it ; it may be refelled . 1 because it is but a voluntary assertion that cannot be proved . 2 because such a revelation made to the apostles , is no divine precept to oblige the church ; for if a revelation hath the force of a divine commandement , yet hath it so only in relation to them , to whom it is a revelation , not to others , except it appeare to them that such was gods revelation . for i aske , whether by that revelation , god commanded the apostles to ordaine such a precept in the church touching that day ? or whether by it hee commanded the church , but revealed it to the apostles , that they should publish it as his commandement to the church ? if the first ; it follloweth , that although that commandement be divine in relation to the apostles , yet in relation from the apostles , to the church , it is humane , except god had commanded the apostles to publish it in his owne name : but if that revelation was made to the apostles , not to the intent they should be ordainers or authors of such a commandement in the church , but that they should be publishers of that commandement to the church , which god had for that purpose revealed to them in his name ; then did the apostles sinne most grievously that published it not in his name to the church , which they had received from god , to publish as his precept : especially seeing it could not oblige as a commandement of god , which was not promulgated in his name , & as his commandement ; therefore there was no such revelation made to the apostles , especially seeing neither in the apostles writings , nor in those fathers that liued with the the apostles , or neerest their time , or any other of all antiquity , there is any remembrance found of any such revelation or commandement . that which the apostle saith 1. cor. 7. 12. ( to the rest speake i , not the lord ) he spake either without the inspiration of the holy ghost , and then it is manifest , that all apostolique ordinances are not divine commandements ; or if by the inspiration of the holy ghost , then it followeth that these inspirations are not the lords commandements . ob. the apostles were the instruments , and oracles of the holy ghost , because he taught them all things ioh. 14. 26. he lead them into all truth ioh : 16. 13. it was he that spake in them mat. 10. 20. marc : 13. 11. therefore their decrees are the commandements of the holy ghost . sol. the consequence is denied , for teaching is a passible act of the vnderstanding , whereby it is enlightned to see the truth ; but commanding is an actiue operation of the will , whereby it obligeth them to whom the commandements doe belong . so that ( to teach them all things ) is , to enlighten their vnderstanding in all things ; neither all things absolutely ( for then should they be omniscient ) but as our saviour seemes there to declare it , by remembring them of all things he himselfe had told them ; or all things necessary to the mysterie of redemption , to the gospell of reconciliation ; and so to lead them into all truth belonging to the doctrine of faith , or into all truth , necessary to salvation , or , to the performance of their apostolicall function . and so lastly was it the holy ghost that spake in them , not personally , for in luc. 12. 12. it is declared thus the holy ghost shall teach you what you ought to say . but it followeth not , because the holy ghost taught the apostles all things , or all truth necessary for the preaching of the gospell , therefore he commanded all those ordinances , touching the goverment , manners and discipline of the church , which by the apostles were established ; or because he directed them what was to be beleeued touching faith and doctrine , therefore he limited , and enioyned them what was to be commanded , touching manners and discipline . the apostles touching matters of faith , or declaration of the gospell to the world , were messengers onely ; and receiued not onely authority to preach , but particular instructions also of every poynt they were to preach , from christ himselfe . but as touching matter of goverment , or administration of discipline , to bee exercised in that church which they gathered out of the world , they were more then messengers , namely deputies or vicars of christ , and receiued ( by delegation from christ ) authority , whereby they were warranted , and enabled to order the oeconomie of the church ; but were not limited by personall , and particular instructions from christ ; how euery thing must be done , but were enlightned onely by the holy ghost , to see what was most convenient for themselues , and for the church , and so to command it . but whatsoeuer they taught , or commanded as messengers of the gospell , touching faith , loue and the sacraments , was de iure divino , because they commanded in that behalfe , nothing but what christ had commanded them to teach , or command the church , that is , they were but the reporters of christs commandements , and not ordainers of them . the old law contained many determinations , both in ceremoniall praecepts , touching the manner of gods worship , & also in judiciall touching peace and iustice to be kept amongst men : but the new lawe ( being the lawe of liberty ) imposeth not these determinations ; but contents it selfe with three generall sorts of praecepts , namely 1 the morall commandements , that belong to the law of nature . 2 the articles of christian faith . 3 the sacraments . but all other matters , pertaining to the determination , or particular manner , either of divine worship , or humane judgements , are freely permitted by christ ( the giuer of the new law ) to the governers of the church , & to the princes of the nations to be appointed : so that all such particular determinations are but de iure humano . the apostles haue a twofold relation ; one to the worke of the gospell ; whereof they are the dispensers , that is , to doctrine ; of which christ being the author , and they only the messengers and ministers , that which they deliuer is de iure divino ; another to the church , whereof they are the overseers and governours , that is , to order and discipline : of the particular ordinances , and determinations of which goverment , the apostles themselues being directly authors ( although they receiued the authority whereby they were warranted from god ) it appeareth they are but de iure humano . ob. s t paul 1. cor. 14. 37. affirmeth that the things which he wrote , were the commandements of the lord. sol. the things he wrote , namely touching the points he there intreated of , that is , of the vse of prophecy , and of tongues : definitely those ; but not indefinitely all ; for to the rest speake i ; not the lord 1. cor. 7. 12. concerning virgins i haue no commandement of the lord , ibid. ver . 25. but i giue my advice . the celebration of the lords day had for occasion . 1. the resurrection of our sauiour that day : 2 the example of his apostles : 3 the custome of the church freely imitating ( without precept ) that example , who yet solemnized it not in stead of the old sabbath , but together with it ; as yet is vsuall in aethiopia and syria ; and all this while it was obserued , not of necessarie obligation , or iniunction ( for any thing that appeareth ) but of voluntary devotion . but at last it obtained obligation by the institution of princes , and synods of the church ; the first emperour that commanded it was constantine the great , cod. lib. 3. tit. 12. lib. 3. the synode that decreed it was the councell of laodicea can. 29. anno christi 364. the apostles examples of assembling to divine service on the lords day , enforce no commandement on the church to doe the like ( else by their example we are also to keepe the iewish sabbath ) because examples haue not the force of lawes , which all men ought to keepe , but of counsells only and perswasions , not amisse to be followed of them whose case is alike . touching the preaching of the gospell vnto the world , it was necessary our saviour should giue his apostles , not only authority to preach , but particular commandements and instructions , touching every thing they were to preach , because their preaching respected the doctrine of the church , which is catholique ; and ought to bee the same alwaies , and over all the world : but touching the governing of the church , it was convenient hee should giue them authority , and charge to gouerne it , but particular instructions and prescript rules were not so necessary , because it belonged but to the discipline of the church ; for which , either at all seasons , or in all parts of it , the same rules of government are not convenient . 1 the solemnity of the lords day consisteth not by any precept of theirs ( that is the apostles ) but by their example . 2 or if it did as touching sanctification by holy assemblies , yet not touching generall vacation from worke , as in the old sabbath . 3 or if both were the apostles precepts , yet it followeth not they were gods commandements : for although the solemnity of the sabbath had beene enjoyned the apostles by god , to bee translated to the lords day ; yet it doth not follow , that the old commandement touching the sabbath was by gods ordinance also translated to that day . for if the lords day be charged with the same commandement , precisely that the sabbath was , so that there is no other change saue of the day , then is it no lesse displeasant to the lord , to doe any light worke on the lords day then on the sabbath , as , to goe out of our places , exod. 16. to kindle fire , exod. 35. to gather stickes , &c. and every one that transgresseth it , deserueth to dye , exod. 31 14. 15. for god is the same , who gaue all these charges touching the sabbath . if therefore the commandement be also the same , there is as much reason for the one , as for the other . besides the lord loueth not one day more then another , therefore if the duties belonging to both dayes bee the very same , there was no reason to transferre those duties , from one day to another . ob : the celebration of the lords day hath warrant by scripture . 1. cor. 16. 2. act. 20. 7. &c. sol : 1. warrant of example it hath , that it may be done ; warrant of commandement it hath not , that it must be done . 2 there are 2 points in the celebratiō of that day , 1 sanctification by publike devotion in solemne assemblies , for which wee haue the apostles practise , but not precept . 2 vacation from worke , for which wee haue no evidence , either of precept , or practise of theirs . ob : there cannot be so many reasons for the celebration of any other day , as the lords day , 1. creation of the world . 2. nativity . 3. the resurrection of christ. 4. descent of the holy ghost , &c. therefore the church could not haue dedicated another day . sol : the argument is denied : because though these are good reasons for the election of the day , why the church should encline to make choice of that day before any other , yet not sufficient for obligation , to binde them to obserue that , and exclude all other , for the church notwithstanding these reasons , might haue dedicated another day to that solemnity without breaking any commandement of god. ob : the lords day is insteed of the sabbath , and equivalent vnto it , therefore the sinne is equall in transgressing of either . sol : it is insteed of it , because it hath succeeded it ; and is equivalent vnto it , as touching the vse , being consecrated to the solemne worship of god and rest , as that was ; but not equivalent , either as touching the institution , because it is ordained not by god , but by the church ; or as touching the obligation , because it is not charged , as that was with gods commandement ; so that there is the like end of both , but not the like beginning ; the like equivalence of occasion for both ( the resurrection of christ , and the manifestation of mans redemption , being as excellent a worke as rest from creation ) but not equivalence of authority in establishing of both ; the like vtilitie in obseruing of it , but not the like necessity and obligation to obserue it . ob : esay 66. 23. speaking of the renewed state of the church by christ , saith , that from moneth to moneth , & from sabbath to sabbath , all flesh should come to worship , &c. therefore the sabbath of christians is established by divine voice . sol : 1. hee speakes not onely of the renewed state ( by grace ) but of the glorified state of the church , as is manifest by the 22 and 24 vers . and that , of their worshipping from sabbath to sabbath , is not to be vnderstood litterally , but figuratiuely to note not so much the manner , and intermissions , as the everlasting continuance of that worship , by those seasons of worship ( the new moones and sabbaths ) that were familiar to the iewes . 2 or if it be vnderstood of the militant state of the church vnder grace , yet 1. it proues the sabbath of christians and the worship exercised on it , only to be foreseene , and fore-spoken of by the spirit of god , but not to be commanded by god : prophecies are no decrees . and 2 , although it were not onely foreseene , but also preordained by the counsell of god , yet might that ordinance haue effect , without divine commandement , by humane constitution . 3 or if it imply a commandement of god touching the sabbaticall worship of god , their doth it also of that monthly worship ( in the new moones ) which is vtterly abandoned in the church of god : both which together the apostle doth reject . col. 2. 16. there is a threefold sabbath , 1 externall , of the body from servile worke . 2 internall , of the soule from sinne , from the guilt of sinne , freed from damnation ; from the crime of sinne freed from disobedience , by the merit and grace of christ. 3 aeternall , from both labour and sinne , and all the paines and passions of this life . the first was the sabbath of the law. the second of grace . and the third of glory . the observing of the lords day hath descended from the primitiue church , from hand to hand to vs as a tradition of the apostles ; namely by tradition it is come to vs , as their practise , not as their precept , and as to hold by vertue of their example , not of their commandement . 1 the christians of the primitiue church , were bound to keepe a sabbath to the lord , because it is of the morall law ; 2 to keepe the seventh day , they thought inconvenient , least they should seeme to yeeld obligation to the ceremoniall law . 3 yet to keepe one day in seven , the imitation of the like cōmandement given by god to the iewes , directed them . and , 4 , of them they elected the first day , in memoriall of christs resurrection frō the dead . the prescription of one day in seven is but an imitation of the like prescribed to the iewes , not a divine commandement . i say , but the imitation of à divine commandement . but yet the commandement that it imitateth , and whence it hath warrant and direction , being but ceremoniall , the imitating commandement cannot be morall . qvaestio . whether the commandement touching servants vacation from worke in the sabbath be given directly to themselues , or to their masters concerning them . servants workes are theirs , either originally , personally , that proceed from their own election and motion ; or ministerially , executiuely , that are performed by their labour , but enjoyned by their masters commission . the first are properly their owne workes , as being the authors ; the second properly their masters ; not theirs , as being but ministers , and performed of them , not of election , but of necessary obedience , which they owe to their masters by the law of nations ; which law of nations , the lawes of god dissolue not ; the first therefore are their owne sinnes , the second their masters sinnes , servants may be considered either absolutely ▪ as persons retaining some degree of liberty , and working frely , or respectiuely , as servants obeying their masters commandements , & working by vertue of such commandements . in the first they sinne , in the second not . workes are ether of labour , as the seuerall trades , and states of mens liues , and vocations , by nature not evill ; or of sinne , which are evill by their natures , as to steale , &c. the first , servants may performe on the sabbath without sinne , by their masters commandement , not the second . ob. the worke done on the sabbath is sinne : the worke is the servants , therefore the sinne . sol. 1 the worke considered materially ; as touching the labour is the servants ; for he performes it ; but considered formally , as touching the transgression of the lawe , is the masters , for to him the charge and commandement of his servants cessation from worke was giuen , and he it is that imposeth the worke . 2 the worke considered naturally is the servants that doth it . but morally it is the masters that commands him to doe it , or else it would not be done : the servants in act , the masters in imputation . ob. if the servant ought to worke by the masters commandement on the sabbath , then either willingly , and so seemes to sinne against god in being willing to further the breach of gods commandement ; or vnwillingly , which seemes not to agree with his duty towards his master . sol. 1 willingly notes either the propension and free election of will , or the obedience & yeelding of the wil. in this last respect the servant ought to worke willingly , because he oweth willing obedience to his master touching labour , not so in the former . so that the worke , which of his owne absolute & primary will or election he would not doe , yet he doth of a conditionall and secundary will , as in respect of the condition of a servant , who is bound ( touching matter of labour ) to submit his owne will to his masters pleasure . sol. 2 in worke enjoyned on the sabbath , there is 1 the substance of the worke , labour . 2 the qualitie of the worke , sinfulnesse ; as a transgression of gods law ; of which , as the first is in nature before the latter , so the readinesse and obedience of a good servants will , extends it selfe to the first , not to the latter , id est , as it is his masters worke , not his sinne . ob. the servants worke on the sabbath is the masters sinne , therefore if the servant consent to the worke , he consents to the masters sinne . sol : to that which is sinne materially , but not to it as it is sinne formerly ; for it is considered either as the execution of his masters command , and so he consenteth ; or as the transgression of gods commandement , and so he consenteth not . so that hee consents onely to the worke , per se , to the sinne per accidens , onely as it is annexed to such a worke . the act then of the consent passeth onely to the worke , no farther , and yeeldeth an approbation no further then to it , no way approuing of the transgression , or sinne annexed with it . as i may loue a learned man , that is withall vitious ; yet i loue him for his learning , not for his vice ; so the servant his masters worke , as it hath adioyned his masters profit not his sinne . ob. every one ought if he can , to prevent his neighbours sinne , not to lend his hand , or shoulder to the execution of it : but servants worke on the sabbath is the masters sinne ; ergo. sol. the servant ought to prevent his masters sin by lawfull meanes , not by vnlawfull : disobedience touching matter of labour is vnlawfull ; and evill must not be done , for the good that may come of it . the servant therefore may advise or intreat his master , but disobey he must not ; neither doth hee in that case lend his hand to the worke as it is his masters sinne , but as the performance of a servants duty , which is to labour for his masters profit , when he shall be commanded by his master . ob. ier. 17. 21. 22. all iudah and ierusalem are commanded on perill of their soules to beare no burthen on the sabbath , nor bring it in by the gates of ierusalem , nor out of their houses , nor to doe any worke , but to sanctifie the sabbath . sol. 1. i answere first , the commandement is giuen touching servants and cattle ; take heed to your soules ; what ? the soules of your persons ? no , for it is giuen to the kings of iudah amongst others , ver . 20. but kings did not carry burthens ; but to the soules vnder their charge , namely seruants & cattle ; for the seruants are called in scripture their masters soules , as appeares gen : 12. 5 , & 36. 6 , yea the worke that is immediately specified , viz. carrying of burthens ( the peculiar worke of seruants and cattle ) imports so much . 2 the commandement is giuen touching them to the kings and the inhabitants of ierusalem , not to the seruants themselues ; first , because that charge was giuen to them , to whose fathers the commandement of the sabbath had beene anciently giuen vers . 22. but those were the naturall israelites , whereas their servants were for the most part strangers . secondly , because the charge is given to them out of whose houses burthens were forbidden to be carried vers . 22. but those were the cittizens or owners , not servants . thirdly , because the charge was giuen to them of whom it is said , they would not heare nor obey , but made their necks stiffe . vers . 23. which cannot be vnderstood of servants ; for would not they haue beene glad of one dayes rest , after a whole weekes toyle ? or had they rather vndergoe cōtinuall toyle and paine to breake gods commandements , then take their ease to keepe it and please god ? fourthly , the commandement it selfe , carry no burthens , neither doe any worke in the sabbath , that is , let none be carried , doth import as much . for although the worke touching the execution of it , were the worke of their servants , and cattle ; yet it is the masters and owners by a iust imputation , because done by their commandement : and the servants & cattle are but their instruments meerely vnder their dominion and appointment . so that in gods estimation , they are reckoned to carry those burthens , which by their commandements are carried . the commandement is not giuen to servants as servants , that is , touching workes commanded them by their masters , 1 because it is giuen to them , to whom this speech is directed . thy servant shall doe no worke , but that is the master . exod. 20. 10. 2 because the rest of servants was one speciall end of that commandement , on the seauenth day thou shalt rest , that the sonne of thy handmaid may be refreshed , deut. 5. 14. that thy man servant & maid may rest as well as thou . but the end of the commandement is not the matter of the commandement , therefore servants are not commanded to rest . 3 it is giuen to them who are willed to remember that themselues were servants in the land of aegypt , and that the lord had deliuered them from it , deut. 5. 15. but those were free men , not servants , ergo , 4. because giuen to them who had power to keepe it without the transgression of the law of nations ( which the lawes of god dissolue not ) but servants haue not that power ( being meerely ( touching labour ) at their masters disposition , and his instruments : contrary , the masters had that power both for themselues , and their servants . 5 because it was more agreeable to reason , to giue it to them who had more power , by reason of their goverment , and were like to haue more care of gods commandements , by reason of their discretion , and age . but both these belonged to the masters rather then to the servants . 6 because servants are often commanded to obey their masters in all things , touching labour , but no where in scripture either restrained , or reprehended for such labours performed by their masters commandement , but the masters themselues . ob : servants working on the sabbath at their masters command is scandalous , and giueth the godly occasion of offence . sol. offence is either actiue , whereby people are occasioned to offend , that is , to sinne . or passiue , whereat they are offended that is , displeased . the first it giues not at all ; the latter it giues , but by occasion of their frailty and ignorance that are offended , for although the godly may be iustly offended with such workes done , yet not iustly in relation to the poore servant , that vnwillingly executes them , but the sinfull master that commands them . againe , scandall properly taken for ac tiue scandall , or scandall giuen , is nothing else but an exemplary sinne ; and therefore implieth materially , sin , that is , offence against god ; and formally , example , whereby others are occasioned to fall into sin , that is , sinne against our neighbour ; but improperly taken for passiue scandall , or scandall ( as they call it ) taken ; is , when that which in it selfe is no sinne , becommeth to any other , through the errour or frailty of the obseruer ( who judgeth not aright ) an occasion of some sin . and of this latter sort of scandals only , are servants workes done on the sabbath by their masters commandement , which neverthelesse in relation to their masters , are full and proper scandalls . ob : the servant ought not to obey his master commanding the transgression of gods commandements ; but when hee commands him to worke on the sabbath he doth so , ergo , sol : it is a transgression of gods commandement in respect of the commander , not of the executer ; or else the proposition is true by transgression formally taken , but not materially ; namely for the worke that hath the transgression annexed , not naturally , but casually , as being done on such a day . ob : god hath forbidden the master to command his servant any worke on the sabbath , therefore he hath no right to command him such work , therefore the servant may justly refuse it , being commanded . sol : the argument is denied ; for although god hath restrained the masters commandement , yet not so the servants obedience , by that precept : and therefore the same service he oweth his master by the law of nations , he still stands bound vnto , if it be exacted . so that the servant can neither reiect his masters commandement iustly ( because although his master be limited touching commanding by that precept , yet is not the servants liberty enlarged , or purposed to be so , but by the masters grant and consent ) nor wisely ; seeing in rejecting , he incurreth his masters displeasure & punishment ; and in obeying he committeth no sinne . ob : rest is giuen to servants by that commādement . exod. 23. 12. deut. 5. therefore they may iustly challenge it , and consequently they may justly refuse worke . sol : rest is giuen to servants not immediatly , by any grant made directly to themselues , but mediately by commandement giuen to their masters , not to set them to worke : so that they are to expect it by their masters leaue and allowance , and not to be their owne carvers : wherein although the masters sinne against god ▪ in not performing that deed of mercy towards their servants , which god commanded them to performe ; yet is not the servant thereby loosed from his obligation of servile obedience ; much lesse ought he to make himselfe his masters iudge in pronouncing of his owne liberty , but if he may challenge it , it must bee by lawfull course , as by complaint vnto them , to whom the ouersight of lawes belong , who yet cannot iustly free him from his masters service that day directly by with drawing his obedience , but only by restraining ( by some enforcement if cōmandement will not serue ) his master from commanding . 2 although they may iustly challenge the rest and liberty , intended for them in that commandement , yet doth it not follow , that if they challenge it not , they thereby incurre sinne ; for they may doe it , but they are not bound to doe it , for intended it was for a favour towards them , to comfort them , not for an obligation , to binde or entangle them , as it must haue proued , if they had beene commanded to disobey their masters , exacting their labour ; namely , by provoking their masters heavy displeasure against them . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a16724-e160 gen. 3. notes for div a16724-e6140 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cittizens of ierusalem , for the iewes had no word to signifie a citizen but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a learned treatise of the sabaoth, written by mr edward brerewood, professor in gresham colledge, london. to mr nicolas byfield, preacher in chester. with mr byfields answere and mr brerewoods reply learned treatise of the sabbath brerewood, edward, 1565?-1613. 1630 approx. 90 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 30 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a16722 stc 3622 estc s106416 99842132 99842132 6762 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a16722) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 6762) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 628:10) a learned treatise of the sabaoth, written by mr edward brerewood, professor in gresham colledge, london. to mr nicolas byfield, preacher in chester. with mr byfields answere and mr brerewoods reply learned treatise of the sabbath brerewood, edward, 1565?-1613. byfield, nicholas, 1579-1622. aut [4], 101, [1] p. printed by iohn lichfield printer to the famous vniversity, for thomas huggins, at oxford : an. dom. 1630. "mr byfields ansvvere with mr brerevvoods reply" has separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. subsequent editions published as: a learned treatise of the sabbath. reproduction of the original in cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sunday -early works to 1800. 2003-01 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-02 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-06 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2003-06 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-08 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a learned treatise of the sabaoth , written by m r edward brerewood , professor in gresham colledge , london . to m r nicolas byfield , preacher in chester . with m r byfields answere and m r brerewoods reply . at oxford , printed by iohn lichfield printer to the famous vniversity , for thomas huggins . an. dom. 1630. proue all things , hold fast that which is good : 1 thes. 5. 21. for the fruit of the spirit is in all goodnesse , and righteousnesse , and truth , prouing what is acceptable to the lord , ephes. 5. 9. 10. holy father , sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is truth . ioh 17. 17. these faults i desire the reader to amend before he read the booke . page 9. line 10. leaue out and , p. 25. l. 13. read consecration , for , participation , p. 27. l. 17. r. not of the , for , not the , pag. 28. l. 2. r. commandement , for commandements , l. 7. read gods command , f. god commands , p. 29. l. 26. read greater , for , great . p 30. l. 3. r. per accidens , for , per accidence , l. 15. r. thereof , for , thereon , p. 32. l 4. r. servant , for , seruants , p. 30. l. 21. r. respected , for , expressed , l. 29. r. in the sabaoth , for , in sabaoth , p. 42. l. 5 r. of the commandement , for , of commandent , p. 47. l. 14. r. their , for there , p. 54. l. 7. r. haruest , for , heauinesse : p. 68. l. r. perpetuall , for , perpetually , p 79. figure 9. r. volly , for , vally , p. 81. m r brerewoods text should be continued , p. 90. r. short , for shord , p. 91. r. for a great part , for , of a great profit , p. 91. l. 23. r. who , for whose , p. 94. ( for ) should be out , ib. the , for , your , p. 95. the gap at ( appointment ) should not be , nor any point . many mispointings , and lesser faults there are , by the darkenesse of the copy , and the oversight of the printer , which the iudicious reader may easily correct . a treatise of the sabaoth written by m r edward brerewood to m r nicholas byfield preacher in chester . sir i am but a stranger vnto you , yet i am bold to trouble you , because you haue troubled me , with as strange an occasion : there is a young man ( one iohn brerewood dwelling in this citty , but borne in that , whom his father & graundfather , when they left this world , left very young . and left he was especially to my care , who am his vnckle . that youth i placed here in london , to serue in condition of an apprentice : and placed he is with a man of so good religion report & trade , that if i might haue picked him a master in the whole city , i thinke i should haue chosen none before him . in this mans service hee hath spent two years and more , and ( god shewing him , and in his behalfe me also more mercy then either of vs deserued , ) i began to receiue comfort of him after some sorrow , that his former vntowardnes had caused , and to recouer good hope , after my former doubt and feare ; but yet for all this , gods good pleasure it was to abate this contentment of mine , and by the youths new follies , to bring me into new perplexities , for being not long since sent to chester about his masters businesse , he returned againe so strangely altered , that i haue seldome seene in so short a time so great a change . for so deiected he was in his countenance , so dull and wretchlesse about his businesse , so alienated quite from his master , and so obstinately resolued ( whether by faire means or by fowle ) to forsake his seruice ; that i was not fuller of sorrow to see him so changed , then of wonder to imagine how he became so . and yet the care and paines i tooke by the endeavour of my selfe and of my friends to recouer and to resettle him , was equall to both , and so much more they were , because i laboured to cure a disease , whereof i could not perceiue the cause . for the pretences which at first hee made of the vnablenesse of his body and toilesomenes of his seruice , i know were but fained excuses , or else complaints of lazinesse , as being assured that there are 20000 in this city of lesse bones , that make noe bones of greater labour . but the true cause of all this distemper , fell out to be at last a case of conscience ( and full glad i was that the case proved no worse ) then that he had such feeling of conscience , ( for i had imagined sundry others ) although it grieued me not a little , to see his conscience so seduced , and the point that pricked him was this : his master on the lords day sent him forth sometimes on arrands , as to bid guests , or fetch wine , giue his horse provender ( which last his master remēbreth not that euer he bad him past once ) or about some other light businesse . & he was instructed ( he said ) that to doe these things or any other worke on the sabaoth day , although it were such work as might lawfully be done on another day ; and although he did it not of his owne disposition , but only in obedience to his masters command ; yet was a sinne and transgression of gods commandements touching the sabaoth , and that he was not bound to yeeld , nay that hee sinned against god in yeelding obedience to euery such commandement of his masters that day , which by the precept of almighty god was wholely precisely consecrated to rest and the service of god. to this effect ( he told me ) he was instructed when he was in chester and that you s r were his chiefe instructer , out of which doctrine he deduced ( as naturall reason rightly taught him to doe ) that he ought in such cases to reiect the comcommand of his master and in no sort to performe it ; which because he could not doe without his masters great offence , and his owne affliction , he saw no other course to be taken but to forsake his masters service , that so becomming his owne master , he might not be commanded to sinne , against god : which resolution of the young mans being so peremptory , and obstinate , as for a time i found it to be , if it moued me both to melancholy and anger who can iustly blame me ? for i saw not only a poore youth ( my neere kinsman ) entangled with the conscience of another mans sinne , ( if it be sinne ) but withall his vtter ruine for his condition in this world hardly ventured , his master wronged , his friends grieued , and my selfe especially indammaged , that am in bond deepely ingaged for him : and yet this was not all that inwardly afflicted me , but some thing there was beside that might well stirre as patient an heart as mine to indignation ; namely because i perceiued this doctrine of yours , ( whereof this resolution of his proceeded , and his ruine was likely to follow ) neither to haue good beginning , nor likely to haue good ending ; but to beginne in ignorance and to end in sinne , to beginne in mistaking the law of god & to end in the wicked disobedience of seruams to their masters , & in the rebellious contempt of the lawes of men . but for the transgression of mens lawes by this doctrine , or the mischiefes that may ensue of it , in the cōmonwealth , i will not meddle : i will not censure the one , nor divine of the other , you are a teacher of gods word , within the compas of that word i will stay with you and by it , examine with your patience ; whether this frame of your doctrine be grounded on the rocke or on the sand , on the firme rocke of gods law , or on the fickle sand of your owne fantasie misunderstanding the law , and so whether it tend to the edification or ruine of the church ; for touching the commanding of the sabaoth , ( vpon which i averre this doctrine of yours cannot be grounded ) lay it before you and consider it well . and tell me to whom is the charge of seruants ceasing from worke on the saboath day giuen ? is it to the seruants themselues or to their masters ? it is giuen of seruants i confesse , their worke is the matter of the commandement . but i demand whether it be giuen & imposed to the seruants themselues , or to the masters whose seruants they are ? for if the commandement be not giuen to them , then doe not they transgresse the commandements , if by their masters they be set to worke , but the masters to whom the law was giuen , that the seruant should not worke , & consequently the sinne is their masters and not theirs : so if the law be not imposed to them , then it requireth no obedience of them , it obligeth them not , therefore is neither the transgression of it any sinne to them , but only to those to whom it was giuen as a law . for the better cleering of which point let me aske you a question or two of other commandements , that for their forme are paralell to this , and whereof you haue no preiudice . god commanded the israelites that no stranger should eate of the paschall lambe ; againe that no ammonite nor moabite should enter into the congregation of the lord , to the tenth generation . good sit tell me did the stranger sinne if hee eat of the passeouer being supposed invited ? or did the ammonites or moabites sin if they came into the congregation being admitted ? did the stranger ( i say , ) and the ammonites and the moabites , in these cases sin , of whom the commandements were giuen , or the israelites to whom the commandements were giuen touching them ; no but it is clearely the lords meaning that the israelites should not admit of any gentile to the participation of the passeouer , nor receiue the ammonites and moabites into the congregation of the lord : let me aske you one question more , of a case that hath fallen in my remembrance : a precept comes out from the prince ; that every cittizen in london shall on such a day keepe his seruants within doores and not suffer them to goe a broad . if not withstanding that precept , some master sends forth his seruant about his businesse , doth the seruant transgresse the princes commandement by obeying his masters : or ought he by pretence of that precept to disobey his master and neglect his charge ? it is plaine he doth the former and therefore he ought not to doe the latter . for the commandement was giuen to his master not to him , and the purpose of it was to restraine his master from commanding such seruice and not to restraine the seruant from obeying his master if it were commanded : there it is apparent that the obligations of commandements pertaineth to them to whom they are prescribed as rules , and not to them of whom only ( as being the matter of the precept ) they are prescribed . now that that clause of the commandement touching seruants was not giuen to the seruants them selues , but to their masters , in whose power and disposition they are , the text and tenour of the commandement doth clearly import ; for marke it well and answere me ; to whom is this speech directed ? neither thy sonne nor thy daughter , shall doe any worke on the sabaoth day : is it not to the parents ? for can this manner of speech ( thy sonne thy daughter ) be rightly directed to any other then the parent , and is not by the same reason the clause that next followeth , ( neither shall thy man seruant nor thy maid-seruant doe any worke on the sabaoth day ) directed to the masters of such seruants ? seeing that phrase of speech ( thy man seruant thy maidseruant ) cannot rightly be vsed to any other ? it is therefore as cleare as the sunne , euen to meane vnderstandings , ( if they will giue but meane attendance , to the tenour of gods commandements , rather then the fond interpretations and deprauations of men ) that that clause of the commandement touching seruants cessation from working on the sabaoth , is not giuen to seruants themselues but to their masters concerning them . or if to any darke vnderstanding , which some grosse cloud may ouershadow , this seeme not cleere enough , the declaration yet of moses himselfe touching the commandement , will make it so : of moses i say , who can neither be suspected of ignorance , as hauing beene with the lord 40 daies together in the mountaine when he receiued the tables of the commandements : & with whō the lord talked familiarly , as a man doth with his friend : nor yet of corruption as being by the lords mouth pronounced faithfull in all his house : he therefore in the 5 of deuter. 14. ( which is only the place of scripture , besides the 20 of exodus , where all the branches of that commandement are repeated ) after the seuerall prohibitions touching the workes of sonnes , seruants , cattell , &c. addeth this epiphonema : that thy man servant and thy maidseruant may rest as well as thou : it is to this ( thou ) therefore to whom this charge is directed that the seruants should rest vpon the sabaoth ; who can be conceiued to be no other then the master of those seruants , which yet moreouer the reason of that commandement ( touching seruants rest immediatly added ) will better cleare from all exception ; for remember ( saith moses ) that thy selfe wast a seruant in the land of aegypt , and the lord thy god brought thee out thence with a mighty hand , and an out stretched arme : therefore the lord thy god hath commanded thee to make a day of rest , for to whom was that spoken , remember that thy selfe wast a seruant in the land of aegypt , but to them that had beene servants , and now were not seruants ? or to what intent and purpose is that ( remember ) brought in ? remember that thy selfe wast a seruant , but to moue compassion in them towards their owne servants , and allow them a time of rest , hauing themselues felt the burthen and affliction of seruants in aegypt , and remembring how glad they would haue beene of some remission ; but if the commandement of rest had beene directly and immediatly giuen to seruants themselues , what needed any perswasion to that effect ? would not seruants , over set and wearied with six daies toile , be of themselues glad to rest on the seauenth ? or would they be so hot set on worke , whereby yet they gained nothing , but their labour for their paines , and the profit being another mans , that the commandement of god could not restraine them , but they needed also to be perswaded ? or if perswasion had beene needful , were this a convenient perswasion to vse to seruants ? remember that thou wast a servant in the land of aegypt : which euen now , when they were out the land of aegypt were seruants ? and ( to proceede with the text ) what other importance hath that other reason , which immediatly followeth . and ( remember that the lord thy god hath brought thee thence ) out of aegypt with a mighty hand and out-stretched arme . therefore the lord thy god hath commanded thee to make a day of rest . hath it any other but to declare that the lord who had redeemed them from their continuall slaueries , hath iust title & right to impose on them the commandement of the sabaoth for their servants rest ; importing as much , as if he had said , although of thy selfe thou shouldest haue compassion of thy seruant and allow him rest . remembring that thy selfe wast a seruant in the land of aegypt , yet art thou more effectually obliged to doe it , because the lord hath commanded thee . ( the lord ) that brought thee out of thraldome and vncessant labours in aegypt , and therefore hath reason to command one daies rest , in a weekes revolution ( thee ) that by his redeeming hand art set at liberty from that labour and seruitude . where marke againe that the lord is said to haue commanded them , who a little before were said to be seruants in aegypt and by his goodnesse were freed from that slauery ; which reason could not be intended or directed to them , which still remained in servitude . it is cleare therefore that all this perswasion of moses for servants resting on the sabaoth , was not directed to the seruants themselues , who to take their ease on the sabaoth needed neither to be commanded nor intreated ( licence would serue their turne ) but to the masters whose desire of gaine , by the seruants labour might stand betwixt the sabaoth and the seruants rest : and to make an end with the text , with the last wordes of it : what is it , that the lord for these reasons commanded ? was it barely to keepe & obserue the sabaoth , as it is in the vulgar english , latine and greeke translations ? no they are all short , it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to make a day of rest . now to make it to be so , importeth not only to obserue it himselfe , but to cause others also to obserue it , which is euidently the property of masters and gouernors : wherefore seeing both the commandement touching seruants rest from labour on the sabaoth day and reasons added , by moses to perswade that point , ( and draw their mindes to obsequiousnesse ) are evidently directed to the masters and not ( neither of both ) to the seruants themselues , i take it out of all question as cleare as the sunshine at midday , that if seruants by their masters command doe any worke on the sabaoth the sinne is not theirs , who as touching their bodily labour are meerely subiect to their masters power , but it is their masters sin : for their sin it is that transgres the law . they transgresse the law , who are obliged by it : they are obliged by it , to whom it was giuen and imposed , and giuen it was as i haue plentifully proued only to masters . or if notwithstanding all these euidences , you will still contend that the prohibition touching bodily labour on the sabaoth is directly imposed on the seruants themselues , see whether you bring not the oxe and the asse and other cattle also vnder the obligation of this commandement , whose worke is immediatly after that of seruants prohibited , and precisely vnder the same forme of words , whose labours yet on the sabaoth i hope you will not say to be in them sinnes and transgressions of gods law ? but as the labour of the beast is the sinne and transgression of the master , to whom the commandement of the beasts resting from labour wasgiuen , so is the labour of the seruant also , which by the masters commandment he executed on that day ( as being touching bodily seruice incident to mankinde in like degree of subiection ) the masters sinne , and not the seruants . for distinction must be made betweene the matter and the forme ( if to speake in schoolemens stile offend you not ) that is betweene the act and the guilt of sinne , of which in this case the act indeede , wherewith the commandement of the sabaoth is violated is the servants , but the crime and guiltinesse is the masters that sets him on worke , for seeing sin formally taken is nothing else but the transgression of the law or vnlawfulnesse ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the apostle tearmeth it most properly & exactly , even as guiltines is the obligation to punishment , for that transgression , it appeareth manifestly , that his is the guiltinesse , whose the transgression is ; and his the transgression , to whom the law was prescribed as a rule , & that is the masters , to whom it is not only imposed that he himselfe should doe no worke on that day as a particular man in the first clause : thou shalt doe no worke , but also that none of his should doe any as he is the father or master of a family , in those clauses that follow . neither shall thy sonne nor thy daughter , nor manseruant nor maid-servant , &c. which latter point touching his keeping of the sabaoth viz. as the gouernour of his house , had not beene so well provided for , and regulated by the law of god , if these clauses of children and seruants abstinence from labour on the sabaoth , had beene giuen directly to themselues , and not to their governours . but you will reply perhaps that the commandement touching seruants rest on the sabaoth , is giuen to their masters indeede , but not only to them , but to their seruants also . no such matter ; for if it be ; let that appeare and set downe the clause wherein it is manifestly expressed or necessarily implied , that seruants are forbidden all labour on the sabaoth day , as servants i say touching matter of service or labour imposed on them by their masters , for that in those workes which seruants doe on the sabaoth day of themselues and not as proceeding from their masters iniunction , but from their owne election it is no question but they transgresse the commandement : but those workes they doe not as seruants , that is at anothers command ; but as in the condition of their seruice , or favour of their masters they retaine some degree of liberty , and haue some disposition of themselues permitted vnto them , so in that respect fall into the clause of free men viz. the first clause of the commandement : thou shalt doe no worke ; but to seruants as seruants ( in case they be commanded to worke ) which is our question , there is no clause of the commandement imposed . whereby may easily and clearly be discerned the difference betwixt the equity & wisdome of almighty god in the constitution of the law of the sabaoth , obliging parents , and masters and owners , for the children , & seruants and cattle that are meerely vnder their powers ; and the rashnesse and iniquity of wretched men interpreting the law as immediatly & directly obliging the children & seruants themselues : for ( good sir ) consider it well , and tell me whether it be more equall to impose the law of ceasing from worke to the servants themselues , or to their masters in whose power they are ? servants are not homines turis sui nor operum suorum domini as lawyers speake ; they are but their masters liuing instruments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as aristotle tearmeth them , they haue noe right or power to dispose of themselues , they cannot play and worke at their owne pleasure ( for this is the condition of freemen , not of servants ) but are meerely and intirely for bodily labour and seruice vnder the power & commandement of their masters and vnder their power for service only : in such sort as they can neither iustly performe any labour , which their masters forbid , nor omit any which their masters command , but are vnder their inforcement , and punishment also if they disobey . this i say is the property and obligation of a servant , and that by the law of nations , which alloweth , and ever hath done , masters over their servants ( as the law of nature doth parents ouer their children ) not only a directiue , but a correctiue and coactiue power : so then i pray you ( tell me ) whether the commandement touching the sabaoth was not of common reason , rather to be imposed on them which were at liberty , and had power to obey it , then on them which were vtterly void and destitute of that power , and liberty ? whether in such a case it were not more reasonable to inioyne the masters that they should not command , then inioyne the seruants not to obey , for the poore seruants if their masters command them could not chuse but worke , the law of nations bound them vnto it , which had put them vnder their masters power , and inforcement : but the masters might forbeare to command , there was no law , that bound them to that , or inioyned them to exact ought of their seruants . it was therefore much more agreeable both to the wisdome and iustice of almighty god to impose the commandement rather on the masters then on the seruants , for thereby was preuented the disobedience of servants to their masters , & the punishment that might attend on that , and the breach of the law of nations , ( all which the other had occasioned ) and yet the masters were in noe sort wronged : for their seruants remained in their power , no lesse on the sabaoth , then the other sixe common daies , only the lord did qualify , and determine the act , or execution of that power , on the sabaoth day namely to command their servants cessation from bodily labour & instead of that to exercise themselues in spirituall workes of holinesse ; it was i say ( to establish the commandement in such forme ) more agreeable to the wisdome , and justice of god ; and was it not also to his goodnesse , and compassion ? for say that the commandement touching servants vacation was giuen to themselues , not to their masters , should not thereby poore servants ( to whom every where else the law of god appeareth milde and pittifull ) be intangled with inextricable perplexity ? for suppose his master inioyne him some worke on the sabaoth day ( couetous masters may soone doe it ) especially if they thinke that precept touching their seruants cessation , not to touch them ) or else they may be ignorant of the law of god , ( as christians and iewes , may happily serue pagans ) admit i say some master commands his servant to worke on the sabaoth , what should the servant doe , should he worke ? god hath forbidden him ; should he not worke ? his master hath commanded him : for the law of god is set at strife with the law of nations , and that poore servant like the sailor betweene sylla and charybdis , standeth perplexed & afflicted in the midst betweene stripes and sinne : for he must of necessity either disobey gods commandement , which is sinne ; or his masters , which is attended with stripes . besides it is absurd that the law of god , should restraine the seruant from obeying his master , and yet not restraine the master from commanding his servant vnlawful things : as it is also another absurdity that that day which by the law giuen was manifestly intended to bring seruants release , and remission of their weekely toile ; should by the decree of the law it selfe aboue all other daies breede their greatest perplexities : forasmuch as aboue all other daies ( if their masters be not men that feare god ) enforced they are ( there is no avoidance ) to venter either on sinne or stripes , for either god must be disobeyed , and sinne cleaueth to their soules , or their masters ; and stripes light vpon their bodies , either they must obey god , and be plagued by men ; or obey men , and be condemned by god : you will say it is better to obey god then men ; and worse to diobey him that can cast both body and soule into hell , then him that can only for a time afflict the body : true , who doubts it ? but that is not the point i stand vpon ; the point is how it agreeth with the tender goodnesse , and compassion of almighty god towards poore servants ( whose condition is yet honest and lawfull ) to plunge them into such perplexities , as namely to impose on them a commandement , which they can neither keepe nor breake without a mischiefe and inconvenience ; neither keepe as the seruants of men nor breake as they are the servants of god : neither keepe without sharpe punishment ; nor breake without heavy sinne : all which intanglement of seruants , and calumniation against both the iustice and mercy of god , is clearly avoided , if the commandement be giuen ( as the tenour of it doth simply import ) to the masters , and not to the servants ; which i haue sufficiently proued , both by the evidence of holy scripture , soe to haue beene , and by the evidence and inforcement of reason , that it should be so . and doth not the practise of holy gouernours registred in the scriptures , declare , that they had the same vnderstanding of the commandement ? nehemiah , when he saw among the iewes at ierusalem the sabaoth prophaned with treading of wine presses , carrying of burthens , buying and selling , whom reproueth he for it ? the seruants by whose imployment and labour these things were done , and the sabaoth defiled ? no but them vnder whose power the servants were , the rulers of iudah ; and what rulers ? the magistrats only ? noe such matter ; but the freemen of iudah , that is to say the masters of those servants : for such ( namely freemen ) the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there vsed doth properly import , not only the magistrats or rulers of the commonwealth , for the septuagint which ( being them selues iewes ) i hold , best knew the property of their owne language ; translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is properly and directly opposed to seruants : & euery where almost in the old testament where the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is found ( which is knowne , to signify a freeman ) and is translated in the greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , it is in the chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is manifestly knowen to be the same with the hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but farre more vsuall in the chaldie tongue . they were the freemen of iudah then that by nehemiah were called to account , and reprooued , for the prophanation of the sabaoth by those seruile labours which ( no question ) had beene executed by their seruants ; but if the seruants by those labours , had themselues transgressed the commandement : had he not done both iustly , to haue made them partakers of the reproofe , who had beene partakers of the sinne ? ( seeing the commandement of god lay equall on both ) and wisely to ; that if he could not restraine the masters from commanding , yet hee might restraine the seruants from obeying , and so haue two strings to his bow ? this nehemiah did not ( who vnderstood well the commandement ) but rebuked the freemen , or masters only , and omitted the servants ; and yet , dealt ( you will not deny i am sure ) both iustly and 〈◊〉 for had he done more wisely thinke you to rebuke seruants for not resting on the sabaoth , that would haue rested with all their hearts , if they had not beene constrained to worke ? or had hee done more iustly to exact that of the seruants which , ( for ought that appeareth ) the commandement of god exacted not from them ? for what worke is it that men are forbidden of the sabaoth ? is it not the same that is permitted on the sixe daies , their owne worke . thou shalt doe all thy worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . & is it the servants worke where about as a servant he is imployed , that neither is vndertaken of himselfe , nor for himselfe ? that neither beginneth nor endeth in himselfe , but beginneth in his masters command , and endeth meerely in his masters profit ; and from beginning to end is performed in his masters feare ? it is manifest that in the accompt of god , it is not ; for god beholdeth the heart , and that is a mans owne worke with him , that proceedeth from his owne will. and therefore in isaiah : it is the will that is forbidden , about the prophaning of the sabaoth , that which in the law was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy worke is there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy will and that most iustly , for the will it selfe indeede is the proper seat and subiect of sinne , which essentially is nothing else , but the inordinate , or vnruly election , or resolution of the will varying from the scripture , or gods law ( for this very election of mans will , is the proper forme of actuall sinne ) these outward vnlawfull actiōs of ours , are but the expressions or manifestations or fruits or effects of sinne , sin properly they are not which hath her residence , and inhesion in the soule it selfe , and passeth forth of it only the tincture and euidence & name of sinne they carry with them , because they issue from a sinfull determination of the will , and are no whit further sinfull then they are voluntary . seeing therefore sinne consisteth especially in the exorbitance of the will , they that are only ministers of anothers exorbitant will , are only ministers of another mans sinne , which so farre only becommeth their owne sinne , as their owne will concurreth therevnto . the servant therefore doeing that worke on the sabaoth day in obedience to his master , which of his owne will and election he would not doe , although the worke whereby the commandement of god is transgressed , be in some sort his , yet the transgression is none of his , but his masters , that exacted the worke , so that although the worke as naturally considered be the servants , yet morally it is the masters ; the labour of it is the servants , but the sinne of it is the masters : for the sinne is not the seruants obedience to the masters commandment , but in the masters disobedience to gods commandement , which hath indeede prohibited the worke of seruants in the sabaoth , but yet the prohibition is imposed , and directed to their masters not to them , who are only ministers , not authors of their owne labours ; now in the imputation of sinne , difference is to be made betwixt the authors and the ministers . betwixt the principall , & instrumentall agents . for is it the sinne of the eye when it beholdeth vanity , and of the tongue when it is loose to blaspheame , slander , ly , or of the hand when it is stretched forth to strike , and shed blood ? they may be tearmed the sinnes of these members i confesse , because in these sinnes , these members are abused , but are these workes properly the sinnes of these instruments , or of the dissolute minde ; of those subordinate ministers , and servants of the soule , that performe their naturall obedience ; or of the inordinate soule herselfe that misgouerneth them ? but you may obiect , that these are naturall instruments , in the workes of the soule , and conferre only power , but the seruant is a voluntary instrument in the workes of his master and conferreth also will : i answere ; he conferreth will indeede if he be a good seruant , by reason of the obligation of obedience wherein he standeth to his master , but yet not absolute but conditionall will : not the selfe election , but only the obedience and yeelding of his wil ; and that onely as it is his masters worke : not as it is his masters sinne ; for the worke on the sabaoth , hauing sinne annexed to it , & so being a sinfull worke , the servant and the master must diuide it betwixt them : the worke is the seruants , and the sinne is the masters , for the seruant doth but his duty , in obeying his masters commandement , but the master transgresseth his , in disobeying gods cōmandement , touching his seruants ceasing from that labour : but seeing i haue begunne to obiect i will proceede a little farther in that course , both the more euidently to declare my meaning least it be obnoxious to calumniation , and also to resolue the obiections that may be produced against seruants obedience touching worke on the sabaoth if my imagination be so good as to finde them , and my learning also to satisfy them . for first , it seemes that servants are touching this commandement in better cond●●●on then other men : if by their workes on the saba●th they transgresse it not : and transgresse it they doe not if it be not imposed on them , but only on their masters . touching them i answere that the workes of servants are of two sorts , some proceeding from them as they are seruants that is vpon their masters commandement : others proceeding from their owne election : vnto which namely not by any commandement of their masters , but by the way of their owne desires they are carried . of the first sort of workes they are only ministers , of the second they are authors . and touching this second sort i confesse ( although of the former it be farre otherwise ) both that seruants haue a severall obligation of their owne , & that their transgression and sinne is seuerall , & therefore that themselues are bound to answere it to the iustice of god , but whether the sinne of these second workes , be peculiarly the seruants , or that the master also participate with the seruant in that guiltinesse . it may be a question . for if they be done meerely by the seruants election ( beside the knowledge and contrary to the commandement of his master ) it seemes to be particularly the servants sinne . but if they be occasioned by the masters negligence then doth he certainly participate in guiltinesse with his seruant although in a diuerse sort , for it is a sinne of commission in the servant 〈◊〉 vnlawfull act , and a sinne of omission 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 neglecting his due care , because by the 〈◊〉 almi●hty god the master is bound not ●nly 〈◊〉 command his seruant to worke , but to command him not to worke on the sabaoth day : well then the workes which seruants doe on the sabaoth day on their owne election are condemned : the workes 〈◊〉 doe by obedience , are excused by their masters ●mandement ; but what workes are so excused ▪ ar● all ? no ; but briefly all those which while they are performed as by the servants of men , they that d●●●●●m are not impeached for being the servants of god. that is to say the workes of labour but not the workes of sin : for to the first they are obliged by the law of nations , but the second are forbidden them by the law of god , not nakedly forbidden as their labour on the sabaoth is , but directly and immediatly forbidden them , for it is cleare that all the other commandements being indifferently imposed without either specification or exception of any person whatsoeuer , respect not any more one then another : & therefore hold all men vnder an equall obligation , and so was it altogether conuenient , because they are no lesse the secret lawes of nature , then the reuealed lawes of god. and no lesse written with the finger of god in the fleshly tables of the heart , then in the tables of stone , all of them forbidding those things that by their property and nature , or ( as the schoolemen say ) ex suo genere , are euill ; but the commandement that forbiddeth seruile workes on the sabaoth is of a different sort , first because the servant is , touching the matter which it forbiddeth ( labour ) wholly subiect to another mans command : secondly because the commandement forbiddeth not the servant to worke but onely forbiddeth the master his servants worke ; thirdly because the thing it selfe namely servants labour , is not evill materially and ex suo genere , as the matters of the other negatiue commandements are : but only circumstantially , because it s done vpon such a day : for idolatry , blasphemy , dishonouring of parents , murther , adultery , theft , false testimony , coueting of that is other mens ; which are the matter of other commandements are euill in their owne nature ; and therefore forbidden , because they are euill in their owne nature : but to labour on the sabaoth is not by nature evill , but therefore evill because it is forbidden . so that the natiue ilnesse in the other , causeth the prohibition , but the prohibition in this causeth the evill , for labouring on the seaventh day ; if god had not forbidden it had not beene evill at all ( no more then to labour on the sixt , ) as not being interdicted by any law of nature , as the matters of all the other commandements are for although the secret instinct of nature teacheth all men , that sometime is to be withdrawen from their bodily labours , and to be dedicated to the honour of god ( which euen the prophanest gentiles , amidst all the blind superstition , and darkenesse , wherewith they were couered , in some sort did ) appointing set times to be spent in sacrifice and devotion to their idols , which they tooke for their gods ) yet to obserue one day in the number of seauen , as a certaine day of that number , and namely the seauenth in the ranke , or a whole day by the revolution of the sunne , and with that seuere exactnesse of restraining all worke ( as was enioyned to the iewes ) is but meerely ceremoniall , brought in by positiue law ; and is not of the law of nature ; for had that forme of keeping sabaoth , beene a law of nature , then had it obliged the gentiles as well as the iewes , seeing they participate both equall in the same nature : yet it did not so , but was giuen to the israelites , to be a speciall marke of their separation from the gentiles , and of their particular participation to god : neither shall wee finde either in the writings of heathen men ( whereof some were in their kinde very religious ) that any of them had ever any sense of it , or in the records of moses , that it was euer obserued by any of the holy patriarches before it was pronounced in mount sinai : but if it had beene a law of nature her selfe , and so had obliged all the patriarches ; and as large as nature her selfe , and so obliged all the gentiles : and had it not beene as durable , as nature too , and so obliged vs christians also ? certainely it had ; for if that precise vacation and sanctification of the sabaoth day , had consisted by the law of nature , then must it haue beene by the decree of all divines immutable , and consequently right grievous should the sinne of christians be , which now prophane that day with ordinary labours , & chiefly theirs , which first translated the celebration of that day , being the seauenth , to the first day of the weeke ; who yet are certainly supposed to be none other then the apostles of our saviour : to turne to the point and clearly to determine it ; the master only is accountable vnto god , for the servants worke done on the sabaoth : but for what worke ? namely for all the workes of labour , but not for the workes of sinne : and how for the workes of labour ? namely , if he doe them not absolutely , of his owne election , but respectiuely , as of obedience to his masters command ; for touching labours , servants are directly obliged to their masters . but touching sinnes , themselues are obliged immediatly to god. therefore those they may doe because their master commands them : these they may not doe ( although commanded ) because god forbids them . the servants then may not in any case , sinne at the commandement of any master on earth : because hee hath receiued immediatly a direct commandement to the contrary , from his master in heauen . for it is better to obey god then man. and there is no proportion betwixt the duties which they owe as servants to their masters according to the flesh . and which they owe as children to the father of spirits : or betwixt the obligation wherein they stand to men , who haue power but ouer their bodies in limited cases , and that for a season . and that infinite obligation wherein they stand to him that is both creator & preserver , and redeemer , & iudge of body and soule ; sinne therefore they may not , if their masters command them , because god hath forbidden them ( not only forbidden i say but forbidden it them ) but labour they may if their masters command them , because god hath no way forbidden them that ; god hath indeede forbidden the masters exacting that worke on the sabaoth ; but he hath not forbidden the servants execution of that worke if it demanded or exacted : he hath restrained the master from commanding it , but he hath not restrained the seruants from obeying if it be commanded , for although i acknowledge the servants worke on the sabaoth to imply sinne : yet i say it is not the servants fault . and albeit i confesse the commandement of god be transgressed and god disobeyed by such workes on the sabaoth , yet it is not the seruant that transgresseth the commandement , it is not he that disobeyeth god. for the question is not the passine sense , whether god be displeased with these workes , but of the actiue who displeaseth him . the thing is confessed but the person is questioned . confessed , that is , that there is sinne committed in that worke , but questioned whose sinne it is . for worke hauing relation both to the master and to the seruant : to the masters commanding and to the servants executing ; i affirme that the worke is sinfull only on the masters part , not on the seruants , namely as it is an effect of the masters command not as an effect of the seruants obedience . and the case seemes cleare . the matter whereabout the seruants labour is , is the masters . so is the command that sets him to it . so is the awe and feare that keepes him to it . so is the profit that redoundeth of it . and aboue all the commandements of god whereby that worke of the seruant is forbidden is giuen directly to the master . and in the seruant all is contrary . it is not his owne worke . it proceedeth not from his owne will. his condition exacteth his obedience about labour , and aboue all god commands of ceasing from labour belongeth not to him , i meane not to him directly , as the person to whom it is giuen , but only as the subiect or matter whereof it is giuen ; for he is one of them indeede , whose workes are forbidden , but not of them to whom it is forbidden , one of whom but not to whom the commandement was imposed . but where the law was not imposed , sinne cannot be imputed seeing sinne is nothing but the transgression of the law ; it is not therefore the servants but the masters sinne . but there is another obiection , for admit the servants worke vpon the sabaoth be the masters sinne , that imposeth it . is it not sinne to giue consent and furtherance to another mans sinne ? but this servants doe when they execute their masters commandements , and consequently it is vnlawfull so to yeeld , lawfull therefore it is to resist and reiect such cōmandement . i answere first touching the pointe of consenting that in such a worke is to be considered the substance and the quality , that is the worke it selfe & the sinfulnesse of it , seruants may consent to it , as it is their masters worke , not as it is their masters sinne , for except these things be distinguished , god himselfe can no more avoide the calumniation of being the author , then poore servants of being the ministers of sinne ; for that god concurreth with euery man to every action whatsoeuer , as touching the substance of the action , is out of all question , seeing both all power whence actions issue are derived from him , and that no power can proceede into act without his present assistance and operation , but yet to the crime , the faultinesse , the inordination , the vnlawfulnesse of the action ( wherein the nature of sinne doth for malice consist ) he concurreth not . but it wholly proceedeth from the infection of the concupiscence , wherewith the faculties of the soule are originally defiled , the actions themselues issuing from the powers , and the sinfulnesse of the actions from the sinfulnesse of the powers , like corrupt streames flowing from filthier springs . it is not therefore euery concurrence of the servants with the master to a sinfull action which causeth the staine , and imputation of sinne vpon the servant : as when he consenteth and concurreth only to the action not to the sinne : namely likes and approues it , as his masters worke , yet vtterly dislikes it , as it is his masters transgression , likes of the worke for the obligation of obedience , wherein ( touching worke ) he standeth to serue his master , and yet dislikes of the sinne , for the great obligation wherein euery one standeth toward the honour of god. but yet ( to answere secondly to the point of resisting ) the seruant ought not for any dislike or detestation of the annexed sinne , to resist or reiect his masters commandement touching the worke : for in obeying he is at most but the minister of another mans sinne ( and that as they say per accidence , namely as it is annexed to such a worke ) but in resisting he is directly the author of his owne sinne , by withdrawing his obedience about bodily seruice from him that is his lord according to the flesh : euen that obedience wherein both by his owne covenant and the law of nations he standeth bound vnto him , and that without any exception of the sabaoth more then other daies . and is it wisdome in a seruant to commit himselfe sinne to prevent his masters sinne ? that is to offend god himselfe least another man should offend him ; no not so , wee must not doe evill that good may come thereon ( especially doe evill our selues that anothers good may come of it ) rather wee must carry two eyes about vs that while wee looke with one to the end ( that is to the glory of god ) , we looke with another to the means that they be lawfull and agreeable to the will of god , and not dishonour him with our sinfull actions , while we would honour him with our good intentions . but yet one scruple remaineth because every person that did any worke on the sabaoth day , was by the law to be cut off from his people , and to dye the death , every person therefore , the servant as well as the master . i answere that the iudiciall commandement is to be vnderstood of the same persons to whom the morall commandement was giuen ; the commandement touching punishment of them , to whom the commandement the offence was imposed : but i prooued before , that the morall commandement was not imposed to servants as seruants , but to them that were at liberty . all they therefore that did any worke on the sabaoth were to dy the death by the iudiciall law : they i say that did it : not they that were made to doe it ; which were as well passiue as actiue in doing of it : namely they that did it of election , as free that might obstaine from worke and would not , not they that did it of iniunction and necessity , as seruants that would abstaine from worke and might not ; whose condition was such that they would not worke by their masters direction , might be made to worke by their masters compulsion , for a hard case it were if poore servants to whom no commandement to cease from worke was giuen by god ; and yet might be compelled to worke by men , should dye for it , if they did soe worke . it is therefore to be vnderstood of them that worke willingly of themselues or ( as authors ) cause others to worke ( as masters doe their servants ) not of them who only ( as ministers ) and against their wills are set to worke . and rather because the worke of the servant ( that i say which hee doth by the commandement of his master to whom for matter of labour he is meerely subordinate ) euen reason and equity will interpret the masters worke . and certainly that god accounteth it so , the declaratiō of that precept in another place doth , make manifest . sixe daies thou shalt doe thy worke , and the seaventh day thou shalt rest that thine oxe and thine asse , and thy sonne , and thy maide , &c. may be refreshed , for is it not manifest that the servants worke is accounted the masters , seeing the rest from the masters worke is the refreshing of the servants , the master therefore who by the morall law was commanded that his servants should not worke on the sabaoth was by the iudiciall to bee punished with death , if the servant did worke that day by his commandement . and thus haue i proued my assertion , namely that the commandement of the sabaoth was not giuen , nor fit to be giuen to the servants themselues but to their gouernours , both by arguments of reason which is the rule of men , and authority of scriptures , which is the rule of christians , and cannot finde any thing materiall in either of both that may reproue it : but yet if i should admit ( which i doubt you will neuer proue ) that the commandement was directly giuen to servants themselues , as servants , and that they might lawfully disobey their masters touching those workes where by the precept of the sabaoth might be transgressed : yet haue i another exception against your doctrine ; namely for condemning every light worke ( such as inviting of guests , or fetching of wine from a neighbours house , or giuing a horse provender ) ( for these are the very instances which bred the question ) for transgression of gods commandements , forbidden on the sabaoth : no ; it is not ; the commandement importeth no such thing for it is not [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] that is every worke , but [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] that is there forbidden , that is every servile worke , for such the word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] properly doth import , and servile worke , by the interpretation of the best diuines is accounted , either that which is attended with the toile of the body , or at least intended and directed to lucre and gaine of riches , with some care of the minde , such as mens ordinary worke is wont to bee on common daies . and that the worke there forbidden hath a speciall relation to the gaine of riches is the better apparēt because the same word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] signifieth ( opes ) as well as ( opus ) riches as well as worke , and not only where the commandement was pronounced ( in the 20 of exodus ) but wheresoeuer it is repeated in the bookes of the law● , which is oftentimes ( and differently for other circumstances ) the same word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] is euer retained and never changed , not every worke therefore absolutely , but every worke of such a kinde , namely consisting in toile and tending to gaine is restrained by the commandement , and is there not evident reason to vnderstand it so ? for seeing the intendment of the precept is clearly ( in the point of that daies vacation ) that the body should be refreshed by abstinence from labour , and ( in the point of sanctification of it ) the mind should be refreshed by attendance to spirituall exercise : it followeth manifestly that if there be any workes that resolue not the body and so hinder not the refreshing of it , nor dissolue and alienate the minde from the service of god , and meditation of godlinesse , that these workes are not forbidden because neither the vacation which the commandement importeth , nor that sanctification which it intendeth is impeached by them . and if you will obiect that euen very light workes are expressely forbidden in the law , so that to kindle fire on the sabaoth day was vnlawfull , i must answere you that that and some other were but ceremoniall precepts not morall ( and belonged to the curious observance of the commandement ) and therefore obliged the iewes and none else : for that such light and labourlesse workes on the sabaoth were no transgression at all of the morall commandement the practise of him whose every action was our instruction , of him who was the giuer of the law as god , and the only keeper of it as man , will put all out of questiō , for had that exact and extreame vacation on the sabaoth beene required by gods morall commandement , and so every light worke beene a transgression of it , would not our sauiour haue repooued the iewes a for loosing their beasts from the staules , and leading them to water on the sabaoth day ? yet hee mentioneth , and reproues it not ( and thinke s r by the way , he that condemned not bringing of beasts to drinke , would not condemne bringing meat to beasts ) or would he haue ( not suffered only ) but excused the b plucking of eares of corne , and rubbing out the graines on the sabaoth day as he did in his disciples ? or would he himselfe c on the sabaoth day haue made clay , and anointed with it the eyes of the blinde ? or would he haue commanded others to doe such workes on the sabaoth , as he did the impotent man , whom he had healed , namely to d take vp his bed that day and depart ? see then how this seuere precisenesse of yours agreeth with the practise and doctrine of our saviour : who not only suffered these light workes to be done without reprehension , but excused them , but did them himselfe ; but commanded others to doe them : therefore in his iudgement , who was the law giuer , and must be the iudge of all the sinnes of men ; they were no transgression of the commandement of the sabaoth . for vaine it were to reply that christ was lord of the sabaoth , and therefore might dispence with the commandement at his owne pleasure : vaine it were i say , for although he were lord of the sabaoth as god , being so the law giuer , yet was he subiect to the commandement , as man , being as the apostle saith * made vnder the law ; for what else importeth that kinde of speech ( made vnder the law ) but that he which by nature was not vnder the law , as being god , was yet made vnder the law as becomming man : which law first himselfe pronounced : he came ●o fulfill , and secondly his apostles that hee had fulfilled it in that he had no sinne : but every transgression of the law was sinne , therefore in no sort he transgreffed the law , and it not only were ( not ) vaine in this manner to excuse our saviours actions , but a very hard & dangerous point , when question is made of our saviours fulfilling of the law , to fly in this case to the refuge of dispensations : as if our sauiour that came to satisfy for all our transgressions of the law , performed not the law himfelfe , with such perfect & exact obedience as might answere the justice of god , and the strictresse of his commandements , but that something must be helped or supplied by dispensation . the truth is therefore that our sauiours obedience , answered exactly , and perfectly satisfied the exigence of that , and all other commandements of almighty god , performing all to the vtmost that they required , and therefore those easie and slender workes , were no breaches of the commandement touching the saboth . but let that be admitted also ; first that the commandement was immediatly giuen to seruants , secondly that it was giuen touching the lightest degree of workes . let servants bee the persons , and those workes the matter to whom , and of which the commandement was giuen , is your doctrine yet iustified hereby , and subiect to no other reproofe ? the persons haue afforded me exceptions against it because the commandement was not giuen to seruants . and the matter because it was not imposed touching that light sort of workes ; the time also will , because it cānot be vnderstood of the lords day ; for what day was it , of which the charge of vacation was so strictly giuen ? was it not the seauenth day of the weeke ? the seauenth ( saith the precept ) is the sabaoth of the lord thy god ; in it thou shalt doe no worke . and why the seauenth ? because in sixe daies the lord finished all the workes of creation , and rested the seauenth day ; therefore he sanctified the seauenth day , & what day is it whereof we question ? the lords day ? that 's the first day of the weeke it is therefore the seauenth day of the weeke ( the sabaoth of the iewes ) not the first day of the weeke ( the sabaoth of christians ) that was so strictly by gods commandement destined to rest . therefore the workes done on the sabaoth day are no transgressions of gods commandements . but you will say the old sabaoth is abolished , and the celebration of it translated to the first day of the weeke . translated , by whom ? by any commandement of god ? where is it ? the holy scripture wee know to be sufficient ; it containeth all the commandements of god , whether of things to be done , or to be avoided , or to be beleeued . let me heare either one precept , one word of god out of the olde testament that it should be translated , or one precept , one word of the sonne of god , out of the new testament , commanding it to be translated , i say one word of any of his apostles intimating that by christs commandement it was translated . it is certaine that there is none . therefore it is evident that the solemnity of the lords day was not established iure divino . not by any commandement of god , and consequently that to worke on that day , is certainly no breach of any divine commandement . how then hath the first day of the weeke gained the celebration and solemnity to become the sabaoth of the christians ? by the constitution of the church , and only by that , yet of that most ancient church , i confesse that next followed the ascention of our redeemer . but yet all this is but ius humanum it is but the decree of men , which must not equall it selfe with gods commandement , and must be content with a lesse degree of authority and obligation then the commandement touching the sabaoth , might challenge that was pronounced in the eares of men with the voice of god , and written in tables with the finger of god. what then doe i doubt of the iust abolishment of the iewes sabaoth ; no in no sort ; it is abolished and that iustly i confesse ; yet not by any repeale of any contrary decree ; but only by expiration , because it is growen out of date ; it was established for a signe * of difference betwixt the people of god and the prophane nations , the iewes and gentiles : but this difference is ceased , the partition wall is broken downe , iewes and gentiles in christ are made all one : all are become the people of god , the sabaoth was ( saith the apostle ) a shadow * of things to come , whereof the body was in christ , the body therefore being come , what should the shadow be expressed ? for was it the shadow of christs resting in the graue that day ? that is past ; or was it a shadow of rest and liberty from the slauery of sinne in the kingdome of grace , that is obtained ; or is it a shadow of the eternall rest of the blessed in the kingdome of glory ? that is sure to be obtained ( christ hath giuen his word , and wee haue receiued the pledge of his holy spirit ) these things are shadowed in sabaoth . and these things are already performed in christ. the first is past , the second is present , the third is assured . the sabaoth therefore that was the shadow of these things , when the things themselues were come , vanished of it selfe . but might not the celebration of the sabaoth , which thus ceased , bee justly translated by the church to the first day of the weeke ? yes certainly both might and was iustly . for i consider that the generality , was of the morall law , of the law of nature , namely that men should sequester sometime from worldly affaires , which they might dedicate to the honour of god , only the speciality , that is the limitation and designement of that time , was the churches ordinance appointing first one certaine day , & that in relation of christian assemblies , namely that they might meete and pray , and praise god together with one voice in the congregation . and secondly defigning that one day to the first day of the weeke , for some speciall reasons and remembrances . for first it was the day of christs resurrection from the dead . secondly it was the day of the holy ghosts descention from heauen to powre infinite graces vpon christians . the first of them for our iustification as the apostle speaketh . the second for the sanctification , and edification of the whole church ( to omit some other reasons of lesse importance ) iustly therefore was the consecration of the sabaoth translated to that day . but what of that ? what if the consecration of the sabaoth was by the church translated to the first day of the weeke ? was therefore the commandement of god translated also ? that that day ought to be obserued vnder the same obligation with the sabaoth ? for if the commandement of god were not translated by the church , together with the celebration from the seauenth day to the first day , then is working on the first day no violation of gods commandement ; was the commandement of god then translated from the sabaoth to the lords day by the decree of the church ? no : the church did it not , let mee see the act . the church could not doe it , let me see the authority : the church could not translate the commandement to the first day , which god himselfe had namely limited to the seaventh . for could the church make that gods commandement which was not his commandement ? gods commandement was to rest on the seauenth day and worke on the first ; therefore to rest on the first and worke on the seauenth was not his commandement : for doth the same commandement of god enioyne both labour and rest on the same day ? is there fast and loose in the same commandement with god ? thou shalt worke on the first day saith that , and worke on the seaventh saith this . can the church make these the same commandement ? but say the church hath this incredible & vnconceivable power : say it may forbid to worke on the first day , by the vertue of the very same precept . that doth neither expresly cōmand or license to worke on that day . say that the church of god may translate the commandement of god from one day to another at their pleasure , did they it therefore ? i spake before of their authority whether they might doe it . i enquire now of the act , whether they did it ; did the church ( i say ) ever constitute , that the same obligation of gods commandement which lay on the iewes , for keeping of the sabaoth day should be translated and laid vpon the christians for keeping of the lords day ? did the church this , no no , they did it not ; all the wit & learning in the world will not proue it . but you may obiect , if the old sabaoth vanished and the commandement of god was limited & fixed to that day only , then is one of gods commandements perished . i answere that the generality of that commandement to keepe a sabaoth wherein god might be honoured , was morall ; but the speciality of it , namely to keepe , ( 1 ) one day of seaven , ( 2 ) the seaventh , ( 3 ) one whole day , ( 4 ) with precise vacancy from all worke , were meerely ceremoniall ; the specialities then of the commandements are vanished : but for the generality of it , it is a law of nature , and remaineth . but , as the speciality of that commandement implyeth plaine contradiction , with the sabaaticall of the lords day , so the generality of it can enforce nothing for it , for these are miserable consequents , ( indeede plaine fallacies of the consequent ) that god hath sometime commanded vacancie , for his honour , therefore he hath commanded the first day of the weeke to be that time , or this , god hath commanded vs some time to rest , therefore that time we must precisely abstaine from all māner of workes : can the church make these good consequences ? if it cannot , the celebration of the lords day , can with no enforcement of reason be deduced out of the morality of gods commandement . but if you will reply : that the church hath established the first day of the weeke to be the christians sabaoth not by way of consequence , as deducing it out of commandement but meerely by authority , appropriating and fixing gods morall commandement to it ; you may say your pleasure , but i shall neither beleeue , nor you proue that such authority belongs to the church : or that such an act hath beene established by the church : which i am sure you can neuer doe neither of both , for seeing that all divines acknowledge that the singling out of such a day to be sanctified , namely the seauenth rather then any other was meerely ceremoniall , although it was gods owne designation . i hope that you will confesse the speciall designement of the first day of the weeke to that honour , before other daies , being made only by the church , to bee also but ceremoniall . but certaine it is that no ceremonies , which come not vnder the obligation of gods morall law , should oblige to the obseruation of ceremonies . therefore it will never consist with reason , that the morall law of god can by any authority of the church oblige christians to the celebration of the lords day . it is not therefore the translation of the old commandement of god from the one day to the other ( which yet if it were translated ) can oblige servants no otherwise then it did vnder the old law ) but the institution of a new commandement , of the church her selfe ( yet guided by the spirit of god ) that consecrated that day to the solemne seruice of god ; what then doth not the constitution of the church , for the celebration of the lords day , binde equally the consciences of men as the old commandement did , for the celebration of the sabaoth ? binde it doth , but not equally : for the church is no way equall vnto god ; the authority of it is lesse then the authority of god , therefore is the obligation of the churches ordinance , lesse then the obligation of gods ordinance . but yet binde the conscience it doth , and that firmely and effectually , ( even the conscience of every member of the church ) to true and exact obedience . for he * that heareth not the church is no better then an heathen or a publican . and neuer was church on earth more vndefiled then that that ordained that institution . he that despiseth the apostles of christ despiseth christ himselfe , and the apostles were governours of that church : for acknowledged it is that the celebration of the lords day , was the ordinance of that church and of those gouernours . therefore it is sure that that ordinance doth oblige the conscience of every christian man ; but if you aske me how farre doth that constitution of the church oblige the conscience ? i answere you as farre as it doth command , ( you will desire no more ) further it cannot : it cannot oblige further , then it doth ordaine ; it cannot bind the conscience for guiltinesse , further then it doth for obedience ; because all guiltinesse doth presuppose disobedience ; now that the church ordained solemne assemblies of christians , to be celebrated that day to the honour of god , and in them the invocation of gods holy name , thankesgiuing , hearing of the holy scriptures and receiuing of the sacraments , is not denied ; it is out of question , all antiquity affordeth plentifull remembrance of it . but that it inioyneth that severe & exact vacation , frō all workes on the lords day , which the commandement of god required in the iewes sabaoth , you will never proue . it relisheth too much of the iewish ceremonies , to be proued by christian divinity . for this is no proofe of it , that the lords day is succeeded in place of the sabaoth . or as some diuines tearme it , as the heyre of the sabaoth . it is i say no proofe at all , ( except it were established by the same authority , and the observance of it , charged with the same strictnesse of commandement ) for if it succeede the sabaoth in place , must it therefore succeed in equall precisenesse of obseruation ? ( so if the pope succeedeth peter in place , must he therefore succeede him in equality of power ? ) the lords day therefore succeedeth the sabaoth in the point of sanctification , for celebration of the assemblies , for the church hath precisely commanded that , but not in the point of exact and extreame vacation , from every kinde of worke , for that the church hath not commanded : and so although the lords day may well be tearmed the heire of the sabaoth , yet is it not ex asse haeres as the civill lawyers speake . it inheriteth not the whole right of the sabaoth , for that right and prerogatiue of the saoth was not giuen to the sabaoth and its heires ; it it was no fee simple ( and if i may speake in the lawyers stile ) it was only a tenure for tearme of life : namely during the life of the ceremoniall law , which life ended in the death of our saviour . this reason therefore of the succession of the lords day in place of the sabaoth is no reason . any other reason besides this or else authority which i might in your behalfe obiect to my selfe , i know none worthy mentioning : for the commandement of god as i haue proved is not of this day . the commandement of the church is of this day , but not of these workes , neither will all the histories of the ancient church , nor cannons of the ancient councells , nor any other monuments or registers of antiquity afford you ( as i am certainly perswaded search them as curiously as you can ) record of any such constitution of the church for the generall restraint of workes on the lords day ; you may finde i know in some of the ancient fathers much sounding the prerogatiue of that day : as that it was a holy day in * eusebius : a day of christian assemblies in * iustin martyr ; and a day of reioycing in * tertullian : a festivall day in * ignatius ; and some more of the like , but doth any of all these import or imply a generall restraint ? a desistāce from all worke ? no , they doe not ; neither shall you finde in these , nor in any other records of antiquity any constitutions of the apostles ; and of the first church extant to haue effect ; no nor any relation or remembrance that such a constitution had ever beene made by them nay i finde cleare evidence to the contrary , for would constantine the great ( that most holy emperour and the best nursing father of christian religion that ever prince was ) would he i say haue licensed by his decree , the country people freely ( libere liciteque are the words of the constitution ) to attend their sowing of graine , setting of vines , and other husbandry on the lords day , if those workes had beene forbidden by the commandement of god , or decree of the apostles , and first church ? or would the fathers in the councell of laodicea ( one of the most ancient & approued councells of the church ) enioyne the vacancy of the lords day with this condition ; and if men can ? certainly servants full ill can if they bee constrained by their masters to worke : would they i say haue added such a condition , had it beene simply vnlawfull , for all sorts of people by the ancient sanctification of the first church to doe any worke that day ? it appeareth therefore that there were no such vniversall constitutions of the church . the actuall forbearing of all workes by some christians that day i stand not on : nor on the exhortations of some ancient fathers to that purpose , some remembrances of both are to be found i know , but these are particular examples , and perswasions ; constitutions of the church they are not , edicts of sundry princes likewise , and decrees of some provinciall councells are extant i confesse in record to the same effect , and those are constitutions indeede but partly , not of the church , partly not vniversall , nor very ancient , and therefore are no sanctions to oblige the whole church , which beside the law of god and decrees of the apostles ( to whom the goverment of the whole church by our saviour was committed ) and the canons of the vniversall synods no positiue constitution can doe . what then ? would i set at liberty that euery man may freely prophane the lords day with extraordinary labour ? no , i would not , i confesse it is meete christians should abandon all worldly affaires that day and dedicate it wholly to the honour of god , that christians should not be lesse devout & religious in celebrating of the lords day , then the iewes were in celebrating of there sabaoth , for the obligation of our thankfulnes to god is more then theirs , although the obligation of his commandement to vs in that behalfe is lesse ; meete it is i say . and wish with all my heart it were most religiously performed euen with all abstinence from worldly affaires , and all attendance to godly devotion . but yet notwithstanding i deny that together with the institution of the lords day there was any such constitutiō of thechurch established whereby men were obliged to the strict desisting from all worke . but what doth the honour of god then stand at the courtesie of man to prophane that day ( if they list ) with worke at their pleasure ? not so , for beside the constitutions of some ancient councells both the edicts of christian princes haue every where restrained that prophanation : neither of which ( for matters that fall vnder their power ) can bee transgressed without sinne and disobedience to god , whose commandements although not directly yet reductiuely ) those constitutions are : for god hath commanded all men to honour their parents ( the parents of their country ) stand in the first ranke . the sonne of god hath commanded all christians to heare the church , and that vnder forfeiture of communion of saints , but they that despise the canons of the church , or edicts of the prince , heare not the one , honour not the other , therefore they that transgresse either of these constitutions , transgresse also consequently i say though not immediatly the commandements of god , but yet neither of them both ( to come neare home ) are transgressed by servants if they worke by their masters commission , and not of their owne election , for neither doth the one law or the other giue liberty and warrant to servants to be rebellious to their masters touching point of service , that day more then others . but in forbidding of worke , first they intend not your precise abstinence from any light and labourlesse worke as both the censure of the church , and iudgement of temporall magistrats make manifest , which neuer tooke hold on any man for such manner of workes . and secondly they purpose to forbid the masters commanding or allowing of worke and not the servants obeying if he be commanded ; for the law is intended and taketh hold of them that haue the liberty and power to keepe it , not of them that haue not , but are meerely vnder the power and disposition of another man , wherefore if servants worke on the lords day of their owne choice , it is their owne sinne , but if their masters command , it is their masters sinne . and he standeth bound to answere the law , no warrant therefore , nor incouragement haue servants by any of these lawes , to reiect their commandements touching matter of worke or service on the sabaoth or any other day . and is not this more agreeable to the doctrine of the holy apostles of our saviour , every where delivered touching servants ? doe they not often , and with exceeding earnestnes command and exhort them to obedience , no where permitting them any point of liberty , and that without exception of master , of labour , or of time ? for ( that we may take a very short view of their doctrine touching servants obedience ) what masters are they to whom servants ought to be obedient ? infidells and beleeuers saith paul 〈◊〉 . tim. 6. 1. 2. covetous and froward saith peter 1. pet. 2. 18. that is , even to all , obedient to all . how ? in what sort ? from the heart saith the apostle , collos. 3. 23. in singlenesse of heart as vnto christ in another place : ephes. 6. 5. without any replying , not so much as answering againe . in a third titus . 3. 9. that is in all readinesse and humility , obedient to all in such sort : how farre ? in what points ? even in all things : servants be obedient to your masters in all things . colos. 3. 22. please them in all things , titus . 2 , 9. thinke them worthy of all honour . 1. tim. 6. 1. in all things ? yea in all things belonging to the condition of servants ; that is in all service , in all labour which is the proper character of all servants , and ( obedient to them in all things ) why ? that the name of god and his doctrine be not evill spoken of , 1. tim. 6. 1. which two last points of the apostles doctrine touching servants obedience i would advise you s r specially to consider , for whereas it is out of question , that infidells exacted workes of their christian servants ( as in the beginning of the church many beleeuing seruants had vnbeleeuing masters ) on the lords day no lesse then others ; if their yeelding to that exacting of their masters had beene sinne ; would he haue commanded them to obey their masters in all things ? and to please them in all things without excepting of any day or of any labour ? for that heathen masters would exact of christian servants their ordinary labour and service on the lords day as well as on others you haue no reason to doubt , except you thinke that heathen men would tender and respect more the religion of their seruants ( that religion which themselues esteemed to be superstition & folly ) then their owne profit . and then if christian seruants should haue withdrawen their obedience that day reiecting and resisting their masters commandements , whereas their vnbeleeuing servants willingly obeyed them , and laboured for their profit , had they not caused the name of god which they worshipped to be blaspheamed and the doctrine which they professed to be evill spoken of ? ( which was the point of the apostles doctrine i especially remembred you of ) that god i say which commanded and that doctrine which instructed servants to disobey their masters , & by depriving them of their seruice caused their hindrance ? the apostle knew full well this was not the way to propagate the gospell , and enlarge the kingdome of christ , he knew it was christian meekenes & obedience , & humility , & patience that must doe it : & therefore he commandeth christian servants to giue their masters all honour , to obey thē in all things , & to please thē in all things that so their masters seeing them more serviceable & profitable servants , & withall more vertuous then others were , might sooner be drawen to like of the religion that made them such , whereas the cōtrary would haue bin manifestly a scandall , and grievous impeachment to the propagation of the gospell , & defamed it , for a doctrine of contumacy and disobedience , and for a seminary ( as it were ) of disturbance and sedition of families and common-wealths . and not only alienated the affections of masters from their christian servants : but inflamed all men with indignation & hatred against the christian religion and the professors of it . such therefore evidently is the importance and intendment of the apostles doctrine ( as vnpartiall men whom preiudice or selfe-conceipt leads not away , may soone discerne ) very farre differing from this doctrine of yours . touching which point of the apostles instruction giuen to servants for this effectuall and generall obedience , you will not reply ( i hope ) as some haue done ; that at first indeede it was permitted for the good of the church least the increase of it , and proceeding of the gospell should be hindred by offence given to the gentiles . for would that haue beene permitted if it had beene vnlawfull ? or could the church of god be increased by the sinnes of men ? his church increased by that whereby himselfe was dishonoured ? or would the apostles haue permitted men to sinne ( as now iesuits doe ) for the good of the church ( nay exhorted and commanded to it ) who had himselfe expresly taught that wee must not doe evill that good may come of it . no neither of both can be , because either of both were a staine , and derogation to the righteousnesse of god : the intention therefore of the apostles was simple , without all tricks of policy to teach servants all exact and entire obedience to their masters , touching all workes that belong to the duty of servants , namely that were in themselues honest and lawfull without excepting of any day . neither shall you finde ( as i am verily perswaded and i speake not at randome ) if all the monuments of antiquity be searched through either the practise of christian seruants , or the doctrine of christian preachers to haue beene any other , i say you shall not finde any remēbrance in the ancient church ( if you search the bookes of histories ) that it was the custome of christian seruants to withdraw their obedience from their masters on the lords day , no ( if you search the bookes of doctrine ) that every any father or teacher of the church so perswaded or instructed them : no , nor yet if you adde to them the heathen writers also , that liued in the age of the ancient church , and whereof diverse were sharpe and bitter enemies to the christian religion , and apt to take every advantage to calumniate and disgrace it ( such as lucian , porphyrie , iulian , libanius ; eunapius and others were ) you shall never finde the detraction of servants obedience , obiected to christians ; and certainly if in all antiquity , no history be found to record it , no father to perswade it , no enemy toobiect it , it may well seeme evident that this doctrine of seruants withdrawing obedience from their masters , for worke on the lords day was neither taught nor practised in the ancient church . and therefore s r to draw to an end ( for i grow weary , & haue already both dulled my penne and my selfe ) i would advise you in the name of iesus christ , whose minister you are & whose worke you haue in hand , to examine this doctrine of yours , what foundation it may haue in the word of god & what effect in the church of god ; least the foundation happily be your owne phantasie not gods word & the effect proue the poysoning not the norishing of the church . i know sr you are not the first that set this doctrine abroach , nor the only man that drawes of the vessell , although few draw so freely as you . but i would advise you sir in the name of god to beware betimes & draw not too deepe . it is all nought , it relisheth already with them that haue good tasts , like the water of marah . it will proue like that of meribah a little lower & if you happe to draw to the bottome you will finde the dreggs to be nothing but disturbance and sedition both in church and commonwealth . but i say in the beginning , i would neither censure nor divine of the evill consequence of this doctrine : let them censure ( if they will ) to to whom the goverment of the church and commonwealth , and provision of peace in both doth belong . and to divine ( me thinkes ) there is little neede ; the events are too evident euen to meane foresights already to require divination : for who ( when he seeth that seede sowen ) doubts what graine will be reaped in heavinesse ? i will therefore neither censure nor divine of the fruits of your doctrine , but omit both and make an end . if the reasons which i haue produced against your opinion satisfie not you , you may doe well to satisfie them . and to establish your doctrine with better . it is the part of christs minister , to giue a reason of his doctrine when it is called in question , and accused of novelty and of sinfull consequence , as i accuse yours : and if you take me to be in an errour and bee able to reforme it , it is your duty to doe it . if your brothers beast went a stray , you were to reduce it homeby moses law . christs law will lesse suffer you , to see your brother goe astray and not restore him . wherefore if you be assured that your doctrine is truly christian and be able to iustify it ; you are bound to doe it . the faith you owe to christ , whose minister you are , the charity you owe to christians , whose pastor or doctor you are , exact it of you , and i especially chalenge it , that haue felt my selfe specially greeued , and ( as i thinke ) wronged by occasion of it , i looke therefore you should both answere my arguments , if they perswade you not , and produce better to perswade me ; but first in your answers , i must intreat you to deale with me ( as i would with you ) honestly and ingeniously , and without either perverting or shifting of any arguments ; to answere directly to the force of them . and secondly in your reasons to let me haue as few words as you will , but direct and materiall arguments ; for if they be light and haue but small force , they will not moue me . if sophisticall & haue but seeming force , i shall espy the deceit , i thinke and be able to discerne betwixt a visard and a visage ; both the one sort and the other of such arguments will but preiudice your cause with me , & were better kept for some other disciple ; but if you finde your selfe not able to establish and iustify this doctrine wherewith i take my poore kinsman to haue beene corrupted , then i challenge you as you will answere it at the judgement seat of almighty god when your accounting day shall come , to repaire the ruine you haue made in his conscience , and ( remoouing his scandall which hindreth him in his vocation ) to establish him in his former obedience to his master . so fare you well ; and the spirit of truth bee with you . may 16. 1611. at gresham house in london . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a16722-e310 the occasion of this treatise . the commandement not giuen to servants but their masters . exod. 24. v 18. exod. 33. v. 11. deut. 5. 15. 1 ioh , 3. 4. isaiah . 58. 〈◊〉 obiection . sol. obiect . sol. exod. 31. 13. ezech. 20. 12. 20. obiection . sol. sol. obiect . exo. 31 , 14. 15. sol. exod. 23. 12. exod. 353. a luke . 13. 15. b luke . 6. c ioh. 9. 6. d ioh. 5. 8. 9. * galat. 4. 4. obiect . sol. exod. 31. 13. ezech. 20. 12. colos. ● . 17. obiect . sol. mat. 18 , 17. * hist. eccles. lib. 4. cap. 22. * apolog. 2. * apologe . cap. 16. * epi. ad mag . a divine tragedie lately acted, or a collection of sundry memorable examples of gods judgements upon sabbath-breakers, and other like libertines, in their unlawfull sports, happening within the realme of england, in the compass only of two yeares last past, since the booke was published worthy to be knowne and considered of all men, especially such, who are guilty of the sinne or arch-patrons thereof. burton, henry, 1578-1648. 1636 approx. 100 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 29 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-11 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a17298 stc 4140.7 estc s115279 99850498 99850498 15706 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a17298) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 15706) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1214:13) a divine tragedie lately acted, or a collection of sundry memorable examples of gods judgements upon sabbath-breakers, and other like libertines, in their unlawfull sports, happening within the realme of england, in the compass only of two yeares last past, since the booke was published worthy to be knowne and considered of all men, especially such, who are guilty of the sinne or arch-patrons thereof. burton, henry, 1578-1648. [10], 46, [4] p. printed by j.f. stam], [amsterdam : anno m.dc.xxxvi. [1636] by henry burton. misattributed to william prynne. printer's name from stc. examples given out of order, beginning with 19. with a final leaf bearing "an advertisement to the reader"; the last leaf is blank. identified as stc 20459 on umi microfilm. reproduction of the original in the newberry library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sunday legislation -great britain -early works to 1800. providence and government of god -early works to 1800. 2004-06 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-06 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-07 rachel losh sampled and proofread 2004-07 rachel losh text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a divine tragedie lately acted , or a collection of sundry memorable examples of gods judgements upon sabbath-breakers , and other like libertines , in their unlawfull sports , happening within the realme of england , in the compass only of two yeares last past , since the booke was published , worthy to be knowne and considered of all men , especially such , who are guilty of the sinne or arch-patrons thereof . psal. 50. vers . 22. now consider this , ye that forget god , least he teare you in peeces , and there be none to deliuer you . gregorius m. moralium . lib. 36. c. 18. deus , etsi quaedam longanimiter tolerat , quaedam tamen in hac vita flagellat , & hîc nonnunquam ferire inchoatur quos aeterna damnatione consumat . tibullus elegiarum . lib. 3. eleg. 7 — foelix quicunque dolore alterius disces posse carere tuo . concil . paris . 2. lib. 3. c. 5. salubriter admonemus cunctos fideles , ut diei dominico debitum honorum & reverentiam exhibeant . quoniam hujus dehonoratio , & à religione christiana valde abhorret , & suis violatoribus animarum perniciem proculdubio generat . alex. alensis ex hieron . p. 3. q. 32. m. 4. art. 1. resol . quis dubitat sceleratiùs esse commissum , quod graviùs est punitum ? ut num. 15. 35. ibid. anno m. dc . xxxvi . to the reader . christian reader , it is a true saying of that royal king salomon prov. 19. 29. iudgments are prepared for scorners : that is , for such who contemne the precepts and admonitions of god , and his faithfull ministers . and as they are thus prepared , so are they oft times executed upon such , even in this present life : that gods power , truth , and justice might be manifested , and wicked men frighted from their evill courses : so the psalmist : psalm . 9. 16. the lord is knowne by the judgment that he executeth ; the wicked is snared in the worke of his owne hands : the reason is thus rendered by the prophet isay. c. 26. 9. for when thy judgements are in the earth , the inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse ; though never so indocible and refractory before . neither doth god so inflict his judgements , * as to have them presently forgotten ; but he stampes a memento on them ; having so done his marvelous works ( as wel of justice , as of mercy ) that they ought to be had in remembrance . psalm . 111. 4. himselfe therefore hath vouchsafed to record ( even in sacred writ ) many notable examples of his avenging justice , both generall , nationall , and personall , for al posteritie to contemplate ; prefacing some of them with a special memorandum for our more serious consideration of them ; with luk. 17. 32. remember lots wife : which judgments though executed many thousand yeares past , yet they remaine still fresh upon record , as done but yesterday , even for this very end , that they might be examples unto us , not to last after evil things as they lusted , nor to trace the footsteps of their sinfull wayes , lest we should incurre the selfe same exemplarie punishments as they susteined . 1. cor. 10. 5. to 12. and as god himselfe , so holy men of god in all ages , following his example , have carefully observed , and registred to posteritie the speciall most remarkable judgments of god upon obstinate sinnes and sinners of all sorts , ( with which not only ecclesiasticall , but even profane stories , are fully fraught ) happened in the ages , and the places wherein they lived : many whereof m r. iohn fox in his acts and monuments , neere the end , m r raynolds , in his treatise concerning the miraculous discovery and punishments of murthers and murtherers . d r thomas peard in his theatre of gods judgments , with sundry others , have collected and digested into intire tractates , the very reading & serious perusall whereof , would no doubt daunt the most professed atheist , & reclaime the most incorrigible sinner . i therefore desiring to tread in their pious footsteps , having received from good intelligence many memorable presidents of gods avenging iustice upon sabbath-breakers ; & the profaners of sacred times devouted to his service , happening within the compasse of our little iland within two yeares space , ( since the publication of the declaration for sports and pastimes after evening prayer on the lords day , in parish churches by divers ( a ministers ) hath sett open the floudgates to this presumptuous sinne of sabbath-breaking ; thought it a part of my bounden duty to preserve and propagate their memorie both for the honour of gods truth and justice ; the vindication of the intire sanctifycation of his sacred day , ( which he hath visiblie pleaded for from heaven , since men have been audaciously profane , as to pleade , and i would i could not say to b write and preach against it upon earth ) the clearing of those ministers innocency , who now unjustly suffer thorough the malice of ungodly persecutors , and raging prelates , for refusing to joine with others in spurring on the people to the greedy pursuite of this crying dangerous syn , to the ruine of their soules , their bodies , and shame of our religion , and the monition of this present , and all future ages , to beware of this so dangerous a transgression . how god hath punished this very syn in former ages , in such who have either by dancing , sports , pastimes , orunnecessary labors and travels profaned his sacred day , i meane not to record : he that listeth may read store of such examples registred to his hands in the counsell of paris , under lewis and lotharius anno 829. l. 1. c. 50. ( which relates in generall ; that many present in this councell were eye-witnesses , and others of them had it by relation , that some men upon the lords day being aboute their husbandry , have bene slaine with thunder , some punished with the contraction of their joynts and sinnes , some even with visible fire have had their bodyes and bones burnt up in a moment , and sodainly resolved into ashes , and that many other terrible examples of like nature hath happened and did fall out dayly : by which it was declared , that god is mvch offended with the dishonovr of so gkeat a dai ; ) petrus plessensis in litania major sermo 20. in mathew paris , historia major anno 1200. p. 194. in roger houenden anno 1200. p. 822. in mathew westminster . flores historiarum : anno 1200. in vincentius beluacensis , speculum morale l. 3. pr. 9. distinctio 9. ofdances , in the flower of the commandements , printed in the beginning of k. hen. 8. fol. 159. to 163. in henricus gran. distinct. 9. exemp . 51. in the magdeburge centuries centurie . 12. c. 6. in d r. bownde his doctrine of the sabbath edition . 2. p. 252. to 263. the first booke : in m r iohn feild his declaration of gods judgments at paris garden : in m r philip stubs his anatomie of abuses . p. 185. in the practice of piety : 429. to 434. and d r. beard his theatre of gods judgements . all which have registred sundrie notable iudgements of god upon sundry sabbath-breakers ( which have presumed to daunce , worke , or travell , on the lords holy day ) of purpose to shew the danger of profaning holy times , and to deterre men from this common sinne , for which so many have smarted from heaven in an exemplarie manner . i shall therefore confine my selfe only to such domesticke examples , as have fallen out in sundry corners of this our realme within these two yeares , of purpose to refute the * madnesse of those prophets , who in the presse and pulpit ; and the profanes of those people , who in their dauncing-greenes , and may-pole arbors , have bene so audacious , as to affirme , the profanation of the lords day by maygames , daunces , may-poles , wakes , and common labour out of time of divine service , ( especially after evening prayer ) to be no sin at all against the 4. commandement , or any other law of god or man ; but c necessary and commendable point of true christian liberty ( they should have sayd of carnall and heathenish licentiousnesse rather ) from which the people must not be debarred ; but let these blinde guides , and libertines learne from these examples , to correct this their erronious judgment , and practise ; for feare the lord make them the next examples in this kinde , to teach others to keepe his sabbaths better , and more intirely for the future . and if these tragical spectacles of divine justice will not perswade them , that such profaning of the lords most sacred day , is a syn , yea and a crying syn too , as all our writers , ( yea and our prelates generally , till now of late have unanimously defined , and the whole state in parliament in d two late famous statutes and e two more ancient acts , to omit our f homilyes g common praier booke , h canons , i articles , and k injunctions , which conclude the same ) i say have adjudged such a presumptuous transgression , as will draw downe gods vengeance on mens heads ; our late soveraigne k. iames of happy memory and our present gracious soveraigne lord r. charles with all the prelates , cleargy and people of the realme in the first yeares of both their raignes , in the severall bookes of common praier , and order for the publike fasts set out by their royall authorityes , and the bishops advice , with the consent and harty desire of the whole realme for the abating aversion , and ceasing of those dreadfull eating plagues which then swallowed up many thousands of people every weeke will informe them ; that amonge other syns , the profaning of the sabbath ( so king iames his booke styles the sunday ) and not keeping holy the lords day , was one cheife cause why those two great terrible plagues ( and why not also this great plague which is now begun and spread much abroade ) brake in upon us ; to the destruction not of some few particular persons , but of many thousands , and the punishment of the whole realme , and nation in generall . and because some of these men plead most falsly , that the chiefest writers of the reformed churches are of their opinion , l m r. rodolphus gualter , and m wolfgangus musculus ( men of principall note and learning amonge them ) will both assure them , that the lords day is not onely wholly , only , and intirely to be spent in religiovs pvblike and private dvties of gods worship , and that davncing , sportes , and pastimes , on it , are sinfvll , and execrable ; ( the constant judgment of all forraigne protestant divines whatsoever , as i am able to prove ; what ever n d r helyn or o others have rashly averred to the contrary ; but likewise further informe them ; that god may justly revenge the great contempt of his deity in profaning his sacred day with daunces and such like revells and discorders , with horrible pvnishments , neither is it to be dovbted ( saith m r gualther ) that the profanation of the lords day , is not the least cavse of the evils and calamities of ovr age , yea their owne most illustrious cardinall robert bellarmine ( whom they allmost deify when they doe but name him : ) is so farre a puritan in this particular , that he not only spends p 4. or 5. whole sermones against dauncing , mummeries , maskes , and such like bacchanals , ( which he simply condemnes at all times , but especially on sacred festivals and lords dayes as most detestable profanations of them ; ) but likewise professeth ; that the practise of them upon sacred times , was the occasion of all the publike calamities and judgments which they suffered . but by these daunces , mummeries , bacchanels , and discorders ( saith he ) we polute the holy dayes of the lord : and yet neverthelesse do we inquire the reasons why god doth punish us ? why we are slaine in our very houses ? doe not the scriptures cry aloude , sinne maketh a people miserable : and there is no evill in the citie , which the lord hath not done . therefore these our sinnes of profaning the holy dayes of the lord with daunces , revels and bacchanals , have procured us famine , and poverty , and pestilence , and sedition , and all plagves and scovrges . and verily ( saith he ) in another sermon . i vehemently feare , that if we proceed to celebrate the bacchanals with mummeries , and maskes , and daunces , as we doe at other times , and to provoke god to wrath , with so many wicked pastimes , our sinne will be growen to the full at last , and the anger of the lord be so farre incensed , that he will utterly destroy us , as we see he hath destroyed many nations , for what i pray hath destroyed grecia ? but even that very thing which we doe ? they were men exceedingly given to drunkenesses , feasting and davncing , ( and that upon sacred times ) as may be knowne , by the orations of basill , and chrisostome . but what hath god done ? because they were addicted to these things , and especially to davncing , he hath imposed such a severe tyrant ( to wit the turke ) upon their necks , that they now groane under the yoke , and are pressed with so heavy a burthen , that they have neither time , nor will to davnce or caper . thus bellarmine to his greate admirers shame and refutation . if then this sinne of profaning the lords day , by dauncing , maygames , ales , pastimes , or unnecessary travel and labour , drawe downe gods plagues and vengeance upon whole kingdomes and churches , as these authors , ( together with m r. iohn feild , in his declaration of the judgement of god , at paris garden ; and humphry robarts in his complaint for the reformation of divers vaine , and wicked abused exercises , practised on the sabbath day , which tend to the hinderance of the gospell , and increase of many abominable vices : printed by richard iones , london 1580. together with m r. philip stubs , in his anatomic of abuses , and m r. iohn nortbrooke in his treatise where in dicing davncing , vaine playes and enterludes , with other idle pastimes and exercises commonly used on the sabbath day , are by the word of god , and ancient writers reprooved , printed for george bishop ▪ london : 1579. ) most punctually testifie : and the practise of piety dedicated to his majesty , and 39. times printed by publike authority resolves : no wonder if it hath lately caused god to unsheath his sword of exemplarie justice upon these particular persons , ( that i speake not of the whole kingdome in generall now scourged with a fresh plague and lately a drought ) whose tragicall examples i here present unto your view , to deterre all others from this sinne. it is a true saying of cyprian , praebentur cunctis exempla , cum fuerint quibusdam irrogata supplicia . the divine punishments of a few are warnings to all : god grant that these may be so to us . hee ( saith the same father ) is over audacious , who strives to passe over there , where he hath seene another to have fallen ; hee is outragiously bead-stronge , who is not strucke with feare , when he beholds another perish in that course ; which he is running ; he onely is a lover of his owne safety , who takes warning by the deathes of others : and he alone is a prudent man , who is made wise by the ruines of other men . god of his mercie vouchsafe that the exemplarie deathes of these few here specified ( and of thousands more in this time of mortality , occasioned by this sinne of sabbath-breaking were as the former pests ; together with a plague in pope pelagius the second his time an. domin . 591. as petrus blessensis in his 20. sermon de litania majori , records : ) may prove life to many ; and the judgements on some , become remedies to cure all , who are sicke of the selfesame sinne. amen . examples of gods judgments vpon sabbath-breakers . these examples of gods judgements hereunder set downe , have fallen out within the space of lesse then two yeares last past , even since the declaration for sports ( tolerated on the lords day ) was published , and read by many ministers in their congregations ; for hereupon ill disposed people ( being as dry fewell , to which fire being put , quickly flameth forth ; or as waters , pent up and restrained being let loose , breake forth more furiously ) were so incouraged , if not inraged , as taking liberty dispensed , thereby so provoked god , that his wrath in sundry places , hath broken out to the destruction of many , would to god to the instruction of any . and the judgements are so much the more remarkable , that so many in number , as here are observed , ( besides many more , no doubt which have not come to our eares ) should fall within so narrow a compasse of time , so thick , and that in so many places : as we read not of such a number of judgements in this kinde for this one sin throughout the whole history of time , from the apostles hitherto : so many there are of them , as , it were too heathenish to impute them to chance , & too much stupidity , and envy of gods glorie , not to acknowledge the speciall hand of god in them , upon such transgressors of his owne sacred day : and it were to be wished , that all the examples in this kinde , within this compasse of time ; were diligently collected and compiled into one narration , for the further illustration of gods glory , and for admonition to all sabbath-breakers , who if they repent not , nor surcease from such their profanesse , it may justly be feared , that the number of such examples will be daily increased , till they make a heape for all the world , to stand amazed at . in the meane time , who so is wise , and will observe these things , even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the lord : psal. 107. 43. as for the truth of them , i have good testimony under the hands of men , of sufficient credit , for the most of them ; and the rest hath come to our eares by credible report . if it shall so fall out , that one or two , or so , should proove otherwise , either for the substance , or circumstance ; let not the reader blame me , who have used my best diligence to inquire out the certain truth of them all , and i am sure the most of the examples are confirmed by witnesses without all exception , and none of them is to me of any suspected credit ; so as here are no fained miracles , nor fabulous stories , nor ould wives tales , for profane scoffers to ieare at , and play upon , thereby to disgrace and discredit all truthes in this kinde , as some of late have done ( history of the sabbath . part . 2. chap. 7. pag. 223. ) but these examples are such , as will abide the and search of this present age , wherein are yet living so many both eare and eye witnesse of them . example . 19. a miller at churchdowne , neere glocester , would needs ( contrary to the admonitions both of his minister in private , and generally in publicke , yea and that very day , and of other christian friends ) keepe a solemne whitson ale , for which he had made large preparation and provision , even of threescore dozen of cheescakes , with other things proportionable ; in the church-house , halfe a mile from his mille , his musical instruments were sett forth on the side of the church-house , where the minister and people were to passe to the church to evening prayer . when prayer & sermon were ended , the drumbe is struck up , the peeces discharged , the musicians play , and the rowt fall a dauncing , till the evening ; where they all with the miller resort to his mille ; where that evening before they had supt , about 9. of the cloke on whitsunday , a fire tooke suddainly in his house over their heads , and was so briefe and quicke , that it burnt downe his house and mille , and devoured with all the greatest of all his other provision and housholdstuffe . this is confirmed by sundry good testimonies . example . 20. richard benfield an apparitor in the parish of hemsteed kept an ale in the church-house , joyning to the church-yard with dauncing and revelling night and day without controule : pretending that the bishop would beare him out ) and not unlikely , because at his complaint to the bishop of his minister , for preaching against dauncing and maypoles , he was suspended for his labour ) it happened that upon the lords day at even , being the 20. day of aprill , that his youngest sonne was accused for stealing a purse , and 20. shillings in it , from a butcher who lay drunke upon the board or table in the church-house , for which he was like to be hanged ( the purse being found about him . ) vpon the 21. day of the said moneth , benfield his eldest sonne richard went downe into hempsteeds peirse , about some busines , & his youngest brother with him , where they mett with a litle boy called baker ( that had beene a fishing ) having some small fishes in his hand . benfields youngest sonne would have taken these fishes from baker , whereupon they fell together by the eares . the eldest brother rich. benfield went to helpe his yonger brother , being too weake for baker . this baker did sweare a great oath that he would stabbe him , if he did meddle with him , upon which words benfield fell upon baker , gave him a boxe or two , and ranne away . baker followed him with his knife in his hand , overtooke him , and thrust his knife three inches deepe into his body , which wound prooved mortall , so that he never spake more words then these ; oh iack baker hath killed me , and so fell downe . two men being present there , tooke him up in their armes , brought him up into the church-house alive , and so soone as they had put him out of their armes upon the table , he groaned , and died . remarkable it is , that where the father drew ale upon the lordsday and so profaned it : in the same place his sonne the next day drew his last breath ; for that the punishment inflicted was stamped with the resemblance of the sinne convicted . example . 21. at baunton in dorcetshire some being at bowles on the lords day , one flinging his bowle at his fellowbowler , hit him on the eare , so as the bloud issued forth at the other eare , whereof he shortly died . the murtherer fledd . example . 22. one good man paul neere stoke in dorcetshire , rejoycinge much at the erection of a summer-pole , at a parish cald simsbury in dorcetshire , & saying before one his neighbours , he would goe see it , though he went naked through a quickset hedge : which is a cōmon proverb they use : going with wood in his armes to cast into the bonfire , where he lived , and using these words : heaven and earth are full of thy glory , o lord : he was presently smitten by the stroke of god , and within 2. or 3. dayes dyed , and his wife with him . these two last examples are testifieth by a minister in his letter to a brother minister . example . 3. a mayd at enfield neere london , hearing of the liberty , which was given by the booke , which was published for sports , would needs goe daunce , with others on the lords day , saying shee would goe daunce , so long as shee could stand on her leggs ; shee daunced so long , that thereof within 2. or 3. dayes shee dyed . example . 23. in the edge of essex neere brinkley , two fellowes working in a chalke pitt , the one was boasting to his fellow , how he had angred his mistrisse with staying so late at their sports the last sunday night , but he sayd he would anger her worse the next sunday . he had no sooner sayd this , but suddainly the earth fel downe upon him , and slew him out right , with the fall whereof his fellowes limbe was broken , who had been also partner with him in his jollity on the lords day , escaping with his life , that he might tell the truth , that god might be glorified and that by this warning he might repent of his sin and reforme such his profanesse , and remaine as a pillar of salt , to season others with feare by his example . example . 24. the last spring a miller hard by wootton in worcestershire , went on the lordsday to a wake , whence returning home againe , the same day at night found his mill and house all on a fier ; this was testified by a minister ( in a reply to another minister ) who was an eye witnes . example . 25. at woolston in the same country , where the sayd ministers father had beene minister 40. yeares , and by gods blessing upon his labours , had reformed things very well , yet upon the publication of this booke in printe , many of the inhabitants the springe following , were imboldned to set up maypoles , morrice daunce , and a whitson ale , continuing their rude revelling a weeke together , with many affronts to their ancient and reverent pastor : but it pleased god , that not long after , a sparke from a smithes shop , caught in that roome where the ale was brewed , and though meanes were ready at hand , yet it could not be quenched , but set the house on fire , and presently flew to the barne in which their disorder was , and burnt the same with 13. dwelling houses more , most of whose inhabitants were actors or abetters in the same : this is testifieth by many . example . 12. at topudle in dorceshiere , one iohn hooper aliàs cole , upon the promulgation of the sayd booke , was let downe into a well to cleanse it , for to brew beere for a whitson ale , by francis laurence , aliàs smith , and stephen p●pe churchwardens , which well was in the backe side of richard laurence aliàs smith . which iohn hooperfel● from the rope into the well , where he dyed . example . 26. richard iones son of widdow iones , iul. 1634. not farre from dorchester , being severely admonished by his mother , when shee understood he had a purpose on satturday night , to goe on the lords day with other companions to stoake to play at a sport , called fiues , but persisting in his resolution , and going the next day , accordingly being the lords day at stoake , where he played at the said sport , at night returning home with his companions , w m. burges , w m. hill , iohn edwards , after they had there wel drunke , they fall first a justling one another in the way , then to boxes , and in the end edwards stabbing iones under the left side , he dyed thereof , the monday night following about seaven of the clocke . behold here a terrible example of disobedience , to gods holy commandements , not only the fourth , but the fifth also . example . 27. at ovendeane in sussex about 9. or 10. miles from alfriston , aliàs ason , one iohn arcold , of the age of one or two and twenty yeares , eldest sonne to iohn arcold , a blacksmith dwelling in ason , with other younkars would needs fall a ringing of the bells on a sabbath day , presuming the booke for sports gave them full liberty so to doe . one of the churchwardens robert kenward hindred them from their jangling ; whereupon the said arcold , and his companions fell in some contestation with him , telling him that though he hindred them now , yet they would ring the next sunday , whether he would or no. but the said iohn arcold the ringleader before the next sunday came , was strucke with a sicknesse , in which he continued a fortnight or 3. weekes till he died , in which time robbert kenward the churchwarden , repairing to him , and putting him in minde of his bold affronting of him , he seemed to be sorry for it , and promised , if god would be pleased , to restore him againe to his health , he would never doe the like . god make his surviving companions , and all others , wise by his example . example . 28. at walton upon thames in surrey , not farre from oatlands , in the last great frost 3 , youngmen on the lords day , after they had beene at the church in the forenoone , where the minister pressing the words of his text , out of 2. cor. 5. 10. that we must all appeare before the judgement seat of christ &c. they the while whispering one to another , as they sate . in the afternoone they went together over the thames , upon the ice , unto a house of disorder , and gameing , where they spent the rest of the lords day , and part of the night also in revelling , one of them in a tauerne merrily discoursing the next day of his sabbath-acts , and voyage over the ice ; but on the tewsday next after , these three returning home wards , and attempting to passe again over the yce , they all sanke downe to the bottome as stones , whereof one only of them was miraculously preserved , but the other two were drowned . rejoyce , o younge man , in thy youth , and let thy hart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth , and walke in the wayes of thy hart , and in the sight of thine eyes : but know thou , that for all these things god will bringe thee unto judgement . example . 29. in the yeare of our lord 1633. octob. 26. after the booke for sports was known to be published in print , david price a welshman , servant to one thomas hill , a knowne grasier of that country , coming to banbury with his drove on satturday night , declared his purpose of driving them the next day , early in the morning being the sabbath or lords day : his host where he lodged , disswaded him , because it was the sabbath day , and told him that he would certainly be stopped , and made to pay for it according to the statute . hee answered that he would drive them , and let me see ( saith hee ) who will hinder me . so in the morning two other accompaning him , he went to fetch the cattell out of the ground , one that knew him , mett him at the townes end ( not yet out of the towne ) and admonished him , saying , what , david , today , today ? he made no answere , but went onward , and though for any thing , that appeared to any other , or that himselfe complained of , he was then in good health , as ever he was , yet within little more then a stones cast of the towne , he fell downe dead suddainly , and was burried in banbury church-yard the next day after ; none could discerne , any sensible or evident cause of so suddaine a surprizall ; and himselfe gave no signe of any paine , weakenesse , or illnesse , till the instant time that he gave up the ghost . example . ( 5. ) on ian. 25. 1634. being the lords day , in the time of the last great frost 14. younge men presuming to play at football upon the yce on the river trent , neere to ganisborrow , comming alltogether in a scuffle , the yce suddainly brake , and they were all drowned . example . 30. at wicks a towne betwixt colchester and harwich in essex , upon whitsunday last in the afternoone two fellowes meeting at the football , the one killed the other . example . 31. at oxford this last sommer on the sabbathday , one bally hawkes a butcher , would needs goe into his feild with an hatchet and showell to mend his ditch : his wife disswaded him what shee could , being the sabbathday , but he said he would goe and make an end of his worke , which he did , for suddainly he was struck dead in his ditch , and so made an end of his worke , and his life together . example . 32. also at oxford a carpenter undertaking to mend a stage in s. iohns colleidge on the satturday night , for the finishing wherof he must of necessity spent some part of the lords day morning , that the stage might be ready against the munday following , he that night fell backward from the stage , being not farre from the ground , and brake his neck , and so ended his life in a fearefull tragedy . example . 33. at iuye hinckley a mile from oxford ( about the time when may-poles are sett up ) on the lords day after evening prayer , when most of the towne were at the may-pole , one iohn cooper , servant to master tinmore of the said towne , going along the street , a mayd out of a windowe in iohn nicols his house , not farre from the may-pole , called him to come in thither ; where also was another mayd , and a young man named christopher younge , servant to master willis of the sayd towne ; iohn cooper at first refused to come to them , but the mayd earnestly intreating him , he yeilded to her , and being come in , sate downe by the other two , where having sate a while , the foresaid christopher younge spied a gun over the chimney , which he supposing not to be charged , fondly tooke downe , and fell a tampearing with it , and first levelled at the mayds , and after held it up against iohn cooper , as he sate , and unwittingly lifting up the cocke , it strucke fire , and the peece discharged , and shot the said iohn cooper through the shoulder , so that he dyed presently , being heard only to say , o lord. example . ( 6. ) at dover the very same lords day , that the booke was read , one in s. iames parish that played on a kitt , went and played , and thereby calld together a sort of wenches and young men : but he was thereupon that very day struck by divine hand , so as within two dayes he dyed . example . 34. a young man neere bow , going to swimme in the river on essex side , on the lords day in the afternoone , was drowned . example . 35. two boyes of s. albons , going to verolanes ponds , a mile off to swimme on the lords day , iuly 19. one of them was drowned , and the other hardly escaped . example . 36. at ramsey in suffolke , a tall man on the lords day going with others to swimme , and being advertized and warned of a hole in the water ; he sware that there was no place there could drowne him , but by and by on a suddaine he was missing , being now under water , and so drowned . example . 37. on september 13. 1635. being the lords day , two young men of the parish of s. dunstans in the west , london , going to swimme , were both drowned . example . ( 7. ) at thurlow in suffolke , one making a feast to his freinds on the sabbath day , for joy of the publishing of the booke for sports , was the next day pressed to death , by the suddaine fall of a faggot stack . example . 38. at twiford in buckinghamshire , a fellow playing at cudgels on the lords day ( or as some say , upon a revell day ) receaved a hurt in the face , whereof he dyed the next weeke . example . 39. at lemster , one master powel , ian. 1634. on the lords day serving a writt of sub poena ( and that of purpose on that day as is credibly reported ) upon one master shuit a gentleman , this he did in the church-yard , so soone as they were come out of the church : master shuit thereupon told him , i thought you had beene an honester man then so , to doe this upon this day ; he replyed , i hope i am never a whit the more dishonest , or lesse holy for that : having spoken this , he suddainly fell downe dead , and spoke not a word more , his wife seeing this , was suddainly struck with sicknesse . example . 40. a fellow in sommersetshire being to make a tente upon the lords day , for a faire that was to be kept upon the munday following , sayd to one on the satturday , that they would reare it to morrow , so the next day which was the lords day , being drunk , he dyed the same day roaring . example . 43. at glassenbury in sommersetshire , at the setting up of a may-pole , it miscarrying fell upon a child , & slew it , and it is reported that it was the churchwardens child , who was the cheefe stickler in the businesse . also when the may-pole in the same towne , was againe the second time a setting up , a fire tooke in the towne , so as all the people about the may-pole were forced to leave it , and to runne to the quenching of the fire . example . 44. a may-lord of misrule , not farre from thence became madd upon it . example . 45. also at battersey neere london , the last yeare a notable example of gods judgement befell a fidler , the youth of the town of both sexes , being assembled solemnly to set up a garland upon their may-pole , and having gott a taber and pipe for the purpose , he with the pipe in his mouth , fell down dead and never spake word . example . 41. at corsham in wiltshire in the whitsunweeke , at a whitson-ale , one marke hulbert , a lusty young man , undertaking to act the fooles part , was so extreamly drunke and hurt with falls taken in the time of his drunkenesse , that shortly he tooke his bed , where he lay very loathsomly , in most grieuous paine , until the sixth day of iune , being the lordsday , on which he dyed at 4. of the clocke in the afternoone ( the usuall time for youth to take their liberty ) and was burried the same day before 9. of the clocke , & yet he burst , before he was layd into his grave . see iob. 31. 3. example . 46. on may 31. 1635. being the lords day , one richard clerke ( an apprentise unto timothy denorell shoomaker of sherston in the country of wiltshire , within 3. miles of tedbury , ) being drunke at the church-house in the same parish , told henry larrum of the same parish , that was then in the same place drunke likewise with the church-house ale , that he the said richard , would either hange himselfe , or drowne himselfe , demanding of the sayd henry which of the two was best ; unto whom he replyed , that he hoped he would do neither ; on the day following , being munday in the morning , the said richard clerke was seene to goe through the streat , without a bande , as if he had beene going about his masters businesse , and putting on his band without the towne , he gott up into the middle of a tree , and there did hang himselfe . a miserable effect of carnall liberty and profane meetings on the lords day . example . 47. the 31. may 1635. the booke of recreation was read in the parish church of alvelye in comit. salop , in the afternoone , after all divine exercises publicke ended , there fell out a bloody fight betwixt 3. of alvelye above said , and one of envield of the country of stafford neere adjacent , in so much that the man of envield was sore wounded , and had his jaw-bone broken , so that he could not eate his meat for the sustaining of nature ; in his extremity he layd his death to the charge of the other 3. the churchwardens of the parish of alvelye above said , presented these 4. for profaning of the sabbath to my lord his grace of canterbury ( to use the words of the relation ) being the time of his metropoliticall visitation , since which time two of the parties fledd ; the third was committed to prison in shewsbury , and was the next assises to come to his answere . example . 48. in march , betwixt 1634. and 1635. at billericay in essex , one theophilus pease , the ministers sonne of that towne , went to ring the bells on the sabbath day , whom the churchwardens for that time hindered ; but against the next sabbath , he gathered a company together , saying he would ringe in dispite of the churchwardens . while he was a ringing , he was taken with a giddinesse like one drunke , and so sickned , and about three dayes after dyed . example . 49. anno 1635. ianuarie or there about in chichester diocesse , one thomas perkin , a willfull and usuall profaner of gods sabbath in hailing south , being ringing on a sabbath day , the rope tooke him up , and flinging him about 8. foot high , he fell downe on his head , and was taken up dead , and so remained long , but life at last was gotten into him , yet the bruise in his head is so great and dangerous as death is expected , and little hope of life remaineth . example . 50. at craies , two miles from billerikey , a servant of master holdsworth minister there , ringing on the sabbath , his master sent to forbid him : but he would ring still , and before he had done ringing , he was strucke sicke , and a while after dyed . this was a little after the booke for sports was publikely read in the church . example . 51. in iune 1635. on the lords day , the tapster and chamberlaine of the queenes head in southwarke , ridd into kent to be merry , and having drunke liberally , riding homewards , the one of them fell from his horse , and broke his necke . example . 52. also in iune 1635. and as some report the very same lords day , in southwarke at the red lion , neere s. georges church , in the afternoone , a man with another sate drinking so longe , that the other about sixe of the clocke departing , fell a sleepe so , that he never awaked againe . example . ( 8. ) at hellingsby 5. or 6. miles from ason in sussex , the booke being read on the lords day , in the church by the minister , on the next day being munday , an honest man , one tomkins being on his way , a neighbour overtakes him , and scoffingly askes him , if he would goe daunce with him the next sunday ; to whom the man aswered , take heed that thou be not dauncing in hell before that day come , or before it be longe ; by the next weeke gods hand fell on this scoffer , that himselfe and two more of his family dyed . example . 53. in the moneth of iuly 1634. one master quince the chirurgiō of the tower of london , having an horse to sell , & meeting with a chapman , went to coleman-street , where the horse was kept , to see and contract for him , on the lords day in the afternoone ; the horse being sadled , m. quince gets upon his back , to shew his chapman how well he would pace ; which done , as he was a lighting of his backe , his foote , which lighted on the ground slipped , the other foote hung in the stirrup , so as he fell to the ground , and with the fall brake his thighbone short off , so that he was carried from the place to an house neere adjoyning , where he lay in great paine , and agonye for 8 ▪ weekes space or more , allmost despairing of his life , and never stirring out of his bedde : at last it pleased god , by degrees to recover and restore him to the use of his legge againe , he having little use of it , ( & that with great paine ) for halfe a yeares space and more . his sonne had disswaded him from riding , because it was the lords day ; and himself hath since acknowledged it a just judgement of god upon him for profaning that sacred time , which hath made him more carefully to frequent the church , and to avoyd the profanation of the lords day ever since . this the party himselfe , and most of the tower can testify . example . ( 9. ) on february 9. 1634. being the lords day , an apothecaries man in limestreat london , rid to barnet with another companion , to make merry , who returning home drunke , neere highe gate , met a tinker , and offring him some abuse , the tinker strikes one of their horses , whereat the one bid the other run him through ; who drawing his rapier , ran the tinker through the breast , that he fell downe dead : therupon being by and by apprehended , and confessing the fact , they were both sent to newgate . example . 10. at thorneton neere westchester , the people there , upon the first publishing of the booke prepared for a solemne summer ale . the bringing in of their lady flora should have been guarded with a marshall troope : the lustiest wench , and stoutest young man in the towne were chosen to be the purveyors for cakes , and for ribbons for favours , the solemnity was to be on the munday , but the preparation on the lords day ; this lusty tall mayd , on the satturday before went to the mill , to fetch home the meale for cakes on her head , shee being stronge and able for the purpose : but in the way , passing by a hedge , shee was suddainly struck by a divine stroke , and fell into the ditch , where shee was found dead ; shee was suffered to lye abroad in that pickle all the lords day , til munday morning , when the coroner being send for , shee was thence carried to her grave immediately , where all her solemnity was burried with her , & all her vaine thoughts in that very day , wherein the great solemnity should have been . and see what a good effect this wrought in the whole towne ; first , all their mirth was turned into mourning , no summer ale kept , and besides that , they being moved by the dreadfull stroke of god , tooke their may-pole downe , which they had before sett up , and never after would presume to set it up againe , or to have any more summer-ales , or may-games . god grant they continue in their sober mindes , and that all other would learne to be wise by their example . example . 11. in yorkshire at a wake , in the parish of otley at baildon , on the lords day , two of them sitting at drinke , late in the night , fell out and being parted , the one a little after finding his fellow , sitting by the fire with his backe towards him , comes behinde him , and with a hatchet chines him downe the backe , so as his bowells fell out ; the murtherer flying immediately , and being hotly pursued , lept into a river , and so drowned himselfe . o fearefull fruits of carnall liberty ! example . 18. one in glocestershire being very forward to advance a solemne sommer-meeting , wherein his sonne was to be a cheefe stickler , went himselfe in great jollity to see it , and there beholding it , he fell downe suddainly , and so dyed . example . 12. one at ham neere kingston , being a scoffer of all goodnesse , and a common profaner of the sabbath , going abroad to see his grounds on the lords day , and finding some neighbours cattell to have broken in , he runnes to drive them out , and that with such eagernesse , that he fell downe dead instantly upon the place . example . 13. one wright at kingston , being a scoffer of religion , and rejoycing much at the suspending of his minister , and others , for not reading the booke of sports in their churches , saying , hee hoped to see them allso served shortly : was within a day or two after struck with a dead palsy , all over the one side , and with blindnesse and dumnesse , that he could neither goe , see , nor speake , and so lay in a miserable manner for a fortnight , and then dyed . example . 14. in moorefields neere london , sundry youths playing at catt on the lords day , two of them fell out , and the one hitting the other under the eare with his catt , he therewith fell downe for dead in the place , the other was sent to prison : but the dead for the time , by gods mercy recovering , the prisoner was released ; which may be a warning both to them , and all other youth , to take heed how they so profane the lords day . example . 1. a woman about northampton , the same day that shee heard the booke for sports read , went immediately , and having 3. pence in her purse , hired a fellow to goe to the next towne to fetch a minstrell , who comming , shee with others fell a dauncing , which continued within night ; at which time shee was got with child , which at the birth shee murthering , was detected and apprehended , and being convented before the justice , shee confessed it , and with all told the occasion of it , saying it was her falling to sport on the sabbath , upon the reading of the booke , so as for this treble sinful act , her presumtuous profaning of the sabbath : which brought her adulte●y & that murther . shee was according to the law , both of god and man , put to death , much sinne and misery followeth upon sabbath-breaking . example . 2. also at northampton , in the last easter assises , there was a youngman who formerly , by seeing the example of good people , in the due sanctification of the lords day or sabbath , had begun to reforme his former loose kind of life , and to frame his conversation , according to gods word , and that in the well keeping of the sabbath , abstaining therein from sports and pastimes , and spending the whole day in the publike and private duties of it ; but when once he heard of the publishing of the booke for sports , and pastimes , he fell backe againe to his former wallowing , and being taken as he was picking a pocket , when the iudges weare in the church , upon examination confessed what he had formerly beene , and how he had been reformed , and that upon the publishing of the sayd booke , he was incouraged to run riot a fresh , by which meanes he fell into this impiety and iniquity , for the which he suffered death . example . 15. aprill 1● . 1635. being satturday , one travelling with three others from london to maydenhead , he ( the rest spending the sabbath there ) would travell on his way , the next day being the lords day , contrary both to gods commandement , and also of the lady whom he served : who had given him strict charge ; to observe the sabbath , and not to travell on it . he rode in the morning to henley , and there heard the sermon , after that he fell to travail in the afternoone , but as he went in the way , leading his horse in his hand gently downe a plaine descent , and even way , his horse suddainly fell , and broke both his fore leggs , the man sore agast at this not more suddaine , then strange disaster , which he could not but attribute to the immediate hand of god , and being past all hope of recovery was forced himselfe to knocke his horse in the head , and so to leave him , and being the next day overtaken at abington by his company , whom he had left the day before , and they asking him how it fell out , he was no further on his way , he smote his breast , and told them how it had befallen him in the way , saying that he had heard many a good sermon , yet none of them or any thing else did so worke upon his conscience , as this thing did ; and that this example should be a warning unto him for ever travailing on the sabbathday againe . this is testified under the hands of those 3. which had travailed with him , and over tooke him . example . 16. at dartmouth 1634. upon the comming forth and publishing of the booke for sports , a company of younkers on may-day morning before day , went into the country , to fetch home a may-pole with drum and trumpett ; whereat the neighbouring ▪ inhabitants were affrighted supposing some enemies had landed to sacke them , the pole being thus brought home and set up , they began to drinke healthes about it , and to it , till they could not stand so steady as the pole did , whereupon the major and iustice bound the ringleaders over to the sessions , whereupon these complaining to the archbishops vicar generall , then in his visitation he prohibited the justices to proceed against them in regard of the kings booke . but the justices acquainted him , they did it for their disorder , in transgressing the bounds of the booke , hereupon these libertines scorning at authority , one of them fell suddainly into a ‡ consumption , whereof he shortly after dyed ; now allthough this revelling was not on the lords day , yet being upon any other day and especially may-day , the may-pole set up thereon , giving occasion to the profanation of the lords day the whole yeare after it was sufficient to provoke god , to send plagues and judgements among them . example . 17. in the same yeare 1634. and in the same shire , one edward amerideth a gentleman , having bene pained in his feet , and being upon his recovery , whereupon one sayd unto him , he was glad to see him so nimble . amerideth replyed , that he doubted not , but to daunce about the may-pole the next lords day : but behold the hand of the lord , for before he moved out of that place , he was smitten with such a feeblenesse of hart , and dizsines in his head , that desiring helpe to carry him to an house , he dyed before the lords day came ; so fearefull it is to fall into the hands of the living god. example . 54. many more examples might here be added , not only such as have fallen out within these two yeares last past , since the sayd booke was published by the ministers in their churches , but also , since the booke was first of all printed and published , the very bruite whereof , without being read by ministers , was enough , and to much to imbolden youth to take their liberty in profaning the lords day , but for the present , i will add but one more . at chidlington upon the edge of hertfordshire , not farre from hitchin , a company of fellowes upon a holy day being to play a match at foot ball , one of them was tolling the bell , to assemble the rest , some being come into the church the randevoze of their meeting , suddainly it thundering was seene a blacke ball come tumbling downe a hill neere by : which tooke its course directly into the church , there it flew into the bell free and first slew him , that tolled the bell , then it flustered about the church and hurted divers of them , and at last bursting ; left a filthy stinke like to that of brimstone , and so left a terror to all such spend thrifts of precious time , and especially such as is dedicated to sacred uses , who so is wise and will observe these things , even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the lord. psal. 107. 43. example . 4. vpon may day last , being the lords day , a mayd of the minister of the parish , cripplegate , london , was married to a widower having 3. children , the youngest being at nurce in the country ; upon this day they kept their feast in the church-house joyning to the church , where they spent all the afternoone in dauncing : but within one weeke after , the plague began in that parish in the new married mans house , where within a moneth it tooke away the man and his wife , and his two children that were in the house . and thus was the plague brought first into that parish this yeare . to this we will adde another example , because it fell within the same moneth , in the same city . a minister , rector of a church in london , on the saturday would goe with two of his neighbours , boon companions , to be joviall the next day , being the lords day , they conditioning that he should bestow a sermon upon them . they on the lords day , being now in the country , spent the forenoone idly : in the afternoone they goe to visit another london minister , who had another benefice there in the country ; he puts his brother to preach : which done invites him , with his companions , to a bottle of sacke . they drank so long , that the two neighbours tongues began to faile them . home to their lodging within a few miles they betake them . that night their minister could not sleepe ; and raising early to walke abroad , he returned with such a coldnesse upon him , that he looked , and felt like cold pale death ; the two neighbours much dismayd , and with much adoe get him home to london , where in that case continuing , he dyeth before the next sabbath day . example . 55. vpon may-eve thomas troe of glocester , carpenter in the parish of s. michaell , some comming unto him , and asking him , whether he would goe with them to fetch the may-pole , he swore by the lords woundes , that he would , though he never went more . now while he was working on the may-pole on may day morning , before he had finished his worke , the lord smote him with such a lamenesse and swelling in all his limbes , that he could neither goe , nor lift his hands to his mouth , to feed himselfe , but kept his bed for halfe a yeare together and still goes lame to this day ; may 4. 1636. example . 56. about a yeare since 1635. in ashton under the hill , in the parish of beckford , in the country of glocester , the minister there master blackwell , having occasion in his sermon in the afternoone on the lords-day to reproove the profaning of that day by sports &c. as soone as the sermon was done , a youngman of that place used these words , now master blackwell hath done , we 'le begin ; and so taking the cudgells , playes with them ; and at the second or third bout , he received a thrust in one of his eyes , that thrust it quite out , so as it hanged by , and could never recover it againe . these examples of divine justice , so notorious , so remarkableboth for number and variety , having fallen out in so narrow a compasse of time , and so dispersed over the whole land , as every particular place , and country might take speciall notice thereof : if they will not take , and make impression in our stony hearts , to moove us to speedy repentance ( as for many other enormities , and crying sins , so in speciall ) for this our ring-leading sinne of the heathenish profanation of the sabbath , or lords day : what plea can we make for our selves , why the lord of the sabbath , should not send some universall , epidemicall sweeping calamity uponthe land , sparing neither small nor great ? and now , that the plague and pestilence begins to breake forth , and spreeds itselfe much amongst us , the lord shooting these his terrible venemous arrowes , from which not even princes nor prelates palaces can secure themselves , from becoming his butts and marks : what can we more impute it unto , as the cause thereof , then to this grand sinne , of the profanation of the sabbath or lords day , occasioned so much the more by the publishing of the late booke for sports , and that , by the ministers themselves ? for was it not the judgement and confession of king iames of famous memory , and of the whole state and kingdome in an exhortation published in that great plague , beginning with his raigne , 1603 , where are these words : the lords sabbath is not kept holy , but polluted &c. and therefore the cause is apparent , why the plague is broken in amongst us ? and was not the same exhortation afterwards republished by our gracious king charles ( whom god long preserve a religious and righteous governour over us ) in the first yeare of his raigne , with the approbation of the whole parliament , where the same is acknowledged of that other great plague , in the beginning of his raigne 1625. namely , that one principall & speciall cause thereof , was the not keeping holy , but polluting the lords day ? and if this were a principall cause of those great plagues then , why not of this which now we suffer ? yea what plague upon plagues may we not justly expect to breake forth upon us in these dayes , wherein we have increased & surpassed our fathers sins , and that in such a height , as they reach up to heaven , to pull downe flames and flakes of vengeance upon our heads . and so much the more , sith upon the publishing of the said booke , so manyfold mischiefes have attended and followed , as never any age since christ , much lesse such a christian state as we professe to be , hath seene , or ever heard the like . for besides the open violation of gods holy commandement , the 4. morall , acknowledged in our ‡ homily to be the ground of our christian sabbath day ( as it is there , no lesse then 8. severall times distinctly stiled ; as also in another * homily twice , which by the way makes me wonder at the audacious insolence , & arrogant ignorance of some new masters in these dayes , and in particular of d r. poch . in his sunday no sabbath , who is not ashamed to avouch with open mouth , that the name of sabbath was never given to the lords day , untill it was brought in by iohn knox , & others of the puritan faction in the yeare 1554. what saith he then to the homilies of our church , which were set forth in k. edw. 6. his raigne , and so i am sure before 1554. by 3. or 4. yeares ; now these ( to omitt innumerable testimonies more , both out of ancient fathers , and the prelates of this land ; too large to be comprehended in a parenthesis , being now to furnish a pretty treatise ) these our homilies ( i say ) so frequently and clearly called the lords day the sabbath day , before iohn knox called it so , 1554. and the same homilies being set forth a fresh by queene elizabeth , 1562. will dr. p. dare to charge the learned and pious compilers of them , a pack of puritans , or ( as * some other ) novell sabbatarians ? but this by the way ) by which violation ( i say ) of the sabbath or lords day , god is intolerably dishonoured , and his religion disgraced through outragious libertinisme : what an invention of antichristian tyranny hath broken in at the opening of this great sluice ? what havock is made in our church by sundry of the hierarchy in suspending godly ministers , depriving them of their liberty , livelyhood , and freeholds , against all lawes of god and man , so as they , their wives and children are exposed to beggery and all misery , and their flocks to be devoured of the wolves , and to become a prey to that roaring lion ; and all this , because they dare not offer violence to their consciences , in doing that , which should dishonour god , indanger their owne , and their peoples soules , abase before god and man the authority and dignity to their ministry , condemne the innocent people of god , and call the wicked righteous , teach inferiours rebellion to their superiours , and in a word hasten the pulling downe of vengeance from heaven upon the land ? o ye heavens , stand amazed at this sight ! tell it not in gath , nor publish it in the streets of askelon , least the daughters of the philistims rejoyce , least the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph . what could the pope have done more , then some of our prelates have done in this kind , for the darkening of the glory of christs kingdome , and for the setting up of antichrists throne againe in this land ? but our lord sayth , ye shall know them by their fruits . besides , what impudency and impiety hath broken out from sundry aëry and ambitious spirits , who have dared in their late published bookes upon bookes , to belch out their blasphemies against god , and the power , purity , and profession of the religion established amongst us for so many yeares . nor only is the floodgate of all profanenesse and impiety broken up , in the violation of the 4. commandement , but of the 5. also , when as , by occasion of the publishing of the sayd booke ( which inhibits magistrates and superiours , to restraine or punish youth for taking such liberty on the lords day , as the booke alloweth , and which all other books , writings , monuments of fathers , councells , kings , emperours , divines ancient and moderne , protestants and papists , have universally with one vote and voyce cryed downe , till now but yesterday a new generation of maleferiati hath risen up , out daring and defining the whole world , and god himselfe ) inferiour persons exalt themselves in high contempt against their superiours , as the common vulgar against the magistrate and minister , servants against their masters , children against their parents , and wanton wives against their husbands , which hath caused such outcryes and complaints of masters , for their servants unbridled and uncontrowled outrage on the lords day ; which must also in-jure them with pride and presumption of spirit the whole weeke after , and so their whole life , while like untamed colts they have thus learned to take the bitt betweene their teeth , and so to runne a gallop into all excesse of riot . so as if the booke be not all the sooner called in , and the authors of those late books against the sanctification of the lords day condignly punished ; and a speedy reformation hereofset on foot : how can we looke for a stay of the plague untill the land be consumed ? now the lord make us wise , to lay these things to heart , least he teare in peeces , and there be none to deliver . for as never any christian church hath produced such monstrous impieties : so never any church hath bene the theater of such tragicall examples of divine wrath , as our land is like to be , if we speedily repent not . vnlesse therefore we repent , we shall all likewise perish , as these examples have done before us . now for these so many , so markable examples of gods judgements inflicted upon the violaters and profaners of the lords day , and that in so short a time , even since the booke for such sports was published , we may thus argue and conclude . that , for which the lord inflicteth and executed so many notorious and severe judgements , must needs be a notorious and hainous sin , and so a breach of his holy commandement . but for the violation and profanation of the lords day by sports and pastimes , or by servile works , the lord inflicteth and executeth many notorious and severe judgements , as of late we have seene . erg. the violation & profanation of the lords day is a notorious and heinous sin , and so a breach of gods holy commandement . the major proposition is a maxime in divinity . god punisheth no man , but for sin : and sin is a transgression of gods law : 1. ioh. 3. 4. for the minor proposition , it is so cleare , as it cannot be denied , except men will be senselesse and blind atheists but they that feare god , shall declare the worke of god , for they shall wisely consider of his doing ; as ps. 64. 9. now if the violation or profanation of the lords day be a sin , and so a transgression of gods holy commandement : then of what holy cōmandement , but of the 4. and if of the 4. then the holy keeping of the lords day for the christian sabbath , is grounded upon the 4. commandement , and cōmanded in it , as god hath abundantly testified by his many remarkable judgments , even within this two yeares , as hath bene shewed . ob. but here some may object : god may punish men for the breach of humaine ordinances , which are not the expresse commandements of god. so in this instance , god may punish the violation or profanatiō of the lords day by such sportes , or wakes , as being a breach of a humaine ordinance , or ecclesiasticall institution . answ. i answere it is true , all humaine ordinances , being not against gods word , are to be observed for conscience sake of gods commandement , commanding subjection to all ordinances of men for the lords sake . and if it were a humaine ordinance , to dedicate this day of holy rest to god by a perpetuall vow and decree : then the greater is their sin , that devoure that which is sanctified , and after the vow make inquiry , how it may be violated . so as they ly under the wrath of god , for so doing , and are lyable to the like judgements , without repentance . the epilogve . thus have i presented you with a large scene of late severall examples of gods judgements upon sabbath-breakers , and such a disorderly people , who have bene so presumptuous as to profane the lords owne sacred day , against the monitions of gods faithfull ministers , with unnecessary labour , vaine sports and idle pastimes . to which i might annexmany ancient precedents of like nature which i pretermit , onley one excepted , which is remarkable . in the yeare of our lord 1583. in the famous metropolis of this our land , the city of london , two citizens the one leaving his wife , the other her husband , and committing adultery together on the lords-day , it pleased god to strike them dead with fire from heaven , whilst they were in in the very act of uncleannes , their bodies being left dead in the place halfe burnt up , sending out a most loathsome savour , for a spectacle of gods avenging justice unto others , to teach them both to shun the sin of adultery and of sabbath-breaking too , and to take heed how they commit any sin or wickednesse at any time and especially on gods sacred day , or how they follow dauncing , may-games , morisdaunces , ales , and such lascivious pastimes , b which commonly end in whoredome , adultery as being strong allurements thereunto , this judgment was so famous and remarkable , that laurentius bayenlinke , a forraine historian , in his opus chronologicum orbis universi antwerp . 1611. p. 110. hath thought good to register it to posterity ; if any deeme those judgements strange , or that god should inflict such punishments on this sin , which some now justify , as a part of christian liberty , both in the pulpit & in c printed works . i shall only intreat such to remember , that the whole convocation house , all the archbishops , bishops , archdeacons , and greatest clerks of england in their booke intituled the institvtion of a christian man , subscribed with all their names , and dedicated to k. hen. 8. an . 1537. and k. hen. 8. himselfe in his owne booke inscribed a necessary doctrine and erudition for any christian man set forth by the kings majesty of england , with the advise and approbation of the lords spirituall and temporall , and nether house of parliament , an . 1543. and by the king himselfe , dedicated under his name and title to all his faithfull and loving subjects , and published by vertue of the statute , of 32. h. 8. c. 26. in the exposition of the 4. commandement , have in the very dawning of reformation injoyned all bishops and preachers diligently to instruct and teach the people , committed to their spirituall charge ( and i wish that some bishops would now doe it ) that against this commandement generally do offend all they , which having no lawfull impediment , doe not give themselves upon the holy day to heare the word of god to remember the benefits of god , to give thanks for the same , to pray , to exercise such holy works both publikely in the church , and privately in their houses , as be appointed for such holy dayes : but ( as commonly is used ) passe the time either in idlenesse , in gluttony , in riot or other vaine and idle pastime , doe * breake this commandement . for surely such keeping of holy day , is not according to the intent & meaning of this cōmandement , ( as some new * doctors now dogmatize ) but after the usage & custome of the iewes , ( though some late rabbies would make the world beleeve that the strict sanctification of the lords day , and the restraining of vaine sports and pastimes on it , is iewish , when a ignatius , b augustine , c cirillus , alexandrinus , d ephraim , syrus , e socrates , scholasticus , f theodosius the emperor , g beda , vincentius belvacensis , and generally all authors since , have branded dauncing , sports , and recreations on the lords day both as jewish and heathenish ▪ and i d r iohn white in his way to the true church , defended & published by his elder brother , d r fr. white now bp. of ely , k mr zanchie , l wolfg. musculus , m m r iohn sprint , as popish and licentious ; tending to the overthrow of piety , and desolation of publike governement , ) and doth not please god , but doth much more offend him , and provoke his indignation and wrath towards us . for as n s. augustine saith of the iewes , they should be better occupied , labouring in the feilds , and to be at plough , then to be idle at home . and women should better bestow their time in spinning of wool , then on the sabbath-day to loose their time in leaping or dauncing , and other idle wantonnesse . now if the whole clergy , king , state , and parliament were so quicke-sighted as in those times of darknes to see a lords day sabboth in the 4. commandement , to be wholly , onely and intirely dedicated to god and his true worship , as they there teach ; and so pious as to beleeve , that the exercise of vaine idle sports , pastimes , and dauncing on it , did much more offend god , then ploughing or spinning , and provoke his wrath and indignation towards us ; no wonder if we in the cleare sunshine of the gospell behold so many sad spectacles of his wrath , and indignation against the offendors of this commandement in this kind , to teach these blind seers , and seducing guides ( as o bp. latimer long since named them ) that god is now as jealous for the sanctification of his day , and as much offended with the profanesse of it , and infringers of the fourth commandement , by unnecessary labours , travell , or idle pastimes , as he had bene in any age , if not rather much more , in regard of the great light of the gospell , that hath for these many yeares so clearly shined amongst us , which if they will not yet beleeve , i shall at once close up their mouthes with the resolution of our homilies ratified by p act of parliament , and the 35. article of our church , to which these novellers have subscribed , and whose patronage they pretend against all q novell sabbatarians : but alas ( saith r the homily ) all these notwithstanding ( and i pray god , i may not still say notwithstanding all these fresh examples ) it is lamentable to see the wicked boldnesse of those , that will be counted gods people who passe nothing at all of keeping and hallowing the sunday . and these people are of two sorts , the one sort , if they have businesse to doe , though there be no extreame need , they must not spare for the sunday , they must ride journeyes on the sunday , they must drive and carry on the sunday , they must come and ferry on the sunday , they must buy and sell on the sunday , they must keepe markets and faires on the sunday , finally they use all dayes alike , worke dayes and holy dayes are all one . the other sort is worse ( so the homily against these ‡ new masters , who make labour in mens callings on the lords day worse and more unlawfull then dauncing & pastimes , contrary to the judgement of s s. augustine , gregory the great t alensis and all u writers since who unavoce resolve , that it is better and more lawfull to plough and spin on the sabbath-day , then to daunce : ) for allthough they will not travell and labour on the sunday , as they doe on the worke day , yet they will not rest in holinesse as god commandeth ; but they rest in ungodlinesse and filthinesse , prauncing in their pride , pranking and pricking , pointing and painting themselves to be gorgeous and gay , they rest in excesse and superfluity , in gluttony and drunkennesse ( as they doe at wakes , ales , and may-poles ) like ratts and swine , they rest in brawling and rayling , in quarrelling and fighting , they rest in wantonnes ( and what else is dauncing , moris-dauncing , maygaming &c. ) into-ish talking , in filthy fleshlines , so that it doth too evidently appeare , that god is more dishonoured and the devill better served on sunday , then upon all the dayes of the weeke besides . and i assure you , that the beasts that are commanded to rest on the sunday , honour god better then this kind of people , for they offend not god , they breake not their holy dayes . wherefore , o ye people of god , lay your hands upon your hearts , repent and amend this grievous and dangerous wickednesse , stand in awe of the commandement of god , gladly followe the example of god himselfe , be not disobedient to the godly order of christs church used and kept from the apostles times untill this day , feare the displeasure and just plagues of allmighty god if ye be negligent , and forbeare not labouring and travailing on the * sabbath day , and doe not resort together to celebrate and magnifie gods blessed name in quiet holinesse and godly reverence . i shall conclude all with the words of the councell of paris under lewis and lotharius . anno 829. li. 1. c. 50. & . li. 3. c. 5. & 19. multa alia terribilia judicia &c. many other terrible judgments have bene , and hetherto are , whereby is declared how much god is offended with the dishonour of this day . wherefore the imperiall highnesse is specially to be implored of the ‡ preists , that this power ordained of god for the honour and reverence of so great a day , may put a feare into all men , least none of what condiō soever presume on this holy and venerable day to use these and the likesports , dauncings and leapings hereafter , because while they doe these things , they both darken the glory of christianity , and give occasion to the blasphemers of christs name the more to dishonour him . we require also , and earnestly intreat , that in the observation of the lords day , as we have a longe time beseeched you , you use due care that unlesse great necessity constraine you , free your selves on that day , as much as may be from worldly cares and sollicitousnesse . and that which becometh the honour of so great a day , that both you your selves doe it , and by your example doe teach and compell yours to doe it . we wholsomly admonish all faithfull people , that they give due honour and reverence to the lords day , because the dishonour of this day doth both much swarue and abhorre from christian religion , and doth without doubt procure the perill of soules to the violaters thereof ; and with that of the councell of burges , an . 1582. apud bachellum decreta ecclesiae gall. l. 4. tit. 7. c. 21. allthough lords dayes and holy dayes are instituted only for this purpose , that faithfull christians abstaining from externall and gainfull works , might more freely and with greater piety give themselves to divine worship , and to the meditation of the infinite benefits of gods goodnesse towards mankinde , and so being wholly taken up with the wholsome duties of religion , should diligently beware as ignatius admonisheth the philippians , that they should not abuse holy dayes with any disgrace or injuries , yet notwithstanding in our times , it preposterously and usually comes to passe , that both solemne and religious dayes are not only spent in transacting , unlawfull and secular businesse , but likewise in luxury , lasciviousnesse , prohibited sports and pastimes revells , and the exercising of other wickednesses , whereupon it is not to be doubted , that for the greatest part , so many calamities wherewith we are so long since consumed are justly inflicted on us by god , who is incensed against us by so great wickednes . to appease whose present anger and likewise to avert his greater indignation hanging over our heads : we command all parish priests of our province , that they frequently and seriously admonish the people , that on lords dayes they not only keepe themselves from all prohibited works , but likewise that they be ex animo cordially and religiously , present at all sacred misteries of the church , and at the preaching of gods word , and that they pretermit not the works of piety in releiving the poore , comforting the afflicted , and in doing other pious things , wherein christian profession and charity do most of all shine forth . and we exhort all magistrates according to their and our duety , as farre as possibly we may , that they would take care , that those holy and solemne dayes should be holily and piously celebrated , this being principally in their power , and belonging to their charge . neither verily can any manner of governing the common wealth , be better or more praise worthy then that which gives the first place and care to divine worship and religion . finis . christian reader , as these examples have beene displaced , so one of them hath beene omitted in the printing , which because it is notable and worthy consideration , i shall here adde for a conclusion . m r. william noy , that great gamaliel of the law , his majesties late aturney generall , as he had a great hand in compiling and republishing the late declaration for pastimes on the lords day ( thrust out by his , and a great prelates practise , to thwart iudge richardsons good order for the suppressing of wakes and revels in somersetshire , and the iustices of that shires petition to his majesty for the continuance of it , and to make way for a starchamber censure against m r. prynne ) so he eagerly persecuted this wel-deserving gentleman of his own profession and society , ( to whom he was formerly a friend in appearance , but an inveterate enemy in truth ) for his histrio-mastix , compiled onely out of the words and sentences of other approved authors of all sorts , against the use and exercise of stage-plaies , enterludes , morisdances , maygames , may-poles , wakes , lascivious mixt dancing , and other ethnick pastimes , condemned in all ages , without any thought or suspition of giving the least offence , either to the kings most excellent majesty , the queene , or state , as he averred in his answer upon oath . and although this book was written 4. yeares , licensed almost three , printed fully off a quarter of a yeare , and published 6. weekes before the queenes majesties * pastorall , against which it was falsely voiced to have beene principally written ; diligently perused and licensed by m r. thomas buckner the then archbishop of canterbury his chaplaine , both before and after it came from the presse , entred in the stationers hall under the wardens hand , printed publikely in three authorized printing-houses , without the least controll , and published by the said licensers direction , who would have nothing new-printed in it , as appeared upon oath at the hearing : and although m r. noy himselfe ( to whom he presented one of the bookes ) upon the first reading of it , commended it , thanked him for it , oft affirmed that he saw no hurt in it , and at the hearing confessed , that the worst and most dangerous phrase and passage in it , might have a good and faire construction , and schollers would all take it in a good sence ; yet he handled the matter so ( by * suppressing the gentlemans exhibits and defence , wresting his words and meaning , refusing to discover the particulars of the booke on which he would insist , though ordered so to doe by the court , it being else impossible to instruct counsell how to make a reply , and by tampering under hand with some of his counsell by no meanes to make any justification or defence to cleare his innocency though the party earnestly intreated , and gave them instructions to the contrary ) that the poore gentleman at last received the heaviest y censure that this latter age hath knowne , all circumstances considered , being expelled the vniversity of oxford and lincolnes inne , thrust from his profession in which hee never offended , fined 5000. pound to the king , ordered to stand on two severall pillories , and there to lose both his eares , his bookes to be there burned before him , and to suffer imprisonment during life besides . which sentence thought by most that heard the cause to bee meant only in terrorem , without any intention at al of execution , being respited for above three moneths space , and in a manner remitted by the queenes most gracious mediation ; was yet by this atturnies and a great prelates importunity , beyond all expectation suddenly and severely executed , without any the least mitigation , few of the lords so much as knowing of it . the gentleman hereupon is set on the pillory at westminster and there lost an eare ; mr. noy like a joyfull spectator laughes at his sufferings , and this his great exploit he had brought to passe , which divers there present observed and condemned in him . the gentleman like an harmelesse lambe tooke all with such patience , that hee not so much as once opened his mouth to let fall any one word of discontent . yet that just god and soveraigne lord of heaven and earth , z who beholdeth mischiefe and spite to requite it with his hand , and avengeth the innocent bloud of his servants , took this his mirth and malice so hainously , that the same day ( as some about him , and of his owne society reported ) he who thus shed his brothers and companions bloud , by the just hand of god fell a voyding and pissing out his owne : which so amazed him , that he used all meanes he could to smother it from the world , charging his laundres , and those about him , not to speake of it , refusing to acquaint his physicians with it : hereupon hee growes very palid and ill , the physicians wonder at it ; he complaines to them onely of the gravell and stone in his kidnies , till at last he grew so ill with this divine stroke , that he was forced to disclose his griefe to them , yet so as they must faithfully promise to disclose it to no man , for feare people should say it were a just judgement of god on him for shedding mr. prynnes blood : but god would not have this secret long concealed ; his laundres , men , & some gentlemen of his society discover and talke of it : he much vexed in mind , in stead of repenting of what he had done , and seeking to right the party wronged for his irreparable dammage , like a hart or beast once mortally wounded , proceeds on in his former fury , seeks to bring the poore distressed gentleman into fresh trouble & a further censure , brings him oretenus , into the starchamber , reviles him with all maner of uncivell words , moves to have him close prisoner among the rogues in newgate , sels his chamber as forfeited to the house by his expulsion , seiseth his books : and when as the court would not grant his unreasonable malitious motion , above 5. weeks after in the long vacation , when most of the lords were gone , and his majesty in his progresse , drawes up an order of his own making in starchamber for the gentlemans close imprisonment ( the last order he ever made ) caused the register to enter it , and sends it to the tower to be executed the same day he went to tunbridge waters , without the lords or courts privity . the day following drinking of those waters he was in miserable torture , in so much that most dispaired of his life , and some reported he was dead : and hearing there , that his disease of voyding bloud was then publikely known and talked of in london , he was so vexed at it , that hee fell out with his physicians and servants , rayling on them like a frantick man , as if they had betrayed him , and disclosed his secrets ; yea it so fretted and gnawed his heart & conscience , that it made his very heart & intrails to perish : and about a fortnight after brought him to his end . being opened after his death , ther was not a drop of bloud found in his body , for he had voided al out before , his false malicious hard heart with inward fretting & vexing was so consumed & shrinked up , that it was like an old rotten leather purse or meere scurfe , the physicians never seeing the like before , his flesh and kidnies were as black as an hat , his intrails ( except his lungs onely ) all putred ; and his carkas a miserable spectacle , but no stone that could trouble him was found about him : his funerall according to his desire was so private , that there were hardly gentlemen enough to carry him to his grave , but that some came in by accident . his clients the players , for whom he had done knight-service , to requite his kindnes , the next terme following make him the subject of a merry comedy , stiled ; a projector lately dead ; wherein they bring him in his lawyers robes upon the stage , and openly dissecting him , find 100. proclamations in his head , a bundle of old motheaten records in his maw , halfe a barrell of new white sope in his belly , which made him to scoure so much , and yet , say they , he is still very black & foule within . and as if this voiding of all his owne blood , & publike disgrace on the stage were not sufficient to expiate the wronged gentlemans bloud & infamy : himselfe in his last will layes a brand on his owne son and heire : bequeathing all his goods and lands not therein given to others , to edward his eldest son to be scattered and spent , nec de eo melius speravi : enough to make a dutifull child turne unthrift , & a signe of a dispayring man. which son of his upon his own challenge & rashnes hath since beene slaine in a duell in france by captaine byron , who escaped scotfree and had his pardon . thus hath god punished bloud with bloud : thus hath he dealt with one of the chiefe occasioners of this * declaration , & burner of that book , which learnedly manifested the unlawfulnes of the severall sports and pastimes countenanced in it , especially on the lords own sacred day out of old and new writers of all sorts , & specified divers judgements of god upon the authors , actors , & spectators of them , not unworthy consideration in these sable times of plagues and judgements . o consider this & all other the foregoing examples , ye impious prelates , that so far forget the lord , as still to silence , excommunicate & persecute godly ministers for not reading this declaration ( though there be no canon , statute , law or precept extant that requires it ) to the ruine , not so much of them , as their poore innocent peoples soules : ye that in these dolefull daies of plague and pestilence suppresse , neglect all publike fasting , preaching and praying , which now if ever should be cried up & practised , and in stead thereof give your selves over to * dancing , feasting , playing , * sabbath breaking , to draw downe more wrath and plagues upon us . you who oppresse & maliciously persecute godly men , for crossing you in your delights of sin , lest ye now perish as these have done , & so much the rather , because you have al these presidents to admonish you , and yet will not be warned . well , if you will not be admonished but proceed as you have done , if you perish , thanke your selves ; i can say no more to you but this : * discite justitiam moniti & non temnere divos . courteous reader , i pray correct with thy pen these mistakes and omissions of the printers , ere thou read the books , errata and omissions . in the title page , l. 17. r. inchoat . l 18. r. cansummat in the epistle , p. 2. l. 3. for with . r. as l. 15. r. hapning . p. 3. l. 4. r. so audaciously . l. 24. f. sins , r. sinewes . l. 27. f. hath , r. have . l. 31 r. in petrus blesensis . p 4. ● . 29. r. pointes . p 5. l. 13. r. and such p. 8. l. 31. f. were as , r. as were in the examples , p. 11. exam. 5. l. 8 were all drowned : adde this omission : as some letters report : others say they were onely in great danger of drowning , a spring tide breaking the ice , but with much labourwer at last saved after 2. or 3. houres space by the helpe of hotes . p. 15 l. 13. f. reare , r reare p. 28. l. 1. f. 1634 r. 1636 l. 2. r. parish of s. giles p. 32. l. 1. f. now , r. enough . l 6. r. dr. h. l. 11. f. invention , r. inundation . l. 23. f. to , r. of . p. 33. l. 19. f. defining , r. defying . p. 38. l. 31. prophanesse , r. prophaners . p. 39. l 1. had , r. hath . l. 18. come , r. rowe . p. 40 l. 30. this , r. his . l. 32. none . r. any . p. 41. l. 20. r. bochellum . p. 36 , in the marg . r. beluacensis . psal. 119. 120. my flesh trembleth for feare of thee , and i am afraid of thy iudgements . levit. 26. 27. 28. and if ye will not for all this hearken unto me , but walke contray unto me : then i will walke contrary unto you also in fury , and i , even i will chastise you seven times more for you sinnes . an advertisement to the reader , covrteovs reader . be pleased to understand , that thorow some oversight at the presse , the foregoing examples are not orderly placed . indeed it was the authors minde that they should have beene otherwise to wit , 1. 2. 3. and so all the rest , in order one after another , as they are numbred in the booke , and to this end gave direction , but the same was not considered of these who where imployed for the printing , untill it was to late . now this we thought good to certifie thee of , that so the mistake may be imputed , to the parties deserving it , and not to the author , who it blamelesse herein . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a17298-e150 * as he hath done on the 4. commandement itselfe , and on these infringers of it . a nullam habet spem salutis ager quem ad intemperantiā medicus hortatur : sence . b see the doctrine of the sabbath ; the history of the sabbath ; the treatise of the sabbath-day and discourse of the sabbath lately printed : whichthough they condemne the very name of sabbath , as iewish yet they are all characterised with that name and title . * 2. pet. 2. v. 16. c see the history , treatise , discourse , & doctrine of the sabbath accordingly , and sunday no sabbath . d 1. car. c. 1. 3. car. c. 1 e 1. 27. h. 6. 5. 5. & 6. e. 6. c. 3. f of the time and place of prayer . part . 1. of disobedience and unlawfull rebellion . part , 3. p. 293. 293. g the prayer after the 4. and 10. commandement . h canon . 13. 163. i article 35 of ireland . 56 k queene elis ▪ injunct : 20. l homil. 162. in matth. fol. 308. hom. 28. in mar. f. 35. hom. 56. in lu. f. 141. hom. 36. in ioan. f. 77. hom. 88. in act. m comment . in matth. 12. & 14. p. 376. 423. in ioan. 7. f. 293. n history of the sabbath . part . 2. c. 6. inst. 9. 10. o d. ●ooklinghton sunday no sabbath p. 8. p concio 6. 9. 19. 20. 21. notes for div a17298-e1500 1634. 1634. aprill . 20. 1634. 1634. 1634. 1634. eccl. 11. 9. 1635. 1634. 1634. 1635. 1635. ‡ deut. 28. 22. 1634. 1634. notes for div a17298-e3420 ‡ homily of the time and place of prayer . part. 1. pag. 124. 125. 126. * hom. against rebellion part . 3. pag. 292. * doctor wh. bp. of ely. notes for div a17298-e3600 a so the statute of 1. caroli c. 1. stiles them . b vincentius volnacensis spec. moral . li. 3. ps . 9. distin. 6. master northbrooke stubs , brant lovel , and others in their treatises against dauncing . c the late treatise , history and discourse of the sabboth , sunday no sabbath , doctor pri. and a soveraigne antidote against sabbatarian novelties . * ergo it is in force and the profaning of the lords day a sin against it . * as the treatise history discourse of the sabbath . a epist. 6. ad magnesianes . b tract . 3. in ioh. de 10. chordis . c. 3. in ps. 32. 91. de consensu euang. li 2. c. 77. c in ioh. euang. li. 8. c. 5. d homily de festis diebus . e eccl. hist. l. 7. c. 13. f codicis theodosij li. 15. tit . 5. lex . 5. g enare in ps. 91. i edit . 5. lon. 1624. sect. 38 n. 1. p. 110. se. 43. digr . 46. n. 6. p. 165. 186. k in 4. preceptum . l in iohn e● . c. 7. fol. 273. m proposition for the christ. sabbathd . p. 4. n in iohan. tract . 3. in ps. 32 ▪ & 91. de 10. chordis c. 3. ( h ) speculū morale li. 3. part . 9. c. 6. o in his sermons . p 13. eliz. c. 12. which ratifies the 39 articles . q the treatise and history of the sabbath . r part. 1. of the time and place of prayer . p. 126. ‡ treatise of the sabbath-day . p. 231. s tract . 3. in ioh. in ps. 32. & 91. de 10. chordis c. 3. t apud alex . alensis summ . theologiae part . 4. q. 11. m. 2. art. 11. u media villa peraldus nider volaterranus f. martyr , musculus , stuckius , aretius , hyperius , szegedine , angel. de clavasio . dr ▪ bound , dr criffith , williams practise of piety , osmund lake , and infinite others ▪ * see the homily 8. times styles the lords day and the 3. homily of rebellion twice . ‡ note . notes for div a17298-e4390 examp. 57. * one of the actors wherof and hee who first shewed his booke to the king within few moneths after came to bee his fellow prisoners in the tower for a reall comentary on his misapplyed text * the iudge who upon his reference suppressed these exhibits contrary to law & promise to the gentleman , was himselfe not long after unexpectedly thrust out of his place before he knew of it . y the great lord that began this censure lost his lady in childb●d some three dayes after , who much grieved at this sentence and blamed him for it . which lord riding the last christ-tide into the country to keepe his christmas on the lords day , his coach and honor in the plaine street at brainford were both overturned and laid in the dirt , himselfe sore bruised , and thereupon forced to keepe his chamber a good space , there being some doubt of his recovery for a time . z psal. 10. 14. * the occasion of most of these tragicall examples . * neh. 13. 17. 18. * bishops saith augustine cont. btil . l. 3. c. 6. ) were all wont vaine dances to reprove , but now they are so farre from it , that they to dance doe love . thomas lovel his dialogue . witnes their late oxford pro phane plaies and dances . * virgil. a discourse of the sabbath and the lords day wherein the difference both in their institution and their due observation is briefly handled. by christopher dow, b.d. dow, christopher, b.d. 1636 approx. 148 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 40 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2008-09 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a69228 stc 7088 estc s110113 99845728 99845728 10649 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a69228) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 10649) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1411:04) a discourse of the sabbath and the lords day wherein the difference both in their institution and their due observation is briefly handled. by christopher dow, b.d. dow, christopher, b.d. [4], 75, [1] p. printed by m. flesher for john clark, and are to be sold at his shop under s. peters church in cornhill, london : m dc xxxvi. [1636] variant: title page has "intsitution". reproduction of the original in the union theological seminary (new york, n.y.). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath -early works to 1800. sunday -early works to 1800. 2006-10 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-11 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-02 elspeth healey sampled and proofread 2007-02 elspeth healey text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discovrse of the sabbath and the lords day . wherein the difference both in their intsitution and their due observation is briefly handled . by christopher dow , b. d. london , printed by m. flesher for john clark , and are to be sold at his shop under s. peters church in cornhill . mdc xxxvi . to the reader . the substance of this discourse , being at first , the materialls of some letters written for the satisfaction of a private friend , was afterwards drawne together into the forme in which it now appeares , and found the favour , from some unto whom it was communicated , to bee desired to the presse ; for which end it hath lyen in the licensers hand , now above a yeare expecting the cōduct of that reverend prelate who upon speciall occasion then offered , ( as it appeares ) by command , undertook this argument : which having performed , like himselfe , with such variety of learning and profoundnesse of judgement , this pamphlet of mine may now justly seeme as unnecessary to follow , as heretofore it was unable and unworthy to leade the way : yet considering that the brevity of it might make it passe and finde acceptance with some ; and that , being of a mean straine , it might better meete with common capacities , then larger and more elaborate tractates ; i was willing it should see the light , and that in its owne garbe without any polishing or alteration . and so i commend thee and it to gods blessing . perlegi hunc tractatum theologicum , cuititulus est [ a discourse of the sabbath , and of the lords day , &c. ] in quo nihil reperio sanae doctrinae , aut bonis moribus contrarium , quominus cum utilitate publicâ imprimi possit , ita tamen , ut si non intra tres menses proximè sequentes typis mandetur , haec licentia sit omnino irrita . ex aedibus lambethanis novemb. 18. 1635. guil . bray. r. p. d. arch. cant. capel . domesticus . a discovrse of the sabbath and lords day . that men may not bee deceived with shewes , and mistake iudaisine for christianity ; or that they , who so mistaking , use to disrellish all things which suit not with the principles of their catechismes , may not thinke they have ingrossed all religion and piety to themselves , and they thereby incouraged to proceed in their hard censures of those that concurre not with them : and that the piety and religious care , which is eminent in the governours of our church and state , may appeare in their true lustre , and outshine those mists , wherewith some seeke to obscure them : and that it may appeare also that they whose chiefest care , next to their duty to god , is to yeeld all ready and cheerefull obedience to gods vicegerent , and to those reverend fathers which under god , and his sacred . majesty have the oversight of this church , are not hood-winkt in their obedience , or blindly led to yeeld to their commands without respect to religion or conscience , as if they had rather obey them then god ; i have adventured upon that obloquie , which hath beene the lot of such as ( though upon never so good grounds ) dissent from these men in opinion . and this i the rather doe in this subject , for as much as in it i have not onely the authoritie of the sacred scriptures , ( which are the rule of things to be beleeved and done ) but , the consent also of the whole church of christ ; neither the ancient fathers nor the reformed churches ( to omit the church of rome , whose doctrine though in this case not to be condemned , is of little credit with those whom i dissent from ) ever teaching other doctrine then that which i shall endeavour the defence of . for whereas in other things which they dislike among us , they have for patrons the principall authors of the reformation abroad , and the prime doctors among them , whose learning and piety , much admired by them , may seeme to pleade for their over-earnest , and heedlesse embracing of their principles : in these sabbatarian paradoxes , they are singular and left alone , without the patronage of those whom otherwise they so much admire , and without the example of any church in christendome . and i beleeve further ( being ledd thereunto by their doctrine , delivered in their writings extant , and by the generall and constant relation , of all that have knowne their practise and compared it with ours ) that there is not a state in christendome who have made better provision for the due observance of the lords day , and the decent performance of the sacred acts of gods worship , then are to bee found in the ecclesiasticall and temporall lawes of this realme , nor where such lawes are more duely executed by those in authority , or more generally observed or practised by all , then they are at this day among us . these considerations have animated mee to this worke , hoping thereby to settle the mindes of such as are contrary minded rather for want of due consideration , then out of wilsulnesse and contempt of authority . hee that goes about to vindicate the just liberty of christians in the use of lawfull recreations on the sunday , shall finde himselfe upon a double disadvantage . 1. in regard of the preconceived opinion among weake people , of their pietie and religious zeale which hold the contrary . and 2. in that the strict observance of that day , is by some made a prime character of a good christian , to distinguish him from a carnall worldling , and so the question in hand accounted as an infallible marke to know the state of religion ; which stands or falls according , as it is either way determined . it behoves mee therefore to walke with a wary and sure foot , and following the truth to strike an equall course betweene an over nice strictnesse , and a profane licence : and so to speake in this cause , as that the soberly religious shall have no just cause to complaine ; nor the profane be incouraged to go on in licentiousnesse . either of which wayes as it is easie to offend , so in whether of the two a man offends most , is as uneasie to determine ; the one letting loose , the other ensnaring mens consciences ; the one shutting up the kingdome of heaven , and making the way thither more narrow then it is ; the other making it broader , and enlarging the mouth of hell. my aime and endeavour shall bee to avoid both . among those things which have occasioned the generall prevailing of the opinion , that the sunday or lords day ought to bee observed with such strictnesse as will admit no works which may be called ours , that is , ( as they call them ) workes of our particular callings , and much lesse recreations : it is none of the least that now of a long time among us ( contrary to the use of the primitive church , yea and of our owne in the memory of our fathers ) it hath lost its christen name , and entertained the iewish , being vulgarly knowen and called by the name of the sabbath . whence it comes to passe that men ( prone more to respect names then things ) never heeding the difference betweene the old sabbath and our sunday , or thinking it to bee little or none at all , take those places of scripture , which so severely prohibit all work upon the sabbath , as if they did no lesse belong to us now , then heretofore to the iewes : and by this meanes , those precepts , threatnings , and promises which concerned the observation of the sabbath , are pressed upon us point blanck . whereas indeed they concerne us onely indirectly , and cannot without fetching a compasse , be alledged at all for our sunday . now the scripture being so expresse ( as it is apprehended ) for the strict observance of our sunday under the name of the sabbath , no marvell if men have made it a prime case of conscience , and that so many scruples are dayly raised , and so many traditions broached about the beginning and ending of the sabbath ; about the works of a mans particular calling , what they are , and how farre lawfull on that day : what are the proper duties of the day , and the like ? for the cleare resolution therefore of this question ; whether the use of recreations may stand with the due observation of the lords day , it is convenient that i have some recourse to the sabbath . where because i love not cramben saepiùs coctam apponere , or to stuffe my discourse with a tedious explanation of those things which are commonly known ; and every where to be found , i will with as much brevity as the cause will suffer , inquire into these 4. particulars . 1. whether , and how farre forth the fourth commandement concerning the sabbath is moral , and perpetuall , and so belonging to christians . 2. when and by whom the lords day was instituted . 3. what workes the lews might doe on their sabbath . 4. whether , and what liberty christians now have on the sunday more then they had , and how farre that liberty is to be extended ? to begin with the first . the law which god gave unto his people the iewes ( according to the three-fold variety of the object , or things prescribed ) is three-fold , morall , ceremoniall , and iudiciall . the morall is that which concernes the manners of men , and belongs to them as men : and this commands those things which are in themselves acceptable , and well-pleasing to god , and those which hee will have all men every where , and at all times to observe , as the perpetuall , and unchangeable rule of living , being the expresse image of the minde of god , according to which , hee ( who is the law-giver ) judges it meete and right , that the reasonable creatures should order their lives . the ceremoniall belongs to men , as joyned together in that society which is called the church , and this containes those precepts which concerne the externall worship of god , and were given by him to the iewish church , in accommodation to the times , in which the church was under age , and under the promise , and therefore instituted for the signifying , prefiguring , and sealing of the truth of the promises made to them , to be fulfilled in the exhibition of our saviour : and withall for the preservation of order , and decencie in their ecclesiasticall meetings , and performances . the judiciall belongs to men as joyned in a civill society or cōmon-wealth , contayning the forme of civill government , to be used by them , tending to their good , as they were a society , and to the preservation , and exacting of the eutward worship of god , and the discipline thereof , as it was commanded in the morall and ceremoniall lawes . so that the ceremoniall law determined the morall in order to god ; the politicall or judiciall in order to men in a civill society ; and both in accommodation to that state of the church : and these though they have in them something which is juris moralis , and so farre forth are contained under the morall precepts , yet being fitted to serve that state of the church , which was to be held in expectation of the messias ; when the time came that he was actually exhibited , and so the promise fulfilled , the shadowes were then of no longer use , the body being come : and therefore at the time of the death of christ , they were abrogated de jure , so that they became unnecessary , and unprofitable , and had their power of obligation taken away : and afterward when by the apostles doctrine christians came to understand that christ was the end of the law , and when the temple ( the seate of their religion , and the place destined to the use of those ceremonies ) was destroyed , they were de facto actually and fully taken away : and those things , which before the death of christ were commanded , and in that interim , betweene his death and the destruction of the temple ( which was the space allotted for the solemne funeralls of the iewish synagogue ) were tolerable , though already dead , became from that time forward deadly and intolerable . so that , onely the morall law remaines now in force , for the practise of christians ; the ceremoniall and judiciall ( excepting in that wherein they are reducible to this ) are antiquated , and out of date . now the precepts of the morall law are summarily comprehended in the decalogue or ten commandements : which had this prerogative peculiar to them , that they were delivered ( not by moses , but ) by god himselfe , and by him written in tables of stone , and preserved in the arke ; to shew their dignity above others , and to note out the perpetuity of observance , which was due unto them . where , before wee apply these things to our present purpose , two things are to be noted . first , that howsoever all the precepts of the morall law belong to the law of nature ( as being agreeable to reason , which is the rule of humane actions ) and are in that respect of perpetuall observance ; yet all of them are not of the same ranke , nor belong in the same degree and manner to the law of nature . there are some things which by the instinct of nature , and naturall light of the understanding , wee presently see to be good or bad , and which are so plaine , that without any great consideration , they may by the first principles , or common notions implanted in us , be either approved , or rejected , and these are absolutely of the law of nature . others there are that require more consideration of circumstances , and the use of discourse to apprehend , and judge of them : and these are so of the law of nature , that notwithstanding they require the helpe of discipline , by which those which are ignorant , and not able by diligent consideration or discourse , to attaine to the knowledge of them , may be instructed by the wise and learned . and lastly , there are some , to the knowledge whereof humane reason stands in neede of divine instruction . and these two latter sorts , especially the last , though they in some sort belong to the law of nature ( and were haply at our first creation , written in the tables of mans heart , in more plaine characters , and more easie to be read then now since the fall , they are ) may , in respect of the other , be termed morall ( non ratione naturae , sed disciplinae ) not in regard of nature dictating , but in regard of discipline informing nature . secondly , that the fourth commandement ( as it enjoynes the externall observation of the seaventh day ) is not morall either of these wayes . whence s. augustine a saith , that among all those ten commandements , that onely of the sabbath is figuratively to be observed ; whereas ( as hee after saith ) wee observe the other commandements there properly as they are cōmanded without any figurative signification . and generally the ancients ( as calvin hath truly observed ) called this precept b a shadow , which ( as he there saith ) was truly , but not fully said of them . and therefore they do better , and more fully expresse the nature of this cōmandement , which say it is c partly morall , and partly ceremoniall . so peter martyr , and generally all divines both reformed and others , use now to speake . now if any shall therefore thinke it unworthy a place in the decalogue , and to be rankt with those precepts which are morall , and of perpetuall observance ; d aquinas may seeme to give them full satisfaction , who saith , 1. that the precept concerning the sanctification of the sabbath , is put among the precepts of the decalogue for that which is moral in it . 2. that this precept as ceremoniall , ought rather to have a place in the decalogue then any other : the other ceremonies being signes of some particular effects of god ; but this of the sabbath was a signe of a generall benefit , viz. the creation of the vniverse : so that that which amesius will have a most certaine rule , and received among all the best divines ( as he calls them ) that all , and onely the morall precepts were delivered by the voyce of god himselfe , and by him written in the tables of stone , is not true , unlesse saint augustine , calvin , martyr , &c. be in his esteeme none of the best divines . yet perhaps wee may admit that rule so farre as to say , that all the morall precepts are contayned in the decalogue , and that every precept there contayned is morall , though all of every precept be not so , but may have something that is ceremoniall annexed to it : which haply god thought good to place among the morall precepts , to intimate the perpetuall necessity of having some ceremonies in the church ; though that ceremonie be not necessarily perpetuall , but ( with the rest of that nature ) to expire at the death of christ : which though wee admit , yet cannot any justly charge us , that wee diminish any of the tenne words ; or that wee expunge one commandement out of the decalogue ; in as much as wee affirme , that onely which was ceremoniall in this commandement to bee expired and out of date , and that there is in it a morality still remaining , which retaines its full power of obligation , and exacts the same obedience , under the same penalty , which it did at its first promulgation or inscription in the heart of adam . in which respect , the church hath good cause still to use her accustomed antiphona at the repeating of this commandement , as well as at any of the rest , and to pray lord have mercy upon us , and encline our hearts to keepe this law . and here , because some who love to have this commandement termed morall ( though thereby they intend no more then what hath beene already granted ) use so to argue , as if they did not acknowledge it at all to be ceremoniall ; it will not be amisse , before wee proceed any further , to answere some of the principall arguments that are brought to this purpose . and i wil begin with that of our saviour , math. 5. 17. thinke not that i came to destroy the law or the prophets ; i came not to destroy , but to fulfill . which words ( in their opinion ) make strongly for the morality and perpetuall obligation of the fourth commandement : for from hence they argue to this purpose . that which our saviour did not destroy , but fulfill , is still in force ; but hee did not destroy the law contayned in the decalogue : therefore it is still in force . for answere hereunto , i say , that in this argument two things are by them supposed . first , they suppose , that by the law in this place , is meant only the law contained in the decalogue or ten commandements . secondly , that our saviours fulfilling , and not destroying this law , was the ratifying and perpetuating of the observation of it under the gospel . if wee grant them both these , wee shall condemne the christian church for altering the day from the seventh to the eight or first day of the week , which cannot stand with this exposition of our saviours speech , who , in the words following , saith expresly , that not one jot or title shall passe from the law. but both these are beside the meaning and intent of our saviour , as will easily appeare to any that ( with indifferency ) doth consider his words . for , first , the law which our saviour here speakes of , is of larger extent and latitude , and comprehends not onely the decalogue or law morall , but the ceremoniall and judiciall also : as being indeed put for the pentateuch or five bookes of moses : and so , the law and the prophets , as much as , moses and the prophets : which formes of speech , are used as a periphrasis of the old testament , of which these two are the maine essentiall parts : the bookes of moses , so containing and describing the law , that they reserre whatsoever else they containe unto that , receive their denomination from it , as from the principall subject of them . the prophets , that is , their bookes , comprehend all the rest of the old testament , which the hebrewes divide into the former and latter prophets , and the hagiographa : all which ( though they be not prophesies ) being written by divine inspiration , and by holy men as they were moved by the spirit of god , may justly be termed , the word of prophecy , and passe under the name of the prophets . that the law is taken in this sense , is manifest by the use of the same phrase else where : where , not only the duties commanded in the decalogue , but christ and faith in him , is said to be taught and witnessed by the law : to which purpose the apostle s. paul useth the same phrase , acts 28. 23. rom. 3. 21. now , what word in all the decalogue gives witnesse to christ , or perswades the faith , which is required in him ? certainly , ( however some have found not onely the faith in christ , but the sacraments also of the new testament commanded in the decalogue yet , ) there is no one word there which imports any such thing . yea , the very context evinces thus much : for our saviour , having thus prefaced his exposition of the law , keeps not himselfe within the bounds of the moral law ; as appeares verse 18. and therefore interpreters generally upon this place , shew how our saviour did not destroy but fulfill the ceremoniall law also , as well as the morall , which were altogether needlesse , if by the law , that onely were understood . now , the law being ( as it must needs be ) thus largely taken , any man may easily perceive that the not destroying but fulfilling of it , is not the ratifying and the perpetuating of the observation of it under the gospel : for who sees not , that upon this ground they might conclude for circumcision , and the legall passeover and sacrifices , with all their typicall rites and ceremonies , as well as for the sabbath ? the truth is ; our saviour as hee was to fulfill not onely the morall but the ceremoniall and iudiciall law also : so he speakes of all , and did indeed , not destroy but , fulfill them all , though in a different manner . 1. he fulfilled the whole law , by his actuall and personall obedience to it , and by supplying the defects of it , that it , being unable to justifie us in it selfe , might , by the helpe of his grace and accession of faith in him , bee able to performe that which otherwise it could not . 2. he fulfilled the ceremoniall law , and so the iudiciall too , so farr as it was typicall ; besides his subjection to them , by a reall exhibition of that whereof they were shadowes . and though by this meanes , their observation ( according to the letter of the law ) ceased , yet did hee not hereby destroy , but perfect them ; according to that of the apostle , speaking of circumcision , which was a legall ceremony . doe we then ( saith he ) make voide the law through faith ? god forbid : yea , we establish the law. this place then , expounded according to the truest meaning and intent of our saviour , makes nothing for the totall morality of the fourth commandement , nor is in the least , contradictory to what i have delivered concerning it . secondly , they argue from the institution of the sabbath , which was ( say they ) in the beginning of the world , in the time of mans innocencie , when there was no need of ceremony ; and therefore it was morall and perpetuall . to this i answere , 1. that it is not universally true , that whatsoever precept was given to adam in innocency , was therefore morall and perpetuall ; for then the symbolicall precept of not eating of the forbidden fruit , must be such ; which no man , ( i suppose ) will affirme . 2. if it be true ( which willet hath affirmed , and that by ten reasons which he there alledgeth ) that adam fell the same day that he was created , then did he fall before the giving of the precept for the observation of the sabbath , and had it not in the state of innocencie . but the truth is , this is a meere conjecture disputable any way , so as a man may better oppose whatsoever is affirmed , then solidly conclude any thing . 3. if it bee not false that the sabbath was then instituted , yet it hath and may , not without good reason be doubted of . that place which is brought for it , gen. 2. 2. doth not convincingly prove it . and if the reasons , which are alledged for the prolepsis in that place , bee , without prejudice , considered , their opinion who so expound it will not seeme improbable , as 1. that there is no mention any where made of it , to have beene observed by the patriarchs . 2. where it is first spoken of , exod. 16. it is spoken of as a new thing not knowne to have beene observed before . 3. in that it is called a signe betweene god and the israelites , that he was their sanctifier and deliverer out of egypt , which it could not bee if it were given to all nations in adam . but lastly , granting the whole argument . i would faine know how that day , that was then instituted and sanctified , could cease , and another be substituted . how could it bee morall and perpetuall , and yet determine with the iewish church ? the words which are brought as the institution , say ; god rested the seventh ( n. b. ) and for that cause , god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , viz. that seventh day on which hee rested . the text doth not say , god rested the seventh day , and therefore he would have one of the seven to be sanctified ; that is but the exposition or glosse , not the text ; the word of man , not of god. but some may haply say , that the particular day was alterable , and upon good ground was altered . this i grant , but say withall , that he which holds the sabbath to be instituted before the fall , and for that cause morall and perpetuall , cannot so say , but either hee must wave his owne principles , or cry up the jewish sabbath postliminiò . secondly , they argue from that of our saviour ( matth. 24. 20. ) who foreshewing the destruction of jerusalem to his disciples , adviseth them to pray , that their slight bee not in the winter , neither on the sabbath day . if ( say they ) this precept had beene ceremoniall , then had it beene all one to fly on the sabbath day , as on any other day : because all ceremonies were before that time ( which was not till forty yeares after christs ascension ) to bee abrogated . but in that christ doth allow this feare of flying on the sabbath day more then on any other day of the weeke , hee shewes plainely that the force of the sabbath was not abrogated by his resurrection , and therefore no ceremony . thus they argue . to which it were answere sufficient to shew that hereby they still rush upon the same rocke , and while they labour to establish a needlesse morality of the lords day , they unawares bring in iudaisme . for the sabbath day there , cannot with any shew of reason bee taken ( though now a dayes it is too common so to take it ) for the lords day : and if our saviour did intend by bidding his disciples pray that their flight might not happen on the sabbath day , to intimate the necessity of the observation of that day by christians : then did s. paul crosse our saviours intent in numbring that among the shadowes which vanished at christs death ; and then hath also the church of christ ever since erred in so accounting it , and condemning the observation of it , with an anathema to those that in this point shall be found to iudaize . s. chrysostome is so farre from thinking that the sabbath which our sauiour there speaks of , did belong to christians , that upon that ground hee expounds that speech of our saviour as spoken not to his apostles but to the iewes . thou seest ( saith he ) that he speakes to the iewes — for the apostles were not to keepe the sabbath , &c. but grant that it were spoken to the disciples ; yet can no such thing bee thence collected as they would have . for our saviour had good ground so to advise his disciples , notwithstanding god at that time required no keeping of the sabbath . for though the ceremonies of the law ( and this among the rest ) were dead with christ , yet were they not buried ( as i have shewed ) nor the practise of them deadly till the temple was destroyed : till which time , even the apostles themselves were zealous of the law , and retentive of their old ceremonies : to which weaknesse of theirs , our saviour there accommodates his speech , willing rather that their owne experience in the destruction of the temple should teach them that harsh lesson of the abolishing of the legall ceremonies , then by a praemature urging it , to startle such as were yet weake in faith , or hinder others of that nation from beleeving in him. besides ; be it that christians did hold themselves freed from the observance of the sabbath , yet being among those who still made conscience of it , even to superstition , ( as did the unconverted jewes ) it could not but prove very incommodious to their speedy and farre flight ( which the greatnesse and suddennesse of the danger required ) in as much as thereby they should expose themselves to the fury of those who were no lesse zealous in compelling others , then superstitious in observing it themselves . in these respects our saviour might well admonish his disciples to pray that their flight might not bee on the sabbath day , and yet not teach them to observe the sabbath after his death , or that while the observation of it lasted , they should thinke themselves so tied in conscience of it , that they might not on that day flie farre to save their lives : and much lesse to establish the morality of the lords day , which neither he , nor his apostles , nor the following ages of the church , ( till within these few yeares ) ever designed by the name of the sabbath , without some difference added to distinguish it from that of the jewes . for though we finde it sometimes called our sabbath , or the sabbath of christians , in regard that in the maine end of it , it succeeded that , yet generally the sabbath simply put , and without addition , notes the iewish sabbath , or the day on which it was celebrated , which is our saturday ; and the day before that which we keepe , which is therefore called by the evangelists and s. paul , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one , or the first day from the sabbath , and by s. iohn in the revelation , the lords day : by which name , or that which the same day had among the gentiles , ( viz. the sunday ) it hath ever since been knowne in the christian world . but i will leave these , and now returne thither whence ( for the answering of these objections ) i have digressed . and having seene the nature and severall degrees of morall precepts ; and in generall , that the fourth commandement hath in it somewhat not moral , that i may apply these things to our present purpose , and manifest the truth thereof : i will more particularly inquire into the nature of that commandement , and in it distinctly consider these 4. things . first , a day , or time set apart for gods service . secondly , the seventh day , or one in the revolution of seven . thirdly , the particular seventh there mentioned , namely the seventh from the creation . fourthly , the strict surcease or rest from ordinary labours on that day . for the first of these . it cannot be denied , but that the very law of nature it selfe ( to use the words of a worthy of our church ) requireth no lesse the sanctification of times , then of places , persons , and things . for which cause it hath pleased god heretofore as of the rest , so of times likewise , to exact some parts by way of perpetuall homage . and that ( as aquinas ) it is morall , that man should depute some time of his life for the service of god. for there is in man a kind of naturall inclination , that to every thing necessary there bee a time assigned : as to our bodily refection , sleepe and the like : whence also to the spiritnall refection of the soule , whereby the soule is refreshed in god , by the dictate of naturall reason , a man deputes some time . and so to have some times for holy offices comes under the morall law , and is absolutely of the law of nature written in the heart of every man , being involved in that principle which even depraved nature hath ever acknowledged ; viz. that god is to be worshipped . and therefore amesius hath well observed that thus farre the time of gods worship falls under that precept which exacts the worship it selfe : and as god when he created the world , is said to have concreated time with it : so when he ordained religious actions , he appointed also to the same , a time for them , as a necessary circumstance , without which they could not be performed . and as the time in which such actions are done , so that some day , or dayes should be destinated and set apart for the more solemne performance of those actions , may seeme to be a dictate of the same law of nature : in as much as the heathens who had no other guide but the law of nature , had their solemne feasts and set dayes in all ages consecrated to the worship of their gods ; whereby they manifested ( though not the knowledge of the true god , yet ) their acknowledgement of that principle , that god is to be worshipped , and the conveniencie of assigning some dayes peculiarly to that end . for the second : that one day in the revolution of seaven should be thus set a part : this cannot be said to be absolutely of the law of nature : nature being ignorant of this , without the instruction of the written law , in which god hath revealed his pleasure , concerning the quota pars , or how much of our time hee requires to be consecrated to him : and this will easily appeare to any that doth without prejudice consider it . for it is an easie thing to give an estimate of what principles are naturall and written in the hearts of all men ; and what are gotten by instruction , discipline , and information : now men may by the light of nature from the creature , climbe up to the knowledge of the creator , and from the nature of god conclude his worship , and from the nature of his worship , conclude a time ( as to all other things ) to be due to it . but to goe further , and to determine what part of our time , wee cannot . for it will not follow that because some time is due , therefore the seaventh day , more then the eighth of every moneth , which was observed by the graecians in honour of neptune , or any other day , above , or under that number . and for this cause it is ( saith saint chrysostome ) that in the giving of this commandement concerning the sabbath ( which hee calls a precept not made knowne to us by our conscience ) god added a reason , as because ged rested the seventh day from all his worke ; and againe ; because thou wast a servant in egypt , &c. whereas in those precepts that are purely morall , as when he saith , thou shalt doe no murther , hee onely gives the precept , without giving any reason at all . why so ? ( saith that father , ) because our conscience had taught us this before ; so that god speakes , as to those that knew and understood reason sufficient for the prohibition . neither doth eusebius ( though alledged by some to that purpose ) any way contradict this , when he saith , that not onely the hebrewes , but all almost , both philosophers and poets acknowledged the seaventh day to be sacred : for here it is not questioned , whether the gentiles which wanted the law of god to informe them , did hold the seaventh day as hallowed , but whether they were induced by the instinct of nature so to account it ; or that so accounting it , they held themselves bound to consecrate that , more then any other to the worship of god : the gentiles ( as eusebius at large declares ) came to the knowledge of it from the iewes , and did in that , as in other things , become their imitators , and receive it into their manners . or upon some other ground or superstition they might account the number of seaven to be sacred ; as because by that number the planets ( which they honoured as their chiefest deities ) were terminated : for which cause ( we know ) by their names they intituled their dayes . but what ever were the motive , as it is without all question , that the gentiles , as well as the iewes , held the number of seaven in great veneration , accounting it the number of perfection , and full of mysteries ; so it is as unquestionable , that by the light of nature they knew not that that part of our time was to be separated to gods service . and therefore zanchius speakes more inconsiderately then beseemes his learning , when hee saith , that nature teacheth all men to consecrate one day of seaven to the externall worship of god : which , others ( and among them amesius ) better considering acknowledge to be onely of positive right , and morall , not in regard of nature , but of discipline , as comming under that ranke of morall precepts , which neede instruction to helpe naturall reason to know , and judge of them . now , albeit calvine ( who in this as in other things , wants not his followers ) thinks the seaventh day , not to be so stood on , as that he would tye the christian world precisely to that : yet there are many grave and judicious divines , both ancient and moderne , that judge the institution of one day in seaven to be so farre morall , as that it doth binde the church perpetually and immutably . thus among the ancients saint chrysostome upon those words , and god blessed the seaventh day and hallowed it , genes . 2. 3. here , saith hee , from the beginning god intimates to us this doctrine , instructing us to separate and lay aside one day in the compasse of every weeke for spirituall exercises . and among our moderne writers that admired hooker , saith . that wee are bound to account the sanctificatiō of one day in seven , a duty which gods immutable law doth exact for ever . thus hee , with many others , whose judgements i honour , yet dare not herein wholly subscribe to them neither : for the law exacting the observation of one day in seaven , being onely positive ( as must needs be granted ) cannot containe in it selfe any perpetuall obligation . for all lawes of that nature ( though made by god himselfe ) admit mutation ( at least ) when the matter concerning which , or the condition of the persons , to whom they were given , is changed : now the day , concerning which this precept was given , together with the state of the church , to which it was given , being changed , i see no reason , why the proportion of one in seaven , should be simply and in it selfe immutable ; yet thus much , i willingly grant them , that ( some time to be set apart for gods worship , being absolutely of the law of nature ) that proportion of time , which god himselfe made choyce of for his owne people , is the fittest that can be imagined : and nature informed by god , cannot but acknowledge his wisedome and goodnesse in this choyce , in that hee hath so attempered it , that neither the long space betweene can make us forget our duty to him , nor the quicke returne of it hinder our providing for the necessities of nature . and hereupon the church of christ , hath taken it as an obligation belonging to them , and that ( as it is in our church homily ) gods will and commandement was to have a solemne time , and standing day in the weeke , wherein the people should come together , and have in remembrance his wonderfull benefits , and render him thanks for them as appertaineth to loving , kinde , and obedient people . thus farre then , this commandement extends to us christians , as well as to the jewes , in as much as to consecrate some part of our time to god , is morall , and a seaventh part , though not morall , yet fitly chosen , and appointed by god , and observed by the church of christ ( not as simply immutable , yet ) as most worthy to be retayned . for the third particular . the particular seventh day there mentioned , that is , the seaventh day from the creation ; this cannot be said to be morall any way , but is ceremoniall and temporary , and expired with the dissolution of the iewish church . and this is generally confessed by all , whom the heresie of iudaisme hath not infected : and the mutation of the day approved by the practise of the christian world ever since the apostles times , is a sufficient disclaime to the morality of it . for one of these three must needs hence be inferred . eyther that that which is morall may bee changed ; or that the church of christ hath now for this sixteen hundred years erred in the change of it ; orlastly , that the particular day prescribed to the jews was ceremoniall , and not perpetuall . the first , no man will say that vnderstands the nature of morall precepts , and their dependance upon the law of nature , which is one and the same with all men every where , and in all ages , and in that regard immutable . and he deserves not the name of a christian that dares affirme the second . it remaines therefore that we pitch upon the third , & confesse that herein that commandement was ceremoniall & not perpetuall . but besides the practice of the church we have the warrant of the apostle s. paul. who ranks the sabbath among the shadows of things to come whereof the body is christ . now the body had ( they are the words of the late learned bishop of winchester ) the shadowes vanish : that which was to come , when it is come to what end any figure of it ? it ceaseth too . so that to hold the shadow of the sabbath is to continue , is to hold that christ the body is not yet come . neyther can the force of this place be avoyded by saying that the iewes had other sabbaths that were there meant , as the sabbaths of weekes , and the first and last dayes of their great feasts which were called sabbaths . for the apostle speakes indefinitely of the sabbath dayes , & hath not there left any ground to rayse any distinction upon , or to shew that he aymed onely at them more then this . that he speakes there in the plurall number will not helpe this shift , but rather crosse it : it helpes it not , because we know it is usuall in the new testament to use that number when the sabbath in question is spoken of : it crosseth it rather in that being in the plurall number it may rather seeme to comprehend all their sabbaths whatsoever they were : and so to be far from excluding this . the place then is cleare , and alone sufficient to prove the point in hand : to which i will onely adde ; that the reason drawn from the example of god , who rested upon the sabbath day , namely , when the creation was finished , endured onely till the time of the new creation in which al things were made new by christ ; at which time it ceased , or at least , a second reason taken from that new creation comming in place , the former both reason & day ( become now old ) are passed away , and behold all things are become new . for this worke of redemption or new creation being the greater may deservedly take place of the other . and as the prophet ieremy speaking of the deliverance that god would vouchsafe his people from the babilonish captivity , saith : behold the dayes shall come ( saith the lord ) that it shall no more be said ; the lord liveth that brought up the children of israel out of egypt : but the lord liveth which brought up the children of israel from the land of the north , &c. so may wee say of the day appointed for his worship ; that the day wherein he finished the worke of creation shall no more be observed , but the day wherein our lord iesus christ by his resurrection from the dead finished the worke of our redemption , and begun a new life to be finished in all his members , who ( as s. peter tels us ) are by his resurrection begotten vnto a lively hope of an eternall inheritance . the fourth and last thing in this commandement and that which denominated the day is the resting from ordinary labours . and this in regard of the divers ends it had admits a diverse consideration . 1. this rest may be considered as a means without which the dutyes of gods worship cannot be performed . for seeing the generall & publique dutyes of piety and devotion , and our owne private businesses cannot both bee followed at once , there must be such a cessation from ordinary labours on that day , wherein men are to performe those dutyes , as that thereby they be not hindered in the performance thereof : in which regardthose workes that in themselves , and at other times are not prohibited , are on that day vnlawfull , so farre as they hinder a man from applying himself to divine dutyes : and therein are contrary to the observance of that precept , which requires the performance of them . and therefore when god commands a day to be dedicated to him , he doth likewise in the same command such a rest as a meanes necessary to that end . so that , thus farre it is connected with , & participates of the morality of that precept that enjoynes the dutyes for which it was appointed ; & in this consideration we are no lesse bound at this day , to rest from our labours on the dayes devoted to gods solemne worship , then were the iewes , and ( as uenerable hooker sayth ) the voluntary scandalous contempt of that rest from labour wherewith god is publikely served , we cannot too severely correct and bridle . another end of this rest is mentioned . deut. 5. 14. viz : that there might be a time of rest allowed to servants and labourers for their refreshment . and this no lesse concernes us , then it did them ; for necessity of nature requires some time of remission from labour : and religion teacheth us , to be mercifull even to our beasts , and much more to our servants who are our brethren . but this is not so connected with the observance of the day of gods publique worship , but that it may at other times be supplyed , yet is then so far requisite , as it makes for the solemne performances of the duties of the day , that all , as well servants , as others , may joyne together in the service of god : which while they doe , they at once enjoy the refreshment of their bodyes , and freedome to refresh their soules , with holy and religious exercises . but this rest , as it was prescribed to the iews , had yet a further end , in regard of which , it was exacted so strictly , and beyond that which eyther the solemne service of god , or the necessary refreshment of labouring persons did require . and that was figurative for the signifying of things past , present , and future . 1. things past ; and so it was a memoriall of gods resting from his worke of creation : and as the day which they observed , so the strict rest upon that day served as a sign of the cōmon benefit of creation which they thereby acknowledged to bee gods work , when they celebrated that day wherein god rested from creating , & sanctified it by an holy and totall surcease from their owne workes . and this end is assigned by god himselfe , and annexed to the commandement as a principal reason of the institution of it . secondly ; it was a memoriall likewise of their deliverance out of egypt , so expressely said to bee deut. 5. 15. where , in the repetition of the law , this reason , is added instead of the former , & god is therefore sayd to command them to keepe the sabbath , that they might remember their servitude in egypt , and their deliverance from thence . againe ; the sabbath was a signe also of their present condition , and a note to distinguish them from all other people , they being then the onely peculiar people of god , whom hee had separated , and sanctified to himselfe : for a signe of which peculiar sanctification they were commanded to observe the sabbath , as we read exod. 31. 13. & ezech. 20. 12. 3. lastly ; the rest of the sabbath was a type whereby was prefigured that rest which remained for the people of god , to be purchased for them by christ . into which rest they which believe do enter , and shall have the full possession thereof in the kingdome of glory , when , after all their works finished , they shall rest from their labours . and this rest the apostle designing by the name of a sabbatisme , intimates the prefiguring of it by that sabbath which the people of god under the law were to observe . so that , as the place of this celestiall , and eternall rest , was shadowed out by the promised land , so the rest it selfe for the nature , & condition of it was no lesse presignified by their usuall sabbaths . now in relation to these good things which were thus vailed under the outward observation of this rest , it was very requisite that the rest whereby they were represented , should be , as strict as might be ; for the more exact the figure is , the better it signifies ; and the more strictly the rest was observed , the more lively was the representation of those things , which it aymed at . to this if we add the condition of those , to whom it was enjoyned , we shall have the compleate reason , why it was with that strictnesse commanded and exacted , & the violation of it with such severity punished . for first , the iewes though the people of god , & heire & lord of all , yet being , as the apostle saith , a child , differed not from a servant , and as servants were to be held in bondage under the strict yoke of outward observances , & of this among the rest , till the fulnesse of time came , when god sent forth his sonne made of a woman , made under the law , to redeem them that were vnder the law , that wee might receive the adoption of sonnes . secondly , the iews by reason of their long abode in a place of continuall servile toyle , could not suddainely be weaned and drawne unto contrary offices , without some impression of terror ; whence the severity with which this duty , was enjoyned , and the violation thereof punished , was to them most necessary . and besides , we know , that there is nothing more needfull , then to punish with extremity the first transgressors of those lawes that require a more exact observation for many ages to come . these considerations then being peculiar unto them , that strict rest which was thereupon exacted , being but accidentally annexed to the principall sanctification of the sabbath , cannot belong unto us by vertue of that command by which it was enjoyned them . and this is confessed even by those that stand most for the observation of the sabbath : who grant that the strictnesse of the rest on the sabbath was ceremoniall , and did belong to the iewes onely and is abrogated by the death of christ . so elton . and amesius . it may be granted , that there was somewhat a more strict observation of the sabbath commanded in those times , as fitted to the pedagogy and time of servitade , which obteynes not in all ages . so he , and generally the most of those which propugne the doctrine of the sabbath . to give a briefe and full resolution to the first question propounded . viz. whether , and how farre forth the fourth commandement concerning the sabbath is morall , and perpetuall , and so belonging to us christians to the former part , i say the fourth commandement is partly morall , and partly ceremoniall . to the latter i say . first , it is morall , and perpetuall that some time be dedicated to the solemne , publique worship and service of god. secondly , that one day in the revolution of seaven , be consecrated to this end , is not morall ; yet very convenient and fitly observed , and retayned by the church of christ . thirdly ; that the particular seaventh day , which the iewes observed , is neither morall , nor sit to bee observed , being altogether abrogated and out of date , ever since the death of christ . lastly ; the resting from ordinary labours , as it is connected with the dutyes of gods worship , and a means without which , they cannot be performed , is no lesse necessary on the dayes consecrated to that end now , then heretofore ; but as it concerned the iewish sabbath , it is together with the sabbath abrogated . so that christians are not bound either to rest on that day , which the iewes did , or to rest on their owne sabbaths or dayes consecrated to gods service , with the same strictnesse , which was enjoyned the iewes on theirs . thus much shall serve to have spoken of the first generall question . having explained the nature of the fourth commandement touching the iewish sabbath : i come now to speake of the lords day ; in which , that which was morall in that commandement , is and ever hath beene observed by christians . the institution of which , when and by whom it was , being the second generall part of our inquirie . and here all divines are not of one opinion . some ground this no lesse then the iewish sabbath upon the fourth commandement , which ( say they ) includes both the sabbath of the iewes , and of the christians : because the lord doth not say , remember that thou keepe holy the seventh day , but remember that thou keepe holy the sabbath day ; that is , the day of rest : which , before the comming of christ , was the seventh from the creation ; but afterward , the first day of the weeke , or lords day . but these men while they over greedily seeke after a divine foundation for the lords day , doe not consider that they stretch the precept beyond the intent of the lawgiver . for though it bee granted that the lord doth not say , remember to keepe holy the seventh day , but the day of ceasing indeterminately , yet seeing in the following explication , which god added , it is determined unto that particular seventh , which was the seventh from the creation , to which it expresly is referred , as to the speciall reason of the institution : the sabbath there cannot without forcing , and manifest absurdity , bee said to bee as the genus to the iewish , and christian sabbath , and to include both . for is it not manifestly absurd , and unbeseeming a rationall man , and much more the wisdome of the supreame law-giver , to say ; god in sixe dayes made heaven and earth , and rested the seventh , and for that cause sanctified the seventh day ; ergo , hee will have men in imitation of him to rest sometime ( viz. before the comming of christ ) on that day whereon hee rested , and sometime ( viz. after christs comming ) to rest on the day in which hee began to worke . neither can this absurdity bee salved ( as some have endeavoured to doe ) by saying , there is alwayes more meant in the precepts and prohibitions , then in words are expressed : for those things which are so meant without particular expression , must either be necessarily connected with , or some way subordinat to that which is expressed , that so it may be included in it . sure i am , it ought no way to be excluded , as ( we see ) this is by gods owne exposition of himselfe , and the reason which hee alledgeth , which can no way agree both to the jewish sabbath , and the lords day . again , others urge the institution of the lords day , as founded upon gods sanctification of the seventh day at the creation , which being before all ceremonies , must ( say they ) needes binde christians , as well as the jewes . but this labours of the same weaknesse , and absurdity , which the other did . for what day did god sanctifie there ? surely not the first day of the weeke , but the seventh from the creation , which they must with the jewes cry up againe , if they will have their argument hold good . but besides this , the weaknesse of this foundation appeares in that ( as hath beene shewed ) they cannot prove that god instituted the sabbath , and commanded it to bee observed from that time forward ; but onely that moses there , relating the story of the creation , intimates the reason of gods after commanding his people to rest upon that day . and lastly , granting that to be the institution ( which cannot be proved ) and that not the seaventh day from the creation ( as the words expresly say ) but a seaventh , or one in seaven , were thereby intended to be perpetuall , & to belong to us christians : if all this be granted , here will yet be but a partiall foundatiō , and no compleat institution of that particular day which we observe : for , all this notwithstanding , why might not the second , third , fourth , or any other have beene observed , and yet that institution of one in seaven no way violated ? others therefore ( no doubt espying the weaknesse of it ) forsake this hold , and seeke for authority to prove it , to be of divine institution , out of the new testament . and among these amesius will have it to bee done by christ himselfe : laying this for a ground worke , that he alone could change the day of the sabbath , that was lord of it , that is , christ . so that according to him , christ was the author of this change , and that either mediately by his apostles , whom he assisted by his spirit in the institution of it , no lesse then he did in the doctrine which they taught : or else , ( as hee holds to bee most probable ) immediately , and in his owne person ; and the probability of this he labours to prove by divers arguments ; wherein hee doth ( as one hath well observed in the like case ) as if one should demand a legacy , by force and vertue of some written testament wherein there being no such thing specified , he pleades , that there it must needs be , and bringeth arguments from the love and good will , which alwayes the testator bore him ; imagining that these or the like proofes will evince a testament , to have that in it which other men by reading , can no where finde . certainely it is a bold and a strange course , for men to adventure to argue , that god must needs have done the thing , which they imagine was to bee done : whereas in matters that concerne the actions of god , the most dutifull , and safe way on our part , is to search what god hath done , and with meekeresse to admire that , rather , then to dispute what he , in congruity of reason , ought to doe . hee might therefore have spared all the reasons he brings , and in stead thereof , to have alledged one place out of the new testament , which doth command the change of the day , especially seeing he denies it , ( and that for many reasons by him there urged ) to bee an unwritten tradition : which seeing hee doth not , nor indeede can doe , what doth he else by all his arguments , but endeavour to lay an aspersion of imperfection upon the scriptures , and of neglect in christ himselfe of that office , which as the great prophet of his church belonged to him ? as if unlesse hee had beene as carefull to appoint the observation of this day , as moses was to appoint the old sabbath , hee could not ( absit verbo blasphemia ) be as faithfull in the house of god , as moses was . but farre be such blasphemous thoughts from us , farre be it from us to measure the faithfulnesse of our blessed saviour by our phansies : or to judge him unfaithfull , because he did omit that which our shallow conceits judge necessary and fit for him to doe . wee know that the high priest of our profession , christ iesus , was faithfull to him that appointed him , as also moses was faithfull in all his house . and this faithfulnesse of his was by him sufficiently demonstrated , in that hee fully declared the will of his father to the world , in all things to be beleeved and done , and shewed how , and what worship christians must give unto god , though the circumstances of that worship as time and place ( in as much as concerned the particular designing of either ) hee left to be determined by the church , whom he promised to be with to the end of the world . and as he cannot be said to be lesse faithfull in the house of god , then moses or salomon ( who provided the one a tabernacle , the other a temple ) because he did not appoint set places for gods worship ; so neither can hee be justly taxed for not appointing the set times for the same ; these two circumstances of time and place , being of equall necessity and use , and joyned together by god himselfe , lev. 19. 30. yee shall keepe my sabbaths , and reverence my sanctuarie . i am the lord. neither is the difference of places more taken away now under the gospel , then of times . but as the true worshippers of god are not tyed to worship either in ierusalem , or any other peculiar place , but may worship him in spirit and truth in all places , lifting up pure hands : so neither are they tyed to any speciall time or day , but may pray continually , and at all times . and therefore they who are so indifferent for the place , that they can be content to account a wood , a parlor , or a barne , place good enough for christians to meete in for the performance of gods publick worship , have no reason to complaine for want of a set day , or time , for the same purpose . the truth is , that that peculiar blessing which god once bestowed upon the sabbath of the temple , & thereby differenced them from all others , is enlarged to all times & places ; and any day and place may , by the church , be dedicated and set apart for gods worship ; and being so dedicated , & set apart , they inherit that holinesse which was once peculiar unto the , in relation to the duties then & there performed to god , who in regard of the abundance of grace vouchsafed now in the time of the gospell , may be said to be more present at such times , and in such places , then heretofore in those of his own assigning . but it was not necessary that christ himself , or his apostles from him , should by expresse precept particularly designe , either of these : if any think such precept to be necessary , let them shew the place of scripture , where such precept is to be found , or else confesse the scripture to be deficient in things necessary , and so forsake their colours of reformation , and passe over into the campe of the romanists . if they be ashamed of this , let them learne and confesse : that , however it be necessary that some time be dedicated to gods service , yet the determination to this or that particular day , is not necessary to be defined by scripture : which they may perhaps the more easily be brought to see , if they consider , that in this it is no otherwise , then it is with other things of equall necessity with this in the generall ( as the sacraments , fasting , and prayer it selfe ) which yet for the particular , when , and how often they are to be used , is not any where in scripture defined , nor necessary so to be . but some who will have the lords day so called , because christ himselfe instituted it , say , that , the apostles , by the authority of that spirit , that alway assisted them in their ministeriall office , did alter the day , and themselves kept , and ordained it to be kept in all churches , as may appeare 1. cor. 16. 1. where he saith , every first day of the weeke , when yee meete together , &c. but certainly , it is most evident , even to a vulgar consideration , that no such thing doth appeare out of that place . for , what doth saint paul say there ? that hee would have christians meete every first day of the weeke , to serve god ? no surely , there is not a word of meeting in the text , but what is foysted in , to deceive the credulous reader . that which s. paul saith , is , that on that day hee would have every one lay by him in store , as god hath prospered him . this implies neither the meeting together of the church on that day , nor the performance of any religious duty ; but onely a repositing or laying up , and that not in a common banke , but every man ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) by himselfe . * againe , grant that s. paul ( as he did not ) had enjoyned christians to meete on that day : and at their meeting to make a collection for the poore ; yet could not this serve for a sufficient institution of that day to succeede the jewes sabbath : unlesse such collections did involve in them all the service of god , on that day to be done , or were so connected with them , that they could not bee separated : which no man , i suppose , will affirme . to leave these therefore , who out of an over-weening conceit of the day , are willing to catch at any shadow that may seeme to countenance it , and gaine to it the reputation of divine institution ; let us pitch upon that which is certaine , which though it rise not so high , as an immediately-divine authority , yet is sufficient to ground our practise upon , and to exact the due observation of the day . first , then it is most certaine , that our blessed saviour did honour this day with his most glorious a resurrection , and by his often b apparitions upon it to his disciples : and thereby ( as it were ) pointed out this day to his disciples , as worthy to be made choice of to be celebrated in honour of him : who on that day began his glorious exaltation , after his triumph over principalities and powers , upon his crosse whom he there spoyled , having nayled to it , and thereby cancelled , the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us ; that is , the obligation to observe the jewish rites and ceremonies , and among these their sabbath : which from that time forward , the apostle would have no man to judge christians in : who as they were freed from it by the death of christ , so by his resurrection they had ground sufficient ministred to direct them to the observation of a new festivall . whence s. augustine saith , the lords day was declared — to christians by the resurrection of our lord , and from that time began to be celebrated . so that for ought that appeares , our saviour did not command the first day of the weeke to be observed . hee did ( to use the words of the same father ) vouchsafe to demonstrate , and consecrate it ; or ( as he else-where speakes ) the raising againe of our lord , promised us an everlasting day , and consecrated for us the lords day . secondly , it is no lesse certaine that the apostles ( upon this ground no doubt ) did observe this day , and had thereon their holy assemblies , as acts 20. 7. and that for the same cause the apostle designed it for the storing up of their almes , that the memory of the benefits which on that day they obtained , might make them more readily contribute to the necessities of their brethren , as s. chrysostome hath observed upon 1. cor. 16. 1. and lastly , that in the time of the apostles it obtained the name of the lords day , as appeares revel 1. 10. thirdly , that the ages of the church immediately after the apostles ( whether by constitution , or onely in imitation of them , is not knowne , nor much materiall ) did observe this day , as the christians festivall ; stiling it the lords day , and conveighed the same practise by continuall succession even to this day : as the late learned bishop of winchester shewes , avowing it on his credit , that there is not an ecclesiasticall writer in whom it is not to be found . wee finde thus much then without contradiction . that it hath been the practise of the christian church , to observe the sunday or lords day , and that ever since , yea in the very apostles times : a practise warranted by the example of the apostles , and the honour vouchsafed to that day by our blessed saviour himselfe . whence we may conclude with a late learned divine , that the christian church did not erre , when in stead of the sabbath it appointed the lords day to bee observed ; of which , there is mention made in the scripture , though there be no precept for the observation of it . in which words of his , i will observe three things . first , that he saith , [ the church ] not the apostles , or apostolicall men : ( for though that be most probable , and hath for it the authority of s. augustine , and for that it hath beene ever observed by the church , it may justly be ascribed to them , yet ) because if they did it , they did it not as therein reporting the immediate a precept of christ , nor by any power that was properly apostolicall , but by vertue of their pastorall power and office , which was common to them with their successours , it may be termed an ordinance of the church , and it little concernes us to know whether it were delivered by the apostles themselves , or their next after-commers . secondly . the b church appointed this day , but whether at the first by expresse constitution it were commanded , or by custome onely observed , it appeares not . aquinas attributes it to both : and how ever , thus much is out of question , that this custome or constitution was afterward by many c canons of the church , and constitutions of christian d emperours ratified and approved , and many things ordained tending to the right & due observance of it . thirdly , that the christian church did not herein erre , as having sufficient to warrant it out of scripture , though there be no precept for it . yea , and if the scripture did yeeld no example of this practise , or other ground for it in particular , yet had not the church erred in ordaining it . for things pertaining to order & decencie in the church ( such as is among others , the particular determination of the set times of gods worship ) being undetermined in the word of god , are in the power of the church to be ordered ; so as they be done according to the generall lawes of nature , and without contradiction to any positive law in scripture . neither is it derogatorie to the word of god , or any whit detracting from the perfection of it , to affirme that ( though it sufficiently and abundantly containe in it all things necessary to salvation , yet ) it hath left a number of other things , free to be ordered at the discretion of the church . and as to take from the scripture , the sufficient determination of things necessary to salvation , were an injurie , and an impairing of that honour which god challengeth to his word ; and the church of god hath ever deservedly yeelded to it ; so it were no lesse injurie to the church of christ , to abridge it of the power of determining of this and such like things , which being not of absolute necessity , are yet convenient and profitable . for this prerogative & power , the church of god hath ever obtained and enjoyed , ( even when it was most obliged to hold to the letter of the law , prescribing the ceremonies belonging to the service of god ) that it might without imputation of adding to , or altering the law of god , from time to time appoint sundry rites and observances , not any where prescribed in the law. such were the appointment of the houres , for the dayly sacrifices ; the building of synagogues throughout the land , to heare the word of god , and to pray in , when they came not up to ierusaleme the feast of the dedication which was solemnised even by our saviour , and yet never spoken of in the law : and many more which the church , without any particular command , onely following the light of reason , in her discretion judged meete . and certainly , the church of christ hath not now lesse power , or priviledge then the jewish church then had , to which it is no way inferiour , but farre superiour in regard of the measure of grace , and the presence of the spirit of christ , by which it is assisted , as in other things , so in ordaining lawes for the edification of the church . now least any should thinke it a matter of indifferencie to obey , or disobey the orders of the church , which are thus constituted without the expresse command of god in scripture , and that the transgressions of such constitutions are no sinnes ; i will close this point with that which worthy hooker ( from whom i have borrowed the greatest part of this last discourse ) hath judiciously and fully delivered to this purpose . vnto lawes thus made ( saith he ) and received by a whole church , they which live within the bosome of that church , must not thinke it a matter indifferent either to yeeld , or not to yeeld obedience . is it a small offence to despise the church of god ? my sonne keepe thy fathers commandement , ( saith salomon ) and forget not thy mothers instruction , binde them both alwayes about thine heart ! it doth not stand with the duty which wee owe to our heavenly father , that to the ordinance of our mother the church , we should shew ourselves disobedient . let us not say we keepe the commandements of the one , when wee breake the law of the other : for unlesse we observe both , wee obey neither — yea that which is more , the lawes thus made god himselfe doth in such sort authorize , that to despise them , is to despise in them him. thus hee with much more to the same purpose . which i therefore thought good to adde , that no man might think that while i ascribe it to its true originall , i goe about to impaire the authority of it , or to withdraw any thing from the due observance of it . and thus i have done with this second question , viz. when and by whom the sunday or lords day was instituted . these things thus discussed and cleared , it may now seeme superfluous to enquire into the liberty that wee christians have , how farre it may justly be extended in regard of ordinary labours upon the sunday . for if it be granted that the strict rest on the sabbath was ceremoniall , and abrogated with the day ; and that the day which we keepe is not by vertue of the fourth commandement , but by the custome or constitution of the church : it wil not be hard for any to conclude , that christians are not bound to rest on that day from all works , further then the duties of the day , and they who enjoyned it require . yet for more full satisfaction , i will adde some-what more particularly , concerning those two questions that remaine : to enquire then first , what works the lewes might doe or their sabbath . this wil easily be dispatcht , in as much as herein the scripture is very plaine , and little or no difference of opinion among divines : yet will it not be altogether needlesse , in regard that the liberty we now have under the gospell , when it is compared with theirs under the law , will the better appeare . now these workes are fitly reduced under three heads . the first of which are workes of necessity , such as could not well be deferred or prevented . of which sort are reckoned divers , which how ever pharisaicall superstition had prevailed with the people to scruple at , yet were never , in the intention of the law-giver , prohibited them , as may appeare by the doctrine & practise of our saviour ; who was both wayes the best expositor of the law , and who both wayes came , not to destroy , but to fulfill it . and among those thus allowed by our saviour we finde , the providing of foode in the case of hunger ; the watering ( and by the like reason the foddering ) of cattell , the saving them from imminent danger . whence by analogie and congruity of reason , wee may conclude the lawfulnesse of many more things of the like nature : as that of mattathias and his company , resolving to fight upon the sabbath to save their lives . so the quenching of an house on fire , the saving of corne , and other necessary substance from perishing , and the like . to which wee may adde workes communis honestatis , as the decent attiring of our selves , and all other workes which necessity of nature hath imposed upon men , and thereby allowed as fit to be done . the second sort of workes permitted them ; were workes of mercie and charity : as to visite the sicke , heale the diseased , and the like : which wee finde approved by our saviours often practise ; and together with those before-mentioned , justified by that axiome of his : the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath : that is , ( according to erasmus's glosse ) it is fit that the observation of the sabbath should give place to mans benefit , and not that man should perish for the sabbath : as also by that of the prophet by him cited : god will have mercy and not sacrifice : that is , rather have the miseries of men relceved , then the letter of the law observed . the third and last sort of works , were workes of piety , belonging to the service of god , as to reade the law , to teach the people , to circumcise children , to offer sacrifice , with their attendants , as to make fires for them , to slay and prepare the beasts : for these workes though servile in themselves , being directed to the service of god were sacred , and no way violating the sabbaths rest . so our saviour testifies that notwithstanding these workes , done by the priests in the temple , yet the priests were blamelesse , and not transgressours of the law : and the jewes had it among their traditions , that in the temple there was no sabbath . intimating that the sabbaths rest must give place to those things which were to be done by the priest in the temple for the service of god. having seene what might be done on the sabbath ; let us now see , whether , and what liberty christians now have on the sunday , and how farre that liberty is to be extended , which is the last part of our inquirie . and here though some few ( transported with a heedlesse zeale of maintayning the dignity of this day ) have not strucke to affirme that the iewes had as much liberty as we have , & that we are as much restrained , as they were : yet the most , even of the strictest , and most precise exactors of the sundayes rest , doe grant a liberty which christians now have , more then the iewes had . but what liberty this is , wherein it consists , & how far to be extended , is not on all hands agreed upon . some there are who when they come to define this liberty , they pin it up within so narow a room , that it proves either none at all or to no purpose . amesius saith ; there is nothing can be brought out of scripture cōcerning the strist observatiō of the sabath , which was commanded to the iewes , which doth not in the same manner belong to all christians , except the kindling of fires , and the dressing of ordinary dyet . and these , he thinkes it probable too , that the iewes might ordinarily doe on their sabbath , though upon speciall occasions , they were forbidden them : so that he seemes to retract that liberty which before he granted them . but others doe freely grant these , and some few like them , as making of beds , carrying of burthens ( to wit , on speciall , and urgent occasions ) and these they allow by this name of workes of christian liberty . egregiam vero libertatem ! a great liberty ( no doubt ) and worthy that precious blood by which it was purchased ! but two things may here be demanded . first , how it will appeare that christians have this liberty ? and here ( for ought i can see ) we must be contented to take their own authority : for scripture they alledge none to purpose . those two places which are cited by elton on this occasion speak no such thing ; & besides , that which is there sayd ( whatever it be ) proves no peculiar liberty belonging to christians , which the iewes had not . for in them our saviour justifies his disciples from transgressing the sabbath which was then in force , but doth not shew what might be done afterward , when by his death the sabbath should be abrogated . if they alledge that our saviour bad the sicke man on the sabbath to take up his bed , ( which may seeme to have some reference to making of beds , or carrying of burthens ) it may be answered , that our saviour doth not there shew what might ordinarily be done ; but by his authority gives a speciall dispensation to the sicke man to take up his bed &c. without which dispensation , the man could not have beene excused from breaking the sabbath . so that here is no certainty ( according to their principles ) for any thing to be done , which the jewes might not doe , but that men must ( for all their pretended liberty ) either iudaize , or else adventure for this small liberty with a doubting conscience . secondly , it may also be demanded . how wee shall know that onely this liberty is allowed christians ? this also we must take upon ▪ their credit . for reason or scripture they alledge none at all . and if they , without either reason or scripture shall take upon them to give lawes to the church of god , and prescribe bounds to christian liberty ; i see no cause , why wee may not upon solid grounds of scripture and reason , assert that liberty which of right belongs to us , as purchased by the all precious blood of our deare , and blessed saviour . and this will appeare if we consider what rest or cessation from labours is on this day required : first then , for that it is a day of gods publique , and solemne worship to bee performed by the whole church , which cannot ( as hath beene shewed ) be performed , unlesse there bee a vacation from ordinary and common worked , a vacation therefore and resting from these , as they are impediments to gods service , is on that day required , as necessary . yet not so necessary , no not in the times of publique assemblyes , but that the workes which necessity imposeth upon men , and rarer occasions in mens particular affaires , subject to manifest detriment unlesse they be presently followed , may , with very good conscience draw men aside sometime frō the ordinary rule ; considering the favourable dispensation , which our saviour grounds upon this axiome . the sabbbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath . which rule , if it held for the iews on their sabbath , is certainely no lesse in force at this day for christians . in the use of which notwithstanding , some cautions must bee observed , as first that men pretend not necessity or charity , when it is covetousnesse or a carelesse neglect or contempt of gods publique worship ; upon which ground no doubt , it was that the emperor leo repealed that liberty which by constantine was granted to husbandmen : and the counsell of matiscon forbids men to frame a necessary to themselves of yoking their oxen ; therein allowing both a just dispensation in necessity , & forbidding the unjust pretence of necessity where none is . secondly , men must take heed that they do not by their negligence , or improvidence and forgetfulness draw a necessity upon themselves : in which regard the word ( remember ) which god prefixed to the fourth commandement is yet in force , to exact our care and mindfulnesse so to provide before hand , that the dutyes to which this day is consecrated , bee not by our default omitted , or hindered . thirdly , that being necessarily hindered or forced to omit the solemne & publique dutyes of the day , we do ( as much as may be ) by private devotions & meditations make supply of that defect . againe , such is the reverence that is due to the solemne & publique dutyes of devotion , that they require not onely a surcease from other workes & thoughts for the time of their performance , but also a decent preparation before-hand ; that wee looke to our feete , when we enter into the house of god , & put off our shooes before we stand upon holy ground : that so our thoughts and affections , which are naturally bent upon the world , and not easily withdrawne from it , may be raysed to a disposition befitting so sacred an employment . in which respect it is convenient , if not necessary , that til the publike service of god be ended , men intangle not themselves with unnecessary businesses , or give themselves to sportings or recreations , whereby their mindes should be hindered from the right preparing of themselves , or due performance of those holydutyes . lastly it is good and commendable to spend the rest of that day in holy meditations , private prayer , reading and calling to minde what wee have read , or heard ; these workes , as they are at all times profitable and beseeming christians ; so on that day they are most seasonable and suitable to those publique actions of devotion which are the proper worke of the day . thus s. augustine exhorteth his auditors on this day to sequester themselves from worldly businesses , that they may be employed in these works ; and the councill of matiscon , yea and our owne church canons prescribe the spending of this day ( and other holy-dayes devoted to gods service ) in these and the like religious imployments . and therefore they who thus spend the lords day ( if it be done without superstition or judging other mens liberty ) cannot therefore justly be condemned . now by this it is easie to judge of our liberty . first then , here is a liberty in case of necessity , though thereby the solemne dutyes of gods worship bee hindered . secondly , a liberty in things not absolutely necessary , so as thereby the service of god , & the due preparation thereto be not hindered : under which the use of honest and seemly recreations , after the publike dutyes of the day are finished , may be comprehended . for though it cannot be denied that a man may commendably spend the whole day in workes of piety and devotion , yet that cannot prescribe to all christians , or infringe their liberty . for it is one thinge to exhorte to a thing as commendable , another to urge it as necessary ; one thing to say , this or that is a good worke , and is wel done at this or that time , another , to enjoyn it by way of precept , so as at such time it may not be omitted , nor other worke permitted . and the reason is , because gods affirmative precepts , though they warrant , and commend the workes that they enjoyne , and make them good and commendable , whensoever they are performed ; yet they bind not precisely to any determinate time for their performāce : for example we are commanded to pray and that continually , so that he that is most frequent in prayer , observes this precept best , and deserves the praise of a devout and religious man : & yet he that prayes not at this or at that time , when haply , another doth , cannot therefore be sayd to sin , and much lesse bee counted irreligious or profane . david prayed & gave thanks unto god at midnight , & so did s. paul and silas , and surely those godly soules were blessedly employed : but shall wee therefore condemne him who doth not the like ? s. paul also being to depart from troas , continued his sermon till midnight on the sunday , and no doubt , but he did well ; yet no man will therefore prescribe the like length to every sunday sermon . the case is the same in this businesse we have in hand : for we doe not presently affixe these duties to the day , which wee say may be commendably on that day performed ; nor on the other side , doe we disallow the spending of the whole sunday in holy and religious actions ; because we dare not rigidly tye all men so to do , or lay it upon them by way of precept , as if god had expresly commanded that time to be no otherwise spent . there is a good and a safe use of that distinction of precepts and counsells ; ( though the romanists abuse it to the patronising of their imaginary workes of super erogation ) and things in themselves good without relation to any determinate time , we may wish , exhort , and counsell men to performe at any time , when wee cannot by precept impose them upon all . wee know our saviour commended some things to his disciples with a let him that is able to receive it , recieve it advising and exciting all to that , which nowing the infirmity of many , hee would not exact by his authority as necessary to be performed by all . and in this case wee may doe well to imitate him considering that it is no where enjoyned in scripture , and that such is the condition of many , that they are not capable of such an injunction , as namely those who by reason of their mean education or naturall parts are not fitted for long meditation requisite for the spending of the vacant time of the day , and to whom in regard of their hard labour in the weeke dayes , it is a mercy to permit some bodily recreation on this day ; which certainely cannot be displeasing to him who hath said , i will have mercy & not sacrifice . and if they , who use to judge the use of all recreation on this day sinfull , had known what that meaneth , they would not have condemned the guiltlesse . if any thinke that god hath so commanded : let him produce the place of scripture , and i will quickly recant . the places which are usually alledged for that purpose , and wherewith men are so frighted and thundred against out of the pulpet , being intended for the iewes , and that in regard of that speciall positive precept , given for the strict rest upon their sabbath , cannot with any shew of reason , bee extended to christians , when both day and precept , are out of date . but haply some may yet further contend , that though the day bee changed , yet the equity of it still remaines , and that they may argue thence ( à pari , or ( as some thinke ) à minori ) as from the lesse to the greater . that if the iewes upon their sabbath which was instituted in memory of the creation , and of their deliverance out of egypt , ought to doe no worke , nor so much as to speake their owne words , and that for the whole day : then by the like reason , nay much rather ought christians so to doe on their sabbath , or sunday which is consecrated to the memory of a farre more glorious worke , the worke of our redemption , accomplished in the resurrection of our saviour . here , in this kinde of reasoning there is some truth , but ( as it is too common ) it is over-strayned , and so is but a meere colour to countenance that , for which it is brought , and not any solid foundation whereon to build it . the truth is , christians have as much ( if not more ) cause to celebrate the redemption of mankind by a solemne weekely commemoration , as ever the iewes had to celebrate the creation of the world , or their deliverance out of egypt : and this may serve as a good ground to justifie the institution of the lords day , and the churches practise in observing it : but this truth is overstrained being applied to the manner of celebration , which was peculiar to the jewes , and accommodated to the then-state of the church , which was ( as hath beene shewed ) to be held under the yoke of a strict outward rest , in expectation , and for the prefiguring of that eternall rest , which now christ hath actually purchased ; and therefore injuriously laid upon christians , who are freed from that yoke , under which they groaned : and they may as well upon the same ground conclude against making of fires , and dressing of meate upon the sunday , and make the gathering of a few sticks upon that day to deserve no lesse now , then hee suffered for doing the like upon the sabbath . so that wee may say to those who thus argue ( as hee in saint augustine , upon farre better ground then he did ) either let us be christians and keepe the lords day , or let us bee iewes , and observe the sabbath . but is it not reason that god should have one whole day in seven , given unto him now , as well as heretofore ? yes certainely ; but yet with such difference , as suites with the different condition of the church that now is , from that which then was , that being guided by the spirit of feare , this of love , that in a state of bondage , under the unsupportable burthen of legall ceremonies , this in a state of liberty , and under christs easie yoake : in a word , they iewes , and we christians : and this being considered , we may be said to give god a day , no lesse now , then they then , though in that day wee doe not so strictly observe the outward ceremoniall rest , as they were bound to doe secondly , i say , that our church is so farre from abridging god of one day in seven , that it gives more , as having appointed and consecrated divers holy dayes to the same solemne and publike worship of god , which is enjoyned to bee performed upon the lords day . for these ( though they may admit some difference in regard of their accidentall dignity , in as much as those benefits commemorated in them are greater or lesser yet ) in regard of their essentials they are equall , as being all of them dedicated to the honour of the same god , in memory of some great and speciall benefits vouchsafed to the church , and therefore doe goe pari passu in our canons , and in our ancient statutes , which require the same observance of both under the same penalty . and therefore those who stand so much for a whole day of seven to be consecrated to god , if the worship of god were all they affected , might see that there is a compensation made for the defect which they so much complaine of in our observation on the lords day ; and they themselves might doe well to take advantage , by a religious observation of these dayes , to make up their failings on the lords day : but this they are so farre from , that they account the observation of these dayes a breach of the fourth commandement , and thinke it a sin to make more holy dayes then one in seven . in which regard , it cannot be judged altogether impertinent , if i here take occasion to vindicate the practise of our church , from their unjust censures . and in the first place , i may returne their own argument upon them , and say ; is it not reason that god should , now under the gospel , have more set dayes to commemorate his benefits then one in seven , as well as under the law ? vnder the law , we know , they had , beside their weekly sabbaths , the passeover , pentecost , and the feast of tabernacles ; and not onely those which had gods expresse command for their institution , but the feast of purim , and of the dedication , which ( as i have before shewed ) were ordained by the church , without any expresse command of god , and observed by our saviour himselfe , whose example alone ( if any thing ) is sufficient to exempt us from scrupling at the like now in the time of the gospel . secondly , if they will not runne cleane counter to their owne principles , and deny the morality of the fourth commandement altogether , they must acknowledge thus much ( at least ) to bee moral : that there ought to be a certaine part of our time given to god , and some dayes set apart for his publique worship : now these ( being left undetermined in the word of god ) if it bee not in the power of the church to determine them , i wonder how that precept should be observed : and if the churchupon this ground , have reason and power to appoint any one day , why not more ? seeing her power is not limited or restrained within any other bounds but those generalls , of decency and order : which i presume no man will say are transgressed in the ordination of those holy dayes which are observed among us . thirdly , to this that such times are in the generall commanded by god ; wee may adde two things more , which being well considered will abundantly discharge the observation of such dayes from superstition : and those are , first , that the duties therein required are no other then such , as according to the word of god , ought to bee performed by all christians : for what else is required on those dayes but the solemne prayers and prayses of god in the church , joyned with the hearing of his word , and a speciall commemoration of his benefits , which as on those dayes were received ? and which of all these is not required in the word of god ? and if it bee lawfull , yea commanded , that wee should performe those duties at all times and upon all occasions , they cannot at any time whensoever they are performed , justly bee termed superstitious , or ( which must follow by consequence ) unlawfull . 2. the other thing to bee considered is , that the grounds and occasions of the churches determination of these duties unto those speciall dayes which wee observe , are such as deserve no lesse . as being reall , great , and generall benefits vouchsafed by god unto his church . first , they are true and reall , not imaginary fictions founded upon the fained actions , or falle martyrdomes of titular saints , such as are many in the romish church . secondly , they are great , not ordinary or common benefits , and therefore require a more then ordinary acknowledgement . thirdly , they are generall ; the good whereof redounds , not to a few , but to the whole body of the church ; and so , if our acknowledgement bee answerable , it must be publike and solemne , performed joyntly by all those that are partakers of the benefits . now , if wee shall runne thorough the whole kalender , take an impartiall view of all our holy dayes , wee shall not find so much as one among them all , of which thus much may not truely bee affirmed . for they may almost bee ranked under two heads . first , such memorable steps in the story of our blessed saviour , as by which the great worke of our redemption advanced unto its happy accomplishment . secondly , the memorialls of that goodnesse and glory which he afterwards manifested to the world by his holy apostles , evangelists and martyrs , whom he honoured so much as to make them founders of that kingdome which cost him his dearest blood , & to count them worthy to suffer death for his sake . concerning the former , i suppose there is none but will say in the words of the psalmist ( as our vulgar translation reades them ) the mercifull and gratious lord hath so done his marvellous workes , that they ought to be had in remembrance . and what better meanes can be devised then the appointing of set solemne dayes for their commemoration , i cannot see : and this was the churches aime in appointing these dayes : so s. austine , we ( saith he ) dedicate and consecrate to god the memory of his benefits in solemne feasts and set dayes , least in the revolution of times ingratefull forgetfulnesse should creepe upon us . the like may be said of the latter : for if our saviour appeared so glorious in them , and by them conveighed so great and generall blessings to his church , what reason can bee alleadged why the church may not retaine an annuall honourable memoriall of them to the glory of him whose instruments they were ? the psalmist tells us that the righteous shall bee had in everlasting remembrance . and the wiseman , that the memory of the just shall be blessed . and therefore , to have some dayes in which the memories of those , who were in their generations most famous for righteousnesse , may , with blessing , be perpetuated , is but their due and agreeable to his will who hath granted them that honour : so that we may justly solemnize the dayes wherein those barning and shining lights first appeared to the world ; or the dayes of their departure hence , which were the dayes of their happy inauguration into the kingdome of glory , when they , both left to the church militant the glorious example of their christian fortitude , and became an occasion of new joy to the church triumphant , by the accession of new citizens to that heavenly society . either of which , afford matter sufficient of solemne joy and rejoycing to the church , and consequently of praise and thanksgiving unto god. lastly , to convince them yet farther out of their owne principles : they allow the church power , in the times of great calamities , either feared or felt , to appoint solemne dayes of fasting and humiliation ; and those dayes they will have held as sabbaths extraordinary , and that therein men are bound to abstein from their bodily labours , according to the same streitnesse that they are bound to observe the sabbath ; i would gladly then know some reason why the church should want power to ordeine the like dayes for the celebration of speciall benefits , to be observed ( not as sabbaths which are now antiquated and no presidents for us christians , but ) with such a cessation from labours , as is necessary for the performance of the publike worship of god , and fit to accompany such solemnities of publike joy and rejoycing , to which rest is more naturally requisite , then to the times of sorow and humiliation . but it is not the having of such dayes that some scruple at , or the duties required in them , for they much desire to have some dayes besides the lords day to meet together for the hearing of the word , and for the words sake can be contented to endure the liturgie of the church . but the things which they dislike are ; first the obligation that we put upon men for the observance of them ; for they would have the appointment and observation of them to bee held a thing indifferent and no duty binding conscience . secondly , they dislike the names that we give them , in that we style them the dayes of such or such a saint , which to them seemes to favour of idolatry ; neither would they have them called holy dayes , or accounted more holy then others ; forasmuch as such difference of dayes belonged to the iewes , and is now under the gospell taken away . to these i answer , first , for the obligation of the churches commands , and that it is not a thing indifferent to obey or disobey them , i have already spoken so much as may satisfie those that are not studious of contention , i onely adde now upon this occasion ; that it seemes to me very ridiculous , to grant the church a power of ordeining such times , and yet to require that the observation of them so ordeined be held a thing indifferent . for if their ordinance lay no tye upon men , but leave things notwithstanding still indifferent , their power surely , is to no purpose and nothing worth . touching the names that we give them . i say , first that the festivalls of the saints are dedicated , not to them by whose names they are called , but to god. to him , and not them , our prayers are directed ; to him our praises , though for them , and with reference to those blessings , which by them are vouchsafed unto us ; wee honour him as the author of all that good which either they , or we , by them , are partakers of : we honour them only as his instruments , and as those who having beene imitators of our blessed saviour , are worthy patternes of our imitation . to this purpose wee finde the church of smyrna answering the like calumny raised against them by the iewes , upon occasion of their affection which they expressed toward that glorious martyr polycarpus . these men ( say they ) are ignorant that we cannot ever leave christ who suffered for the salvation of the whole world nor can we worship any other . for him we adore as the son of god ; as for the martyrs , we worthily love them as disciples and imitators of him their lord , for their insuperable affection toward their king and master , whose partners also we desire to be , and to become their disciples . and thus much they might easily answer themselves out of our church liturgy , where there is no one word in any office appointed for any saints day , that gives the least ground or colour to this scruple . the other imputation of iudaisme which they taxe us with , because we style our christian festivalls , holy dayes , hath as weake a foundation as the former . for i willingly grant them what they alleadge for the countenancing of this objection , that now under the gospell the difference of times and dayes is no lesse taken away then of meates ; that is , as we have now no meats that are uncleane either in themselves , or by reason of any positive precept given to the iewes , but that they may bee eaten with thanksgiving ; so neither is there any day or time which in it selfe , or by reason of any such iudaicall precept , is now to be accounted more holy then others ; all this is evident from the places which they alleadge for this purpose : whereupon wee conclude , that none of the iewish festivalls ( not the sabbath it selfe ) ought to be observed by christians , nor ( which is more ) any christian festivall to be observed , after the iewish maner , or with their rites and ceremonies . and this may justly taxe them who stand either for the iewish sabbath , or which turne the lords day into a sabbath , exacting the same strictnesse of observance in regard of the outward ceremoniall rest . but it can no way prejudice the church , in consecrating dayes to the service of god , or in accounting them ( though in themselves , and setting aside the ordinance of the church , they are all alike yet ) in relation to the duties to be performed in them , more holy then others . and this they must grant , unlesse they will affirme one of these three things . first , that the workes of god now under the gospel are not so great , so glorious , and consequently , so worthy of set times for their solemne remembrance , as heretofore under the law. or that the christian church hath now lesse power in appointing dayes for the solemne worship of god , in relation to those glorious works of his , then the iewish synagogue once had . or lastly , that the worship which wee christians now performe to god is not so holy , as that in the time of the iewish synagogue , and so lesse able to sanctifie the dayes in which they are performed . but every one of these being most absurd ; i conclude , that to consecrate certaine dayes , besides the lords day , to the solemne worship of god , in memory of his speciall blessings vouchsafed to the church on such dayes , and to account such dayes , so consecrated , more holy then others , is lawfull and free from all superstition and judaisme . and however , that they who would faine affixe so extraordinary holinesse to the lords day , should of all men have abstained from this last imputation , till they had better proved the immediately divine institution of the lords day . but i have too long digressed ; yet not without cause , in as much as they , who seeme so zealous for the giving to god his due time , refuse notwithstanding to give him that , which the regular piety of the ancient and our owne mother church hath ever , upon so sound reason , consecrated to him . i returne now to answere another objection which they frame against the extending of our christian liberty , to the use of recreations on the lords day . the liberty of christians ( say they ) ought to be spirituall , and not in carnall and common things ; and therefore cannot bee extended to patronize recreations , or ordinary labours on the sunday , but that they are as unlawfull on that day as ever they were on the sabbath . to this i answere , that christian liberty , as it respects the things from which we are freed , is not meerely spirituall , but extends it selfe , to carnall and common things also ; for thereby wee are freed not onely from the guilt , and condemnation of sinne , and the raigning power of it , which are things spivituall ; but also from the servitude of the ceremoniall law , which among other respects which it had , was as a schoole-master , or tutour , whereby the church in her nonage or infancie , was to bee kept under the elements of the world , ( as the apostle calls them ) that is , tyed to the observation of dayes , and moneths , and yeares and meates and drinks ; which being in themselves indifferent , were yet forbidden the church of those times , that their bondage under these might nourish in them the hope and expectation of the promised messias , in whom they were to have deliverance , and so lead , or rather drive them to beleeve in him. now when the fulnesse of time was come , and that christ was exhibited , the church being then no longer under age , is not subject to those observances , but for any tye of that law of moses now upon it , enjoyes the free use and exercise of these things as indifferent . as then there were many things , which , in themselves , and to us , now are indifferent , prohibited to the jewes ; so as they might not eate of all meates , though otherwise wholsome , they might not weare all kinde of garments , though usefull and profitable , &c. so there were some workes in themselves not sinfull , nor at other times unlawfull , prohibited to be done at some speciall times , in regard of the peculiar observance then due to those times , which now , when those times cease to be observed , can by no meanes bee accounted sinfull , or unlawfull . granting therefore that ordinary labours , and all bodily recreations were on the sabbath unlawfull , yet being in themselves not sinfull , and so under the gospell indifferent , they cannot be so upon our sunday . i answere further , that i know no reason why honest recreations , moderate feasting , and such like expressions of rejoycing , may not fitly be counted a part of the externall observance and sanctification of this day ; in as much as it is solemnized in memory of the resurrection of our blessed saviour , and so our redemption fully wrought , to which we may ( with s. augustine ) apply that of the psalmist , this is the day which the lord hath made , wee will rejoyce , and be glad in it . and as on the day of his passion , and other dayes appointed for solemne humiliation , we expresse the sorrow of our hearts by our mourning and neglected attire , by fasting , and abridging our selves of those delights , which use to refresh our natures ; at which times the voyce of the vyoll , and of the harpe , the voyce of the bridegroome , and the voyce of the bride are unseasonable ; so on the day of his resurrection to expresse our joy , and rejoycing by our arraying our selves in our best attire , by feasting , and other acts of cheerefulnesse , is most agreeable to the solemnity of that day , of which we may say in the words of nehemiah and ezra , this day is holy unto the lord your god , mourne not nor weepe — but — eate of the fat , and drinke of the sweet , and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared , for this day is holy unto the lord. and however some men will have every fasting day a sabbath , and every lords day a fasting day ( not allowing either the dressing , or liberall use of gods creatures , and therefore judging it inconvenient to celebrate marriages on that day ) yet the church of god in better times condemned fasting on the lords day as unlawfull , and most incongruous and disagreeable to the use of that day , which was ordained as a festivall , and day of mirth and rejoycing : for which end also the church in her most ancient times , had on that day their agapae or love-feasts , as for the refreshing of the poore , and for the nourishing of mutuall love and amity , so also for the unanimous expression of joy in all sober mirth , and in the free ( though temperate ) use of gods creatures . upon which ground ( doubtlesse ) wee may conclude the lawfulnesse of the use of such recreations , feastings , and other testifications of rejoycing upon the lords day , as are in themselves honest , and are so used as they prove no hinderances to the service of god , which is the proper worke of the day . besides , even the iewes themselves ( though out of superstition , they did for the most part overdoe this precept of the sabbath , abstaining from those things , which they might have done , without any violation of gods commandement , yet ) accounted their sabbath a feast , not a fast ; a day of rejoycing , and not of sorrow , or humiliation ; and judged it not unlawfull to make feasts upon that day , as is evident by that feast made upon the sabbath , by a chiefe pharisee ( one of their strictest sabbatarians ) whereat our saviour himselfe ( who was no sabbath-breaker ) vouchsafed his presence among many others that were invited . and paulus burgensis ( himselfe a iew ) reports , that the iewes held themselves bound to eate three meales that day , which on other dayes they used not . and syranus ( another of the same nation ) saith , that the hebrew doctors held that the word remember was prefixed to this commandement , that if they had any pretious garment , or any other thing of price , they should remember to keepe it till the sabbath , to give it at first a sabbath-dayes wearing . i am not of their minde , but thinke that word prefixed for higher , and more important reasons : yet i verily beleeve that their conceit did speak their usuall custome of apparelling themselves in their most costly and best garments , as best befitting the joy of that high festivall , which ( as one hath well observed ) hath this singular priviledge to be a day of rest and holinesse ; of delight , and feasting unto the world ; and therefore ( saith hee ) this day is not described by evening and morning , as were the other six which consisted of light and darknesse : but this is all day , or light , figuring out our perpetuall joyes . and , no question , but , that day which was the memoriall of gods resting from his worke , when he rejoyced in the works of his hands , ( so the chaldee paraphrast expounds gods resting on the seaventh day ) and of the deliverance from the aegyptian bondage was celebrated with mirth , and rejoyoing : so that i can hardly be induced to thinke , that on their sabbath day , they were bound to abstaine from all kinde of recreations , but that they did , or , at least , might use such expressions of joy & mirth , as at their other festivalls were usuall among them ; as feasting , singing , dancing , and the like : which , i conceive , were no way forbidden in the commandement , which onely seemes to ayme at workes of toyle or such as are servile , or undertaken for profit or gaine , or at least that might hinder them in the service of god : and not to exclude all recreations , which ( though they may , haply , in a large sense be termed workes , yet ) being such as doe refresh , not weary nature , and being so used , as that the worship of god might notwithstanding be duly and solemnly performed , cannot be said to crosse the intent of the law , which was the decent and solemne service of god , and the testification of their freedome from egyptian servitude . but let this passe as a private conceit , yet sure i am , that tostatus ( whom doctor willet approves ) saith , they were not bound to attend all the day upon gods service . and the same doctor willet expounding these words : abide yee every man in his place ; let no man goe out of his place on the seaventh day , saith , they were not to goe forth , that is , with intent to gather manna , which lay round about the hoast , or to doe any other businesse : they were not forbidden all kinde of walking , and going out for their solace and recreation . certainly then christians cannot justly be blamed , if on the lords day god be solemnly and decently served at fit times , and no other worke entertained to the hinderance of this , though every moment of that day be not spent in performance of the acts of gods worship , nor the vacant space observed with a superstitious rest , which shall exclude all other works , and all , even lawfull recreations , which to exact at the hands of christians , what is it but to surpasse the jewes in superstition about the sabbath , and having only changed the day , in dishonour and contempt of the jewes , to require notwithstanding the same ceremoniality of observance ? which what fruits it hath had , or can have , i cannot see , save the engendring of endlesse scruples , and inextricable doubts , and the needlesse wounding of the consciences of many well-meaning people , when they have no sure guide to direct their practise , and when that which is required is beyond the ability of mortalls to performe . for i will appeale to the consciences of these rigid task-masters , whether ever they , or any other did yet , or could possibly keepe the lords day , in that strict manner as they urge it ? but , haply this little moves them , who being taught that it is impossible to keepe gods commandements , will therefore the rather be induced to thinke , it is commanded , because they are unable to keepe it . yet sure our saviour would never have stiled his yoke easie , and his burthen light , had this strict observance of the lords day beene a part of it , and gods commandements , so as hee now under the gospel requires them to bee done , and with the assistance of his grace , wherewith he seconds them ( whatever men rashly say of them ) are not grievous , much lesse impossible to be done . to set downe briefly and plainely , that which in more words hath beene hitherto driven at : and it is but this . there are three things considerable in the sunday , or lords day . 1. a day . 2. that day . 3. the manner of celebrating it . the first is gods immediate precept . the other two not so , but mediate and by the power he hath given to his church . first god commanded some time wherein men setting aside all worldly businesse and thoughts , should apply themselves to the duties of his solemne and publique worship , and this is the substance , or that which is morall , in the fourth commandement . secondly , the custome or constitution of the church , warranted by the apostles practise , and the honour vouchsafed unto it by our saviour himselfe , determined that time or day to the sunday , or first day of the week ; & secondly , prescribed how and when , for the decent time and manner of performing those duties . by these our liberty is limited , which must not be ( without necessity ) extended to the violation of either of them : hence then , 1. hee sinnes that doth not separate some time for god , &c. as violating the immediate precept of god in the fourth commandement . 2. he sinnes no lesse , that for this end observes not the sunday , and that in that decent manner , which the nature of the duties , and the authority of the church hath enioyned ; and this hee doth in two respects . first , because hee violates gods mediate command , who hath authorized the church in his right , and by his power to ordaine such things ; so that , to neglect the church , in this case is , to neglect god. secondly , because the immediate precept of god is wrapt up in the precept of the church : by which , that which by him was left indefinite , is defined , and determined . but that liberty either for ordinary labours , or honest recreations , which may stand with the observation of these precepts , no man can justly account sinfull , unlesse hee can produce ( not the phansies of some zelotes , or the opinion of this or that man , though accounted never so good or learned , but ) some other precept given by god , or those whom god hath commanded us to obey : for it is an undoubted maxime , which the apostle delivers ; where no law is , there is no transgression . the prohibition of the law only is that , whereby things are exempted from our power and liberty , which otherwise ( except in case of scandall ) remaines intire . and this alone is sufficient to terminate this dispute , upon which wee will joyne issue with those that are contrary minded , being not more confident that they can shew no binding precept for the restraining of our christian liberty in this case , then willing to retract what hath beene said , if they shall prove themselves able to doe it . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a69228-e200 what the morall law is . what the ceremoniall law is . what the judiciall law is . aquin. 1. 2. qu. 101. col. 2. 17. aq. 1. 2. q. 100. moral precepts not all equally belonging to the law of nature . aq. ibid. a inter emnia illa 10. praecepta solum ibi quod de sabbato positum est sigurate observandum praecipitur . aug. ep 118 cap. 12. caetera ibi praecepta propriè sicut praecepta sunt sine ulla figura a significatione observamus . idem ibid. b inst . l. 2. & 8 §. 28. vinbratile veteres nuncupare solent . dinudia tantum exparte rem attingunt . id. ibid. c sabbati praeceptum est partim morale , partim ceremoniale , unde into contine●…er aliquid aternum , et aliquid temporarium . mart. thes . in exod. 2. d aquin. 2. 2. q. 122. art . 4 ad primum & secundum . vidaeundem 1. 2. q. 100 a. 5. ad secundum . medul . theol l. 2. c 15 ● . 11. deut. 4 13. 1. luk. 26. 29 31. mal●onat . in mat. 7. 12. fra●… . iu●●●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 2. pet. 1. rom. 8. 3 , 4 rom. 3. 31. dr. willet on gen. 3. 23. exo. 31. 13 deut. 5. 15. ezck. 20. 12. gen. 2 3. dr. williams p. 297. dod. p. 130. elton . p. 90. colos . 2. 16 concil . lacdic . can . 29. in mat. hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . act. 21. 20. non fuerunt tanquam diabolica gentiunt sacrilegia fugienda , etiam cum ipsa gratia iam coeperat revelari quae umbris talibus fuerat praenunciata , sed permittenda paulū eis , maximè qui ex illo populo cui data sūt , venerant . postea vero tanquam cū honere sepulta sunt a christiaūs omnibus irreparabiliter deserenda . aug. ep 19. and a little before in the same chapter , — ●um venisset fides que priùs ictis obs●●…vatiambus praenun●iata , post mortem & resurrectionē domini revelata est , amiserunt tanquam vitam officii 〈◊〉 . verum tamen sicut defuncta corpora necessariorum officiis deducenda ●●…ant quodammodo ad sepultueam . — non autem deserenda continuo vel inimicorum mersibus pro. j●ienda ●●oind● 〈◊〉 quisquis christianorum quamvis ex iudaeis similiter ea celebrare voluerit , tanquam sopitos cineres 〈◊〉 , non erit pius deductor vel , bajulus corporis , sed impius sepu●tu●ae uiolat●● . matt. 28. 1. mar. 16. 1. iohn 20. 1. 1. cor. 16 2 revel . 1. 10 some time to be consecrated to god , moral hook p. 378 morale est quantum ad hoc , quod homo deputat aliquod tempus vitae suae ad vacan 〈◊〉 di . vinis , &c. aqui●i . 22. q. 122. medul . t●eol . l. 2. c. 15. ●4 . plutarch in v●● thesci . s. chrysostom . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ●om . 6. p. 542. edit . savill . deut. 5. 15. & 14. 18. de praeparatione evangel 13. c. 7. s. aug. de civit lib. 11. c. 31. hieron . in amo● . 5. zanch. in quartum praecep . med. theo. l. 2. 6. 15. n. 6. instit l. 2. c. 8. d. calvins opinion of one in seaven . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. eccl. pol. p. 379. hom. of the place and time of prayer . part. col. 2. 16. 17. speach against trash . p. 72 elten . p 91 ●●…lliams p. 299. ames loco supra cu. 2 cor. 5. 17. ier. 16 14. 15. 1 pet. 1. 3. aq. 2. 2. q. 112. 4. p. 385. prov. 12. 10. ex. 20. 11. heb. 4. 9 vid. aqum . in loc . ver . 4. rev. 14. 13 figurae debet esse exactae , alioqui non bene significant . bellarm. t. 2. l. 3. c. 10 gal. 4. 1. v. 45. elton . p. 98. potest qui dem concedi actionem aliquam observatienem sabbati illis temporibus suisse imperatam , paeelagoglae & scivitutis tempori accommodatam , quae omnibus seculis non obtinet . med. theol. l. 2. c. 15. n. 23. v. perkins cases . l. 2. c. 16. § 1. see doctor williams of the church . p. 301. cleaver declar. of christian sabbath . pag. 99. esion p. 90. dod p. 127. amesius medul . theol l. 2 c. 15 n 27. heb 3. 2. ioh. 4. i tim. 2. 8. i thes . 5. 17. difference of times and places how taken away under the gospell . ames . loco supracit . n 30. dod p. 133. * see saint chrysostome upon that place , who saith , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. and a little after , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. a mat. 28. 1 mar. 16. 1. ioh. 20. 1. b ioh. 20. 19. 26. col. 2. 14. 15. ver. 18. ad januar. epist . 119. c. 13. dies dominica christians resurrectione domini declaratus est , et ex illo habere caepit festivitatein suam . demonstrare & consecrare dignatus est . ibid. c 9. domini resuscitatio promisit nobis aeternum diem & cōsecravit nobis dominicum diem . id. de verbis apostoli . serm. 15. speech against traske . p. 74. * pet. mart. thes . in exod . 20. non erravit christiana ecclesia , cū loco sabbati flatuit observandum diem dominicum , cujus iasacris sitteris men tio habetur , quamvis de ejus observatione praeceptum non ●x●●● . serm. de temp. 251. quod universa tenet ecclesia , nec conci●●●t institutū , sed ●emper retentum est , non nisi autoritate apostolica traditum rectissime creditur . — id. de bap. contra don. l. 9. c. 24. & l. 5. c. 23. a field of the church p. 377. b observantiae diei dominicae in novâ lege , succedit observantia sabbati , non ex ui praeceptiet legis , sed ex constitutione ecclesiae , & consuetudine populi christiani . aquin. 2. 2. q. 122. ● . 4. c concil . nican can . 20. la●d . con. 19. auresion . 3. can. 21. matise . can. 2. d eusch . de vitâ constan . jl. ● . ● . 18. s. august . epist . 86 ad ●●●…lan . see hooker p. 92. p. 95. & p. 121. ioh. 10. 22. eccl. poll. 3. § 9 p. 107. 1 cor. 11. 22. pro. 6. 20. see d willet on exod . 20. math. 5. 17 math. 12 1 luk. 13. 15 luk. 14 5. 1 macc. 2. 41. luk. 13. 11 iohn 5. 8. mar. 2. 27. aequum est ut sabbati observatio cedat hominum utilitati , et non homo sabbati causā percat ●●●…m parap● . in locum . hosea . 6. 6. acts 13. 27 math. 12. 5. hinc definitio est jadaicarum traditionū : in templo nunesse sabbatū . f● . lu ca●●●…oc . true church . p 300. med. theel. l. 2. c. 15. n. 24. praeter accensionem ignis , et cibi communis apparatum . elton . p. 101. perkins cases . c. 6. mat. 12. 1. 2. 3. mark. 2. 27 see fran lucas brugen● . upon the place . ho●ker . p. 385. concil . matisc . 2. can . 1. eccl. 5. 1. exod. 3. 5. serm. de . temp. 251. concil . matisc . 2. can . 1. can. 23. 1. thes . 5. psal . 119. 62. acts 16. 25. acts 20. 7. mat. 19. 12 mat. 12. 7. esay 58. 13 exod. 20. 10. num. 15. aut simus christiani , & dominicum colamus , aut simus iudaei , & sabbatū observemus . s. aug. ep . 86 2. tim. 1. 7● can. 13. act for vniformity of common prayer , &c. ames . med . theol. lib. 2 cap. 15. 1. cor. 14. 40. 1. thes . 5. 17 , 18. psal . 111. 4 eissc . dco ) benesiciorum ejus solemmtatilus sestis et diebus ●…a . tuus dicamus sacramusque memoriam ne volumine temporum ingrata subreparobli●io aug. de civ . l. 10. c. 4. psa . 112. 6. prov. 10. 8. 4. dies illi habendi videntur quasipro sabbatis extraordinarūs ames . med . theol . l. 2. c. 15. reade m. mason of christian humiliation . p. 66. edit . 2. possunt autem dies qual scunque pie converti in occasiones cultum dei promovendi ames . ●b . elton p. 117. idem ibid. pag. 45. — ignorantes not nec christe unquam relinquere qui pro totius servandorū mundi salute passus est nec alium quenquam colere posse . nam hunc quīdem tanquam filū dei adoramus ; martyres vero tanquā discipulos & imitatores domini digne propter insuperabilē inregē ipsorū & praeceptorem benevolentiā disigimus , quorū & nos consortes & discipulos fieri optamus . euseb . eccles . hist . l. 4. c. 15. rom. 14. gal 4. 5. col. 2. see p. 31. 1 2 3 gal. 4. 3. gal. 4. 4. nehem. 8. 9. 10. die dominico jejunare nesas ducimus , tertull. de cor. mil. c. 3 cōcil . gangr . can. 18. cartiag . 4. can. 64. iustellus in cod . ca●onū . not . in can. 70. luk. 14. 1. addit . 4. in exod. 20. ainsworth in gen. 2. 3. esay 60 20 rev. 21. 25 psa . 104. 31 gen. 2. 2. tostatus qu. 12. in exod. exo. 16. 29 mat. 11. 30. 1 ioh. 5. 3. . rom. 4 15. gods judgements upon drunkards, swearers, and sabbath-breakers. in a collection of the most remarkable examples of gods revealed wrath upon these sins with their aggravations, as well from scripture, as reason. and a caution to authority, lest the impunity of these evils bring a scourge upon the whole nation. by w. l. hammond, samuel, d. 1665. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a87056 of text r230554 in the english short title catalog (wing h623ba). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 187 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 102 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a87056 wing h623ba estc r230554 99896409 99896409 154184 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a87056) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 154184) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2403:14) gods judgements upon drunkards, swearers, and sabbath-breakers. in a collection of the most remarkable examples of gods revealed wrath upon these sins with their aggravations, as well from scripture, as reason. and a caution to authority, lest the impunity of these evils bring a scourge upon the whole nation. by w. l. hammond, samuel, d. 1665. [64], 128 p. printed for william london, [london] : 1659. title page and leaves a2, a6, b3.6, c3-8, f2, and f3 are cancels. divisional titlepages: of blaspheming the name of god, by cursed oathes. with the judgements of god upon cursers & swearers (g1r); of the sabbath day, with gods judgements upon the profaners thereof (i1r). in fact, by samuel hammond--wing (cd-rom edition). reproduction of original in the folger shakespeare library. eng alcoholism -england -early works to 1800. swearing -early works to 1800. sunday -early works to 1800. god -wrath -early works to 1800. a87056 r230554 (wing h623ba). civilwar no gods judgements upon drunkards, swearers, and sabbath-breakers. in a collection of the most remarkable examples of gods revealed wrath upon hammond, samuel 1659 34444 255 20 0 0 0 0 80 d the rate of 80 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2008-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2008-08 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2008-09 john pas sampled and proofread 2008-09 john pas text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion written by wm london a bookseller in newcastle upon tyne . local cases . houghton le spring p 42 carlisle pp 44 , 45 , 77 stanhopep 76 dalston &c. p 44 , 78 cockermouth p 44 callerton p 85 gods judgements upon drunkards , swearers , and sabbath-breakers . in a collection of the most remarkable examples of gods revealed wrath upon these sins : with their aggravations , as well from scripture , as reason . and a caution to authority , lest the impunity of these evils bring a scourge upon the whole nation . by w. l. 1 cor. 10.11 . now all these things happened unto them for examples , and they are written for our admonition , upon whom the ends of the world are come . luke 13.3 . jesus said , suppose ye that these galileans were sinners above all galileans , because they suffered such things ? i tell you , nay , &c. printed for william london , 1659. to the right worshipfull , the mayor , recorder , aldermen , sheriffe , and common-councell ; together with the most ingenuous inhabitants of the famous and flourishing town of new-castle upon tine : the authour in testimony of his sincere desires for the peace and prosperity of the town in general , and every person in particular , dedicates this his labour to their kind acceptance . christian reader , when i consider how the great moderator of the world , the holy and just god is concerned in the regular or irregular conversations of men , and how much he hath interested himself in the providential notice he hath taken of them , i cannot but judge that the brandishing of his sword , the recording of the signal judgments of god ; may be both acceptable to the lord , and useful to many an habituated rebellious sinner , for the allaruming his drowsie conscience . shall a trumpet be blowne in the city , and the people not be afraid ? the lord is known by his judgment which he executeth . god will not suffer the worst part of the world to sink into atheisme : the wretched emperour shall have claps of thunder to fright him into suspitions of a deity . julian the apostate shall be made to throw his blood into the ayre with a {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} . judgments have been one of the usuall wayes of gods asserting his authority in the world : and that the usefulnesse of the following treatise may be the more discovered , i have a few things to intimate about the number of the judgements of god . 1. that gods judgments are not not like arrows shot into the aire at randome , he does not {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , god hath blessed ends , either to reclaim the party smitten , i● judgements short of death seize on them , or to be ● pillar of salt to others , that they may hear , fear , and do n● more so : those jews that exemplarily fell in the wildernesse ; they are said 1 cor. 10.6 . to be {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , types to future generations ; they are engraven characters of divine vengeance , that we should read their punishment , and avoid their sin . 2. consider the principles that judgements have to work upon . bondage , fear , and self-love ; the one like the spaniel , forbearing to offend for the cudgel over it , the other from a principle of self-preservation , had rather want the bait , then swallow the hook ; god having left some reliques of these in the most debaucht consciences , that he might have somewhat to treat with in the vilest sinners , when his judgements were abroad . 3. weigh the convictions they leave of an over-ruling deity ; atheism is one of the natural fruits of the first apostasy , and as it is heightned by impenitency , so it is strengthned by impunity ; now god by his judgements gives some evidences of his being and soveraignty ; he hath , his coecum in mente flagellum , he hath his fulmen in orbe , and fulgur in animo pharaohs bold challenge of who is the lord , shall shrink into a , moses , pray for me when the lord is in the way of his judgements . 4. he will convince the world that scripture-threatnings are not only a voyce of words , but when and where the lord pleases , they are {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , they are fiery darts , the breakings forth of fiery indignation against impenitent sinners , especially when they meet with sinnes that do devastate conscience , such as the sins here witnessed against ; sins that provoke the eyes of gods glory , which in no nation , if raigning , he will suffer to go unpunished : he is a jealous god , & where his honour is so eminently concerned , he will unsheath his wrath , the first of these in a bestial metamorphosis , strives to raze out his image , the second to tear his name , the third to deprive him of his worship ; and i cannot but approve and encourage the design of the ingenuous author ; who , whilst these crying sins dare with an open and brazen face , so frequently shew themselves , will set a brand upon their foreheads , of the notable judgements of god against them ▪ and for my own part , i would not be wanting to countenance such publick designes for god , for the discovering of the eminent judgments of god against these sins , may like the angell to balaam , stop the career of some sinner , provoke the zeale of those magistrates , and under officers , upon whom god and man , so loudly call for a severe proceeding against these sins , and draw forth from the people of god that glorious confession , psal. 58.11 . verily he is a god that judgeth in the earth . books of this nature may do much good , where sermons cannot reach through the prophane absence of many of those that are most guilty of these sins . i shall say no more , but recommend the ensuing treatise to thy serious perusall , and subscribe my self one willing to be a servant to any design for god , j. hammond . to the jvstices of peace in the nation ; especially these northerne parts . gentlemen , the chief pillars of a nation , are the magistracy and ministery ; the one for punishing sin , the other for advancement of righteousnesse . these are the officers of state , which , like the two great luminaries of heaven , give law to all the rest ; and amongst the wisest , and best of men , are accounted as useful to a common-wealth , as castor and polux , to the mariners in a tempestuous night : so that as the flux and reflux of nile , portends plenty , or dearth ; so these sword-bearers of god , are pledges of his favour , to that nation , or place , where they are honoured and respected ; and great care ought to be had in the due election of such as may be for the promotion of the great end of such places : for , as one lately said well , they should not be like brambles , which teare the wool off the poor sheeps backs that come to shelter , for protection , under them . the lacedemonians chose none into the senate as magistrates , but onely upon account of honesty and vertue ; forgeting the bare consideration of riches , friends , &c. where piety was a stranger . and cicero tells us , a good magistrate is the common-wealths physitian , badge of vertue , staff of peace , and pillar of honour . i would onely beg leave to break my thoughts to the first of these : and though to some this may seem boldnesse to be free ; yet considering that a good cause teacheth confidence . i think in this case i should offend if i presumed not ; and i have taken care so to order my flight , as not to soare above the region of duty and civility . gentlemen , i set before you three grand impieties , viz drunkenness , swearing , and sabbath-breaking , sins that are opera tenebrarum ; it 's your work to look to them , they are rageing , reigning , polluting sins ; sins for which a land mourns , and the nation puts on the sable garments of sorrow and heavinesse : these sins beget a controversie betwixt a people , a place , a person , and god , and who is able to abide his indignation ? for if once his wrath be but a little kindled , blessed are all they that put their trust in him . these therefore are sins that ought not to go unpunished , and that without the strictest severity in a christian common-wealth . magistrates are not to beare the sword in vain ; if you do not quarrel with sin , god will with you ; you are , or should ●e , the banks of the common-wealth , to keep us from a land-flood , and torrent of confusion ; you are the hed●es to prophanesse : the life of the law is executions ; it s a principle in moral policy , that not to execute the lawes , is worse than to break them , acts and ordinances will not beat down prophanesse , unlesse the first be throughly acted , and the last set on fire by authority : many take encouragement by the slack execution of justice , which otherwise might with care prove a hinderance , not onely from sin , but punishment , nay , it may be , from eternal flames . i am much afraid that many are guilty of others sins , more than they dream of , by suffering their understandings to be darkened in the sense of their duties , thorough the sight of their honours ; not seriously weighing what trust god hath committed to them : they cannot deny presentments , but think it a work below them to search and find out debaucht houses , or persons , or examine who idlely stayes from the word ; or take care in publick resorts , to find out blasphemers , cursers , and swearers , and punish them in the act. how sad would it be to us , if we heard the sad cryes in torment ? it may be some saying , o that the magistrate had hedged up my way with thorns ! had he set bounds to my drunken meetings , cursed oathes , and prophane sabbath-breaking ; then had i not been now roaring in anguish , under the fury of a revengful god! the mild punishment of obstinate transgressors , makes sin grown to an excrescency : it festers a body politick , as well as natural , to have the wounds not thoroughly dressed ; it forces to a relapse , where the causes are not diverted or rooted out . seeing drunkennesse hath so great confidence , as if authority led it by the hand , let me strike at the bowels of it , that hath so many thousands crawling out of it ; oh that we might see this sin reel with the drunkard ! that there were a frequent visiting of ale-houses , and none suffered , under the greatest engagements , not to suffer any to be drunk , or drink to excesse ! and methinks , as i travel these northern parts , especially about ( i had almost said in ) the metropolis of these counties , it s scarce possible to passe without infection , the streets are lined with these pest-houses ; the greatest wonder is , that they are under the roof of authority , and yet suffered to breath . oh down with disordered ale-houses , that ●rove the hell and damnation ●f many a poor soul ! where many poor wretches sit securely , and there drown their families bread in drunkennesse ! where many a person of respect , buyes the ruin of his families honour , together with his own ▪ at a vast expense ! one said , if it were not for secret drunkennesse , they might bar up their doors ; oh , set a barica● do to the entrance of such impieties and villanies , which flow hither as the humours to the stomack ! banish these fire ships from the coasts of ● christian common-wealth , o● we shall be set on fire from hell● then your towns , counties cities , and the whole nation will move in a regular orbe , & congregations be well filled we may say , it would be a wonder in england if it were in any great town , as it was in rome , where there was a street called vicus sobrius , because there was not an ale-house in it . what if some have no other living ? the question is , can they live no otherwise , than by making men drunk ? i admire the neglect of this foundation of reformation in this place , which so oft by the faithfull servants of god hath been reiterated in our congregations ! if these corners of hell were blown down with the breath of authority , all the traine of attendants , like a great courtiers , would fall with himself ; as cursing , swearing , blaspheming , the holy name of god , murthers , adulteries , and all other such wickednesses , for which the hand of the lord is ready with his judgements to reach us : till this be done , till we see the sword of justice make sin stagger , and like that mighty wind that came from the wildernesse upon jobs children , blow down the four corners of these places of iniquity ; i say , till this come to passe , every moment will thrive towards a dismal no one , the minutes of time will swell into ages , and those into eternity of punishments , if not prevented . if gods wrath and anger be the evils that compasse these sins about , like sparks of our own kindling , and if the reformation of sin , be the removing of judgement ? what need then to strike at the root of iniquity ? if ahabs humiliation , and the ninevites sackcloth and ashes , caused god to let the resolution of his judgements run backwards ; if phineas zeal stayed the plague , and saved many thousands ; i say , if outward reformation tyes gods hands from outward plagues , what need then to look about and reform ? lest we that are left of so many thousands lately swept away by sicknesse , diseasses &c. be made examples because we learn not to beware . i could instance many examples of gods severity , to such as were slack in their duties ; as eli , whose impunity to his sons impiety , shrunk him under the heavy stroke of justice ; but i had rather lead you by examples of piety and justice , than drive you by those of judgements . look to nehemiah , he sets servants at the gates of the city , and laid hands on such as prophaned the lords day . it s worthy observation , what ambrose sayes to theodosius ; that he was more earnest and careful , to observe the things of god as a magistrate , than himself as a man . the lacedemonians had their ephori ; magistrates that took care to all manner of intemperance and excesse in the city , and if any were found , they were beaten publickly . the carthaginians made a law , that no magistrate should drink wine ; such was their care to avoid this beastly sin of drunkennesse : solons law was death to a prince that was drunk . in carthage , lacedemon , and creet , this sin was so abominable , that all which were found guilty of it , were thrust out of the senate , and dismantled of all manner of liberty to bear any office in their cities . what zeal was here in heathens against this odious sin ? and this may not unfitly be accounted as the reason why a woman reflected upon king philips unrighteous sentence of judgement , by desiring to have her cause removed from drunken philip , to king philip sober : and it may be , this sin of his , was the cause of his death , which by a lacedemonian gentleman was executed by a thrust in his body , because he refused to do justice . we read of lewis king of france , upon reading psal. 106.3 . blessed are they that keep judgement , and he that doth righteousnesse at all times ; was so wrought upon , that he presently said ; he that doth not punish sin , is the patron of it . these sins i speak of , are grown now so bold by impunity , as if justice were afraid to look them in the face ; like the snake in the fable , rise up against the greatest and most noble ingenuity possible ; its severity must subdue them . when true zeal bends the bow , and draws the arrow of justice to the head , then it strikes sin to the heart ; it flyes home to the life of the law , and death of the offence . a modern example we have of an irish lord , who lodged at west-kirby waiting for his passage , and being a prodigious swearer , the officers serve a warrant upon him , at which he rages with curses and oathes ; but they seize upon his horses , and forced him to pay 20 pound to the use of the poor of the parish ; and all the while he stayed there , his tongue was held as with a bit and bridle . this is the true effect of justice , which looks not asquint upon any man ; like aristides , who without an eye of favour to father , or friend , or malice to his enemies , distributed alike to all , so that he purchased the deserved name of aristides the just . in the areopagite judicature , they onely heard the cause , and never saw the persons , giving judgement in the night , that all might have equall justice . i cannot omit the example of one * mr. jourdain , of whom it might be said as of david , that the zeal of gods house had eaten him up ! for when the book of sports came forth , he sent an expostulatory letter to the king , inclosed to the bishop of exceter , who carefully conveyed it to his majesty , who reading , said in a rage , he should be hanged that wrote it : the bishop fell on his knees , and begged pardon , saying , that god had not a better servant , nor his majesty a better subject . the bishop after being visited by mr. jourdain , said ; ah! mr. jourdain , would you put me upon so hot service , knowing how many eyes * are upon me ! who replied , yea my lord , the eyes of god , and his holy angels , are upon you , to see how you discharge your office and duty . by his justice upon swearers , he brought such an awe and dread upon men adicted to that sin , that many citizens observed , that in places of publick resort , they heard not an oath sworn for many years together . i le end with one pretty passage recorded of king james , who being upon removal to theobalds , his majesties carriages went out of the city upon the lords day , which the lord mayor hearing of , commanded them to be stopt ; which affront , was represented to the king , with as great asperity , as men in authority crossed in their humours , could expresse . the king swears , he thought there had been no more kings in england but himself ; but when it may be he thought there was a king in heaven ; he sent a warrant to the lord mayor , whom with these words he obeyed . while it was in my power , i did my duty ; but being taken away by a higher power , it is my duty to obey ; which afterward it 's said , the king took well , and thanked him for . but least i be taken for one ▪ transported with an over-hea● of zeal , without a regular and proportioned mixture of knowledge , give me liberty to clear my self , and leav● my thoughts behind me , th●● i may not be found guil● of that asperse , ( which some men pressed with a fiery zeal , vented more in passion than discretion ) which fixes a scandal to justice , more than it promotes gods honour or reformation of men : were to consult with the prudent part of our duties , mannaging punishment to such as are drawn aside by temptation , &c. with reproof , and that secretly : but to incorrigible transgressors , such as are so accustomed to do evil , as if they professed debauched courses , let the severity of the law proceed ; for to such onely , the law strikes , to such as will not be warned : who can they blame but themselves , if they smart ? and if i should here plead for respect to be had to persons , it may by some be thought , to be out of the way ; but however , i am much for it , and do account it no lesse than a grand master-piece of prudence ; for if such as seem to lead others by their example , be won from prophanesse , the fruits cannot be bad . if therefore there be any of the better ranke which digresse from the good orders of government , either of the nation , or themselves , we are to use such with all the winning respect imaginable ; and if the law be satisfied , not to provoke their displeasure : the law aimes more at reformation than punishment ; and to persons of quality , whose reputations in the beame of honour weighs down the rate of their punishment : we ought to deal with candid behaviour , and to extend meeknesse and respect , as far as the greatest civility , and favour of law will reach . vpon this ground , no question , was that prudent piece of administration of justice ; performed by a chief magistrate , upon a person of quality , not long ago ; by sending a letter , begging his excuse , and hoping as ●e was a gentleman , he would not be angry at the administration of justice , which was his honour ; demanding satisfaction which was due by law for so many oathes , which in such a place he had sworn ; the gentleman with a high acknowledgment of civility , freely submitted . i would not be thought a favourer of debauchedness in any , much less in the gentry , in whom , if such vice● be set , they have a bad foil ; ye● i must needs say , they ough● to have more allowance that common persons ; especially if they be ingenious ( as alas many that are most ingenious most often fall into the snar● of temptations ! ) a little liberty they expect more than others , and as much as is not an affront to the law , let them have ; because , its fit to win such by civility , which the law cannot by force do , without a rape upon their honours and reputations ; and one great reason is , because many times inferiour persons are the inflictors of punishment , which cannot have over good a relish , unlesse sweetned with a kinde of submission ; and therefore when drink or passion is departed , then to write or send to them : yet where civillity and meeknesse will not allure , to that just decency and order , which holds conformity to the wholesome lawes of the nation , then currat lex . all which i could wish were done without malice , prejudice , revenge , a spirit of domineering , or to be accounted some petty some body ; but with a principle , that may not onely approve the integrity of a mans soul to act for the glory of god , but also a not expecting your reward from popularity , or any other secret advantage below the truth and intent of the action ; guided by the best principles both divine and moral . now , gentlemen , to you that are guilty , or may be found in these disorders ; if lawes were not , we had as good live amongst salvages ; you could not say your lives were your own , if another through fear of the lawes , were not kept from murdering you ; if we had none to punish transgressors , we had as good be without lawes : for your own honours therefore , beware you involve not your reputations to the punishment of every mean officer ; be not angry at justice which is more the honour of the gentry , then any ; because they are looked upon as patrons of it : be rather like king henry the fourth , who thanked god , that justice was executed , though it lighted upon one of his own loyns . to conclude , are not these sins fitter ( if for any in any sense ) for brutes , beasts , beggars , and the scum of a nation , than for gentlemen or christians ? for shame then , you that are in any degree guilty of such foul spots of dishonour , to the nation , to christianity , to your families , good names , and your own souls , let these wicked , debauched , beastly , prophane sins , be abandoned from your thoughts and actions , and hate it in others , that the nation ( the gentry first leading the van ) may make iniquity and sin blush , and even shame these vild courses to the eternal honour of england . and now gentlemen , to whom i have been bold to dedicate my paines , i beg you to look upon the work , in that which you see it doth drive at , and not at the unworthinesse of the authour , whose desire in it is nothing lesse , than may be concluded in this wish : that by your good government , they that are to come , may blesse your remembrance , and we present , may together with your selves , live a comfortable , peaceable , and quiet life , and that in all godlinesse and honesty . so prayes your humble servant w. l. to the reader . when i weigh my owne unworthinesse in the ballance with any thing that may be called a work for god , i am extremely discouraged to adventure ; wondring more that the lord should not rather make me a warning to others , by his judgements upon me for my own sin , then to write examples of others ; in the deep sence whereof , i cannot say that i was constrained to this work , purely from those noble and divine principles , which should move in the wheeles of all undertakings for the glory of god ▪ and good of others , lest i deceive my own spirit ; though ● desire a heart for both ; fo● upon a strict scrutiny , it will be found a difficult , and more then common attainment● though most men are loath ▪ but in all their designes to plume themselves with these fair feathers ; so that in modesty i choose to be rather jealous it is not so , then boast it as a reason that it is , i can indeed say and that truly , that i am an honourer , and lover of order , decency , and good government in a nation , city , or town ; and from a naturall and moral principle , do detest these three sins of drunkennesse , swearing , and sabbath-breaking , as they strike at the honour of order , government : and the reputation of a nation , place or person : and i wish this principle were wrought in such ingenuous persons , as otherwise are not perswaded of a greater evill in these sins ; they are evills that wound the glory of god , honour of a christian state , and the good of a civill government ; yet have i been wound up to more then a common hatred of these notorious sinnes , since i have seen the face of them in the glasse of gods judgements . i have observed drunkennesse , swearing , and the slight observance of the lords day , with the profanation of it , to grow the more by opposition , which i think is , because but slenderly punnished , like the seas , where but bounded with weak banks , rages and roares the more , when they are broken down ; i have likewise observed , that that which should be our greatest honor , is turned into sin , in that they which are under the strictest tye to christianity by profession , should so profane the lords day , and keep it with lesse exactnesse , then the heathens do their dayes of worshiping the devil , whilst we in troops runne to the profanation of god and his holy ordinances , by more then the one halfe of most parishes absenting themselves from the congregation , and either prophane the day by drinking , or , which is as sad , by a more then heathenish idlenesse and sloathfull contempt of their own salvation ; nay , and this is so common , that it seems not otherwise , then if it were turned into a law to contemne the meanes of salvatien , and slight , and abuse such as would turn them aside from hell and eternal damnation ; and by this meanes they slight the faithful ministers of the gospel , that labour night and day for the good of our soules , which i account the first step to apostasy from the ways of god . i have likewise observed the slack execution of lawes , by justices not performeing their duties , discourageing under officers , and leaving them a scorn and a reproach to wicked and ungodly men ; and if it please not the lord to stir up the hearts of justices of the peace themselves , to search diligently , to go about and find out disordered houses , ( the plagues of the nation ) and hunt men out of their houses to the congregation , sin will grow impudent , and bold ; if i say they do not shew their faces , to encourage and set a rate upon others under them ; men will be hardened in their wayes , and be taught to grow worse by the faintnesse of justice ; and this i account a duty , which a good conscience rightly principled cannot shift , nor excuse before god or their own consciences . the consideration of these things , with the tendency of all to ruine , where these evills are not redressed , put me upon this , ( i hope useful , and may i not say necessary ? ) work ; especially considering the use of judgements ; their energy if pondered in a sober and deliberate mind ; they walk not alone , the causes and ends are to be examined ; nor are they only limited to the persons or sins they punish , but for warning others from the like sins , or any other sinnes whatsoever . and we see how god loves to warne before he strike , so he did to nineve and belshazar , and used very much of long-suffering and patience to pharaoh , whose heart at last not taking warning , he ●ardened ; what are examples of gods judgements upon others for , if not to keep us from being the examples our selves ? and though precepts in●eed are very binding , yet they never shine so much , as when set in examples . we are all acquainted how little hold reproofs , admonitions , and exhortations from the pulpit take of men : therefore it is , that i have great hopes , that these examples may do good ; for as one in another case sayes , a verse may find him whom a sermon flyes , and turn delight into a sacrifice . so such as come not to hea● their sins ript open in a soul● searching sermon , may by reading , or hearing these examples , be frightened at the voyce of gods judgements . to consider the severity of god to those that fell , may well make us think with our selves , shall i that am guilty as much as others , be yet in the land of the living ? will not the patience , goodnesse , and long-suffering of god , lead us to repentance ? i say examples are of more force to move , nay to instruct , then the arguments and proofs of reason , or their precise precepts ; for they shew things not onely ●n the theory , but in the practice and execution . it 's reported of one waldus in france , that at the sight of gods judgement upon on● that was suddenly struck dead ; went home , and admonished his friends to repent , and turne from their evill wayes , and wa● himself a famous christian● from whom also sprang the name of the waldenses . examples mix so with the apprehensions , as they force the mind to a deeper understanding , and search , of the ends and causes of them . what i have collected are not of common examples , which daily present themselves before our eye● but such as are the most notorious and remarkable , and i question not but authentick ; those of modern and more late experience , i have taken from such authours as are living , and who from their own knowledge have given testimony to the truth of them . now what am i , that should undertake to direct others in that , wherein i am to seek my self by walking below the strictnesse of what i prescribe to others , and short of my own duty , having , it may be , that found upon my trencher , which i disswade others from as pernicious ? yet i consider the advantages of the undertaking , and , it may be , this may be one to my self , that these strict limits to others , will girt me more straitly within the compasse of my own duty ; and though this hath been strugling for a birth a long time yet now the truth and integrity of my intentions have prevailed to launch into a sea of censures , and if i aim at the good of others in the reformation of their minds and manners ; i am sure it cannot be any hurt to them or my self : and this is the rock on which i hope to stand against the proud assaults of envy or detraction ; for if any thing in the ayme or intention be good , it 's made of more value by the diffusive quality of it , in disaffecting that humour of aspendius , who delighted to play on his harp , so that none should heare but himselfe . i shall conclude in the words of the apostle , and pray : that the love of god which hath appeared unto all men , may teach us to deny all ungodlinesse , and worldly lusts ; and to live soberly , righteously , and godly in this present world . w. l. the contents of the whole . the character of drunkards . page 1.2.3 . drunkennesse a sin against the lawes of temperance and sobriety , and the practice of heathens against it . 4.5 . the strict lawes of heathens against drunnkennesse . 6. the spiritual evils of drunkennesse . 7. drunkennesse the fountain of other sins . 8.9 . the outward evils which accompany this sin of drunkennesse , consumption of estate , ruine of relations , losse of health , a shame to friends , scorn to servants , derision to boyes , losse of sences , &c. 10.11.12 . &c. a friendly exhortation to such gentlemen as are tempted to this sin ; especially to the most learned , and ingenuous persons . 16.17 . &c. gods threatnings aginst drunkennesse . 21.22 . gods righteous and terrible judgements upon such as take not warning ; in a collection of the most choyce examples , such only as bear the strongest remark of gods displeasure . 23.24 . to 45. some few disswasives from this sin of drunkennesse . 46.47 . of profane taking the lords name in vain by cursed oathes , &c. 51. the several aggravations of this sin of cursing and swearing . 52. swearing a sinne directly against god himself . ibid. it 's a sin of high ingratitude . 53 the sin of the devils in hell . 54 no profit by it . ibid heathens detest it . 55 dissuasives from it . 56.57 the severity of former lawes , and time against wicked swearing . 57. gods threatnings against it . 58. gods severity in his just judgements upon such as practised it , in a few sad and doleful examples . 59 , 60. to 59. the sin of profaningg the sabbath day , a great sin . 83.84 . the strict command of god himselfe to observe it . 85. gods own practice for our example , to keep one day in seven from labour , &c. 84. gods end in commanding us to observe it , is for our own good . 88. the reasonablenesse of gods command , for one in seven . 89. the breach of this day a great sin by many high aggravations of it , &c. 90. a sin against gods daily blessings and mercy to us . 91. a word to such as sit idly at home on the lords day . 92. a word to such as profane it , by playing , drinking , &c. 91. perswasions to hear the word , and attend ordinances , as the greatest advantages to our soules . 93.94 . objections answered . 95. gods threatenings against sabbath-breakers . 96.97 . gods severe examples of judgement and justice upon the profaners of the sabbath day . 98.99 . to 125. conclusion . 125.126.127.128 . of drunkennesse , and gods judgements upon drunkards : the sin of drunkenesse being the womb of all others , i chuse first to speak of ; by shewing , what a loathsome creature a drunkard is ; how it 's condemned by the lawes of nature , as well as nations ; the sad consequences of it , to soul , to body ; by setting a full point to his life , when nature hath not yet made a comma : ruining his family and relations , leaving himself at last a prey to necessity , and scorne to fooles . the aggravation of this sin to the gentry , who by their birth , estates , parts , &c. are seated above the reach of such vulgar rudenesse ; and therefore should soare so high with a noble mind , as to scorne to prey upon such garbage , as is only fit to feed swine with . the threatnings of god against this sin , with his judgements for it . first then , a drunkard may be called a monster ; such as entred not into the ark ; unlesse you account noah one , who fell through temptation ; he made no practice of it , yet smarted for his pregnant curiosity , to make an assay upon the unruly spirit of wine ; but let 's more strictly visit him , it's charity to visit the sick . i take him to be no man ; god indeed made him one , but that stamp and superscription of god set upon him to distinguish him from other creatures is so defaced , that if all other of gods creatures had done the like , who could have traced in the search of the knowledge o● god in his creatures ? if then he be n● man , he is no beast ; for in this sence they are sober , content with the liberty of natures choyce ; if neither man , nor beast , then sure god never made him ; his soul is drowned , so n● man ; his sence is lost , so no beast ; if we grant he have a rational being , it is like those idols mentioned , that have eyes and see not , eares and hear not , neither do they perceive any thing ▪ the man is turned out of possession ; here lies the cabinet , the jewel's lost . he is antipode to all other creatures , nay to god himself ; if you will have him a beast , he must be a beast of prey , whose belly is the very sepulcher of gods creatures , as if his life were but potestas vivendi ut velis ; like him that mourned , because his sences were not incorporated into that one of tasting ; which pleasure he wished had been spread over all his body , whereby he might have ranged over all the sweets of nature , with a prolonged delight . hannah gives the fittest name to him , in her answer to eli , count not thine handmaid a daughter of belial . in a word , he is a poor dead creature , a lazarus , whom god in mercy raise to life again ; that out of this chaos of insensible bestiality , god would please to speak a word of power , another fiat , even a voyce saying ; awake thou that sleepest , and arise from the dead , and christ will give thee light . let 's now see how much this sinne contributes to the breach of natures lawes , and how much condemned and rooted out by heathens . temperance and sobriety , those just stewards are dismantled of their authority , whilst this sin with schollars , shut the door against their master when they rebell ; it forces nature to run the gant-lope , which without violence would best provide for her self , if she could but spread her own table ; go to the crib you that are given up to ebriety , who cares for no more than what justly relieves the urgency of nature : i am too much afraid that it may justly be said of us , as it was once of philosophy ; that it was taught at athens , but practised in sparta . temperance and sobriety is taught in england , but practised in turkie ; alphonsus king of aragon , alwayes tempered his wine with water , least it should flie above his understanding , and betray his reason . it was a christian reply of alcamen to his frugal reprovers ; saying , that gods blessings should prompt us to live up unto reason , and moderation , not of ●ust , by turning gods mercies to a wanton liberty of excesse : the wicked man , sayes plutarch , liveth to eat and drink , but the good man , eateth and drinketh to live : and salust said , nothing can be more abject and hurtful than to be a slave to thy mouth and belly : gorgius being demanded how he came to live in health , to so great an age ; answered , by forbearing to eat or drink through pleasure . there is a breach of this temperance , a power to drink to a greater excesse in measure , and abuse of gods creatures , than many a weaker constitution can endure , without being drunk with the fourth part of other's riot : to drown and force nature beyond her due proportion , is a drunkennesse before god , though thou beest never overtaken with the power of it to the sight of the law . if a heathen could say , it becomes not a king to extinguish that by excesse of drink , which suports the name of an emperour : how much ought a christian to value his profession at a higher rate ? how sweet and comely a thing is it for men to live soberly , wisely , and temperately , by mixing our enjoyments with an equal proportion and measure of sobriety ? the opposite was that which stained the glory of great alexander . the lawes of heathens and former nations , condemn our impunity and cheapnesse of this sin : we do as it were sell drunkennesse ; for where forfeitures bite not above the pleasure of it , men will be content to pay for it . the ancient romans banished all epicures out of their cities , accounting them the plagues of youth . romulus made a law to punish drunkennesse in women with death . minos king of creet , suffered none to drink one to another unto drunkennesse , without the censure of the law . severer lawes are not in the world against this sin , than in turkie ; a story whereof i remember of one , that at a festival time , had been too liberal with his cups , and being carried before the grand vizier , had lead poured into his mouth and eares , and so died : not that one act needed such severity , so much as to suppresse the growth and progresse of sin : the law rather intends reformation than punishment , if the one might be without the other ; for lex non irascitur . let 's see the spiritual evils of this sin ; a drunkard wounds his own soul , his heart is like mare mortuum , where no grace can live , he drowns the voice of nature , and conscience , the two great lights which god sets up in every man ; he sells himself with ahab , to work wickednesse : tell him of god , he replies as the cyclops in the tragedy to vlysses ; i know no other god but my belly : or like that monk mentioned , who upon the news that all abbies were voted down , and yet his maintenance continued for life , stroaked his belly with these words , modo hic , sit bene ; his care was past , so long as his camp was victualled : with solomons fool , come let 's drinks , for to morrow we shall die ; but remember , post mortem nulla voluptas . is it not a sad thing , to see men drown body and soul together ? men may play with their eternal estates , and dance about the flames , and never see their danger till irrecoverable . how many like amnon , die drunk , carry their own condemnation with them ; that as sir gervise elloway said ; his own hand which he took such a pride in , appeared to his condemnation , when nothing else could have wrought it : and such judgements are heavy , seeming as if the execution were alike intended against the soul , as well as the body ; they spend their dayes in mirth , and suddenly they go down to hell , job 31.13 . what art thou guilty of that occasions this sin ? which is accompanied with so great tokens of gods sore displeasure ? thou that in company forcest down drink , or takest pleasure in thy sad profit , by suffering them in thy house : read the prophet , wo to him that giveth his neighbour drink , that putteth the bottle to him , and maketh him drunken also . it swells greater yet , as its the fountain of other sins ; as nero wished the people of rome had but one neck , that with one stroke , he might cut it off : so the devil , makes up all his compounds of this one sin ; this he makes the onely rode to the breach of all gods commandments at once : as one well said ; prove a man ungrateful , and he is every thing that is evil : so let a man be a drunkard , and i le secure , he shall not stick at the vilest murther , rape , or whatever mischief come in his way . this sin is without a guard , and though it be the king of other sins , yet it hath not so much as a life-guard : for some kill their dearest friend , who when sober , account him according to that wise standard of solomons , friendship ; better than a brother : others their father , sister , and the wife of their bosom . cyrillus was slaine by his drunken son , who not content with his fathers blood , sends his mother with child to another world , in a bloody winding-sheet ; wounds one of his sisters , and deflowers another . uncleannesse escapes not this beastly sin , any more than murder , an example whereof is recorded of one , that tempted to adultery , murder , or drunkennesse , chose the last , as the least , but proved the greatest ; it was all of them : for now drunk , he commits adultery with one , whose husband at the same time coming in , he murders : the sin of uncleannesse is the channel wherein drunkennesse runneth : nunquam ego ebrium castum putabo , sayes one : i will never believe that chastity lodgeth in the drunkards bed : as its said of pumming-stones amongst the mediterranean islands , that they are produced of the scum of those seas ; so i may say of uncleannesse , that it is the froth of drunkennesse . wine is to most men the milk of venus ; he can never have a pure soul in a chast body , that sucks at these breasts , that frequents the society of this baude of lust . it is the furnace of lust , the forge on which the devil frames all other sins upon . as in nature all things spring from the root , so all sins are incorporated into this one of drunkennesse ; as our natures contain the seeds of all impiety , and there lie for mintage : so when once a man is drunk , he is ready to coine any mischief , and set the devils stampe on every action . i pray god keep every man from this sin . the outward evils are not few ▪ thy estate , family , relations , smart for thy drunken excesse ; and when thou art under the extremity , what thinkest thou is the greatest smart , but to consider , that thy distraction is of thy self ? if a severer judgement prevent not , this misery of want and need ●n old age , will be the inseparable ghost of this sin . a drunkard makes himself the living tomb of his ancestors , travelling from luxury to necessity , never till now writes an omnia vanit as upon his extravagancies . this sin , sayes one , is like gun-powder , which blowes up many a faire fortune . and , no doubt , that which cuts sore , is , to consider , not onely my own misery and poverty , but that my poor and innocent relations , should come to misery , thorough the road of my sin ; that thorough want , they should be put upon such rocks of sin and temptation , as post them out of the world with lamentation and woes , against such courses , the guilt whereof lyeth at my door . this is the vinegar , and gall . the next evil is , the miserable estate of their bodies ; some mens sins run before to judgement , and some come after : this sin , i think , is foremost in every thing ; for whereas god sayes , i will destroy both the meat , and the belly ; he cries , no , no , i will not stay so long , i le destroy my self by rhumes , dropsies , gouts , inflammations , apoplexies ; who sees no● complexions altered , countenanc● changed ? how many destroyed by ● violent death ? infinite numbers drowned , some broken in pieces by falling into pits , fall off horse-back dead● fareing with them as it is said of tha●pope whom the devill carried away with him in the very act of adultery intemperance is a root proper to every disease ; sayes plato : and sicknesse is the chastisement of intemperance . seneca who hath woe ? who hath sorrow● who hath contention ? who wound without cure ? those that stay long a● the wine , saith the royall phylosopher . he is next a shame to his relations , his servants scorn and slight him so cheaply doth he part with his honour , and authority , that his groom i● his master ; is any thing in the world so much the subject of folly and laughter , to the meanest persons , even to the boyes in the street ? as once at a meeting , a company of persons having a tempest in their heads , by reason of a sea o● drink , verily thought the house a pinnace at sea , and the storm so vehement , that they unladed the vessel , throwing all they could get hold of , out of the windowes , instead of over-board , cal●●ng the constable neptune ; some got under the tables , as under the hatches , another holds a great pot for the mast , ●hinking that that which once threw him down , might now hold him up ; all of them crying out , what pitty it was ●o many brave gentleman should be ●●st , and founderd at sea ! that could not find the way home by land ; not ●uch unlike a gentleman of no mean ●rts , attending a funerall in the ●hurch , pulled out his keyes , and ●hockt at the pue door , calling of the ●●awer for a reckoning : or him that ●ught his horse in every inne , when he ●me on foot to the town . the most remarkable story i find recorded , is of one ●hom the duke of burgundy found dead ●unk , and carried to the pallace ; dis●●bed of his own apparell , and equiped ● the court mode ; as soon as he a●aked , the dukes attendants wait upon ●●m , perswade him he is some great ●ince : they serve up dinner with ●e same state as to the duke himself , ●t a word spoke , all in silence , to the ●eat astonishment of the poor man , and ● small recreation of the duke and ●dies : after supper they began to revell it in his presence , the musick play and dances begin , with a great shew ● much splendor , according to the custo● of the court ; which done , they fill b● belly as full of drink , as his head w● empty of wit and reason , so convey● him to the place where he was foun● putting on his own apparell ; the m● when recovered , when invested wi● reason , made better sport with his ow● imagination ; the jest being all the ear●est of his confused conceptions , w● now had his understanding as farre● seek in pursuit of his own information as when he was drunk ; hardly believin● but that now he was drunk , if ● thought it any thing above a pleasa●● and delightful dream ; this he resolve● that a vision he had seen , and could n● by any means be disswaded from i● thus are the sences besotted , the m●mory that noble recorder lost , an● reason it selfe more stupified , then ● any capacity to use it . this is the evi●● of it , that let him do the greatest evil● he remembers it not . he knowes not what a secret i● though it concern his own life or ● state ; and this is the reason that i● some courts they tempt embassado● to ebriety , knowing that he will then be as leaky at the mouth , as an old ship at sea ; all he knowes , comes up with as much ease , as his drink went down ; it is just with a drunkard , as it is said of a spaniard , and a frenchman ; that all the drugges in egypt , is not able to purge a secret out of the former , which is a sicknesse and punishment for the latter to retain . i could have said much more of the evill effects of this sin , but i affect brevity , though i fear to be tedious . we see it is a wofull , doleful sinne ; damnes the soul without repentance , destroyes body , estate , reputation of a good name ; in a word , undoes in this life , and that which is eternall . me thinks i see the whole nation reel under the depression of this sin , as in that though often cut , yet like quick hedges grow again ; hydra-like , increases by his wounds ; but if once cut at the root the cedars as well as the shrubs would fall to the ground ; so long as the tall okes stand to shelter the storms of authority from the brambles ; lets never expect a hopefull reformation of this abuse . for as gondamar said at a councel at madrid , never let 's expect good from the netherlands , so long as england feeds the humours ; let 's begin at the cause , and the effects will follow ; so i say if exhortations , threatenings , nor civility , will serve to find out common ingenuity from the great ones , let a handle be cut out of the bowels of greatnesse it self , to lop of these exuberant branches of wickednesse , which hinder the buddings o● vertue , and promote the worst of vices ; but because i account my self strictly related to wish them well , give m● leave to treat civilly with the gentry . and oh that i could perswade som● gentlemen from this foolish sordid and unmanly trade of drinking ! some few there are , and i hope but few , tha● think it an honour to be drunk , swear and roar with debaucht company ; many there are in these counties as wel● as other , which bear the remarks of exemplary piety ; persons , who for their vertues , are the honour of their country , whose conversations alone set a brand upon debauchedness ; of such i be● the honour to honour them : but such as are addicted to this sin , i would distill better perswasions into their minds ▪ especially to such as in all points save this , are extreamely ingenuous ; and such as through their too much ingenuity cannot resist temptations , i pity their easie natures , and wish their temperatures had been more steril and morose ! oh that i could reach the most inward part , and there plant the force of perswasion if it were but to a moral and philosophical kind of life ! that in the sight of this debauched and beastly custom of excesse , and riot , they might live like sober and discreet men , rather glorying in their sobriety like christians , than ●mpiety like beasts . mirth , chearfulnesse , and sobriety , may be nourished without the foolish custom of drinking healths , on purpose to be drunk . as lord bacon in his speech in star-chamber , upon the consideration of ●hat cruelty acted against sir tho. ●verbury , by imprisonment said ; it s ●are in the island of brittain , it s neither of our country , nor church ; in ●ome and italy there is a religion for 〈◊〉 ; if it should come amongst us , it were ●tter living in a vvildernesse , than a court . may i not wish , that drunken●esse were a sin rare in the island of britain ? this , i say , let other nations have a religion to be debauched and drunk , let it be to other nations as their natures ; but let england account it self a wildernesse o● wild beasts , when this sin reigns : le● us say , it s better to live amongst salvages , than such beasts as adam never found , nor god never created . this sin formerly was practise onely by tinkers , beggars , &c. it wa● a shame to a gentleman to be drunk but alas ! how many now glory i● their shame , instead of being ( b● their moderation , knowledge , and sobriety ) a glory to their country ▪ would but shame attend this sin , ● would soon be left , but this boastin● of such a dayes meeting , wipes off ● shame ; so that men grow hardned ● their iniquity . he that tempts me ● passe the bounds of moderation , a ● sobriety , does but civilly invite ● to a fever , or some ruinous distemp●ile drink my own health , sayes a w● man , and pray for the kings . wh●intollerable madnesse● sayes a learn●● divine , hath seized upon great porti●● of mankind , that this folly should poss●● the greatest spirits , the wittiest men ! ● best company ! the most sensible of the word honour ! the most jealous of loosing the shadow , but throw away the thing ! thou hadst better give away thy estate , than say thy belly was the grave of thy patrimony . is it not a horrid thing , that a wise , learned , or noble person , should lose his honours , become an apellative of scorn , a scene of abuses , a dishonour to that party for which he with ●thers have suffered ? that which i ●eplore , sayes he , is , that most men pre●er a cause before their life , and by one drunken meeting , set it further backward in its hopes , and blessings , than a whole year of counsells and arms can ●epair . indeed the nation would hardly ●lush , if onely the scum and froth of ●t were tainted ; but for this disease ●o fall upon the vitals , it s a dye in ●rain , a ruine to honour without a ●emedy . i hope there are sparkes of ●ngenuity yet remaining in some , as well as this sin , which if once they take ●re , from the consideration , either of ●hreatnings , judgements , reason , honour , ●eputation , or a good name , this de●auchednesse would soon be blown ●nto the aire ; and if once the gentry left it , then it would become a shame indeed in the very nation : but i fear the habit and custom of this sin , will force us at last to the sordid practise of some nations , where it s not accounted friendly entertainment , if men be not drunk before they part ; i wish it may not be found a practise in some gentlemens houses in this nation ! let me conclude with lamenting , and perswading ; is it not a great pity , that men of the greatest honour , and expectations of the nation for gentility , breeding , learning , &c. should suffer the shipwrack of every thing that can be called good ! that such should be so sadly ruined in this se● of drunkennesse ! which like a hericane , spareth none , but such as feel a lesse punishment than ruine it self . a● one said , he could willingly lose half his learning , to redeem his health ; so many may lament and wish half their knowledge and learning which once they had ! may i perswade you , let me tell you , it s as much below gentility , as a gentleman is above other by birth , and that which should distinguish him from other more peasantly deportments . can there be no medium in your mirth and chearfull repasts , below this sinne of dishonour , beastly , and debaucht behaviour ? let me beg you to hate it , and remember that nothing more ennobles a gentlemans name , or blazons forth his honour and reputation , but studying an aptitude for his countries service , purchased not by drunkennesse , and beastlinesse ; but by learning , parts , knowledge , wisdom , sobriety , temperance , vrbanity , and all which , this sin destroyes , if you escape with the shipwrack of a good conscience : let solomons instruction be remembred ; my son , be not among the wine bibbers , for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty . if perswasions built upon the prin●iples of reason , the sad fruits of it , ●ame , dishonour , &c. gods threatning must nextly have place , which indeed are not small , and yet will but ●ake way for his more severe dispensations in his judgements . wo to the drunkards of ephraim ; the lord as a mighty and strong one , which as a tempest of haile , and a detroying storme , as a flood of mighty waters and overflowing , shall pull down the pride of the drunkard ; for with wine they have erred , and with strong drink have gone out of the way : thy are swallowed up of wine ; for all tables are full of vomit , and filthinesse : for which the overflowing scourge is threatned , as a just reward for so great a sin ; together with famine , which saith the prophet in the last verse , cometh forth from the lord of hosts . and again , the lord calleth for weeping , howling , and lamentation , which shall come upon gluttony and drunkennesse ; and the lord of hosts , saith the prophet , hath revealed it in mine eare , that this iniquity shall not be purged from you , till y● die . in another place . vvo to them tha● are mighty to drink wine , and men o● strength to mingle strong drink ; for ● the fire devoureth the stubble , and the flame consumeth the chaff , so their root shall be rottennesse , and the blossom shall go ● as dust ; therefore is the anger of the lord kindled , and hath smitten them and the hills did tremble , and their carcases torn in the midst of the streets if these denunciations were deliberately weighed , how would the ver● joynts of sinners tremble , and smite one against another , as beltshazars , when he saw the hand-writing upon the wall . hear the prophet joel . awake ye drunkards , and weep and howle all ye drinkers of wine . god oft comes when we are asleep , and many poor souls have never awakened from their drunkennesse , till in hell with dives ; this is a sad awakening . go to , weep and howl , sayes st. james , ye have lived in pleasure and wantonnesse , and nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter . if yet all will not warne , what must gods appearances then be when he comes in terrour and wrath , by his visible examples of judgement , which i have collected from scripture , history , and modern experience . elah , king of israel , was murdered by zimri , in the midst of his cups , as a judgement of god upon his excesse . ammon , when his heart was merry with wine , was murdered by absoloms servants . righteous lot , by this sin commits incest with his own daughters ; and as one well observes , made a sodom of his own family . the heavy curse , that to this day lieth upon noah's son , cham's posterity , was through this sin , whereby he discovered his own shame . holofernes , having too much exceeded in wine , lost both wit and head at once . alexanders sorrow after his sin , will tell us the sad fruits of it ; for seldom some or other of his dear friends escaped his fury when he was drunk . cleomena , king of lacedemonia , at a time being drunk , was never sober after ; but as a judgement of the lord , he lost his senses for not having judgement to keep them . another is as justly rewarded with the fruit of the vine , anacreon , that grand engulpher of wine , was choaked with an empty grape . the earl of aspermont drained his estate so dry by his excesse in this sin , as he justly died in misery ; for at a meeting , he drunk so deep , as he could never rise again ; for he died with it . the emperour bonosius , through his custom in this sin , was said , not to be born so much to live , as to drink . this was he that would force drink into ambassadours , the better to pump up their secrets : he was shamefully hanged with this epitaph . this is a tun , and no man . zeno , emperour of the east , became so hateful by his intemperance , that none could endure to see him ; his wife ariadne one day when he lay senselesse ( as he oft did ) cast him into a tomb , and buried him alive , as a just reward of his drunkennesse . august 18. 1629. tho. vvilson labourer , a known blasphemer , and curser , by oathes , &c. was also given up to this beastly sin of drunkennesse ; who through the justice of god , against both sins , in an angry passion stab'd himself with his own knife , and so died in the midst of many neighbours . may 10. 1629. john bone of ely , coachman to mr. balnum of beenham , was a very vild swearer , and drunkard ; who on a sabbath day , in sermon-time , being drunk , and not able to sit in the coach-box , fell under the horses feet , and was troden to death . you sabbath-breakers , and swearers , hearken to this doleful example of gods immediate hand . nov. 16. 1618. one tho. alred of godmanchester butcher , being very prophane , and given to this sin , was desired by a neighbour to unpitch a load of hay , and being drunk , let his pitchfork fall , and stooping to reach it , standing with the forks upwards , fell upon it , that it run into his body , and so fell down dead , as a warning to others . july 16. 1628. one john vintner of godmanchester , being a known drunkard , and given ( especially in his drink ) to scoff at religion and godly people , fell from the top of a peare-tree , and broke his neck , and so died under the hand of justice : an example for all prophane drunkards , and scoffers of god and his people . a gentleman of good reputation , and demeanour , being not addicted to this sin , was through temptation overtaken with this snare ; but lo , justice will be satisfied on some , to be an example and terrour to others ; for riding home , his horse threw him , and beat out his brains : he being void of reason , and so not capable of advice , would follow no way but his own , which led to destruction ; for without fear or sense , he spurred his horse over all sorts of crosse and desperate wayes , till he thus fell under the stroak of divine wrath . about the year 1630. nigh maldon , five or six notorious drunkards had plotted a meeting , and laid in beer for their prophane drinking healths : but ( divine justice that can with his breath blast all our undertakings ) did so justly give them up to excesse in this sin and meeting , as they never met more , but all yielded up their spirits to the justice of that god , whom they abused by his creatures . a man coming home drunk , would needs swim in a mill dam , which his servants and wife disswaded him from , because he could not swim , and once got him out after he was in , but he gets in again , and by the just hand of god there perished . i was , says my authour , at the house to enquire of the truth thereof , and found it too sadly true . and one of alisham in norfolk , a notorious drunkard , was drowned in a shallow brook , with his horse standing by him . a butcher in haslingfield , scoffing at the preacher for his reproving of this sin , was in the instant of his railing , choaked by somewhat that stuck in his throat , which could by no means be got up or down ; but strangled him . oh the divine justice ! how righteous and just is the lord in all his wayes ! how are his judgements past finding out ! at tillingham in essex , 3 young men meeting to drink , one fell down dead , and never rose again ; the other two escaped through mercy ( by the gates of much sicknesse ) that they might repent , and if not , to be the lesse excusable , if god followed them by the like severity . at bungey in norforlk , three drunken companions coming out of an ale-hous in a dark evening , swore they thought hell was not darker ; but observe the end of justice ; one fell over a bridge , and was drowned ; the second slain with a fall from his horse : a third sleeping by the river side , was found frozen to death . at hedly , a bayliffe being drunk , got upon his mare , saying , she would carry him to the devill ; she indeed casts him off , and broke his neck . this justice was the more remarkable , being upon the lords day . a company meeting in an ale-house in harwich at night , over against mr. russels house , was once or twice desired to depart and avoyd such wickednesse ; but they would not : he comes to the place himself , and apprehends one of them , and offering to carry him to prison , he drawes his knife , and made his escape ; but oh the justice of the lord ! the strange and wonderfull wayes of his providence ! this man was not heard of for three dayes , and at last was taken out of the sea with his knife in his hand , justified by mr. russell himself , who was the mayor of the place . at tenby in pembrokeshire , a common and frequent drunkard , in the midst of this sin , fell from a high rock , and was broke in pieces ; and four other instances , my authour sayes he could relate wallowing and tumbling in their drink , slain by carts , &c. but being the common wayes of gods justice , he forbeares them in the midst of so many extraordinary and remarkable passages of gods justice and power , and indeed innumerable might be such instances , which the experience of every place prevents in this . a glasier in chancery lane london , having some sparks of profession , but falling from them , fell into this sin ; who being often reproved by his christian friends , and no better : god hardened his heart against them , and once being drunk , by the violence of vomiting , broke a vein , continued two dayes in extremity of anguish and torment , not without great conflicts and distresse of mind , his conscience being awakened , and god in much mercy breathing some comfort to his distressed soul , he yielded up his soul to god , as he had done his body to sathan , attested by a kinsman of his own to my authour . o that , if it had been gods will , all examples of justice were accompanied with such sweetnesse and mercy , as to give any hope of the safety of the soule , when the body in the act of sin is destroyed . a knight given to this wicked sin of drunkennesse , did sometimes order pailes of drink into the fields to make people drunk . on a time drinking with company , a certain woman comes in , and giveth him a ring with this posie ; drink and die ; which he accepted of and wore ; and in six dayes died through excesse of drink , justified by a minister dwelling within a mile of the place . two children my authour sayes , he hath known to murther their mother in drink ; and another that attempted to kill his father , of which being frustrated , he set fire of his barn , and afterward came to the gallowes . in broad-street london , many gentlemen drinking healths to their sole lords on whom they depended , one wicked wretch takes up a pottle pot of sack , sweares a deep oath , saying , will none drink a health to my noble lord and master ? and without any more words he begunne himselfe , and drank up the pot full to the bottome , and suddenly fell as if dead , snorting , but not speaking ; he is layd by as one overcome , and covered with cloathes , till they drink as large a proportion , as their insatiate appetites would take in ; when done , expecting their friend should rise , they found him dead indeed . oh sad to go to eternity swearing and drunk ! who would not dread the issue ? at barnwell nigh cambridge , a young man and a woman , with a hundred more in company , met at the sign of the plough , agreeing to drink off a barrell of beer , which they did ; but will not examples of others warn us ? then let 's expect to be monuments to others ; three of them died in twenty four houres , the fourth escaped with great sicknesse , and by the gates of death had life given him , witnessed by a justice of peace of the county near by . two servants of a brewers in ipswich , whilst i was minister there , said my authour , drinking for a rump of a turky , in their drink they strugled for it , and both fell into a scalding caldron , the one died presently , the other in torment and anguish pined away . at a tavern in essex , a constable was threatned by a drunken serving-man , to be forced out of the house by his oathes and curses , if he would not be gone , and in his drink pursuing one of his company to force him to drink off a pint of sack , he fell down stairs , and immediately fell under the stroke of divine vengeance ; oh ! you swearers and cursers , remember these examples of god! let them be examples to you ; will not the wrath of god revealed stand in our way , and encompasse us about with terrour and fear ? oh be not proud of your strength , to devour and engrosse the creatures of god to satisfy your lusts ! it is recorded of a noble-man coming to ipswich to visit his kinsman in that university , that demanded how he profited in his studies , to whom they reply very well , and that amongst one thousand five hundred , he had the garland given him for the ablest drinker . gods judgements will find us sooner or later . in salisbury , one in the midst of his drink began a health to the devill , saying , if he would not pledge him , he would not believe there was either god or devill , his associates being terrified at his words , with fear runne away ; the vintner hearing a hideous noyse , and smelling , and unusual and noysom savour , ran up to the chamber , but his guest was gone , & the windows broken , the iron barres of the windows bended and bloody ; and the poor wretch never more heard of . these are sad instances of gods displeasure , if he would please in mercy to set them home upon some poor sinners . in the year 1551. in bohemia , five drunkards were met together to drink , who seeing a picture painted upon the wall , for the devill , drank healths to him ; the next night they were all found dead with their necks broken , and their bodies crusht in pieces , blood running out of their mouthes , nostrils , ears , &c. in the county of cavan in ireland , a gentleman of castle-terra , was much given to delight in drunken company , wherein healths went down swiftly , and glasses broke against the walls at every health ; by this sin he was so much addicted to wickednesse and impenitency , as his sport was to repeat the ministers sermons in scorn , and derision , especially at one time having heard a sermon upon faith , demanded of the minister if he could remove mountaines , else he would not believe he had faith . this gentleman is by gods hand struck with the small pox , which gets into his throat , in such extremity , that he could not swallow any meat or drink to cool and refresh the violence of his internall heat ; that throat that had been the gutter and channel of many a pounds worth of drink , could not now , in torment like dives , suffer one drop to refresh him . in this sad and bitter conflict , he breaks out into these expressions to an honest man standing by . oh thomas , would i could now receive one of those glasses of drink , which formerly i profusely and profanely have thrown against the walls ! and growing worse and worse , without hopes of life , perceiving no remedy but death for all his soares , he breaks out again in his agony and torment ; oh that now i had but as much faith as a grain of mustard-seed , and so expired the 57. year of his age . i pray , and cordially desire , that such sinners as parallel this example , may not be reacht with the like justice ! many there are in this nation grown up to a height of malice , and rage against gods ministers , and some in this place boyled up to a proportion of envy , ready to break ; the lord break their hearts , and humble their soules , under that two-edged sword of his word , that they may be saved in the day of the lord . a gentleman of quality being drunk , and rising to urine , evacuating that into the fire , that prepared fuell for himself , he fell into the fire , and not being able to rise again , his belly was gathered together like a piece of lether , the chamberlain coming in , helped in , that could not pity or help himself , and though in great torture and pain , through the piercing anguish of gods judgement , yet he called for , and drank off two and twenty double jugs of beer , and so in this sad and lamentable estate , died ; roaring , and crying , that he was damned for breaking his vow of reformation , oh that the lord would work a reformation indeed ! that poor creatures may not thus fall under divine justice , too much to be feared , as well to soul as body . remarkable is the example of that tragical story of two drunkards , who the fourth of july , 1580. at nekershofew in almain , came into an inne , called for bread and wine , and drinking to an infinite excesse ; at last , one of them drinks a health to god , demanding what wine god would pledg him in ? and reaching forth his arm with a cup full sayes , god i know not what wine thou likest best , but this i think is too good for thee , unlesse thou hadst sent better ; but such as it is i give thee , take it , pledge me presently , and carouse it off every drop , as i have done to thee , or thou dost me wrong . here 's a piece of blasphemy , which i am confident the most wretched creature in the world , durst not speak sober ; oh this sad sin ! we little know what the fruits of one drunken hour may produce . this vile wretch , no sooner ended his hellish courtesie , but that just and wise god ( who must be provoked before he will execute his severe judgements ) whom he had blasphemed , pledged him with a witnesse , for he left him as a pledge to the world of his wrath , and displeasure against this sin . his arme which he stretched out , was never able to be pulled in again ; his body stupified as well as his senses , not able to stirre from the place , continuing a long time , in this sad condition , his eyes rolling to and fro in a terrible manner , his breath and speech lost , yet seemed to all alive ; the people flock in droves to see this sad spectacle of fury and vengeance , some offer to remove him , but could not ; horses are tied to him , but could not stir him : they put fire to him , which would not take hold : so perswaded god had set him there as a warning to drunkards , they left him so , and to this day , sayes my author , he stands as a pillar and mark , to bid others avoid the like wickednesse , least they participate of gods wrath , which though it moves a slow pace , will in the end light heavier , in as much as gods patience provoked , turns to the most irresistable punishment . his companion who had escaped the imediate hand of god , fell into the hands of justice also ; for as the other died a terrible , so this a shamefull death , being hanged by the common people before the door of the house where the sin was committed . o that you would consider this , ye that forget god , least he teare you in pieces , and there be none to help ! at one of alexanders great meetings , appointed for his officers and favourits , no lesse died with excesse of drink , than 41. and after many a health , promachus , at the bottom of four gallons of wine found the prize and jewel appointed for the conquerour . another time he ended his own health and life , by drinking a health out of hercules cup , which to effect , 35. drunk their last also . these are direful and pregnant testimonies of gods judgements upon this impious custom of drinking healths . against that good law of the spartans : vt bibat abitrio pocula quisque suo . every man to his own liberty : or that of the goths , where it was death to drink or force a health . it s placed in the records of time , that popelus , second king of poland , doubting the fruits of his male-government to be the peoples deposing him ; by his queens counsel , faines himself sick , sends for twenty of the elective princes out of pomerania , intreating their visit , ( who as well now as at other times ) came , and for their just reward and punishment of their great excesse in drink , and custom of healths , they now drunk their last , without being drunk at all . the king makes a speech , intreates his son may be elected heir to the crown , after his departure , which they promise , if the nobility consented to their resolves ; the queen to seal the bargaine , brings a cup of poisoned liquor , intreating to drink his majesties recovery : they had been so often used to this sinful custom , as it would have seemed ridiculous to refuse it ; but the kings health cost them all theirs , to the utter ruine of the polonian race . but this justice of god upon health-drinkers , ceases not in their deaths ; but after also , for ( to admiring of justice ) from these poisoned bodies , such infinite troopes and swarmes of rats and mice proceed , as pursued the king , queen , and family , from place to place , from land to sea , and from sea to the strong castle of cracovia , where they were forced to flie , and neverthelesse al● arts were used , all opposition made , by guards and garrisons , water-works and fire-works , yet were they eaten up , and destroyed by these rats and mice . the lord i hope will awaken some to see the evil of sin , by that o● punishment . at kesgrave nigh ipswich , three serving-men taking their leave , the woman of the house would needs perswade them to drink wit , money , and her ale out ; but oh ! that this wonderful example of gods judgement upon her , may warn all people , not to suffer , much lesse to provoke , any to this sin under their roofe ; for this woman stands with lots wife , a pillar and statue of gods wrath : she no sooner approaches with the pot in her hand , but was suddenly deprived of her speech ; her tongue ( that smooth oratour of the devil to perswade to sin and wickednesse ) swells in her mouth , and without a word more died . sir anthony felton justice , and others , sayes my author , related it to me , as a thing they were eye-witnesses of : and within these few years , sayes he , upon mine own knowledge , three being drunk nigh huntington , were all undone and destroyed by a water , which passing , they were forced into the stream and drowned ; leaving behind them the remarks of gods righteous judgements . on november 14. 1650. saith a divine of this nation , a company of odious drunkards met at a house , and one coming home was drowned in a shallow ditch , his body not yet buried ; concluding , oh ! those ale-houses the pest of the nation ! another as sad , from a reverend divine also , of the same county , who at my request , gave it me under his hand , which he could have done many others of falling off horseback ; into rivers , &c. but i onely aime at such as are most remarkable , knowing that the sad experience of most places , gives intelligence sufficient of such examples , which indeed are sad enough though the commonnesse take away the sense of them . the example thus . about the year 1621. there dwelt in houghton on the spring , in the county of durham , one christopher hull , a taylor who kept an ale-house in the said town , and at west herrington in the same parish , lived one mr. punshon , a most infamous and notorious drunkard , and every way most wretchedly prophane ; he being a frequent haunter of hulls house , did one day fall out with him , and coming out of the door said , if ever i come within these doors , the devil shall bring me in : some few dayes after , punshon , going up the street of houghton , hull stood at the door , and said to him , will you not come in ? no , said he , for i have sworn the devil , &c. then said hull , i will be the devil for this time ; so taking punshon on his back , carried him in , where they drank one another drunk , and quareling , hull stab'd punshon in the throat , who immediately died : hull was cleared at durham assizes by the favour of his clergy , but soon after died , and , as it s reported , very penitent . in the year 1624. a blacksmith in oxford , being a very frequent drunkard , after he had continued so some dayes together , did in a desperate manner , cut his own throat , yet lived some dayes , during which time , some schollars and others , came to visit him ; he often thrust his hand into the wound , and pulling out handfuls of blood , did spread it before the company , crying out , see here gentlemen the fruits of drunkennesse . this was affirmed by a gentleman of the county of durham , who saw and heard it . in the year 1649. james fairburne , in the town of mellerston , nigh the river tweed , died in a most miserable , and roaring condition , through excesse of drink . on easter monday , 1656. one tho. foster , carrier of carlisle , being drunk , rode out of town , and had not rode above a quarter of a mile from the town , but in the very high road , fell off his horse , and in a water , not above a quarter of a yard deep , he miserably perished . in the year 1651. james bouch of cockermouth , being a most notorious drunkard and swearer , being drunk at rosley faire , did quarrel with two troopers , who there killed him , as a judgement of god upon his former and present drunkennesse and swearing . robert copeland , a butcher in carlisle , being a common drunkard , and prophaner of gods name , by cursed oathes , being drunk , did in the year 1651. break his neck in a stable hard by the castle . 1632. john emerston of dalston , in cumberland , was a very notorious drunkard for many years , and one time in an ale-house , died suddenly with a cup of drink in his hand . in the year 1656. one mr. herridge , who formerly was a linnen-draper in colchester , now living in this place , being too often found in the sin of drunkennesse , was at last overtaken with justice ; for coming on horseback from sunderland , full of drink , he fell off his horse ; and there died , without speaking one word . god will be glorified in his judgements , where mercy and patience will not perswade and allure . anno 1654. one john coultred of orton parish nigh carlisle , coming drunk out of an ale-house from thursby , fell from his horse , not far from the ale-house , and died immediately . 1650. vvilliam howe , who kept an ale-house in carlisle , one time was drunk with two of his guests that were borderers , and going to convey them over the bridge , did all three fall into the river caud ; the two guests were drowned , howe escaped by means of some bushes , and was taken up alive : which may be as a warning to such as keep drink , to beware of other mens blood ; i would be loath to be so guilty , though i might escape with my life : it s a sad thing to be a means of any mans outward ruine , but to have a hand in mens dying in their sins , it s much more to be accounted for . these are sad examples of gods severity and justice , who can stand before a consuming fire ? when once his anger is but a little kindled , blessed are all they that trust in him . our judges find in their circuit , few that are arraigned , which are not brought to it by this sin , like slaves to the judgement-seat ; and are sent quick , from their sins to judgement , forcing charity it self to censure their eternal estates ; the eccho of whose sins , resounds in their punishments with vengeance from heaven . were i to prescribe prophilacticks , i would intreat thee to blesse thy self from this sin : none knows whither the wind of a distempered brain will hurry thee , or whither this spirit of bacchus will drive thee : if once thou put thy foot into the stirrup to mount his saddle , when thou art up , thou must needs run when the devil drives thee . play not with healths ; if thou lovest thy own , drink not other mens : flie evil society ; they are the devils trapanners : be afraid with the fuller in the fable , who for fear of infection , durst not entertain the collier , lest he should make that black , which he made white . be in this like the river danube , that will not mixe it self with the muddy streams of sava . evil fruit grows in bad company ; they have no autumn : wickednesse withers not ; the mischiefs attending them are like the spanish indies , which the ambassadour told the venetian , had no bottom . ephes. 5.16 . be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse . of blaspheming the name of god , by cursed oathes . with the judgements of god upon ●vrsers & swearers . of blaspheming the name of god , by cursed oathes : with the judgements of god upon cvrsers & swearers . this cursed and crying sin of taking the lords name in vain by wicked oathes , hath like the river nile , so overflowed the banks of authority , that many who should restrain the fury and rage of so horrid an impiety , are too sadly guilty of it . this sin , to the sad experience of this nation , doth swarm in all corners of it ; a man can hardly negotiate in the world , unlesse he resolve it no sin to hear the holy name of god , that god that made us , blasphemed by all sorts of people ; amongst poor people its common , and for gentlemen its sadly accounted generous and valorous . that it is a sin against god , i hope so few doubt it , as i may be spared to prove it ; the most forcible argument against it , lieth open in the possitive command of god almighty , which made heaven and earth . thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain ; and the reason is a terrible one , by way of threatning ; for the lord will not hold him guiltlesse : which commandment is seconded by christ in his sermon upon the mount ; swear not at all , neither by heaven nor earth , marg but let your yea be yea , and your nay nay . the aggravations of this sin are great , if parallel'd with the little reason for it , or profit by it : it must needs be a horrid sin that can propound nothing as the object , but god himself : we may in this sin confesse with david , against thee onely have i sinned , and done wickedly . all the creatures he hath made bow to him , and to the remembrance of him : shall that mouth that sucks breath from god that made and daily preserveth thee , breath out oathes and curses against him ? oh impiety in the greatest dimensions ! wickednesse with an emphasis ! would not such ingratitude look odious in vulgar friendship ? to sit at thy friends table , and there receive daily food at his care and cost for thee , and for thee to make him the subject of thy malice and rage , and that to manifest it against his good name ; is not this ● say , monstrous ingratitude ? would not this swell provocation to the greatest latitude of revenge ? is not the lords name as the apple of his ●e ? a thing he is jealous of : if ●alousie be the rage of a man , which he ●ill not spare in the day of venge●●ce , nor wil regard any ransom ; what ●nst thou expect from the eternal ●od , with whom is terrible majesty ? it must be presumed , thou knowest ● to be a sin ; how inexcusable then ●st it be unto thee , whose consci●●ce is convinced thereof ? it is a ● therefore with the full consent of ● will , and for want of due care over thy heart and lips . oh man , what is it can provoke thee , unlesse the height of a reprobate mind by blaspheming the blessed name of god! how canst thou expect that blood to expiate thy sins , and to wash away thy iniquities , that hath so often spit his blood and wounds out of thy mouth ? i think i should not be guilty of over-rash censure , if i say to such as are given up to this horrid impiety ; that it s but as an earnest of that cursed condition in torment , and that the devil teaches thee in this world , that thou mayest be the more ready to blaspheme god in the world to come ; else what can be the meaning of mens giving up themselves to this wickednesse ? considering the little profit got by it , a fa● advantage god knowes ! no more than to rob out of sport , not need● and be punished for it . what profit have you of those things wherein one day you shall be ashamed ? is it because god forbids , that we will swear like that man of venice , who for nine years , never stept out of the city , b● when on occasion he was commanded upon forfeiture of his life not to sti● then he was seen abroad : much like that of the apostle , sin took occasion by the commandment . how canst thou call on the name of that god in the time of calamity and distresse , which thou hast so often cursed and blasphemed ? he that will mention the name of god , must depart from iniquity . shall i , saith polycarpus , that have served god to such an old age , prophane his sacred and blessed name , that so lovingly hath preserved my life unto this day ? and being urged by the proconsul to save his life , onely replyed , know i am a christian . it is indeed a sin that makes men lesse believed . a heathen could say , he was unwise that put trust in the words of a common swearer . and another philosopher sayes , virtue is never in that heart , which breaths out curses and oathes . he is accounted by all sober men , to be a prophane , wicked , and ungodly man , and its the greatest height of prophannesse that can be ; it s the onely sin and practise of devils in hell , to curse , swear , and blaspheme god . the godly have this character given them , that they fear an oath ; but the wicked are not afraid of a world of oathes . the common excuse of this sin is the custom of it , which is so slender , that it strengthens it , and indeed aggravates it ; for custom in sin by degrees hardens the heart from the fear of god . this sin indeed is hatcht in the bowels of passion , which boiling to a height , vomiteth up all the corrupt filth and scum of the soul , casting it in the face of god . beware therefore of passion , which through the depravednesse of our natures make us like mad dogs , that run at every thing in their way , they bark at the moon : to see a man rage against god because his neighbour hurteth him , is a perfect madnesse in reason . strive against the custom of this sin , thou wilt lose thy senses else , and the sense of it , which is the height of sin ; its gods giving up a soul to sin , when it loses the sense that it is a sin . beware of little ones , they are the spawn of greater , faith and troth , are the livery of gods wounds and blood , and god damn thee . we damn our souls by this sin at a low rate , if we consider the little , either pleasure or profit of it . avoid evil society , cursers , and swearers , are not to be associated with , lest partaking of their sin , thou taste of their punishment . if a master of a family ; or school-master ; destroy it there , nip it in the bud , and resolve with david , that none such shall be under thy roof . i conclude with psal. 25. let them be confounded that sin without a cause . if reason prevail not , remember the penalties of the lawes , which though severe at this day , yet short both in the greatnesse and execution of former times . philip king of france , made a law ; that whosoever blasphemously swore should be drowned : and max. the emperour ; that every vain swearer should pay 13 shillings 4 pence , or if he refused , to be executed . in hen. the fifth's time , a law was made against prophane and vaine swearing ; the forfeiture for a duke 40 shillings , a barron 20 shillings , a knight or esquire 10 shilling , a yeoman 3 shillings 4 pence , and a servant , to be whipt ; and this law was so well executed , that all the nation over , very few were heard to swear an oath . these were times of lesse light , than we pretend unto , yet a spirit of reformation for god , was much more above our age we live in . if still we will not forbear , see gods threatnings against this sin . in the law stoning to death was the lowest punishment : bring him forth , that all the people may stone him . in that black and forlorne band of sinners , the swearer leads the van , which together with other sins , maketh blood to touch blood , and the land to mourn . in zachariah 5.3 . the thief and the swearer are linked together , against whom the flying roll , with the curse of god is threatned to the consumeing of their house , timber , posts , and stones . as he clothed himself with cursing , marg saith the psalmist ; so let it come into his bowels like water , and like oyle into his bones . there is nothing more usual and certain , then for the arrows of this cursed quiver , to reverberate and fly back upon a mans own face . god will be a swift witnesse against such as dishonour his holy name by profane swearing . now those that will not be warned by the nature of this sin , nor danger to soule and body , nor be diverted from it by gods threatnings ; let such harken to his just judgements in these following examples , which are not only as a cloud of witnesses against profanenesse , hut also stand as a pillar of salt to warn thee from disobedience , and wilfull running in a carreer , of sin to thy eternal ruine . earl goodwin having slain alfred , wished at the kings table , if it were so , that the bread he was eating might choak him , which god in justice suffered , ere he stirred . a fisherman ( known to the authour ) coming with a boat of mackarell to a town in suffolke , and being the first that came that year , the people pressed hard to be first served ; one steps into his boat , he presently taketh up a stone , swearing by god he would make them stand farther off ; which was no sooner said , but he fell down and died presently : how many have i heard swear by god as commonly as speak ? oh take heed of gods judgement ! consider what a mercy it is to thy soul , that thou art not thus judged . a gentleman in edward the sixths time riding with other gentlemen , being reproved for swearing , opened his mouth wider , and raged worse and worse ; mr , haines minister , tells him mildly the danger of it , and that at the great day an account must be rendred ; he with solomons fool refuses instruction , bids him prepare , and take care for his own estate . mr. h. replies , repent and amend , for death is as sure as uncertain . but raging and roaring with cursed oathes , he sayes ; gods wounds , take no care for me ; and and coming to a bridge , his horse leapt over with him ; who like an impenitent wretch ended his dayes . as he had lived , crying , horse , and man , and all to the devill . in lincolnshire , there lived a servingman , who was so accustomed to sweare , as at every small occasion he used gods blood in his mouth , his friends mildly warne him from the evill of those wayes , lest vengeance follow at the heels of his impiety ; but he takes no notice of friendly admonition , being visited by the hand of god , his friends again advise him to repent of his wickednesse , but god intended not that affliction to have so sanctifying a vertue in it , as to soften his obdurate heart ; who by his accustomed oathes had forfeited the patience and long-suffering of god , and turned his mercy into fury ; he grows worse , and nigher to the chambers of death ; and hearing the bell toll for him , starts up ; and under the pains and violence of death , cryes , gods wounds the bell tolls for me , but he shall not have me yet . suddenly the blood from his nose , mouth , wrists , knees , and all the joynts of his body flowes out in abundance , that he became a spectacle of gods wrath , and died . o the dreadfulnesse of gods judgements . there was a man in germany so much accustomed to use the devill in his mouth ; that if he did but stumble , the devill was uppermost ; he was often reprehended for it , to no purpose , except to make his sin the lesse excusable ; which he continuing in , coming to a bridge , stumbled and fell down ; saying , hoyst up with a hundred devils , instantly the devill appears , and carried him quite away , that he was never heard of after . one who was given much to cursing & ●wearing , being on his death-bed , most wickedly desired those that stood by , to help him with oathes : and to swear for him and himself , swearing so fast , as one would think there was little need of any other then himself in the world , that could so quickly find out a way for to blaspheme god , and damn his own soul . in the city of savoy , there lived one , who after much exhortation and reproof , hardened his neek against all admonition ; the plague breaking out light upon him , he with his family retires to a garden , the words of reproof by the mouth of gods ministers follow him , that if possible the plague of his heart might not at the same instance , together with gods outward hand , contribute to the eternal ruine of his soul , with that of his body , but all in vain ; as good turn the course of the sun , as his soul accustomed to sin , at last swearing and cursing , with the devill in his mouth , the devill suddenly hurries him away into the ayre , in sight of his wife and kinswoman , who saw the devil flying with him over their heads ; his cap fell off his head , and was found at kosne , but himselfe was never heard of to this day . the magistrate at the noyse of this exemplary piece of gods just judgement , repaires to the witnesses of it , who testify , with a sad relation ; their woful experience , no lesse horrid then true . three souldiers travelling through a wood in the coutrey of samurtia , a tempest of thunder and lightening arose , one of them breaks into his usual oathes , and in the instant of swearing , the violence of the wind ( no doubt directed by god ) throwes a tree upon him , whereof he presently was crushed to pieces . another that was very much habituated to swear by gods armes , had his own arm hurt with a knife , and could find no remedy , but it festered daily , till it rotted and mouldred away gradually , and he through anguish and torment died , and one michael a jewish rabbin , as he was swearing by the name of jesus , fell down and broke his neck . a boy at tubing in germany , invented strange and unusual oathes , but god sent a canker , that eat out his tongue ; these are signal tokens of gods anger ; they are so immediate from himself , that none can see lesse then a wonderful hatred in god of them . at benevides , a village in spain , a whirlwind arose ; two young men being in a field , apprehending the approaching danger , fall down upon the ground , lest the violence of it might carry them into the ayre ; when it was past , the one arises in great amazement ; the other being a very notorious curser , and swearer , lyes dead ; his bones so crusht , that his joynts turned every way , his tongue rooted out , and could not be found . in june 1649. a souldier at warre , goeth with others to wash in a shallow river , asked whether there was a deeper to swim in , and they answered there was one nigh hand , but dangerous , by reason it was a deep pit , who replies , god damne me , if it be as deep as hell i will in ; he was no sooner in , but sunk to the bottom , and never rose again ; which , sayes mr. clark , was attested by good witnesses . and god met with that swearer and curser in france , a citizen of paris , whom lewis 9. ordered to have his lips seared together with a hot iron , saying ; i would to god that with sear●ng my own lips , with a hot iron , i could ●anish out of my realm all abuse of ●athes ! a souldier falling sick in his jour●ey through marchia , in almain , stay●d in his inne ; and when recovered , ●emanded of his landlady the mony ●e gave her to secure for him , but con●ulting with her husband ; resolved ●ot to confesse any ; so denied it : the ●ontroversie arose to a contention , till the landlord interposed , and justifi●d his wife , and thrust him out of his ●ouse ; the souldier drawes , and ●rusting at the door , the landlord ●ries , theeves ! the souldier is impri●oned , and ready for judgement : the ●ay of pronunciation of death , the devil ●●ters into prison , tells him , he is con●emned , but if he will resign up soul and ●●dy to him , he would free him ; he like a ●hristian , repells those fiery darts ●ith a strong denial ; which the de●●ll seeing , perswades him when called ● the bar , to intreat the judge to ●●ant him the man in a blew cap to ●ead his cause , for he was , ( and that ● was ) innocent of the crime brought ●●ainst him . the poor souldier being arraigned , had this blew-cap't attourney allowed him for his advocate , who affirmed this poor man to be much abused , relating all the circumstances of the money , with the place where it was laid , the landlord denied all with an imprecation , wishing the devill might take him , if it were true ! the devill looking for this advantage , took this poor man , and carried him up into the ayre ; who was never more heard of : oh that the lord would open some mens eyes to see gods mercy to them , that though they have often been guilty , yet god in mercy spared them ! tremble at the justice of god , and let these warning● be so to us . a certain priest in ruthnerwall wished if luthers doctrine were true a thunderbolt might destroy him ! a●ter three dayes a tempest , with lightning and thunder , so terrified him that he run to church , and at his devotion was struck down ; who recovering , and led homewards , a flash o● lightening burnt him to death , a● black as hell it self . one in france , of some knowledge and profession in religion , in passion wisht the devill to take one of his children ! the child immediately was possessed , and , though the prayers of the church prevailed with god for the release from this evill spirit , yet , dyed of it . a man in anger , wishing his wife to the devil ! she was forthwith possessed , and never recovered it . a young courtier at mansfield , whose customary asseveration was , the devill take me . the devill when he was asleep , took him indeed , and threw him out of a window , where though he was not slain , yet he learnt to curb that unruly member of the tongue , by escaping the danger of a severer punishment . at a horse-race , where divers noble-men were present , some cries , the devill take the last , which happened ●o be a horse that broke loose , which the devill carriad away , and was never seen more . these examples may ●artle us , and not only to warn us , ●ut also as a lanthorn of the lord to direct our feet from these paths of sin ●nd ruine . at s. gallus in helvetia 1556. a man that made foul linnen clean , and coming out of a tavern drunk , wished the devill to take him if ever he followed his trade more ! next day being sober , he regards not his oaths , the devill appears to him in the likenesse of a tall man , and told him of his promise , presently smiting him upon the shoulders , so that his feet and hands presently were dryed up , and he trembling with horror ; yet god gave the devill no farther power , that it might be an example both to himself and others . relates of a taylor , that whilst the fleet was engaged in fight with a portugal galleass , he cometh running out of the cabbin with his goose in his hand , swearing , he would never follow his trade more , throwing the goose into the canon mouth ; suddenly came a bullet from the enemy , and shot him to pieces . henry earl of schwartburg , by frequent and wicked wishes , was at last answered in his own coyn , for at every common occasion , he desired he might be drowned in a privy , if such a thing were not so or so ! which god in justice answered ; for he died that filthy death . a very remarkable story is recorded of a woman in the dutchy megalopole , at a village called oster , who gave her selfe to the devill by her frequent cursings , and wicked oathes ; and at a wedding she was publickly reproved , and dehorted from her sins ; but taking no warning , the devill , when they were all merry , came in person , and with horrid cries and roarings , mounted her into the ayre , before the face of all the company , and hovering over the town , the people that saw it were extremely perplexed with fear ; she is torn into four parts , which are let fall into as many high wayes ; as directions to avoyd the road to hell . the devill returns to the feast , and before the mayor , and all the company , threw her intralls upon the table , saying . behold these dishes of meat belong to thee , whom the like destruction ●wayteth , if thou dost not amend thy wicked life . this is testified by mr. herman minister of oster ; the mayor and all the town ; who desired it to ●e communicated to posterity for an example , and land-mark to avoyd eternall destruction . a gentleman of gorlitz , having invited many friends to supper , who failed him ; in a rage , wished , that all the devils in hell would come : presently his table is furnished as well with guests as meat , whom he welcomed , but perceiving clawes instead of hands , it was not time to bid him be gone ; his wife follows him , leaving in the house onely a child and a fool , by the fire side , who through mercy were not hurt . we are by these , bid to beware of rash imprecations to our selves or others . it s fresh , the story of hacket o●oundle in northamptonshire , who ( 159● in the raign of queen eliz. the 3● year ) in his common discourse use● to say : if it be not true , then let a v●sible confusion come upon me : and h● had his desire ; for being delivered u● of god to sathan , he fell foul off ● many errours , that at last he arrive● to the height , and called himself christ : with himself he seduced to gent. coppinger , and arthington , w● believed all hacket said ; and wh● he bid them proclaim , that christ u● come with his fan in his hand , to ju●● the earth ; they did , through 〈◊〉 city ; and in cheapside , got upon two carts , crying repent , repent ! for christ jesus is come to judge the vvorld ; they affirmed also , that hacket presented christ , by taking his glorified body , &c. hacket hereupon is apprehended , brought before the lord mayor of london , and at last , hanged on a gibbet in cheapside , uttering to the last horrid blasphemies against god . this was a visible confusion indeed . before mr. luther and others : a woman at vveteburg , whose daughter was possessed , did confesse ; that she in fury wished the devil to take her ! who instantly possessed her , with an evil spirit , to their great terrour and fear . john peter , son to the cruel keeper of new-gate london , was a horrid swearer and curser , usually saying , if it be not so , i pray god i may rot ere i die ? and so he did with great misery . in misina , sep. 11. 1552. a child not quick enough to dispatch his fathers will as he ought , provoked the fathers rage into this imprecation ; that he might never stir from that place ! its presently granted , his son sticks immoveable , for his body could not be moved or bent : some godly people meet and pray for him , whereby his anguish is asswaged : yet he continued three years standing with a post at his back ; and four years he continued sitting , and then ended his life ; yet this was a mercy to him , for that he doubted not of the mercy of jesus christ to save him : and being demanded how he did ? frequently replyed : that he was there fastened of god , and his mercy onely could release him . here was a living example of rash oathes . at neoburg in germany , a cursed mother , wishing she might never see her son alive again , was answered ; for the child was drowned the same day . in astorga , a woman cursed her son , wishing the devils of hell to take him from her presence ! with many horrible execrations : it being late at night , the child was afraid of her anger , retiring to a little court behind the house , to whom appeared men of grim aspects , and large composures , who carried him into the aire with such swiftnesse , as was not possible to believe , and alighting amongest some bushes , trailed him , to the great torturing of his body , and tearing of sundry parts thereof . the boyes thoughts being better fixt than his mothers , craved aid of god , and so was delivered . the devils bringing him back through the aire , put him in at a little window in a chamber , and there he was found almost out of his wits , and sadly tortured and mangled , in his face , hands , legs , &c. that penitent gentleman , sir gervise ellowis , being drawn in to be a partaker in the sad death of that poor gent. sir tho. overbury , in the tower ; was at last brought as a sufferer to tower-hill , acknowledging the just hand of god against his rash and unpreserved vow , which a great losse at cards one time occasioned ; in the sense whereof , clapping his hands upon his breast , he vowed seriously betwixt god and his own soul ; that if ever he played again , he wished he were hanged ! and being upon the ladder , now , sayes he , god in justice hath made me keep my imprecation , and paid my vow , by this just , though violent , death ; and so wished all to take warning by his sad example ! mr. young reports of nichanor , who for his blasphemous cursing and swearing , had his tongue cut out , and in small pieces thrown to the fowls . a young couple in love together , solemnize their private promises alone , the maid being rich , and the young man poor , she to assure him of her love , promises that unlikenesse of fortunes shall not disoblige her engagements , nor disinherit her of that loyalty which she hoped grace as well as good nature , had planted in her ; which he , though before earnestly fearful , that she might be as changeable as others ; did now neverthelesse content himself in the strength of this assurance , and so at the giving their faith one to another , she with many more imprecations tied her self most strongly with this , that the devil would take her away that day she married to another . she marries another , and on the wedding-day two guests uninvited , come well mounted to the door , and dine with them , and were made welcome ; after dinner , one of them complements the bride , and borrows her hand to lead the dance , and after a turn or two , lead a dance which none could follow ; for in presence of all her friends , he carries her out of doors , and notwithstanding her crying for help , she is mounted into the aire , and with his companion and horses , was never seen more . see the fruits of rash vows , oathes , and imprecations , they are not to be slightly dealt withal ; for god takes notice of our own desires , when we never think of our words , how we must give an account of them . two prophane young men striving who should be most exquisite in oathes , were met with by gods judgement in justice ; for he that out-vied the other in swearing was immediately distracted . also he relateth of two young men , delighting themselves in swearing ; sporting with oathes , as the flie with the flame , are overtaken with gods judgement , the one is struck dumb , and never spake word more , the other was distracted : both of them standing to the example of all young men , that do not remember their creator in the dayes of their youth , unlesse by blaspheming and cursing it . a noble person of the city of eflinghen , at a losse by gaming , began to swear and curse bitterly , in which rage and madnesse , he mounts his horse for home , the devil meets him , pulls him off , who with his servants was misguided all the night by evil spirits ; and in the morning finding themselves not lost , they get their master safe to bethen-hansen , where in great torment for three dayes , he yeilded justice victor . a woman in marchia , being a prophane curser and swearer , was justly left by god to sathan ; for in sight of many people she is snatched into the air , and thrown down again , which brake her neck . god we see can break us from our sins and lives together , if we do not from the first , break off by repentance . one margret vvood , of allercleugh , in the parish of stanhop , in the county of durham , was notoriously known for many years , upon every slight occasion , to use this imprecation , i wish i may sink into the earth . upon the last day of august 1655. she with one elinor mason of the same parish , being both washing of lead oare , to fit it for the lead-mill , and standing upon the same spot of ground , where many horses laden with lead had passed the immediate day before ; the earth suddenly failed under them , and swallowed them both up ; next day , when their dead bodies were digged out , elinor mason was found with her body erect , but margeret vvood was many yards deeper within ground , and her head direct downwards . one elinor short , of the same parish , did frequently use this imprecation ; i wish my feet may rot off , if this or that be not so or so : it pleased the just god about 20 years ago , to visit her with a pain in her feet , which by degrees did rot quite off , as afterwards did her legs also ; and she is yet alive at this day , as a monument of gods signal judgement : she creepes upon her hands and thighs , and doth often acknowledge gods just dealing with her . robert durance , butcher in carlisle , was a known swearer and drunkard , who about 30 years ago , being playing at cards with some of his companions , and having lost all his money , except 30 s began fearfully to swear he would be revenged upon himselfe , whereupon he run out at the gates of the city towards the river eden , and though he was followed by divers , some on horse-back , yet did he destroy himself by leaping into the river ; in which river , hard by the place where he leapt in , he lay for the space of four years ; at the end of which , a fisherman found the lower parts of his body , only the other parts being consumed . william knot of dalston in cumberland being a common swearer , when he was a servant to alderman grey of york , he fell into a lead full of boyling liquor , by which means in ten days he dyed . john prestman of weighton in cumberland , a sheriffes bayliffe , being accounted a common swearer , one night when he was drunk at carlisle , went out in the night ; and notwithstanding the perswasion of his landlord , leapt over the bridge with his horse , and was drowned in the river caude . one hudson of dalston in cumberland , did wager with another man , who should swear more oathes by god ; the other man was by the just judgment of god struck dead ere he parted , & hudston was struck dumb to his dying day ; and though he lived many years after , yet could speak nothing , but swear by god , which he did upon every occasion . oh the justice of god to some , and the patience and forbearance to others , waiting to be gracious : let such as swear by the name of god , look upon this example , this sad example . on may eve , 1634. one troe of gloce●ter a carpenter , in the parish of st. michael , being demanded by some , whether he would go with them and fetch the may-pole , swore by the lords wounds he would go , though he never went more . but mark the justice of god ; on may day morning , as he was working on the may-pole , before it was finished , he was by a divine stroke of justice smote with such a lamenesse , and swelling in all his limbs , that he could neither goe , nor lift his hand to his mouth , to feed himselfe , but was forced to keep his bed for half a year together , and to this day goeth lame , may 4. 1636. of the sabbath day , with gods judgements upon the profaners thereof . of the sabbath day , with gods judgements upon the profaners thereof . i am now to treat with the sabbath-breaker , who for many reasons will appear to be lesse excusable before god for this sin , then either the drunkard or swearer . here is a double sin , profaneing it and neglecting that which is ordained by god for the eternall good of our soul ; besides , it is a premeditated act , and goes along with a great aggravation , as we shall see in a word presently . it is now become so great a custome to prophane the lords day , that he almost becomes a scoffe to others , that offers to reform or punish it ; and that men may not so much slight it , i have collected a few reasons to perswade men to observe it , and disswade from the profanation of it , for god will not be mocked . that we may know this day is no mock-day , the lord that made heaven and earth , that great jehovah stiles himself lord of the sabbath ; and the lord hath in a more speciall manner singled out this commandement with a memento . remember , by no meanes forget the sabbath , for the lord rested that day , and he blessed the sabbath day , and hallowed it . it 's a great consideration to make us weigh the duty of keeping it , for six dayes the lord made heaven and earth , and when the seventh day came , he rested on it . the lord , as it were , hasted to finish the world in six dayes , that he might himself be an example to lead us to the understanding of the great weight which god himself put upon this day , and that we may see it is no ordinary nor common thing to break this day , see how strictly god in his holy word commands it . this is that which the lord hath said , to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the lord , six dayes may work be done , but the seventh is the sabbath of rest , holy to the lord ; he that works shall be put to death ; that soul shall be cut off from amongst the people , it shall be observed throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant . the lord threatens sore judgements , and why . because they have hid their eyes from my sabbaths , and i am prophaned amongst them ! blessed is the man that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it ; it 's called by the prophet the holy of the lord , honourable ; there might be many more places quoted , but these few are enough to let people see that it is not a trifling matter to profane the day , and that we ought to give all diligence and respect to this day , as a day greatly valued , prised , and esteemed of by god himself . anno 1647. there was a deplorable accident , a tremendous instance of the justice of god upon a person , a ●armer in a village called little-●allerton in the county of northumberland , about six miles distant from new-castle . the relation is thus . the minister teaching upon that scripture , 1 epist. pet. 2. cap. 2. latter part ; who hath called you out of darknesse , into his marvellous light , and in the fore-noon sermon insisting upon the spiritual darknesse and blindnesse of unregenerate men , and aggravating the many evills attending upon that condition in this life , and asserting the wofull condition , period state , and conditon of such as should die in that estate of spiritual darknesse ; how that to such is resreve● the blacknesse of darknesse , which was occasionally improved to discove● the miserable condition of the damned in hell , by reason of their separation from god , called utter darknesse . mat. 22.13 . and 8.42 & 25 . 1● at the ending of the first sermon this miserable man accompanied others of his neighbours to the al● house for refreshment : the time of r●paire to the second sermon bein● come , some of them moved him to return with them , to whom he replye● that the minister was preaching upo● darknesse , and he would not hear hi● till he should treat upon the light ; and so continued drinking in the alehouse with some other profane souldiers , and by having immoderately taken ale and hot waters , was in the height of his drunkennesse , carried to bed in the ale-house , where after a short time , he ended his miserable life , dying in the very act of sin , without any visible act of repentance . this relation is inserted verbatim , as i have it from a godly minister of the gospel , in the same county , and not farre from the same place , and is indeed a sad example of gods judgement ; not only against the sin of profaning the lords day , but also of drunkennesse , and contempt of the gospel . now because i observe this day so greatly neglected by the generality of the nation , not onely neglecting to hear the word preached , which is able to save their soules , but also violating of it by profanation ; give me a word , and that only to such as professe the observance of it as lawfull ; for if such a slighting of this day grow , we shall from it , run to atheisme , by contempt of gods holy ordinances , and commandments . let us first consider the end of god in the sabbath , which is chiefly for sanctification of his name ; and what creature dare say he is not strictly tyed by all the obligations expressable ; it is a day of liberty , not of bondage , god can be sanctified without us ; he shineth not with borrowed lights , these tapers that burne from mortall breach , can adde no glory to god , but as in his great mercy and condescention , he is pleased to accept of us . then the intent of this day as to our advantages , it 's for the eternall good of our soules , that the lord may by this occasion reach our slow understanding , and with his word preached , that he may dwell with the humble & and contrite spirit . we are not only to avoyd profaning it , by not working , drinking , playing , idlenesse , travelling , &c but we ought to frequent the publick worship of god in the assemblies of his people , and there to hear his word with godly reverence and fear . the reasonablenesse of one day in seven for god and our own souls , may convince us in a great measure of this day , & that is a sin less excusable that 's so reasonable , & that we may have the lesse to say for our excuse , he gives us 6 for our outward affairs , oh then who can grudge the 7th ! especially when god links in our immortal happinesse together with his own glory . it was the custom of christians in trajan the emperours time , to meet on the lords day morning , sing a psalm , receive the sacrament , and covenant to flie sin on that day : and when christians were summoned before the heathen governours , and demanded ; dost thou believe the lords day ? the answer was , i am a christian . take away the sabbath , sayes a reverend divine , and religion will soon wither and decay . the indians might as well have been chosen the subjects of this profitable obedience , and we in their conditions , keeping , instead of a sabbath to god , every day to the devil . it will be more tollerable , i am afraid , for them at that great day , than for us . if we had been left to our own choice , what squarer division of time could have been thought upon , than one day for our souls , and another for our bodies , one for the world , another for heaven ? this had been the reasonable rule of proportion ; it s more grace than reason , that god should desire but one day in seven , and that day also to be for our eternal good . oh how inexcusable will it be for us that prophane it , or neglect the advantages of it ! is refraining from labour a toil to us ? is to be eased of sin a burden ? lord then let me be burdened ? for lord , thy yoke is easie , and thy burden is light . what is a more unspeakable mercy , than for souls to have communion with god , as well as our own hearts ? and , as divines say , glory is but grace perfected : so that eternal sabbath of rest , is but , as i may say , this perfected . this sin is accompanied with many aggravations , and this is none of the least , that we have a will given us to refuse to prophane it ; besides its a deliberate act of the mind , it s not sudden , as an oath , or murder ; but in the very act it self , thou canst not but know thou art sinning against the light of thy conscience : it s the greatest sin , that is accompanied with time to consider , an enlightened mind to understand the evil : to purpose to evil , is an aggravation as high as the sin . if aggravations face not this sin with a dreadful countenance , consider , and in reason think ; is it not just with god to suffer thy frail composure of corruption to shrink under his heavy judgements ? that at night gods protection should leave us , as in our graves , when we are in our beds ? or canst thou expect any blessing upon thy outward estate , when it is in the power of god to dispose of life , being , health , estate , and all ? is it not just ; if we travel on this day , that god should judge us with sudden death in the like severity , as he hath made others examples of to all ages ? yet if god do suffer thy corn , wine , and oil , to encrease , fear a curse under the strawberry leaves of thy enjoyments ; for a blessing is not the shadow of sin , it will not follow thee in the wayes of wickednesse ; rather fear some judgement will overtake thy swift motion to impiety . a word to two sorts . first those that prophane it , contemning not onely gods lawes , but the lawes of the nation ; know that what is lawful on other dayes , are sins on this day ; and such of you as need not ( by gods blessings in a full estate ) toil all the week , whereby you cannot plead a wearinesse to waite on god upon his own day , you turn his blessings into a curse , if you prophane it : you play all the six dayes , it s a sin with a witnesse if you play away the seventh also . you that cannot close this holy day without an evening sacrifice to bacchus , instead of prayers to the lord that made heaven and earth , gods judgements sleep not , you are preparing your selves as fuell for the fire of gods vengeance and displeasure . nextly , to you that sit idly at home , never dreaming how to escape that wrath to come ; methinks i read your sad conditions in your conversations ; that never think of god all the week ; you cannot for your callings , you will not for your pleasures on the lords day : if there be any difference betwixt you and heathens , it is , that you know your condemnation before it come : you will be at the great day , witnesses for god against your selves . to see so many idly sit at home , and never mind to hear the word , methinks i am amongst the indians ; it s a very heavy thing to consider in some places , half the parish at home in idlenesse , or walking abroad in sermon-time ; nay , i have heard it credibly affirmed from the mouth of a minister in this county , that of some thousands in a parish , there hath not been , sometimes , a hundred at a sermon , nay , not fifty , nay not twenty , shall i say not ten ? is not this a sad case to be in a christian common-wealth ? nay it s the sad experience of this place where i live , and i may speak it to my own knowledge , that three quarters of the people able to come , of this populous place , do idly stay at home , or walk abroad , not a family of ten , but the most of them are at home in idlenesse , if not at play or drinking . upon this account i would conclude with one word ; good people , let me perswade you to serve god , rather than gratifie the devil with your own damnation : is your labour lesse to sit at home , than in the congregation ? do you think you have no souls to save , nor to lose ? you had better be working than idle , for that is a sin in it self , and is made greater on this day . you live more like the brute beasts that are fed by the senses onely . how can you be saved if you will not come unto him that you may have life ? are you christians or infidels ? do you professe to worship god , or mahomet ? how shall you believe on him of whom you have not heard ? how can you hear without a preacher ? not to hear that blessed gospel which christ hath sent into our coasts , our houses , is to do as the gadereans did , drive christ from our habitations . such as followed christ and his apostles , were converted , i read of few else ; and such onely as lay at the pool , were healed : to see people flocking to hear the word , like doves to the windows , it is a blessed sight ; but instead hereof , we have some that entertain quakers meetings in their houses on the lords day ; they have a sad account to give . i hear some excusing their staying at home sometimes , by their going other times ; these are common excuses : but thou knowest not but that day thou stayest from the ministery of the word , god may have intended thy eternal salvation , and that with zacheus , god might have said , this day salvation is come into thy house . but i read good books ; that thou mayest do when thou canst not hear good sermons : and though it be good to read , yet here its a sin , and a temptation , because thou neglect'sta greater good . the word stirs the soul under it , and commonly cometh with power and demonstration of the spirit ; and i know ther 's great difference between hearing and reading ; and the later is no lesse an evil thus used , than the ejection of different thoughts in prayer from the subject and nature of the duty , is an evil by consequence . but i do no body hurt , i am not playing , nor drinking , nor swearing , so that i need not fear gods judgements : what judgement dost thou think a hard heart is , which commonly is the fruit of the neglect of gods ordinances ? is it not the worst of judgements ? for thou mayst be destroyed with bodily punishment , as eli and others were , and yet thy soul be saved : but thou canst not have a judicial hardnesse of heart upon thee , and be saved : therefore take heed of this sin , and fear lest a worse judgement befal thee than an outward destruction ; for how canst thou escape , if thou neglect so great salvation ? my design is not to direct others to the keeping this day , so much as to keep from prophaning it ; yet if any be perswaded to look to the keeping of it , by way of sanctifying it , i refer them to such learned divines as have spent their labour in it . to those that are not moved by reason , nor perswaded by their own advantages , from polluting this holy day by their wickednesse , debauchednesse , idlenesse , or playing at cards , &c. read gods threatnings , that his judgements may appear to be more just , by his forewarning us from the sin , as well as the punishment . if you will not hearken to me , to hallow the sabbath , then will i kindle a fire in the gates of jerusalem , and it shall devour the palaces thereof , and shall not be quenched . fire in the palace , sayes a divine , is ment , fire in the seats of justice , and the ornaments of a city : fire in the palace , no going in , fire in the gates , no going out ; because justice was not executed upon sabbath-breakes , therefore the place of justice shall be destroyed ; those gates that suffered any co come in to profane the lords day , must be now on fire , that none shall escape his judgements : if we should see our towns flaming with the wrath of god , and the fire of his indignation taking hold of our habitations , it is then in vain to offer to quench it ; it hath been thus in our nation , as in the examples following . if such a judgment be threatned against such as keep not this day ; what must be the fearful looking for of judgment by the profaners of it ? did not god bring all this upon us in this city , yet bring you more wrath upon judah by profaning the sabbath , sayes the prophet . ezekiel mentions the sin of the sabbath , and therefore have i powred my indignation upon them , i have consumed them with the fire of my wrath , and in the 23. chapter is threatned plagues and judgements , and v. 18. the reason ; for they have profaned my sabbaths . if these serve not the end intended , take a prospect of gods terrible examples , which stand as beacons to warn us from the like sins . the poor man that did but gather sticks on the sabbath day , may stand as a monument of gods severity . a noble-man that used to hunt on the lords day , had a child born unto him with a head like a dog , with eares and mouth crying like a hound , which was a very remarkable judgement of god , reports of an husband-man , that went to plough on the lords day , and cleansing his plough with an iron , it stuck so fast in his hand for two years , that he carried it about with him as a signal tostimony of the lords just displeasure against him . another that gathered corn into his barn upon the lords day , had it all with fire from heaven consumed , together with the house . at kimstat in france , 1559. there lived a woman that neither would go nor suffer others of her family to go to church on the lords day ; as she was drying flax , fire issued out of it● but burnt it not : she taking no notice , next sabbath day as she was busie with it , miraculously again fire proceeds out of it , and burnt it ; but was put out , this poor creature was ● blind , as not to see or take warning by these foot-steps of gods mercifull providences , but the third sabbath day , when she was busied about her flax , as before , it fires of it self , and could not be quenched , till she , and two of her children were burnt to death . and in the year 1126. one grinding corn upon the lords days it took fire , and gave him timely warning not to break the sabbath day , by the works of his calling . in helvetia , nigh belessina , three men were playing at dice on the lords day , one called vlrick schraeterus , having hopes of a good cast , because being crost to the losse of much money before ; he now expected fortune , or rather the devill to favour his desire ; and therefore he uttered these horrid words . if fortune do dececeive me now , i will thrust my dagger into the body of god as farre as i can ; o the cursed frames of our naturall tempers , if once god cast the reins into our own wills , the dice favours him not , and presently he drawes his dagger , and with a powerful force throws it up towards heaven , which never was seen more ; and immediately five drops of blood falls before them all upon the table , and as suddenly comes the devill amongst them , carries away this vile wretch , with such a terrible and hideous noyse , as the whole city was astonished at it . those two remaining alive , endevoured to wipe off the blood , but to so little purpose , that the more they rub'd , the more the drops of blood were perspicuous . report carries it all over the city , multitudes flock to see this wonder , who found only the sabbath profaners rubbing the blood to get it out ; these two by decree of the senate of the city , were bound in chains , and as they were led to the prison ; one of them was suddenly struck dead ; from out of whose body , a wonderful number of wormes and vermin was seen to crawle . the city thus terrified with gods judgements , and to the intent that god might be glorified , and a future vengeance averted from the place ; caused the third to be forthwith put to death : and the table with the drops of blood on it , preserved as a monument of gods wrath upon this sin , not only of sabbath-breaking , but swearing , and wicked gameing : o the depth of the knowledge of god , how unsearchable are his judgments , and his wayes past finding out , january 13. 1583. at the bear-garden in southwark on a sabbath day afternoon , many people pressing on the scaffolds to see the sport , forced it suddenly down , with which fall eight were killed , and many spoyled in their bodies , who lived not long after . much like to it was that at risley in bedfordshire , 1607. where many people , rather then resort to hear the the word of the lord by the mouth of his minister , came in great numbers to see a stage-play on the lords day ; the chamber floor fell down , and as a judgment of god upon this sad & wilful sin , many were killed and wounded , thus we see , when the works of piety and mercy are neglected , to prosecute sinne and wickednesse , gods judgements are swift to overtake us ; thereby endeavouring to hedg up our way with thornes , which examples may push us back from the like impiety and vengeance of an angry god . a sad example of gods severity , in ●is hot and sore displeasure against ●abbath-breakers , is recorded of feverton in devonshire ; which place , saith he , , was frequently admonished of the profanation of the lords day , by a market kept the day following ; which without reformation , would inevitably pluck down divine vengeance : a little after the ministers death , upon the third of april 1598. a sudden fire from heaven consumeth the whole town in lesse than half an hour ; excepting only the church , court-house , and almes-house , where was consumed in this fire of gods wrath , four hundred dwelling houses , and fifty soules destroyed . who will not say this was a sad and immediate hand of the lord ? but alas ; what will not poor creatures do , that follow sin with greedinesse ! the same town fourteen years after , on the fifth of august , 1612. for the same sin , was wholly consumed , except some thirty poor peoples houses , school-house , almes-houses : these judgements are not recorded for historical perusall , but to consider of , and remember those on whom the tower of shilo fell . at alcester in warwick-shire where the authour lived , there were of his own knowledge , four remarkable judgements of god . one that upon the publishing of the declaration for sports and pastimes upon the lords day ; a young woman on this day comes to the green , and sayes , she would dance as long as she could stand , and dancing , in the midst of her sin , god struck her with such a violent disease , that in two or three dayes she died in misery ; as an example to all that delight more in serving their own pleasures , and sinfull desires , then to wait upon god , and delight in his wayes . the other of a young man of the same place , and not long after the other ; who on the lords day , immediately after the evening exercise was finished , brings into the street a pair of cudgells , layes them down nigh unto the ministers house , and invited divers to play with him ; who refusing , at length comes one , and taking up the cudgels sayes , though i never played in my life , yet i will play one bout now . a little after , sporting with a young woman , he takes up a birding-piece charged , saying , have at thee ; the piece goes off , and murders her immdiately ; for which , as a deserved judgement , he suffered the law . another of a miller at wootton in the same county , who going forth to a wake , and coming home at night , found his house , mill , and all that he had , burnt down to the ground . a fourth upon mr. clarks own knowledge , is of many wicked and prophane persons , at woolston in the same county ; who on the lords day met at a whitsun-ale , in a smiths barn , and though it grieved the holy man of god , who was minister of the place , as the sodomites did lot , yet he could not help it ; but in their profanenesse they proceeded ; not long after , a fire kindles in the place of this impiety , and burnes down not onely his house , shop , and barn , but rages so vehemently , as it reaches many other houses with ruin , all being chief actors in this horrid profanenesse . in the year 1634. upon a lords day , when the river trent was frozen over , fourteen young men were at foot-ball upon the ice near gainsborough , and meeting all in a cluster together , the wrath of god met with them , and suddenly the ice broke , and they were immediately drowned . oh the justice of the lord , upon the prophaners of his holy day . the same painful and useful author of gods examples , relates a sad one , of gods judgements upon two fellows in essex near brinkely , that were working in a chalk-pit ; one of them boasting that he had vext his mistresse , by coming so late in from his sabbath-dayes sports and recreations ● but sayes he , i will anger her worse next sabbath day : which words were no sooner out , but justice seizes upon him ; for the earth falls upon him , and he never stirred more to his sabbath prophanesse ; his fellowes limbs were broken ; both being sharers in the sin of the sabbath , are made also to be so in their sufferings and punishments . the lord will be known in the paths and wayes of his judgements , to such as will not be led and allured by his tender mercies . and of one mr. ameredith , a gentleman of devonshire , being recovered from a pain which he had suffered in his feet , one of his friends saying he was glad to see him so nimble : the gentleman replies ; he hoped his hopes should not be frustrated of the great expectations he had to dance about the may-pole the next sunday : but behold the lord in a just punishment ( for such impious and wicked resolutions , and no doubt also for his former prophanesse on that day ) smites him suddenly with feeblenesse and faintnesse of heart ere he stirred from the place , and with such a strange dizzinesse in the head , that he was forc't to be led home , and from thence to his last home , before the lords day shined upon him . now tell me , any that can , what little hopes the poor souls thus ushered to the chambers of death , have to keep an eternal sabbath with god , that will not keep his sabbath from prophaning on earth ? truly , these are sad symptoms of gods heavy displeasure against soul as well as body : his mercy ( if any be in such dismal dispensations ) are occult and hidden ; the lord in mercy warn poor sinners to avoid the wrath of such an infinite god , that such as will not be intreated to keep the lords day , as they ought , may be terrified from prophaning of it . another as severe he relates , which together with the three former , are attested by sufficient witnesses . at walton upon thames , in survey , upon a great frost , in the year 1634. three young men having in the forenoon heard a sermon , from 2 cor. 5.10 . we must all appear before the judgement-seat of christ , &c. they went over the ice into an house of disorder , and gaming , where they prophanely spent away the rest of the lords day , and night also , in revelling , and drinking ; the one of them next day boasting merrily of his pleasure upon the sabbath day , and his adventure over the ice . all three on tuesday return the way they went , and upon the ice suddenly sunk to the bottom like stones , one of them onely miraculously preserved . these judgements may be mercies to some that are yet prophaners of the lords day , if god please . at burton upon trent , mr. abberly a godly minister , often took occasion to reprove and threaten such as make no conscience of the lords day , by prophaning it : in a more peculiar manner , such as bought and sold meat upon this day ; which it seems was a sin as great , and as commonly practised in this place , as it was lately at buntingford , where in my journey , some gentlemen of newcastle being my fellow-travellers , we took occasion after sermon to acquaint the minister withal : i pray god it may not be so still , lest such a judgement befal the place , as did this prophane wretch : which was thus . a taylor being a nimble and active man , dwelling at the upper end of the town , must needs in a bravado go to the further end to buy some meat before morning-prayer , but coming home with both his hands full , in the midst of the street he fell down stark dead . i was , sayes doctor teate , an eye-witnesse both of his fall , and burial ▪ and that it wrought a reformation in the place , both among the butchers and others . it was a remarkable providence , and i wish , i say , that other places may be reformed of this bold and impudent sin ; or truly they may repent of it when it s too late . a pious divine : sayes he , the lord hath spoken so loud from heaven against sabbath-sinners , that i cannot be silent ; we hereabout , have had in a short time , terrible tokens of god severe vengeance , upon such as mind not the service of his day : amongst our selves a sad example ; a townsman going to gather cherries on the lords day , fell from the tree , and in the fall was so battered , and bruised , that he never spake more , but lay groaning in his blood , until the next day , and then died . another man , not far from this place , in cherry-time , as he was gathering fruit , fell from the tree , and with the fall was so hurt , that he lay in anguish and dreadful dolour , all the week , till sabbath day , and then ended his miserable life . and of a young man , that on the lords day , in a place nigh unto mr. goodwins , scrambling with others for peares , thrown out in the church-yard , broke his main thigh-bone , and the bone of his leg , on the same side , which was so miserably and strangely broken , as that the bone-setter ( who was a godly man ) told mr. goodwin , though he had seen many , yet he never saw the like . god here dealt in mercy , as well as in judgememt , in that he 〈◊〉 him space to repent , and see his sin . the lord warn us all by these examples . a company of prophane young men in 1635. near salisbury , upon the lords day morning , went to clarington park , to cut down a may-pole , and having loaden the cart with the tree , and themselves with the bitter fruits of sin , they are severely punisht by the hand of god : for entring into the city of salisbury , through a place called milners bars , unawares the cart gives a turn , and the end of the tree , struck one of the sabbath-breakers such a mortal blow that his brains flew out , and there on the place , he yeilded himself a conquered sinner by the just hand of the lord , lying there , as a sad spectacle of gods indignation : and sayes mr clark , i enquired of the truth of this at my first coming to sarum , and very many godly persons in my hearing , attested it to be true , upon their own sight and knowledge . and further , doctor teate , he gives a second example upon his knowledge thus . to my knowledge , at compton-chamberlin in vviltshire , at the house of sir j. penruddock , a dancing match was held on the lords day , where a stranger ushers in , to act his part , and after a few turns about , and a few capers , he in the midst of the sin , falls dead to the ground , before all the company . here was a sad dispensation of providence from gods immediate hand , as many else besides are ; here was no instrument to take off any of the most severe vengeance of god ; and such examples in my mind , should be taken as pregnant testimonies , to let all men know this day ought to be kept as holy . oh take heed of slighting this day , that god so severely punishes in his sore displeasure . and mr. clark upon his own testimony , brings in a sad relation thus . when i lived in cheshire , there was one sir t. s. a papist , and at that time a favorite at court , who at his appearance in the country was very much feasted and entertained by the gentry : once amongst the rest , he was invited to a knights house on the lords day , where many accompanied him : towards evening , the proper time for the deeds of darknesse , they fell to dancing : but look to the finger of god , and see what fell upon their sinful prophanesse ; in the midst of their sport , there was one sir j.d. had a blow given him on his leg by some invisible hand ; for none was seen to touch him , as was attested by all the company : and thus he went lame for a good while after . it may be it set him upright in his practise and conversation ever after ; if it did , it was a good providence that saved him from a more severe judgement . one sabbath day in the afternoon , a match at football was made in bedfordshire : as two of the company was tolling a bell to summon the rest together , some that sat in the porch of the church suddenly hear a terrible clap of thunder , and saw a flash of lightning , coming through an obscure lane ; which flasht in their faces , to their great terrour and fear , so passing on to these that were tolling , it trips up the heels of the one , and leaves him stark dead : the other so blasted , that he died also in few dayes . these are the swift messengers of god , which overtake poor sinners in the way of their sins , before resolution can be proud of any actions ; god will be seen in his wrath and terrour , to all wilfull and impenitent sinners . at tidworth on the lords day , many were met in the church-yard to play at football , where one of this wicked company had his legge broken , which by a secret judgment of the lord so fester'd , that it turned to a gangrene in despight of all means ; whereof he speedily died . stratford upon sluon , was no lesse then twice consumed , by the fire of gods wrath for this sin of sabbath-breaking , and on one and the same day twelve-moneth : besides , they were great contemners and slighters of the word of god by his minister ; a sin that is commonly followed with hardnesse of heart , if no visible judgement get before it . it is recorded of pompey , that he shrunk under the depression of gods sore displeasure , for profaning gods sabbath , and sanctuary . that which god consecrates , must be kept holy , or woe to the profaners of it . and of herod who profaned gods name by his wickednesse , and that , when for some treasure which he supposed to be hid , he caused the sepulcher of gods saints to be pluckt up ; the lord in judgement caused a fire to breake forth of the earth , and destroyed those that he imployed , which when he saw he desisted , and durst go no further . nov. 26. 1621. one richard bourn servant to gasper burch of ely , was so accustomed to travell on the lords day , that he made no conscience of it , seldom or never coming to the assembly to hear the word of god on that day , but went to st. ives market , where he stayed and spent the day ; wher being drunk , he was overtaken by gods justice ; for coming home fraught with commodities , he fell into the river , and was drowned ; a just reward of other sinnes in the punishment of one . in the year 1635. a miller at church-down nigh gloucester , would needs make a whitsun-ale ; notwithstanding the private and publick admonitions of the ministers , and of his christian friends , large provision was made , and musick was set out , as the minister and people in the afternoon went to church ; when prayer and sermon was ended , the drum beat up , musick played , and the people fell a dancing till evening ; at which time , they all resorted to the mill : but o the justice of god! before they had supped , at 9 of the clock , a sudden fire seized on the house which was so sharp , that it burned down his house and mill , and the most of all his other provision , and houshold-stuffe . at baunton in dorcetshire , some being at bowles on the lords day , one threw his bowle at his fellow , and hit him on the ear , whereupon blood issuing out at the other ear , he died ; he that threw it fled . at simsburg in dorsetshire , one rejoycing at the erection of a summer-pole on the lords day , said , he would go see it , though he went through a quickset hedge ; a proverb here going with wood in his arms to cast into the bonfire , profanely uttered these words ; heaven and earth are full of thy glory o lord : he was immediately smitten by the stroak of god , and in two or three days died , and his wife also . at dover , the same day that the book of sports was read in st. james parish , one profanely went to play upon a kit , which drew a rude multitude of the younger sort together . but oh the terrour of the lord ! he was struck with a divine hand , and in two dayes died . two boyes of st. albans , going into verolans pond to swim upon the lords day , one of them was drowned , the other narrowly escaped , as a warning to others . two young men of st , dunstans in the west london , going to swim on the lords day , in september , 1635 , were both drowned . a fellow in sommerset-shire , being to make a tent on the lords day , for a fair , which was to be on the day following , said on the satterday , that he would make it on the morrow ; which was the lords day , and being drunk , he died the same day roaring . one mr. prince chyrurgion of the of the tower of london , did on the lords day ride upon his horse to pace him for a chapman , but see the justice , yet mercy of god , he broke his leg , and lay in great pain and anguish eight weeks ; his son had disswaded him from so great a sin , which now he acknowledged as a judgement of god upon him for prophanation of his day : and ever after he became a more frequent resorter to the congregation , and hearing gods word . at thornton nigh worcester , upon the publishing of the book of sports on the lords day , the people prepared for a solemn prophanation , by ordering purveyors on purpose , to provide things fit for it ; a proper maid went to the mill on satterday , to fetch home the meal on the lords day , the maid passing by a hedge with the meal upon her head , was overtaken with a sudden and sad stroak of divine justice , for she fell down dead into a ditch , there she lay all sabbath day ; on munday she was carried to her grave , where all their intended mirth was buried with her , &c. such a terrour it wrought in the people , and such reformation in the place , that no more summer-ales were kept ; they took down the may-pole , and none durst set it up again , or have to do with the publick prophanation of that day . one at ham nigh kingstone , a scoffer of goodnesse , and a common prophaner of the lords day , did on that holy day presume to visit his grounds , where finding some cattle grazing , which were not his own , & running to drive them out , he fell down , and suddenly died upon the place . upon may day , being the lords day , a maid in cripple-gate london , being married to one that had three children , one of them being at nurse in the country , they did on the lords day spend the whole afternoon in feasting and dancing ; but god is just , and will be seen in his judgements to warn others ; for a week after the plague began in the parish , & the first house it entered into , is this new married couples , with which , both himself , wife , and two children were swept away by death . these things are not to be scoffed at , they are not things of chance or blind fortune ; no , no , they are providence ; and though they are judgements in themselves , yet in the issue , i hope they will be mercifull warnings to others . not far from dorchester , lived one widow jones , whose son richard upon the lords day ( notwithstanding her admonitions , and perswasions did with his companions go to stoak to play ; where after they had done , and drank somewhat freely , they return home ; and by the way fell out , whereupon john edwards one of his consorts stabbed him under the left side , vvhereof at seven a clock the next night , he died . one david price , a servant to t. hill , a grasier , offering to drive his cattel from banbury , was dissvvaded by his landlord , and told him he vvould be stopped , and forced to satisfie the lavv , to vvhich he replied , let me see who will hinder . in the morning he set out , and not yet out of the tovvnes end , one met him , and said , what david , to day , to day ? he ansvvered not , but passed on ; and although he never complained , nor any other saw any signes of the least sicknesse , yet in a stones cast of the town , he fell down dead suddenly , and was buried in banbury church-yard , the next day after . at wicks , betwixt colchester & harwich , upon whitsunday last in the after-noon , two fellowes meeting at the foot-ball , the one killed the other . at oxford , one lords day , one hawkes a butcher would needs mend his ditch , his wife disswaded him from it on that day ; but he would , and did go , but behold the remarkable justice of god! he is struck dead in the ditch : a sad example , amongst other of gods terrible judgements , one mr. powel upon the lords day did at lemster serve a writ of sub poena upon one , mr. shuit a gentleman , ( which he did on purpose upon that day , as is credibly reported ) as soon as he came out of the church into the church-yard ; to whom mr. shuit said , i thought you had been an honester man , than to do so upon this day ; who replied , i hope i am never a whit the more dishonest ; which he had no sooner spake , but suddenly he fell down dead , and never spake word more ; his wife seeing it , was immediately struck with sicknesse . may 31. 1635. being the lords day , one rich. clark apprentice to timothy donorell of sherston in wiltshire , was drunk in company with one h. parrum , to whom he said he vvould hang or drown himself ; desiring to know which was the best , who replied , that he hoped he would do neither : but oh the judgements of the lord upon the prophaners of this day , and upon the sin of drunkennsse ! for on monday morning , he was seen going thorough the town , as if he were going about his masters businesse , and having got up upon the midst of a tree without the town , he there did hang himself . at billericay in essex , one theo. pease the ministers son , would needs ring the bells on the sabbath day , but was hindred by the officers ; the next lords day , he had gathered many together , and in despite of any , would ring , and whilst he was ringing , a giddinesse surprized him like one drunk , of which he fell sick , and in three dayes died . the tapster and chamberlain of queens head southwark , rode upon the lords day to be merry , and having been too bold with drink , one of them riding homewards , fell off his horse , and broke his neck . being the lords day , an apothecaries man in lime-street london , rid with another to barnet , to be merry , and being drunk , upon their return they met with a man travelling , to whom offering some abuse , the man strikes one of their horses , one of them bid the other run him through , which with his rapier he did through the left breast , so that he fell down dead ; and being both apprehended , they confessed , and were sent to new-gate . at baildon in yorkshire , two men sitting drinking at a wake , they quarrelled with one another ; but being parted , and one of them sitting by the fire side , the other presently falls upon him with a hatchet and cleaves him down the back , insomuch as his bowels fell forth ; the murderer being hotly pursued leapt into a river , and drowned himself . four travelling from london to maidenhead , one of them would needs travel on the lords day , the rest refused , spending the sabbath there ; this man rode in the morning to henly , and there heard a sermon , after that travelled again in the afternoon , and on his way , leading his horse down a smooth descent , his horse suddenly fell , and broke both his fore legs ; he was suddenly amazed at so strange and unexpected a providence , and could not but attribute it to the immediate hand of god : whereupon seeing him past recovery , he knockt his horse on the head , and so left him . the next day , being overtaken at abington by his fellow-travellers , they wondering , demanded the reason how it came to passe , he was no further on his way ? he smote his breast , and related the strange providence of god , towards him , saying , he had heard many a good sermon , but none of them ever wrought so much upon his conscience , as this providence of god did : and since it was no worse , it should be an example and a warning to him for ever after . oh that it might be so to others , that may heare of it or read it . in the year 1644. was a beer-brewer ( dwelling in giles-criplegate london , nigh unto the white horse ) that usually followed the sinful practise of brewing upon the lords day , for which he was warned , and told of the greatnesse of the sin , and how severe god was to such sinful practises , but he reformed not : once upon a lords day at noon , the reverend m. t. vveld , lecturer of the said place ( from whom i had the relation ) went into the house , and taking them at work , lovingly , yet sharpely , admonished them , to whom they promised to do so no more : within a sabbath or two after , the same servant of the house , which before was taken in the act , was now again found guilty of the same sin ; but mark the justice of the lord ; for setting fire to the copper , when it was scalding hot , he fell over into it , and was immediatly scalded to death . another , which i had from the same hand . a cook in the same parish , using to make it his trade , on the lords day , to heat ovens , and bake meat , whereby all the family was imployed as on other dayes , without regard to the lords day , unlesse to his own profit ; never , or seldom , frequenting the word preached ; was often admonished , yet went on in his sin : one christmas day , which fell upon the lords day , as he was working , and labouring ( as if no time were unlawful to gain the world , though he neglected his eternal soul ) he was consumed to death by fire . a vintner , that was a great swearer and drunkard , as he was standing at his own door upon the lords day , with a pot in his hand to invite his guests , was by the wonderful justice and power of god , carried into the aire with a whirlwind , and never seen nor heard of more . much might be said ; but my work swells upon the loome , yet have i left many example , to have the choice . i shall conclude with one word , and that is to pray us to consider , that god blessed ( that is , say divines , with intention of bestowing favours and benefits ) this day : o let 's then labour for gods blessing above all things ! read those promises in esay , 56.4 , 5 , 6 , 7. jer. 17.24 , 25. let us labour for hearts to attend with delight to his lawes and ordinances ; when once we leave off ordinances , i durst almost say , we are in a more sure way to ruin , than the most outward prophane . they are mercies not so much prized as they would , if we wanted them ; a confluence brings a glut , and that a disgust of the most relishing mercies . a ten or five mile sermon formerly , tasted sweeter than now greater opportunities of grace and mercy nigher hand , and within our reach : i say , let us set a high value upon the favour and means of conveyances : let 's love and honour the faithful ministers of the word : to love them , is to love to hear them ; hate thy minister , and then follows contempt of the word , and so hardnesse of heart : this is commonly the sad effect of this sin . scoffers of religion , the ministers of his precious gospel and people , have been made spectacles of gods anger ; judgements are prepared for scorners , prov. 19.29 . they are blessed that sit not in their seat , psal. 1.1 . one present in this congregation , ( sayes a reverend divine ) was an eye-witnesse of a woman scoffing at another for piety , immediately she had her tongue strucken with a palsie , and in two dayes died thereof . value therefore , i say , thy minister , for he is set over thee for to watch for the good of thy soul ; the love of the minister , and the word , is no small help to the keeping of the lords day . i conclude with the psalmist . consider this all ye that forget god , lest he teare you in pieces , and there be none to deliver you . reader , these following sad examples came to my hand , since the printing of the former part of the treatise ; which i thought good to insert here . on thursday , in the last week save one , of june 1620. a house was burnt down at hether set in norfolk : there being a jar in the morning between the man and his wife ( as is said ▪ ) the woman wished that her husband going out , might never return to his house ; which was burnt down e're he came home . on the 22th of july 1627. at barnham-broom , some would needs draw up a bell ( it being the lords day ) into his place , that it might be ready against the bell-founder came on friday , that so they might not hinder their businesse . some went unwillingly to it , but others went forewarned , and did it : when it was up , he that was one of the readiest w. baynes , setting his foot on a board that brake or slipped , fell and beat out his braines , and miserably ended his dayes . aug. 6. 1627. at scolebridge , a man drunken being fastned on a cart , the horse turning suddenly , overthrew the cart into the river , loaden with lime upon the drunken man , where he was drowned , and fearfully burnt with lime . in the former part of summer , a man being drunk at vvimondham , fell into a watery , miry place , and was drowned . another drunkard vomiting , a sow followed him , and eat up his vomit , at last falling from his horse , the sow pulled out his throat , and so he miserably died : reported by the judge at the assizes . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a87056e-420 amos 3.6 . psal. 9.16 . notes for div a87056e-720 epistle to mr. murcots wo. * mayor of exceter . mr. mantons epist. to his life & death . * suspected to favour puritans . vvilsons . k. james . notes for div a87056e-2010 tit. 2.11 , a 2. notes for div a87056e-3140 turkish hist. wilson . k. ja. prov. 23.29 . r. junius . l. bacon . d. taylor . esay 28.1 , 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 19. chap. 22.12 , 13 , 14. chap. 5.22 . joel 1.5 . 1 king. 16.9 , 10. 2 sam 13.28 . gen. 9.21 . peards . theatre . non ut vivat fed ut bibat . mr. nealson , minister , his letter to mr. taylor in theatre of gods judgements . mr. ward , his wo to drunkards . d.t. taylor . mr. beadles diary . mr. clerks examples mr. young . mr. stubs anatomy of abuses mr. young . doctor beards theatre . mr. trapp . m. l. marg math. 5.34 . prov. 6.34 . levit. 24.14 . hosea 2.4 . marg psal. 109.13 . neh. 13 , 2. mal 3 4. mr. beadles diary mr. ridsley serm. r. junius . theatre of gods judgements . mr. bolton . theatre of gods judgements . mr. clerks examples . theatre of gods judgements . luthers colloquia . theatre of gods judgements . mr. terry's east-india voyage . theatre of gods judgements . theatre of histor● . theatr. gods judgements . stow. cron. theatre of god , judgements . fox acts . theatre histo. theatr. of gods judgements . wilson k. james . sin stigmatised . sword against swearers . dr. williams true church . mr. nowel . these two i have from a reverend divine of this county . the relation from his brothers own mouth now alive . 1645. 1627. mr. burtons tragedy , &c. mat. 12.8 . exod. 20. exod. 16.23 . & 31.15 . & 35.3 . ezech. 22.26 . isay 56.2 . & 58.13 . rom. 10 , 14 , 17. mr. goodwin . mr. cawdry . jer. 17 , 27. neh. 13.18 . ezek. 22.26 . & 31. theatr● of history . theatre of gods judgements . mr. clarks examples . rom. 11.33 . theatre of gods judgements . luke 13.4 mr. clarks examples 1657. mr. p. goodwin . dies dominicus redivivus . 117. mr , clarks examples . dr. twiss on sabb. dr. beards theatre . c. tacitus , josephus . mr. nelson minister , his letter to mr. taylor in theatre of judgements . 1634. 1634. 1635. july , 19. 1635. july , 1654. 1634. july , 1634. octoct . 1633. 1634. 1634. january 1634. march , 1634. june 1635 feb. 9. 1634. april 18. 1635. mr. weld . mr. clark . 2 king. 1. 2 king. 2 : mr. greenhill , on ezekiel . psal. 50.22 a defense of the christian sabbath in answer to a treatise of mr. tho. bampfield pleading for saturday-sabbath / by john wallis. wallis, john, 1616-1703. 1692 approx. 249 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 44 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-08 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a67379 wing w569 estc r2541 09479535 ocm 09479535 43235 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a67379) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 43235) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 1319:13) a defense of the christian sabbath in answer to a treatise of mr. tho. bampfield pleading for saturday-sabbath / by john wallis. wallis, john, 1616-1703. 85 p. printed by l. litchfield and are to be sold by chr. coningsby, oxford : 1692. caption title: a discourse concerning the christian sabbath. running title: the christian sabbath. reproduction of original in the cambridge university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng bampfield, thomas, 1623?-1693. -enquiry whether the lord jesus christ made the world. sabbath -early works to 1800. sunday -early works to 1800. 2004-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-04 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-05 olivia bottum sampled and proofread 2004-05 olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-07 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a defense of the christian sabbath . in answer to a treatise of mr. tho. bampfield pleading for saturday-sabbath . by iohn wallis , d. d. and professor of geometry in the university of oxford . oxford , printed by l. lichfield , and are to be sold by chr. coningsby , at the golden turks-head over against st. dunstan's church in fleet-street , london . 1692. imprimatur , ionath . edwards , vice-can . oxon . sep. 17 t. 1692. a discourse concerning the christian sabbath . sir , iune 12. 1692. i had a while since a book sent me by the carrier ( i know not well from whom ) of mr. thomas bampfield , which in the title-page , is said to be printed for the author — 1692. it is concerning the sabbath . which he thinks should rather be observed on what we call saturday , than on what we call sunday . i should not , on this account , give any disturbance to the peace or practise of the church where i live , so that a sabbath be duly observed as to the substantials of it , though perhaps not upon what day i should chuse . for i do not know ▪ and i believe no man living can tell me , whether what we now call sunday , be a first , a second , a third , or a seventh day , in a continued circulation of weeks from the creation . and what it is impossible for me to know , i think will be no crime to be ignorant of . nor hath this author any other way than common tradition , ( on which he is not willing that we should lay weight , ) whereby to guess , which is the first , or which is the seventh day , in such a circulation of weeks , either from the creation , or even from christ's time. i am sufficiently satisfied that we ought to keep a sabbath , that is , a day of holy rest , after six days of ordinary labour , according to the fourth commandment : and this in a continued course or circulation : but i am not certain , nor can i be , which is a first , or a seventh day in such a circulation of weeks from the creation . and therefore shall content my self to observe that day which i find observed in the church where i live . in old england i observe the sabbath which here i find : and if i were in new-england , i would observe the sabbath which i find observed there . though i think it may be disputable whether they and we may be said to observe the same day , ( the first meridian passing between them and us . ) and yet i would not advise to have it changed in either . now i can hardly think , that god hath laid the great stress of so weighty a point ( as whereon the main of gods publick worship doth much depend ) on such a circumstance as is impossible for us to know , and of which we may be modestly ignorant . i should rather think that what christ says of the place , ioh. 4. 21 , 23 , the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor in ierusalem worship the father , but the true worshipers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth , is in good measure true of the time also ; and , as it is not so material whether in this or that place , god be worshiped , so he be worshiped aright : so neither is it so material , whether on this , or that day ; as , that a sabbath or day of holy rest be duly kept . the publick worship of god , was then in great measure confined to the temple ; not indifferently , in any place within thy gates , but in the place which the lord thy god shall chuse , to put his name there , deut. 16. 6 , 11 , 15 , 16. for which any other place may now be as well assigned ; that men pray every where lifting up holy hands , &c. 1 tim. 2. 8. ( privately in private places , and publickly in places appointed for the publick ▪ ) and i do not think we are now more confined to the iewish sabbath , than to the iewish temple . this premised , i can agree with this author in many things by him discussed . i agree , that our lord iesus christ ( according to his divinity ) was god ( and is so ) the true god , the god that made heaven and earth , the god who delivered the law upon mount sinai . for though we do acknowledge , in the godhead , a trinity of persons ; father , son , and holy ghost , ( whereof christ according to his divinity is called the second person , the son of god , or god the son ; ) yet those three persons are but one god. nor do i know any other true god but one , the god that made heaven and earth , the lord iehovah , the god of abraham , isaac and iacob , the lord god of israel , the lord their god who brought them out of the land of egypt , out of the house of bondage , and besides whom we are to have no other god , the god who delivered the law to them on mount sinai ; and i do agree that our lord iesus christ , is ( as to his divinity ) this god , the true god , the onely true god , and that he was so before his incarnation . how far each of those actions are to be ascribed to this or that person of the trinity , we need not be over solicitous . what in the new testament is more peculiarly ascribed to this or that of the three persons , is in the old testament wont to be ascribed to god indefinitely , without such particular application ; the doctrine of the trinity being then not so distinctly discovered . but i cannot agree that christ as god and man ( in contradistinction to the father and holy ghost ) did all those things ; for he was not then man. i agree with him also , that god who made the world in six days , rested the seventh day , gen. 2. 23. exod. 20. 11. and that he blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it . and that accordingly he hath appointed after six days of ordinary labour , man should observe a seventh day of holy rest , and this in a continued succession . but i should rather say , that our lord iesus christ is ( according to his divinity ) that god who blessed the seventh day gen. 2. than that the god who blessed the sabbath day , is the lord iesus christ ; ( as he doth p. 64. and elsewhere very often , seeming to lay great stress upon it . ) for he was not then the lord christ ( god and man ) nor did he bless it as christ , but as god ; in union with the father and holy ghost , not as contradistinguished from them . i agree also , that the law of the sabbath is one of the decalogue or ten commandments delivered to israel on mount sinai . ex. 20. but i am willing to think it was a law before . not only because we find it observed , exod. 16. ( before the giving of the law on mount sinai , ex. 20. ) but especially because of that in gen. 2. 3. god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , because in it he rested from all his work. and those who are most averse to the morality ( as it is wont to be called ) or the perpetuity of the sabbath , or day of holy rest , and are yet very zealous for the holiness of places , would be very fond of it if they could find so clear a testimony , and so ancient , for the holiness of place , as here is for that of time. i agree also that the law of the decalogue or ten commandments , though then given peculiarly to israel , is obligatory to us also . for though some clauses therein do peculiarly respect them ; as that who brought thee out of the land of egypt out of the house of bondage , and that thy days may be long in the land which the lord thy god giveth thee , ( which i think is there said with a particular respect to the land of canaan , which god gave to israel , not to us ; ) yet the body of that law and the preceptive part of it , i take to be obligatory to others also , and to us in particular ; the decalogue being declarative of what was ( i think ) a law before ( however neglected or forgotten , ) and is by christ and his apostles frequently cited as such , even to gentiles as well as jews . nor will i dispute it with him , whether the sabbath were observed from the creation to the floud . for i am willing to think that if it were not , it should have been ; though , in the short history that moses gives us of that time , there be no mention made of such observation . but i doubt it was not universally so observed , if at all . for when all flesh had corrupted their ways , i doubt the sabbath day and the worship of that day were by them not much regarded . nor do i find ( gen. 2. 3. ) any express command ( such as he demands for the first days sabbath ) that it should be observed thenceforth by men , every seventh day of the week for ever . how far the words he blessed and sanctified it may extend i will not dispute . it may be a strong intimation ( and i think it is , ) but it is not expresly said , that , all mankind must , for ever after , observe every seventh day , in every week , of days , reckoned continually from the first creation . nor do i think it necessary to have been so recorded by moses , ( any more , than the law for sacrifices , ) if it did otherwise appear to have been the will of god. and therefore i would not have him lay too great a stress , on what he saith , that there is no express commandment , recorded in the new testament , for observing the first day : it is enough if we there find sufficient intimation for us to judge that god was pleased to have it observed . i say the like as to the time from the floud to that of abraham , and from thence to the coming of israel out of egypt . for i do not find any mention of their observing a sabbath ( either in the writings of moses , or the book of iob ) earlier than that of exod. 16. after israels coming out of egypt , and after the time that god is said to have made a statute and ordinance for them , at marah , ex. 15. 25. what that statute and ordinance was , we cannot tell . the jewish writers think ( or some of them ) that it was that of the sabbath ; and perhaps it might , or this be some part of it . it was perhaps a revival of what had been before disused . nor is it likely that their task-masters in egypt would suffer them to be idle , and neglect their work , one whole day in seven . nor do i find any foot-steps in history that any other nation but the jews did ( for many ages after this time ) so much as measure out their time by weeks . i know that many learned and pious men have been searching to that purpose and willing to lay hold on any thing that might seem to look that way . and i should be well enough pleased to see it made out . but i have not seen any thing convictive to give me satisfaction therein . i have consulted clemens alexandrinus , and what he cites in the fifth book of his stromata , who hath i believe made the best search of any into heathen writers for that purpose . his design in that book is to shew that the heathens had stollen or borrowed much of their philosophy from what he calls philosophia barbara , or barbarorum , meaning thereby the iewish learning ; ( for , with the greeks , all but themselves were barbarians . ) and amongst many other things , he takes notice of the number seven sometimes mentioned in heathen writers , as with some veneration ; which he thinks to be occasioned from that number oft mentioned in the sacred writers , and particularly from that of their sabbath , and measuring their time by weeks . but he doth not at all intimate as if himself did think the heathens so to have divided their time , or to keep that sabbath , but only that they were acquainted with the jewish learning , and borrowed much of theirs from thence . that which therein seemed to me the most promising ( and by others also is oft alledged ) was that cited from hesiod , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( the seventh a sacred day . ) but when i consulted the place in hesiod , in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( in the latter part of which he treats of days ) i find nothing there of weeks , or days of the week , but only days of the month. for 't is this he there proposeth to speak of , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( the thirty days of the month , ) on which he makes divers remarks ; as , which of them were to be accounted good days , and which bad days , and , for what purposes . and begins with these , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( begin we with the first , and the fourth , and the seventh , a sacred day , because that on this day apollo who hath the golden sword was born of latona . ) so that ( it seems ) the seventh day ( not the first ) was then sunday . ( for apollo with his gold sword , is but another name for the sun. ) but it was the seventh day of the month , not the seventh day of the week , ( for of weeks he there says nothing . ) and he then goes on to speak of the eighth and ninth days ; then of the eleventh and twelfth , next of the thirteenth , and so of other days of the month ; shewing which of them were accounted lucky days , and which unlucky , and for what affairs . but nothing of weeks at all . however , hesiod himself , though one of the oldest of the heathen writers , is but young as to the times we speak of ; who is reckoned to have lived about the time of king uzziah , seven hundred years after the time we are now considering , upon the coming of israel out of egypt . nor doth clemens alexandrinus think , when they name seven , it was from any old tradition ( from adam or noah ) but from what acquaintance they then had with the jewish writers of later time . nor do i find any thing that is more to the purpose , in all there cited by clemens alexandrinus than this of hesiod . but if any where he could have found , that the heathens divided their time by weeks ; no doubt but he would have mentioned this as borrowed from the iewish learning ; ( which was the thing he was there inquiring after . ) and , when he saith nothing of it , we may be sure he could not find it . i find indeed that , some of the heathens ( as iuvenal and lucian ) do laugh or jeer at the jewish sabbath ( recutitaque sabbata pallent ) and therefore did know of the jewish sabbath ; but not that they did observe it , or so much as divide their time by weeks . now if we should admit , that in some families ( where the true worship of god was preserved ) there be a strong presumption ( for 't is no more ) that they did observe a sabbath ; that is , a seventh day of holy rest after six days of ordinary labour ; yet 't is a question , whether that were just the seventh day in a continual succession of weeks from the creation . and if at any time there chance to be an intermission , and the day forgotten , it is impossible ( without a miracle or a new revelation ) that it can be restored again . and if from thenceforth they would again keep a sabbath ( as we find the pass-over was revived by hezekiah and iosiah which had been long intermitted 2 kings 23. and 2 chr. 25. ) they must begin at adventure , and thence continue it . now if we consider , that the true worship of god was oft reduced to some one family , as in the time of noah , and perhaps of abraham ; and even that family sometimes corrupt enough , ( as was that of nahor , from whence abraham for that reason was removed ; and that of laban where iacob sojourned ; and how oft also the like happened , we cannot tell ) it was very possible the sabbath might be neglected ; as himself observes p. 63 , it had been before and under the captivity for a long time , and made a market-day , as well as any other day of the week ; like as the temple was become a market-place , mat. 21. 12 , 13. ioh. 2. 14. 16. as was also the pass-over in great measure from the time of samuel till that of iosiah , 2 chr. 35. 18. and the feast of tabernacles , from the days of ioshuah to nehemiah , neh. 8. 17. and circumcision , for forty years together in the wilderness , iosh. 5. 5. now if circumcision and the pass-over and the feast of tabernacles were thus neglected when they were at liberty ; how much more the sabbath , when they were bond-men in egypt ; of which we have not the least mention from god's keeping a sabbath , gen. 2. 3. till after israels coming out of egypt , exod. 16. nor is there the least mention ( as i shew'd but now ) in any history sacred or profane , so much as of dividing their time by weeks , all that time ; nor , except that of israel , for many ages after . and though the sun , moon and stars ( gen. 1. 14. ) are said to be for signs and for seasons , for days and for years , yet not a word is there of weeks . nor could they indeed , by their motions , distinguish weeks , as they do months and years . and therefore though i find years and months to have been observed all the world over long ago ; yet weeks no where ( that i know ) of ancient times , but by the nation of the iews onely , nor by them before their coming out of egypt . so that , though , i am willing to think , the sabbath ought to have been observed all that while , yet there is too much reason to doubt it was not ; or , if at all , not without frequent intermissions , which would , in this case , be fatal . now to argue as he doth , that abel , and enoch , and noah , and abraham , were good men , and are ( some of them ) said to walk with god , and to keep his commandments , and therefore may be presumed to have kept a sabbath , is but a weak argument as to matter of fact , and , to begg the question . for we are not to think them so good as to be guilty of no failings or omissions . the law of marriage is certainly as old , if not older than that of the sabbath , the tenour of which was ( he tells us p. 62. ) that they two should be one flesh ; not , they three , four or five : yet he tells us also , that polygamy , or having many wives , was frequently practised , from lamech to malachi , even by some eminent in the church at that time , and by them ( he supposeth ) held to be lawful . and it may as well be thought , the law for the sabbath might sometime within that two thousand five hundred years ) be neglected and forgotten ; as that of marriage ; in a time when there was no writing ( that we know of ) to preserve it . and , if once forgotten , it could never ( as to that seventh day ) be recovered . and i would ask that gentleman , in case the day should chance to have been sometime forgotten , ( as is very possible and not unlikely , ) and that after such time ( upon finding the book of the law , as in iosiah's time 2 kings 22. 8. which had been lost ) it did appear that a sabbath should have been kept , but was not , ( as was there the case of the pass-over , chap. 23. 21. ) what doth this gentleman think ( in such case ) should be done ? must they never restore the sabbath because they do not know the day ? or must they begin upon a new account ? i should think this latter ; ( and that it would be warranted by the fourth commandment ; ) notwithstanding his objection , no other day ( but the seventh from the creation ) is commanded ; no promise to the observance of any other ; nor threatning for the omission . indeed in our days when so great a part of the world reckon by weeks , and we be stored with astronomical tables adjusted to the motions of the sun , moon and stars , and many celestial observations , ( as for instance , that such a year , such a day of such a month there was an eclipse on monday morning or the like ) 't were more easy to rectify such an intermission . but in those days , when there was nothing of all this , nor so much as the use of writing ( that we know of ) older than moses ; there was no way to rectify an interrupted tradition . all which is not said to disparage the observation of the sabbath day ( for which i have as great veneration as he that pleads for the saturday sabbath , ) but onely to shew , that we can be at no certainty , ( and scarce a conjecture , ) which is the first , second , or seventh day of the week in a continued circulation of weeks from the creation . and consequently i cannot think that the great stress of the fourth commandment is to be understood of just that seventh day in every such week from the creation ( which i doubt cannot be known ) but rather that there should be a weekly sabbath ; that is , after six days of work , the seventh should be a holy rest , and then , after another six days of work , the seventh should be again a holy rest ; and so continually ; which is as truly observed in the sunday-sabbath , as in that of saturday . as when god requires the tenth of our increase ; it is not meant of the tenth in order ( for it should rather be the first in order , for he requires the first-fruits ) but the tenth in proportion ; so here the seventh . and this author knows very well , that it is signally noted by expositors on the fourth commandment , and other writers about the sabbath , that this commandment begins with remember to keep holy the sabbath-day , or the day of rest , ( not the seventh day ; much less the seventh day of the week from the first creation ; ) and what is that day of rest , the next words tell us , six days shalt thou labour , but the seventh is the sabbath , &c. that is , after six days of labour , the seventh shall be a day of rest. and in the close of that commandment ( ex. 20. 11. ) our bibles have it wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath-day ( not as we commonly repeat it , the seventh day ) and hallowed it . the reason given to inforce it is , for in six days the lord made heaven and earth &c. and rested the seventh day , and accordingly should we , after six days of work have a seventh day of rest , and so onward . if he thinks that to make a difference , that we now reckon our weeks to begin with the day of rest , and after that , six working days ( which in a continued circulation comes all to one , ) i will allow that gentleman ( if that will please him better ) to begin the week on monday , and then sunday will be the seventh . the commandment says nothing of the seventh day of the week in a continued succession from the creation ; but the seventh day after six days of labour . and whereas he observes ( and would lay great weight upon it ) that it is ( hashebigni ) the seventh ( the article ha answering to our the ) not a seventh . 't is very true , and very proper so to be . for the meaning is not that , after six days of labour , there should be a seventh for rest no matter when ; but the seventh day , that is , the next day after those six . but it is not said the seventh in course from the creation . just as when it is said , a male-child is to be circumcised the eighth day , it is not meant of an eighth day in course from the creation ; but , the eighth day from the birth . and in like manner ex. 12. 16. in the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation ; it is not meant of the seventh day of the week from the creation ; but on the seventh day of the feast of unleavened bread , what ever day of the week that happen to be . and exod. 16. 5 , 25. the sixth and seventh day there mentioned , seem plainly to be , not the sixth and seventh in course from the creation ( which i doubt was not then known ) but from the first raining of manna , ver . 4 , 5. he 'll say perhaps , the jews observed such seventh day from the creation , and that was their sabbath . but that is more than he or i know , or any man living . they had i grant , a circulation of seven days , but from what epocha we cannot tell . and when moses tells them ( on the sixth day ) ex. 16. 23. tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath . it seems to be the fixing of a new epocha ( from the first raining of manna ) and then all his arguments , from the continual observation of the seventh day from the creation till that time , are at an end . whether this ( from the first raining of manna ) be the same with that from the creation ; no man can tell . and there is six to one odds that it is not . now , that there is a new course of sabbath ( from a new beginning ) whereof this seventh day from the first raining of manna is the first , and not a continuation of a former course hitherto observed without interruption ; seems farther evident from this consideration , because , if this were but a continuation of that uninterrupted course of sabbaths , then the next seventh day before it , would have been a sabbath also , and to have been in like manner observed ; that is , the next day before the first raining of manna . but , on that day we find ( exod. 16. 12 , 13. ) the quails came up and covered the camp , without any prohibition to gather them . if therefore they might not ( now ) gather manna , because it was the sabbath ; but might ( before ) gather quails ; it should seem , that was not a sabbath . and if it be not allowed , upon occasion , to fix a new epocha ; then if the circulation of weeks from the beginning of the world ( which was then about 2500 years old ) did ever chance to have been interrupted , and the day forgotten , ( as in all likelyhood it might be in egypt , if not long before ) or if ever after it should chance so to be ( as in the days of iosiah when the book of the law was lost , and the pass-over forgotten ; ) men must never keep a sabbath thenceforth . for then all his own arguments return upon him ; no other day is commanded ( 't is will-worship , ) no promise to the observance , no threatning for the neglect . i should rather think , if that day were unknown ( as i believe it is ) any day were better than none at all . for gods commands do more respect the substance of the duty than the circumstance of time , especially if they cannot both be had . circumcision was to be administred on the eighth day , according to the institution , ( i do not mean the eighth day of the week , but the eighth day of the childs age ; and therefore on the same day of the week on which the child was born. ) but if by accident or default it were omitted , it might be done any day after , rather than not at all . abraham we know was 99 years old , and ismael 13 when they were circumcised , ( and what was the age of other males in abraham's family , we cannot tell ; ) and a proselyte , at any age , was to be circumcised ; ( though perhaps it were not remembred on what day of the week he was born ; ) and those who were born in the wilderness for forty years together , were all circumcised at once , iosh. 5. 4 , 5 , 9. ( though not all born on the same day of the week . ) the pass-over was appointed to be eaten standing , with their loyns girt , their shoes on their feet , and their staffs in their hand , as in hast to be gone ex. 12. yet our saviour seemeth to have eaten it sitting , or rather lying . and none of them were to stir out of doors till morning , ex. 12. 22. yet christ and his disciples went out the same night to the mount of olives , and thence to gethsemane , mat. 26. 30 , 36. the shew-bread was to be eaten by the priests only : yet our saviour observes that david did eat of it ( on a special occasion ) without blaming him for so doing . the rechabites are commended ier. 31. for obeying the command of ionathan their father , not to drink wine , nor build houses , but to dwell in tents &c. yet did they , upon nebuchadnezzar's invasion , quit their tents and repair to ierusalem ; nor is it reputed a disobedience . the paschal lamb was to be kill'd the fourteenth day of the first month at evening : yet if we consider how little knowledge they had in those days , of the sun and moons motions , and if we consider what the jewish writers tell us of their very uncertain method of judging , which was the first month , and which the fourteenth day of that month we shall find they were at great uncertainties , as to the just day ; yet was not the service thereof to be neglected , upon pretense there was danger of missing the right day . for they had not almanacks in those days , as we have now , to tell us before hand when will be a new moon . but ( if we may believe the jewish writers ) their manner was , about the time when they expected a new-moon , to send men to watch for it on the top of some hill or high place ; and he who could first discover a new-moon , was to tell the priest , and he to blow the trumpet to give the people notice that there was a new-moon , ( much like our custom at oxford , at the time of the assizes , to set some on st. maries steeple to watch when the judges are coming , and then to ring the great bell to give notice to those concerned , that the judges are at hand ; ) but , in case of cloudy weather , if in three days time from their first expectation no man could see a new moon , they did then venture ( but not before ) to blow the trumpet without seeing it , which must needs cause a great uncertainty ; and the same moon sooner seen at one place than at another , and the pass-over kept accordingly . and t is manifest in the story of our saviours last pass-over , that he kept it on one day and the jews on another ( perhaps he about a fortnight before , might see a new-moon , a day sooner than they did . ) so great uncertainty there was at that time , as to the particular day , though the institution was punctual for the fourteenth day of the first month. and the like uncertainty there was as to all their feasts of new-moons . and even in our days , when the motions of the sun and moon are much better known than at that time they were , we are far from being exact in point of time . our rule for easter is much the same with theirs for the pass-over ; the rule in general is this , the sunday next after the fourteenth day of the first month , is to be easter day . but when we come to make particular application , we do strangely miss of our rule . and our paschal tables which should direct us , do put us farther out than if we had none at all . for ( by reason that we take the length of our common year a little too long , by about eleven minutes of an hour , and the length of our months too long also ; ) since the time that those tables were made , 't is well known that the beginning of our ecclesiastical first month , is ten or eleven days later than that of the heavens ; and our ecclesiastical new-moons and full-moons , is later by four or five days than those of the heavens . whereby we do very often mistake the month , and yet oftner the true week , for keeping of easter . and though pope gregory the eighth , did ( somewhat more than an hundred years ago ) somewhat rectify the calendar , yet both papists and protestants do observe , some the newer gregorian , and some the older iulian account , and ( in the united provinces of the netherlands ) one town observes one account , and the next the other account , and accordingly keep their easters ( if at all ) at three , four or five weeks distance , and so for christmas-day . 't is not agreed amongst chronologers either what year , or what month , much less what day of that month , our saviour was born , yet wee keep december 25th . in memory of his birth , as supposing him to have been then born . yea we are at so great uncertainty , that we reckon the year 1692 from his circumcision , to begin the first of ianuary ; but the same year as from his conception , not till the 25th of march next following ; as if his birth and circumcision had been a quarter of a year before his conception . and if we be now at so great an uncertainty , in so short a period as from the birth of christ , i do not think the jews could be punctual , as to a day , in observing their pass-over ; and much less , as to a day from the creation of the world. he 'l say perhaps , that easter and christmas being of humane institution , it is not much matter though we miss the day , nor much matter perhaps whether it be kept or no. be it so ; but the pass-over was of divine institution ; yet were they at a great uncertainty , and might chance to miss more than a day or two ; yet was not the duty to be therefore neglected . the mistake of a day , was of much less concernment than the neglect of the duty ; as was the tithing of mint and annise , than the weightier things of the law. these little circumstances are but shaddows , in comparison of the substance , as the comparison is col. 2. 17. which is not said to incourage any one to violate the laws of god , even in little things , ( for we find god sometimes very severe even in such ; as in the case of uzzah's touching the ark , and nadab and ahihu's offering strange fire ; for reasons best known to himself , of which we are not aware . ) but onely to shew that the substantials of a duty are to be regarded more than circumstantials ; and these upon occasion to give way to those . and in such cases ( if it were a fault ) the prayer of hezekiah ( 2 chr. 30. 18. ) is to take place , the good lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek god , though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary . and his service was accepted , though ( as it is expresly noted ) they did eat the pass-over otherwise than as it was written : and , in the second month , in stead of the first . and doubtless in the present case , if we do not know ( as certainly we do not ) which is the first or seventh day in a continual circulation from the creation , it is much better to keep a weekly sabbath on any day of the week whatever , than to keep none at all , and much more agreable to the true meaning of the fourth commandment . all which is said , partly by way of caution , not to be forward , upon slight grounds , to disturb the peace and settled practise of the whole christian church at this day . partly to take off what he would have to be admitted but cannot be proved , that the seventh day in a continued circulation of weeks from the first creation , was observed as the weekly sabbath , from the creation to the floud ; from thence to abraham ; from thence to israels coming out of egypt ; and from thence till after the resurrection of christ. which i think is impossible for any man to know . and partly to satisfy what he objects from the fourth commandment . which saith indeed that there is to be a rest on the seventh day after six days of labour , but not a word of its being such seventh day in a continual circulation of weeks from the creation . and therefore we are safe hitherto , for ought i see . but i 'le come up a little nearer to him . he may perhaps tell us ( though i do not find he doth ) that the jews did certainly keep their weekly sabbath ( at the time of our saviours death ) on what they called the seventh day . if not on the seventh day of the week from the creation ( of which we can have no certainty ) at lest on the seventh day of the week , as the weeks were then reckoned ; ( which i readily grant him ) and that they had so done for a long time before , and perhaps from the time of giving the law on mount sinai . ( and it may be so , for ought i know , but we cannot be certain . ) and what was then called the first day of the week , was another day from what they called the seventh ( which i admit also . ) and that , what they called the seventh day , is now what we call saturday , and what they called the first day is what we now call sunday . but this , i say , is more than he or i know . he may think so ; and so do i ; but i am not sure of it . the reason why i think so , is , because i think that christ or his apostles ( according to christs direction ) did remove the observation of the sabbath , from the seventh to the first day of the week , and that we have ever since kept the sabbath as they did , ( for i do not know that it hath been since altered , ) and as we now keep it on sunday , so i believe they did ; and therefore think that our sunday is what they called the first day . and if the apostles did then remove it from their seventh day to their first day , i presume they had direction from christ so to do , who after his resurrection , shewed himself to them for fourty days , giving commandments to his apostles speaking to them of things pertaining to the kingdom of god , acts 1. 2 , 3. and therefore , what they did afterwards in settling the christian church , they did ( we are to presume ) according to such directions and commandments of christ , and this in particular of so removing the observation of the sabbath day , if they did remove it , ( as i think was done ) by his authority who was lord of the sabbath day . matth. 12. 8. luk. 6. 5. but if they did not so remove it ; i do not know that it hath since been changed . for i think we keep the same sabbath which they did : and that the christian church hath ever since so done ; and doth pretend so to have done , by a constant tradition ever since . and we therefore think our sunday to be their first day of the week , because we think their sabbath so to have been . but if we mistake in that tradition , we are ( for ought i know ) accordingly mistaken in thinking sunday to be their first day ; ( for we have nothing but tradition for either . ) and then for ought he can shew ( by better than tradition ) to the contrary , our sunday may be their seventh day . and then he hath no pretense to quarel with it . if he say the jews do at this day keep saturday as their seventh day . i confess they do . but they do no more know which is the seventh day ; than we , which is the first day . and because they find that christians generally take sunday to be what was before called the first day , they do accordingly take saturday to be their seventh day . but their tradition is of no greater authority than ours . all depending upon this , that our sunday being that sabbath which we think christ or his appostles did appoint , we take it to be the first day , because christ or his apostles ( by christs directions ) did remove the observation of the sabbath to that day . he 'l say perhaps ; i do not my self think our sunday to be their seventh day . and then , why should not our sabbath be on saturday as theirs was ? 't is true , i do not think our sunday to be their seventh day . and i have told you the reason why i do not think it ; because i think christ or his apostles did change the day , and for that reason only . and for the same reason i think our sabbath should be as now it is , and as i think it hath been ever since . but if i be mistaken in it , i may be mistaken in the other also : but , either way , sunday is yet to be our sabbath . he says , it is no where expresly said in scripture , that the apostles did thus change it . true , and 't is no where said in scripture , that our sunday is not their seventh day . it may be the same for ought i know , ( and for ought he knows ) if it were not then changed . though , because i think the day was then changed , i do therefore think it is not the same . and if it were not changed , then all the difference is , that what they called the seventh day of their week , we call the first day of our week . which , if the author do not like , he may call monday the first day , and then sunday will be the seventh , as it was before . but i say further ; there be many things , even as to the worship of god , which we may reasonably think to have been done , though it be not expresly said so ; but only to be collected by consequence from what is said . 't is no where said expresly , that , after the first sabbath of god himself , ( gen. 2. 2. ) any other sabbath was ever kept before that in exod. 16. which was above two thousand and five hundred years after . yet this author would have us think it was observed all that while ; and that it was commanded so to be , which yet is no where said expresly . but a slight presumption , it seems , may serve his turn , but not ours . 't is known that god was worshiped by sacrifices very early ; at least as early , as that of cain and abel ; and that this worship was accepted of god , at least that of abel . and therefore i suppose this author would have us think it was commanded . ( not a meer will-worship , without any direction or institution from god. ) yet we are no where told , of any such command or institution . we may say the like of iacob's consecrating a pillar , by pouring oyl upon it , gen. 28. 18. though we do not find mention , before that time , of any direction for any such consecration ( of things or persons ) by anointing , or pouring on of oyl . we have also reason to think there was some command from god , that the fire for incense should be taken from the altar , ( or somewhat of like nature ; ) else nadab and abihu would not have been destroyed for offering strange fire . yet we are no where told expresly of any such command . we have no particular command ( that i know of ) for baptizing of infants , nor any particular mention in scripture of any such baptized . yet i do not know that this author would have us thence infer , that none such were baptized , or that they ought not so to be . nor have we any express mention of womens receiving the other sacrament ; nor any express command for their so doing ( any more than for females being circumcised ) yet i know not any who doth therefore think they ought not . we know that children were reputed members of the church of god before christ's coming ; and we have no reason to think that christ did put them out ( and make them in a worse condition than they were before ) but rather would have them continue so to be ; and seems to favour it , by that of suffer little children to come to me and forbid them not ; for of such is the kingdom of heaven mar. 10. 14. and did accordingly embrace them as such . and therefore , as ( before ) they were circumcised , ( which was then the sacrament of admission ; ) so they should ( now ) be baptized which is our sacrament of admission . ) and when we find whole families to be baptized , we cannot think but that there might be little children in some of them ; ( and more likely so than otherwise . ) and we are , in such cases , to practise according to what we may judge by what we find . we find also that women were baptized ( though not circumcised in the jewish church , ) yet we have no command for so doing . and because there seems to be the same reason for womens receiving the other sacrament as for men , ( and we find nothing to the contrary , ) therefore we do now practise it ( as the most likely to be god's will , according to the light we now have ) though we find in scripture neither express precept nor example for it . in like manner it is no argument that christ or his apostles did not make such a change , because in scripture it is not expresly said so . 't is enough if we there find so much as that we may thence reasonably judge they did so ; and more likely so than not . now i meet with so much there to that purpose , as makes 〈◊〉 judge they did . and so much as ( i believe ) would make this gentleman so to think , if he were not otherwise prepossessed with prejudice ; and with a great fondness to find out somewhat wherewith to find fault . i find that christ , on the very day of his resurrection ( which was the first day of their week ) did not only appear to the good women at the sepulchre ( who sought him there ) and declare to them the resurrection ( which was then to preach a new doctrine , of which they were not before aware ) and bid them tell it to his disciples : but did also the same day himself declare it to two of them going to emmaus ( luk. 24. ) preaching to them , from moses and the prophets ver . 25 , 26 , 27 ▪ the doctrine of his death and resurrection ( which was to them a new doctrine , which till then they did not understand , ) or ( as the phrase there is ) did expound to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself ver . 27. which i think , was preaching , and did open to them the scriptures ( ver . 31. ) concerning those points ; ( which was a sabbath-days exercise , though perhaps they did not at first so apprehend it ) and did , i take it , celebrate with them the sacrament of the lords supper ( and perhaps the first time after the first institution ) for so much seems to be implyed in those words , ( ver . 30. ) he took bread and blessed it , and brake , and gave to them , and ( ver . 35. ) he was known to them by breaking of bread , ( for that sacrament used to be designed by breaking of bread. ) and if our author could but shew so much as this , once done , in the first 2500 years from the creation , on the seventh day , it would be a better proof for the celebration of the seventh-day sabbath in that time , than all that he offers at to that purpose . and the effect of this preaching was on them so much , that their eyes were opened , and their heart did burn within them , while he talked with them by the way , and opened to them the scriptures , ver . 31 , 32. and they returned presently ( the same hour ) to ierusalem , to acquaint the disciples ( who were there assembled ) with this good news . if he tell us that this journey from ierusalem to emmaus ( being about threescore furlongs , near eight of our miles ) and back again , was more than a sabbath-days iourney ; i confess it was ( unless upon an urgent occasion ) if they had known it to be a sabbath-day , when they undertook the iourney ; but this then they knew not ; nor was it therefore , on this occasion , a breach of the sabbath so to do . if he say , christ knew it ( though they did not ) if it were now a sabbath . 't is true ; he did so . but christ , i presume , in that estate ( after his resurrection ) could travel without pain , and therefore without breaking the sabbath . or if it were painful ; he tells us mat. 12. 5 , that the priests in the temple profane the sabbath and are blameless ; that is , they take as much pains or labour in killing , dressing , and offering the sacrifices , as a butcher would do in killing and dressing his meat ; which would in the butcher be a culpable profanation of the sabbath ; but is not so in the priests , because theirs is religious service . nor doth this author think that in preaching , though it be a labour , the minister doth thereby break the sabbath . and such was christs imployment here . and , then , whether he preach standing , or preach walking , 't is all one . and if he say farther , that the disciples at ierusalem ( not then knowing this ) could not be thought then to have met upon a sabbatical account : i grant this also , that their then meeting was providential ( as was that of the two other meeting christ in their journey , ) yet they might before they parted ( as did those others ) know more of it than at their first coming together . and christ knew before what he meant to do , though they did not , and did accordingly so order it by his providence . and though they did not know that it was thenceforth to be kept as a sabbath , yet may they well be supposed to be imployed on religious work , upon what tidings the women had before brought them ( of christs being risen ) waiting for what directions they should farther receive from christ. to this purpose let us consider what was further done at this meeting . while these two were telling the rest what had happened to them ; as they thus spake ( ver . 36. ) iesus himself stood in the midst of them , and said peace be unto you : and did ( by shewing them his hands , and feet , and their handling of them , and seeing him eat before them ) convince them that he was indeed risen from the dead , and that it was not only a spirit that appeared to them ( ver . 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42. ) and did again , to them , preach the same doctrine which he had before preached to the two ; that it was what he had told them while he was yet with them ( though they did not understand it , ) that this was but what was written in the law of moses , and the prophets , and the psalms concerning him ; and opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures ; that it was thus written , that it behoved christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day ; and that repentance and remission of sins was to be preached in his name among all nations ; whereof they were to be his witnesses , and apostles ( ver . 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48. ) and did renew his promise of sending the holy-ghost , and power from on high ( v. 49. ) he did moreover at the same meeting , not only upbraid them for their unbelief , ( mark 16. 14. ) but did authorize them with a solemn commission for the work they were to be sent abqut , to go into all the world , and preach the gospel to every creature ; that he who believeth and is baptized shall be saved , but he who believeth not shall be damned , ( ver . 15 , 16 , ) and a power to work miracles ( ver . 17 , 18 , ) in confirmation of that doctrine . and to the same purpose , iohn 20 ▪ 19. the same day at evening ( in which he before appeared to mary magdalen and the rest ) being the first day of the week ( the very day of his resurrection ) where the disciples were assembled ( at a private meeting ) for fear of the iews ( the door being shut ) iesus came and stood in the midst of them , and gave them his solemn benediction , saying unto them , peace be unto you ; and in confirmation of his resurrection , shewed them his hands and his side ; ( ver . 20. ) and then a second time gives them his solemn blessing together with his ordination or commission for preaching the gospel , and planting the christian church , iesus saith to them again , peace be unto you ; as my father hath sent me , even so send i you . and when he had said this , he breathed upon them and said unto them , receive the holy ghost : who 's soever sins ye remit , they are remitted to them ; and who 's soever sins ye retain , they are retained , ver . 21 , 22 , 23. all which being put together , seems to me very like the celebration ( if not the consecration ) of a christian sabbath , or day of holy rest and religious service . 't is all of it sabbatical work , and there is a great deal of it . 't is not indeed expresly said , that he did bid them thus to meet on such other first day of the week , ( as neither is it expresly said , gen. 2. 3. that god did then bid adam and eve to keep a weekly sabbath , or that he did bid them to offer sacrifice ; ) but it is very likely christ might so order it ( and more likely than that he did not . ) for , that they did so meet we are sure ; and therefore 't is very likely ( if not a strong presumption ) that they were bid so to do . for so we find it ioh. 20. 26. after eight days ( that is , as we commonly speak in english , on that day sennight ) his disciples were again within , and thomas with them ( who before was absent ) the door being shut ; then iesus came and stood in the midst and said peace be unto you , ( as he had done the week before , ) and satisfyed thomas , who before doubted . so that we have here two solemn meetings of the disciples , two weeks together ( the two first after his resurrection ) on the first day of the week ; and christ with them on both . ( and i am sure we have not more for the first sabbath , gen. 2. 3. ) on how many more such sabbaths he so met with them , i cannot tell . that he oft appeared to them ( during the forty days of his abode on earth after his resurrection ) we cannot doubt , and its like it might be on these days . the cavil which here he makes to this place , is so weak , that i am sorry to see it from one who would seem to be serious . as if eight days after , or after eight days , were not the same as what we would say a week after or that day sennight after ; for he must needs know , that 't is not only the common scripture language , but the general language of latine and greek writers , to reckon inclusively ; that is , to take in both the extreams ; and so it is even at this day ( i think ) in most languages except english. what we call a sennight , the french call huict jours ( eight days ) and what we say a fortnight , is with them quinze jours ( fifteen days ; ) and so in all manner of reckoning . a fourth , a fifth , an eighth , a fifteenth , and other intervals in musick are always so reckoned . what we call a third-day-ague , the latins call a quartan ; and what we call every other day , they call a tertian . so they call secundo calendas ( i. e. secundo die ante calendas ) what we would say one day ( not two days ) before the calends ; and they call tertio calendas , what is with us two days ( not three days ) before the calends . so nudius tertius is what we would say two days ago ; and nudius quartus is in our language three days ago ( not four. ) so mark 8. 31. where christ speaks of himself , that the son of man should be killed and after three days rise again , that is , on the third day after ( inclusively taken ) or after the third day is come ; whereas , according to the sense this author would put upon the words , it should rather have been said after one day ( for there was but one day between his death and resurrection ; ) and it is the same in sense , with what he says ioh. 2. 19. destroy this temple , ( speaking of his body ) and in three days i will raise it up , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or as mat. 26. 61. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , the third day after ( inclusively . ) and mat. 27. 63. they tell pilate , this deceiver said , after three days i will rise again , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( meaning thereby the third day after , inclusively , ) and therefore they pray , that the sepulchre may be made sure till the third day . whereas , if ( as our author would reckon upon his fingers ) by after three days ; were to be understood , when three whole days after that should be past , they need not set their watch before the fourth or fifth day . thus christ's ascension is said to be forty days after his resurrection , ( speaking of a scripture computation , in scripture language , ) which in our ordinary manner of speech is but nine and thirty . for ascension-thursday ( if easter-day be not reckoned for one ) is but 39 days after easter . upon a like account that christ tells us mat. 12. 40. that as jonas was three days and three nights in the whales belly , so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth . not three whole days , and three whole nights ; but , till the third was begun . for by day and night is here understood the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or what we now call the artificial day , consisting of 24 hours , day and night : and till such third day ( or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) was begun , christ rested in the grave ; otherwise , though he were in the grave ( part of ) three days , yet but two nights . so luke 2. 21. when eight days were accomplished ( for the circumcision of the child ) they called his name iesus ; that is , upon the eighth day , inclusively ; reckoning the day of birth for the first , and the day of circumcision for the last ( of the eight days ) which with six whole days between make eight . ( whereas , if eight whole days had been fully past , christ had been circumcised the tenth day . ) the sense being the same with that concerning iohn the baptist , luk. 1. 59. on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child . so here , after eight days , that is on the eighth day , or after the eighth day was come . and this , i think , is the constant language of scripture every where . and his objection needs no other answer , but , that st. john did not speak english. and i cannot but think ( however he please thus to object ) that himself doth believe this , after eight days , to be here meant of the first day of the next week , ( and he should have been so candid as to own it . ) and that post octo dies is the same in sense with octo post diebus , that is , the eighth day after , ( reckoning the present day for one , ) and that it is so to be understood in this place . we should not , in a serious enquiry , press what possibly might be , but what we truly think is the meaning . a lawyer at the bar may fairly propose for his client , what possibly may be the sense of such or such a clause . but a judge on the bench ( and a counsellor , to his client , ) is to consider what really is the sense of words in question . i dare appeal to himself , whether ( in his own thoughts ) he do not think after eight days , here to signifie the same , as after eight days were accomplished , luk. 2. 21. and , if so , then this is rather to wrangle , than to dispute fairly . before i dismiss this place , it is not amiss to take more particular notice about what time it was that mary magdalen and the other women came to the sepulchre on the day of christs resurrection . 't is said luke 23. 55 , 56. when they beheld the sepulchre and how the body was laid , ( on the sixth day day at night whereon he was crucified ) they returned and prepared spices and ointments , and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment . and in the next words luk. 24. 1. now upon the first day of the week , very early in the morning , they came to the sepulchre bringing the spices which they had prepared . in mat. 28. 1. in the end of the sabbath when it began to dawn toward the first day of the week . in mark 14. 15. when the sabbath was past , very early in the morning the first day of the week , they came to the sepulchre at the rising of the sun , or by sun-rising . and ioh. 20. 1. the first day of the week , early , when it was yet dark , they came to the sepulchre . ( perhaps all the women did not come just at the same time , but were all there by sun-rising . ) but the body was raised before they came , as is agreed by all the evangelists . where i observe first that the sabbath , according to their account , did not end till toward the morning of the next day . the end of the sabbath , or when the sabbath was past , was early in the morning , before the sun-rising , while the day did begin to dawn , and while it was yet dark . very early indeed in the morning , but yet not till morning , ( not in the evening over night . ) and therefore ( without disputing how the day was reputed to begin in the time of moses ) 't is manifest that , at this time , as well the sabbath as other days was by them reckoned not from ( the beginning of ) the evening to ( the beginning of ) the evening , but rather ( according to the rom. account ) from midnight to midnight . for 't is manifest that it was toward evening of the sixth day before the crucifixion was over ; for it was some while after the ninth hour ( that is , after our three a clock ) that he cryed with a loud voice and gave up the ghost , mark 15. 34 , 37. and it was yet later , when they brake the legs of the two thieves , ( that they might not remain on the cross upon the sabbath ) but only pierced his side , because he was already dead , joh. 19. 31 , 32 , 33 , 34. and later yet when ioseph of arimathea begged his body and buried it . for 't is expresly said , when even was come there came a rich man of arimathea , named ioseph , and begged the body of iesus , and when he had taken the body ▪ he wrapped it in a clean linnen cloth and buried it in his own new tomb , mat. 27. 57 , 58 , 59 , 60. mark 15. 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46. luk 23. 51 , 52 , 53. but , though even were come before this time , yet the sabbath was not begun ; for so it followeth , luk. 23. 54. that day was the preparation and the sabbath drew on . and after this , ver . 55 , 56. the women who beheld the sepulchre , and how the body was laid , returned and prepared spices and ointments ( the same night ) but rested the sabbath day according to the commandment ; and by this time it must needs be pretty late at night ; while yet the sabbath was not begun . that is , i suppose not till midnight of the sixth day . nor was the sabbath ended when evening began on the seventh day . for if so , the women might that night have brought and applyed their spices and ointments which they had prepared the night before . for they had as much time so to do , after the evening was begun that night ( if the sabbath were now ended ) as they had , to do what was done the night before ; after that evening was then begun . nothing hindered them but because the sabbath was not yet done , and they were to rest the sabbath day according to the commandment . but , so soon as well they could , when the sabbath was ended , they came early , the next morning , while it was yet dark . and might as well have come the night before , if the sabbath had ended when the evening began . i add farther , if the sabbath had ended at the evening of the seventh day , and the first day of the week had then begun ( as this author would have it , ) christ might have risen that night ( for it would then have been the third day , ) and not have stay'd in the grave ( for the third day ) till the next morning , which yet we know he did . 't is manifest therefore that the first day of the week did begin from the middle of the night , not from the first evening of the seventh day . and that christ was risen very early in the morning of that first day while it was yet dark . we are next to consider how long that first day lasted . after christ was risen early in the morning while it was yet dark , ( how early that was , we cannot tell , but it was in the morning , not over night ; ) he appeared first to mary magdalen , and the women who went to the sepulchre ; they , as they were directed , carried news of it to the disciples ; and when they were going , ( mat. 28. 11. ) the watch came into the city and shewed to the high-priests the things which were done ; who , calling a councel , gave the souldiers money to say , his disciples came and stole him away while they were asleep ; undertaking to secure them in case the governour should come to hear it . upon this news being brought by the women to the disciples , two of them , from the rest , went to the sepulchre to enquire into the business ; and brought an account of it to the rest , who were astonished at it . and all this happened before the two disciples began their journey to emmaus ; for they discoursed of it by the way , and told it to iesus who fell into their company , luk 24. 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24. now their journey from ierusalem to emmaus , was about threescore furlongs , ver . 13. which our author rightly computes to be about seven miles and an half , of our miles ; which they travelled on foot , for 't is said they walked , ( mark 16. 12. ) and iesus in their company , preaching to them ( out of moses and the prophets ) the doctrine of christ's death and resurrection . when they came near to emmaus it was towards evening , and the day far spent , ( luk. 24. 29. ) they did there abide for some time , and iesus with them , continuing to preach on the same subject , and was at length known to them by breaking of bread , ver . 30. 35. after which they returned to ierusalem and told these things to the disciples then gathered together , ver . 33. by which time ( having now walked another seven miles and an half ) we may reasonably suppose it to be pretty late at night ; for , when they first approached to emmaus it was then so late , as that it was not thought convenient ( unless upon some such great occasion ) to travel further , ver . 28. yet , after they were come back to ierusalem , christ then appeared himself to the disciples , blessing them , reproaching their unbelief , confirming their faith , giving them instructions , and commission for preaching the gospel , and planting the christian church . and it was yet but the same day at evening , being the first day of the week , ( joh. 20. 19. ) on which he rose : but , now late at night , when the doors were shut ; that is , ( if i mistake not ) so late as that it was time to shut up doors as men use to do towards bed-time . not as if christ came in through the key-hole ( any more than did the two disciples that came from emmaus ) or did penetrate the doors , ( as the papists would have us think in favour of their transubstantiation ; ) for they were not so shut but that they could , be opened again ( upon occasion ) to let him in ( as they had been to let in those two that came from emmaus ) ▪ as well as to let in peter ( late at night ) act. 12. 16. so that from very early in the morning while it was dark , till very late night and about mid-night , was the same day , the first day of the week . 't is manifest therefore that about our saviours time , according to the computation of the new testament , both the jews and the four evangelists did reckon their days from mid-night to mid-night . and if they did not so reckon ▪ christ could not be said ( mat. 12. 40. ) to be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth . for it was evening , when ▪ ioseph begged the body of iesus , and later yet before he had buried it , and yet this must be reckoned part of the sixth day , olse he had not been three days in the grave , or heart of the earth . and i think they were so reckoned in the times of the old testament also . which though it be not so much to the present purpose , yet ( if you will pardon this digression ) i will tell you why i think so . it is i know an opinion taken up by some ( and i find it is grown pretty current even amongst learned men ) that the jews in the time of the old testament did reckon their days from evening to evening ( whether they mean from sun-set to sun-set , or from six a clock to six a clock , i cannot tell , nor perhaps are they all agreed as to that point . ) but i take it to be a mistake ; which being at first taken up without sufficient ground hath since passed ( without further examination ) from hand to hand . we find exod. 12. 6. the pass-over was to be killed in the first month , on the fourteenth day in the evening ; which i think is agreed by all to be the evening at the end of the fourteenth day , ( not that at the end of the thirteenth , ) for the next morning was the fifteenth day ; which evening therefore belonged to the fourteenth day . but it is noted in the margin of our bibles , that it is , in the hebrew , between the two evening ▪ s. you 'l ask perhaps , what are those two evenings : i 'le tell you what i think they are . the word day , you know , is taken in a double sense . sometimes for ( what we call ) the natural day ( as it is contradistinguished to night ) from sun-rising to sun-setting : sometimes for ( what we call ) the artificial day ( or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) so as to take in both day and night . our saviour tells us there are twelve hours in the day ; meaning the natural day . but in the artificial day ( of which we are now speaking ) there be four and twenty hours . some please to call that the natural day , which i call the artificial ( for all do not use the words in the same sense ) but that matters not , so long as we understand one another . now by the word evening is understood the end of the day . which , as to the natural day , is at sun-set ; but as to the artificial day , it is ( i think ) at mid-night . and consequently , between the two evenings , is as much as to say , after sun-set , and before mid-night . and this is what , in our language , we commonly call the evening , which is in the hebrew between the two evenings , ( that is , between the end of the natural day , and the end of the artificial day : ) and within this time was the passover to be killed , rosted and eaten ; nothing of it was to remain till the morning ; that is , not after mid-night ; for as soon as mid-night is past morning begins . and within this time all leaven was to be put away ; that is before the mid-night of the fourteenth day . which is so fair an account of it , as that we need not scruple to embrace it . and it was the fifteenth day , that was the first day of the feast of unlevened bread ; ( all leven being put away before mid-night , ) and this fifteenth day was to be kept as a sabbath , and a holy feast to the lord , ver . 14. ( on what ever day of the week it chanced to fall . ) and so was the one and twentieth day , which was the last of those seven days : seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread ; even the first day ye shall put away ( or shall have put away ) leaven out of your house . and in the first day there shall be an holy convocation , and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation ; no manner of work shall be done in them , save that which every man shall eat ; ( that is they are to be kept as a sabbath or day of holy rest ; ) ver . 15 , 16. from the fourteenth day at evening till the one and twentieth day at evening , ver . 18. that is , from the fourteenth day at midnight , till the one and twentieth at mid-night . and in like manner , lev. 23. 32. from even to even , or night to night , that is , from mid-night to mid-night ; or from the end of one evening to the end of the next evening . so in levit. 23. 5. and numb . 28. 16 , 17. in the fourteenth day of the first month is the pass-over of the lord ; and in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast ; seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten , &c. where it is manifest that the fourteenth day which is the lords pass-over , is another day from the fifteenth which is the first day of the feast . for i will pass through the land of egypt ( saith god ) this night ; ( that is the night of the fourteenth day ) and will smite all the first born in the land of egypt , ex. 12. 12. and what time of the night it was , we are told ver . 28. and it came to pass at midnight the lord smote all the first born of the land of egypt . and to the same purpose moses tells pharaoh , chap. 11. 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , thus saith the lord , about mid-night will i go out into the midst of egypt , and the first born of the land of egypt shall dy , from the first born of pharaoh , &c. that ye may know that the lord hath put a difference between the egyptians and israel . so that the fourteenth day , which was the lords pass-over continued till the mid-night of that day ; and then began the fifteenth day which was the first day of the feast . than which i think nothing can be more clear . and num. 33. 3. the fifteenth day of the first month is the morrow after the pass-over . in like manner , deut. 16. 6. thou shalt sacrifice the pass-over at even , at the going down of the sun , ( that is , after the going down of the sun , or when the sun is gone down ) at the season that thou camest forth out of egypt , which was about mid-night , ex. 12. 21. ex. 11. 4. what he offers from gen. 1. 5. is easily answered . the evening and the morning were the first day , ( and so of the other days ; ) whence he would have it thought , that the day is to begin at the begining of the evening . or ( as the margin tells us it is in the hebrew ) the evening was , and the morning was , the first day . or , there was evening , and there was morning , day one , ( for in such order the words stand in the hebrew . ) or , and was evening , and was morning , day one . that is , there was in the first day , ( and so in the rest ) evening and morning ; or darkness and light ; and the dark is put first , because ( beginning the day from midnight ) the dark is before the light. and by day one , is meant the first day . and it was moreover very agreable so to reckon . for , supposing paradise the principal seat of action ; the sun may reasonably be supposed to be created ( in the middle of the fourth day , gen. 1. 16. ) in the meridian of that place , ( as in its greatest splendor ) or , if not in the meridian of that place , it must needs be in the meridian of some place : and wherever that be , the day ( of 24 hours ) being there half past , it must have begun at mid-night foregoing . and i doubt not but a child born on saturday night at ten a clock , was to be circumcised the next saturday ( as being the eighth day , ) not on the sunday after . i have insisted the longer on this , because i find him afterward moving another question about what time the sabbath is to begin and end , and lays great stress upon it , as we shall see anon . of which i think we need not be further solicitous than to begin and end this day , according as other days are accounted to begin and end in the places where we live . i do not think the fourth commandment to descend to these punctilio's . but , if he think it necessary to be more curious in it ; i take it to be very plain from what i have said , that at the time of christs death and resurrection , it was accounted to begin very early in the morning , while it was dark , and continue till very late at night , according as we now account our days , from midnight to mid-night . but i go on . we have now found our saviours example , as to the two first sundays from his resurrection ( if at least their first day of the week be our sunday ) imploying the day in religious exercises and sabbatical affairs with his disciples . how many more sundays he so spent with them we cannot tell . which examples of his two first , with their imitation of him in others after , ( of which we are to speak by and by , ) and the churches practise ever since , looks so like the celebration and institution of a christian sabbath , or day of holy rest and religious exercise , as that we may warrantably do the like . i am sure it is more than he can shew for the saturday sabbath in gen. 2. 3. save that men are apt to think a small thing an institution and ius divinum for what they fansy ; but , as to what they do not , nothing will serve but full express words . we have next clear evidence , of a like practise ( consonant to this example ) in act. 20. 7. on the first day of the week ▪ when the disciples came together to break bread , paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow , and continued his speech until mid-night . which is so plain that he is much put to his shifts to avoid it . that here is a religious assembly of the disciples , he doth not deny ; paul was preaching very late , even till mid-night , and they met to break bread , which i think is generally agreed by interpreters , to signify the celebration of the lords supper ; and i know not well what clearer character we need demand of a religious meeting for worship , sutable to the work of a sabbath or holy rest. and it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which i think he will not deny ( though he seem to cavil at it ) to signify , on the first day of the week . but he excepts , that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated preached , is elsewhere render'd reasoned or discoursed . be it so , and if that word will please him better , let it be so here ; he reasoned , discoursed , treated , or did hold forth ; that i think will not alter the case ; and he continued , or held on ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) this discourse , this speech , this sermon , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sermonem ) till mid-night ; ( he held on this holding forth till mid-night ) which i take to be the same with what we now call preaching , ( or very like it ; ) 't was a long continued discourse to a congregation met together on a religious account for the service of god. but let it be called ( if he please ) a religious discourse of the holy apostle to a congregation of christians met together for such a purpose . he would then have it thought a favour or condescention to admit this breaking of bread , to be meant of the lords supper ; and not barely a common eating . but since he doth not deny it , we will accept the favour and take it so to be ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the disciples being congregated or assembled to break bread ▪ 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the disciples ; ( not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of them : ) and they were ( perhaps not every one but the generality of them , as at other meetings ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 congregated or assembled ; and it seems to be a good full congregation , by eutychus's being mounted to the third loft ( whatever he meant by that third loft , though but the third scaffold , ) so high that by a fall from thence he was in great danger of being killed . now it is not likely that such a congregation of christians were thus assembled for common eating . he says , paul was to go away on the morrow . true ; but it is not said they came together to take leave of paul ; but , came together to break bread. paul's going away on the morrow , might be the reason ( and i believe was ) why they continued there so long : but the end for which they came together , was to break bread : and the occasion of their so coming , because it was the first day of the week : on which , it should seem , they were wont so to do for that end . and if he candidly ▪ consider it , methinks ▪ it should seem so to him . paul came to them at troas in five days , where he abode seven days : and on the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread , paul preachea to them . doth not the fair prospect of the place import thus much , that they were then met to break bread , as being the first day of the week ? what other occasion was there of mentioning what day of the week it was ? it had been otherwise a fairer transition to have said , he staid there seven days , and on the seventh day ( or the last of those seven ) the disciples came together to take leave of paul and sup with him over night , who was to depart on the morrow . now if it had been said on the seventh day ( though meaning but the last of those seven ) it would no doubt have been urged as a great argument of paul's keeping a seventh day sabbath , and the disciples with him ; not as a iewish but as a christiam assembly ; for breaking of bread ( which was a christian not a iewish service ; ) for then , breaking of bread , would certainly have been the lords supper : ( but because it was on the first day of the week ) it must now be but common eating , to take leave of paul ▪ and to sup with him ; as ( he tells us p. 57. ) friends commonly do ( when a minister or any other special acquaintance intends to take a iourney in the morning ) to sup with him over night . but if he thinks this to be all which is there meant by the disciples coming together on the first day of the week to break bread ; he must excuse me if i cannot be of his opinion . but because he is content to admit ( upon some terms ) their meeting might be upon a religious account , for the lords supper ( as no doubt it was ) i shall press him no further therein : but accept of his condescension . when he tells us , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is greek for one , and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may as well be rendered one day of the week , as the first day of the week : surely he is not in earnest . such trifling doth more hurt than help his cause . no doubt , but , when ever they met ▪ it was one day of the week , we need not be told it ; nor need the word week be added , he might as well have said one day ; nor need he have said so much ▪ but this author cannot think ( nor doth he ) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth any where signify other than the first day of the week . in the whole story of christs resurrection , and what followed on that day in all the four evangelists , we have no other word for it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , nor have we any other word for it ( that i know of ) there or any where else . i do not know that it is any where called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . such shifting doth not look well . 't is somewhat like the story of a man who bought a horse for five pounds to be paid the next day . and accordingly on the next day he sent five pounds of candles . perhaps ( in the bargain ) it was not said expresly ( in words at length ) five pounds of lawful money of england . but , by common intendment , it must be so understood . ( and an honest english iury ▪ upon a tryal , would so find it . ) the latin word pridie , is a derivative ( or compound rather ) from prae , prior ; and postridie from post , posterior ; and accordingly ( in latin ) pridie calendarum , and postridie calendarum must signify a day before , and a day after the calends . but can any man think it is meant of any day ? no , but the next day before , and the next day after . so if we say , christ was crucified one day before the sabbath , and rose again one day after the sabbath . this one day is the next day . and so any man who hath not a mind to cavil , will understand it . and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one day after the sabbath , must needs be understood of the next day after the sabbath : nor is it ever used in any other sense . if it were to be understood of any indefinitely , it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some day after the sabbath , not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one day after . but the most pleasant shift of all , is , when he would have us think that this evening ( which is called the first day of the week ) was the evening after the seventh day , that is saturday night ; and the next morning ( when paul was to go away ) was sunday morning ( and he to travel that sunday : ) and that the evening of saturday was the beginning of sunday , and was therefore called the first day of the week . because it is said gen. 1. the evening and the morning was the first day , ( and so of the rest , ) and therefore the evening was the beginning of every day . see what ▪ shift a man will make , rather than quit an opinion he hath once taken up . we are taught that on the fourteenth day of the first month at even the pass-over was to be killed . doth he think that this fourteenth day at even was the end of the thirteenth day , the fourteenth day then beginning ? i think every body else takes it to be the evening at the end of the fourteenth day , and the fifteenth day ( on the morrow ) was the first day of the feast of unleavened bread. for though it were the fourteenth day at evening , yet it was the fourteenth day , not the fifteenth . and luke 23. 54. the evening after our saviours crucifixion , on the sixth day , when it was late at night ( as was shewed before , and must be , according to the story of what had been done before that time ) was yet but the preparation , not the sabbath , the seventh day being not yet begun . for so we have it , it was the preparation , and the sabbath drew on . and the women were then preparing their spices and oyntments , yet rested the sabbath day according to the commandment ; so that the sabbath day was not yet begun ; nor was it ended when the evening of the next day began , but on the morning of the day following ▪ as was shewed above . and ( as we shewed at large before ) the first day of the week ( on which christ rose ) began very early in the morning while it was dark , and continued ( the same day ) till very late at night . and this is the constant language of the new testament every where . so that when the congregation of christians , acts 20. 7. did on the first day of the week assemble to break bread , and paul preached to them , continuing his sermon till mid-night ; this must needs be on what we call sunday ; and the morning following was munday morning ; not sunday morning as this author would have it . 't is manifest therefore , that there was a religious assembly , of the christian congregation at troas , on the first day of the week , for celebration of the lords supper , and preaching ; and paul with them . which i take to be the celebration of a christian sabbath . however , this ( he says ) is but one instance . true , this is but one . ( but we have heard of more before , and shall hear of more by and by . ) but this one is more than he can shew for more than two thousand five hundred years ( from god's resting on the seventh day gen. 2. 3. till after israel was come out of egypt ex. 16. ) during which time he would have us think the seventh-day sabbath was constantly observed . and if he could shew any one such instance ( of enoch , noah , abraham , or other , ) where such a religious assembly , for the worship of god , was held on the seventh day in course from the creation ; he would think his point well proved , though no more were said of it than is of this . whereas now as to the time from thence to the floud , he brings no other proof , but that abel , and enoch , and noah were good men ( as no doubt they were ) and therefore it is to be presumed they kept a sabbath ; and that upon the seventh day . which is to beg the question , not to prove it . from thence till israels going into egypt , all that he brings to prove this matter of fact is but that of gen. 13. 6. where ( speaking of abram and lot , with the multitude of their cattel ) it is said , the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together ; for their substance was great so that they could not dwell together ; and there was a strife between the herd-men of abrams cattle , and the herd-men of lots cattle , &c. they could not dwell together , that is ( saith he ) they could not rest together , that is , they could not keep a sabbath together ; therefore ( he concludes ) they did use to keep a sabbath ; and that sabbath was the seventh day in course from the creation . and is not this a goodly proof ? i should think ( if he would put a stress on the word rest ) it should rather signify , they could not live quietly together without their herd-mens quarrelling about their pasture ; for so it follows in the next words , there was a strife between their herds-men . from thence till after their coming out of egypt , he brings no other proof but that of ex. 5. 4 , 5. where , when moses and aaron had been pressing pharaoh to let israel go three days iourney into the wilderness , to keep a feast and sacrifice to the lord their god ; pharaoh replies , wherefore do ye lett ( or hinder ) the people from their work ; you make them rest from their burdens , or you take them off from their work ; that is , says he , you make them keep a sabbath . for the word or verb there translated you make them rest is , ( he tells us ) a derivative from another verb which signifies to rest , from which verb the word sabbath is also derived : they did therefore rest ( saith he ) that is keep a sabbath , and that sabbath was every week , and it was on the seventh day in course from the creation . alas ! how little do either or both of these places prove , of what he would have to be granted him thence ! he tells us sometimes there were other sabbaths , besides that of the seventh day ; i am sure there were other restings . if moses and aaron had desired pharaoh to excuse them from their work one day in seven , that on such day they might serve the lord their god ; it would have looked like an argument . but when it is , to go three days into the wilderness to keep a feast to the lord ; what is this to a weekly sabbath ? this seventh-day sabbath , so runs in the mind of this author , that if any where he can lay hold of the word rest , it must presently prove a seventh-day-sabbath . else who would have thought , that because abram and lot could not dwell quietly together ; therefore they must needs keep a sabbath , and that upon the seventh day , and in course from the creation ? and the like of the israelites in egypt , because moses and aaron are said to hinder them from their work ; therefore they did constantly keep a weekly sabbath , and that upon the seventh day , in course from the creation . he might have to better purpose , alleged pharaoh's seven fat kine and seven lean ones , and the seven full ears of corn , and seven empty ; for here we have the number seven signalized ; only these were seven years , not seven days ; and the like of nebuchadnezzar's being seven years turned out to the beasts of the field , dan. 4. 25 , 32 , 33. or that of the clean beasts and fowls coming into the ark by sevens , gen. 7. 2 , 3. but , what is more to his purpose ( and which he should not have missed ) is that of gen. 7. 4. and gen. 8. 10 , 12. where we have the interval of seven days particularly mentioned ; for yet seven days , and i will cause it to rain upon the earth , &c. ( chap. 7. 4. ) where god gives to noah just a weeks warning of the time when the floud should begin , during which interval ( if those days were sabbath days ) he might remove himself and what was necessary into the ark before the next sabbath . and , toward the end of the floud , noah sends out the dove , chap. 8. 8. and he staid seven days , and again sent forth the dove , ver . 10. and he staid yet other seven days , and sent forth the dove , &c. ver . 12. where we have the dove sent out three times , just at seven days distance . and how do we know but that these three days were three sabbath days ? which though it be not a conclusive argument , is better than any that he brings . for here we have three intervals of seven days , in these two chapters . but if a weekly sabbath were then kept , 't is very strange that we should have no intimation of any such thing in the books of moses ( before israel's coming out of egypt . ) and much more , that there is nothing of it in the book of iob. and , that none of his friends ( amongst the many charges they bring against him ) should never object his neglect of the sabbath , or want of due observance thereof . which being so plausible an objection , it seems more likely , that a sabbath was not then wont to be observed : for which he hath so very little to shew . and by what we have iob 1. 4. it should seem that iob's seven sons kept feasting ( each in his own day ) for seven days together ; without any mention of a sabbath intervening . nor was it a religious feast but a feast of mirth and jollity , such as made iob suspicious lest they might sin and curse god in their heart , v. 5. and therefore he offer'd propitiatory sacrifices for them continually , or ( as the margin tells us it is in the hebrew ) all the days , that is every of these seven days . as little a matter will serve his turn to prove ( p. 43. ) that christs ascension was , and his coming to iudgment is to be , on a saturday , or seventh-day-sabbath : because it is said acts 1. 12. that mount olivet ( whence he ascended ) is , from ierusalem , a sabbath-days iourney . but he tells us that by no account that he can make ▪ can he assign the ascension on the first day , ( no more can i. ) but what then ? well! but why upon a saturday rather than a sunday ? because he observes , that after christ's ascension from mount olivet , it is said , then they returned to ierusalem , from mount olivet , which is from ierusalem a sabbath-days iourney . well! what of this ? he cannot see why it was expresly said , that it was but a sabbath-days iourney from ierusalem , but because it was the sabbath-day . perhaps i may shew him another reason as likely as it . if the word then do not there signify the same day ( but only at large , after his ascension ▪ ) this is nothing to the purpose . but admitting that by then be meant the same day ; the connexion runs fairly thus , after his ascension they returned from thence to ierusalem the same day , for it was ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) but a little way off , about a sabbath days iourney . which , i think , is a fair account of the place ▪ especially since we know otherwise , that it was not upon 〈…〉 account ( as he speaks ) will serve as well for the one as for the other . but , indeed , for neither . but how doth this concern his coming to iudgment ? yes , because it is there said ( ver . 11. ) he shall come in like manner ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) as ye have seen him go into heaven . and ( because this author fansies ) he did ascend on a sabbath day , therefore ( he fansies also ) he shall on a sabbath day come again . i see a weak argument , with a strong fansy will go far . but to prove his ascension to be on the sabbath ( besides this , of a sabbath-days journey ) he adds further , that christ and his disciples were then assembled , and that christ preached . well! and why may we not as well conclude that the day of his resurrection was also a sabbath ? for christ and his disciples were then assembled , ( first at emmaus , and then at ierusalem , ) and christ did then also ( at both places ) preach to them , and the substance of his preaching was much the same , ( as will appear by comparing luk 24. with acts 1. ) and did then also celebrate the lords supper . and eight days after , christ was again assembled with the disciples , and preached to them , on the same day of the week . if christs presence and preaching will prove the ascension day to be a sabbath , why should it not as well prove the resurrection day to be a sabbath ? the onely difference is , that ( he thinks ) serves his turn , but this makes against him . and why should it not also be thought a sabbath , acts 20. for paul and the disciples were then assembled ; and they were assembled to break bread ; and paul there preached to them . and all these assemblies were on the first day of the week . and they seem to me a much stronger proof of the first day , ( the day of his resurrection ) being a sabbath , than that the ascension day was so . and the preaching which our author here mentions as on the day of ascension , seems to me rather to have been on that of the resurrection . for st. luke in the beginning of this chapter of acts 1. seems to give a short repetition of what himself had delivered more at large luk. 24. and gives an account not only of what happened on the day of ascension , ( though he close with it ) but of what happened during the forty days from his resurrection to that time . and this preaching , i take to be that mentioned luke 24. on the day of his resurrection . but ( after all ) this is but a whimsey , ( what he tells us of christs ascension on a seventh-day-sabbath . ) for 't is very plain that his ascension was neither on a seventh day , nor on a first , but on a fifth day of the week . for 't is plainly said , acts 1. 3. that he shewed himself alive after his passion , being seen of them forty days , ( that is , he was seen of them at times , not constantly , for the space of fourty days ) whereof that of his resurrection was the first , and that of his ascension was the last . and if that were sunday , this must be thursday . he may tell it upon his fingers ( as he speaks p. 5. ) if he please . but though our saviours ascension was not on the seventh day of the week ( in observance of the seventh-day sabbath , or in confirmation thereof : ) yet the mission of the holy ghost ( according as on the first day of the week , the day of his resurrection , he had promised . luk 24. 49. ) was on the first day of the week fulfilled also , as appears acts 2. when the day of pentecost was fully come , that is , the fiftieth day ( for so pentecost signifieth in greek ) they were all with one accord in one place ( that is , they were unanimously assembled ) and suddenly there came a sound from heaven , as of a rushing mighty wind , and filled the house , where they were sitting ; and there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire , and it sat upon each of them ( that is , at least , upon each of the apostles , ) and they were all filled with the holy ghost , and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance . which i take to be a further instance , ( if our author will not allow it to be called a sabbath ) at lest of a religious assembly for the worship of god ; ( and if it had been on the seventh day , how great a proof would this have been with him for a seventh-day sabbath . ) this i take to be a christian sabbath , and within the prospect of the fourth commandment . and though it be not expresly called a sabbath ( to avoid confusion or ambiguity , because the word sabbath in common speech was then appropriated to the jewish sabbath , ) yet it is the same thing . and if he doubt whether the feast of pentecost were on the first day of the week , as was that of the resurrection ; he may be satisfied from levit. 23. 15. where that feast is appointed . after mention made of the pass-over , ( ver . 5. &c. ) moses proceeds to that of the wave-offering , v. 10 , 11. when ye be come into the land which i give unto you , and shall reap the harvest thereof ; then shall ye bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest , and he shall wave the sheaf before the lord to be accepted for you ; on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it . whether by the sabbath here mentioned be meant the weekly sabbath , or the first day of the feast of unleavened-bread , is not material ; because , in that year whereof we are speaking , this first day of the feast was on the weekly sabbath , ( as is manifest from the story of christs crucifixion , which was on the sixth day of the week , and the next day ( being the seventh day ) was the feast of the pass-over ) and the morrow after this sabbath , was the day of christ's resurrection , as well as of the wave-offering . and then he proceeds , ver . 15 , 16 , to the feast of pentecost , or the feast of weeks . ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath , from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering , seven sabbaths , shall be compleat , even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath , shall ye number fifty days ▪ ( inclusively taken , as the manner is in scripture reckoning , and must needs be so here . ) it was called the feast of pentecost , or the feast of weeks ( as deut. 16. 9 , 10. ) which feast of pentecost was the morrow after the sabbath ; on a first day of the week . and on this first day of the week , ( the morrow after the seventh day sabbath ) here was a solemn assembly for religious worship , and a very large one , both of jews and gentiles out of every nation under heaven , parthians , medes , elamites , &c. and this solemnized by a miraculous effusion of the holy ghost , in the gift of tongues ▪ for we all hear ( say those of that great assembly ) every one in our own tongue where in we were born the wonderful works of god , ver . 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12. with a long sermon of peter's on that occasion ▪ which i take to be another celebration of the first day sabbath ; and a very eminent one . we are to observe also , that in some of the places alleged to this purpose , though but single instances , there is an intimation of a frequent usage . as in that act. 20. ● . on the first day of the week , the disciples being assembled to break bread , paul preached , &c. is a fair intimation , that on the first day they did use so to assemble . if it were said amongst us , about six a clock ; when they were come together ( in the college-hall ) to supper , such a thing happened : any ( unprejudiced ) person would take it for a fair intimation , that they used to suppe about six a clock . and if this author could any where find , in the book of iob , that on the seventh day of the week ( from the creation ) when iob and his friends were assembled for the joint service of god ▪ bildad spake thus , &c. he would take this for a strong proof , that the seventh-day sabbath was then wont to be observed . much stronger than what he allegeth to that purpose ; abram and lot had each of them so many cattel , that they could not dwell or rest ) together , without quarrellings amongst their servants . and that of what pharaoh said to moses and aaron , why do you hinder their work , you make the people rest from their burthens ? a like place is that of 1 cor. 16. 1 , 2. nov concerning the collection for the saints , as i have given order to the churches of galatia , even so do ye ( and what that was , we are told in the next words , ) upon the first day of the week , let every one of you lay by him in store as god hath prospered him ; that there be no gatherings when i come . ( if it had been so said ( to 〈◊〉 , to 〈◊〉 , or to iob , upon the seventh day of the week do this or thus ) what a strong proof would this have been for the observation of a seventh day sabbath ! ) i think it is plain from hence , that the first day of the week , was weekly observed , and was wont to be so observed , both by the church of corinth , and by the churches of galatia . for so paul doth not here advise it , but suppose it , or take it for granted . what that order was to the churches of galatia our author says he cannot tell . 〈◊〉 thought it had been plain enough : he bids the corinthians do , as he had bid the galatians , that is , on the first day of the week , &c. what further order , he had given the galatians , it is not as to this point necessary for us to know . but saith he , if they must on that day lay by as god hath blessed them , then they must on that day cast up their accounts , tell their mony , reckon their stock , compute their expenses , &c. which are not sabbath-day works . a wise objection ▪ as though all this could not as well be done before ( so far as is necessary ) and , on sunday , put so much into the poor mans box ( or give to the deacons or collectors ) as ( upon such account ) they should have found fit ; like as is now done in our churches when there is occasion for such collections . why doth he not make the same exception to that of deut. 16. 10. concerning the feast of pentecost ? where they are to bring a tribute of a free-will-offering , which ( says he ) thou shalt give unto the lord thy god , &c. according as the lord thy god hath blessed thee ; doth he think that on the day of pentecost ( which was to be strictly observed as a sabbath , a holy convocation and no servile work to be done , lev. 23 , 1. ) they must cast up their accounts , tell their money , &c. because they were to offer according as the lord hath blessed them ? i think not ▪ but here comes in again his former trifling objection of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whether it signify , the first day of the week ? yet i am very confident , himself doth really believe it doth here so signify , and ( as to his own thoughts ) doth not doubt of it . but perhaps thinks it a piece of wit , or skill in greek , thus to object against his own judgment . yet since he will have it so , ( and we must come again to childs play , ) i will say some what to it . whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be good greek or no , as to the common analogy of that tongue ; or , what is the reason of that syntax ; i need not trouble my self to enquire , ( because it is nothing to the purpose ; for we are not inquiring whether it be good greek , but what it here signifies . ) there are i presume in all languages ( by negligence or corruption ) some harsh expressions , as to the analogy of the language , which yet are allowable by common usage , and well enough understood . he would think it perhaps a little harsh to say in greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( that is in latine , tres & decimum , quatuor & decimum , ) for what we say in english thirteenth , fourteenth ; yet so they speak . and somewhat harsh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rev. 2. 26. rev. 3. 21. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rev. 3. 12. ( instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) yet so it is . and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet so we find it rev. 1. 4. and many such may be shewed . in latine , idcirco , quocirca , posthac , quapropter , controvertor , paterfamilias , omne genus homines , aethiops albus dentes , pridie catendas , and many more , are scarce to be accounted for as regular , save that they are so used ; but , because they are so used ; they are accounted elegant enough . in english ; methinks ( for i think , ) three pound ten shillings , ( for three pounds , &c. ) three foot nine inches , many a one , a few pottage , and the like , are scarce regular ; yet are so used . when a merchant marks his parcels ( and so calls them ) number one , number two , &c. he means first and second . so , in the year of our lord one thousand six hundred and ninety one , one thousand six hundred ninety two , is commonly said ; when yet we mean ninety first , ninety second ; so one a clock , two a clock , for the first and second hour after twelve . and other the like cases , where the cardinal number is put for the ordinal . as it is also in gen. 1. the evening , and morning were ( jom echad ) day one ; which the septuagint renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth there signify 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . yet no wise man will cavil as to the sense of such expressions , ( what ever they may do as to the grammatical construction , ) when we know what is meant by them . so here ; 't is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signify one in common construction : but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth never signify other than the first of the week , ( either in the new testament or any where else , ) not any day of the week , any more than one a clock doth signify any other hour than the first after twelve . when a thing is said to be done at one a clock ; he that shall object , this may be any hour , for every hour is one ; would be laugh'd at . and when a merchant bids his prentice bring him number one , if he bring him what else he pleases ( because every number , is number one , or one number ) he deserves to be knockt . now when every one knows ( who understands any thing of this nature , ) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the proper name of that day which is next after the iewish sabbath , as much as one a clock is the proper name of that hour which is next after twelve : it must either be great ignorance , or somewhat worse so to object . i appeal to himself , whether ever he met with that name ( in any author ) in any other sense . he seems to take it very unkindly , pag. 66. of those who should think that , by son of man should be meant an ordinary man , in mar. 2. 27 , 28. the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath ; therefore the son of man is lord also of the sabbath . where i think it is plain , that in the former verse ( the sabbath was made for man , &c. ) it is manifestly spoken of ordinary men. and though in the latter verse , ( the son of man is lord also of the sabbath , ) by son of man i suppose is meant christ ; yet is that title given also to ordinary men , elsewhere , very often . as iob , 25. 6. how much less man who is a worm , and the son of man which is a worm ? and isai. 51. 12. who art thou that shouldst be afraid of a man that shall dy , and of the son of man which shall be made as grass . so ps. 8. 4. what is man , that thou art mindful of him , and the son of man that thou visitest him ? and to the same purpose , ps. 144. 3. and ( to name no more ) in the book of ezekiel , the prophet ezekiel is , in that one book , called son of man , oftener than christ is so called in the whole bible . and if we would argue as he doth , we might plausiby object , it might be so meant here ; though i think it is not . but he cannot shew that ever the iewish sabbath was called the lords day ( however he thinks it might have been ; ) nor ( though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be greek for one ) that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ever used for other than the first day of the week , or the next after the jewish sabbath . nor doth he think it . such trifling ( to give it no harder name ) may do well enough in drollery or burlesque , but not in a plain honest enquiry . but if he would be curious as to the phrase ; 't is plain enough that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not properly the genitive case governed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for then it should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the neuter gender . ( and 't is a mistake therefore when p. 58. he renders it by one of the sabbaths , as if it had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ) but 't is governed rather of some praeposition or particle understood , ( as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the like , ) and then , as in latin pridie calendas ( that is , p●io● dies ante calendas ) is the next day before the calends . so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the next day after the sabbath : the full construction is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being understood in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understood in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) that is one day after the sabbath ; which being the proper name of a day , cannot be meant of any other but the next day after . 't is certain therefore that ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) the first day of the week , or the first day after the iewish sabbath , was from the resurrection of christ and after , eminently signalized , as a day of special observation ; 't was honoured with christs resurrection on that day ; with his first appearance to mary magdalen and the other women ; then , to the two disciples going to emmaus , and his religious assembling with them there ; after that , to the disciples at ierusalem and assembling with them the same day ; and the whole time of those assemblings employed in religious exercises , ( preaching , celebrating the sacrament , instructing and blessing his disciples , and giving them commission for preaching the gospel and planting the christian church . ) and again with the same disciples on that day sen-night , assembled with them , and in like manner employed . it was specially signalized also by the miraculous effusion of the holy ghost on that day , in a great assembly of iews and gentiles on the day of pentecost ; and the day employed in preaching and other religious exercises . it was observed in like manner at troas , in preaching the word , celebrating the sacrament , and other religious communion , as things there usual on that day . it was observed at corinth , not once onely , but as a thing of course ; and so presumed by the apostle when he gives particular instructions concerning a collection for the saints to be made weekly on that day . and in like manner in the churches of galatia , with a like direction to them . ( and we have no reason to suspect but that in other churches also , there was a like custome of observing that day ) and it is the onely day of the week ( unless the seventh-day , in order to the iewish sabbath ) that is so much as mentioned by name after the resurrection of christ. ( at least i do not at present remember the second , third , fourth , fifth , or sixth day of the week by name so mentioned . ) now what we have reason to believe was so generally observed after the resurrection , by christ himself ( more than once , ) by his apostles , and by the christian churches in their days ; we have reason to believe was according to christs direction . for we know very well , that christ did after his resurrection give commandments to the apostles , about things pertaining to the kingdome of god , and ●●●●ling the christian church . what those commandments were in particular , we cannot tell ; but are to presume that what they did therein , was pursuant of those commands ; and this in particular about observing the first day of the week , which we call the christian sabbath ; and which ( in contradistinction to the iewish sabbath ) is called the lords day ; rev. 1. 10. and hath accordingly been so called , and so observed ever since . which being so practised by the apostles , and so continued ever since , i take to be a good warrant for us to continue it , as a thing agreeable to the will of god. as to what he so often objects , that there is no express command thereof recorded : that is , not such a command as our author demands . we are not to prescribe to god in what terms he shall make known his will , ( any more than the pharisees , mat. 16. 4. were to prescribe to christ what kind of signs he was to shew to testify his authority ; ) 't is sufficient if god do in his own way intimate what is his will , though it be it not with the formality of be it enacted . and those who are willing to be taught of god , will be content so to understand his meaning . an approved practise in the worship of god , frequently repeated , attested by miracles , encouraged by christs own example , and that of the apostles and the christian churches then , and continued in the christian church ever since : is to me great evidence of the will of god ; and that there was a command for it , though it be not recorded . ( like as i believe that there was , very early , a command from god , to worship him by sacrifice , though that command be not recorded . but ( to that of its being so observed ever since ) he objects , we have nothing but tradition , either that the christian sabbath hath been so observed , or that it is called the lords-day . and tradition is what he takes great pleasure to exclaim against ; if that be admitted ( saith he ) where shall we stop ? very well ! i am not over fond of laying too great a weight upon traditions ; at least not on all things that are pretended so to be . but i pray , how can he tell , otherwise than by tradition , whether our saturday or our sunday , be the seventh day in course from the creation ? or , ( if that be too hard a question ) whether of the two is the seventh day of the iewish week ? i know nothing but tradition for it . i cannot remember so long : nor have i so long kept so strict account of days as to be sure of it . i trust to the common computation of the world , that our sabbath is a continuation of that sabbath which the apostles kept . and if so , i am safe . if not , i cannot help it . and because i think the apostles sabbath was on the first day of the jewish week , therefore i think ours to be so . but if theirs was not , neither is ours . he would not have that of st. iohn , revel . 1. 10. i was in the spirit on the lords-day to be understood of our sabbath . and why not ? he tells us , 1. some think it to be christmass-day ; 2. some think it to be easter-day ; and 3. some think it to be the day of iudgment . and long discourses we have upon all these . well! but doth he think it to be meant of any of these ? no. then , to what purpose are these alleged , in disparagement of the christian sabbath ? but he seems to have so great displeasure against the christian sabbath , that whatever he can think of to be objected ( though he do not think it to be true ) he will be sure to object , ( that he may disparage the day , or perplex the argument ) as if he were more concerned to beat down the christian sabbath , than to set up the iewish . not considering , that , by all this , he is doing their work who would have none at all . for they know well that the iewish sabbath hath been long since laid aside ( without any great fear of returning ; ) and if they can but throw off the christian sabbath also , 't is what they would have . and 't is of a like import what he argues ( p. 84 ) for coming to the publick but once a day , ( not twice as our manner is ; ) for those who care not to come at all , if he dispense with them as to the one , they will dispense with themselves as to the other meeting . i should rather think , that , the whole day being due to the service of god ( publick and private ) it is to be parcelled out , as to the number and times of publick meeting ; as might ( according to christian prudence ) be judged most conducing ( in this or that place ) to those ends , and to common edification ; and that , to make such little circumstances ( otherwise than as they conduce to those general ends ) a matter of religious observation , or divine institution , is a like extravagance as that of the pharisees in laying like weight on their traditions , and that of the papists on their numerous superstitious ceremonies . and is as properly superstition , as these . i do not know this author , ( who thus argues against observing the christian sabbath , and against publick meeting on that day more than once ; ) and therefore am not willing to judge hardly . but the natural result of what he argues , is as i told you . he doth not think that iohn , was ( on the lords day rev. 1. 10. ) keeping the anniversary of christs incarnation ; nor of his resurrection . ( no more do i. ) but why not ? because ( saith he ) he may say as in the case of moses's dead body , no man knows of his sepulchre to this day . now as to the incarnation , i am apt to think , that no man doth at this day know certainly , either on what day of the year , or what day of the week christ was born ( nor is it any matter whether we do or no. ) but i should rather say , no man knows at this day , than ( as he ) no man knoweth to this day , ( as if no man hitherto had known it : ) for certainly there have been those who knew it heretofore ( while he was alive ) though it be now forgotten , and at this day no man knows it . but will he say so as to the resurrection ? i think it is plain , that christ was crucified on the fourteenth day , lay in the grave the fifteenth , and rose again the sixteenth day , of the first month . and that he rose on the first day of the week , no man doubts . he should rather have put it thus , as no man knows to this day , where is the body of moses , ( that it might not be worshiped , ) so no man knows at this day , which is the seventh in course from the creation ; that we might not contend about it . however , i am contented to admit , ( if that will please him ) that the lords day there mentioned was neither meant of christmass-day , nor easter-day , nor whit-sunday , nor the day of iudgment ; but think it to be meant of the first day of the week , which is the christian sabbath . not , of any of those other days mentioned ; nor of the iewish sabbath , as he would have it . 't is , i think , a new notion of his own ( at least i know none other of his mind ) that it should be meant of the iewish sabbath . he grants there is nothing from the circumstances of the place to determine it to this day . nor doth he pretend to shew that the jewish sabbath was ever so called . but he thinks it might have been so called . for he says god blessed and sanctified the seventh day ( that is , the seventh day after six days of labour ) therefore it might have been called the lords day : and so may as well the christian sabbath as the iews sabbath . that the son of man is lord also of the sabbath day ; and so he is of every day in the week ; and of the christian sabbath ( when that is the sabbath ) as well as of the iewish . that the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord our god ; that is , the seventh day after six days of labour , but whether the seventh day in course from the creation , is no where said . that isai. 58. 13. the sabbath is called my holy day : true , on what ever day the sabbath be : first or seventh of the week ; or whatever day god appoints to be kept holy ; as for instance , the first and seventh day of the feast of unleavened bread , ex. 12. 16. the first day shall be a holy convocation ; and the seventh day shall be a holy convocation ; and each of them was the lords holy day , on what ever day of the week they happened . and the like for other days . so levit. 23. 2 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 21 , 24 , 25 , 27 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 35 , 36 , 39. and num. 28. 18 , 25 , 26. num. 29. 1 , 7 , 12 , 35. all the days here mentioned are the lords holy days , yet i do not take any of them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all he can pretend to from these or whatever he produceth , is no more but that the iewish sabbath ( while it was the sabbath ) might have been so called , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lords day ; he doth not pretend to shew that ever it was so called . now i would desire this gentleman ( if he can but a little while lay aside his prejudice ) to consider , first that the lords day was the proper name of a day ; whereby it might be known as distinguished from other days ; ( else to what purpose is it said i was in the spirit on the lords day ; ) whereas the proper name of the iewish sabbath ( and of that onely as he would have us think p. 64. ) was the sabbath day ; and there is no appearance of reason , why , if he meant that day , he should not rather have said i was in the spirit on the sabbath day , or the seventh day . this therefore must needs be meant of some other day , known by another name . 2. i would have him next consider , that the lord in the old testament is the usual name of god indefinitely ; without particularizing this or that of the three persons ; and the sabbath of the lord thy god , doth not appropriate it to the second person more than to the first and third . and though i do not deny , that our christ was the god who gave the ten commandments ( for all the three persons are the same god , ) yet i do not think it to be christ onely , as contradistinguished to the other two . and when it is said , i am the lord thy god , thou shall have no other god but me ; the meaning is not , i the second person , am so the lord thy god , that thou shalt own no other person for thy god beside me the second person . but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lord , in the new testament , is for the most part applied peculiarly to our lord christ ( god and man. ) and is understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him . ( as he is called elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the son of man. ) and accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be a day peculiarly appropriate ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) to our lord christ ; which the jewish sabbath was not , nor that of the fourth commandment ; which is the sabbath of the lord thy god , that is of god indefinitely ; for 't is in that notion that god speaks in the ten commandments , not as one person contradistinct to the other two . it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lords day in a like sense as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lords supper , 1 cor. 11. 20. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the cup of the lord , the table of the lord , 1 cor. 10. 21 , 22. 1 cor. 11. 27. in all which , by the lord is meant the lord christ , god and man. and because , there being a double sabbath then in use , ( the iewish sabbath , and the christian sabbath , ) and the word sabbath indefinitely having been a long time applied to the iewish sabbath , and would be apt to be understood of it ; therefore ( by way of distinction ) that of the christians ( though a sabbath also , within the sense of the fourth commandment ) was called the lords day , as being the day or sabbath appropriate to our lord iesus christ. and therefore when he tells us , so often , the world was made by our lord iesus christ , and the law given on mount sinai by our lord iesus christ , ( upon which notions he seems to lay great stress , though it be nothing to the purpose , ) i think it is a mistake . for our lord iesus christ is god and man , but he was not god and man when the world was made , or the law given , but onely god. 't is true christ as god , ( according to his divine nature ) is the same god who made the world , and gave the law , ( for we have no other god but one ) but not as god and man. for man he was not at that time , but in the fulness of time became man. the sabbath of the lord our god ( in the fourth commandment , with equal respect to all the three persons ) doth not signify the same as , the sabbath of our lord iesus christ ( god and man. ) the lord our god there , not the same with our lord iesus christ , in the new testament . but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( the lords supper ) is the supper of our lord iesus christ ( god and man ) the founder of our christian religion : and accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( the lords day ) is the day of our lord iesus christ , a day appointed by him . 3. i would have him consider further , that the lords day , ( dominica , or dies dominicus , ) hath been all along , in all ages of the christian church , used as the proper name of what we otherwise call the christian sabbath ; and not for the proper name of any other day ; and therefore , till somewhat do appear to the contrary , i shall take it to be the same with what is called the lords day in scripture . there is , in the new testament , a place called rome ; and there is at this day a place in italy called rome , and which hath been so called all along ever since ; neither do i know of any other eminent place of called . therefore ( till somewhat do appear to the contrary ) i shall presume our rome to be the same place with that which in the new testament is called rome . we find in scripture there is an island of the mediterranean sea called melita or malta ( where st. paul suffered ship-wrack ) not far from another island called crete : now we know also there is in the mediterranean sea an island called malta at this day , and another not far from thence called crete or candy , and we do not know of any other islands so called , then , or at any time since ; and therefore we may safely presume ( till somewhat do appear to the contrary ) that those islands now so called , are the same islands with those which were then so called . and in like manner , that day which hath been ever since called the lords-day as by its proper name , we may and ought to presume to be the same day which was by st. iohn so called ( as by its proper name ) in rev. 1. 10. when he wrote the book of the revelation ; till it can be shewed that he did by that name mean some other day . and we have the more reason so to presume , because we find it so called by others , very soon after st. iohn's time ; and by those whom we have great reason to believe to have been well acquainted with st. iohn's meaning and his manner of speech . the first i shall name is st. ignatius , who was not onely contemporary with st. iohn , but was a disciple or scholar of st. iohn . now st. iohn ( according to the best account we can have from chronology ) wrote his revelation in patmos ( whither he was banished by domitian , ) in or about the year of our lord 96 ; ( after which he wrote his gospel , upon his return from patmos to ephesus : ) and died in the year 98 or 99 under trajanus . and ignatius died a martyr under the same emperour trajan , in the year of our lord 107. so that there is no great distance in time . ( and if we should miss a year or two it is not material . ) how long before his death ignatius wrote his epistle to the magnesians , we are not sure ( nor is it material ; ) now in that his epistle to the magnesians , even according to the genuine edition published by bishop usher out of an ancient manuscript ( not that which is justly suspected to be interpolated , ) he doth earnestly exhort them not to iudaize , but to live as christians ; ( si enim usque nunc secundum iudaismum vivimus ; confitemur gratiam non recepisse . ) and as to the sabbath in particular , non amplius sabbatizantes , sed secundum dominicam viventes , in qua & vita nostra orta est ▪ ) not any longer observing the iewish sabbath , but the lords day on which christ our life 〈…〉 is manifest therefore , that within 8 or 10 years after 〈…〉 writing , the lords day did not signify the jewish sabbath , but the first day of the week , on which our saviour rose again ; and that it was then observed in contradistinction to the jewish sabbath . i forbear to mention his epistle ad trallianos ( where again we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 applied to the first day of the week on which christ rose again ) because it is in that edition which is suspected to be interpolated . i might to this add the testimony of polycarp , who was also a disciple of st. iohn , and collected and published these epistles of ignatius , and may be presumed to understand what st. iohn meant by the lords day . but i shall add in the next place that of iustin martyr ; whom though i cannot call a disciple of st. iohn , ( because he was not converted to the christian religion till about the year of our lord 129 , about thirty years after st. iohn's death , ) yet he lived so soon after , that he could not be ignorant of the christians practise , and what they understood st. iohn to mean by the lords day . and how that day was observed in iustin's time , he tells us in ( what is called ) his second apology , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and a little after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . on that day commonly called sunday , there is held a congregation or a general meeting together , of all inhabitants whether of city or country , and there are publickly read the memorials or monuments of the apostles , or the writings of the prophets , &c. and again , the day called sunday we do all in common make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meeting-day ; for that the first-day is it on which god from darkness and matter made the world , and our saviour iesus christ did on the same day rise from the dead . in which places though it be not called dominica , but dies solis , yet how it was then solemnly observed , in memory of our lord christs resurrection , is evident . 't is manifest therefore that the lords day ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , dominica , or dies dominicus , ) was the known name of a day so called when st. iohn wrote his revelation ; that it was a day of religious worship contradistinguished to that of the iewish sabbath , so observed and so called by ( st. iohn's disciple ) ignatius within 8 or 10 years at most after st. iohn's writing that book ; ( which he would not have done if he had not thought it to be so meant by his master st. iohn . ) 〈…〉 manner it was observed ( in their solemn religious assemblies ) iustin martyr tells us within ●0 years after that ; and that it was otherwise called ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) sunday . and that dominica or dies dominicus ; hath been so used not onely by the ancient christian writers , ignatius , clemens , irenaeus , origen , tertullian , &c. but by the councils and church history all along ; hath been so often shewed by divers , and is to be seen by any who please to consult them , as is not to be doubted by any ; unless we would ( under the notion of tradition ) deny all history ; which in a plain matter of fact were very unreasonable . nor can he shew that the name of the lords day ever was ( however it might have been as he thinks ) attributed to the iewish sabbath . and therefore to tell us that this name is stollen from the iewish sabbath to be applied to ours ▪ is such a fansy as may be laughed at , but doth not deserve a serious answer . sure we are that the christian sabbath hath been long in possession of that name ; but , that ever the iewish sabbath was so , there is no evidence : therefore the theft must be on his side , who steals it from us to give it to the jewish sabbath . but he tells us , that our saviour himself observed the jewish sabbath . ( and i suppose he did so ▪ and , that he was circumcised also , and did observe the ceremonial law ▪ ) but it was before his death and resurrection . i do not find that he observed it afterward . but he says , after christs death when he had said it is finished , he kept the sabbath in the grave . be it so ( if that were keeping a sabbath . ) and the good women rested on that day according to the commandment . and why not ? since christ was not yet risen ; nor was the day yet changed , or pretended so to be . this therefore is but whimsey and nothing to the purpose . we all agree ; that , till the resurrection of christ , the jews observed the jewish sabbath , on what they called the seventh-day of their week . but whether or no it were a seventh from the creation , we cannot tell . 't is more to the purpose what he tells us , that paul and other christians did after christs resurrection seem to observe the jewish sabbath ; going to the temple and to the synagogues on the sabbath-day ; meaning thereby the iewish sabbath . and it is true ; they did so go . but i answer ; 1. so they did on other days as well as on the sabbath , and in other places , as well as in the synagogue and the temple , act 5. 42. dayly in the temple , and in every house , or from house to house ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 they ceased not to preach iesus christ. and act. 2. 46. they continued dayly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord in the temple , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and breaking bread at home , or from house to house . as to such duties of worship as were common to them with the jews , they took the opportunity of joining therein with them ; whether on their sabbath , or on any other day ; but as to what was peculiarly christian , this they performed in separate meetings from them ; breaking their bread at home , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or from house to house ; the sacrament of the lords supper ( being peculiarly a christian service ) they did celebrate in their houses , or separate places of meeting . and so we find it at troas ; and , on the first day of the week ; act. 20. 7. on the first day of the week , when the disciples were met to break bread , paul preached , &c. their meeting for this christian service , was in a separate place , and on another day , from that of the iewish service . and paul at athens . act. 17. 17. he disputed in the synagogue with the jews , and with the devout persons , and in the market , dayly , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) he took the opportunity of publick meetings , whether in the synagogues or elsewhere , whether on the sabbath or any other day , to preach christ to them , whether jews or greeks . which doth not prove that they did then take the seventh day to be the christian sabbath ▪ any more than our going to hear or preach a week-day lecture , suppose on thursday , would prove , that we take thursday to be our sabbath ▪ or paul's preaching on mars-hill , or in the market-place , would prove that he took these places to be the temple or synagogue . he knew these to be times and places of concourse , and therefore took the opportunity of preaching then and there ; and would so have done at any other time and place as there was occasion : in season or out of season , as he adviseth timothy , 2 tim. 4. 2. he doth not deny , p. 122. but that paul did keep the feast ( of the pass-over ) after the resurrection of christ ; because of what we have act. 18. 21. he bids them farewel ( at ephesus ) saying , i must by all means keep this feast that cometh , at jerusalem ; but i will return again unto you , if god will. which feast he thinks to be that of the pass-over , though it be not named . but whether that or whatever feast of the jews it be , it is all one as to our business . how great a proof would this have been for the seventh-day-sabbath , if it had been said i must by all means keep the sabbath ! 't is said indeed , he did on the sabbath-day go into the synagogue ( but so he did on other days , ) but not that he kept the sabbath-day ; much less that he must by all means keep it . or that he must by all means take a journey from ephesus to ierusalem rather than not keep it , though he were to return thither again . yet this author doth not , for all this think , the law for the iewish pass-over to be then in force . but onely that paul took occasion to be there at that publick great concourse of people , to preach christ to the multitude . for , that the apostles were under no obligation to keep that feast of the pass-over , after the death of christ , is to him ( he says ) past doubt . and why may not we say the same of his going into the synagogue on the sabbath day ( rather than miss such an oportunity of a publick concourse ) which was a less journey than from ephesus to ierusalem ? though under no obligation to keep the iewish sabbath , more than to keep the iews pass-over . 2. but i answer further . the jews who were not christians , did yet continue to observe the jewish sabbath as a matter of duty . and there was no reason why they should not . for , while they did not acknowledge our christ to be the messiah , nor the mosaick law to be at an end , but circumcision and the jewish oeconomy yet in force , there was no reason why they should not think themselves obliged to the jewish sabbath . and many of the christian jews , who were not yet satisfied of the abolition of the mosaick law , did comply with them therein . for knowing this to have been a law once , and not yet being fully satisfied that it was expired , they were content still to observe it . ( and if our gentleman be of that mind , i would not hinder him , if a jew , from so doing ; but neither would i incourage him . ) and i find the apostles willing to connive at it , and even to countenance it . not as a thing necessary , but at least allowable . and though they did not think fit to bring a new yoke upon the gentiles , who had not before been obliged to the jewish law , ( and therefore would not allow the gentiles to be circumcised ; as appears by s. paul's epistle to the galatians , and the decrees of the synod at ierusalem , act. 15. ) yet he allowed the iews to practise it ( to whom it had once been a law ) and accordingly circumcised timothy act. 16. because , though his father were a greek , yet his mother was a jew : ( but he did not circumcise titus , gal. 2. 3. for whom there was not the same reason . ) and he did himself comply with the iewish ceremonies ; as act. 18. 18. having shorn his head in canchrea ; for he had a vow . and those of purification act. 21. not that he thought those laws now obliging ; but , because many of the believing iews were yet zealous of the law , and thought themselves obliged by it , he would not give offense to them . for he was satisfied as to himself , that circumcision availeth nothing , nor uncircumcision , 1 cor. 7. 19. gal. 6. 15. but was content ( till by time and further instruction they should be better satisfied ) that each one should be gratified , as to their own practise , according to their own sentiments , as to things yet disputable . and accordingly , as to eating or not eating things forbidden by moses's law , his advise was , to the romans , ( many of whom were jews ) rom. 14. 17. let not him that eateth not , judge him that eateth , ( as breaking a law which he thinks to be yet in force , ) nor let him that eateth , despise him that eateth not , ( as a fool that doth not understand his own liberty ) for the kingdom of god is not meat and drink , &c. and in like manner those at ierusalem act. 15. though they did not think fit to bring a new yoke of circumcision upon the gentiles ( to whom before it had not been a law ) yet do advise them to forbear things strangled and bloud , because this had once been a law to all the sons of noah , gen. 9. 4. not but that this was even now antiquated , but ( to avoid offense ) because it had once been a law. for i take even those things to fall under these generals , the kingdom of god is not meat and drink , but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy ghost , rom. 14. 17. and every creature of god is good , 1 tim. 4. 4. i know , and am perswaded that there is nothing unclean of it self : but all things indeed are pure , rom. 14. 14 , 20. tit. 1. 15. meat commendeth us not to god ; for neither if we eat , are we the better ( as making use of our lawful liberty ) neither if we eat not ( in compliance with those who be unsatisfied ) are we the worse , 2 cor. 8. 8. so that the practise of the apostles or of the church at that time , in compliance with the jews , as to what had before been a law , but now was not ; is no argument that the thing was then obligatory , as before it had been , but onely an argument of their condescension in things of a middle nature , rather than to give offense to those who were therein unsatisfied ; according to that principle of his all things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient , 1 cor. 10. 23. to give no offense either to iew or gentile , or to the church of god , ver . 32 , 33. to the iews i became as a iew ; to the weak i became as weak ; i am made all things to all men ; 1. cor. 9. 19. in so much that even in those things which he knew to be lawful , yet , rather than give offense to a weak brother , he would forbear , if meat make my brother to offend , ( or , be an offense to a brother ) i will eat no flesh while the world standeth , left i ma●● my brother to offend . and the like i suppose as to the iewish sabbath ▪ he that regardeth a day regardeth it to the lord ; and he that regardeth not the day , to the lord he doth not regard it . he that eateth , eateth to the lord , for he giveth god thanks ; and he that eateth not , to the lord he eateth not , and giveth god thanks , rom , 14. 6. where 't is manifest that he doth parallel the observing or not observing a day than questionable ; with the abstaining from meats disputable ; that is , from such as before were unlawful , but now ceased so to be , though all were not yet therein satisfied . and though it be not expresly said , what was the day thus in question ; yet it is most likely to be that of the iewish sabbath ; for , that the first day of the week or christian sabbath was now observed , seems very plain : and whether the iewish sabbath should be observed also , was the question . and those who were for continuing circumcision and the mosaick ceremonies , were doubtless for that also . and the apostles rule was for a mutual condescension ( as to the jews ) for each to follow their own sentiments therein , without censuring one another . but as to the gentiles , he seems to be of another mind ; and therefore to the galatians , who were most of their gentile-christians , he would not so much as allow the practise of circumcision ( which to the jews he did ; ) and tells them that if they be circumcised christ profiteth them nothing ; and he that is circumcised is debtor to the whole law , gal. 5. 2 , 3. for it was a renouncing christ who had made them free ; putting themselves under the jewish yoke , to which ( even before ) they were not subject . and therefore to these he speaks more warmly , gal. 1. 6 , 7. i marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of christ , unto another gospel : which is not another , ( or , there being no other gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where as there is not any other gospel ; ) onely there be some that trouble you , and would pervert the gospel of christ. and such are those who would bring on them a new yoke , ( by making that a duty which god had not made so . ) where he presseth them to keep close to the gospel of christ , as by him delivered ( without any connexion of moses's law , ) there being indeed no other gospel but that ; and they who teach them otherwise , do pervert the gospel ; the true gospel of christ , including no obligation to the jewish law ; either as to circumcision or the difference of meats , or other particulars of that law ; as he argues , in the second , third and fourth chapters ; shewing that even those who were before under it , are now freed from it , and they much more who were never under it . and thereupon chap. 4. 9 , 10 , 11. he rebukes them severely , that after they had known god ( or rather were known of god ) they should turn again to the weak and beggarly rudiments or elements . ye observe ( saith he ) days and months and times and years , i am afraid of you lest i have bestowed upon you labour in vain . 't is not indeed here said in particular , what those days were , that are here meant ; yet it is most likely ( and scarce to be doubted ) to be meant of the iewish sabbath . for though other observation of times be here reckoned up ( there being the same reason of all ) yet there was no occasion for the others , in galatia . for the jews themselves did not think themselves obliged ( nor do the jews at this day ) to the observation of their other feasts or fasts out of their own land . but to that of circumcision , and of the iewish sabbath , and the distinction of meats , they thought themselves obliged even out of their own land . and of such we must understand this to the galatians . these being the things there in question ; not those other , which were confined to the land of canaan . but he objects here , that though days be mentioned , yet not sabbath days ; and fansies it might be meant of some other days ; not of sabbaths . to gratify him therefore in this also , i will proceed to that of colos. 2. 16. where sabbaths are expresly named . to the colossians , who were also christian gentiles , he pursues the same notions ; least any one should beguile them with inticing words , col. 2. 4. ( thereby to bring them under the mosaick law : ) he bids them beware lest any spoil them through philosophy and vain deceit . whereby , i suppose , he means the mosaick doctrines or philosophy of the jews , ( which clemens alexandrinus doth all along call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in contradistinction to that of the greeks , ) after the traditions of men , after the rudiments ( or elements ) of the world , and not after christ , ver , 8. and that particularly of circumcision ver . 11. ( in the room of which , baptism is come ; ver . 12. ) christ , by his death having blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances ( meaning the jewish law ) and took it out af the way , nailing it to his cross , ver . 14. and ( amongst other things ) let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink ( as if some were now clean others unclean , as under the mosaick law , ) or in respect of an holy day , ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a festival ) or of the new moon , or of the sabbath days ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ver . 16. where by sabbath must be meant the iewish sabbath ; the day which in common speech was understood by the word sabbath . for this , he hath two or three evasions . he doth commonly press hard in other places , that by sabbath is to be understood the jews seventh-day-sabbath , and no other day . ( the holy spirit doth call the seventh-day , the sabbath , ( and no other day of the week ) both in the old and in the new testament throughout , p. 46. and , i think , he is not much out therein ; that it doth , usually , so signify where it doth not come with some intimation to direct us to some other sense . and why it should not be thought so to signify here , i see no reason . for though i take our christian sabbath to fall as properly under the word sabbath in the fourth commandment , as that of the iews ▪ yet the word , in common use , having by this time become the proper name of that day which the jews so called , it was necessary ( to avoid confusion ) to give the christian sabbath another name ; as that of the lords day , or the first day of the week . and consequently that the sabbaths here mentioned , are to be understood ( according to the then use of the word ) of those sabbaths . not as if all days of holy rest where hereby forbidden ; but onely the nicety of confining it particularly to that day which was then ( in common speech ) so called . but he would not have it here understood of the seventh-day sabbath ( as every where else ) but some other ceremonial sabbaths ; but what those are , he doth not tell us . that there were some other feasts observed by the jews , which , in the old testament , are sometimes called sabbaths ( but very seldome , ) i do not deny : nor that those come under the general words in this place . but those do not seem to be here principally intended , because it is manifest to be understood of the sabbath there in dispute . now there was no occasion of a dispute concerning the observance of those other sabbaths , amongst the gentiles , out of the holy-land . these observations being not thought obligatory , even to the jews , but in their own land onely . and it is expresly provided , deut. 16. that these were not to be kept in any place promiscuously ; not within any of the gates which the lord thy god giveth thee ; but in the place which the lord thy god shall chuse to place his name there . so of the pass-over , ver . 5 , 6. so of the feast of pentecost , ver . 11. so of the feast of tabernacles , ver . 15. and of altogether , ver . 16. and therefore , not out of their own land. i do not deny but that they might , in private houses , eat the paschal lamb , ( as christ did , with his disciples , ) but not sacrifice the pass-over . for it was to be sacrificed in the temple onely ; and the feast of the pass-over to be there solemnly kept . not in private houses ; and much less out of their own land. nor do i remember , that any where in all the new testament , the word sabbath is used for any such sabbaths : nor can reasonably be supposed to be here meant of those feasts , because it is put in contradistinction to them . let no man judge you in respect of a feast , of the new-moon , or of the sabbaths . which yet i do not understand as if no sabbath might now be kept , but that the obligation to that sabbath was now at an end . another evasion is this , he would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( sabbata ) in the plural number , to signify weeks , not sabbath-days . the sabbath-day being called , in the singular number , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( sabbatum . ) for he will rather play at small game than stand out . if we should allow him this , it would not advance his purpose at all . for if the business of weeks be at an end , ( that we are no longer to distribute our time into weeks , ) than that of the sabbath much more , which he would have to be the seventh day of the week . but suppose we do allow that one sabbath is to be called sabbatum what are we to call two or more sabbaths ? must not they be sabbata ? and if this be his meaning , then are we not to observe such sabbaths any longer . but what must we then say to mat. 28. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which we render in the end of the sabbath , meaning thereby the seventh day sabbath then past , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as it began to draw towards the first day of the week : must we read it , at the end the sabbaths ( because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the plural number , ) when the sabbaths ( meaning the seventh-day sabbaths ) were now at an end , and the first-day sabbath coming on in their place ? if that reading please him ; it will serve us as well . but he is mistaken in his criticism . 't is true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number seems to be sometime put for a week ( but not weeks , that i know of , as he would have it . ) and so it is commonly taken to be where we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the first day of the week ( but may as well be rendered , the first day after the sabbath . ) and so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular , as luke 18. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , i fast twice in the week , i suppose he would not have us render it i fast twice on the sabbath day ( though it be in the singular number , ) as if he did fast twice upon one day . but thus rather , i keep two fasts to one sabbath ; which is the same in sense with , i fast twice in the week ▪ in like manner as the olympiad , may be taken sometime for that particular year on which were the olympick games ( which were wont to return every fifth year inclusively , that is , as we use to speak the fourth year after the last olympick ; ) sometime for the interval of four years from the end of one olympick to the end of the next following . so here , sabbatum may be sometime taken strictly for the sabbath-day , and sometime for the whole septiduum or week from sabbath to sabbath . and so is sabbata ( in the plural number ) taken also for a sabbath-day ; thus i take it to be here , ( mat. 28. 1. ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the sabbath-day was ended ; in the same sense with that of mark 16. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( speaking of the very same time ) when the sabbath was past . and in like manner , matth. 12. 1. at that time iesus went on the sabbath day through the corn , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( sabbatis ) in the plural number . and so it is in mark 2. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . yet it is meant but of one day , as appears by the parallel place ( where the same is again related luk. 6. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and so mat. 12. 5 , 10 , 12. mar. 3. 4. luk. 4. 31. luk. 6. 2 , 9. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the septuagint is commonly put for the sabbath-day . i will not say . allways ( because i have not examined it ) but in all the places which i consulted . and even in the body of the ten commandments exod. 20. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ( remember the day of the sabbaths ; in the plural number ▪ ) and again ver . 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ( but the seventh day sabbaths to the lord thy god ; ) so ex. 16. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ( the sabbaths a holy rest unto the lord , to morrow . ) and levit. 23. 3. six days shall work be done , but the seventh is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sabbaths of rest ; ye shall do no work therein , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the sabbaths of the lord. which are the signal places wherein the sabbath is commanded . and the like very often ( if not always ) in the septuagint , whose language the new testament doth usually follow . so that his criticism comes to nothing , but only to shew how careless he is of what he says if at least he may seem to say somewhat . ( such is that when he tells us p. 136. that god who hath reserved a tenth of our substance , hath reserved but a seventh of time. as though he thought a tenth part to be more than a seventh part . and many such negligences , which i spare to mention . ) but whether we render it sabbath-day or sabbath-days the sense is still the same . and the apostles design in all these places seems to be this , that though to the iews , to whom it had once been a law , he doth allow a liberty ( till they should be better satisfied ) for each to follow his own judgment ( without censuring others ) as well in this of the iewish sabbath , as in the business of circumcision , and the abstinence from meats , and their other rites ; yet he would by no means suffer these to be brought upon the gentiles as a new yoke to which before they had not been subject . i say as a new yoke to which they had not been subject . for though i do admit that by natural light , or the law of nature , man ought to allow a competent time for the solemn service of god ; and , by a positive law , that it should be at least one day in seven , that is , after six days of labour , the seventh to be a day of rest ; and so much to be intended in the fourth commandment . yet , i do not think it to be so determined to this day in order , as to be unchangable to after ages . we can be no ways sure , that the seventh day in order from the first raining of manna , ex. 16. was the seventh in order from the creation . and as they did observe it then in order from thence ; so when christ , or his apostles by direction from him , did put it into a new order , this new order doth as well sute the words of the fourth commandment as that former . i do the rather say that this to the gentiles is a new yoke , because i find this to be given as a sign , a covenant , or distinctive mark given to the jews , as gods peculiar people , in contradistinction to other nations ; just as circumcision was . so exod. 31. 13. my sabbaths ye shall keep , for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations , and ver . 16. the children of israel shall keep the sabbath , to observe the sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant , and ver . 17. it is a sign between me and the children of israel for ever . so ezek. 20. 12. i gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them ; and ver . 20. they shall be a sign between me and you , that ye may know that i am the lord your god. just as it is said of circumcision , gen. 17. 7. i will establish my covenant between me and thee ( saith god to abraham ) and thy seed after thee , for an everlasting covenant , to be a god unto thee and thy seed after thee : and ver . 10 , 11. this is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you , and thy seed after thee , every male-child among you shall be circumcised , and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you : and ver . 13. my covenant shall be in your flesh an everlasting covenant , ( not as if circumcision were to be for ever obligatory ; but rebus sic stantibus , so long as things continued in that estate . ) and so it is called rom. 4. 11. he received the sign of circumcision , a seal of the righteousness of faith. and such was the bloud of the paschal lamb on the door-posts of the house , ex. 12. 7. to be a distinctive mark between the israelites and the egyptians ; as ver . 13. the bloud shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are , and when i see the bloud i will pass over you . and so ex. 11. 5 , 6 , 7. that ye may know how that the lord doth put a distinction between the egyptians and israel . and our author himself , pag. 26. doth press the same , and puts great weight upon it , that this seventh-day-sabbath is often called a sign for ever between him and them , and a perpetual covenant , to distinguish his people from others ; that is , the people of the jews from other nations . and so to be a sign for ever , as circumcision is an everlasting covenant . now whatsoever was a distinctive mark of the people of israel , from other nations , as was that of circumcision , the pass-over , and the seventh-day-sabbath , was at an end and to cease when the partition-wall was broken down between jew and gentile , when christ had made both one , and abolished in his flesh the enmity , ( even the law of commandments contained in ordinances , ) to make of twain one new man ; to reconcile both in one body by the cross , having slain the enmity thereby , eph. 2. 14 , 15 , 16. or as it is col. 2. 14. having blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances which was against us , and was contrary to us , ( as separating us gentiles from the jews , and so excluding us out of gods visible church , ) and nailing it to his cross. from whence he there infers , ver . 16. let no man therefore judge you in meat or drink , or in respect of a holy-day ( a festival ) or of sabbaths , ( the proper name , at that time , of the seventh-day sabbath : ) which things are a shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ ; these being but shadows or empty things , whereas it is the body , ( the substance ) that christ regards . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , those are but shadow , but 't is the body that christ looks at . that is ( in our language ) those are only circumstantials , but 't is substance or the substantials of religion that christ and christianity respects . and , as it is meerly circumstantial ( and doth not at all influence religion ) whether in the temple or other place god be worshiped ( ioh. 4. 21. ) so , whether on this or another day , a sabbath be kept . if therefore those sabbaths ( as is shewed ) were distinctive marks or signs of gods peculiar covenant or contract with the church of israel as their peculiar god , in contradistinction to other nations ; then 't is manifest that those other nations did not at all keep a sabbath , or not on that day ; ( else how could this be a distinctive mark ? ) and therefore to bring this now upon the gentiles , was to bring upon them a new yoke . i add further , that this iewish sabbath ( as is shewed before ) seems to be , not a continuation of a former sabbath from the creation , ( which i doubt was either not observed at all , or had long before this time been forgot , ) but rather a new institution or restitution after their coming out of egypt ( from a new epocha ) at marah ; where god is said to have made a statute and an ordinance , exod. 15. 25. to which commandment and statute if they would hearken diligently and give ear , he would not bring upon them the diseases which he had brought upon egypt , for ( saith he ) i am the lord that healeth thee , ver . 26. whereupon follows ( in the next chapter ) a sabbath to be observed on the seventh-day from the first raining of manna , ( not from the first creation . ) and with reference to their rest or refreshing after their labour or bondage in egypt ; ( as was that of the pass-over , to their being passed-over , when the first-born of the egyptians were slain . ) for so he saith , exod. 31. 13. my sabbath shall ye keep , for it is a sign between me and you , that ye may know that i am the lord that doth sanctifiy you ( or separate you to my self as a peculiar people , a holy people ; ) and ver . 16 , 17. the children of israel shall keep my sabbaths ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) for a perpetual covenant ; it is a sign between me and the children of israel for ever ; for in six days the lord made heaven and earth , and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed . not that god was wearied with his work , and needed refreshment ; but he doth parallel his rest after his work of creation , with their refreshment after their labour in egypt . and that god had a particular respect to their rest and refreshment from their labour and bondage in egypt ; is farther evident , not onely from the general preface to all the commandments , ( i am the lord thy god which brought thee out of the land of egypt , out of the house of bondage ; ) but from the close of this fourth commandment , as it is repeated in deut. 5. 12 , 13 , 14 , 15. ( somewhat different from what is in exod. 20. ) where , ( instead of for in six days the lord made heaven and earth , &c. exod. 20. 11. ) we have ( deut. 5. 15. ) and remember that thou wast a servant in the land of egypt , and that the lord thy god brought thee out thence , through a mighty hand , and a stretched out arm ; therefore the lord thy god commanded thee to keep the sabbath-day . which shews that this sabbath , had a particular respect to that deliverance . now as god by moses did , upon a new occasion ( of their rest from their labour in egypt ) give a new epocha or beginning to a circulation of sabbaths , to be reckoned from thence , in imitation of his own resting from the work of creation ; not by the fourth commandment ( for that speaks indifferently as to any circulation , ) but by this ordinance at marah , or at elim ( for 't is this determines the circulation to the seventh day after the raining of manna ; ) so might christ as well ( by himself or his apostles ) six another epocha from his resurrection ; ( as we have reason to think he did ; ) and this equally within the prospect of the fourth commandment . this rest from the egyptian bondage , being as much a shadow , of what christ regards as the substance ; as was the escaping of the egyptian destruction , of which the pass-over was the memorial . and accordingly this circulation equally to cease with that of the pass-over , at the coming of christ ; notwithstanding the continuance of the fourth commandment , in a new circulation from another epocha . it is not indeed expresly said that christ bid his apostles so to do : but as moses is presumed to do what he did by gods direction ; so the apostles by christs direction ; to whom he gave commandments for that purpose , act. 1. 2 , 3. as to what he says so often ; that not one iott or tittle of the law ( meaning that of the decalogue ) is destroyed , but doth still continue in force : this , as to the substance of the duty , i grant . but if his meaning be , that there is not a word or letter therein which doth not as literally belong to us now , as it did then to israel : i cannot assent to it . for it cannot be said of all us who are under that law , that god hath brought us out of the land of egypt , out of the house of bondage ; or that we are to expect long life , in the land ( of canaan ) which he gave them. if he say that our deliverance from spiritual bondage is equivalent to theirs from egypt , and our land the same to us as canaan was to them : i grant it . but so is our lords day equivalent to their seventh-day-sabbath , and christ the true manna ( more than ) equivalent to that of theirs , from the raining of which they reckoned their iewish sabbaths . as to what he says of mat. 24. 20. pray that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the sabbath-day ; which he thinks to be understood of the iewish sabbath , 38 years after christs resurrection . perhaps it may . for the obstinate jews , ( who would not in their day understand the things that belonged to their peace , but rejected christ , ) did no doubt continue to observe their jewish sabbath , and thought themselves obliged so to do : and it would then be as great an affliction to them , as if their sabbath were yet in force : but no more a sin to fly on that day , than to fly in the winter . it would be so to the christians , if put to flight on the christian sabbath ( for the case would be the like of both ) and they might as well pray against it : that is , against their flight on the christian sabbath ; as the iews on the iewish sabbath . this therefore makes nothing at all to his purpose . he might as well argue from hence , that it were a sin to labour in winter ; as , on the iewish sabbath . he hath many other little excursions , as little to the purpose , with which i shall not trouble my self or you ; having fully answered what seems to me to have any appearance of argument . but he takes great pleasure to expose the name of sunday . yet i do not find any more fond of using it , than he . not , that he would be thought to like the word , but because he thinks it a reproach . if he do not like that name , he may call it as we do , the lords day , the christian sabbath , or ( if he think these too good names for it ) he may call it the first day of the week . but why not as angry with the monday ? or other of the week days ? if on monday the heathens ( as he would have us think ) did worship the moon , as the sun on sunday , why is he not as angry with that ? it is as much idolatry to worship the moon on monday , as the sun on sunday . true. but that doth not concern the christians sabbath ( which is what he hath a mind to reproach ) and therefore he speaks little of the other , and but seldome : but sunday is to be snubbed upon every occasion . he would not have a sabbath upon sunday , because he says , on that day they worshiped the sun. but why upon saturday if on that day ( as he would have us think ) they worshiped saturn ? now 't is true that some of the heathen did worship the sun , and the moon , and the host of heaven . but that they did worship the sun more upon sunday , than they did upon monday or tuesday , is more than i know , or he can prove . he tells us , verstegan says , that the heathen saxons did so . but verstegan is too young an author to settle this upon his own authority ; unless he can bring vouchers for it more ancient than himself . it was , i suppose , a fansy of verstegan then ( as it is of our author now ; ) but i do not remember that he cites any author ancienter than himself . and though some others may say the like ; yet i look upon it but as a plausible conjecture , without any good foundation in history . and even the heathen suxons are too late for his purpose . he tells us , p. 88. the heathen nations long before christs birth did offer sacrifice to the sun , and worship it as a god upon sunday . his proof is from iob 31. 26 , 27 , 28. if i beheld the sun when it shined , or the moon walking in brightness , and my heart hath been secretly enticed , or my mouth hath kissed my hand , this were an iniquity to be punished by the iudges ▪ for i should have denied the lord above . but what is all this to sunday ? it may perhaps be a disclaimer of worshiping the sun ; but says nothing of sunday . doth our author think the name of sunday to be as old as iob's times ? if iob had said , if i have worshiped the sun upon sunday , or the moon upon monday , and not the lord upon saturday ; it had been to his purpose : but here is nothing of that . not a word of what day it was on which they worshiped the sun. but i would not have him lay too great a load upon sunday . for hesiod tells us ( as was said before ) that in his time ( one of the oldest of the heathen writers , though younger than iob ) the seventh day was sun-day , not the first . and he hath nothing to shew ( more than the bare name of sunday ) to make us believe that those of the heathen , who worshiped the sun , did confine that worship to this day of the week ; or , did more worship it on this day than on others . i do not certainly know how ancient those names are of saturday , sunday , monday , &c. nor upon what occasion they were first taken up , ( nor is it much to our purpose . ) the most ancient heathen writer whom i know to have mentioned them is dio cassius , who lived about the year of our lord 230. who speaking of the destruction of ierusalem and the temple , tells us that the iews had such a reverence for saturn's day , as that they would not labour on that day for their defense ; which the romans understanding , did on that day assault them , and prevailed . ( against their temple and sabbath both at once . ) not as if the iews did then call it saturn's day , ( nor am i sure that any other did then so call it , ) for they called it their sabbath-day ; but it was that day of the week which , in dio's time , was called saturday . but dio speaks of it as a new thing so to call the days of the week , and which the ancient greeks ( he tells us ) knew not . ( 't was therefore not very ancient . ) and therefore he supposeth the romans to have taken it up from the egyptians . not the old egyptians of moses's time , but rather from those about the time of ptolomy ; not of king ptolomy , but of claudius ptolomaeus the astronomer ( or perhaps somewhat earlier ) when astronomy there flourished , and from whom the romans had it . in a christian writer , i find it earlier than dio ; in iustin martyr's apology , written about the year of christ 150. who mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the day of the sun , as the christian sabbath . and tertullian in his apology , mentions saturday and sunday . and it may perhaps be found in writers earlier than these , though i do not at present meet with it . nor do i think it worth the while to make any great search about it . i grant , that when christianity was spread among the gentiles ▪ and , with it , the christian sabbath ; they did ( in order to the observing that sabbath ) distinguish their time into weeks , and thereupon gave names to each day . i grant also that the iews did , before , so distinguish their time : but i do not find that any other nation did so . if any think , that all nations did so distinguish , and every nation , all the world over , call the days by those names by which they are now called : this i take to be but a presumption , without proof . but when ever those names were first taken up , i do not think they were taken from the number of their gods ( for then they must have had a great many more days in their week than seven , if each of their gods must have a peculiar day : ) but from the number of the planets , which were then reckoned to be seven , and in this order saturn , iupiter , mars , sol , venus , mercury , luna . though we now know the planets to be more than seven . ( for the satellites of iupiter and saturn are as much planets as our moon ; but were not then known . ) nor were the seven planets always reckoned in the same order ; but some had been thought to be above the sun , which , before these names were given , were accounted to be below it . and therefore these names must be at least so late . and certainly not so old as iob's time . i take them not to be older than what are called the planetary hours , but to take their rise from thence , and the order of the names to be thence determined . for having divided the day into 24 hours ; beginning with saturn , the highest of the planets , they assigned to him the first hour of one day , which thence they called saturn's day ; the second hour to iupiter , the third to mars , and so in order till they came to the eighth hour which falls to saturn's turn again , and so again to the fifteenth , and the two and twentieth ; and then the three and twentieth to iupiter , the four and twentieth to mars , and the next hour , being the first of the next day , to sol. which day doth thence take the name of sol or sunday ( next in order after saturn . ) and , in like manner proceeding , the eighth , fifteenth , and two and twentieth hour of that day will fall again to sol , the three and twentieth to venus , the four and twentieth to mercury ; and then the first hour of the next day to luna , thence called monday ( next after sunday . ) and , in like manner , the first hour of the following day to mars ; of the next to mercury ; the next to iupiter , the next to venus ; and then again to saturn ; and so onward as before . and this i take to be the true account of those names , and in that order : saturday , sunday , monday , after which ( in the latine denomination ) follow the days of mars , mercury , iupiter , and venus . but some of our ancestors the saxons , thought fit ( as is supposed ) to put-in the names of twisco , woden , thor , frea , ( some of their princes ) instead of mars , mercury , iupiter , and venus , ( as iulius and augustus , amongst the romans , gave their names to the months formerly called quintilis and sextilis . ) from which saxon princes we have the names of tuesday , wednesday , thursday and fryday : the other days retaining the names of their respective planets as they did before . this account ( from the order of the planetary hours ) dio gives us of the names of the week-days , and of their order . why so called , and why in this order . he tells us of another account from the principles of harmonicks . because dia-tessaron ( which we call a fourth ) is reputed a concord in musick ; therefore they might , beginning with saturn ( skipping two , iupiter and mars , ) take the fourth sol : then ( skipping the two next venus and mercury ) take luna : and then ( skipping saturn and iupiter ) take mars : then ( skipping sol and venus ) take mercury : then ( skipping luna and saturn ) take iupiter : then ( skipping mars and sol ) take venus : then ( skipping mercury and luna ) take saturn ; and so onward as before . but this account seems more forced , and the former more natural . which therefore i take to be the true ground of this order . but either way , depending upon the order of the planets as they were then accounted when these names were given to the week-days , it is at least so far evident that they cannot be older than since the planets were accounted to be placed in this order . and therefore not so old as when venus or mercury or both of them were thought to be above the sun. ( for this would quite disturb the order . ) and therefore , certainly , not so old as iob's time . whether on each of these days they did worship those respective planets , as so many gods , i cannot say ; nor do i think it . nor do i think that each of those planets have any more government of their respective hours , or days , than of others . for i take the whole foundation as well of these , as of the other parts of iudicial astrology , to be purely precarious ; and assigned onely at pleasure , by those whose business it was to amuse credulous people , and thereby to make a gain of them . but , whatever were the occasion of the first imposing ; these are now the known names of those days . ( and we need no more scruple the use of these names ; than to talk of pope pius , clemens , boniface , and innocent ; though possibly the persons so called , had none of those good qualities . ) in like manner as we have a spring near oxford which we call aristotle's well ; not that we think aristotle was ever there , or was lord of the place , and much less that he was wont to be there worshiped ; but we so call it as being now the proper name of the place ( imposed at pleasure ) by which it is known . and so for the days of the week ; whatever were the occasion of the first imposing , they now signify no more than the proper distinctive names by which the days are known . and why we may not continue so to call them , i know not . we are told act. 17. 19 , 22. of paul's being at areopagus or mars-hill , because that was the known name of the place , without scrupling the reason why it was so called ( whether , because mars had been there worshiped , or for what other reason . ) and act. 28. 11. 〈◊〉 a ship designed by castor and pollux , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , without scrupling the reason of that name , or what relation these stars had to iupiter , so as to be called his lads . and when paul 1 cor. 8. allows them without scruple to eat of things offered in sacrifice to idols , even though they knew , or had reason to presume them so to be , ( unless when they might be suspected to do it with respect to the idol ) as the apostle argues at large 1 cor. 8. and again chap. 10. no doubt we may as lawfully make use of proper names ( whereby persons , times , or places be commonly known ) without scrupling the occasion of their first imposition . and i would desire those gentlemen ( who are so over scrupulous where there is no just occasion , and make it their business to throw scruples and cast stumbling-blocks before others , ) to consider seriously , whose work they be doing all that while ; and whether it be not as truly and properly superstition to represent and quarel with things as unlawful and sinful , which in their own nature are not so ; as it is to introduce things under a pretence of holiness which have in them no such thing . and whether this be not to dote about questions and strife of words ▪ whether these be not of those foolish and unlearned questions which we are advised to avoid ; knowing that they gender strifes ; and to avoid foolish questions , and genealogies and contentions about the law , for they are unprofitable and vain ; and instead thereof to mind those things that are good and profitable to men ; to follow righteousness , faith , charity , peace , &c. as we are directed , 1 tim. 6. 4 , 5. 2 tim. 2. 22 , 23. tit. 3. 8 , 9. they do not consider how much the studying and prosecuting these foolish questions , and needless scrupulosities , doth eat out the power of godliness and true piety , and the substantials of religion , while we busy our selves about these shadows ; about little circumstances which do not at all influence the substance of spiritual worship . there be so many necessary duties , and indubitable truths , in the serious practise of piety and godliness , that we need not trouble the heads of men ( and make it our business so to do ) with doubtful disputations . it seems to be the design of the new testament to take us off from the circumstantials and scrupulosities of religion ( which commonly produce strifes and contentions to no purpose ) and put us upon worshiping god in spirit and in truth . si deus est animus , nobis ut carmina dicunt , hic tibi praecipue sit pura mente colendus ▪ was well enough said of the poet ; and is a good paraphrase on that , god is a spirit and will be worshiped in spirit and in truth . i have been told long since of a grave divine , who when asked , why he did not preach against long hair ( which was at that time more offensive than now it is , ) gave this answer ; if he could but preach jesus christ into their hearts ; he should not much concern himself for their hair. this author tells us , p. 49. that our liberty gal. 5. 1. doth eminently consist in a freedome not onely from the ceremonial law of old , but also in a liberty not to be intangled with a new yoke of mens devices . i take needless scrupulosities to be such ; the making of more sins than god hath made ; the making or pretending of those things to be sins which are no sins , and putting a religious necessity upon things which are matters of meer prudence and discretion . like those 1 tim. 4. 3. forbidding to marry , or ( as i would rather render it ) bidding not to marry ; and , to abstain from meats , &c. forbidding things as unlawful which are not so ; is alike superstitious as to impose things as holy which are not holy : and equally contrary to the liberty there intended . whether the days be called saturday , sunday , monday , or alpha , beta , gamma , is all one to me , ( i take them as i find them : ) i think we ought not to foment quarels upon such trifles ; and we sin if we do so . whether to meet once , or twice , or thrice , on a sabbath-day , ( if so as is most for edification and the real service of god , ) is meerly prudential in this or that place , without laying a new religious yoke where god leaves it to prudence . and if , in prudentials , things be not managed sometimes with so much prudence as we think they might , we must be content to bear with such imprudences as we cannot help ; and better so , than to pull-on greater inconveniences . whether to begin the sabbath at six or ten or twelve a clock on saturday-night , is a thing ( i think ) not worth contending about ▪ ( so that it be religiously observed as to the substantials of it , ) and for which we ought not to disturb the church where we live , but to follow righteousness , charity , peace ; and avoid foolish questions which gender strife . and i should not think it much more , whether on this or that day , so the sabbath be well kept : and i would by no means , on that account , give a disturbance to a church where it is peaceably settled : 't is less material when , than how , a sabbath be kept . and , in many cases , it must be unavoidably left to prudence , whether this or that day be called the first or seventh day of the week . we are in such cases to study the things that make for peace , and wherewith one may edify another . rom. 14. 19. the fruits of the spirit are love , joy , peace , &c. but variance , emulation , wrath , strife , are fruits of the flesh : gal. 5. 20 , 21. to study and spin out disputes into too fine a threed ( like that of a spider out of her own bowels ) is but to pervert the simplicity of the gospel of christ ; to make that abstruse and difficult , which the scripture would have plain and easy : in speculatives as well as practicals . we should mind the substantials of spiritual worship ; and not dote upon circumstantials further than as they do really advance the substance . refuse profane and old-wives fables , and exercise thy self rather unto godliness ; for bodily exercise profiteth little , 1 tim. 4. 7 , 8. such are those col. 2. 20 , 21. touch not , tast not , handle not , ( and others of like nature ) all which perish in the using , ( there is no real advantage doth ac●rew from the use of them ; 't is but labour lost ; ) or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are but mischievous in their use . we complain of the papists ( and deservedly ) for loading their worship with a multitude of ceremonies and mimical gestures ; the number of which would be a burthen , even though singly they were tolerable . being so many diversions of the mind from attending the spirituality of the service . but they have some reason for it . for when much of their devotion is either to be spoken so low as not to be heard , or in such a language as not to be understood , they have need of somewhat to gratify the eye , when the ear is not edified . and it is almost the same mischief , when mens minds are amused with nice speculations and needless scrupulosities , whereby they are diverted from the substantials of serious religion . yet i would not so be understood , as if no care were to be had of corporeal worship , or the necessary circumstances attending it . ( for god expects the worship of the body as well as the soul , and religious actions must have their circumstances , as time , place , gesture , and the like , as well as other actions . ) but these circumstantials should be considered as circumstances ( not as the substance of the worship ; ) and as prudentials ; so to be managed ( as in all other actions ) as may , with decency and convenience , best advance the spiritual worship ; and may be varied according as the diversity of times and places may require . not to lay the weight of divine institution upon such little things . as if , because paul kneeled down and prayed ( act. 20. 36. ) therefore it were unlawful to use any other gesture in praying ; or as if , because christ bids , when thou prayest , enter into thy closet and shut the door ( mat. 6. 6. ) therefore we may not pray in the chamber ▪ parlour , dining-room , or chappel : or , because christ did celebrate the lords supper , at night , in an upper-room , to men onely , and but twelve , and to those sitting or lying ; therefore we may not do it at noon or morning , in a low-room , to women as well as men , in greater numbers , or in some other gesture . for though such circumstances may be lawful , and sometimes advisable when convenient ; yet to put a religious necessity upon them , as of divine institution , looks like a piece of superstition . and if we consider seriously how great a mischief many times some needless scruples do create to the church of god ; how great a matter a little fire kindles ; and how great hindrance to real piety ; it might justly make us wary how we add fewel to such a flame , and rather bear with some things we think amiss , ( but may perhaps not be so ) than by attempting to remove a suppos'd evil create a greater mischief . as to the present point in question ; i have said so much upon the whole , as i think might satisfy the gentleman if he well consider it . yet i know , when men have once espoused a notion of which they are fond ; and have so long pored upon it as to rivet it in their mind ; catching at every little thing that may seem to favour it , and slighting whatever makes against it ; ( as we find our author doth very often ; ) and that hardly any thing can be said so plain , as that there be nothing to be cavilled at , by one who is minded so to do ; and that when god hath declared his will as plainly as he thinks fit to do , if men will not be contented with reasonable evidence , he is not obliged to gratify their humours : when ( i say ) we consider this ; it looks somewhat like what solomon tells us prov. 18. 19. of a brother offended , harder to be won than a strong city ; and i must leave the success to god ▪ who so teacheth as none like him . he remits us to two writers on this subject , in defense of the christian sabbath , mr. shepheard and mr. hughs ( whom i have not read , nor have them at hand , ) and two others whom he names not ( nor know i well whom he means , for more than two have since written ; ) who , he thinks , do tacitly retract somewhat that those before had granted . and divers 〈◊〉 have written on this subject ▪ though i have scarce consulted any of them . and particularly i have not seen what is written by dr. young or mr. warren , whom i find cited in a late book of g. t. which came out since this was written and part of it printed . it is very possible , that some of those may have said much of what i now say , or that i may now say somewhat of what they have said before . but , in this , there is no hurt . if in some particulars i vary from some of them ; it is not because i slight them , or out of a desire to contradict them , but freely to speak my own thoughts as they do theirs . nor is it to be expected that all writers on the same subject should agree in every particular , ( nor is he to make advantage of it ; for p. 3. he owns it is so also with those who are for the seventh day : ) but as to the main ( i presume ) we do well enough agree . i have been a great deal longer than i did intend when i first began to write . i shall give you a brief summe of what i have said to this purpose , as to both questions . ( for the question is double , though it seem to be but one . ) first concerning the iewish sabbath , whether that be antiquated and at an end . secondly , concerning the christian sabbath , whether there be sufficient ground for this to succeed in the place thereof . as to the first ; i agree with him in many things which he prosecutes at large , though not peculiar to his question ; as , that our lord iesus christ is god ; that he is the lord iehovah , the god who made the world , who rested the seventh day , who brought israel out of egypt , and gave the law on mount sinai : for there is no other god. but , this i say , he did as god ( in union with the father and holy ghost ; ) not as christ ( god and man ) our mediator and redeemer . for he was not then man ; nor was there occasion of a mediator and redeemer before the fall . i agree also that the decalogue ( or ten commandments ) is obligatory to us gentiles ; ( as being for the substance of it , a law before it was so delivered on mount sinai . ) and that the fourth commandment concerning the sabbath is one of them ; which requires after six days of labour , the seventh day to be a sabbath or day of holy rest. and our christian sabbath is such . but it doth not say , the seventh in course from the creation , nor doth it appear that the iewish sabbath was such , but rather the seventh day from the first raining of manna . i do agree also that god himself did rest on the seventh day from the creation , gen. 2. that is , he did cease to create . but i do not there find , that man did so rest , or that there was any express command for him so to do on that day ; much less for ever after , on every seventh day in course from the creation . how much may be thought to be implyed in those words , he blessed and sanctified it , i will not dispute ; however , it is but by implication not by any express command ; such as our author demands for the christian sabbath . nor do i find that ever it was observed by man till after the israelites coming out of egypt , or expresly commanded so to be . nor do i find that any other nation ( beside the jews ) did anciently so much as divide their time by weeks . since the times of christianity they have : but that they did so , long before that time , i do not find . i do agree also that after israels coming out of egypt they did observe a sabbath , exod. 16. but it was from a new command , ( at marah or elim ) which appeared new to them , not a continuation of a constant practise ; and it was from a new beginning ( the seventh day from the first raining of manna , ) and as a distinctive sign or token , of gods being their god in a special manner , as contradistir guished to other nations ; ( as himself owns p. 26. and 28. ) and as a memorial of their refreshing after their bondage and labour in egypt , and feeding them with bread from heaven . i do presume also that , they did , from this first raining of manna continue a circulation of weeks for a long time , and perhaps till the time of our saviour . yet we are not sure but that it might be intermitted in the seventy years of the babylonish captivity , and the day forgotten ; and then restored a-new by nehemiah ( from a new beginning ) neh. 13. as he restored the feast of tabernacles ( chap. 8. ) which had been intermitted from the days of ioshua the son of nun to that day . but i rather think , the memory was preserved ( by tradition ) during those seventy years . i agree also that the church of the jews was the most visible church of god , but i am loth to say ( with him , p. 79. ) it was the whole visible church ; for i presume there might be many good men of other nations , who worshiped the true god ( of whom we have no history , ) though not joined to the jewish church , nor were ( that i know of ) obliged so to be . such was melchizedek ( whoever he were ) not of the seed of abraham , much less of israel . and such was iob , and his friends from divers countries ( of whom , were it not for the story of iob , we should have had no knowledge , ) nor are we to think these were the onely persons of those countries who worshiped the true god. and how many such were in other nations , we cannot tell . who might , if they had opportunity , join as proselites with the iewish church , when established . but i do not think they were necessarily obliged so to do , or to keep the same sabbath with them . for i take it to be true , even before christs coming , that god is no respecter of persons ; but in every nation , he that feareth him and worketh righteousness , is accepted with him . act. 10. 34 , 35. whether iew or greek , rom. 2. 10 , 11. 1 pet. 1. 17. which are but quotations from deut. 10. 19. nor do i find that any nation , except the iews , did observe the iewish sabbath . but i rather take it to be a distinctive sign of them from other nations , ex. 31. 13 , 17. as circumcision and the pass-over were ; which , when the wall of partition was taken away , ceased also . yet , as to what was moral in them ( the circumcision of the heart being pointed at by that of the flesh ; and the old leaven of malice and wickedness to be put away instead of that of bread ; and a rest from sin of more respect with god than that from labour ; ) we have instead thereof , baptism , in the room of circumcision ; the lords supper , in the room of the pass-over ; and the lords day or christian sabbath , instead of the iewish . and , as that took date from the raining of manna after their deliverance from egypt ; so ours from the resurrection of christ , the true manna . i agree also that the apostle , and other christians , even after christs resurrection , did go to the temple and the jewish synagogues on their sabbath days ( and did there assist at prayers , and reading the law , and other services common to jews and christians ) on a like account as when we now meet to hear a sermon , or keep a fast or thanksgiving on a week-day . but so they did as to circumcision , and other iewish rites . as when paul circumcised timothy , and joined in the jewish rites of purification , act. 21. on account of those believing iews who were yet zealous of the law : to testify to them that he had been misrepresented by those who said he did teach the iews which are among the gentiles to forsake moses , and that they ought not to circumcise their children , nor to walk after the customs . whereas indeed he taught that gentiles ought so to forbear , ( as being a new yoke to which before they were not subject , ) but as to the iews which were amongst the gentiles he did allow them ( if not yet satisfied of their christian liberty ) so to practise . for he puts a great difference between the gentiles , and the iews among the gentiles ; of which i doubt our author doth not take notice ; else he would not tell us ( p. 39. ) of paul's writing one thing , and practising another . he preached and wrote against circumcision as to the gentiles ; but allowed it to the iews ; and himself practised it , as to timothy ( a jew ) but not as to titus who was no iew. and the like we may say as to the iewish sabbath on their seventh day . as to what services were peculiarly christian ( as breaking of bread ) they did it not at the temple or synagogues , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at home , or from house to house , act. 2. 46. and on another day , the first day of the week , act. 20. 7. now this is all that he hath to urge , for the iewish sabbath in particular : which he cannot shew to be commanded to all the world ( but rather to them in particular in contradistinction to the rest of the world , ) nor that it was a seventh day from the creation , but from the first raining of manna . for the fourth commandment saith nothing of this sabbath in particular , but onely of the seventh day after six days of labour . as to that imperious demand , p. 40 , 48 , 64. where is there any such power recorded in scripture to be given to any man or men whatsoever , after christ had said it is finished , to alter the seventh-day sabbath instituted by our lord iesus christ ? i doubt he hath forgotten that the same god who gave the law of the ten commandments , gave also the ceremonial law ; and if it were the lord iesus christ who gave the one , it was he that gave the other also . and will he then ask where is there any power recorded in scripture to be given to any man or number of men to abolish circumcision and the rest of the mosaick rites instituted by the lord iesus christ ? i know no such power recorded in scripture to be given , as to circumcision and the rest , more than as to the iewish sabbath . and we find them both put together col. 2. 11 , 16. or will he say , where is any power recorded in scripture to be given to any man or men , ( after christ had said it is finished , ) to appoint elders and deacons and other officers in the christian church , and give orders concerning it , which christ ( before he so said , ) had not given ? yet we know circumcision was abolished , and such officers and orders given . so that all this is but flourish . as to that of christ having said it is finished ; whatever be meant by that , we know that the whole order and constitution of the christian church was settled after that time : and whatever else be signified by it , it is not meant that there was nothing to be done further concerning it ; for , if so , to what purpose did christ give commandments to his apostles , of things pertaining to the kingdome of god after his resurrection , if nothing were to be further done ? and if we consider the apostles deportment ; we do not find them any where insist authoritatively upon a power given them from christ , to abrogate circumcision or the like , and thereupon to proceed pro imperio . but they argue it from the nature of the thing , that what was typical of christ , was at an end now christ is come ; that what was distinctive of the jews from other nations , was now to cease when the partition wall was broken down ; that what were but shadows as to the substantials of religion , were now to pass away , as beggarly rudiments , christ regarding the body or substance not the shadows ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , these are but shadows in comparison of what christ came to settle , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but 't is the body ( the substance ) that christ respects , col. 2. 17. they do not command , but argue . they do no where pretend that god or christ had given them authority to abrogate a law which god had made : but argue ( from the nature of the thing ) that the law was ceased ; and was not intended to oblige longer : that the law was now antiquated or expired when the end for which it was made was attained : that the types were at an end , when the thing typified was exhibited : that the distinctive marks were now no more of use , when jews and gentiles were united : that the elements or rudiments ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which god ( for reasons best known to himself ) thought fit for the training-up of his church while as in a state of minority ( wherein a child though heir of all doth little differ from a servant ) should now cease when it comes to full age , gal. 4. and to the same purpose heb. 8. he argues that the old covenant was at an end when a better covenant was come in the room ; citing that of ier. 31. behold the days come , saith the lord , when i will make a new covenant with the house of israel and with the house of iudah : not according to the covenant which i made with their fathers when i led them out of the land of egypt , for this is the covenant that i will make , that i will put my laws into their mind , and write them in their hearts . meaning , instead of an outward ceremonial service , he would establish a service more spiritual . from whence he concludes the antiquation of the former : in that he saith a new covenant , he hath made the first old : now that which decayeth and waxeth old , is ready to vanish away ▪ they do not claim a power , to abolish a law of gods making ; but prove by argument , that these laws are antiquated or expired ; as not being intended , by the law-maker , to bind longer than till such a time . as rom. 7. the woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives ; but if the husband be dead , she is free from the law : not that the law is abolished ; but the case is altered . and it is from these considerations that he argues against circumcision col. 2. 11. and the iewish sabbath , ver . 16. for as to the substantials of the service , provided a sabbath be duly kept , it is much one whether on the seventh or the first day . now these ( substantials ) are ( he tells us p. 83. ) a lively spiritual converse with the father , son and holy-ghost , in private duties and publick ordinances ( where they can be had , ) and in a holy rest all that day , saving emergent cases of necessity and mercy . which may be equally done on either day . but as to those who were not satisfied with these arguments ; ( if they were such as were before under those commands ) he doth not urge his authority ; he leaves them to practise according to their own judgment ( but without censuring others ) till they shall be better satisfied , as in rom. 14. but as to the gentiles , who had never been under these laws , the case was otherwise . which makes him argue otherwise with the ( gentile ) galatians , ephesians , and colossians , than with the christian iews at rome . and as to his question , p. 47. when , where , and by whom , it was taken away , i say then , there , and by the same , who took away circumcision and the other mosaick rites . that is , fundamentally by christ at his death who nailed them to his cross , after which they ceased to be obligatory ; but executively and practically by his apostles , and the christian church , according as they did ( leisurably and in time ) come to understand their liberty . all which we are to presume they did according to such directions as christ gave them . for ( as this author observes p. 80. ) paul , in those primitive times , when the ceremonial law was fresh in memory , and the gospel newly preached , had much a do t●●e move the first converted iews from circumcision and other ceremonials , ( and so from their iewish sabbath ; ) therefore these things were to wear off by degrees , and not to be torn from them all at once . and this i think is enough ( to a person not prejudiced ) as to the removal of the ( then ) iewish sabbath ; appointed by moses after their coming out of egypt , on the seventh day from the first raining of manna , and not given to all the world , but to be a distinctive sign of them from other nations . now as to the other point in question , the observation of the lords day : i would ground that originally on the fourth commandment ; which doth appoint a seventh day of holy rest , after six days of ordinary labour . which doth directly concern the substantials of worship ( that a sabbath be kept and god thus served ) , but whether on this or that day of the seven , is meerly circumstantial , and ( as paul calls it ) a shadow , in comparison of the body or substance , which is , he tells us , what christ respects . but then as to that , why the first day rather than another ? i answer , first , here was a much more memorable accident , of christs resurrection ; than was that of raining manna , from whence the jewish sabbath takes its date , as the seventh day from it ( not from the creation ) or that of the quails the night before , ( the first day that god fed them by miracle from heaven , ) and therefore stands as fair for beginning such a circulation of weeks and sabbaths . we are told ier. 16. 14 , 15. and ier. 23 , 7 , 8. behold the days come ( saith the lord ) that it shall no more be said , the lord liveth that brought up the children of israel out of the land of egypt ; but , the lordliveth that brought up the children of israel out of the north country . not , that the former deliverance was to be forgotten ; but a greater than it did make it ( comparatively ) to disappear ( as when the light of the sun doth obscure that of the moon and stars ; ) and so here , the resurrection of christ to be commemorated paramount to that of former mercies . next , in pursuance of this occasion , we find our saviour did on that day of his resurrection , appear to mary magdalen and the other women , declaring to them the doctrine of the resurrection ▪ then , to the two disciples going to emmaus , preaching to them ( at large ) the same doctrine , and celebrating with them the lords supper ; and afterward ( the same day ) to those assembled at ierusalem ( with other sabbatical works ) and solemnly blessing that convention . and if our author by blessing the seventh day gen. 2. would have us understand an institution or command to observe it ; we have as much here ; christ joined in this assembly , and blessed it . for so much is intimated in that his solemn benediction ( a first and second time , ioh. 20. 19 , 21. ) peace be unto you ; and he breathed on them saying , receive ye the holy ghost . he did so a second time on the same day the next week ; he assembled with them ( in religious services ) and blessed them . he did ( according to his promise made on that first day of his resurrection ) send on them that miraculous effusion of the holy ghost on the day of pentecost , which being the fiftieth day from his resurrection , was therefore the first day of the week as was that of the resurrection . on which day of pentecost we find them also otherwise exercised in religious employments , and attested further by a miraculous conversion of three thousand souls . we find st. paul at troas act. 20. preaching to the disciples assembled ( as it seems their manner was ) on the first day of the week to break bread ; that is , to celebrate the lords supper . that such assemblies were wont to be at corinth , on the first day of the week , the apostle presumes , or takes for granted ; and gives direction for a collection to be then made , 1 cor. 16. and he had so done before , as he there signifies , to the churches of galatia ; presuming or taking for granted , that they also did so use to meet on the first day of the week . and we have no reason to doubt but that such meetings were wont to be in other churches . we cannot doubt but that other of the apostles did disperse themselves in other parts of the world , though we have not a like account of their travels , as we have of paul's recorded by st. luke : but we are to presume ( though it be not recorded ) that their doctrine and practise was consonant to his ; and that accordingly they had such weekly meetings on the lords day as these churches had of whom we have the history . hence that day had the name given of the lords day , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as we find it called rev. 1. 10. ( as that of the sacrament is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lords supper , 1 cor. 11. 20. ) which name it retaineth to this day , and for such purpose . and all this , i think , is sufficient for us to continue our observation of the same day . i am sure 't is much more than he can shew for his seventh-day sabbath for more than two thousand five hundred years from the first creation . it is not necessary that we have express words of command recorded . we have no record in scripture of such express words of command for the seventh-day sabbath , till after israels coming out of egypt ; nor for the worshiping of god by sacrifice ; nor for other things which yet were duties before any record of such express words of command . it is enough if we can otherwise collect it to be gods will , according to the best light we have . if this gentleman think himself obliged to keep the jewish sabbath also : this doth not hurt us . this , i think , was the case of the christian iews at first . i do not much question but that they did , as other christians , observe the lords day . the doubt was , whether they were not to observe also the jewish sabbath as before they did . and these believers who were yet zealous of the law , and thought themselves obliged , together with christianity , to observe the law of moses , did no doubt think themselves equally obliged to the iewish sabbath . those who thought themselves obliged to be baptized , and to be circumcised also , thought themselves in like manner obliged to observe the lords day and also the iewish sabbath . and ( till they should be better satified ) the apostles permit ( the iews ) so to do . if this do not satisfy him ; i have yet two expedients for him . 1. let him begin his week on monday ▪ and then sunday will be the seventh day . whether the seventh in course from the creation , i cannot tell ; nor can any man living inform me . but it will at least be the seventh day of his week . 2. if he be not satisfied with this : my next expedient is thus . let him take a voyage round the world , as sir francis drake did . going out of the atlantick ocean west-ward by the streights of magellan to the east-indies ; and then , from the east , returning by the cape of good hope ( the usual way ) homeward . and take with him as many as please of those who are of his mind . and let them keep their saturday-sabbath all the way . when they come home to england , they will find their saturday to fall upon our sunday ; and they may thenceforth continue to observe their saturday-sabbath on the same day with us . which is the second expedient . if you ask , how this can be ? i will make it very plain , that so it will be , and so it must be . for , supposing the earth to be round , and the sun moving from east to west ; you must allow that it comes sooner to the eastern parts than to the western . it will sooner be noon in holland than in england , and sooner here than in ireland . if you ask , how much sooner ? we say , that fifteen degrees of longitude west-ward , makes it an hour later . as if he embark about dover , yarmouth , or other port on the east-side of england , and sail as far west-ward as the west of ireland ( or a little farther ) it will be an hour later , and not be noon there till it be one a clock at the place where he embarked . and so in proportion , an hour for every fifteen degrees . and accordingly , when he hath gone round the whole circle of three hundred and sixty degrees , ( that is four and twenty times fifteen , ) it will be later by four and twenty hours ▪ that is , it will be but saturday-noon with him , when it is sundaynoon with those who staid here . that is , his saturday will be our sunday . and thenceforth his saturday-sabbath will be the same day with our sunday-sabbath ever after . and this , i think , should fully satisfy him . for he tells us , p. 39. the variety of the time of the sun-rising or setting in different climates doth no way disturb ; for that a day longer , or shorter is still a day , and but a day ▪ most certain it is he who shall have thus sailed round the world will have had one day fewer than those who staid here . so it was with sir francis drake and his company : and so it hath been with all who have taken such a voyage , ( as many have done , for it is not a rare case : ) and so will be to any who shall so do . what he would resolve upon this case , or what he thinks sir francis drake was to do when this happened ; i cannot tell . if he would go on to reckon the days according as they had happened to him in his voyage ; then this expedient must fully satisfy him . for then he keeps his saturday-sabbath on our sunday . if he thinks the account should be rectified when or before he comes home , and call the days thenceforth as he finds those to do that staid here , what shall be come of that day he hath lost ? and which day of the week shall he reckon that to be ? and when must he rectify that account ? when he comes home , or somewhere by the way ? for it would be just the same , if , before he come at england , he should have landed in france or spain , or on the coast of africk , or even at the east-indies ; and all the way from thence , he would still be a day behind them . and so he would be with every ship that in his way he should meet with . if he and such other ship meet at the isle of st. helens to take fresh water , his saturday will be their sunday ; and on which of the two days are they to keep their sabbath ? or must they keep it one on the one day , and the other on the other ? if he say that the account is to be rectified by the way ( before he comes home ) then where ? or when ? and by what rule ? for when ever he doth so rectify it , he must then begin to call sunday what just before he was to call saturday . if he say , this must be left to discretion , when , and where : then must it be matter of discretion ( and not determin'd by the fourth commandment ) on which of the two days in question the sabbath shall be kept . but then here will again come in our amazing demand ( as p. 48 , 86 , 87. ) what man or men , without an high usurpation of the divine authority , contrary to the first commandment shall , with pretended good intentions , assume an authority of their own heads , to appoint ( for this or that place ; suppose the streights of magellan ) what day shall be the lords holy sabbath ? who , but our lord iesus christ , that is lord of the sabbath , hath power to institute a sabbath day ? if the church or any part thereof be once admitted to have such power , what bolts or locks will be strong enough for such a door , to keep it from letting in upon the churches of christ what soever pleaseth those in power ? i shall not much trouble my self to answer all this warmth . but ( when that is over ) if at or near the streights of magellan ( a place , i think , not inhabited , or not by christian , ) a colony be planted by some from hence , and some from the east-indies ; those who come thither from hence will ( according to their account ) call that saturday , which those who come thither from the other side will ( according to their account ) call sunday : must they have no sabbath at all ? ( that 's against the fourth commandment : ) or must they by consent agree upon the day ? ( this i should think , if he would give me leave : ) or must they keep it some upon one day some on the other ? this i would by no means advise , if it may be avoided : because it would be a manifest confusion and disorder ; and they would not both ( if either ) be the seventh-day in course from the creation : and which of them is so , is not possible for any man to know . and it would be more for common edification that they do agree upon a common day . and not much matter , whether of the two. this gentleman , if he can consider of it calmly , i am apt to think will be of the same mind ; and think it better to have such a sabbath than none at all ; and that the little circumstance , whether on this or that day , should be disregarded in comparison of the substantials of the duty . there be many things which the word of god or the divine law doth determine in thesi , which when in hypothesi they come in practise , will require the intervention of prudentials or humane laws . the eighth commandment says , i must not steal , or take unduly from my neighbour what is his : but , what is mine , and what is my neighbours , will depend much upon humane laws ; and , what shall be reputed a trespass on my neighbours land ; or , a forfeiture of his right . the seventh commandment says , thou shalt not commit adultery : but it will depend much upon humane law , what shall be reputed a good marriage . the sixth commandment says thou shalt not kill : but it will much depend upon humane law what shall be reputed self-defense , or a just war , or a forfeiture of life . the fifth commandment requires us to honour and obey our parents ; but , in many cases , 't is humane law that is to determine , who is to be reputed the father . if a widow be left whith child by a former husband , and marry another before that child be born ( which sometime happens ; ) 't will be a point in law , not in divinity , to whether of the two fathers this son shall be heir . and if my father require me to part with what estate is my own , 't will be a point in law , how far i am required to obey such a command . ( and the like as to other superiours , as well as natural parents . ) and those laws which seem absolute ( as thou shalt not kill , thou shalt not steal , &c. ) have yet their tacite limitations implied . for no man doubts but there are cases wherein to kill may be lawful ; as in self-defense , in a just war , and for capital crimes ; and in such cases , to take from our neighbour what was his. and , notwithstanding the command of honour thy father and mother , or that of children obey your parents in all things ; there may things happen , wherein we are not obliged to do what they bid us . and in all such cases there is room for prudence to interpose . not , to abrogate or repeal a law of god ; but to judge what is the true intent of that law. so not withstanding that command of the sabbath , in it thou shall do no manner of work ; yet our saviour tells us , the priests in the temple profane the sabbath and are blameless ; and against the pharisees superstitious rigour he argues , not onely from his own authority ( the son of man is lord of the sabbath-day ) but from the reason of the law , the sabbath was made for man , and not man for the sabbath ; and consequently is so to be understood as may be for the good of man ( spiritual and bodily ) not for his hurt . and our author allows the emergent cases of necessity and mercy ; and no man doubts but that if a house be on fire , we may labour to quench it . in all which cases prudence may be used , but must not ( upon that pretense ) be abused . not as if it were left to our prudence , whether or no the law of god shall be obeyed ; but , what is , in such cases , the true intendment of the law of god. and there needs no other locks or bolts ( as our author speaks ) to confine prudence in such cases , than in all other prudential acts. so when the fourth commandment requires us to keep holy the sabath-day ; it may yet , in many cases , depend much upon prudence or humane laws , which day shall be reputed the sabbath . and if this author tell us , it must be the seventh in course from the creation ; we are never a whit the nearer . for though he take great pleasure , on all occasions , to exclaim against tradition ; yet he must admit a great deal of tradition to intervene before he can prove this or that day to be a seventh in course from the creation . i am apt to think also , that when he hath well consider'd the case of sr. francis drake ( and many more since that time , who sailing round the world , as he did , have lost a day , ) he will come to one of these two resolutions : either that when he comes back to england he must continue to call that saturday which on his account was so ; ( and then his saturday-sabbath will be the same with our sunday : ) or else that his account must be somewhere rectified in his voyage by skipping a day ; and then and there beginning to call sunday what , just before , he was to call saturday . now because there is nothing in nature to determine where this must be ; nor is there any thing of divine institution ( that i know of ) to determine where it shall be ; it seems to me to be prudential , or most rational , ( if nothing intervene to counterbalance it , ) to be at what we call the first meridian , from whence we reckon the degrees of longitude , east-ward , 1 , 2 , 3 , &c. and so onward till we come round to 360 , at the same meridian again ; and thence begin to reckon onward 1 , 2 , 3 , &c. as before , for another round . this first meridian , in ptolemy's time , was accounted to be about the western part of the african shore ; as being the most western part of the world then known . of later times , geographers have been pleased to remove it more west , about the islands called azores , or the flemish islands . but all agree to place it between our continent and that of america . and if from that meridian , from whence we reckon the beginning of longitude , we reckon also the beginning of days ; then the last of saturday must there end , and the first of sunday must there begin . and therefore at that meridian the sailers round the world should rectify their account , calling it saturday on the one side of it , and sunday on the other ; that being the latest of saturday , and the soonest of sunday . he will tell me perhaps , that , by this account , if we keep our sabbath on sunday , those in new-england must be said to keep theirs on monday , as being on the other side of that meridian . and 't is true , it would so follow . and therefore i did interpose , if nothing else do intervene to counterbalance it . and this is what i did at first intimate , as disputable , whether we and they in new-england are to be said to keep our sabbath on the same day . but it is the same case as to the whole continent of america . and the same resolution will reach all . and therefore , the thing being once settled by the common consent of all , i would by no means advise to change the day . for the placing the first meridian is purely arbitrary . it might as well have been placed beyond america , ( if men had so pleased , and that america had been known in ptolemy's time ) as on this side : ( and we might have numbred our degrees of longitude westward , as now we do eastward : ) and may be so reputed now , if men so please ( as it is now reputed about 10 or 15 degrees more to the westward than it was in ptolemy's days . ) and it is purely arbitrary , where to begin to change the name of the day which is to be so called ; whether at the first meridian , or else-where . and consequently 't is purely arbitrary or discretional , whether in america such day shall be called sunday or monday . there is nothing in the fourth commandment , nor in the word of god , to determine it . but it so happening , that america hath been peopled from europe , traveling westward from hence ( without taking notice that we cross the first meridian , ) we have reckoned the days ( and so named them ) according as they appeared to those upon their voyage who went thither . whereas if it had been peopled ( i mean , as to the christians there ) from asia and the east-indies ( by people coming thence to the other side of america ) what there is now called sunday , would ( for the like reason ) have been called monday : and the fourth commandment equally observed either way . and upon a like account christians in the east-indies , and in china and iapan , traveling eastward from hence thither , do call their days there according as they appeared to fall out to them in the course of their voyage . now 't is true , that some part of the day which we here call sunday , is coincident with some part of what is so called in iapan , and also some part of our sunday ( though not the same part ) is coincident with part of theirs in america . but very little of theirs in the east of iapan , with theirs in the west of america . about eleven a clock at night in the one ( or yet later ) before it begins to be one a clock in the morning in the other , ( scarce an hour in common ) according to our ancient maps . ( our later maps make it somewhat more , as if it might be ten at night in the one , when it begins to be two in the morning at the other . ) yet these pass for the same sunday . and 't is well enough so to reckon . but it is prudentially so : because the chief trade and intercourse of america , is with europe ; not with asia . and therefore it is considered as lying west from europe ; rather than as east from iapan . and accordingly it is so placed in our maps . and though we continue to reckon our longitude as from a meridian between us and america , yet the account of our days we begin as from a meridian beyond it , between america and asia . which is not said to raise new scruples , ( as if i would advise an alteration of a received computation ; which is well enough as it is ; and i know not how to mend it : ) but to shew there is an unavoidable necessity of leaving much to prudential considerations , what day shall be reputed sunday , and what the sabbath , in this or that place . and therefore it cannot reasonably be thought the design of the fourth commandment to confine us to such circumstantial niceties , which do not at all influence the substantials of worship . the fourth commandment requires the seventh day of holy rest , after six days of ordinary labour . but of a seventh day in course from the creation to be so observed , it saith nothing : nor is it possible for us to know . the iews observed a seventh day in course from the first raining of manna ; but i do not know how that concerns us ; or , if it did , how we shall know which is that day ? ( for this gentleman will not allow tradition to be a good proof . ) we observe a seventh day in course from what ( we think ) the apostles did observe . if we mistake our reckoning ( which i think we do not ) it is not a culpable ignorance ; for it is according to the best light we have . this day we are in possession of , and the christian church hath so been for many hundred years . and he that would dispossess us of it , must shew a better title . ( the old rule is , possidentis potior est ratio . ) to change meerly for change sake , is foolish . if he would lay a divine necessity on us to observe the iewish sabbath from the first raining of manna ( if at least that be the day by them observed in our saviours time ; ) he must make it clear to us , which is that day ( by a better argument , if he can , than tradition : ) and , that we are of necessity obliged to that day ; which was ( himself acknowledges ) a distinctive sign of them from other nations , as circumcision also was . and if this distinctive mark ( when the partition wall is broken down ) do as much cease as that did : 't is as truly superstition now to put a necessity upon it , as upon circumcision . which though the apostles would , for a while , permit to the jews ; ( to whom it had once been a law ) till they should be better satisfied ; yet would by no means allow to the gentiles , to whom it had not before been a law. and i think the case is just the same of the iewish sabbath as contradistinguished to the lords day . i am yours , &c. finis . a briefe polemicall dissertation, concerning the true time of the inchoation and determination of the lordsday-sabbath. wherein is clearly and irrefragably manifested by scripture, reason, authorities, in all ages till this present: that the lordsday begins and ends at evening; and ought to be solemnized from evening to evening: against the novel errours, mistakes of such, who groundlesly assert; that it begins and ends at midnight, or day-breaking; and ought to be sanctified from midnight to midnight, or morning to morning: whose arguments are here examined, refuted as unsound, absurd, frivolous. compiled in the tower of london, and now published, for the information, reformation of all contrary judgment or practise. by william prynne of swainswick esq;. prynne, william, 1600-1669. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a91155 of text in the english short title catalog (thomason e814_11). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 272 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 54 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a91155 wing p3916 thomason e814_11 99863261 99863261 115451 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a91155) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 115451) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; 124:e814[11]) a briefe polemicall dissertation, concerning the true time of the inchoation and determination of the lordsday-sabbath. wherein is clearly and irrefragably manifested by scripture, reason, authorities, in all ages till this present: that the lordsday begins and ends at evening; and ought to be solemnized from evening to evening: against the novel errours, mistakes of such, who groundlesly assert; that it begins and ends at midnight, or day-breaking; and ought to be sanctified from midnight to midnight, or morning to morning: whose arguments are here examined, refuted as unsound, absurd, frivolous. compiled in the tower of london, and now published, for the information, reformation of all contrary judgment or practise. by william prynne of swainswick esq;. prynne, william, 1600-1669. [6], 72, 65-72, 89-96, 89-92 [i.e. 98], [1] p. printed by t. mabb for edward thomas dwelling in green arbour, london, : 1655. p. 98 is misnumbered 92. annotation on thomason copy: "nouem: 3d"; the 5 in imprint date has been crossed out and date altered to 1654. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng sabbath -early works to 1800. sunday -early works to 1800. a91155 (thomason e814_11). civilwar no a briefe polemicall dissertation, concerning the true time of the inchoation and determination of the lordsday-sabbath.: wherein is clearly prynne, william 1655 47630 607 0 0 0 0 0 127 f the rate of 127 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2007-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2007-03 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-07 jonathan blaney sampled and proofread 2007-07 jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a briefe polemicall dissertation , concerning the true time of the inchoation and determination of the lords day-sabbath . wherein is clearly and irrefragably manifested by scripture , reason , authorities , in all ages till this present : that the lordsday begins and ends at evening ; and ought to be solemnized from evening to evening : against the novel errours , mistakes of such , who groundlesly assert ; that it begins and ends at midnight , or day-breaking , and ought to be sanctified from midnight to midnight , or morning to morning : whose arguments are here examined , refuted as unsound , absurd , frivolous . compiled in the tower of london , and now published , for the information , reformation of all contrary judgment or practise . by william prynne of swainswick esq. levit. 22. 32. from even to even shall yee rest , or celebrate your sabbath . capitula caroli & ludovici imperatorum lib. 6. cap. 186. 202. diem dominicum secundum reverentiam colite ; opus servile , id est , agrum , pratum , viniam , vel si qua graviora sunt , in eo non faciatis ; nec causas , nec calumnias inter vos ditatis , sed tantum divinis cultibus serviatis , & a vespera ad vesperā dies dominicus servetur : placuit ut fideles diem dominicum , in quo dominus resurrexit , omnes venerabiliter colant . nam si pagani , ob memoriam & reverentiam deorum suorum quosdam dies colunt , & judaei more carnali sabbatum carnaliter observant , quanto magis iste dies à christianis honorifice colendus est , ne in illo sancto die vanis fabulis , aut locutionibus , sive cantationibus vel saltationibus , aut divisionibus , stando in biviis & plateis , ut solet , in serviant : sed ad sacerdotem , aut ad aliquom sapientem hominem & veniant , & eorum praedicationibus & bonis locutionibus , quae ad animam pertinent , utantur , & illo die seu sabbato ad vesperas , & ad matutinas , sive ad missam cum eorum oblationibus , si fieri potest , omnes cavendo , kyrie eleision , decantent . similiter pastores pecorum eundo & redeundo in campum , & ad domum faciant , ut omnes eos verè christianos , & devotes cognostant . london , printed by t. mabb for edward thomas dwelling in green arbour , 1655. to the christian reader . kinde reader , give me leave to inform thee of the true original cause impelling me to compile this dissertation at least 20 years since , whiles a prisoner in the tower of london . when i was a student and puny barrester in lincolns inne , it was the constant custome of that house and all other inns of court from all-saints eve , to candlemas night , to keep open revels , dancing , dicing and musick in their hals ever saturday night ( as we usually call it ) till eleven or twelve of the clock , and many times till 4. in the morning or later ; by reason of which abuse , the lordsday was much prophaned , and god publike ordinances on the lordsday morning , neglected , by the revellers , students , officers , gamesters , musicians and spectators , who slept out the forenoon sermons and other divine exercises for the most part , either in their beds or at church , if they resorted to it : which being a great corasive to my spirit , grief to my heart , and scandall to many religious lawyers , students and our lecturers . i used my best endeavours to reform this long continued abuse ; and by my interest in some pious benchers of lincolns inne , procured them by an order of counsel to suppresse all publique gaming and dicing in the hall , with all grand christmasses and disorders on that abused season ; and likewise to restrain the length of their revels on saturday nights , by confining them to a certain houre , though they could not totally suppresse them , as they and i desired , being over ruled therein by the majority of the benchers , pleading long prescription , custome , and unwillingness : to displease the revellers and young students , for their continuance : whereupon i did in my histriomastix printed 1632. ( dedicated to the * benchers of lincolns inne ) produce the decrees , laws , statutes , canons of many christian emperours , kings , states , councils , and resolutions of fathers , casuists , schoolmen , and protestant divines forraign and domestick , to prove the unlawfulnesse of stage plays , revels , dancing , gaming , sports , and pastimes on the lordsday , and on saturday nights , ( as we usually stiled them ) proving at large page 638. to 647. by sundry reasons and authorities in all ages ( there cited ) and likewise in the table : that the lordsday begins saturday evening , not at morning or midnight following ; that so , i might in point of conscience , suppresse all revels , gaming and disorders used in our innes of court and elsewhere throughout the realm , on saturday nights , being part of the lords own dayes , fit to be spent in better exercises of piety and devotion . this assertion of the lordsdayes inception at evening , being contrary to the received opinion of most of our modern writers and divines , was looked upon as a strange novelty by many , as well as my histriom●stix , and censure of stage playes as unlawfull , unchristian pastimes ; for which ( though licensed by archbishop abhots chaplain ) i was committed prisoner to the tower of london by the lords of the councill , febr. 1. 1632. and afterwards severely censured in the starre chamber , for it , as scandalous to the king , queen , court , state through lawds and others malice and prevailing power ; which sentence was since reversed by the unanimous vote of both houses of parliament , as illegal and given without any cause at all . hereupon for the satisfaction of some christian friends as well lawyers as divines , who scrupelled this opinion of the lordsday●s evening inchoa●ion ( though they could not answer , nor deny the reasons and authorities there produced by me , for its justification ) i did in the year 1633. compile this dissertation , in the tower●which i communicated to my learned friends of the law and ministery , who professed themselves aboundantly satisfied with it ; some of them transcribing copies thereof for their private use . after which , to passe my solitary prison houres with as much publike benefit , as i could , i went through all the controversies touching the sabboath , lordsday , and more especially concerning the use of pastimes on it ; which the kings ( or rather lawds ) declaration for sports , occasioned ; and bishop white , dr. heylin , dr. pocklington , and others had then raised , debated in their discours●s , and histories of the sabbath ; with an intention to have published them at that season . but the printing presses being locked up and strictly watched by lawd and the bishops then swaying , against all treatises of this subject in opposition to the anti-sabbatarian pamphlets , i was necessitated to lay them by for that season , and to communicate some of them to such friends , who made use of them in some of their printed discourses of the sabboath , and lordsday , since the prelates power was ecclipsed : onely i then contenting my selfe with a preface to my brother burtons divine tragedy , or examples of gods judgments upon sabbath-breakers ; and some necessary additions to the second impression of his dialogue between a. and b. concerning the sabbaths morality , and unlawfulnesse of pastimes on the lordsday , both printed in the year 1636. beyond the seas , to the great satisfaction of godly christians . after which , gods providence diverted my thoughts and studies to other seasonable subjects and publications , * against our lordly prelates pretended divine right , popish innovations , usurpations on the kings prerogative , and peoples liberties , treasons , schismes in all ages , which occasioned their downfall not long after . these wily foxes being unable to answer my books against them , thereupon by a * second unrighteous tyrannical censure in star-chamber , and extravagant councel table orders sent me close prisoner , first to carnarvan castle in northwales , and from thence to mountorguiel castle in jersey , debarring me the liberty of pen , ink , paper , books , accesse of friends , and all humane conversation , to hinder me from writing ; seised all my books , writings , papers they could meet with , searching divers of my friends houses as well as my chamber and study for that end : yet god● providence preserved this small treatise ( with some others touching the sabbath lordsday , and unlawfulnesse of sports or pastimes on them , against which i mustered up the concurrent opions of fathers , councils , christian emperours , princes edicts , popish , protestant writers of all sorts in all ages , yet unpublished ) from their clutches , and the strict seaches of other late grandees since ; and brought them safe to my hands again , when i deemed them quite lost . whereupon , conceiving it agreeable to gods good pleasure ( who miraculously preserved this dissertation above twenty years space , during all my troubles , and amids our publique wars and revolutions ) that it should be made publike for the information and benefit of his church , people , and not be buried in oblivion ; and being the onely compleat treatise of this subject , i ever yet beard off ; which others have but briefly , slightly touched , rather then handled in their discourses os the sabbath or lords-day ; i thereupon resolved to make it publike , and committed it to the presse , in this sceptic all age , when too many divines , as well ( as * jesuits and sectaries ) make it the main part of their divinity and religion , to vent and cry up new , empty , frothy notions , whimsies , fancies , old forgotten herefies , and uncouth conceipts , in a kinde of new canting language , ( which themselves and others hardly understand ) to * draw away disciples after them , and undermine those ancient setled truths and principles of religion , which all orthodox christians in former ages have constantly believed , received , practised without dispute ; which hath produced very sad effects , eaten ●ut the sinew , practise of piety ; the life * power of godliness , as well as the form thereof , and made many sorward professors heretofore meer seekers , self-seekers , sc●pticks , anti-scripturists , ranters , nullisidians , hereticks , separatists , blasphemers , covenant-breakers , antinomians , ( trampling all laws of god and men under feet like dirt ) and some professed atheists as well as anarchists . to prevent which mischiefs for the future , i shall recommend this advise of the apostle to all sincere christians , 1 john 4. 1. beloved believe not every spirit , but try the spirits ( by the word of god ) whether they are of god ; because many false prophets are ( now ) gone out into the world . * preferre ancient truth , before new pretended light , as most * do old wine before new . * illud verius , quod antiquius : and if so , then they need not doubt , but in this controversie , i have the truth on my side , because all antiquity concurs unanimously with me , as well as the scriptures . i shall conclude with jer. 6. 16. thus saith the lord , stand yee in the wayes and see , and ask for the old paths , where is the good way , and walk therein , and ye sholl find rest to your souls . and though many now say ( as the obstinate israelites did then to god ) we will not walk therein : yet i trust all the true saints and servants of god , will readily obey this divine and safe command in these * pe●illous times of novelty , desperate apostacy , and antichristian pride , when too many * oppose and exalt themselves , above all that is called god , or that is worshipped , obeying no laws of god or man , and carrying all laws divine and humane in the arbitrary rols and records of their own breasts , like so many roman pontifs , making their own * wils and lusts their onely law ; to gods dishonour , religions slander , all good mens grief , the ill example of future ages , and hastning of gods judgments on us to our scourge or ruine . farewell . a brief polemicall dissertation concerning the trve time of the inchoation and determination of the lords-day . it hath been a great question of late times among private christians , and divines , when the lords-day ( being no artificiall , but a a naturall day consisting of 24 hours , as they generally acknowledge ) should begin and end ? whether at evening , morning , or midnight ? certainly , if i may freely vent my thoughts without offence , i conceive ( under correction of graver judgements ) that in divine & true account , it begins & ends at evening , immediately after sun-set , when the twilight ends , and the b evening starre begins to shine : a truth so manifest , in my poor apprehension , that it is uncap●ble of any dispute . for the clearer resolution whereof , i shall in the first place admir , that men in civil respects may begin and conclude their dayes at severall houres , according to the received computation of their countr●y : c some nations commencing and closing up the day at morning ; others , at noon ; o-others , at midnight , others at evening . d and the canonists likewise beginning and concluding the day at midnight in regard of contracts ; at morning , in respect of judgements passed ; in at evening regard of sanctification and religious observation . but yet in all divine relations , men are not left at liberty to setwhat bounds or limits they please to dayes appropriated to gods more speciall worship , but they must observe those meets , which god himself ( the e soveraign lord of days and times ) hath prefixed to them , beginning , ending their sanctication of them ( being a part of his own worship and service ) at such time as he hath appointed , which is none other than the evening , the boundary he first set to dayes , both for naturall and sacred uses . to put this out of further controversie , i shall first of all propound such reasons and authorities as irrefragably evidence ; that the lords day ought to begin and cease at evening : then answer such objections and replyes , as are , or may be opposed against it . and here for the more perspicuous manifestation of the truth , before i proceed to any punct●all probation of the point in question , i shall premise and make good these five couclusions , which will soon over-rule and resolve it . first , that all dayes in scripture and divine calculation , begin and end at evening . secondly , that the seventh day sabbath in scripture account , did alwayes commence and determine at evening ; and that the jews did ever solemnize it from evening to evening . thirdly , that the very first day of the week whereon our saviour rose again , began and ended at evening , in divine computation , or scripture account . fourthly , that this beginning and concluding of dayes at evening , is perpetuall and immutable . fifthly , that christs resurrection in the morning , did no wayes alter the beginning or end of dayes , nor yet translate the beginning of that first day whereon he arose from evening to morning ; nor change the former limits thereof . for the first of these , that all dayes in scripture and divine calculation begin and end at evening ; it is most apparant . first , by genesis , 1. 5 , 9 , 19 , 23 , 31. where the scripture is expresse in point ; that at the very creation of the world and beginning of time and dayes , the evening and the morning made the first , second , third , fourth , fifth , sixth , ( and by consequence the seventh ) first dayes that ever were ; the onely patterns for the inchoation and determination of all dayes since : the f evening , being here placed before the morning ( as expositors observe ) by god himself , because the day in naturall and divine account begins at evening , the evening and darknesse being preceding to the morning and light , even in point of time , gen. 1 , 2 , 3. secondly , it is evident by exod. 12. 3 , 6 , 12 , 29 , 42 , 51. compared and paralelled with levit. 23. 5. numb. 9. 11. cap. 28. 16. deut. 16. 4. josh. 5. 10. 2 chron. 30. 15. c , 35. 1. ezra 6. 19. 20. and ezech. 45. 21. ( all treating of the time when the passeover was to begin ) in the tenth day of this moneth , they shall take to them every man a lamb , a lamb for an house , and ye shall keep it up , untill the fourteenth day of the same moneth , and the whole assembly of the congregation of israel shall kill it in the evening : for i will passe through the land of egypt this night , and will smite all the first born of the land of egypt both of man and beast . in the fourteenth day of the first moneth at even , is the lords passeover ; the fourteenth day at even shall they keep it . and the children of israel went away , and did as the lord had commanded and it came to passe that at midnight the lord smote all the first born in the land of egypt , &c. it is a night to be much observed unto the lord , for bringing the chilaren of israelout of the land of egypt , and it came to passe the self same day that thé lord did bring the children of israel out of the land of egypt by their armies . from which words it is apparant ; 1. that the fourteenth day of the month abib , on which the passeover was kept , began in scripture account , at evening : 1. because they were to keep the paschal lamb , untill the fourteenth day , and then to kill it in the evening ; therefore that day began at evening . 2. because the feast of the passeover , with the killing , dressing and eating of the paschall lamb did commence at evening ; thererefore the day too , which no doubt the feast began : for if the day began not till the following morning , the passeover had been kept before it , not upon it , upon the thirteenth not the fourteenth day of the month . 2. that that evening and night on which the passeover was kept , was part of the following , not of the foregoing day . 1. because this feast of the passeover was to be kept the whole fourteenth day , in remembrance of gods passing over the israelites , slaying the egyptians , and delivering his people out of egypt : since therefore they began not to kill and eat the passeover in the morn-ning , but at evening , the evening must necessarily begin the day , and be a part onely of the following day , not of the day preceding it ; else it would have been but an half-holy day , and no more , the whole preceding day being not solemnized , but the night alone ; or at least , a holy day made up of the evening of the fourteenth , and the morning of the fifteenth day , not of the fourteenth day alone ; both which are directly contrary to the text . 2. because this celebrating of the passeover the fourteenth day at evening , was done in memory of gods passing over them , and slaying the egyptians at midnight following ; and bringing them out of egypt with their armies the next morning : this evening therefore must be part of that day to which midnight and the morning following did belong , which must necessarily appertain to the fifteenth , not the fourteenth day , if the fourteenth day began the midnight or morning before , and not that very evening ; and so the fourteenth day should be solemnized for a deliverance happening on the fifteenth day , not on it ; which were absurd to think . the deliverance therefore happening the midnight and morning which succeeded this evening , it must doubtlesse be solemnized as part of the subsequent , not of the precedent day . 3. because the text saith expresly , exod. 12. 51. the same day the lord brought the children of israel out of egypt by their armies : therefore this evening and midnight were part of the ensuing day , because the israelites departed not out of egypt with their armies till the g morning following , as that chapter manifests : and yet the scripture saith ; that they departed out of egypt the same fourteenth day , whereon they did eat the passeover , and god slew the first-born of egypt . this fourteenth day therefore in divine calculation , both as a naturall day , and as a passeover day too , began and ended at evening ; and so by consequence all other dayes . thirdly , it is most clear by exod. 12. 18 , 19. compared with levit. 23. 5 , 6. and numb. 28. 16. in the first moneth on the fourteenth day of the moneth at even : seven dayes shall there be no leaven found in your houses : seven dayes shall unleavened bread be eaten . this feast of unleavened bread was to continue seven dayes : but these dayes and this feast by gods own limitation did begin and end at evening : for the text is expresse , that on the fourteenth day at even they should eat unleavened bread till the twenty first day at even : the evening therefore was both the alpha and omega of this feast , of all these dayes in scripture reckoning , and so by consequence of all other dayes . fourthly , this is as clear as the sun at noon-day , by the ceremoniall laws concerning uncleannesse . on any dayes or seasons of the year , if any of the israelites chanced to be legally unclean , in some cases they were to remain unclean for one day : in others , for seven dayes . but how did these dayes begin and end , in gods account ? certainly at evening : for all the texts run thus concerning him who was unclean for one day ; he shall be unclean untill the even : and when the evening cometh on , he shall wash himself with water , and when the sun is down , he shall come into the camp again . and thus concerning the other : on the seventh day he shall purifie himself , and shall be clean at even , witnesse deut. 23. 11. num. 19. 7 , 8 , 11 , 12 , 16 , 19 , 21 , 22. letit . 11. 24. to 40. c. 15. 5. to 27. c. 17. 15. c. 22. 6. all dayes therefore in divine computation , began and concluded at even , since all the dayes of mens ceremoniall uncleannesse did so ; which uncleannesse might befall them upon any day whatsoever . fifthly , it i● perspicuous by the israelites solemne easting-dayes , which commenced and ended at even , for they usually fasted untill even , judges 20. 23. 26. 2 sam. 1. 12. their dayes therefore b●ing but the limits of their fasts ( for they fasted sometimes h one day , sometimes two dayes , sometimes three , or more ) did question lesse begin and determine at even : in their own and scripture computation . sixthly it is apparent , by deul . 21. 22 , 23. if a man be p●● to death , and thou hang him on a tree , his body shall not remain all night upon the tree ; but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day : compared with joshua 8. 29. and cap. 10 26. 27. and the king of ai he hanged on a tree untill eventide : and assoon as the sunne was down , joshua commanded that they shouldtake his careasse down from the tree , &c. and he smote the five kings , and hanged them on five trees , and they were hanging upon the trees untill the evening , and at the time of the going down of the sun , joshua commanded , and they took them down off the trees , and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid , &c. compared with joh. 19. 31 , 38. mat. 27. 57. 58. mar. 15 , 42 , 43. the je●s therefore because it was the preparation , that the bodies should n●● remain upon the crosse the sabbath day ( for that sabbath day was an high day ) besought pilate , that their legs might be broken , and that they might be taken away . and when the i even was come ( that is the evening of the day about sunne-setting , or evening tide : ) joseph of arimathea went to pilate and begged the body of jesus ; then pilate commanded the body to be given him . and he took it down and wrapped it in linnen , and laid it in his own tomb . which texts ( paralell'd with ephes. 4. 26. let not the sun go down upon your wrath : ) do fully evidence , that the day in divine resolution begins and ends at even ; because the bodies of malefactors , which were to b● buried the same day , and might not remain on the tree all night , were then taken down and interred . seventhly , that speech of david to jonathan ; 1 sam. 20. 5. let me go that i may hide my self in the fields unto the third day at evening : annexed to that of 1 sam. 30. 17. and david smote them from the twilight , even to the evening of the next day ; is a direct proof , that the scripture begins the day at even , making it part of the subs●quent , not of the precedent day , as these phrases , unto the third day at evening , and to the evening of the next day , import . eighthly and lastly , it is clear by the joynt confession of all sorts of authors , of all commentators on the fore-quoted and the ensuing texts , that the penmen of the scriptures ( who were guided by the holy ghost , with the whole jewish church , nation , directed by the same spirit , and the scripture computation ) did ever begin and end their daies at evening , not at morning , or midnight , as the jews k yet doe . a truth so evident that our opposites in this point of the lordsday's inchoation , for the most part grant it , without any contradiction ; having nought else to plead for themselves but this , that christs resurrection in the morning did translate the beginning of days , from evening to the morning . therefore it is undoubtedly true , that all daves in scripture and divine resolution , begin and end at evening : so that this first conclusion is uncontrolable . for he second , that the seventh day sabbath , in scripture account , did ever begin and end at evening ; and that the jews did constantly solemnize it from evening to evening : it is most apparent . for first , all dayes in scripture and jewish computation commenced and concluded at evening , as the former conclusion manifests ; therefore the seventh day sabbath too . secondly , the scripture peremptorily commands this beginning and close of the sabbath . levit. 23. 32. from even to even , ye shal celebrate your sabbath : which though it be specially meant of the sabbath of attonement , yet it is true of the seventh day sabbath too , it being the original pattern , by which the sabbath of attonement was squared , and thus bounded out . thirdly , it is apparent by nehem. 13. 19. and it came to passe , that when the gates of jerusalem began to be dark , before the sabbath ( that is , when the twilight began ) i commanded that the gates should be shut , and charged that they should not be open till after the sabbath : and some of my servants set i at the gates , that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day . by which it is evident that the seventh day sabbath began at evening , not at morning , or midnight . for why should nebemiah command the gates of jerusalem to be shut just as it began to be dark , a little before the l evening star began to appear ( when the evening & sabbath actually begin ) but to prevent carriers and others who brought burdens into jerusalem , from prophaning the sabbath , which would have begun before they could have passed to their innes , and unladed their burdens , had they admitted them to have entred the gates so late ; the sabbath being to begin almost presently after when the day light ceased , and the starres began to appear : which had it not commenced till midnight or morning following , he would not have closed up the gates so early , since they might have unladed their carriages a good space before the sabbath , though they had not entred jerusalem till the twilight ended . his timely shutting up of the gates therfore to prevent this breach of the sabbath by unlading burdens , is a m pregnant evidence , that it began at even , soon after , or just when the gates were barred . fourthly , it is clear by luke 23. 54 , 55 , 56. compared with luke 24. 1 , 2. mark 16. 1 , 2. c. 15. 42 , 43. john 19. 31 , 38. cap. 20. 1. &c. matth. 27. 57. 58. by all which it appears , that our saviours body was taken down from the crosse and laid in the sepulchre upon our friday at evening a little before night , and that they took it down , and buried it then , that it might not remain on the crosse upon the sabbath day : to which saint luke addes this as a corollary ; n and that day was the preparation , and the sabbath drew on , and the women also which came with him from galilee followed after , and beheld the sepulehre , and how his body was laid : & they returned , and prepared spices and ointments , and rested the sabbath day according to the commandement . and when the sabbath was past ( writes o st mark ) mary magdalene , and mary the mother of james and salome had bought sweet spices , that they might come and anoint him : and very early in the morning , the first day of the week , they came unto the sepulchre , at the rising of the sunne , as it began to down ( saith p saint matthew ) whiles it was yet dark , ( writes q saint john ) and they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre : by all which it appears , that the sabbath begun and concluded at evening . for first , saint luke saith , the sabbath drew on ; when christ was taken down from the crosse about the evening , implying that it was then almost ready to begin . secondly , they took him down them , because he should not hang upon the crosse any part of the sabbath . thirdly , the women shortly after their return from his buriall began their sabbath dayes rest . fourthly , the sabbath was past , the first day begun , and our saviour risen , before the women came to his sepulchre : yet they came thither at day-dawning ; whiles it was dark : and their apparelling themselves , their buying of spices , and coming from their houses or lodgings to the sepulchre ( all after the sabbath was fully ended ) would take them up some hours time perchance , or more . it is apparent therefore by all these particulars , that the sabbath even in the evangelists account , both at and after our saviours passion and resurrection , commenced and ended at evening : so that saint r matthews ; in the end of the sabbath , as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week : ( which some object to the contrary , as if the sabbath then ended not till the morning ) must be interpreted by saint ſ marks ; after the sabbath was ended ; and the other t evangelists , on the first day of the week ( that being the true sence and scope of his words ; ) else christ , in his account did rise again upon the seventh-day sabbath , not on the first day of the week : and so by consequence , upon the second , not the third day after his passion ; which is directly contrary to all the other evangelists , and scriptures , to the article of our creed , and to christs own predictions of his rising again the third day , recorded thrice by saint matthew himself , mat. 12. 40. c. 16. 21. c. 27. 63 , 64. which he would never contradict in the history of his resurrection . fifthly it is certain by the constant practise of the jewish church , who both before and since christs time ( even to this present day ) did ever begin and end their sabbath at evening . witnesse josephus that famous jewish historian , contra apionem l 1. c 833. hierom comment . in jonam , c. 2. tom. 5. p. 137. eusebius de praeparat . evangel l. 8. c. 2. tom. 1. p. 141. s. augustine de tempore serm. 251. chrysostome , homil. 4. in genes . tom. 1. col. 26. b. hom. 62. in matth. tom. 2. col. 559. b. anastatius sinaita , anagogicarum contemplationum . he●am . l 2 & questio , 152. 153. eibl. patrum . tom. 6. pars , 1. p. 634. e. 794 , 795. hospinian de o●igine festorum , fol. 31. 72. b. 68 , 69. 161 , 162. marlorat in matth. 28. v. 1. joseph scaliger , de emendatione temporis , l. 92. & 6. p 119. 532 , 533. god win his jewish antiquities , ● 3. c. c. 3. p. 131. ainsworth , his annotations on genesis 1. v. 5. levit. 22 32. together with most ancient and modern commentators upon gen. 1. 5. 9. 13. levit. 23. 32. exod. 12. 18. matth. 12. 40. c. 16. 21. c. 28. 1. mark 16. 1 , 2 , 9. luke 23 54 , 55 , 56. c. 24. 1. john 20. 1. acts 10. 40. 1 cor. 15. 5. with those authours quoted in my histriomastrix . p. 643 , 644. and u others in the margent : who all subscribe with one consent , that the seventh day sabbath , ( and all other dayes else ) in the scripture and jewish account , did ever begin and determine at evening ; this second conclusion therefore , is past all question . for the third ; that the same first day of the week , on which our saviour rose again , began at evening in divine computation : it is most certain . 1. because all dayes in scripture account did then begin , as the premises evidence : therefore this day too . secondly , because that seventh day sabbath , on which our saviour rested in his grave , began and end●d at evening : as is clear by matthew 28. 1. compared with levit. 23 32. and other fore quoted scriptures : by the joynt attestation of all divines and expositors on these scriptures : and by the second conclusion : therefore it must necessarily begin at evening , when this sabbath ended : else the evening may and night between the end of the sabbath , and our s●viours resurrection should be part of no day at all ( like that of job , job 3. 3 , 6. being no parcell of the sabbath , nor yet of that first day of the week on which christ arose ) which can-not be . thirdly , all the evangelists with one consent , record , that our saviour rose again upon the first day of the week , very early in the morning , whiles it was dark , before the women came to his sepulchre , and after the sabbath was past . mark 16. 1 , 2 , 9. matth. 28. 1 , 2. luke 23 56 c. 24. 1 , 2. john 20. 1 , 2. the chief reason alledged by all ( especia●ly by our opposites in this controversie ) why christians solemnize this day as their sabbath . if then he arose upon the first day , the day was certainly begun some space before his resurrection ; else he must rise with it , or before it , not upon it . neither did or could this day-begin at morning , day-dawning , or sun-rising in divine compute , because our savior was risen , and the women were come to the grave before that time , as these texts affirm ; and yet then the x sabbath was past , and this first day begun ; which could not be if the day commenced not before the morning ; ( begining but at break of day , or sun-rising : ) n●ither did it begin at midnight , because the scripture , jews , and ecclesiasticall writers know no such naturall or divine incep●ion of the day ; therefore questionlesse it began at evening ; as the generality of expositors on these texts acknowledge , it being the true time of the dayes inchoation in divine accompt . fourthly , mat. 12. 4 c. 16. 21. c. 27. 63. mark 8. 31. c. 14 58. luke 13. 32. hosea 6. 2. acts 10. 40. 1 cor. 15. 4. and all our creeds assure us , that our saviour rose again the third day from his passion : which he predicting to his disciples , useth this expression , matth 27. 63. and mark 8. 31. after three dayes ( that is , after the beginning of three dayes , or of the third day from my passion , not after three dayes ended , for then he had risen again upon the fourth day , not the third ) i will rise again : which phrase ( being all one in sense with , upon the third day i will rise again , as appears by matth. 16. 21. ) implies that a good part of the third d●y on which he arose , should be past before his rising , which could not be , had the day b●gun just at morning or midnight , not at evening ; he being risen very early , whiles it was dark , john 20. 1 , 2. the question then for the clearing of this article of christs resurrection upon the third day , will be onely this ; what is meant here by three days ? how these dayes are and ought to be computed ? and from what time they did begin ? to which all y ancient & modern divines , who have commented on the evangelists , or written of christs resurrection , reply with one accord . 1. that by three dayes in these scriptures is meant , not three intire dayes , ( for christ lay not three whole dayes in his grave ) but one whole day and a part of two other dayes , ) but part to wit part of the sixth day whereon he was crucified ; the whole sabbath day following it , and the evening or night which was part of the first day whereon he arose . 2. that these dayes must be thus computed , and did thus begin and end . the first of th●m being our good friday ) began at evening and ended at evening , shortly after our saviour was taken down from his crosse and intombed . the second of them ( being the 7th day sabbath ) began and ended at evening ; all which day christ rested , and kept a sabbath in his grave . the third day ( the jews first day , & our lords-day ) began at even , when the sabbath concluded , and ended the evening following , a little after our saviours appearance to his disciples , john 20. 19. by which calculation , our saviour lay part of the first , the whole second , and a good part of the third day in his grave , ( to wit , the evening and greatest part of the night ) and so well nigh half the third day , was past before his resurrection ; so that he might well be said to rise again the the third day ; and by a synechdoche membri , to lie three dayes in his grave , and z after three dayes , ( that is , after the beginning of three dayes , the latter part of the third day being included , and the forepart onely excluded in this phrase of speech ) to rise again : which he could not be properly said to do , had this third day , begun at morning , he being risen again when it was dark john 20. 1. matth. 28. 1 , 2. and so upon the second day ; before not on or after the third day , in this strange accompt , which no divine in this particular of christs resurrection ever followed ; all of them joyntly resolving , that the third day on which our saviour arose , and the two preceding dayes , according to divine computation , began and ended at evening . wherefore this third conclusion , even by the unanimous consent of all men , is indubitable , and quite overturns our antagonists foundation for the lords dayes inc●ption in the morning , to wit , that christs resurrection in the morning , did translate the beginning of this first day , from evening to morning ; which is but a grosse mistake , directly contrary to all the recited scriptures , the resolution of all judicious divines , and writers in all ages , as i shall anon more fully manifest in its proper place . for the fourth , that this beginning and concluding of dayes at evening is immutable ( i mean in divine respects , not of civill ; ) it is most clear for these ensuing reasons . first , because it is that bound which god himself ( the a lord of times , and ancient of dayes ) hath prescribed them , both by his word , his works , and own divine calculation , as the three foregoing conclusions evidence : and what god himself hath thus limited and prefixed , cannot be altered but by himself alone ( who never changed this beginning or period of dayes for ought appears in scripture ) eccles 3. 14. jer. 31. 35 , 36. c. 33. 20 , 21. secondly , because it is that termination of days wch god himself instituted at the very creation , whenas he prefixed such limits to days & times , as were to contiue in all succeeding ages , till time should be no more , witnesse gen. 1. 2 , 3 , 5 , 8 , 13 , to 20. 23. 31. where god made darknesse to precede the light , the evening antecedent to the morning , and to begin the day ; the evening and the morning , ( not the morning , and the evening , i mean in point of priority ) making the first seven days , and so by consequence all succeeding dayes ; the dayes and weeks being now the same , and of the same dimension , as they were at the creation ; and therefore retain the self same beginning and end now , as god designed to them then ; and that by a natura ; unchangeable ordinance . for god at the creation ordained the sunne , the moon , and starres , to rule over the day and night ; to divide the light from the darknes , ( that is , to bound out the day and night ) to be for signs and for seasons , and for dayes and years : gen. 1. 14. to 19. psal. 136. 6 , 7 , 8. psal. 104. 19. and that so long as the world should endure , or the sun and moon have a being . witnesse gen. 8. 22 while the earth remaineth , seed time , and ha●vest , and cold and heat , and summer and winter , and day and night shall not cease : that is , they shall observe the bounds and times that i have pr●scribed them at the creation , without any alteration . jer. 31 , 35 , 36. and c. 33. 20. 21. makes this m●st clear . thus saith the lord , which giveth the sun for a light by day , and the ordinances of the moon and of the starres , for a light by night : if these ordinances depart from before me , or if you can break my covenant of the day and of the night , that there shall not be day and night in their season ( that is , at the time which i appointed at the creation ) then also might my covenant be broken with david my servant . which texts do fully evince the beginning , end of dayes , and limits of time instituted at the creation , to be unalterable so long as the world remains : which is likewise backed by psal. 74. 16 , 17. ps. 72. 57. ps. 104. 19. ps. 121. 6. ps. 136. 9 , and 148 3 , 5 , 6. the day is thine , the night also is thine , thou hast prepared the light and the sunne , thou hast made summer and winter . he appointeth the moon for seasons , the sunknoweth his going down : thou makest darknesse , and it is night . praise him sun and moon , praise him all ye starres of light , for he commanded and they were created , he hath also established them for ever and ever , he hath made a decree which shall not passe . from all which scriptures it is infallible , that god at the creation fixed immutable limits to dayes and times , both for their beginning , end , length , which shall and must continue the same for ever ; ( the dayes , weeks moneths and years , being of the same extent for the present , as they were at the beginning ) therefore the inception and ending of the day at evening , being settled at the creation , doth and must remain unalterable . thirdly , this inchoa●ion and conclusion of the day at evening , is ratified by the fourth commandement , a morall and perpetuall precept , founded on the very course and l●w of nature at the creation , as most assert , gen. 2. 1 , 2. 3. for this commandement enjoyning men , b to keep holy the sabbath day , to do no manner of work upon it , and to labour six dayes , and do all their wor● : for in six dayes the lord made heaven and earth , the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day : wherefore the lord blessed he sabbath day , and hallowed it : doth her● in apparently confirm for ever , the beginning , ●nd , and limits bo●h of dayes and weeks , as they were ●●ttled at the creation . for this precept having a retrospect to gods six dayes work , and his seventh dayes rest , when he created the world ; and enjoyning men to work six dayes , to rest the seventh day , and keep it holy , as god did then ; doth apparantly intimate , that these foresaid seven dayes , were as so many royall standards of time , by which all subsequent dayes and weeks must be measured : which must begin , end , and have the same dimen●ions , with that originall week , and those first seven dayes . wherefore since they began and ended at evening then , as i have proved : all other dayes likewise must do so , by vertue of this command . the rather , because it prescribes men , to finish all their work in six dayes , and then to begin their rest , when their work ends , as god did his : but their six dayes work usually c ends at evening ; therefore their six days also should then d●termine , and their sabbath or seven dayes r●st begin ; and so by consequence all the six dayes , the sabbath day , and so all dayes ( for ever ) should commence and end at evening , so long as this commandement is in being , or dayes and weeks shall last . fourthlv , the beginning of dayes must needs be immutable , because the alteration of it from evening to morning , or midnight ( which thwarts the scripture computation ) would falsisie , corrupt many passages and texts of scripture ; call into question the truh of our saviours resurrection on the third day ; and somewhat alter the scripture chronology , which is most exact and punctuall ; neither of which are sufferable by god or christians . lastly , this beginning and close of dayes , hath an influence into gods worship : who as he hath prescribed men , how ; so likewise , when to worship him : to wit , especially on the sabbath , which he hath appropriated to himself ; stiling it , his own sabbath , and holy day , exod. 16. 23 , 25. levit. 23. 3. deut. 5. 14. neh. c. 14. isa. 58. 13. exod. 20. 10 , c. 31 , 16. the sanctification therefore of the sabbath being a part of gods worship , and the sabbath his own peculiar day ; * which most hold , christ and his apostles , and the primitive christians by gods warrant translated to the lords day ) that beginning and limits of it , which god hath fixed , must not be changed but by god ; because it would alter both gods day and worship too . to prevent which inconvenience , god hath given not onely generall commands to sanctifie this day , but likewise a speciall precept to begin and end it at even , levit. 23. 32. from even to even you shall celebrate your sabbath : there being no such particular precept given for the limits of other dayes , ( which are bounded out in more generall termes ) it being both dangerous and absurd , to leave the inception , or bounds of the sabbath arbitrary unto men , to begin and end it when they please ; the day being gods not theirs ; the sanctification thereof , a speciall part of his service , which men have no power to alter or diminish : and whatsoever in god● service is not of faith ( warrantted or prescribed by his word ) being sinne and will-worship , rom. 14. 23. col. 2. 18. 20 , 21 , 22 , 23. from all which i may safely affirm ; that this beginning and ending of dayes at even ( especially of the sabbath day ) is immutable , and so my fourth conclusion undeniable . for the fifth ; that christs resurrection in the morning did no wayes alter the beginning or end of dayes , nor yet translate the inception of that day whereon he arose , from evening to morning ; it is unquestionable . first , because this commencement and conclusion of dayes at evening , is immutable ; as i have manifested in in the fourth conclusion , therefore not altered by christ● resurrection . secondly , because christs passion and resurrection abolished or changed nothing , but that which was typicall and ceremoniall : witnesse gal. 4. 9 , 10 , 11. col. 2. 14. to 22. acts 15. 24. 28 , 29. heb. 9. 10 , 11. c. 10. 1. 2 , 9. with the unanimous suffrage of all divine● . but the beginning and end of dayes at even ; was no wayes typicall or ceremoniall , but rather naturall and morall , being instituted at the creation , ratified by the fourth commandement , and immutably fixed for ever , as the premise● testifie . therefore it was not abolished , or translated by christs resurrection or passion from evening to morning . thirdly , christ abrogated or changed nothing , but what was necessary to be abolished or altered upon warrantable reasons and substantiall grounds : see heb. 8. 6 , 7 , 8. c. 9. 9. to 16. c. 10. 1. to , 11. col. 2. 16 , 17 , 22 , 23. ephes. 2. 15. gal. 5. 1. to 7. acts 15. 10. 28. but there was no necessity , reason , cause , or ground at all , of altering this begining and end of dayes at evening : therefore christs resurrection did not alter or abolish it . fourthly , the alteration , limitation , of times , dayes , and seasons , is a peculiar prerogative of god the father , reserved in his own power , not in christs , as is manifest by acts 1. 7. matth. 24. 36. mark 13. 32. levit. 23. 2. &c. psal. 118. 23 , 24. exod. 13. 2 , 3 , 6 , 14. exod. 20. 1 , 8 , 10 , 11. compared with daniel 2. 20 , 21. psal. 74. 16 , 17. jer. 33. 20. c. 31. 35. psal. 136 1. 7 , 8 , 9. upon which priviledge royall none anciently durst encroach , but that presumptuous horn , typifying the papacy . dan. 7. 25. christ therefore by his bare resurrection made no such alteration of the dayes inchoation , having no speciall commission from his father so to do . fifthly , there is not one word or sillable in all the scripture , which either affirms or intimates , that christs resurrection made any mutation of the beginning or end of dayes , neither can any man produce one substantiall reason , grounded on scripture , why christs resurrection should cause such a change as this : or why his resurrection should do it , rather than his nativity , passion , or ascension . therefore i may saf●ly conclude , that it made no such change untill the contrary can be proved . sixthly , the scripture is expresse , that christs resurr●ction did no wayes change either the order , name , or nature of that day whereon he aros● . for all the evangelists speaking of it as christs resurrection day in their histories of the resurrection ( penned some space after it ) ever stile it , the first day of the week , math. 28. 1. mark 16. 29. luke 24. 1. john 20. 1. 19. the very name that was given it at the creation , gen. 1. 5. which was still retained after our saviours resurrection and ascension : acts 20. 7. 1 cor. 16. 2. having no other title at all imposed on it but this in scripture . ( that of revel. 1. 10. to wit , the title of lords-day , being applyed by some to the seventh day sabbath ; by others , ●o d easter day onely : yet by * most to the lords-day ) for ought that certainly appears . which name implies , that it continued the same after christs resurrection , as before ; the first day of the week , for number , order ; beginning the week as afore ; and so by consequence commencing at evening as before ; it being the same in name , in order , in nature ( though not in use and observation amongst christians ) as it was at the creation : therefore the same in its inception too , and so not altered from evening to morning . seventhly that very first day on which christ arose in scripture and divine account began and ended at evening ( not at morning or midnight ) as i have undeniably proved at large in the third conclusion : christs resurrection therefore , did no wayes alter or translate the beginning of it from morning to evening , as some f●lsely affirm , but never prove : and if it made no such mu●ation of the beginning and end of that same first day on which he arose ; much lesse then of any other that succeeded it , or of the other week dayes on which he did not rise again . christs resurrection did not actually translate the beginning of that first day on which he arosegain from evening to morning : for had that day begun at morning , just at or from the time which he arose ( 〈◊〉 some pretend ) then he had not risen again upon the third , but on the second day from his passion ; which directly oppugnes the e scripture , and the article of our creed , that he rose again the third day from the dead , not the second . to make this reason evident . the morning of this first day began not till day breaking , or day-light : and if this first day began then too , christ certainly did not , could not rise upon it , but before it , and so on the second day : for the women came to the sepulchre when it was yet dark ( before day-light appeared , or the f day began in this accompt ) and yet christ was then risen : john 20. 1 , 2. therefore before the day began in this computation . and if they will begin it from the time that christ arose , since christs resurrection was the cause ( as they sayd ) of this its new inception , or the terminus à q●o , from whence it began ; they still sti●k fast in the same mir● . for if christs resurrection changed the commencement of this day , he must be actually risen ere this change could be made , since the cause must necessarily precede the effect ; which must begin from and after it , not before , or with it ; and if the moment of christs resurrection was the terminus whence this day began ( as they affirm ; ) his resurrection must needs precede the day , that point of time , from whence the day begins being exclusive , as precedent to it , not inclusive , as any part or parcell of it : and so christ must necessarily rise , before this first day ( to wit , upon the sabbath or second day ) not upon or g after it began ; and so , not upon the third , or first day of the week , as the scripture affirms : and by consequence not upon that lords-day which they solemnize , from morning to morning , in memory of his resurrection on it ; which by their own reasoning ●nd computation was before it , not upon it . all which considered , i may undoubtedly conclude , that christs resurrection did no way●s alter the beginning or end of dayes , ( no not of that first day on which he arose ) from morning to evening : so that this last conclusion is infa●lib● . these five conclusions being thus premised , and i hope undeniably proved ; i shall now deduce five unanswerable arguments from them to prove , that the lords-day , doth and ought of right to begin and end at evening ; not at morning or midnight . 1. if all dayes in scripture and divine account do alwayes begin and end at evening ( not at morning or midnight ) then the lords-day ( being the first day of the week , and included in the universality of dayes ) must do so too : but all dayes in scripture and divine computation , do alwayes begin and end at evening , ( not morning or midnight ) as the first conclusion mani●ests . therefore the lords-day doth so too . 2. if the seventh day sabbath in scripture account did alway commence and determine at evening , and the jews did ever solemnise it from evening to evening ; then the lords-day ( which succeeds it , and begins when the sabbath ends ) must then begin and conclude ; seeing all the week-dayes are of the self-same length , and must have the same inception and conclusion : & since this sabbath was thus solemnized long after our saviours resurrection by the apostles , jews , and christians too . matth. 24. . 20. acts 13 , 14 , 27. 42. c. 14. 1. c. 15. 20 , 21 c. 17. 1 , 2 , 10. c. 18. 4. but the seventh day sabbath in scripture calculation did alwayes commence and determine at evening , and the h jews did ever solemnize it from evening to evening ; as the second conclusion testifies : therefore the lords day must then begin and conclude . 3. if that very first day of the week whereon our saviour rose again , began and ended at evening in divine accompt , even as it was his resurrection day : then the lords day ( kept in memory of his resurrection on that day ) being the self same day of the week , and having the self same limits as that day had ; must then begin and end likewise . but that very first day of the week , whereon our saviour rose again began and ended at evening in divine compute , even as it was his resurrection day : therefore the lords day in respect of its weekly observation and solemnization in memory of our savlours resurrection on it , must commence ●nd detemine at evening too . the s●quel is u●deniable ; the minor is fully proved in the third conclusion ; so the argument is unanswerable . 4. this beginning and determination of dayes at evening be naturall and immutable , therefore the lords day must have , can have , no other inception or conclusion , but at evening . 5. i christs resurrection in the morning did no ways alter the beginning or end of dayes , nor yet translate the beginning of that day whereon he arose , from evening to morning ; then we ought to make no such alteration ; ( for that were to be wiser than christ , yea to usurp gods speciall prerogative , to alter times , dan. 2. 20 , 21. c. 7. 25. ) & so must keep the lords-day from evening to evening , not from morning to morning , or from midnight to midnight . but christs resurrection in the morning , did no wayes alter the beginning and end of dayes ; nor yet translate the beginning of that day whereon he arose from evening to morning ; therefore the lords-day ought to be kept from evening to e●vening , not from morning to morning , or midnight to midnight . what can be truly and substantially replyed to these five arguments , i cannot conjecture , they being of sufficient weight to oversway the ballance of this controversie . now to clear this truth more fully ; i shall to these five arguments , accumulate ten reasons more , proving , that the sabbath , and lords day , ought to begin at evening . first , because this inception of the sabbath and lords day , is most suitable to the nature of these dayes . for the sabbath being nothing else in proper speech , but a day of rest , and being oft times stiled in scripture a sabbath of rest , exod. 16. 23. c. 23. 12. c. 31. 15. c 34. 21. c. 35. 2 , levi. 16. 31. c. 23. 3. 32. c. 15. c. 25. 21. c. 34. 21. deut. 5. 14. ( both man and beast being enjoyned to rest from their labours on this day : ) it is most agreeable to reason , and the equality of the day , that this resting day should begin at evening , when men naturally and customarily begin their rest , and end their labours : rather than at morning , when they commonly begin their work ; or at midnight , when as they are in the mid●est of their rest and sl●ep . for when can a day of rest so aptly commence , as when men begin their rest ? their resting on it from other labors , being one part of the solemn zation of it ? this therefore being the fittest time to begin the day ; no doubt , but god ( who doth all things wisely and in the * aptest season ) hath ordered that it should then commence , ( ●s i have manifested in the foregoing conclusions ) it being most proportionable to the nature of the day . secondly , this commencement is most agreeable to gods own example , and to the fourth commandement : for god began his seven dayes rest , i so soon as ever he ceased from his six dayes works of creation , gen. 2. 1 , 2. 3. exod. 20. 9 , 10. yea the fourth commandement prescribing us to labour six dayes , and to do all our work , and to rest the seventh day ; implies , that we should b●gin our sabbath dayes rest , when as we finish our six dayes wo●k : and that is at evening , not at morning or midnight . therefore we should then commence our sanctification of it , and rest upon it . thirdly , this beginning of the sabbath and lords-day , is every way best for men , as most consonant to the course of nature , and their common practise , for men naturally and customarily ( and that by gods own appointment , and the scriptures approbation ) end their weekday labours at evening and b●gin their rest at k or night , witnes ps. 124. 22 , 23. the sun ariseth man goeth forth unto his work , and to his labour untill the evening , john 9. 4. i must work the works of him that sent me , whiles it is called to day , the night cometh when no man can work , judg 19. 16. behold there came an old man from his work out of the field at evening , z●ph . 2. 7 in the houses of askelon they shal lie down in the evening , 1 thess. 5. 7 those that sleep , sleep in the night , together with gen. 19. 1 , 2. exod. 18 14. gen. 2● . 11. numb 29. 19. levit. 19. 13. n●b 4. 21 judg. 19. 4. 11. eccle● 2. 23 num 22 : 21. judg. 9. 33. c. 20. 19. c. 19. 8. hos. 7. 6. is . 5. 11. whereas as by a natural insti●ct , and gods command they usually begin their work in the morning , not their rest , as is evid●nt by eccles 11. 6. in the morning sow thy seed , mat. 20. 1 , 2 , 3. the kingdome of heaven is like to a man that is an housholder , which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard , and by gen. 19. 15 c. 28. 24. 54 44. 3. exod. 20. 1. c. 18. 14. judg. 20. 19. ruth 3. 13 , 14. psal. ● 27. 2. 1 chron. 23 30. mat. 27. 1. psal. 104. 22. 23 now the sabbath being a day of rest from labour , and being likewise made for man , no●man for it . mark . 2 27. and men naturally and ustomarily in all ages , all ●l●ces , by gods own ordination , determining their weekly labours , and beginning their rest at evening ; it is most fit , mo●● proper , and convenient , in respect of men , and this their naturall use , that the sabbath , and lords day should begin at evening , when as they voluntarily and naturally ce●se their secular labours , and devote themselves to r●st . but most unsuitable and inconvenient to begin it in the morning , the time when work begins , or at midnight , when half their rest is past . neither is this reason to be sl●ighted ; for all things being made l for man , and the sabbath too , no doubt but god did accommodate and suit them in such manner , as should be most commodious and convenient for men , and most consonant to the naturall course of their affairs . this inchoation therefore of the sabbath and lords-day , being most proportionable to the naturall order of mens working , and rest ( and so the more easie and possible to be observed by them ) is no doubt the truest , the properest of all others ; and therefore ought to be embraced . 4. that the beginning of the sabbath , and lord-day which is easiest for christians to observe , and doth best of all begin the sanctification of them , is questionlesse , the best , the tru●st : but this beginning them at evening is such : 1. because men then naturally end their worldly imployments , and begin their rest , ●ven of their own accord without constraint : and what so easie , as that which is naturally and voluntary ? 2. because all men that have any religion or shew of christianity in them , do then constantly fall to their private devotions and family duties , the evening being a fit time for holy meditations , prayers , and religious exercises , gen. 24. 63. 1 chron. 16. 14. 2 chron. 13. 11. psal. 55. 47. psal. 65. 8 dan. 9. 21. now what time so fit to begin the sabbath and lords-day ( appropriated n wholly to gods worship ) as that whereon most christians voluntarily and constantly apply themselves unto his immediate service in their closets or in their familie devotions ? 3. these dayes are dayes of o holynesse , and being such , ought alwayes to begin and end with holy duties . every christian will grant it fitting and convenient , if not necessary , that the lords day should be begun and ended with private , and continued with holy , publick exercises , suitable to the day . which being so , if it should begin and end at midnight , what christians usually do , or can conveniently begin & end it thus ? they being then at rest yea * fast asleep in their beds , & that by the course of nature , and gods own appointment , without any sinne at all , 1 thes. 5. 7. mat. 25. 5 , 6. c. 26. 45. and for men to be tied to rise up at midnight , or to sit up til then , to begin then the lords-day , with holy duties , what an inconvenience & burthen would it be ? again if it should begin and determine at morning , so soon as day-light begins ; how many christians are then up through the whole year on lords-day mornings , and the mornings following , to commence and conclude it with holy duties ? yea what a vexation , and trouble would it be ( especially to aged and sickly persons ) to rise every lords day , and monday at day-dawning , or some space before , to begin and close it with meditations , prayers , praises , devotions ? certainly if the lords-day should commence and end either at morning or midnight , and christians were tied in * point of conscience , to begin and conclude it with holy exercises , most men would grow weary of observing it , and cast off the sanctification of it as an intollerable burthen . but now if we begin and end it at evening ( when every man is up , and ends his labours , and goes unto his private devotions and familiar duties of his * own accord , and then enjoy this rest as on other evenings ) how easily and conveniently without any toyl or inconvenience may all sorts of men begin and conclude it in an holy manner , without any disturbance of their na●ural sleep , or endangering their health ? and how sweetly , how comfortably may they embrace the inception , and take their farewel of the conclusion of it ? with what delight , pleasure , ease & conuenience , may they sanctifie it : this beginning and ending therefore of the sabbath and lords-day , being the easiest of all others , the best for all christians to take hold of without any pain or inconvenience ; the best for the true , & pious commencement and conclusion of these dayes with holinesse and devotion , is undoubtedly that which godhimself hath instituted , and all christians must retain ; this being one main cause why god commanded the jews to sanctifie their sabbath , and keep their festivalls from evening to evening ; lev. 23. 32. exod. 12. 18. because the evening in all the foreuamed respects , was most convenient and proper , to begin and end all sacred dayes . 5. the lords-day ( as all of the contrary opinion acknowledge ) is substituted in the place of the seventh day sabbath , in memoriall of our sauiours resurrection upon it : but that sabbath ( as the premises evidence ) began and concluded at evening : therefore the lords-day should do so too , it being but the ancient weekly sabbath transl●ted to another day ; and there being no preceptnor president in scripture , to begin the sabbath or lords-day at morning or midnight ; but both precepts and examples to commence and end it at evening , as the foregoing conclusions prove . the rather because it is confessed by all my opposites in opinion ; that the lords-day succeedeth the seventh day sabbath , & is to be weekly , wholly & intirely consecrated to gods publick and private worship ; and that by the very equity and morality of the fourth commandement . which is the received opinion not onely of most of our own writers , who have written of the sabbath or lords-day , and commented on the fourth commandement by learned henry bullinger , decad. 2. c. 4. joannes pappus enar . in isaiam c. 58. and very many of the learnedest protestant writers in forreign parts , quoted by learned wallaeus in his disputatio de sabbato , to which i refer the reader for fuller satisfaction ; but likewise of the learnedest popish schoolmen , commentators , and writers of all sorts ; as namely of peter lombard lib. 3. sententiarum : distinctio 37. richardus de media villa , joannes scotus , henricus de veru-maria , christopherus , silvestranus , gulielmus estius and others in lib. 3. sententiarum . distinct . 37. dionysius carthusianus , in lib 3. sententiarum . distinct . 37. & in fxod enarratio c. 20. where he thus writes . memento ut diem sabbati sanctifices , id est , in sanctis operibus diem illum expendas , & divino cultui arplicas eum : per quod & nunc diei dominici jvbetvr cellebritas . bonaventura in lib. 3. sentent . distinct . 37. sermones de decem praeceptis . sermon . 4. operum , tom. 7. p. 8. & speculum animae c. 2. ibid. p. 35. where he determines thus . per hoc autem in lege nostra dominica intelligitur observatio siquidem diei dominici e●t de jvre divino , scilicet praeceptum divinvm , ut habetur in exodo : memento ut diem sabbati sanctifices , &c. sancti raymundi lumina . lib. 1. tit. de feriis ac festis , p. 110. 111. acutè thomas aquinas in lib. 3. sentent . distinct . 37. artic. 5. & 2. quaest. 122. artic. 4. with all his fo●lowers on these places . hugo cardinalis comment in exod. ●0 . tostatus abulensis in exod. 20. qu. 11 , 12 , 13. ( an exc●llent pregnant discourse to this purpose ) and in 1. regum tom. 1. p. 128. joannes gerson compendium theologiae in 3. praeceptum operum tom 2. p. 56. astensis summa lib. 1. tit. 22. de observantia sabbati , ang●lus de clavatio , summa angelica . tit. praeceptum sect. 2 , 3 , 7. bernardinus senensis . sermo . 10. de observantia sabbati , ( an excellent , full , pious discourse ) paulus de sancta ma●ia , sc●utiniun : scripturarum , pars 1. distinct . 8. c. 14. antonius cadubi●nsis quastionarii lib 1 qu 5. jacobus de valentia adversus judaeos . qu. 2. soto , de justitia & jure , lib. 2. qu. 3. art. 5 qu. 4 domincus bannes 2a secundae qu. 44. artic. 1. didacus stella comment in luc. c. 14. couarruinas , resolutionum lib. 4. c 19. conclus . 4. & 5. joannis nyder , as also michael marspurgiensis in 3. praeceptum . enchiridion christianae institutionis , set forth by the whole council of colen , an. 1536 in 3. praeceptum . f. 270. to 276. hector pintus : comment. in isaiam cap. 56. & in ezech. cap. 20. ambrosius . catherinus enar. in genesis c. 2. p. 122 , 123. petrus binsfeldius enchiridion theologiae pastoralis pars 3. c. 10. p. 320. cardinal bellarmin , de cultu sanctorum , lib. 3. c. 11. azorius the jesuit . instit. moralium pars 2. lib. 1. c. 2. lorinus comment . in deut. c. 5 p. 222 , 223 , 224. petrus vincentius de marzilla , annotatio in exod. c. 20. annot. 3. p. 249. corne●ius à lapide comment. in deut. 5. p. 975. leonardus marius comment . in exod. c. 20. num. 47. p. 504. vincentius filiucius . moralium quaestionum . tom. 2 in 3. praecepium deoalogi c. 1. sect. 7. to 11 p. 250. &c. 2. p. 251. ludovicus ystella comment . in exod. 20. p. 124. to whom i shall annex our own irresragable english doctors , alexander alensis , summa theologie pars 3. qu. 32. memb. 2. nicholaus de lyra , a converted english jew , comment . in exod. 20. john peelham archbishop of canterbury , and william lyndwood constit . provincialium . lib. 1. de officio archiepresbyteri , f. 40. 41. thomas waldensis ; doctrinale fidei tom. 3. tit. 16. c. 140. de celebrando festivè , diem dominicum sine mundanis operibus . the flower of the commandements of god on the third commandement . dives & paurer on the third commandement , c. 11. f. 120. printed in times of popery : all of them resolving , the fourth commandement to be morall still in force , obliging all christians under the gospel to the weekly observation and sanctification of the intire lords-day , that totvs ille dies tvtaliter divino cvltvi applicandvs est ; & nihil aliud agendum nisi deo vacandum : and that because dies integer , & sabbatum totum cultui divino sacratur : not two or three hours of it onely devoted to the publick exercise of gods worship in the church as some new * doctors assent ; who allot the rest to sports , pastimes , and wordly labours or affairs ; being more lic●ntious and prophane than papists in this point , who are generally as strict as the greatest puritane writers in their doctrines , for their intire sanctification of the lords day ; and against the use of all ordinary labours , sports , pastimes , dancing , enterludes , and carnall pleasures on it or any part thereof , even from evening to evening , when they begin and end it . now if the lords-day it self , be thus to be sanctified and solemnized by christiaans , even by the equity and morality of the fourth commaudement it self , literally commencing onely the sanctification of the seuenth day sabbath , which began and ended alwayes at evening . then it must by the very equity and morality of the sourth commandement , be sanctified and solemnized by christians from evening to evening , as the seventh dae sabbath was , both by jews and christians , heretofore by vertue of this precept , which reason our opposites can no wayes evade . 6. our opposites themselves , apply all texts and precepts in the old testament , for the sanctification of the seuenth day sabbath unto the lords-day sabbath , as being all one with it in substance . why then should they or any other , reject that text of levit. 23. 32. from even to even ye shall celebrate your sabbath . refuse the usuall scripture computation of the beginning and ending all dayes , all festivalls at evening ; and affix a new incep●ion or ●nd to the lord-day ( and all other dayes too ) at morning or midnight , which the sacred writ doth no wayes warrant : as therefore they apply most other things concerning the seventh day sabbath to the lords day , so must they now the time and texts for its beginning too , unlesse they can give good scripture reasons for it , which no man can do . 7. the beginning of the lords-day and sabbath at evening , as soon as the sun sets , or the evening-star begins to shine , as it is most certain , ( whereas the beginning of it from the hour or moment of christs resurrection , which is not certainly known nor expressed by the evangelists , is arbitrary and uncertain , and so not to be embraced : ) so is it m●st consonant to that rest or sabbath in heaven , of which these sabbaths are a reall type . heb. 4. to 11. for our heavenly sabbath ever begins in the very evening , and sunset of our dayes , when death puts a period to them , rev 14. 13. job 3. 17 , 18. or at least at the evening and period of this world , when dayes shal be no longer , rev. 10. 6 , 7. therefore by the analogy of the type to the substance , those sabbaths should begin at evening too , when the day-light ends : the rather , because the evening usually puts an end to our labours , and begins our ordinary rest , as death ( the evening of our dayes ) concludes our earthly toyls and travels , and commenceth our heavenly rest , rev. 14. 13. 8. this beginning of the sabbath and lords day at evening , doth best prepare men for the sanctification and duties of it , and most of all prevent the profanation of it . for first it makes men to put a timely period to their weekly labours on saturday evening , and then to begin the sanctification of it with private meditations , prayer , singing of psalms , reading the scriptures , catcchifing of their children , and families , examination of their own hearts and wayes , and such like holy duties : where as the doctrines of its beginning at midnight or morning light ( as wofull evperience witnesseth ) makes many spend a great part of the satturday evening and night , ( when the sabbath and lords-day begin in true calculation ) especially in cities and market towns , in buying , selling , drinking , gaming , who●ing , and such like worldly or carnall imployments ; which this doctrine of its commencement at evening would easily redresse . 2. it causeth men to go to bed , and take their rest in due season , to rise the more early in the morning , to come to the publick duties of gods worship , with greater chearfulnesse , and better preparation , and so to receive more profit by them : to resort more timely to the church , to dispatch their own private devotions , before they go to the publick assemblies , and to be every way more holy and active : wheras the other midnight or morning inception of it , makes trades men & others to set up saturday nights ( as we erroneously both call and repute them , very late about secular , or vi●ious , sinfull imployments ( there being more sinnes for the most part , and disordrs committed that evening and night , then on any , or all the other six : to lie long in bed the lords day morning ; to come very late to church , or not at all ; to repair to publick duties without any , ( or at least with small ) preparation , bringing along with them heads , and hearts full of worldly cares , of sinfull thoughts , of unlamented iniquities , and as full of deadnesse , and drowsinesse ; which makes them either to sleep out prayers and sermons too , or not to observe and mind them , as they ought : all which the evening , beginning thereof would readily & best prevent . wherfore i may safely conclude , that the sabbath and lords-day ought of right to b●gin at evening since god ( being * only wise ) would certainly institute such an inchoation of them , as might best prepare and enable men to their sanctification , and most anticipate their prophanation ; the cause why he prescribed the celebration of the sabbath from even to even , levit. 23. 32. if i righly conjecture . 9. it is confessed by all , that in the scripture and israelites account , all dayes began at evening , as i have proved at large before : it is likewise most certain that christ and his apostles being israelites , did ever constantly observe the scripture , and their own nationall computation of the beginning and end of dayes , it being that which christ himself , and all the evangelists follow , as i have evidenced at large , in the third and fifth conclusions ; neither is it any way probable that christ and his apostles , ( or the primitive-church and christians , who were in all things guided by them ) did or would alter this their nationall and divine beginning , or concluding of dayes , there being no ground or reason for it , for ought that yet appeares . if therefore the lords-day were instituted and consecrated for a sabbath , by christ himself , as many or by his apostles , as most ; or by the primitive church christians onely , soon after the apostles time , as others affirm ; ( one of which three opinions is and must be granted by them for undoubted truth ) then it is most certain , that it must and did ( at its very first institution and observation ) begin and end at evening ( not at morning or midnight or b●cause christ himself , his apostles , and the primitive church did ever constantly observe this computation ; therfore they would not , did not institute any other beginning of it , but this alone : which reason ( in my poore weak apprehension ) is so solid , that it admits of no evasion or reply . lastly , that beginning and end of the lords-day , which the church & people of god in all ages , from the first institution of the lords-day to this present age , have constantly observed , and the church and learned in those ages pofitively in expresse terms resolved , to be most true and genuine , is * questionless the proper infallible inception & conclusion thereof ( this no man i presume , either will or can deny . ) but this beginning and ending of the lords-day at evening , which i here pl●ad for , is that which the church and people of god in all ages , from the first in stitution of the lords-day to this present age have constantly observed , and the church and learned in those age , have positively in expresse termes resolved to be most true and genuine : none ●ver oppngning i● till q wolphius , about some sixty years since , the first i find or hear of , that broached ●● is new opinion of its beginning at morning , because our saviour did then rise again ; whose authority and sophisticall reason ( a meere non sequitur , as i shall prove anon ) hath s●duced and drawn over many unto his opinion , both in their judgements and practise too ) therefore it is questionlesse the proper infallible inception and conclusion thereof . the minor which is onely liable to exception ( and may seem a paradox to some , who over-rashly stile this position of the lords-dayes beginning at evening , an upstart novelty never heard of in the church of god till this present age , in truth because th●mselves are ignorant in antiquities , and versed onely in late modern writers , who fome●t the contrary error , which i da●e affirm , to be the late sigment of some modern auth●●u●s , not once so much as heard of in any former ages , which i here challenge them to disprove : ) i shall make good by unanswerable reasons and authorities , ( as i conceit them ) even from the very apostles time to this present century ; and that in a chronologicall method , beginning with the primitive times , and so descending in order to this present age . it is a querie , not yet resolved amongst divines , when and by whom the observation of the lords-day for a sabbath , was instituted ? some hold it was instituted by christ himself between his resurrection and ascension : others that it was instituted by the apostles after christe the ascention , but at what certain time they do not accord . a third sort affirm , that it was ordained onely by the primitive church , and christians a little after the apostles times , or as the * council of paris and others affirm , by the council of laodicea , about 360 yeares after christ , but not by christ or his apostles . for my own part , as i shall not peremptorily resolve in this place , which of these opinions is the truest , it being not the scope of this present discourse : ●eferring you to mr. sprint , dr. bownd , mr. widly , mr. dod , mr. cleaver , mr. bernard , dr. twisse , bishop andrews , the practise of piety , mr. elten and others , who have written of this subject , & on the fourth commandement , for satisfaction herein , which requires a particular tract. so i shall on the other side positively affirm , that let the lords-day be instituted either by christ himself , or the apostles , or the primitive church and christians succeeding next after the apostles , about the end of the first century after christ , ( at which ti●e it is clear by the testimonies of ignatius , clemens alexandrinus , justin martyr , tertullian , irenaeus , plinie , and others , that the lords day was usally solemnized by christians ) yet the fi●st institutors of it , and the primitive christians who first observed it , did ever begin and end it at evening , which i shall make good by these reasons , ( there being no direct convincing authority ●●●ant , either when the lords-day was first instituted , or ●t what time it was first appointed to begin . ) 1. if christ or the apostles constituted it for a sabbath , it is more then probable , if not certain , that they ordained it to begin and end at evening . 1. because they being all jews , and ever exactly following the scripture , and their own nationall account , of commencing the day at evening , as i haue formerly euidenced ; we cannot conceive that they should institute any new beginning of the lorde-day , at midnight or moruing , contrary to the scripture , and their received count●ey account , but that they still observed this usuall and divine computation , even in the institution , and solemnization of this day . 2. because this beginning of this day being immutable , and in * god the fathers power onely to alter , not in theirs ; it had been a presumption in them to change it , without a speciall commission from him ; the times being still in his power , even at christs ascension , not in christs or his apostles , acts 1. 7. but we never read of any such commission granted them to alter this day from evening to morning , therefore it is presumption , yea folly to believe or assirm it . 3. because the lords-day ( as all sides accord ) was instituted in memory of christs resurrection on the first day of the week . now the first day ( as i have manifested ) began and ended at evening in divine evangelicall account , even as our saviours resurrection day ; neither did his resurrection on it alter its beginning from evening to morning : therefore the lords-day being but the first day of the week , and having the same beginning and setting as christs very resurrection day had , must begin , and end at even , at its primitive institution and observation : neither did or could the institution of the first day of the week for a sabbath , in memory of christs resurrection , change the beginning of the day , since christs resurrection it self in the morning , ( the supposed cause of this alteration ) did it not . 4. because christ , or his apostles ▪ would never consecrate a day in memory of the resurrection on it , within the compasse of which day christ did not rise again : for that were a great absurdi●y : but had they consecrated a lords-day to begin at morning from day-breaking , or from the very time that christ ar●se ( which is uncertain , unknown , and so this lordsdayes beginning too ) they had instituted such a lords-day within the compasse of which christ did not rise , he being risen before day-break , whiles it was dark matth. 28. 2. john 20. 1. and his resurrection being but the point , from which the day begins , and so not within it , on it , but before it . therefore they instituted it to begin at evening , not at morning . 5. it is certain , that christ himself , his apostles , and the primitive christians , for some good space of time did constantly observe the seventh day sabbath , after christs passion , and resurrection ; the evangelists , and saint luke in the acts , ever stiling it , the sabbath-day , ( which name it yet retains in * latine ) and making mention of its conscionable solemnization by the apostles , and other christians . mark 16. 1. luke 23. 56. see mark 15. 42. and luke 23. 54. matth. 24. 20. acts 1 12. c. 13 , 14 , 27. 42. 44. c. 14. 1. c. 15. 20 , 21. c. 17. 1 , 2 , 10. and c. 18. 4. it being still solemnized by many christians , after the apostles times , even till the council of laodicea , about the year of our lord 360. as ecclesiasticall writers , and the 29th canon of this council testifie , which runs thus , ſ quod non oportet christianos judaizare , & otiare in sabbato , sed operari in eodem die . ( which many did refuse at that time to do : ) praeferentes autem in veneratione dominicum diem ( there being then a great controversie among christians , which of these two dayes , the seventh day sabbath , or the lords-day should have precedency , t both of them being then observed by some ) si vacare voluerint , ut christiani hoc faciant ; quod si reperti fuerint judaizare anathema sint à christo . since thererefore the seventh day sabbath was thus solemnized by christ , the apostles , and primitive christians , after the resurrection till this laodicean council did in a manner quite abolish the observation of it : it necessarily follows , that they began their lords-day celebration at evening . for the seventh day sabbath , ( as i have proved in the second conclusion ) did ever begin and end at evening , and is so solemnized and begun by the jews at this day : wherefore they concluding this day at evening , they must necessarily begin the lords day then , because the first day of the week which they celebrated as the lords-day , did then commence ? the evening following the seventh day sabbath , being apart of it in their account , and one day ever necessarily beginning when the other ends . to these five reasons i might adde those others formerly alledg●d to prove that the lords-day ought to begin at evening . all which being laid together , are an infallible proof ; that admit the lords-day instituted by christ and his apostles , yet it was ordained by them from the very first , to begin and end at evening , and so to be solemnized , and that themselves did thus begin it . if it were onely instituted by the primitive christians * succeeding them , no question but they at first concluded , that it should be sanctified from evening to evening , many of them being jews , who kept all their sabbaths and festivals from evening to evening , to whom the other christians did readily conform in this particular , because it was the scripture computation , even from the creation , and for other premised reasons . for the apostles themselves , and other christians condescending to them for a time , in the point of circumcision , purification , and other such ceremonies , quite abrogated by christs death , acts 21. 20 to 28. 1 cor. 9. 20. gal. 2. 14 , 15. c. 6. 12. would certainly concurre with them in the beginning and ending of their sabbaths , and sacred festivities , which were no wayes ceremoniall , nor altered , nor abrogated by christs death . from which premises i conclude ; that let the lords-day be instituted , when or by whomsoever , yet it was ordained in its primary institution to be solemnized from evening to evening , and that it was sanctified in this manner by its originall institutors . to put this out of question , i shall descend from the alledged reasons , to direct authorities , culling out some few of the chiefest in all ages , and pretermitting all the rest for brevity sake . i shall begin with the ancientest first , and so proceed in order to our present times . the first authority i shall insist on , is , that of acts 21. 7 , 8 , 11. ( which many object against me , though it be most pregnant for me ) and upon the first day of the week , when the disciples came together to break bread , paul preached unto them , ready to depart on the morrow , and continued his speech untill midnight : and there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together , &c. when therefore he was come up again , and had broken bread , and eaten , and talked a long while , even till break of day , so he departed . this is the very first and best scripture authority properly alledged for the solemnization of the lords-day , by the apostles and christians of that age , who began the celebration thereof at evening , not at morning or midnight , as is plain by this text . 1. because their solemnizing of it begun no doubt at that time , when as they came together to break bread ; that is , to receive the sacrament , as most , or to keep their agape or love-feasts , as others interpret it ; or rather ( in truth ) to do both : but the christians in that time did both celebrate the sacrament and keep their love-feasts at u evening , in imitation of our saviour , who first instituted and kept the sacrament at evening , after supper , luke 22 , 20. john 13. 2 , 4. c. 21. 20. whence it is called the lords supper , 1 cor. 11. 20. see luke 14. 12 , 16 , 17 , 24. rev. 19. 9. 17. this is manifest by 1 cor. 11. 20 , 21. when ye come together therefore into one place , this is not to eat the lords-supper : for in eating every one taketh his own supper ; and one is hungry and another is drunken : now this text styling the sacrament , the lords supper , and informing us , that the corinthians did usually receive it after they had eaten their own suppers ; and that some were drunk when they came to receive it ( and in those times , they that were drunk , were drunk in the night , 1 thes. 5. 7. ) ascertains us , that this their coming to receive the * sacrament and keep their love-feasts , was at evening or candletining , when it was supper time . 2. because the text saith , there were many lights in the upper room where they were gathered together ; and that paul preached from the time of their coming together till midnight : both which do manifestly declare their assemblies begun at evening , as they anciently did , because there were many lights in the room where they met , which were lightted ( as the text insinuates ) before , or so soon as they assembled in it : and because it is not probable that paul ( who begun his sermon when they came together , as the words imply ) did preach from midnight , or the morning before , till midnight following , there being never such a sermon heard of : but onely from candle tining till midnight , the space of four or five hours . 3. because the christians in the next succeeding ages , ( as is manifest by y plinie and z tertullian ) did begin their christian meetings , and love-feasts at evening , whence they likewise stiled them a supper ; which tertullian thus describes , coena nostra de nomine rationem suam ●stendit . vocatur enim agape , id quod penes graecos dilectio est . non prius discumbitur quam oratio ad deum praegustetur : editur quantum convenientes capiunt ; bibitur quantum pudi●is est utile : ita saturautur , ut qui meminerint , etiam per noctem adorandum sibi deum esse : which shews that they began their feasts and christian exercises , ( which he here conjoyns ) at evening , and continued them all night , as saint paul , and the disciples at troas did . ( which meetings theophilus alexandrinus in his epist. paschalis 3. 3. bibl. patrum , tom. 4. p. 723. calls vespertina congregatio . ) post aquam manualem ac lvmina ( which manifests they kept their assemblies by candle light , and so begun them at evening ) ut quisquis de scripturis sanctis , vel de proprio ingenio potest , provocatur in medio deo canere ; ( which a plinie the second stiles , carmenque christo , quasi dicere secum invicem ; ) hinc probatur quomodo bibent . a●què oratio convivium di●imit : inde lis disceditur , non in catervas caesionum , neque in classes discursationum , nec in ●ruptiones laseivorum , sed ad eandem ●uram modestiae , & pudicitiae , ut qui non tam coenam coenaverint , quam disciplinam . which usage well explains this place of the acts . it being apparent then ( as the subsequent antiquities will more abundantly manifest ) that this meeting of the disciples at troas , and pauls preaching to them began at evening . the sole doubt will be what evening this was ? whether that which we call sunday night ( as many erroneously mistake ) or saturday night ? ( which is the lords-day night if any : ) for my own part i conceive clearly , that it was upon saturday night , ( as we falsely call it ) not the ensuing sunday night . for admitting the lords-day was then instituted for a sabbath ) ( which those of the opposite opinions grant and i consent to ) there will be no great question of it . 1. because if the christians at troas observed this first day of the week as their sabbath , no doubt but this their meeting to solemnize it , and receive the sacrament on it , was rather that evening which began , than that which ended the lords-day , in their account ; else they should have begun its solemnization onely when it ended , whi●h is improbable . but our sunday evening ( on which some affirm this meeting ) ended , not commenced the lords-day in their account , they ever beginning their dayes the evening before , as the premises manifest : therefore this assembly , was on our saturday evening , there being no mention of any meeting , the day or evening before . 2. because the christians , in the next succeeding ages , ( as i shall prove by the following testimonies ) did ever begin their lords-day assemblies and solemnities on saturday evening ; solemnizing it from evening to evening , because the first observers of it did so . therefore it is more than probable , that these christians at troas did so too . 3. because saint luke records that it was upon the first day of the week , when this meeting was , and this sermon of pauls made ; therefore it must needs be on the saturday , not on our sunday evening , since the sunday evenning in s. lukes , and scripture account , was no part of the first , but of the second day ; the day ever beginning and ending at evening , in their computation , as the premises evidence . 4. all my opposites confesse , that the disciples met at this time , upon the first day of purpose to sanctifie it for a-sabbath ; and can they then think that they would defer their meeting till our sunday evening , when all the day in their accompt ( and the best , the chiefest part of it in their compute , who begin it at midnight or morning ) was expired ? certainly , this had been to make the lords-day no festivall day at all , or at most not so much as an half-holy day ; which we cannot presume these disciples , and s. paul would dodid they observe it as their sabbath : from all which reasons i may more then probably conclude , that it was the saturday evening ( when the lords-day began ) not the sunday night ( when it ended ) when this divine assembly was kept ; the rather because they received not the sacrament , nor brake this bread till after midnight , as the text affirms ; and so after the lords-day ended even in the accompt of such who affirm it ends at midnight : and because this beginning of their assembly when the day begins , makes most for the apostolical divine institution and sanctification of the lords day ; for the which this text will little avail , if this assembly on it , were on our sunday night , when the day was either wholly or for the most part expired , and so this meeting no warrant for its totall sanctification . but against this it will be objected , first , that saint paul departed from tro● the very next morning at day-break ; which he would not have done , had it been part of the lords-day , for he would not have taken this journey then , l●st he should have prophaned it . besides , the text saith , that he was ready to depart on the morrow ; which signifieth another day , not the same : therefore this night must needs be our sunday night , his departure being on the morrow , to wit on our monday , the next day after it . to this i answer , first , that it is clear by acts 20. 6. that saint paul ●ame to troas upon the lords-day : for he stayed there seven dayes , and upon the first day of the week , he thus preacheth till midnight , ready to depart in the morning : so that the first day was the last of those seven dayes , and the first day of the week preceding it , the day on which he came to troas : paul therefore might as well depart on this day from troas , as he came unto it thereon . and that without prophanation of the day : for he came and went by ship , verse 6. 13 , 14. and so might sanctifie the rest of the day a ship board , ( as our marriners and passengers who sail on the lords-day , as well as other dayes , use to do ) because the wind and ●ide then serving , and the ship in which he was to sail , being to depart that morning , there was a necessity for him then to go a ship board , else he might have lost his passage : which necessity and circumstance of sai●ing away that day , made this his departure on it , no violation of the day : works of necessity , being no breach of the sabbath , as a christ himself , and all divines resolve : the rather here , because he might preach and spend the rest of the day in the ship as profitably as on the shore , and the mariners might likewise now set sail ( the wind and weather serving ) without prophanation of the day , as they still usually do in all places . 2. i answer , that the morrow , hath a double signification in scripture . sometimes it is taken for the next b evening or naturall day : other times it is taken for the next morning or day-light , or that which we usually call day , in opposition to the night : not for the next naturall day , which begins at evening , but the next artificiall day of twelve houres day light , which begins at morning . in this sense it is used most commonly in scripture , witnes levit. 22. 30. when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the lord a● your own will : on the same day it shall be eaten up ; ye shall leave none of it untill the morrow : compared with levit. 7. 25. which speaking of the same offering , saith , he shall not leave any of it till the morning . ( see exod. 12. 10. c. 16. 19 , 23 , 24. where there is the same expression ) in which texts the morrow , is nothing else but the morning following : for had this offering been at evening , or night , when the naturall day begins in scripture accompt , yet they might , not have reserved any of it till the morning , for that had been to morrow , as morrow is opposed to the night not to the naturall day . so in 1 sam. 19. 11. saul sent messengers to davids house that night to watch and to slay him in the morning : and michall told him , saying , if thou save not thy life to night , to morrow thou shalt b● slain . where morrow is not put for another naturall day ( that morrow in scripture and the jews account being part of that naturall day , of which this night was the beginning ) but onely for the day-light , or artificiall day , being the same naturall day on which these words were spoken . thus it is used in 2 sam. 11. 9 , 12 , 13 , 14. esther 2. 14. so zeph. 3. 3. her judges are evening-wolves , they gnaw not the bones till the morrow , that is , till the morning following . and acts 23. 31. 32. then the souldiers took paul by night and brought him to an●ipatris : on the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him . in all which places the morrow is put onely in opposition to the preceding night , and for the day light following ; ( which night and morrow make up the same naturall day ) not for the beginning of the next en●uing naturall day , or for another day . hence the scripture useth this phrase : the morrow after that day , or after the sabbath . levit. 23. 11 , 15. josh 5. 12. 1 chron. 29 , 21. because there is a morrow opposed to the night , wherein a thing is done or spoken , which is a part of the same naturall day , that the night is . in this sence morrow must needs be taken here : for this meeting beginning but at night , and paul continuing his preaching untill midnight following , ready to depart on the morrow : this morrow was nothing but the next morning ; which was a part of that fi●st day , on which the disciple met , as it was a naturall day consisting of twenty four houres , and beginning but that evening ; not another day of the week , or our monday morning , as some affirm . this morrow therefore being but the next morning , and opposed to the night onely , ( not to the naturall day on which this assembly was kept at troas ; and this night being part of the fi●st day of the w●ek ( which as a natural day in scripture accompt b●gan at evening ) could be no other but the lords-day morning , not the monday following ; and this meeting ( ●s the promised reasons prove ) could be no tim● else , but our sa●u●day night , notwithstanding this o●j●ction . so that i may safely conclude , that saint paul and the christians of troas ( the fi●st solemnizers of the lords-day that we ●ead of ) did begin its solemnization at evening , not at morning or midnight : wherefore we ought to begin it then . this is my first authority in point of practise , to prove , that the primitive christians began the lords-dayes sanctification at evening . my next evidence is that of a plinie the second , who writes thus to the emperour trajan , concerning the time , and manner of the christians solemnization of the lords day . soliti erant stato die ante lucem convenire carmenque christo , quasi deo dicere secum invicem ; seque sacramento non in scelus aliquod , astringere , sed ne furta , ne latrocinia , ne adulteria committerent , ne fidem fallerent , ne depositum appellati denegarent , &c. by which it is evident , that the christians in that age ( a time of persecution ) and after ages too , did b usually meet together to receive the sacrament , and perform their holy exercises , at night , when it began to grow dark , and concluded them at day-light or about day-break , ( as the disciples did at troas , acts 20. 7. to 12. ) which assemblies some ecclesiasticall histories call , antelucani coetus ; night-assemblies , or meetings , before day light ; not because they began in the morning about day-break , as some would have it ; but because they both began and ended be●ore day-dawning ; the christians in that time of persecution , not daring to meet publickly in the day time for fear of apprehension . now this set night on which they kept those assemblies was not our sunday , but our saturday night , on which our saviour arose whiles it was dark : and in honour of his resurrection did they begin and keep their lords-day solemnization , on this night , not the night ensuing , as is evident by justin martyrs second apology , with other ensuing testimonies . and these their night conventions were the occasion of those slanderous imputations which the gentiles cast upon the christians ; c that after their exercises of religion ended , they did use to put out the lights ( used to expell the darknesse of the night , acts 20. 8. ) and then couple promiscuously one with another , yea murther and eat up children , and commit all manner of villany . since therefore they began their lords-day exercises at evening , before day light began ; as this heathen authour and all ecclesiasticall historians writing of this age , accord ; we need not doubt , but the day in their acc●mpt did then begin ; since they would not begin the exercises of the day till in truth it began . my third authority is that of tertullian about 200 years after christ ; in his a●ol●gy for the christians , c , 38 , 39. ( the words whereof i have already alledged ) and de corona militis c. 3. where he writes thus . eucharistiae sacramentum in tempore victus , & mandatum à domino , antelvcanis caetilvs , nec de aliorum manu quam praesidentium sumimus : wch expresly shews ; that the christians of that age did begin their publick lords day meetings , and love feasts in the evening , and spending the saturday night ( as we falsly deem it ) in gods worship , receiving the sacrament and other holy duties ; which night assemblies he stiles , b nocturnae convocationes ; because they spent the greatest part of that night in them : nocturnae properly , not morning , or early risings and mee●ings before day , but a watching or fitting up all night , without going to bed , or taking rest , as the common proverb , nocturnae lucubrationes periculosissimae sunt ; compared with its opposite adagie , diluculo surgere saluberimum est ; and isa. 30. 29. luke 2. 8. c. 5. 5. c. 6. 12. john 3. 2. gen. 31. 39 , 40. num. 14. 1. josh. 10. 5. prov. 31. 18. psal. 119. 75. with other scriptures , testifie . but to passe by examples , and come to direct authorities . 4. my fourth testimony is that of athanasius , the great anti-arrian bishop of alexandria quaestiones ad antiochum : quaest . 52 , 53. p. 380. neque contra nos afferrent judaei , quod in sabbat● surrexerit christus , ideo eorum or a longe ant● obturavit deus , lege illis data ; ut a vespera or●inentvr diem sabba●i . cur hanc ●b causam & nobis deus praecepit , a vespera sabbati ordiri dominicum ? responsio . non ob eam causam : sed postquam deus gentes ex tenebris ignorantiae , & ex lege ad lucem cognitionis dei & evangelii vocavit ; convenienter san● nobis praecepii resurrectionis ipsius diem , a vespera inchoare & ad lucem perducere . indecorum enim , & inconcinnum fuerat a luce ordiri , & in noctem & tenebris desinere christi verae lueis dies a most express resolution , that the lords-day ought to begin from saturday evening , and that it is both unseem●y and unfit to begin it from the morning . answerable to which is that of anselm . enarrationes in math. 28. v. 1. 2 operum , tom. 1. p. 116. o do temporum habet , ve●peran magis tenebrescere in noctem qu●● lucescere in di●m : sec mysticè dicit lucescere , pro gloria resu●●●●●ionis immin●n●is . huc usq●e dies noctem dicebatur praecece●● . nune ordo mutatur ▪ & nox qua surrexit , d●e● , qua se ostendit , adjuncta est. et congruè●● us drem nox s●●u●batur , quia à luce homo in tenebr as cecide●●● . nunc vero dies sequitur notem , quia per resurectionem à peceatis ad vitam reducimur . which passage is almost verbatim recorded by haymo halberstatensis homiliar um pars aestivalis ; coloniae 1531. hom. in die sancto paschatis p. 7. 8. and by christianus grammaticus expositio in matthaeum evangelistam ( c. 28 v. 1. ) bibl. patrum tom. 9. pars 1. p. 491. d. e. by zacharias crysopolitanus in unam ex quatuor bibl patrum tom. 12 p●rs 1. p. 203 , 204. a. isidor hispalensis de natura ●erum . c. 1. p. 246. gratian . sentent l 2 distinct 13. e. and others . my fifth authority is ●●● c●uncil of laodicea , about the year of christ 360. whic● as i● first setled the observation of the lords-day , and prohibited , abolished the keeping of the jewish s●●b●●h under an anathem● . can. 49. fo●●●i●ed so it th●● posi●ively determined : vt a vespera usque ad vesperam dies dominica servetur : as is recorded capit. caroli & ludovici imperatorum . lib. 1. c. 15. collected by ansegisus & benedictus levita ; & fredericus lindebrogus codex legum autiquarum p. 833. my sixth evidence is the expresse testimony and resolution of saint augustine , the eminentest of all the fathers , de tempore sermo 251. observemus ergo . diem dominicam fratres , * & sanctificemus illam , si●ut antiquis praeceptum est de sabbato . ( levit. 23. 32. ) a vespera usque ad vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra . videamus ne otium nostrum vacuum sit ; sed a vespera diei sabbati usque ad vesperam diei dominicae sequestrati à ruralt opere , & ab omni negotio , solo divino cu●●ui vacemus . ve●iat ergo cu●cunque possibile sit ad vespe●●nam atque noctvrnam celebrationem , & ●r●t ibi incouveniu ecclesiae pro peceatis suis d●um , &c. an authority so full for the celebration of the lords day from evening to evening , in that age , that it cannot be shifted nor avoyd●d , and a direct resolution in expresse terms of our present qu●stion . my seventh . is pope leo the first , epistolarum decretalium epistola 79. which y●u shall find in the second part of his own works , in juo carnotensis decretalium , pars 6. c. 71. gratian . distinctio 75. & de consecratione distinctio 3. & in surius conciliorum tom. 1 p. 789. where he thus resolves our question : quod ergo à patribus nostris propensiore cura novimus esse servatum , à vobis quoque volumus custodiri , ut non passim diebus omnibus sacerdotalis ordinatio celebretur , sed post diem sabbati , ejusdem noctis quae in prima sabbati lucescit exordia deligantur , hoc est sub lege divini officii substiuantur , in quibus his qui consecrandi sunt jejunis , & ●ejunantibus , sacra benedictio conferatur . quod ejusdem observantiae erit , si mane ipso dominico die continuato sabbati jejunio celebratur à quo tempore praecedentis noctis initia non recedunt ; quam ad diem resurrectionis , sicut etiam in poscha domini de laratur . pertinere non est dubium . so that it was past all dis●ure , and doubt in his time , that the lords day began at evening , and that our saturday night was part of it . then it follows . nunquam benedictiones nisi in die demini●ae resurrectionis tribuuntur , a cui a vespere sabbati initium constat asscribi from which text of his , juo carnotensis : anno dom 1100 gr●tian anno 1170. in their for●n●med pl●ces , together with panormitan , antonius de bru●io , joannis thye●ey , bartholomeus brixiensis : and all other can●nists in their glosses on the fore-quoted texts of gratian ( where these words of leo are recited ) resolve without dispute : quod dies dominica initi um habet a vespera sabbati : quod probat per consuetudinem , & etiam per doctrinam apostolicam . quod vespera praecedentis noctis trahitur addiem sequentem , ut sive de vespere in sabbato , sive de mane in dominico ordines conferantur , semper in die dominico videantur conferri : all of them according , that the lords-day begins and ends at euening , not at morning or midnight . a truth so clear in that age , as it was past all doubt , the b scots and irish christians about the year 597. and before , beginning the lords-day at evening , as bishop vsher attests . my eighth testimony , is the second council of mascon , canon 1. apud surium ; concil. tom. 2. pag. 682 , 683. custodite diem dominicam quae nos denuò peperit , & à peccatis omnibus liberavit . nullus vestrum litium fomitibus vacet , &c. estote omnes hymnis & laudibus dei animo corporeque intenti . si quis vestrum proximam habet ecclesiam , properet ad eam , & ibi dominico die semetipsum precibus , lachry misque afficiat . sint oculi manusque vestri toto illo die ad deum expansae . then it follows ; noctem quoqve ipsam quae nos insperatae luci inaccessibili reddidit ( to wit our saturday night before easter , on which christ rose again ) spiritualibus exigamus excvbiis : nec dormiamus in ea , sed oremus & vig●lemus operibus sacris , ut digni haberemur cohaeredes fieri in regno servatoris . which canon proves , that the christians of that age did solemnize our saturday night ( before easter especially ) and sp●nd it all in holy vigils , prayers , and religious exercises , because christ rose upon it , accounting it a part of the lords-d●y , and beginning their lords-day exercises on it , not on our sunday night . my ninth proof is , the fourth council of toledo in sp●in , canon 8. apud surium . tom. 2. p 729 lucerna & cereus in pervigiliis , apud quasdam ecclesias non benedicuntur & eur à nobis benedicantur , inquirunt propter gloriosvm enim noctis illius sacramentum hae● sol mniter benedicimus , ut sacramentum sacrae resurrection●s christi mysterium quod tempore huius noctis votive advenit , benedictionem suscipiamus . et quia haec observatio per multarum loca terrarum regionesque hispaniae in eccles●is commendatur , dignum est ut propter unitatem pacis , & gallicanis eccles●is conservetur . nulli autem impune erit , qui hoc contempserit , sed patrum regulis sub acebit . by which canon it is most apparent , that the christians of this age did solem●ize our saturday night with holy vi●ils , prayers and exercises of religion , beginning their publick assemblies and lords-dayes duties on it , because the glorious sacrament , and mystery of christs resuriection hapned on it , the blessing whereof they expected to r●ceive by this nights sanctification . therefore questionlesse they began their lords-day at evening , and made this night onely , not our sunday night , parcell of it ; because christ in their accompt did rise again upon it . neither was the celebration of this night the practise onely of some few private churches , but of all christian churches in that centurie , since this councell layes it down as a prevailing argument , why all churches should consecrate their candles and tapers on it , as well as the spanish church , and churches in france ; which had been no motive at all , had not the solemnization of this night in memory of christs resurrection , been universall , though the superstitious ceremonie of hallowing lights and tapers on it was not so . which general received practise of solemnizing this night , & spending it thus , in vigils & prayrs , even from the apostles time , till long after this councill , is a satisfactory argument to me , that saint pauls and the disciples meeting at troas upon the first say of the week ( where they spent the whole night together in preaching and other christian exercises acts 20. 1 , 9 , 10 , 11 ) was on our saturday , not sunday night , it being no doubt the originall pattern from whence this custome sprung which this councill mentions . my tenth evidence is the expresse inanswerable authority of anastatius sinaita , anagogicarum contemplationum lib. 2. quaest. 86. 152. 153. bibl. patrum tom. 6. pars 1. p. 634. e. 778. 795. propterea scriptura tenebras ponit ante lucem , quoniam prius eramus in errore , deinde transeamus ad lucem . propterea prior est vespera , deinde dies . lege est constitutum ( it seems there was then some expresse law and canon for i● in force ; as these forecited ) ut inciperetur a vespera , dominica , quoniam à morte objeu●a , proce ●imus ad lacem resurrectionis . nos dominicam a vespera sabbati auspicamur ( so that ●● was the constant practise of christians in that age to begin the lords day on saturday at evening quemlibet d●em a vespera computare , et cum prae●edente nocte seu unum copu●●re solemus ( which last word implies a constant custome in that time ) sedenim & moyses vaeationem à laboribus in sabbato it a d●scripsit , vt et raecedente nocte , et seqventi die otivm agerent . testes do judees qvi vsqve inhodiernvm diem id obsrvant . qui●pe qui non illam noctem quae sabbatum subsequitur , sed illā qvae antegreditvr cessatione ab operibus quiete colunt . ( this therefore was and is the jewish and scripture computation ) et nos in observatione diei dominici praecedentem noctem tanquam cum die copulatam , et non sequentem noctem veneramur . an evidence so expresse , so punctuall , as may satisfie all the opposites , and cannot be evaded . my eleventh testimony , is the positive resolution of an whole generall council , and so by consequence , of all christian churches in that age ; to wit , the sixth generall councill of constantinople , can. 56 surius conciliorum . tom. 2. p. 1052. dominicis genu flectere à divinis nostris patrievs , christi resurrectionem honorantibus , canonicè accepimus ( the first generall councill of nice , canon 20. having so decreed : ) ne ergo hujus observationis evidentiam ignoremus , fidelibus manifestum fa●imus , quod post vespertinum sacerdotum ad altare sabbato ingressum , ex consue●udine quae servatur nemo genu flectit usque ad sequentem vespe●am , in qua post ingressum in vespertino seu completorio , genua rursus flectentes , domino preces offerimus , servatoris enim nostri resurrectionis veluti praecursorem noctem quae suit ante sabbatum , accipientes , hymnis ab ea spiritv aliter incipimvs : festum ex tenebris in lucem finientes , ut in persecto ae integro die ac notce , nos resurrectionem celebremus . a most full unanswerable authority , if a li●tle explained . it was the received custome of the primitive church , as this canon & all antiquity witnes , to pray standing not kneeling , all the whole lords-day in memory of our saviou●s resurrection , & standing up again from the dead : whence these their lords-day exercises were called , * stationes ( à stando ; in english stations ) because they ever stood , and never kneeled in them . now this custome of praying standing , used onely on the lords-day , and between e●ster and ascension day , began and ended with the day . the question then will be , when , and at what time of the day , this praying standing , began and ended ? this canon resolves it in plain terms , ( and that by way of declaration onely , not of new constitution , ) that all the churches and christians of this age ( ex consuetudine quae s●rvatur ) even by an ancient long continued custome received from the christians and church●s of former ages ; and then observed onely , not begun ; did alwayes begin to pray standing , after their saturday vespers , or evening prayers were ended , ( to wit , at the time of the evening , when the day in divine and naturall accompt begins ) and concluded them after the lords-day vespers , or complein ended , to wit , the lords-day at evening , when the lords day doth properly and truly end . by which it is most apparent , that they began and e●d●d their lords-day and lords-day exercises at evening , not at morning or midnight ; and that it was the constant custome of all christians in former ages so to do . again it assures us , that it was the custome of all churches , then , and in foregoing times , to couple the saturday night , and the lords-day together , and to solemnize them in memory of christs resurrection , as one intire lords-day ; b●●inning and spending all the saturday night with hymnes and spirituall duties . so that this councill is a most clear satisfactory proof both in point of doctrine and practise , that the lords-day ought to begin and end at evening , and was actually so observed by all christians of this and former ages . i wonder therefore why some , who think themselves learned , should so far for●et themselves , as to call it an upstart novelty , not heard of in the church till now of late , it being ever the received doctrine and practise too , of all churches , christians , till within 70 years last past . my twelfth proof is the famous english council at berghamstede , under withred king of kent , an. christi 697. in spelman : concil. tom. 1. p. 195. can. 10 , 11. si in vespera praecedente diem solis post quam sol occubuit , aut in vespera praecedente diem lunae post oceasum solis fervus ex mandato domini sui , opus aliquod servile egerit , dominus factum 80. solidis luito . si servus hisce diebus itineraverit , domino pendet 6 solidos , ●ut flage●o caedatur . si liber homo id faciat , tempore vetito , sit reus collistrigii mulctae : & qui eum detulerit dimidium habeat , tam mulctae tam wi●gildi by which law it is most evident ; that the lords-day began and ended at evening after sun-set ; and was to be sol●mnized from evening to evening , without doing any ser●i●e work on sunday nights after sun set , as well as on saturday nights , though the lords-day then actually determined . to which i shall adde that of venerable b●da our learned countreyman , in his homily on matthew 28. verse 1. quoted by bartholomaeus brixiensis in his glosse upon gratian distinct . 75. in die ista ( to wit , the lords-day , noctes incipiunt praecedere dies , ideo fortè ut tres dies & noctes haberi possint , in quibus domin●s fuit in ventro terrae , quod nec sic habetur nisi synechdo●hicè , vel declaratur : quia missa non decantatur in sabbato , sed in principio sequentis noctis , & dicitur ; deus qui hanc sacrtissimam noctem , &c. & ita est die dominica nox illa . a passage so plain for the lords days beginning on saturday at evening , that it needs no glosse , and this was the doctrine and practise of our nation then . my thirteenth authority is the synod of franckford , under charles the great , famous for the doctrine of images therein condemned , the 22. canon whereof ( apid achuini opera col. 1893 ) resolves our question thus . vt dies dominica à vespera usque ad vesperam servetur . a direct determina●ion of the point in difference . that the lords-day is to be kept from evening to evening . my fourteenth probation , is the expresse decree of the emperour charls the great himself , and ludovicus pius , capit . l. 6. tit. 186 apud fredericum lindebrogum codex legum antiquarum p. ●●8 . & apud bochellum decret. ecclesiae gallicanae l 4. tit. 3. c. 39. p 589. a vespera usque ad vesperam dies dominious servetur . what can be more full and punctuall than this ? which is seconded capit. l. 1. c 15. as a decree of the council of laodicea . my fifteenth , is concilium foro-juliense under the same charls , c. 13. apud suriū tom. 3. p. 266. diem autem dominicum inchoant . noctis initio , id est , vespere sabbati quae in prima lucescit sabbati , quando signum insonuerit , vel horaest ad vespertinum celebrandum , non propter honorem sabbati ultimi , sed propter sanctam illam noctem p●imi sabbati , id est , domini●i diei , cum omni reverentia & honorifica religione venerari omnibus mandamus . a canon so apparent for beginning the lords-day at evening , that it needs no illustration . my fixteenth , is the synod of towres under the same charles canon 40. apud surium . tom ▪ 3 p. 227. itemque interdicat ne mercata & placita usquam fiant die dominica , quâ oportet omnes christianos à servile opere in laude dei & gratiarum actione , usque ad vesperam perseverare ; which compared with the former canons , is a direct proof , that the lords-day begins at evening , because then the celebration of it by this canon , is to end . my seventeenth is the council of mentz , anno 813. recorded by juo caruotensis , decretalium par● 4. c. 16. which decres thus . omnes dies dominicos à vespera in vesperam cum omni veneratione & observatione decrevimus observare , & ab illici●o opere abstinere , &c. a pregnant testimony in this point . my eighteenth , is that of h rabanus maurus , homil● de dominicis diebus , in his works at large , edit. 1616. tom. 5. p. 605. where he thus resolves this question on my side . observemus ergo diem dominicam & sanctificemus illam sicut antiquis de sabbato praeceptum est , dicente legislatore , a vespera usque ad vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra . videamus ne otium nostrum vanum sit . vespera diei sabbati , usquead vesperam diei dominici sequestrati à rurali opere & omni negotio , solo divino cultui vacemus . to whom i may adde his coetanian haymo halberstattensis , homilia in die paschatis p , 7 , 8. who there resolves in punctuall termes , that the lords-day begins and ends at evening , not at morning ; and so ought to be solemnized from evening to evening . my nineteenth , is the councell of compendium , apud radulphum tungrensem , de canonum observantia , propositio 15. bibl. patrum . tom. 11. p. 445. f. tom. 14. p. 242. & apud alexandrum alesium , summa theologiae pars 3. quaest . 31. artic. 2. p. 145. both these authors being of the same judgement with this councell , which decrees thus . omnes dies dominicos à vespera usque ad vesperam omni v●neratione , devotione observari , &c. words most direct in point . my twentieth , is the authority of amalarius fortunatus , bishop of triers , who flourished about the year 920. de ecclesiasticis officiis , lib. 1 c. 12. bibl. patrum tom. 9. pars 1. p. 311. f. dominica nox in magna gloria celebratur , ut liquet omnibus qui morem nostrae eccl●siae ●enent . unde augustinus ex sermone ad populum vigiliis paschae . deinde sabbati dies à sua nocte incip●ens , finitus est vespere incipienti● noctis : quae pertinet ad imtium diei dominicae , quoniam eam dominus suae resurrectionis gloria consecravit . illius itaque noctis ad in●tium diei dominicae pertinentis , nunc istam solenniter memoriam celebramus . what can be more plain to testifie , that both in the judgement and practise of that age the lords-day did begin and end at evening , and that christ by his resurrection consecrated this night for his service , not the morning and day following it onely , excluding it . my 21. is the ecclesiasticall laws of edgar and canuius , two ancient kings of this island , recorded in lambards saxon laws , and in mr. fox his book of mart●rs , edit. 1610. p. 715. & spelmanni concilia p. 445 , 446. who both enacted , that the lords-day should be kept holy from saturday vespers at three of the clock till monday morning ; beginning the solemnization of it on saturday evening at * 3 of the clock , not at midnight or morning following , and continuing it till monday morning ; for preventing all prophanesse and disorders on our sunday night , as being more fit to be spent in holy duties , than servile works , or pastimes ; it being fitter to give god more time than he commands , than to rob him of the least minute . from these kings raigns , it was the constant custome of this kingdome for lab●u●ers , servants , & all others , to give over their week day works about saturday noon , or 3 of the clock , some space before evening service , that so they might repair to evening prayers that day , and after that begin the sanctification of the lords-day at evening , as is evident by the statutes of 4 h. 4. c. 14. 6 h. 6. c 3. and 23. h. 6. c. 13. which enact , that no labourers whatsoever , should take any hire for the festivall dayes , nor for the half dayes for the evens of feasts when they do not labour . which custome hath been observed in some places till of late ( within the memory of such who exceed not 50 years ) the saturday being esteemed an half holy day , and servants recreating th●mselves upon it a little before night , that so they might avoid all pastimes on the lords-day , and keep it holy from evening to evening . which ( together with the custome of observing holy-day eves , because those dayes began at evening ) is a manifest and direct evidence , that the church of england ( till of late some taught the co●trar● ) did begin the lords-day on saturday evening , even from these kings time , and long before ; and therefore should proceed to do so now . the same law was enacted by william king of scots . anno 1203 , which was likewise ratified by a scotish councill , as hector boetius lib. 13. de scotis ; & centuriae magdeburg . cent. 13. col. 932. lib. 48. & col. 788. l. 40. accord . viz. that sunday should be kept holy , from saturday at 3 of the clock , till monday evening ; that none should do any worldly businesse thereon , but be imployed onely in holy actions , and king alexander the third of scotland in a parliament , an. 1314. decreed , that none should fish in the waters , from saturday vespers til monday morning . my 22. is the decree of the councill of lyons , concerning holy dayes , recorded by juo carnotensis . decretalium pars 4 c. 14 & gratian de consecratione distinct . 3 fol 663. pronunciandum est laicis ut sciant tempora feriandi per annum , scilicet , omnem dominicam à vespera usque ad vesperam . upon which ba●tholomaeus brixiensis . ( on gratian's text ) gives this glosse : usque ad vesperam . hi● habes quando incipiat di●s secundum canones ; s●i●ic●t a vespera . gratian , juo , panormitan , hostiensis , with other canonists being of the same judgement too . what can be more direct or ●ositive than this ? the 23 is honorius augustodunensis , de imagine mundi , lib. 2 c. 27. de initio & fine dierum , bibl. patrum tom. 12. p 497. r. christiani diem dominicam à vespera usque in vesperam finiunt . my 24. is the synod under simon and galo the legat , apud bochellum , decret-eccles . gal. lib. 4. tit. 7. c. 14. p 578. & tit. 10. c. 12. p. 595. pronunciandum est laicis ut sciant tempora feriandi per annum id est , omnem dominicam , à vespera usque ad vesperam . nec ali●uis à vespera diei sabbati , ad vesperam diei domin●cae ad molendina aquar●m , nec ad aliqua alia molere audeat . a ull resolution in this controversie . my 25. is pope gregory the ●i●th , decretalium lib. 2. tit. 9. de feriis . c. 2 p 595. who determines thus . omnem dominicam vesperam à vespera usque ad vesperam●eriandum sanctam d●em dominic●m ab ho a diei sabbati vespertina inchoandam . it ne●ds no glosse being so di●●ct my 26. is the canon of the synod of angiers . apud bochellum decret. eccl●s . l. 4. tit. 10. p. 14. p. 578. inhibemus molitoribus etiam quibuseunque sub poena interminatione praedicta , & molendinarum dominis , nè ipsi diebus dominicis , maximè à vespera diei sabbati , usque ad vesperam diei dominicae molendina molire faciant aut permittant , non obstante longi temporis abusu , qui non usus censendus aut consuetudo , imò verius corruptela , cum tanta sint graviora peceata , quanto diutius infoelicem animam detinuerant obligatam , cum aliqua praescriptio contra praecepta decalogi locum sibi vindicare non possit . a direct evidence . my 27 , is a domestick provinciall constitution under simon isleep archbishop of canterbury recorded by lindwood , constit . provincialium l. 2. tit. de feriis fol. 74. b. and by joannis de aton : fol. 148. a. inprimis sacrum diem dominicum ab hora vespertina diei sabbati inchoandum , which needs no other glosse but lindwoods , who thence concludes , that the lords-day ever begins at evening : the constant ancient doctrine of our church : my 28. is an ancient english dialogue upon the commandements , intituled dives & pauper , first printed anno 1496 , and after reprinted by thomas berthelet the kings printer , anno 1536. . which book on the third ( our fourth ) commandement ch. 14. f. 132. &c. 6. f. 11● . demanding this question ; how long ought the holy day to be kept and hallowed ? resolves it thus , from even to even ; as raymundus , saith , and the law . ( extrau . l. 5. tit. de feriis . omnes dies ) we have ordained that all sundayes be kept with all manner of worship , from even to even ; and holy writ saith also , and god himself : from even to even shall you celebrate the sabbaths . my 29. is an old english treatise intituled , the flower of the commandements of god , printed at london , by wynkin de ward , anno 1521. ch. 3. on the third ( our fourth ) commandement , f. 31. 32. which thus determines . nothing is to be done on the sunday , but to be besied towards god , him for to honour . question , who so should demand , at what houre a man should begin to celebrate the feasts . the answer , regularly , men say , that from the one evenson unto the other even-song the chyrk make solemnity . it is written extrau . de feriis , & de consecratione distinct . 1. cap. missas ; omnes dies dominitos à vespera in vesperam decernimus observari . in like wise , saith the scripture , in many places . à vespera ad vesperam celebrabitis sabbata vestra . this scripture reproveth the fully of some simple men , the which reputeth not to be sin to labour and work late on the saturday at night , and ween that it is sin , to work onely on the monday in the morning . these two last authorities i h●v● cited at large , because they are punctuall , the books unknown to most ; and ●ully manifest the doctrine and practise of the church of england in that and former ages , to be fully consonant to my opi●ion ; though now out of ignorance of antiquity , r●puted a strange , unheard of novel●y , by ●ome who repute themselves no mean rabbies , and scorn the title of ignoramus , wherewith they upbraid all lawyers , though more knowing , more learned , than many of themselves . 30. to these i could h●ve added sundry others ; but to avoid prolixity , i shall onely remember the names and works of some late authors , from anno 1100. till this present , who expressely resolve . that the lords-day begins and concludes at evening . n●● to mention juo carnoten-gratian , alexander a●ensis , radulphus t●ngrensis , barthol●mae-brixiensis , joannis de thiery , antonius de brutio , gulielmus lindwood , joannis de aton , laurentius surius , or laurentius bechellus , who all concurre in this opinion in their f●re-named works , where the precedent canons and decrees are registred ; i shall onely refer you to thomas aquinas in 3. sentent . distinct . 37. art. 5. distinct . 11. qu. 2. art. 2. qu. 3. ad 2m 2a s●cundae . qu. 122. art . 4. tostatus abulensis in in exod. c. 20. qu. 12. hostiensis sum . l. 2. tit. de feriis sol . 142. joannis de burgo ( chanceilour of cambridge in henry●he sixth his raign ) pupilla oculip●rs 9. c 6. de feriis b. e. baptista trouomala in his summa rosella tit. feriae . sect 4 , 5. angelus de clavasio , in his summa angelica , tit. dies sect. 1. cavarruvius l. 4. c. 13. tom. 2. with all other canonists in the titles de feriis , & diehus festis , who all resolve in these very p●●si●ive terms . abstinendum est ab op●ribus omni die dominica . ab hora d●ei sab●●ti vespertina inchoando , non ipsam ho●am praeveniendo . quod feriation●m diet sabbati tenere d●bemus , à vespera ad v●speram , sci●icet ab ultima parte diei praecedentia vigiliae , quod dies quoad celebration●m divinaerum consideratur de vespera in vesperam : and that the whole day is to be wholly dedicated to god , and spent in his service and worship . which resolution is likewise seconded by fridericus lindebrogus in his glossarium : in cod : legum antiquarum . tit. dominicus dies , by learned hospinian de origine festorum . fol. 31. 68 , 69 , 70. 161 , 162. by mr. sprint in his treatise of the sabbath , with a sundry others : wherefore i shall close up these authorities with that of jacobus de graffiis , decisionum aurearum casuum conscientiae , pars 2. lib. 2. c. 13. de diebus festis , sect. 8. 9 , 10. p. 136 , 137. qua ad feriationem incipit dies vespera praecedenti , et finitur in sequenti vespera , &c. igitur secundum scripturam et ecclesiam festum incipit immediate post occasum solis diei praecedentis usque ad occasum solis diei festi . igitur ex his colligitur , quod nulla consuetudo potest excusare laborantes sabbato post occasum , vel in praecipuis solemnitatibus , cum fiat contra jus divinum . for which he quotes pisanus , verbo feriae , as concurring with him . from all which expresse concurring authorities ( which none ever contradicted before wolphius , for ought that can be proved ) to which i might subjoin the opinions and practise of mr. cotton , mr. hooker , with sundry other ministers and churches in new england ; i hope i may safely conclude ; that the church and people of god , together with the fathers , councels , and learned of all ages , from the very first institution of the lords day , to this present , have constanly resolved , both by their writings and practise too , that the lords-day doth , and ought of right to begin and end at evening ; not at morning or midnight , and that all former ag●s have thus constantly solemnized it ; as all these severall testimonies clearly manifest , beyond all contradiction or dispute . i have now ( i hope ) by all the premises sufficiently proved the truth of this posi●ion ; that the sabbath and lords-day doth and ought of right to begin and end at evening , not at morning or midnight ; and manifested it to be the resolved doctrine and constant practise of all fotmer age . there is nothing now remaining but that i should answer those pretences or ojections , which are or may be made against it ; and take off one cavill which may be made against some of the premises : when this is dispatched , the truth will be most perspicuous , so that none can further doubt or question it , ( as i suppose ) for the future . the arguments produced for the proof of the adverse opinions , ( or rather onely for one of them , to wit , that the lords-day begins and ends at morning ) are six ; which i shall answer in order . the first of them is this . that what the law of nature setled for a time , to wit , that the sabbath and other dayes should begin at evening , * that christs resurrection , a part of his redemption , hath now changed to the morning ; the work of redemption being far more excellent than the work of creation . which if we reduce to a logicall argument is but this . christs resurrection a part of his redemption , is more excellent than the work of creation , ergo it changed the beginning of the lords day , and by consequence of all other dayes , from evening to morning . to which i answer , 1. it is very dangerous , unsafe for any mortalls to make comparison between the glorious works , actions , attributes , and ordinances of almighty god , and to prefer one of them so highly before the other ( as many do ) without an expresse warrant from god himself in his word , which hath been the cause of many a grosse errors and practises amongst christians . i grant the work of christs redemption is a most glorious work , and signal testimony of gods transcendent love to the world of gods elect and redeemed ones , john 3. 16. rom. 5. 8. ephes. 2. 4 , 5. c. 5. 2. 25. 2 thes. 2. 16. rev. 1. 5. but was not his creating of us , in holynesse and righteousnesse after his own image and likenesse , as transcendent an act of love as this ? gen. 1. 26 , 27. psal. 8. no doubt it is . 2. that no scripture , ( to my best observation ) prefers or advanceth the work of redemption ( much lesse our saviours resurrection from the dead on the first day ; being but one part or branch thereof ) before the work of creation ; both these works being very great and glorious in themselves : wherefore i cannot believe the work of redemption , or christs resurrection alone , to be more excellent and glorious than the work of creation , without sufficient texts , and scripture grounds to prove it ; but may deny it as a presumptuous fancy or unsound assertion , till satisfactorily proved , as well as peremptorily averred without proof . 3. if such comparisons may be admitted , or made without presumption , in my apprehension , gen. 1. and 2. compared with psalm 8. psal. 104. psal. 19. 1. 2 , 9. psal. 95. 6 , 7. psal. 100. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. psalm 148. job 36. and 39. eccles. 12. 1. 1. isa. 37. 16. c. 40. 28. c. 43. 1. c. 44. 4. c. 45. 12. 18. c. 51. 13. jer. 10. 11 , 12. c. 14. 22. c. 27. 5. c. 32. 17 , 18 , 19. c. 51. 15 , 16. jonah 1. 9. john 1. 3. 10. acts 2. 24. c. 14 , 15. c. 17. 24 , 25 , 26. rom. 1. 19 , 20. col. 1. 16 , 17 , 18. heb. 1. 1 , 2. 1 pet. 4. 19. rev. 4. 11. cap. 10 , 6. and the fourth commandement it self , exod. 20. 8 , to 12. seem to prefer the work of creation before the work of redemption , as most of all manifesting , declaring , magnifying the infinite power , wisdome , greatnesse , glory , majesy , providence , bounty , soveraignty , deity of god ; and as the strongest motive and obligation to all his creatures ( and redeemed saints likewise ) to adore , worship , love , fear , serve , reverence , obey god as their creator , and to depend , rest , trust , commit themselves to him alone . 4. these reasons seem to advance the work of creation before the work of redemption . first , it is the first and most ancient of all gods visible works , gen. 1. 1. deut. 4. 32. mark 13. 19. rev. 3. 14. 2 pet. 3. 4. far antienter than christs resurrection or work of redemption . and that which is antientest , is usually best and honourablest , psal. 77. 5. isa. 3. 2. c. 9. 15. c. 44. 7. c. 24. 23. c. 51. 19. jer. 18. 15. dan. 7. 9. 13. 22. john 1. 2 , 3. 1 kings 12. 6. jer. 6. 16. acts 22. 16. 1 joh. 2. 7. rev. 3 : 14. secondly , the work of a creation is the very greatest of all gods works , and more universall , generall , extensive than the work of redemption : extending to all the glorious angels , sun , moon , starres , heavens , aire , earth , sea , with all the severall creatures in them ; whatsoever and to all mankind . gen. 1. and 2. psalm 83. psalm 104. psalm 148. 4. 5 , 6. isa. 40. 26. c. 42. 5 c. 45. 12 , 18. john 1. 3. ephes. 3. 9. col. 1. 14. rev. 4. 11. c. 10. 6. yea , to jesus christ himself , stiled ; the beginning of the creation of god . rev. 3. 14. therefore , more excellent , greater , glorious than the work of redemption , b peculiar onely to gods elect , the smallest part of men ; not universall to all mankind ; much lesse to angels , and all other creatures : now it is a received maxime in divinity , morality , policy , reason ; bonum quo communius , eo melius . see psalm 145. 9 , 10 , 14 , 15 , 16. whence philo the jew , de opificio mundi , stiles the sabbath in memory of it ; festum non unius populi regionisve , sed in universum omnium : quae sola digna est ut dieatur popularis festivitas . thirdly , god himself created all things at fi●st , very good , perfect , pure , excellent ; and man himself after his own image , in holinesse , true righteousnesse , integrity , ●erfection , without sinne , corruption , imperfection or obliquity , gen. 1. 18. 25. to the end . c. 5. 1. c. 9. 6. eccles. 7. 27. 1 cor. 11. 7. ephef. 4. 24. col. 3. 10. man being depraved , corrupted by adams sin and fall , which brought a c curse upon mankind and all other creatures too : christs redemption , though it hath freed all his elected , called , justified , sanctified ones from hell , death and damnation , the condemning , ruling power of sin , and curse of the law ; y●t it hath not redeemed them ( much lesse the generality of mankind and other creatures ) from the pollution , corruption of sinne , l●st and ●ll those temporall miseries , curses , plagues , judgements , imperfections in this life , which sinne hath brought upon them : nor yet restored them to such a glorious , happy , perfect condition here , as that wherin man was first created : the best of saints on earth , having many remainders of sinne , corruptions , defects and infirmities in them till they come to heaven , 1 kings 8. 46. eccles. 7. 20. rom. 7. 7. to the end , james 3. 2. 1 john 1. 8 , 10. c. 2. 1. 2. therefore in this respect , the work of creation excells that of redemption , in relation to all the creatures corrupted , vitiated by mans fall , and of the redeemed themselves , whiles they continue on earth , and have cause to celebrate sabbaths and lords-dayes , to sanctifie and make them holier . 4. some of the creatures , as the angels , christ himself , as man and a creature , ( if not the sun , moon , stars , heavens ) the works of gods creation ; are more excellent and gloious than man , or any saints on earth , the ●ubject of christs redemption , psalm 8. heb. 1. rev. 3. 14. 2 thess. 1. 7. psalm 103. 20. mat. 25. 31. heb. 2. 7 , 9. c. 12. 22. rev. 14. 10. luke 20. 36. compared together . therefore the work of creation is more exellent than that of redemption . fifthly , without the work of creation , there could be no work of redemption ; the chief end whereof is to restore us to that felicity , a happinesse in the enjoyment of god and his creatures , which man in his innocency , ( had h● p●rsevered in that estate ) should have enjoyed by the work of creation . therefore the work of creation is at least as excellent as glorious , as the work of redemption , if not more eminent than it . sixthly , the excellency and glory of the work of redemption consists principally in this , that it was wrought by jesus christ himself , the onely beloved sonne of god luke ▪ 1. 6. 8. 99. rev. 3. 24. gal. 3. 17 col. 1. 14. heb. 9. 12 1 pet. 1. 18 , 19. rev. 5. 9. but this cannot advance it above the work of creation ; god created all things by jesus christ ( as well as redeemed his elect ) ephes. 3. 9. col. 1. 16. and that onely as he was god , and the word , heb. 1. 2. john 1. 1 2 , 3. gen. 1. 1 , 3 , 26. not as god and man . seventhly all accord , that it is a work of b greater excellency , omni●ot●n●y , power , love , to create and make all things out of nothing , then to repair , restore , rectifie things already created when deprav●d , defiled , cap●ivated or impaired . see basil and amb●ose in their hexamerons , most commentators on gen. 1. and isa. 45. 5. to 20. c. 40. 48. re. 4. 11. acts 17. 24. heb. 3. 4. therefore i may safer conclud● , that the work of creation is c greater and more excellent than the work of redemption , from these texts and reasons ; then my antagonists averre the work of redemption to transcend the work of creation in excellency and greatnesse , without scriptures or solid reasons grounded on it . 5. admit the whole work of redemption wrought by christ , to be better , greater , excellenter than the work of creation : yet none can prove or demonstrate , that chrstsi resurrection ( one part onely of his work of redemption , on the first day of the week ) is greater than the whole work of creation . therefore they cannot conclude from it alone , that this his bare resurrection should alter the beginning , end , limits , nature of times , and dayes , settled by god at the very creation ; as they here argue . 6. admit christs resurrection and work of redemption , to be greater , better , excellenter than gods work of creation , ( which i deny ) will it thence follow ; ergo , it altered the work of creation ; the cause of sunne , moon , starres , dayes , weeks , years ; the beginning and end of the sabbath , or first day of the week , and by consequence of all other dayes and times setled by god himself at the creation by an unalterable law ? gen. 1. 5. 8. to 20. 23. 21. c. 2. 2 , 3. exod. 20. 8. to 12. psalm 148. 5. 6. eccl. 3. 14. jer. 31. 35 , 36. c. 33. 20 , 21. 2 pe. 3. 14. certainly all these texts wi●● others forecited , resolve , and experience proves the contrary , the dayes , weeks , months , morning , evening , course of sunne , moon , and starres , being still the same they were from the creation till this present ; and every thing or action that is greater , better than another , not abrogating or altering their course or limits which god or men had formerly settled . 7. the ends of christs resurrection and redemption were meerly spirituall , to redeem , justifie , raise up from sinne , from the dead , and avance to heaven at last , all those whom christ redeemed , john 5. 29. c. 11. 25. rom. 1. 4. rom. 5. 5. to 16. 1 cor. 15. throughout , phil. 3. 10. 11. 1 pet. 1. 1. 3 c. 21. rev. 20. 5. 6. rom. 4. 24 , 25. c. 8. 11. 2 cor. 4. 14. ephes. 2. 6. not to alter the beginning or ending of dayes , times , ▪ seasons : not one of all these texts ( nor any other speaking of christs resurrection , and the ends or benefits thereof ) ass●rtin● , importing , much lesse resolving any thing : therefore it did not , could not alter the beginning or limits of the fi●st day , ●i●her as a naturall , or as his resurrection day , as these writers averre . 8. christs pa●sion , a bloodshed , was the principall part of his redemption , yea his nativity , ascention ( to omit his whole life on earth , and perpetuall mediation in heaven for us ) were parts thereof ; the one the first part , the other the last of all : b●t it is clear that our saviours passion and bloodshed in the evening , ( though it were the chief●st part of his redemption ) made no alteration in the b●ginning or end of dayes , so as to change the beginning of goodfriday f●om evening before , to three of the clock in the afternoon ; that his nativity ( about midnight ) or his ascention ( about noon or eleven of the clock in the morning , as is most probable ) did not translite the beginning of those dayes , or any other , to midnight , noon , or morning , though they were the first and last parts of of his work of redemption ; why then should his resurrection onely in the morning ( a lesse principall part of his work , than his passion , or perchance than his nativity or ascention ; the one of which preceded the other followed his resurrection ) make such a change in dayes beginnings , when neither of these three other did so ? if it be , because it was a part of christs redemption . so were the other three , and yet they produced no such mutation ; and why a part of christs redemption should cause such an alteration , onely because it is a part : or why one inferior part of it alone , should do it , and not the chiefest ; why the intermediate , not the first , or last part of it , transcends my apprehension . if it be because god ordained it should effect such a transmutation , then shew me expresse scripture for it , ( as none can do ) or else reject it for a groundlesse fancy , as in truth it is , but more of this in the answer to the next objection . the second objection is this , christs resurrection on the first day of the week in the morning , did actually change the beginning of the day from evening to morning , and constitute the lords-day to begin at morning . therfore it ought to begin at morning . if we c●st this into a sormall argument , it will be more perspicuous . christs resurrection , the cause of the lords-day , was not till the morning , ergo the lords-day must not begin till morning , because the effect must needs be with or subsequent to the cause , and cannot precede it ; whereas the effect should over-reach ●●e cause in point of time , if the lords-day should begin at evening , christs resurrection beginning not till the morning . this reason and argument is the main foundation whereon the opposites build their errour ; wherefore i shall be more copious in discovering the sandinesse , falshood , and fallaciousnesse of it . first therefore , i answer , that this whole argument , is but a chain of severall grosse falshoods and mistakes , contrary to the scriptures : i wonder therefore why so many grave , judicious men should be ensnared by it . 1. the first of them ( the ground work of all the rest , and of this errour concerning the lords-day beginning at morning is this , that christs resurrection did alter the beginning of that first day of the week , whereon be arose , from evening to morning : which i have manifested to be an apparent errour contrary to the scriptures ; which testifie that that day began at evening , and that christs resurrection did nothing alter it ; as the third and fifth preceding conclusions prove at large . wherefore i shall here demand of the objectors , how it appears that christs resurrection made such a change as they pretend ? if by scripture , shew one text , that necessarily proves it : this i am sure they cannot do . if not by scripture : then it is a meere groundlesse conceit of their own forging . yea , but though they want scripture , yet they have this sound reason to prove it : christ rose again upon the first morning ; therefore he translated the beginning of it from evenig to morning . to which i reply , that this main capitall reason is but a grosse in consequent , and a circular argumentation ; for if the argument be denyed , as justly it may be ; then they prove it by that very medium which was next before denied , and they ought to make good ; that christs resurrection did chan●e the day from morning to evening ( there being no other medium but this to confirm it ) therefore if he rose again upon it in the morning , he made such a change as they pretend . so that this their reason is but idem per idem , a petitio principii a circular dispute , a grosse non sequitur , and so to be rejected as false and idle . but yet a little more to lay open the falshhood of this proposition ; that chists resurrection made such an alteration of that first dayes beginning ( which hath neither scripture nor reason to back it . ) i would first demand this question of them . why christs resurrection should produce such a change , when as his nativity , passion and ascention , ( parts of his redemption too , as beneficiall to christians as his resurrection ) had no such effect ? 2. how they come to know , that such a change was de facto made , when no scripture rev●als or intimates it ? 3. how was it possible for christs resurrection to call back and adnul that beginning of the day , which was irrevocably past , and gone before it happened ? since by their own rule , the effect cannot precede the cause ; and so by the same reason , christs resurrection in the morning could not operate à parte ante , to change the beginning of that day , which was actually past at evening . 4. where they did ●ver read , that occasions happening upon any dayes , did alter or bound on● the beginning and end of dayes ? the dayes ever bounding out the occasions ( which we say happened upon such a day and houre ) not the occasions the dayes ? 5. how christs resurrection could change this dayes beginning , when as it altered not its name , nature or order , ( it being still the first day of the week , as it was at the creation , the week remaining yet the same ) and seeing it made no change in the course of the sun , and moon , of day , and night , which rule bound out , and make up the naturall day ? 6. how that which hath no limits of its own , but that which it had from the day on which it happened , ( the first dayes morning being that which limited the resurrection in point of time , and reduced it to a certainty ) can possibly put bounds of time unto the day , which bounds outit ? if they cannot resolve all these , queries they must then disclaim this main fundamentall conclusion , upon which they build their false grounded error , as i have formerly proved . this is the first falshood . the second is this , that christs resurrection was the cause of the lords-day . this i say , is both a falshood and a fallacy . to make it more evidently so , we must consider the lords-day , either as a naturall day , consisting of 24 houres , measured out by the sunne or primum mrbile , and made up of the night and artificiall day : or as a lords-day ; that is , a day devoted and sequestred unto gods immediate worship . if we consider it materially , or m●erly as a day , it is clear , that christs resurrection was no cause of the first day ; for that was instituted by god at the creation , gen. 1. 5. who then appointed the sunne , moon , and starres , to rule , limit , govern both the day and night , and to be the sole causes of them , gen. 1. 14. to 22. psalm 74. 16 , 17. psalm 136. 6 , 7 , 8. psal. 104. 19. jer. 31. 35 , 36. c. 33. 20. neither could christs resurrection be the cause of that day on which he arose ; for it was begun before he rose again ; and it had been and continued a day , though he had never risen on it ; therefore it was no cause of it as a day . besides , all time is the measure of motion , and so the motion of the primum mobile the alone cause of it , and of this day too . christs resurrection thererefore being no cause of the lords-day , as a day , could not alter the beginning of it in such manner as is prtended ; since the lords-day hath no bounds or limits , beginning or end , neither is it properly a part of time , but onely as it is a day , not as a lords-day . wherefore when you affirm that christs resurrection was the cause of the lords-day , & therefore it changed the beginning of it ; your meaning is and must be , that it was the cause of it , and that it changed the beginning thereof , as it was a naturall day ( the change here r●l●●ing onely to the time and limits of the day , not simply to the quality , as it is a lords-day , it having no limits at all , as it is a lords day , but meerly as it is a naturall day ; ) which is a grosse a untruth as i have proved , yea a fallacy too , in applying that to this day , as a day , which is spoken onely and intended of it , meerly as a lords-day . to illustrate this by an example . the first day of the week , is like to water in baptisme , to bread and wine in the sacrament , to a church that is consecrated , or to one abou to enter into orders : now as we use to say , th●t baptisme doth change the water , the sacramentall consecration the bread and wine , consecration canonicall the church , and ordination the man ; if we mean they change their very nature , essence and substance , the speech is meerly false ; for they continue in nature , in substance , the same they were before ; if we intend they onely alter their use , which is true ; and yet apply this alteration to the substance ( as the papists do in case of the sacament , arguing thus ; the fathers say , that the bread and wine are changed after consecration , to wit , in their use onely ; ergo they are transubstantiated and changed in their substance ; ) then it is but a fallacy or equivocation which being explained proves but a meere non sequitur , since the change in the use or quality onely , infers no necessary alteration in the substance . so when the objectors say , that christs resurrection did change the first day of the week ; if they mean onely that it was the occasion why the use of it was altered from a common day to an holy day : or when they affirm , that christs resurrection was the cause of the lords day , that is , the cause why the first day was and is solemnized as a lords-day : their words are true in this sense onely ; but then they neither prove nor imply any change at all in the limits , beginning or end of the first day , or in the day it self , but in its use alone ; and so the day continues the same in all these respects , as it was before . but when they go thus far , as to prove that christs resurrection on it did alter the very beginning and end , ( and so the nature and limits ) of the day , because it was the occasion of altering its use ( which is the thing they intend in both these propositions ) then the argumentation is sophisticall , and the conclusion this grosse inconsequent ; christs resurrection was the cause of turning the first day of the week into the lords-day ; ergo , it translated the beginning of that day from morning to evening . an argument so absurd , that the objectors may now do well to blush at it . again , if we consider this day onely , as it is a lords-day , ( that is , as a time consecrated to gods publick worship ) if the objectors intend by this proposition ( christs resurrection in the morning was the cause of the lords-day ) that is , it did actually consecrate that very first day , whereon he arose , and all others succeeding it , for a lords-day , even that very morning on which he arose again , as in truth they do ; then i say it seems to me an apparent untruth . for though it be true that his resurrection on that day , was one generall originall occasion of solemnizing it for the lords-day ; yet it is untrue that his bare resurrection onely was the immediate efficient , constitutive cause of sanctifying it for a sabbath or lords-day ; or that it did sanctifie that very day on which christ arose for a sabbath or lords-day , even at that very time of the morning when he arose . for first , gods resting from his work of creation on the seventh day , is paralell in reason with christs resurrection on the first day , in point of constituting either of them for a sabbath or holy day , as all acknowledge . but gods resting on the seventh day , was onely the originall impulsive , not the immediate efficient , constitutive cause of the seventh day sabbath ; for it was not a sabbath as soon as god began to rest , or only because he rested on it ; but because he blessed and consecrated it for a sabbath , and commanded adam and his posterity to sanctifie it for a sabbath , as is clear by gen 2. 2 , 3. exod. 20. 7. to 12. for he sanctified it for a sabbath because he had rested on it : so that his rest was onely the occasion why this d●y was consecrated for a sabbath , rather than any of the other six ; but that which made it a sabbath , was gods peculiar blessing , consecration , and institution of it for a sabbath . so gods passing over the is●aelites , and slaving the egyptians , was the occasion why the 14. day of the first moneth was solemnized ●or a pass●ov●r-day : but that which constituted it to be such a day , was not his passing over the israelites , but his expresse command to them to observe it throughout all their generations . ex●d. 12 4. to 40. the jews deliverance from haman and th●i● other enemies , was the cause or reason , why they * annually observed the fourteenth and fifteenth dayes of the moneth adar , as solemn festivals ; and the deliverance from the a gunpowder-treason , the occasion why we observe the fifth of november , as an annuall festivall ( which feast we generally begin at evening , since we then usually begin to ring our bells in memory of our deliverance the morning following ) but the imm●diate efficient constituting cause of these dayes for holy-dayes , was neither the jews deliverance nor ours ; but the law and ordinance of the jews , esth. 9. 20 to 29. and the sta●ute of 3 jac●bi●c . 1. which ordained those dayes to be solemnized and kept holy . so it is in all other dayes solemnities whatsoever , not the occasion of their celebration , but the authority and command to sanctifie them , is that which b constitutes them holy-dayes ; therefore by the self same reason , christs bare resurrection was onely the occasion why the lords-day was afterwards sanctified and observed ; but that which constituted and made it a lords-day or christian sabbath , was some precept or ordinance of christ , or his apostles , or of the primitive church , without which it had not been actually a lords-day or sabbath in point of sanctification , though christ did rise upon it . 2. if christs bare resurrection without more ceremony , did actually consecrate that very first day on which he arose , and all others for a sabbath or lords-day , what need then those many large discourses of divines , concernning the time when , the persons by whom , or the authority by which the sabbath was translated from the seventh day to the first , or this instituted for a lords-day ? certainly if the very resurrection of christ did actually perform all this , that very morning on which he arose , all these disputes were at an end . but few or none have been so absurd as to make christs bare resurrection the immediate constituting cause of the first day for a sabbath or lords-day , much lesse of that very day upon which christ arose , which all the a evangelists stile , the first day of the week , even as it was christs resurrection day ; which shews , that it was not then actually constituted for a sabbath or lords-day , but continued an ordinary week-day , as before . therefore it is not probable that it made ●uch a change or consecration of that very day . 3. none of the evangelists in their histories of christs resurrection , make mention either in direct terms , or by way of necessary inference , that our saviours bare resurrection consecrated that very first day whereon he arose , or any succeeding it , for a sabbath or lords-day ; much lesse that it changed the beginning thereof from morn-ning to evening . therefore certainly no such alteration as is su●mised , was actually effected by it . 4. had christs resurrection actually constituted that day on which he arose , and all other fi●st dayes ensuing for a sabbath or lords day , without further ceremony , even on that day when he arose ; then that day had been consecrated for a sabbath or lords-day , and the seventh day sabbath hadbeen translated to it , before any man did or could take notice o● this alteration ; before any knew this day was instituted for a sabbath or ●ords-day ; yea , before it was known or believed that christ was risen again , to or by his disciples . for the b scripture is expresse , that he appeared not unto them till towards the evening of that day ; at which time thomas was absent , and some of them doubted , whether he were risen again , or whether it was he or no : so that it is certain , they observed not that first day , as a sabbath or lords-day , in memory of his resurrection , but it is altogether improbable , that christ would consecrate that day for a sabbath or lords-day , before his disciples or any other knew of it ; or that he would make an alteration of the sabbath , ( which so much concerned the apostles and church ) in private , without their presence or p●ivity : o● that he would consec●ate that day for a sabbath or lords-day , in memory of his resurrection , before it was certainly known that he was risen ; or before he had shewed himself to his disciples after he was risen ; or before any did know it to be a lords-day or sabbath it being made so only for man , mar. 2. 27. not for christ himself , or angels , who were onely present with him when he arose . for christ being onely wise , did all things in b the fittest season , and in a publick manner , in the presence of his disciples , who were to be witnesses of all his actions , speeches , acts 1. 2 , 3 c. 2. 32. c. 10. 40 , 41 , 42 , 43. 1 john● , 1 , 3. 2 pet. 1. 16 , 17 , 18. luke 1. 2. therefore he would not , he did not institute that very day whereon he arose for a sabbath or lords-day , at the time when he arose , which the evangelists certainly would have mentioned ( being a matter of such moment to the church and christians ) had it been done in truth , as pretended onely , but not proved , neither in truth can be . if therefore the objectors affirm ; that christs resurrection was the cause of the lords-day as a lords-day ; that is , an immediate constituting cause of it , and that at the very moment when he arose , then it is a palpable untruth , as the premises manifest : if they mean by cause , onely the impulsive cause or originall occasion of its future consecration or institution for a sabbath or lords-day , then their argument is but this . christs resurrection ( the occasion of christians solemnizing the lords-day , as a lords-day or sabbath ) was in the morning ; ergo the lords-day must being at morning : which is but a meere non sequitur ; because the occasions of sanctifying any dayes for sabbaths or holy-dayes , do not bound out the beginning or end of the dayes , for then these days must begin and conclude when the occasi●ns of their solemnization do ; but on the contrary , t●e dayes do ever limit the occasions and f●stivalls , which must begin and end with the dayes to which they are confined . this i shall make mani●est by examples , and make good by unanswerable reasons . for examples , we have all the festivalls in scripture , which together with their occasions , are restrained to the bounds of dayes , not the limits of dayes to them . to instance in particulars . when god himself instituted the seventh day for a sabbath , because on it he had rested from all his works of creation ; he confined the sabbath and his rest , to the seventh day ; not the seventh day to it : blessing the seventh day and hallowing it ; not changing the beginning , ending , limits , or order of it in the week , but the use , gen. 2. 2 , 3. exod. 20. 7. to 12. when god instituted the fourteenth day of the moneth abib , for a passeover day , in memory of his passing over the israelites , and sl●ying the egyptians at midnight , he ordained that feast to begin at evening , because the day to which this festivall was confined , did then begin ; not at midnight , wh●n the occasion of its sol●mnization happened , exod. 11. 4. c. 12. 3 , 6. 12. 10 40. lev. 23 ▪ 5. numb. 9. 11. deut. 16. 4. josh. 5 10. so all the other jewish feasts * began and ended at evening , as the dayes on whi●h they were solemnized did ; the limits of the day being the bounds of the festivalls , not the festivalls , or their occasions , the boundaries of the day ; a festivall or holy day being none other , but a common day set apart and dedicated to gods speciall honour and service : therefore being but a common day consecrated , must needs begin and end , ●s the day doth this is manifest by exod. 12. 18. c. 13. 3 , 4. c. 14. 30. c. 35. 2. levit. 23 3 ▪ to 43. numb. 29. 1. josh. 10. 12 , 13 , 14. judges 5. 1. 1 sam. 14. 23. neh 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. esth. 8. 12. c 9. 17 , 18 , 19 , 22. psalm 81. 3. psal. 118. 24. isa. 22. 12. matth. 28. 1. mark 16. 1. luke 23. 56. c. 21. 1. wher● all festivalls , fasts , and memorable occasions , are regulated by dayes , not dayes by them ; the festivalls and feasts ever beginning and ending with the dayes to which they are appropriated , not the dayes , or festivalls , or fasts , with the occasions of their solemnization . so in all annual or weekly holy-dayes , feasts , or fasts instituted by men , let the occasions of their institution happen what houre or time of the day they will , at morning , noon , or afternoon , yet we still begin the solemnization of them , when the day begins . for example , our saviours passion on the crosse , was not till about three of the clock in the afternoon , john 9. 14 mark 15. 34. yet we solemnise our goodfriday , in memory of his passion , from the time the day begins . so our saviours ascension ( as is probable by acts 1. 9 10 , 11 , 12. 13. luk. 24. 50 ▪ 51 , 52. ) was about noon or after , yet we begin the festivall of his ascension with the dayes inception , whereon it was . so the descent of the holy ghost upon the apostles in cloven tongues ' was about nine of the clock in the monring , acts 2. 15. yet we solemnize our whitsonday in memory thereof , from that dayes inception . our deliverance from the a gunpowder treason on the fifth of november , was about nine or ten in the morning , or after , when the king , queen , prince , lords and commons should have m●t together in the lords-house ; ( though suspected and in part discovered ten dayes before , and actually detected at midnight ; ) yet we begin the solemnization of it , from the foregoing evening , with ringing of bells , and the like . the birth of many of our princes hath been about noon or after , and their coronations about that time : yet we solemnize their birth-dayes , and coronation-dayes , from those dayes beginnings . the crown descended to our present soveraign king charls in the afternoon : yet we solemnize not that day from noon to noon , but from evening to evening , because the day doth then commence and end , and so the solemnity confined onely to that day , that whole day , not to part of it , and part of the ensuing day . if then all festivalls whatsoever begin and end with the dayes beginning and end on which they are kept , not at the very time of those dayes , when the occasions of their solemnization happened , as these and other infinite other examples testifie ; why should not the lords-day begin at evening , though christs resurrection , ( the chief cause of its sanctification ) was not till morning , because that day , as a day , doth then begin and determine ? certainly whatever the opposites conceipt , it must needs do so , and that for these unanswerable reasons . first , because god himself , at the very creation hath set inviolable bounds , for the beginning and end of daves and weeks ; appointing them to be as so many royall standards for the limiting or measuring out of all festivall occasions happening on them , and reducing them to a certainty ; as i have manifested at large in the fourth conclusion : wherefore no event or festivalls , happening on those dayes , can alter the limits or beginning of them , nor make them longer or shorter ; no more than the corn to be measured by the peck or bushell , or the cloth to be measured by the yard , can alter , limit or measure out the quantity of the peck , bushell , or length of the yard . secondly , because every occasion that may cause a subsequent consecration of a day , for a sabbath or holy day , ( and so christs resurrection ) doth only dedicate that day , yea all that day on which it falls , not part of that day , and part of the day ensuing , on which it did not happen ; therefore consecrating onely that very day , all that day , and no other day but that , it must needs begin and end , when that day doth . now that very day on which our saviour arose , began and ended at evening , as i have proved : his resurrection therefore being the cause of consecrating all that day , ( not part of it , and part of the following day ) for the lords-day , this day as a lords-day , must necessarily begin and conclude at evening . thirdly , because no occasion of consecrating the day on which it falls , extends in point of consecration , further than that very day , which is set as the utmost limits of it . but should the lords-day begin and end at morning or midnight , not at evening , christs resurrection ( the cause of its consecration ) should extend beyond the bounds of the day , to consecrate half ( or at least a quarter ) of the second day , for a lords-day on which he arose ; and besides , it should not consecrate all that day on which it happened , but that part onely which ensued , not that which preceded it , since that day began at evening , as i have proved . both which were absurd to affirm . therefore it must needs begin at evening , the lords day being onely the first day on which christ arose , and all the first day , not part of it , and part of the second day , as it is and must be , in the opposites computation . fourthly , that day on which christ arose , both as a week day , and as a day , was precedent to his resurrection , both in time , nature , and in the sanctification of it for a lords-day : for there must be fi●st a day of the week b●fore christ could rise upon it , or any consecrate it for a sabbath or lords-day : therefore his resurrection on it , and the consecration of it for a lords-day , did not , could not alter the limits or nature of that day , but both of them must be regulated , squared by its former bounds . fifthly , christs resurrection and the lords-day solemnization , have no set limits of time of their own , being no parts of time , but onely measured out by time : therefore they can give , or proportion out , no limits of time to the first day , but the first day being a part of time , must set limits of time to them . and to make festivalls or their occasions measurers out of the length , b●ginning or end of days ( which the objectors do ) is as grosse an absurdity , as to measure the bush●ll by the corn , or the yard by the cloth ; not the corn an● cloth by the bushell or yard ; or as to square the rule by the tree ; measure the quart pot by the wine ; weigh pounds and weights by the wool , flesh , bread , fruits ; not the tree , wine , wool , &c. by the rule , quart , pound , weights . sixthly , every memorable accident happening upon any day ( and so by consequence our saviours resurrection on the first day of the week ) cannot possibly alter the beginning of that day : for if it falls out just at the dayes beginning , it is a reason that the day and festivall solemnized in memoriall of it , should then begin , because both the day and the occasion of its celebration commence together ; if it happen after the day begins ( as christs resurrection did ) it cannot nullifie or change its beginning , because it was irrevocably past , and gone before . et ▪ quod factum , quod praeteritum est , infectum reddi non potest , no not by god himfelf , much lesse by any accidentall occasion , which cannot possibly operate to nullifie or alter that which was past and gone before it was in being . since therefore no occasion happening , either with or after the beginning of any day can possibly alter the time of its inception , the festivity instituted in memory of that occasion , on that day , must inevitably begin and end when the day doth in its naturall and usuall course , and so the lords-day too , which must begin and end at evening , because that day on which christ rose again did so . seventhly , christs resurrection ( and so any other memorable accident upon any dayes ) was but a meere transient act , done , past , almost in a moment , or minutes space : wherefore it could properly of it self consecrate onely that space of that day which it took up and no more : for the forepart of the day being past , the following part of it to come , and neither of them in being , but that space thereof in which he rose again , christs resurrection could not properly operate to consecrate either the antecedent or subsequent part of that day , of it self , much lesse any dayes ensuing . if therefore the lords-day , or first day should be limited or bounded out by the time on which christ rose ( which is the opposites doctrine ) we must either observe no lords-day at all , or else a lords-day of a minutes length ( and that minute uncertain when to begin or end , because the hour , or minute of christs rising again is unknown : ) since therefore there is both an expediency and necessity that christians should observe a day , a festivall of a greater length , than the very moment in which christ rose , in memory of christs resurrection ; the instituters of the lords day , considering that god himself did ever bound out all festivalls , by dayes , not minutes , hours or half dayes , ( stretching the limits of them farther than the bounds of their occasions reached ; which were commonly short , and transitory ; ) partly in imitation of gods own former proceedings in such cases , and partl● out of necessity , did extend the bounds of the lords-day beyond the space in which he was rising , even to the intire day , whereon he arose , and so to that part of the day preceding , as well as to that succeeding it , the very act of christs resurrection being but momentany and not so large as the whole dayes extent . whence we may clearly see an absolute necessity of limiting festivalls by the days , limits , not by their occasions ; of beginning the lords-day at evening , though the resurrection , the cause of its future solemnization , was not till morning ; and of making such occasions and the resurrection , to relate à parte ante , as well as à parte post ; to consecrate the precedent as well as the subs●quent part of the dayes on which they happen , without any violation of the objected logick rule . that the effect cannot precede the cause ; ( which is true onely in this sense , that the lords-day could not be actually observed as a lords-day in memory of christs resurrection on it , bef●re he actually rose again : ) else festivalls and the lords ▪ day should be scarce half-holy-dayes , sometimes not above a minutes or hours length ; which would be dishonourable to god , to christ , to the church and disadvantagious unto christians . eightly , if festivalls or their occasions ( and so christs resurrection and the lords-day ) should alter the beginning and end of dayes , as the objectors pretend , it would bring in an absolute confusion of all tim●s and dayes : for then every last occasion of solemnizing any day must change the beginning of all other dayes , and reduce them to the time that that occasion happened ; and so every punie festivall should alter the limits of all dayes and festivalls formerly settled ; which were injurious , yea absurd ; and would cause so many alterations in day as would render all days , weeks , years , u●certain ; or else every day or festival should have severall beginnings and ends , answerable to the hours of the severall remarkable accidents happening on them , some beginning at one hour , some at another , some being long , others short , some beginning at one time in one country , and at another time in another countrey ; which would bring such a perplexity , intricacy into all computations of time , and all chronologie , as neither god nor man could suffer ; breed much confusion , both in contracts , festivals , all divine and humane affairs ; overturn religion , lawes , dayes , weeks , moneths , years , and reduce all things to a meere incertainty , in regard of time , which hath continued the same in all ages and places from the creation to this present , without any variation ; the week consisting of seven dayes , and each of those dayes of 24. hours onely , as they did at the creation . wherefore to prevent this generall confusion , incertainty , disorder in dayes , and other times , there is a necessity that dayes , ( gods standard royall , to measure all temporary things , occasions , and solemn festivals happening on them ) should limit both festivals themselves , and the causes of their institution : and so that the lords-day should be squared by the first day of the week , to which it is confined , not the first day , or lords-day , by the time of our saviours resurrection on it . and why should not the lords-day be squared by the first day on which our saviour arose ? is it not celebrated principally in remembrance of his resurrection on that day ? is not the lords-day the first day , and the first day the lords-day ? is not all the fi●st day the lords-day , and no part of the 2d . day ? would you not have it like that first day on which christ arose , not different from it ? if so , then that first day must be the only measure of it ; and it must begin and end at evening , as that day did . if otherwise , you make the lords-day different from that day whereon christ rose , you sanctifie but part , not all the first day ; you piece up a lords-day of half the first day and half the second day ; and make christs resurrection the measure of the day , when as the day was the measure of it : all and and either of which is gross●ly absurd . you see therefore in the first place , that the ground on which the opposites build their opinion of the lords-dayes commencement at morning ; is but a ch●in of falshoods and notorious errours . and so the objection meerely false , in the sence that they intend it . 2. i answer , that ●hough christs resurrection was the principal cause of christians celebrating the first day of the week for the lords-day , & christian weekly sabbath ; yet it was not the sole cause or occasion of it , there being many other caus●s likewise alleadged for it by * ancient and modern divines and others ; as that it was the first day of all others , whereon god created the light , that god raineed manna in the wildernesse on it , that christ thereon rose again from the dead , and that the holy ghost desc●nded thereon , upon the apostles . thus expressed in the excerptions of egbert archbishop of york , about the year of christ 750 c. 36. spelmanni concil. tom. 1. p. 262. dominica dies prima dies seculi est , & dies resurrectionis christi ; & dies pentecosten , & ideo sancta est , &c. and thus in some ancient saxon canons , some of uncertain date , yet supposed to be 1000 years after christ . ibidem p 600. c. 24. a dies verò dominica , quia in eo deus lucem condidit , in eo mannam eremo pluit , in eo redemptor humanigeneris spoute pro salute nostra mortuis resurrexit , in eo spiritum sanctum super discipu●os infudit , tanta debet esse observantia , ut praeter orationes & missarum solemnia , & ea quae ad vescendum pertinent , nihil aliud fiat , &c. on which particulars , many of our modern writers insist . now as it was the first day of the world whereon light was created , it clearly began at evening , gen. 1. 5. the manna falling on it , ●el● with the dew in the night . numb , 11. 9 exod 16 13 , 14. christs resurrection thereon was early in the morning whiles it was yet dark , john 20. 1. luke 24. 1 , 2 , 6. matth. 28. 1. 6. mark 16. 1 , 2. the descent of the holy ghost upon the apostles thereon ; was about nine of the clock in the morning , or the third houre of the day , acts 2. 1. to 16. to these reasons of its sanctifi●ation , most of our late divines annex , christs apparition to his disciples on this day after his resurrection : and that was at evening ( a little before sunset ) john 20. 19. now if all these severall occurrents on the first day of the week , concurring joyntly towards its sanctification as a lords-day , or christian sabbath , should alter its primitive beginning and end at the creation , as the first day of the world , when it began and ●nded at evening , to the time and hour of these severall occurrences thereon ; it should have as many severall beginnings and ends , at severall times , houres , repugnant to each other ; which would make it five severall dayes in stead of one ; yea no day at all , but a monster of dayes and sabbaths . to reconcile which repugnances , and avoid such confusion ; the objectors must disclaim their confident objected mistake . that christs resurrection ( being one cause of the lords-dayes solemnization onely ) did actually change the beginning of the day , from evening to morning ; and grant it still begins at evening , as before it did . 3. i answer that this objection is a meere petitio principii ; a begging of the thing controverted , as granted instead of proving it . for they lay this for a foundation ; that christs very resurrection did change the beginning of the lords-day ( or first day ) on which he arose from evening to morning : which is the thing in truth they ought to prove . yea but they confirm it too as well as say it : how i pray ? christ rose again in the morning , ergo he translated the beginning of the day to the morning . but how is this consequent made good ? why thus : christs resurrection was the cause of the lords-day ; therefore the day must begin when he arose , and not before , for the effect ought not to precede the cause . i subioyn that in this argum●nt is a treble sophisme . fi●st there is fallacia dictiouis in the word cause : which signifieth either an o●iginall impulsive cause ; ( and so it is true that christs resurrection was the cause of the lords dayes solemnization , to wit the cause , why christians afterwards did solemnize it ) or else an immediate efficient consti●utive cause : christs resurrection was no such cause of the lords day as i have proved . yet the objectors in this argument make it so , for that is thei● meaning . if they take cause here onely in the fi●st sence ; then the argum●nt is a meere inconsequent ; for the original cause or occasion of a thing may in point of time precede the effect for many hundred years . adams fall w●s the cause or occ●sion of christs incarnation , passion , resurrection and ascension , rom. 56. to 20. yet these were many thousand yea●s puny to it . the three y●ars famine in davids time , was occasioned by sauls slaughter of the gibeonites many years before , 2 sam. 21. 1. yea most divi●●s generally affirm , that though . christs resurrection was he occasion or impu●sive cause of the lords-day●s i●sti●ution , yet the institution of it was some space after i● , not contemporary with it . this argument therfore is bu● a meer incons●qu●nt christs resurrection , the originall occ●sion of the lords day●s institution , was in the m●●ni●g . ergo ▪ h● l●●ds day must then begin . 2. here is ●ik●wise ●●●l●acie in arguing , that the lords day m●st 〈◊〉 at mo●ning , not evening , b●cause the eff●ct canno● p●●●ed● the cause ; when as the a●gument should be ●●st contrary . the ●ffect begins ever when the 〈…〉 it doth ; and is ever co●tan●ous with it ; the●●f●●● t●● l●●ds day ought to b●gin in the morning , because ●● r●su●●●ction the cause of it b●gan then . the fi●st ●f th●● a●●uments is a non sequitur : because thou●● the ef●●●t cannot precede the cause in naturall things , as the son cannot be before the father was ; yet it followes not , that the effect should ever be as ancient as , or contemporany with the cause , or the son be as old as the fath●r , or born together with him . so it follows not that because the lords day , as a lords day , could not begin to be observed , hallowed as such a day , before that morning whereon christ arose ; ergo it must begin at morning , and could not be instituted to begin the evening of the next , or any other first day following it . again the antec●d●nt of the latter argument is falf , for although the originall cause or occasion doth usually precede the effect in point of time , ( as christs resurrection did the institution of the lords day ) yet it follows not that the lords day must begin at that very point of time when christ arose . so that there is a fallacy in this argument , in arguing from the effect to the cause , that it cannot precede it : when as the proposition ought to be , that it is ever contemporary and must begin at the same time with it . thirdly , there is a transitio à genere ad genus ; and that in two particulars . 1. in making christs resurrection the cause of the lords-day , as it is a naiurall day , when as it was no cause of it as a day , but onely the reason why it was instituted for a lords-day . so that the argument should be thus propounded . christs resurrection was the cause , why the first day was instituted for a lords-day : but that began at morning . ergo , the lords-day must then begin , because the day must then begin , when the occasion of its institution for a lords-day began : which i have proved to be false : 2. in applying that to the beginning of the day , which is applycable onely to the beginning of its institution for a lords-day , in this maxime ; that the effect cannot precede the cause , that is , the lords-day must not be instituted in memory of christs resurrection , before christ was actually risen , ( which yet may be false , since the feast of the passeover was instituted at evening , and solemnized in part , before god actually passed over the israelites , and slew the egyptians at midnight following , which was the cause of its institution . exod. 12. 3. to 40. ) and so might the lords-day too , be instituted in this manner before christs resurrection ) therefore after his resurrection past , it could not be instituted to begin the evening of that first day of the week on which he arose . which is a meere inconsequent : for what though christ did not rise till the morning ; yet that day on which he arose began at evening ; and therefore his resurrection relating to the whole day , as his resurrection day , this day of the week ( if not before , yet after his resurrection past ) might be well solemnized for a lords-day , even from evening to evening , without any violation of the true meaning of this maxime ; since we solemnize not the day , as the precise minute or houre , but as the weekly day of his resurrection , every part whereof may be part of his resurrection day , though not part of that very hour of the day whereon he arofe . if then these fallacies be abandoned , the whole summe and force of the objection , is but this in honest termes . christs resurrection in the morning was the originall occasion why the first day of the week whereon he arose , was afterwards instituted for the lords-day , and so solemnized . ergo the first day as the lords-day , must begin and end at morning , at that moment when christ arose , not at evening , neither could it be instituted to begin at even . which as all the premises manifest , is a grosse inconsequent . all that is or can be replied to help out this maimed reason , is this . that the first day whereon christ arose , had two beginnings . one , as a lords day , and that was at morning when he arose : the other as a meer naturall day , viz. at evening : and that christs resurrection , gave it a new beginning , as a lords-day , not as a naturall day . to this i answer , 1. that this distinction is but a meer forgery , warranted by no scripture , reason or convincing authority ; and therefore it ought first to be proved ere received . 2. it is but a begging of the question disputed , not an answer of the reasons objected . 3. it is a meere falshood : for 1. that very day whereon christ arose was not consecrated at his resurrection for a lords-day , as i have proved : therefore it could not begin at morning as a lords-day , seeing it was no lords-day . 2. the lords-day is nothing else , but the first day of the week , and the first day of the week is the lords-day , they being terntini convertibiles : therefore they have but one and the self-same beginning and end . 3. that first day , on which christ arose , even as his resurrection day , began at evening as i have proved ; therefore it began then , as it was the lords day , it being the lords-day onely , as it is his resurrection day . 4. had that first day , as a day ●●●un at morning , then it must needs be either an half-holy-day , ●ut of 12 houres long ; the evening and night preceding it , being no part of it ; or else it must be a lords-day patched up of a piece of the first day , and a part of the second day , to wit , of the day light of the first , and the night of second ; and not that intire first day whereon christ arose . either of which is an absurdity to averre : therefore as a lords-day it must begin at evening , to avoid these absurdities . by all which it is now most clearly evident ; that this grand objection is both false , absur● and fallacious , proving nothing at all against me , and no ground to rely upon . the third main argument , to prove , that the lords-day begins at morning , not at evening , is that of john 20. 19. the same day at evening , being the first day of the week , when the doores were shut , where the disciples were assembled for fear of the jews , came jesus and stood in the middest , &c. whence it may be objected . that the same first day whereon christ rose again , ended not at evening ; as the words ( the same day at evening , being the first day of the week ) import ; that evening being part of the first day , not of the second ; therefore it began not at evening in saint johns accompt , and our saviours resurrection in it translated its beginning from evening to morning . to this i answer first , that this text makes nothing at all against me . for the scripture makes mention of two evenings ; one of the artificiall day ( which we commonly call day ) beginning when the sund clines , & somewhat●efore sunset & ending with the twili●●t , or sun ●e● , or when the evening st●● begins to shine wch evening is a part of the preceding day , both in our 〈◊〉 usuall and the scripture a computation , the day evening when this morning determines . of which b evening we m●y read , prov. 7. 9. mark 1. 32. exod 29 39. ●●●t . 23. 11. judges 9. 9 , 11 , 14 , 16. josh. 8. 29. c. 10. 26 , 27. 2 〈◊〉 3. 37. ma●th . 25. 57. mark 15. 42. luke 23. 43 , 44. f●x●d 12. 6. num. 9. 3. c. 28. 4. and deut. 21. 23. compared together , which is sometimes stiled evening tide , josh. 8. 29 gen. 24. gen. 24. 63. josh 7. 6. 2 sam. 11. 2. isa. 17. 14. judges 19 9. the other is the evening of the night , beinning after sun set , or just with the star-light , just when the twi●l●ht endeth , and the night and naturall day in the scripture and j●ws accompt begin , which evening is a part , & the very beginning of the ensuing day : of which we may read , gen. 1 , 5 , 8. 13. to 24 31. exod 3● . 8 , levit. 11. 24. 40. c. 14. 46. c. 15. 5 ●o 27. c. 17. 15. to 3● . c. 32. 6. c. 23. 32. numb. 19. 8 10. deut. 28. 67. judges 20. 23 26 2 sam. 1. 12. 1 sam. 30 17. prov. 7. 9. psal. 104. 23. jer. 6. 4. hab. 1. 18 zeph. 2. 7. c. 3. 3. jer. 5. 6 neh. 13. 19. deut. 16. 4. exod. 12. 6. levit. 23. 5. mark 13. 35. compared one with the other . of both these evenings we find expresse mention , exod. 12. 6 num. 9. 3. and 28. 4. where the jews are commanded to kill the passeover between the two evenings , that is , as most accord , between the evening of the day , and evening of the night ; which space between these two evenings both we ou● selves , and the c scriptures call , twilight , that is , the space between two lights , to wit , the light of the sunne , and the light of the starres or candle-light ; or the space between sun setting and star-shining ; which space most hold belongs to the precedent day ; the evening , which begins the night and following day , really commencing , when the evening d star begins to appear , which star called e vesper , both denominates , and begins the evening of the night , and the ensuing naturall day . there being therefore these two evenings , both in the scripture computation and our own ; the sole question will be , on which of the evenings it was , that christ thus appeared to his dis●iples ? and what evening it is , saint john here speaks of ? questionlesle , it was the evening of the day , no● of the night : first because the text is expresse , that it was the same day at even , being the first day of the week ; that is , whiles the first day was yet in being , and before it was quite ended : therefore it was , it must be the evening of the day , which in the scripture and jewish accompt ( which saint john follows ) was a part of the prec●ding first day ; not the evening of the night , which was in their compute , a parcell of the second day , not of the first ; as i have proved . 2. all divines accord , that this very first day on which christ arose , and thus appeared to his disciples , began and ended at evening , as the third and fifth conclusions manifest . therefore this euening can be no other , but the evening of the first day , not of the night , since this day , both began and ended when the evening of the night began . 3. this text informs us ; that when christ thus appeared unto his disciples at evening , he shewed them his hands and his feet , and that they saw and knew him perfectly . now neither saint john , nor any other evangelist make a mention of any lights in the room where they were , by which they might see him : therefore it is most probable , that they saw him by day light , or sunshine , by which they could best of all discern him . and if by day light , ( there being nothing in scripture to controll it ) this evening was questionlesse the evening of the day before sunset , as soon as ever the disciples came all together . 4. christs love to his disciples , ( who would not absent himself from them long , nor leave them in suspence of the truth of his ●esurrection , which they heard of before , by relation onely and other evidences ) may induce us to believe , that it was the first * of these two evenings , to wit the evening of the day ; and saint peters speech to cornelius , ( acts 10. 40. 41. him god raised up the third day , and shewed him openly : ( there●ore at day time , as is likelyest by 1 sam. 12. 11 , 12. c. 16. 22. psal. 98. 2. isa. 52. 10. col. 2. 15. ) not to all the people , but unto witnesses chosen before of god , even to us , who did eat and drinke with him after he rose from the dead ) implies as much . this therefore being the evening of the day , and so a part of that fi●st day , in the scripture and j●ws compute , makes nothing at all against me . secondly , this text mentions not at all this day as a lords-day , but onely as the first day of the week whereon christ rose ; neither doth it or any other scripture inform us , that christ made any translation of this dayes beginning to the morning . nor doth it follow , that the day must begin at morning or midnight , because it did not end at that time of the evening when christ appeared to his disciples , for it might determine soon after his appearance ( as the words , being the first day of the week subjoyned to the premises seem to infinu●te ) and so not begin at morning or midnight . this objection therefore no wayes impairs the truth of my assertion . the fourth objection ( upon which some much rely ) is that of acts 20. 7. to 12. where paul and the disciples at troas continued their assembly on the first day of the week , till day-breaking , and paul himself then preached untill midnight . ergo the lords-day begins and ends not at evening , but at morning ( say some ) at midnight , say others . to this i answer , first , that this ass●mbly of theirs on this day began our saturday nigh● , not our sunday , and continued till our sunday , ( not our m●nday ) morning , as i have formerly proved at large ; and therefore it makes wholly for , not against me . secondly , admit this meeting was upon our sunday at night , ( which i would have the objectors prove , as w●ll as affirm ) yet it concludes nought against my ass●rtion . first , because this sermon of pauls continuing till midnight , and this their continuance all night together , till the morning , was extraordinary , upon an extraordinary occasion ; to wit , pauls departu●e from them the next morning , v. 7. therefore no argument to prove the ordinary beginning or end of the lords-day . 2. as this sermon and assembly was extraordinary , so is it singular , without any pa●al●● example to second it , either in s●●ipture or antiqui●y ; which make no mention of any such sermons or assemblies used on our sunday nights , ( though of many on our saturday night , as i have proved ) besides this alone , if on it . as therefore one swallow makes no summer , so this one singular example makes no president for the usuall beginning and concluding of the lords-day at morning or midnight . thirdly , it is abare example but of one apostle , without any precept to back it ; therefore it can be no conclusive proof , that the lords-day ought to begin at morning or midnight , and he● to ●●d . fourthly , the beginning or ending of a s●●m●n , or one publick meeting ( ●ay the co●st●● practis● of all churches and places , from the beginning and ending their publick lords day exer●i●●● , which is much more ) is no concluding argument of it self 〈◊〉 ▪ to p●●v● the true beginning and end of the sabbath 〈◊〉 lords-day . for the jews themselves , 〈◊〉 christ him●●●●●nd the apostles ) began their publick s●●m●ns and 〈◊〉 on the sabbath day , about eight or nine of the clock in the morning , and concluded them ●●out four or five in the afternoon , as we and all other churches ●ow use to begin and end our publick lords-d●●es , solemnities : can or will any man ther●fo●e hence 〈…〉 , e●go , the seventh days : sabbath and our lords-day begin not till nine in the morning , and conclude at five in the evening , because the publick ass●m●l●s on 〈◊〉 , do then usually begin and determine ? n●● v●●ily , ●or this were to make the seventh day sabbath and lords-day , consisting each of them of a naturall day of 24 houres length , not above eight or nine hours long , and scarce so much as half holy dayes ; and to abandon all private sabbath and lords-dayes duties , in allowing no time at all for them . if then the customary constant cause of our beginning and concluding publick sermons , with other solemn exercises and assemblies on the sabbath or lords-day , are no sufficient argument that the sabbath or lords-day commence or determine , when these publick sermons , exercises , and assemblies do , much lesse can this extraordinary singular sermon of saint paul continued untill midnight , or the prorogation of this assembly at troas , till the morning , of themselves alone inferre this conclusion , that the lords-day begins or ends at midnight , or morning . fifthly , it appears not by the text , that saint paul preached untill midnight , and continued this assembly till day breaking , for this very reason , because the lords-day ended not till then . there is no such thing as this insinuated by saint luke : but the reason of it is plainly expressed to be , pauls departure from thence the ensuing morning , never to see their faces more : and saint lukes drift in recording this story , is not to signifie , when the lords-day properly begins and determines ; but onely as an historian truly to relate the apostles actions ; and to record pauls industry in preaching upon all occasions ; with his love to the disciples at troas , and their respects to him , and his miraculous restoring eutychus to life , who fell down dead from the third l●ft , whiles he was preaching . therefore it can be no infallible argument to prove , that the lords-day begins or ends at morning , much lesse at midnight ; since they brake brend , and did eat and communicate together till the morning . sixthly , i would demand of the objectors , when this assemb●y at troas began ? if at morning or midnight before : that is improbable , since we cannot imagine , that paul made a sermon at that time of 18 or 20 hours long ; half of which would have tyred both himself and his auditors . if not before our sunday at evening , as they pretend ; then it is a stronger argument to prove that the lordsday begins not till sunday evening ; because st. paul and the disciples at troas met not together to solemnize it till then ; then that it ends ( and so by consequence begins ) at morning or midnight , because this assembly dissolved not till morning , and paul continued his preaching untill midnight . seventhly , if this example conclude any thing positively , for the objectors , it is onely this ; that they should continue their ordinary lordsday evening sermons untill midnight , and their assemblies till day breaking ; as st. paul and the disciples did here . this inference following directly from this example , without any straining ; far better then theirs from it doth ; that the lordsday begins and ends at midnight or morning . but this inference i suppose they will all disclaim in words , as they do in practice , as being a nonsequitur ; because this example was but singular and extraordinary upon a speciall occasion . therefore by the self same reason , they must disclaim their present objections too , or else subscribe to this my inference , which they cannot avoid unlesse they quite renounce their own . lastly , its clear st. paul used to preach both in season and out of season : exhorting timothy and other ministers to do the like , 2 tim. 4. 2. that is , as most interpret it , to preach both upon lordsdayes , and all other daies and nights too , as he saw occasion . why then might not his sermon at troas begin upon the lordsday at evening , about our evening sermon time , and yet continue till the lordsday was past . certainly , there is no impossibility , nor improbability , but it might so : since therefore this text of st. luke informs us onely , that this meeting and sermon began upon the first day of the week , when the disciples came together to break bread ; that the sermon lasted till midnight , and the assembly till day break following , without any expression that the firstday was then continuing or ended ; admitting this assembly and sermon to be on our sunday night , ( which i absolutly deny ) yet it follows not , that the first day ended not in st. lukes accompt and theirs at troas , before the sermon or assembly concluded . so that this example proves nothing at all for the opponents thesis , nor any thing against mine , for which it is a concluding evidence , if rightly understood , as i have formerly manifested . the 5. objection , for the lordsdayes beginning at morning , and against its evening commencement , is this . that the beginning of it at evening , would open a wide gap to all licentiousnes , pastimes , disorders , on lordsday after-noons , and likewise to secular imployments unsuitable to the day ; which the beginning of it at morning would prevent . to this , i answer . first , that this objection is a meer cavill : for we see by wofull experience , that the doctrine of the lordsdays beginning in the morning ( which is and hath been generally received of late years in most places of the kingdome ) hath no wayes prevented , remedied any of the abuses , objected , on lordsday evenings , which dissolute persons , who make no consci●nce of sanctifying all the day , will alike prophane , and all godly people equally sanctifie , let the day begin and end at evening , at sunset , or starshining : and there are none who out of conscience sanctifie and forebear to prophane them now , but would equally sanctifie those evenings too , did they believe the day to conclude at evening , since they would be sure to sanctifie all the day . this objected mischief therefore is but a pretence . secondly , it is clear that god himself commanded his seventh day sabbath , and other solemn f●stivals , to be solemnized from evening to evening . exod. 12. 18. levit. 23. 32. god therefore ( infinitely wise foreseeing better than the best , wisest , holiest and most prudent christian magistrates or ministers all inconveniences , abuses that might prophane his sabbath , and what beginning , conclusion of it would best prevent all prophanations , and make most for its sanctification ) instituting hi● sabbath and other festivals to begin and end at evening , not at morning or mid-night ; i may safely inferre ( against this present objection ) that this beginning , concluding the lordsday at evening , even in gods accompt , and so in verity it self , is least inconvenient , least mischievous , and the best of all the three to prevent all prophanations , abuses of the day : therefore it ought to be imbraced , as that which god himself hath prescribed for the best , the meetest of all others . thirdly , i have formerly proved , that this beginning of it at evening , doth best prepare men for its sanctification ; that it prevents more prophanations , abuses of it committed on and occasioned by disorders of all sorts on the saturday night ( as we falsly term it ) then it could possibly produce on lordsday evenings : to which i shall adde , that it likewise excuseth all husbandmen , tradesmen and others from being sabbath-breakers ; who in the winter quarters , rise early to their weekly labour on munday morning , some three or four hours before day-break ; who should be sabboath breakers in an high degree , if the sabbath or lordsday ended not til day breaking , as some objectors pretend . therefore i may conclude , that this beginning of the lordsday at evening , make more for the sanctification of the day , and prevents more inconveniences , then that at morning , and so ought to be retained . fourthly , this beginning and concluding the lords-day at evening , cannot any way produce such effects of licentiousnesse , and prophanenesse on lordsday evenings as is suggested ; since it puts no period to the lordsday or its duties , till after sunset , when the stars begin to shine ; which is not till eight or nine of the clock in the summer , when all orderly people , families are more ready to betake themselves to their family duties , private devotions and rest , then to sports or pastimes : and about six a clock in the winter quarter ; after which all civill orderly parents , masters , ( though not religious ) permit not their children or servants to rove abroad ; and such who are truly pious , fall to repetition of the sermons they heard the lordsday before , singing of psalms , reading the scriptures and godly books , catechising their families , prayer , meditations , and such like holy family duties , answerable to the piety they professe , and the holinesse of the preceding day . so that it gives no liberty at all to any dishonest unchristian sports or meetings , as is pretended , which commonly break up and end ere the lordsday concludes in this accompt , and which all good christians ever avoid at all times , especially after lordsday exercises of piety and religion , with which they have no anologie . lastly , admit the objection true , that this beginning of the lordsday at evening should prove more inconvenient then that at morning ; not simply in it self , but in regard of mens abusing it ; which yet i deny ; yet it follows not , that therefore the day ought then to begin ; since the abuse of any doctrine , through the corruption of men , makes not the doctrine lesse true ; and since inconvenien●es must not , cannot alter those bounds , which god himself hath immutably prescribed unto dayes . true it is , that inconveniencies backed with any precepts or scripture for the beginning of dayes are good arguments , proofs of truths ; but wanting scripture authority to enforce them or being objected against apparent texts , they are no ways conclusive . such are the inconveniences here pretended , which whether they will happen , yea or no , will not , canno , appear , till this doctrine of the lordsdayes commencing at evening , and the use of publique evening prayers in all places saturday evenings , as a preparative to the lordsday sanctification formerly used , be generally received as formerly : which men will not so much abuse to liberty and licentiousnesse , as is pretended ; or if they do , the fault is onely theirs , not the doctrines . wherefore my conclusion remains still firm , notwithstanding this objection . the sixt and last objection is this : that many godly learned divines of late and present times , have in their writings , sermons , delivered this opinion for a truth ; that the lordsday begins and ends at morning , not at evening ; because christ rose not till the morning : and it is now the common received opinion , practice of all our divines and most private christians . therefore questionlesse , it is the truth , and dangerous to alter it in thesis or practice . to this i answer . first , that it is true , many reverend holy learned late divines ( whose names for honours sake i shall forbear to mention ) have in their publique writings , and many more in their sermons ; delivered this opinion ( yet many of them only dubiously with an * it seemeth or it is probable , or likely , not resolutely ) and that their present practice is answerable thereunto : but yet all the learned godly christians in all former ages have held , practiced the contrary , as i have proved ; and some godly eminent divines among us now , conclude in judgement with them . the judgment therefore and practise of all ages , churches , from the apostles time till now , should rather sway the ballance of this controversie , then these few late divines , though learned and judicious . secondly , most of those godly learned men have taken up this opinion , and published it to others upon wolphius his authority and ground , without any full examination or serious study of the point , as appears by this , that they do but lightly touch it in the by and so away , not seriously or peremptorily resolving it , grounding themselves upon such reasons as no wayes prove their conclusion ; and in truth are meerly fals , in that sense they understand them , as i have largely manifested in the premises . therefore their authorities are not so much to be regarded . thirdly , in all disputes we must not so much observe what and who the authors produced are , as what their proofs and reasons are . if these good learned mens arguments , reasons be unsound , as i have manifested them ; no matter what their opinions , lives or practises are ; since the learnedest , the holiest are and may be subject unto errours , from which none are exempted . seeing therefore i have here propounded the best reasons alledged on all hands , for the sabbath and lordsdayes beginning , at evening , morning , midnight , let the best proofs , reasons win the field ; and then i hope the victory will fall on my side without any more dispute , who contend not for victory , but truth alone . having thus ( as i conceive ) given full satisfactory answers to all materiall objections , i ever yet read , heard , or conceive against the lords-days beginning at evening ; i come now to reply to one grand exception against that place of levit. 23. 32. from evening to evening y●u shall celebrate your sabbath ; a principall text to prove , that the seventh day sabbath , ( and so our christian lords-day or sabbath as it is called ) ought to begin and end at evening . to which some reply , that this text speaks onely of the sabbath of attonement , which was but ceremoniall ; not of the seventh day sabbath ; therefore it is no argument or proof at all , that the seventh day sabbath , or lords-day succeeding it , should begin and end at evening . to which i reply , first , that it is true ; this text is meant more particularly of the sabbath of attonement , to which it is here specially applyed , but yet it extends withall to the seventh day sabbath , ( which all confesse did ever begin , and end at evening ) from whence it received both its name of sabbath , and its limitation too , both for the manner and time of its sanctification , as is clear by verse 27 , 28 , 29 , 30. 31 , 32. compared together . for 1. this sabbath of attonement , was to be a sabbath , and so the same in appellation , as the seventh day sabbath , verse 27 , 28 , 32. 2. it was to be but a sabbath of one dayes space , and no more ; ( to wit , the tenth day of the seventh moneth , verse 27. ) as the seventh day sabbath was . 3. it was to be sanctified and solemnized in the same manner , as the seventh day sabbath . for 1. it was to be an holy cnnvocation unto them , v. 27. ( that is , they must meet , and keep publick , religious , holy assemblies on it , & do holy duties ) as the seventh day sabbath was , verse 2 , 3. 2. they must rest and do no manner of work upon it , verse 28 , 30 , 31 , 32. as they were commanded to do on the seventh day sabbath , exod. 20. 9. 10 c 23. 12. c. 31. 15. c. 35. 2. d●ut. 5. 13 , 14 , 15. neither might themselves , or the strangers within their gates do any work thereon , levit. 16 29. as they might n●t do on the seventh day sabbath , exod. 20. 10 , 11. 3. they must offer a burnt offering to the lord on this sabbath , verse 27. as they were to do every seventh day sabbath , numb. 2● . 9 , 10. 4. this sabbath of attonement was , to cleanse them from all their sins before the lord , and make them holy , levit 16. 31. as the seventh d●y sabbath was both a means and sign of gods fanctifying them , exod. 31. 13. ez. ch. 20. 22. 5. he that did any work on this sabbath of attonement , was to be cut off from his people , verse 30 as he was to be , that did any work on the seventh day sabbath , exod. 31. 14 , 15. num. 15. 32 , 35 , 36. 6. on this sabbath of attonement , they must afflict their souls , v. 27. 32. as on th●seventh day sabbath they were to do , though not so solemnly as on this , by confessing their sinnes , and by not doing their own wayes , nor finding or doing their own pleasure thereon , isa. 58. 13. by all which particulars , it is manifest , that this sabbath of attonement was in most things most exactly squared , regulated by the seventh day sabbath , as the sampler by the copy , or the picture by the person drawen , participating with it both in its name , use , sanctification ; the sole querie or doubt remaining to be cleared , is when all this is to be done , or at what time of the day , this sabbath of attonement should begin and end ? god therefore resolves this scruple in the words alledged , from even to even shall ye rest ( or celebrate ) your sabbath ; that is in eff●ct , you shall keep it from evening to evening , as vou do the seventh day sabbath ; which begins and ends at evening : so that the seventh day sabbath , being here propounded for the onely pattern by which this sabbath of attonement was squared , and this being to begin and end at even , because the seventh day sabbath did , as all acknowledge , and i have prov●d ; this text ( in my conceit ) is a pregnant unavoidable argument : for the seventh day sabbaths solemnization from evening to evening , as well as for the sabbath of attonements , beginning and concluding at evening : whence saint augustine with sundry councels , and authorities forequoted , apply this text to the seventh day sabbath , and lords-day , as setting out bounds to them , as well as to the sabbath of attonement . 2. i answer , that this sabbath of attonement was confined to the tenth day of the seventh moneth , verse 27. and to be kept upon that day : since therefore it was confined to that very day , and to be solemnized from evening to evening ; it is apparant that that day , as a naturall day , began and ended at even in divine accompt ; and if that day , as a naturall day , began and ended at even ; then by consequence all other dayes , ( being all of one proportion , and one ever beginning when the other ends ) began and ended at evening . therefore the seventh day sabbath too , appropriated to the seventh day : so that take it which way you please , it is an unavoidable proof , that all sabbath dayes , and the seventh day sabbath begin and end at evening in divine computation : therefore the lords-day must do so too , being a sabbath of sacred rest , as all our opposites resolve , and confined to the first dayes limits , which as a naturall day commenceth , and determines onely at even , in naturall , divine and true accompt , and as a sacred day of p●est , ● denoted to gods service , i have now as succinctly , and perspicuously as i could waded through this present controversie : at what time the lords-day ought to begin and end ? and if my judgement fail me not , i conceive i have sufficiently manifested it to commence and conclude at evening , ( immediately after sunset , or so soon as the evening-star begins to appear ) not at morning or midnight . if the truth shall prove on my side upon the debate , i desire it may captivate the contrary mistakes , and certifie both the judgement and practise of all such zealous christians who are yet differently minded . if the error be on my side ( as i am yet fully resolved it is not ) i shall be glad to be first informed , then reformed by men of graver judgements , desiring a to do nothing against , but for the truth , for which i shall ever contend , to which i shall ever subscribe ; reputing it my greatest felicity to conquer with it , or to be conquered by it , and if occasion require to suffer chearfully , gladly for it . finis . errata . page 2. l. 3 , 4. at evening . in pag. 10. l. 34. dele may , pag. 12. l. 10. dele but part . pag. 21. l. 6. r. is . l. 36. read quality . pag. 23. l. 29. dele the l. 36. naturall . pag. 25. l. 36. r. of . p. 26. l. 13. applicas . l. 21. r. summa . l. 33. cordubiensis . l. 36. covarravias . p. 27. l. 21. pauper . l. 26. totaliter . l. 31. r. assert . p. 28. l. 3. r. commanding . p. 31. l. 11. ages . p. 37. l. 24 , r. ei● . p. 44. l. 12. r. noctem . p. 50. l 32. ventre . p. 54. l. 30. dele vesperam p. 58. ( r. ) l. 29. most come in . l. 25. before transcendent . p. 61. l. 28. for god . p. 26. l. 19. r. course . p. 63. l. 5. such thing . p. 64. l. 10. be contemporary . l. 37. first day . in the margin . p. 7. l. 3. smalta . p. 12. l , 19. hathertus . p. 15. l. 5. neh. 4. 21. p. 16. l. 3. r. fulk . p. 22. l. 22. rastal . p. 31. l. 16. certo doctoque . p. 34. l. 27. apoc. p. 43. l. 2. r. ux●rem p. 45. l. 9. gustodunensis . l. 11. bibl. patr. p. 60. l. 25. r. serm● . p. 61. 14. praecipuum . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a91155e-330 * see the epistle dedicatory . b see a new discovery of the prelates tyranny , ● . 1. &c * see my unbishoping of timothy and titus ; breviate , qu●nch-coal , catalogue of testimonies in all agres , quaeries to bishops , instructions for churchwardens . a looking glasse for all lordly prelates . antipathy , appendix to flagellum pontifiess . remonstrance against ship mony , with some others not yet printed . * a new discovery of the prelates tyranny . * see thoms campanella de monarchia hispaniae c. 25. 27. and the false jew , or ramsy his examination at newcastle , printed 1653. * acts 20. 30. * 1 tim. 3. ● . to 7. * pro● . 23. 23. * luke 5. 39. * tertullian de praescript . adv. haereticos . * 2 tim. 3. 1 , &c * 2 thes. 2. 3 , 4. * jam. 4. 13. 15. notes for div a91155e-2040 a gen. 2. 2 , 3. exod. 20. 7 , 8 , 9 10. levit. 23. 32. neb. 13. 19. luke 23 , 54 , 5●c . 29. 1. b neh. 4. 21. anselmus de imagine mundi ▪ l. 2. c 4 alcuinus de eccles. officiis c. 43. col. 1128. c po●idor virgil . de inventor . rerum l. 2. cap. 5. d pupilla oculi pars 9. c. 6. summa angelica . tit. dies hostiensis summa l. 2. tit de feriis f. 149. lindwood provinc . constit . l. 2. tit. de feriis f. 74. e psal. 74. 16. don. 2. 20 , 21. acts 1. 7. conclusion . conclusion . 1 proof 1. f in genesi no● nō praecedentis dici est , seasubsequentis , id est principtum futur● non finis praeteriti . hierom . in jonam c. 2. tom. 5. p 137. g. proof 2. g see exod. 13. 3 , 4 , 5. ▪ proof 3. proof 4. proof 5. h see 1 sam. 7. 6. c. 31. 13. 1 ch●on . 10 12. neh. 1. 4. esth. 4. 16. jer. 36. 6. dan. 6. 18. proof . i see josh 8. 29. proof 3. proof . 8 k anastatius sinaica . quast. lib. quaest. 152. conclusion . 2 proof . 1 proof . 2 proof . 3 l see neh. 4. 21 m see neh. 13. 21. which makes it maninifest . proof 4. n luke 23. 54. 55 , 56. o mark 16. 1 , 2. p mat : ● . 1. q john 20. 1. r mat. 28. 1. ſ mark 16. 1. t luke 24. 1. john 20. 1. mark 16. 2. 9. proof 5. u s●e chemnisius examen concil●i tridentini , pars 4. de festis p. 150 wolphius chronol l 2. c. 1. dr. bound of the sabbath . edit. 2. 1606. p. 103 , 104. dr. boyes his postils on the decalogue , p. 51. purchas pilgrimage l. 2 c. 4 p. 121. amesius medulla theologicae , l. 3. c. 15. sect. 36. mr. wemes , in his exposition of the lawes of moses l. 1. p. 226. to 207. when the day beginneth . conclusion 3. proof . 1. proof . 2. proof 3. x mark 16. 1 , 2 , 9. prnof 4. y see ignatius , martyr epist. 5. ad trallianos . bibl. patr. tom. 1. p 79. b. theophilus antiochenus comment . l. 2. in evangelia . ib. tom. 2. p. 152. c. hierome , ambrose , chrysostome , beda , anselmus , theophilact , christianus grammaticus , paschatius , rabbertus ; in their commentaries , on these texts , and on mat. 28 1. mark 16. 1 , 2 9. luke 24. 1. calvin , luther , musculus , bullinger , melancthon , bucer , marlorate , junius , zanchius , beza , lyra , rabanus , maurus , hugo cardinalis , carthusian , tostatu● , iansenius , cornelius a lapide , and others on this text , gregory nyssen , oratio 1. & 2. de resurrectione christi , cassianus de incarnat . domini . l. 5 bibl. patr. tom. 5. pars 2. p 8. f. 6. hierome comment . in jonam , c. 2. tom , 5. p. 137. b. augustine , quaest. super evangelia , quaest. 6. 7. anastatius siniata . quaestionum l. qu. 152 , 153. bibl. patr. tom. 6. pars 1. p. 794 , 795. together with saint cyprian de symbole , dr. lack son , mr , byfield , and all expositors on the creed , who joyntly accord in this truth . z mark 8. 31. mat. 27. 63. conclusion 4. a dan. 2. 2. c. 21. c 7 9 13 ps. 74 16. acts 1. 7. proof 1. proof 2. proof 3. b exod. 20. ● . to 12. c psal. 104. 22 , 23. neh. 21. 4. cap. 13. 19. proof 4. proof 5. * see mr. fox , dr. fuller and others on rev. 1. 10. m. sprint mr. bownd , mr. widly , mr. bernard , dr. twisse , mr. cawdry and others of the sabbath . conclusion 5. proof 1. proof 2. proof 3. proof 4. proof 5. proof 6. d psal 12. ● . 14. * see mr. fo● , dr. fulk and others on apoc. 1. 10 d. bownd and others of the sabbath . proof 7. e acts 10. 40. 1 cor. 13. 4. f saint luke saith it was in the very profundity or beginning of the morning , luke 24 ▪ 1. g mat. 27 63. mark● . 31. arguments to prove that the lords day begins at evening . argument 1. argument 2. h see mr. george widly his doctrine of the sabbath . and others forecited . argument 3. argument 4. argument 5. reason 1 : * eccles 3. 1. &c. psal. 104. 23 , 24. reason 2. i for his work that he finished on the seventh day , was onely his creation , ●lessing and sanctification of that day alone : as pascatius ra●bertus in mat. 28. 1. rabanus , maurus and others teach . reason 3. k see 6 h. s. c. 3 7. h. 8 c● . 3 eliz c 4 rastabl . labovers , 35. 3● . which appoint labourers to ● begin their work at morning , and ●●d it a● evening . l mark 2 27. gen. 1 28 , 29 : 1 cor. 3 21. 22 heb. 2 7 , 8. psal. 8. 4 , 5. see eccles. 3. 1. ●0 12. 1 co● . cor. 14. 33. 40. reason 4. n exod. 20 8. to 12. isa. 58. 13 deul . 5. 12. to 16. o exod. 20. 8. to 12. 6. 31. 13 , 14 , 15. 6. 35. ● . levit. 23. 2 , 3 , 4. deut. 5. 12 isa. 58. 13. neh. 9. 14. * acts 12. 6. hosea 7. 6. * as most affirm they are , who differ from me in this controversie . * psal. 55. 17 & 141. 2. reason 5. * bish. white . dr. heylin mr. ironside , in their treatises and history of the sabbath , dr. joh. pocklingtons sunday no sabbath , p. 6 , 7. printed sincei this was first penned , see canterburies doom , p. 222 , 223 , &c. reason 6. reason 7. reason 8. * rom. 16. 27. reason 9. reason 10. * quicquid enim omnes vel plures , uno eodemque sensu , man festè , f●●quenter , pe●s●veranter , v●lu● quodam sibi consentiente magistrorum conc●lio accipiondo , tenendo , tradend , fi●maverint id pro indubitato rato , ritoque habeatur vincentius lirinensis . contra haereses c. 39. q in his chronol. l. 2. c. 1. * anno 1557. a pud bochellum decret. eccles. gal. l. 4. tit. 10. c. 1. p. 596. reasons . * dam. 2. 21. * dies sabbati being the latin name for saturday . ſ surius concil. tom. 1. p. 436. t athanasius de interp . psalmi & 302. a. & homilia de semente p. 365. ignatius epist. 6. bibl. patr. tom. 1. p 81. & epist. 8. p. 84. e. clemens romanus , constit . apost. l. 2. c. 63. l. 7. c. 36. l. 8. c. 39 surius concil tom. 1. p. 68. 105 , 110. a. primasius comment in retor . 83. sozomenus histor. ecclesiast . l. 7. c. 19 , tom. bibl. pat. 5. pars 2. p. 435. f. 6. socrates scholasticus ecclesiast . hist. lib 5. c. 21. p. 35. 3. nice phorus callist . eccles. hist. lib. 12. c. 34 p. 357. centur. magdeburg . centur . 1. pars 2. cap. 6 col 493. l. 50. 503. de festis , centur. 4. c 6. col . 410 c. 15. col . 1466. centur. 5. c. 6. col . 648. centur. 8. c. 6. col. 342. l. 40. beda in lucae evangelium . l. 2. cap 4. tom. 5. col. 263. apost. canon . can. 65. surius concil. tom. 1. p. 30 chrysost. hom. 11. in gen. 2. tom. 1. col. 58 b. c. synodus parisiensis , anno 1557. apud bochellum . decret. eccles. gal. p. 598. concilium laodicense . diem sabbathi in diem dominicum mutavit , ne judaismum imicare videremur , writes this councel of paris . * see breutius in levit. 23. 2. and 25 8. about ann. christi 56. u see centur. magd. 2. l. 2. c. 6. col. 493. accordingly , cent . 2. c. 6. col . 120. augustinus de tempore , s●r . 25 1. tertullians apology . c. 39. * see acts 20. 31. y epist. l. 10. epist. 97. z apolog. c. 39. a epist. l. 10. epist. 97. objection . answer . a mat. 12. 1. to 13. luke 14 3. to 6. john 7. 22 23. b see mat. 6. 34. luke 13. 32 33. 1 sam. 9 , 16 19. ● . 5. 3 , 4. jan. 4. 13. 14. a epist. l. 10. 96. epist. ann. dom. 106. b see centuriae magd 4. c 6. col. 140. theodoret . eccles. hist. l. 2. c. 13. socrates scholasticus hist. l. 6. c. 8. sozomenus hist. eccles. l. 8. c. 21 victor de vandalica persecutione . l. 2. cent. magd. 5 c. 2. col. 647 , 648. c see tertulliani apologia , justine martyrs apologies , anaxagoras oratio pro christianis . anno 200. b ad exam. lib. 2. cap. 3. see augustinus de t●mpore , sermo 251. anno 340. anno 360. anno 400. * see rabanus maurus opevum , tom. 5. p. 604. anno 450. a presbyteri verò ad vesperam , quae magis ad dominicam pertinet , consecrantur , honorius augustodanensis , de antiqu● rit●● miss. l. c. 19. patr. tom 12. pars 1. p. 1043. b see bishop vshers treatise of the religion professed by the ancient irish . c. 4. p. 34. edit. 1631. anno 610. anno 620. anno 640. anno 670. * see tertullian and others a●no 697. anno 720. anno 793. anno 80 ▪ anno 800. anno 806. anno●13 . anno 840. anno●60 . anno 920. anno 96● . * bishop alley mad● 〈◊〉 9. of the clock in his poore mans library . anno 1203. anno 1020. anno 1120. anno 121● . anno 1273. anno 1280. anno 1320. anno 1496. anno 1521. from anno 1●00 . to 1620. a see histriomastix p. 643 , 644. and the table . objection 1. * see wolphius , chronolog . l. 2. c. 1. dr. bound of the sabbath , l. 2 p. ●6 . with others a hene● aquinas prima secundae . quaest . 100. artic. 5. ad s●cun . concludes , inter omnia benefi . cia dei commemoranda primum et praecipuum est beneficium creationis , quod commemeratur in sanctificatione sabbati , unde exod. 20 11. pro ratione quarti praecepti ponitur : with which [ 3 synod parisiensis , anno 1557. apud boshellum , decret. eccles. gall . p. 589. concurres , and chrysostome hom. 4. super matthaeum . a sabbatum inter caetera festa tantum praescribitur in d●calogo quia figurabat generalia beneficia dei scilicet , creationis & beatitudinis , aquinas prima secundae quaest. 100. artic. 5. secund. qu. 102. art. 4. 10m secunda secundae qu. artic 4. ad 2m alensis sum. theol. tom. 3. qu. 32. m. 1 , 2. 3 bernardinus senensis sum. 10. artic. 1. c. 1. 2. bonaventura & media villa . in l. 3. sent. dist. 37. b ephes. 1. 4. ●0 . 15. col. 1 , 2 , 14 rev. 5. 9. 1 pet 1. 2. 19. heb. 2. 16. jude 6. c gen. 3. 17 , 18. 19. levit. 26. 14. to 40. deut. 28. 14. to 68. psal. 107. 33 , 34. mal. 3. 9. 11. c. 2. 2. rom. 8. 19. 20. 21 , 22. a see philo judaeus de op sicio mundi . b magis praecipitur observatio sabbati quam al●arum sol●mnitatum , quia b●neficium creationis in hoc commemora●ur . qvod est praecipium inter prae●erita angelus de clavasio . in summa argelica . tit. p●aecep●um sest . 6. ● . 194. c see zanchius de operibus creationis lib. a isa. 53. throughout . rom. 3 25. c 3. 9. c. 4. 25. eph. 1. 5. c. 2. 13. col . 1. 20 , 21 , 22 heb 9 7. to 26. c. 10. 10 c. 12. 24 c. 13 c. 13. 11 , 12. 1 pet. 1. 2 , 18 19. john 17. rom. 5. 9. objection 2. answer 1. a christs resurrestion is no more the cause of the lords-day as a day ; then baptisme is 〈◊〉 cause of the sac●am●ntal water , as water ; or christs consecration of the sacramentall bread and wine the cause of th●m as they are bread and wine ; or the o●dination of m●nisters , the cause of them as they are men . * esth. 9. 20 , 21 , &c. a see 3 jac. c. 1 b see 5 , & 6. e● . 6 c. 3. all lawes and canons touching lords-days , holy-dayes , feast-dayes , and thanksgiving dayes , and the canonists tit feri● , & dies f●sti . a see mat. 28. 1. mak 16. 2 , 9. luk. 29. 1. joh. 20. 1. 19. b mat. 28. 17. ma● . 16 11 , 13 14. luk 24. 21 , 22 , 25 , 26. 37. to 41. john 20 , 19 , 24 , 25. 26. 1 cor. 15. 4. to 9. b john 2. 4. c. 12. 23. c. 13. 1. c. 17. 1. 1 tim. 6. 15. rom. 56. gal. 2. 4. 2. 4. * exod. 12. 18. deut. 16. 3 , 4 1. sam. 30. 17. a see 3. jac. c. 1. 2 , 3. the arraignment of traytors . speeds history . p. 1254 see augustine de tempore sermo 251. and 154 d. bound of the sabbath , p. 44. a taken out of theodulphus his epistle an. 83● . apud bochellum decreta ecclesiae . gald . 4. tu. ●0 . c. 19. p. 5. 96. objection . answer● . argum. 3. objection 3. answer . 1. a s●e mat. 14. 15. 25. mark 2 6. 35 , 36 47 , 48. joh. 6. 16 , 17 com●ared 〈◊〉 ● . b the evening sacrifices we read of in scripture , and our vespers or evening prayers , are o● this evening of the day , a little before sun-setting . c prov. 7. 9. 1 sam 30 17. 2 kings 7. 5 , 7. job 24. 15. ezechch . 12. 6. 12. d see neh. 4. 21 job 3. 9. jer. 31. 35. gen. 1. 1 ▪ 14. 10 19. compared together . e isiodor hispalensis originum . l 3. c. 40. cal●pi●e , rabbanus maurus de universo l. 10. c. 70. christianus grammaticus . pasca●ius rathb●rtus in matt. 28. v. 1. honorius aug●stodunens●s de imagine mundi , l. 2. c. 32 a acts 20. 8. makes relation when they had lights of those lights ; there●o●e the evan●elists likewise would have done so , had ●●ere been any , as is most pr●bable . * see psal. 28 7. to 16. 17. objection 4. answer 1. objection● . answer objection 6. answer 1. * s●cut autem sabbathi veteris initium suit à vesp●re : quia & crea●io incipiebat à vespcre , quoniam massa communis creata fuit ante lucem : & cessatio diei ab opere creationis incipicbat etiā à vespere ; sic diei dominicae initium incipere videtur ab illius diei mune : quia resuri●ctio christi suit in primo mane . mar. 16. 9. john 20. 1. exception . reply 1. ▪ ●cor. 13. 8. the divine appointment of the lords day proved as a separated day for holy worship, especially in the church assemblies, and consequently the cessation of the seventh day sabbath : written for the satisfaction of some religious persons who are lately drawn into error or doubting in both these points / by richard baxter. baxter, richard, 1615-1691. 1671 approx. 383 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 130 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-08 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a26918 wing b1253 estc r3169 12309958 ocm 12309958 59348 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a26918) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 59348) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 200:18) the divine appointment of the lords day proved as a separated day for holy worship, especially in the church assemblies, and consequently the cessation of the seventh day sabbath : written for the satisfaction of some religious persons who are lately drawn into error or doubting in both these points / by richard baxter. baxter, richard, 1615-1691. [16], 237 p. printed for nevil simmons ..., london : 1671. errata on p. 237. reproduction of original in british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sunday. 2004-04 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-06 melanie sanders sampled and proofread 2004-06 melanie sanders text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-07 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the divine appointment of the lords day proved : as a separated day for holy worship ; especially in the church assemblies . and consequently the cessation of the seventh day sabbath . written for the satisfaction of some religious persons who are lately drawn into error or doubting in both these points . by richard baxter . rev. 1. 10. i was in the spirit on the loras day . col. 2. 16 , 17. let no 〈◊〉 judge you in meat , or in driak , or in respect of an holy day , ( or feast ) or of the new 〈◊〉 , or sabbaths , which are a shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ. london , printed for nevil simmons , at the three crowns near holborn conduit . 1671. the preface . reader , if thou think this treatise both superfluous and defective , when so many larger have better done the work already , i shall not at all gainsay the latter , nor much the former . the reason of my writing it was the necessity and request of some very upright godly persons , who are lately faln into doubt or errour , in point of the sabbath day , conceiving that because the fourth commandment was written in stone , it is wholly unchangeable , and consequently the seventh day sabbath in force , and that the lords day is not a day separated by god to holy worship . i knew that there was enough written on this subject long agoe ; but , 1. much of it is in latine ; 2. some writings which prove the abrogation of the jewish sabbath , do withal treat so loosly of the lords day , as that they require a confutation in the latter as well as a commendation for the former . 3. some are so large that the persons that i write for will hardly be brought to read them . 4. most go upon those grounds , which i take to be less clear ; and build so much more than i can do on the fourth commandment and on many passages of the old testament , and plead so much for the old sabbatical notion and rest , that i fear this is the chief occasion of many peoples errours ; who when they find themselves in a wood of difficulties , and nothing plain and convincing that is pleaded with them , do therefore think it safest to stick to the old jewish sabbath the friends and acquaintance of some of these persons importuning me , to take the plainest and nearest way to satisfie such honest doubters , i have here done it according to my judgement : not contending against any that go another way to work , but thinking my self that this is very clear and satisfactory ; viz. to prove , 1. that christ did commission his apostles to teach us all things which he commanded , and to settle orders in his church , 2. and that he gave them his spirit to enable them to do all this infallibly , by bringing all his words to their remembrance , and by leading them into all truth . 3. and that his apostles by this spirit did de facto separate the lords day , for holy worship , especially in church-assemblies , and declared the cessation of the jewish sabbaths . 4. and that as this change had the very same author as the holy scriptures ( the holy ghost in the apostles ) so that fact hath the same kind of proof , that we have of the canon and the integrity and uncorruptness of the particular scripture books and texts : and that , if so much scripture as mencioneth the keeping of the lords day , expounded by the concent , and practice of the universal church from the dayes of the apostles , ( all keeping this day as holy , without the dissent of any one sect , or single person that i remember to have read of , ) i say if all this history will not fully prove the point of fact , that this day was kept in the apostles times , and consequently by their appointment , then the same proof will not serve to evince that any text of scripture is canonical , and uncorrupted ; nor can we think that any thing in the world , that is past , can have historical proof . i have been put to say somewhat particularly out of antiquity for this evidence of the fact , because it is that which i lay the greatest stress upon . but i have not done it so largely as might be done , 1. because i would not lose the unlearned reader in a wood of history , nor overwhelm him instead of edifying him . 2. because it is done already in latine by dr. young in his dies dominica ( under the name of theophilus loncardiensis ; ) which i take to be the moderatest , soundest and strongest treatise on this subject that i have seen ; though mr. cawdry , and palmer ( joyntly ) have done well and at greater length : and mr. eaton , mr. shephard , dr. bound , wallaeus , rivet , and my dear friend mr. george abbot against broad have said very much : and in their way , dr. white , dr. heylin , bishop ironside , mr. brierwood , &c. 3. i chose most of the same citations which dr. heylin himself produceth , because he being the man that i am most put to defend my self against , his confessions are my advantage . 4. and if i had been willing , i could not have been so full in this , as the subject will bespeak , because i have almost eleven years been separated from my library , and long from the neighbourhood of any ones else . i much pitty and wonder at those godly men , who are so much for stretching the words of scripture , to a sense that other men cannot find in them , as that in the word [ graven images ] in the second commandment , they can find all set formes of prayer , all composed studyed sermons , and all things about worship of mans invention to be images or idolatry ; and yet they cannot find the abrogation of the jewish sabbath in the express words of col. 2. 16. nor the other texts which i have cited ; nor can they find the institution of the lords day in all the texts and evidences produced for it . but though satan may somewhat disturbe our concord and tempt some mens charity to remissness , by these differences , he shall never keep them out of heaven , who worship god , through christ , by the spirit , even in spirit and truth : nor , shall he , i hope ever draw me , to think such holy persons as herein differ from me , to be worse than my self , though i think them in this to be unhappily mistaken : much less to approve either of their own separation from others , or of other mens condemning them as hereticks , and inflicting severities upon them , for these their opinions sake . the contents . chap. 1. the state of the question , with the summary proof of the divine separation of the lords day , page 1. chap ii. that christ commissioned his apostles as his principal church-ministers , to teach the churches all his doctrine , and to deliver them all his commands and orders , and so to settle and guide the first churches . p. 5. chap. iii. christ promised his spirit to his apostles to enable them to do what he had commissioned them to do , by leading them into all truth , and bringing his words and deeds to their remembrance , and by guiding them at his churches guides . p. 9. chap. iv. christ performed all these promises to his apostles , and gave them his spirit to enable them to all their commissioned work . p. 11 chap. v. the apostles did actually separate and appoint the first day of the week for holy worship , especially in church assemblies . which is explained in several subordinate propositions ; and proved 1. by scripture ; 2. by unquestionable history ; and the validity of this proof evinced ; and the denyers of it proved to subvert the churches certainty of greater matters . p. 12 chap. vi. this act of the apostles appointing the lords day for holy worship , was done by the especial inspiration and guidance of the holy ghost . p. 69 chap. vii . whether the seventh day sabbath should be still kept by christians , as of divine obligation ? neg. proved . where is shewed how far the fourth commandment is abrogated ( and all the law of moses . ) p. 71 chap. viii . of the beginning of the day . p. 91 chap. ix . how the lords day should be kept . of the length of the time , and the objection about weariness . p. 93 chap. x. how the lords day should not be spent or what is unlawful on it ; of worldly business : of recreations : of idleness , &c. p. 108 chap. xi . what things should not be scrupled as un lawful on the lords day . p. 129 chap. xii . of what importance the due observing of the lords day is . many great reasons for it . p. 139 chap. xiii . what other church festivals , or separated dayes are lawful . p. 148 the contents of the appendix . chap. i. an answer to certain objections against the lords day , p. 157 chap. ii. an answer to more arguments for the seventh day sabbath , p. 180 chap. iii. whether the seventh day sabbath be part of the law of nature ; or only a positive law ? p. 202 chap. iv. whether every word in the decalogue be of the law of nature ? and of perpetual obligation ? and whether all that was of the law of nature was in the decalogue ? p. 214 chap. v. whether the truest antiquity be for the seventh day sabbath , as kept by the churches of christ ? p. 220 the divine appointment of the lords day , proved , as a separated day for holy worship , especially in the church-assemblies : and consequently the cessation of the seventh-day-sabbath . chap. i. though the principal thing desired by the enquirers is , that i would prove to them the cessation of the seventh-day sabbath , yet because they cast off the lords day , which i take to be a far greater error and sin , than the observation of both dayes ; and because that when i have proved the institution of the lords day , i shall the more easily take them off the other , by proving that there are not two weekly dayes set apart by god for holy worship : therefore i will begin with the first question , whether the lords day , or first day of the week , be separated by gods institution for holy worship , especially in publick church-conventions ? aff. and here for the right stating of the question , let it be noted , 1. that it is not the name of a sabbath that we now meddle with , or stand upon . let us agree in the thing , and we shall easily bear a difference about the name . grant that it is [ a day separated by gods institution for holy assemblies and worship ] and then call it a sabbath or [ the lords day ] as you please . though for my self , i add that [ the lords day ] is the name that the holy ghost hath set upon it , and the name which the first churches principally used ; and that they call it also sometimes by the name of the christian sabbath ; but that is only analogically , as it is resembled to the jewish sabbath ; and as they used the names [ sacrifice and altar ] * at the same time , for the christians commemoration of christs sacrifice in the sacrament of the lords supper , and for the table , or as dr. young saith , pag. 23. as in scripture , baptism is called circumcision . and that very rarely too . 2. that the question of the manner of observing the lords day , and what exercises of worship it must be spent in , and what diversions are lawful or unlawful , as also when the day beginneth , are not to be here medled with in the beginning , but afterwards , when the divine institution of the day it self is , first sufficiently proved . which is done as followeth . arg. that day which was separated to holy worship by the holy ghost , was separated to holy worship by god the father and the son. but the first day of the week was separated to holy worship by the holy ghost : therefore the first day of the week was separated to holy worship , by god the father and the son. the minor only needeth proof among christians . that day which was separated to holy worship by the apostles , by the inspiration of the holy ghost , was separated to holy worship by the holy ghost . but the first day of the week was separated to holy worship by the apostles by the inspiration of the holy ghost . therefore the first day of the week was separated to holy worship by the holy ghost . the minor which only needeth proof , is thus proved . that day which was separated to holy worship by the apostles who had the holy ghost promised them by christ , and given them , to lead them into all truth , and to bring all his doctrines to their remembrance , and to teach the churches to do all his commands , and to feed , and guide , and order them , as his principal commissioned church-minister , was separated to holy worship by the apostles by the inspiration of the holy ghost . but such is the first day of the week : therefore the first day of the week is separated to holy worship by the apostles by the inspiration of the holy ghost . i have five propositions now distinctly to be proved : four for the proof of the major , and one for the proof of the minor. the first proposition is , that christ commissioned his apostles as his principal church-ministers , to teach the churches all his doctrine , and deliver them all his commands and orders , and so to settle and guide the first churches . the second proposition is , that christ promised them his spirit , to enable them to do what he had commissioned them to do , by leading them into all truth , and bringing his words and deeds to their remembrance , and by guiding them as his churches guides . the third proposition is , that christ performed this promise , and gave his spirit accordingly to his apostles , to enable them to all their commissioned work . the fourth proposition is , that the apostles did actually separate or appoint the first day of the week , for holy worship , especially in church-assemblies . the fifth proposition is , that this act of theirs was done by the guidance or inspiration of the holy ghost , which was given them . and when i have distinctly proved these five things , no sober understanding christian can expect that i should prove any more , towards the proof of the question in hand , whether the first day of the week be separated by gods institution for holy worship , especially in church-assemblies ? chap. ii. prop. i. that christ commissioned his apostles , or his principal church-ministers , to teach the churches all his doctrine , and deliver them all his commands and orders , and so to settle and guide the first churches . this i prove , 1. by their commission it self : 2. by their performance with its proper seal . 3. by the consent of all the christian world . 1. luke 6. 13. he called to him his disciples , and of them he chose twelve , whom also he named apostles . their first commission is recited , matth. 10. at large . matth. 28. 18 , 19 , 20. all authority is given me in heaven and in earth : go ye therefore and disciple all nations , baptizing them in the name of the father , and of the son , and of the holy ghost ; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you . and , loe , i am with you alway , even unto the end of the world ; amen . john 20. 21. then said jesus to them again , peace be unto you ; as the father hath sent me , even so send i you : and when he had said this , he breathed on them , and said , receive ye the holy ghost : whosesoever sins ye remit , they are remitted unto them , and whosesoever sins ye retain , they are retained . luke 10. 16. even of the seventy it is said , he that heareth you , heareth me , and he that despiseth you , despiseth me , and he that despiseth me , despiseth him that sent me . and to the twelve , matth. 10. 40. he that receiveth you , receiveth me , &c. acts 26. 17. delivering thee from the people , and from the gentiles , to whom now i send thee , to open their eyes . 1 cor. 15. 3. for i delivered to you first of all that which i also received , &c. 1 cor. 11. 23. for i received of the lord , that which also i delivered unto you . 1 cor. 4. 1 , 2. let a man so account of us as of the ministers of christ , and stewards of the mysteries of god. gal. 1. 11 , 12. but i certifie you , brethren , that the gospel which was preached of me , is not after man ; for i neither received it of man , neither was i taught it , but by the revelation of jesus christ. john 21. 15 , 16 , 17. simon son of jonas lovest thou me — feed my lambs . matth. 16. 19. i will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdom of heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth , shall be bound in heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth , shall be loosed in heaven . john 17. 18. as thou hast sent me into the world , so have i also sent them into the world . see john 13. 16 , 20. acts 1. 24 , 25. shew whether of these two thou hast chosen , that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship , from which judas by transgression fell . gal. 1. 1. paul an apostle , not of men , neither by man , but by jesus christ and god the father . acts 1. 2. after that he through the holy ghost , had given commandment to the apostles whom he had chosen ; to whom also he presented himself alive after his passion , by many infallible proofs , being seen of them forty dayes , and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of god. acts 2. 42. they continued stedfast in the apostles doctrine and fellowship , &c. eph. 4. 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16. he gave some apostles , some prophets , &c. 1 cor. 12. 28 , 29. first apostles , secondarily prophets , &c. are all apostles , &c. eph. 2. 20. being built on the foundation of the apostles , &c. 2. pet. 3. 2. that ye may be mindfull of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets , and of the commandments of us the apostles of the lord and saviour . acts 10. 5. send men to joppa , and call for simon , &c. and be shall tell thee , &c. they that will not take all this plain evidence of scripture for a proof of this first proposition , i suppose would not be ever the more moved by it , if i should be so needlesly tedious , as to stay to fetch arguments from each text. 2. the apostles exercised such a power , as the proposition mentioneth , and god s●t to it , the seal of miracles . therefore such a power or office was given them by christ. the consequence is undenyable . the antecedent of this enthimeme is so plainly expressed in scripture , that i am loth to take up much of my own or the readers time , in proving so known a thing . they founded the churches ; they delivered them the doctrine and commands of christ ; they setled the churches , as to officers , orders , and discipline , according to christs commands and the spirits determinations : thus they ordained the new office of deacons , and deaconeffes or widows ; and they ordained them elders in every church , or city ; and they determined of church controversies ; and gave the church decrees ; and delivered the will of christ about the sacrament , church-assemblies , prophecyings , &c. acts 2. & 14. 23. acts 6. 3 , 4 , &c. 1 tim. 3. titus 1. acts 15. 1 cor. 11. 1 cor. 14 &c. 3. that all christians ( save hereticks ) did acknowledge their power , and acquiesce in their decrees and conduct , being a matter of fact , needs no other proof , than the common history of former ages , and practice of this . which are so well known , that i will not injure the reader by proving it . chap. iii. prop. 2. christ promised his spirit to his apostles , to enable them to do , what be had commissioned them to do , by leading them into all truth , and bringing his words and deeds to their remembrance , and by guiding them as his churches guides . in the old testament it is prophesied and promised , jer. 3. 15. and i will give you pastors according to mine heart , which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding . see all the texts that promise the pouring out of the spirit , isa. 44. 3. ezck. 36. 27. & 37. 14. & 39. 29. joel 2. 28 , 29. which were principally fulfilled on the apostles . luke 24. 49. and behold , i send the promise of my father upon you : but tarry ye in the city of jerusalem , untill ye be endued with power from on high . john 15. 26 , 27. but , when the advocate is come , whom i will send unto you from the father , he shall testifie of me : and ye also shall bear witness , because ye have been with me from the beginning . john 16. 7 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15. it is expedient for you , that i go away ; for if i go not away , the advocate will not come unto you : but if i depart , i will send him unto you — i have yet many things to say unto you , but ye cannot bear them now . ho●beit when he , the spirit of truth is come , he will guide you into all the truth . for he shall not speak of himself ; but whatsoever he shall hear , that shall he speak : and he shall shew you things to come . he shall glorifie me ; for he shall receive of mine , and shew it unto you . all things that the father hath are mine . therefore said i that he shall take of mine , and shall shew it unto you . john 17. 8. i have given to them the words which thou gavest me , and they have received them — v. 17 , 18. 〈◊〉 then through thy truth : thy word is truth : as thou hast sent me into the world , so have i also sent them into the world : and for their sakes i 〈◊〉 my self , that they also might be sanctified through the truth . matth. 28. 20. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you ; and loe i am with you alwayes to the end of the world . acts 1. 4. and being assembled together with them , commanded them that they should not depart from jerusalem , but wait for the promise of the father which ye have heard of me . for john truly baptized with water ; but ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost not many dayes hence . v. 8. but ye shall receive power after that the holy ghost is come upon you , and ye shall be witnesses uitto me , both in jerusalem , and to all judaea , and in samaria , and unto the uttermost parts of the earth . by these texts it is most evident that christ promiseth the apostles an extraordinary spirit , or measure of the spirit , so to enable them to deliver his commands , and execute their commission , as that he will own what they do by the guidance thereof ; and the churches may rest upon it as the infallible revelation of the will of god. chap. iv. prop. 3. christ performed all these promises to his apostles , and gave them his spirit to enable them for all their commissioned work . this is proved both from the fidelity of christ , and from the express assertions of the scripture . he is faithful that hath promised . heb. 10. 23. titus 1. 2. god that cannot lye hath promised . 2 cor. 1. 18. as god is true — rev. 6. 10. h w long o lord , holy and true — rev. 19. 11. he was called faithful and true — rom. 3. 4. let god be true , and every man a lyar — 1 john 5. 10 he that believeth not god , hath made him a lyar . john 20. 22. he breathed on them , and saith unto them , receive ye the holy ghost . acts 2. containeth the narrative of the comeing down of the holy ghost upon them , at large . acts 15. 28. seemed good to the holy ghost and to us — heb. 2. 4. god also bearing them witness , both with signs and wonders , and with divers mighty works , and distributions of the holy ghost according to his own will. 1 pet. 1. 12. the things which are now reported unto you , by them that have preached the gospel unto you , by the holy ghost sent down from heaven — rom. 15. 19 , 20. through mighty signs and wonders , by the power of the spirit of god , so that from jerusalem , and round about to illyricum i have fully preached the gospel of christ. read all the texts in acts and elsewhere , that speak of all the apostles miracles , and their giving of the holy ghost , &c. and 1 cor. 7. 40. acts 4. 8 , 31. acts 5. 3. & 6. 3. & 7. 51 , 55. & 8. 15 , 17 , 18 , 19. & 9. 17. & 10. 44 , 45 , 47. & 11. 15 , 16 , 24. & 13. 2 , 4 , 9 , 52. & 16. 6. rom. 5. 5. & 9. 1. 1 cor. 2. 13. 2 tim. 1. 14. 1 cor. 12. eph. 4. 7 , 8 , &c. & 3. 5. but this proposition is confessed by all christians . chap. v. prop. 4. the apostles did actually separate and appoint the first day of the week for holy worship , especially in church-assemblies . here the reader must remember , that it is 〈◊〉 matter of fact , that is to be proved in the proof of this proposition ; and that all till this , is clearly and undenyably proved ; so that the whole controversie resteth upon the proof of the fact ! that indeed the apostles did separate 〈◊〉 set apart this day for ordinary ( publick ) worship . and in order to the fuller proof of this , i have these 〈◊〉 propositions to prove . prop. 1. matter of past fact is to be known to us by history ( written , verbal or practical . ) this is evident in the nature of the thing . history is the narration of facts that are past . we speak not of the fact of meer natural agents , but of moral or humane facts . it may be known without history what eclipses there have been of the sun ; what changes of the moon , &c. but not what in particular morals have been done by man. the necessity of other distinct wayes of knowledge , are easily disproved . 1. it need not be known by divine supernatural revelation . otherwise no men could know what is past , but prophets or inspired persons : nor prophets but in few things : for it cannot be proved , that god ever revealed to prophets or inspired persons , the general knowledge of things past ; but only some particulars of special use ( as the creation to moses , &c. ) so that if revelation by inspiration , voice or visions , were necessary , scripture it self could be understood by none but inspired persons , or that had such revelation . 2. it is not known by natural causes , and by arguing from the natural cause to the effects . it is no more possible to know all things past this way , ( by knowing the causes ) than all things future . therefore it must be ordinarily known by humane report , which we call history or tradition . prop. 2. scripture history is not the only certain history ; much less the only credible . without scripture history we may be certain , that there was in 1666. a great fire in london , and a great plague in 1665. and that there were wars in england , 1642 , 1643 , &c. and that there have been parliaments in england which have made the statutes now in force ; and that there have been such kings of england for many ages , as our records and histories mention , &c. prop. 3. scripture history is not the only certain history of the things of the ages in which it was written , or of former ages ; much less the only credible history of them . we may know by other history certainly , that there were such persons as cyrus , alexander , &c. that the macedonians had a large extended empire ; that the romans after by many victories obtained a spacious empire ; that there were such persons as julius caesar , augustus , tiberius , nero , cicero , virgil , horace , ovid , &c. prop. 4. scripture history is not the only means appointed by god , to help us to the knowledge of ecclesiastical matters of fact , transacted in scripture times . 1. for if humane history be certain or credible in other cases , it is certain or credible in these . there being no reason why these things , or much of them , should not be as capable of a certain delivery to us by humane history as other matters . as that there were christians in those times , may be known by what tacitus , suetonius , &c. say . and the antient writers oft appeal in many cases to the heathens own history . and no man pretendeth as to the civil matters mentioned in the scriptures , that no other history of the same is credible or certain . as of the government of augustus , tiberius , herod , pilate , foelix , festus , &c. 2. there are other certain means known to us ; of which i must refer the reader to what i have written in my reasons of the christian religion , part 2. cap. 7. specially pag. 335. to 340. 3. no man can doubt but that the christians of that same age , ( as till the year one hundred ) might easily and certainly know such a matter of publick fact , as whether the lords day was constantly set apart and observed by all the christian churches for holy worship : for 1. it is certain that they did know it by sight and sense , and therefore had no need of history . 2. it is certain that they knew it before the scriptures were written , which we now speak of : for it is not possible that for all those years time before any of the new testament was written , the christians who assembled to worship god , should not know on what day they used to assemble . and if they knew it in the year 100. they must needs know it as well in the year 101. & 102. & 103. and so on . for those that were young christians fifty years after christ , would be aged at an hundred : and those that were young at an hundred , would be aged at an hundred and fifty , and so on . so that an age of people , not ending at the age of a single person , congregations and societies are like rivers , that keep the same channel , and name , while one part of water followeth another . nay , some of the same men are there anno 100. who were there anno 50. some anno 150. who were there anno 100. and so on . ten thousand thousand men , women and children , can tell on what day the congregations of england use to assemble ; whereas if an apostle were among us , and should write on what day we assemble ; fewer would know it by that means ; and they that knew it but by his writing , would know it less confidently , than they that knew it by sense and experience . yet , forget not , that i am far from ascribing a certainty or a credibility to all humane history : much more from equalling any with the credit of divine history . but only i say , 1. that sense is more assuring , as to the subject , than any history whatever : 2. and that some history besides divine is certain : 3. and that much history is credible : 4. and that this instance of the day on which all churches in the world assembled for holy worship , is one of the most palpable for certainty that possibly could be imagined . 4. and i add , that if some humane history or tradition be not certain , there can be no certainty of much of the divine history , to any but the persons who were themselves inspired , or that saw the visions , or miracles that confirmed them . for as internal sense or intuition must assure the inspired persons themselves , and external sense must assure those that saw the matters of fact ; so all the rest have no way to know them , but either still by a succession of new revelations from heaven , ( which god doth not give ) or else by report . and i can no otherwise know what was revealed to an apostle , nor what was done in those times : ( of which more anon . ) prop. 5. the first institution of church offices , and orders , and so of the lords day , was not by scripture . the proof is undeniable : because the old testament did not contain the institution , ( e. g. of particular churches , sacraments , presbyters , deacons , deaconesses , and the lords day , &c. ) and the new testament was none of it written till anno 40. at soonest when some ( as bucholtzer , bellarm , &c. ) think matthews gospel was written , though others say many years after , ) and it was not all written till ann . 99. now it is certain that the church was not all these years without the orders now in question , nor without a day to meet on for publick worship . even as baptism and the lords supper were instituted by christ himself , long before the writing of any part of the new testament , and the church was in long possession of them , upon the bare verbal declaration of the apostles . prop. 6. therefore it is certain that no part of the new testament was written to any such end as to institute sacraments , or church offices , or standing orders ; but to instruct men about those that were already instituted , ( as to the use of those times . ) for it could not be written to institute that which was instituted before , so many years . prop. 7. no part of the new testament was written to make known to the churches of those times , the said sacraments , offices , stated orders , and time of worship ; ( still observe that by a part i mean any book ; and i except the decree , written in a letter of the apostles , elders and brethren , act. 15. concerning circumcision , not to be imposed on the gentiles ; which yet made no new institution , nor declared any , but only determined of the continued forbearance of some things forbidden before of god , in the precepts called noah's ; and pauls epistles , which reduce the churches to orders before setled , and urge them to duty , and decide some doubts about particular cases of conscience . ) the proof is visible , 1. in the writings themselves : 2. in that all the churches were in the possession and use of all the things in question , long before : ( for mutable orders and circumstances are none of the things in question . ) it would be vain to write a history now , to tell english men of this present age , that the lords day is used in england as a day set apart for publike worship ; or that persons are baptized , or receive the lords supper in england . for seeing it is the common usage of all the christians almost of the land , it is needless to tell men among us by writing that it is so ( unless it be to inferr somewhat else from it . ) prop. 8. yet those holy scriptures which were written to men of those times , were also intended for the instruction of all succeeding ages ; and so the foure evangelists wrote the history of christ , and luke wrote the history of paul till his coming to rome and longer , and of some more of the apostles ; and on the by , in the epistles extant , the churches customes of those times are much intimated , and all this together with the subordinate history and the universal tenure and practice of the churches , is that history by which we must know the matters of fact of those times ; nor is there any room left for a rational pretense of rome or any other church , to produce divine institutions , which were committed only to them , or entrusted to their particular keeping only , and were not delivered in scripture , nor in common to the whole church . prop. 9. thus according to the use of the writings of the new testament , the matter of fact in question ( of the lords dayes separation ) is historically touched on , and proved ; though but briefly and on the by , as a thing as well known to the church before , as what day goeth over their head . the historical hints of the new testament must be taken together , and not a part only ; that they may prove a usage . and , 1. that christ rose on that day is past doubt among christians . joh. 20. 1. luk. 24. 1. mar. 16. 2. matth. 28. 1. 2. on that same day he taught the two disciples , luk. 24. 13. and the same day he appeared to the disciples , and instructed them , and did eate with them , luk. 24. 33 , 36. the● the disciples were assembled , and the● he blessed them , gave them their commission , and the holy ghost , joh. 20. 19 , 20 , 21 , 22. 3. the next first day of the week christ chose to appear to them again , when thomas was with them , and convinced him , joh. 20. 26. 4. in act. 20. 7. it is mentioned as the day of their assembling to break bread ( which though they did oft on other daies , yet no day else was peculiarly appointed for it , ) as for the dissenters cavil about the translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . beza hath given them reason enough against it ; and grotius and almost all expositors are against them : and most that translate it literally una sabbatorum , take vna and prima here to be all one . and calvin with others noteth , that the same phrase being used of the day of the resurrection , matth. 26. 1. luk. 24. 1. joh. 20. 1. will direct us to expound this ; unless you mean also to deny the resurrection to have been on the first day . and 1 cor. 16. 1 , 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must needs have the same signification ; and mark 26. 9. compared with the other evangelists so expounds them as beza noteth ; who also telleth us that in one old copy he found added [ the lords day ] and citeth hierome adv . vigilant . saying [ per unam sabbati ; hoc est , in die dominico , &c. ] and dr. hammond well noteth that it plainly relateth to the christian assemblies , to which they were not to come empty , but to deposite what they brought into the treasury of the church ; or if it were in their private repositories , it doth not much difference the case . calvins exception against chrysostome here is groundless , as the reasons before evince . so that by this text the custome of holding church meetings on the lords day , as a peculiar day , is intimated , though but on the by , as most expositors agree . and the denomination of the lords day , joh. 1. 10. being the same which the christian churches ever used of the first day , puts it yet further out of doubt . as for his conjecture who doubteth whether it may be meant of the anniversary day of christs resurrection , when as the constant use of the name by all the churches , sheweth that it was taken ever since for the weekly day , it deserveth no other refutation . now though all this set together shew that scripture is not silent of the matter of fact ; yet it is the full and unquestionable expository evidence of the practice of all churches in the world , since the very daies of the apostles , which beyond all doubt assureth us that de facto the lords day was by the apostles separated for holy worship , especially in publick church-assemblies . but these several intimations being seconded with so full an exposition , tell us that the scripture is not silent in the case , nor doth pass it by . i was loth to name the day of the sending down of the holy ghost as a proof : because that some do controvert it . but it seemeth to me a very considerable thing . 1. that the day ( that year ) 〈…〉 of pentecost on which the holy ghost was given , was indeed the first day of the week , even dr. heylin granteth without any question or stop . and the churches observation of whitsunday as the day , and that so very early as epiphanius and many others say , from the apostles , doth seem a very credible history or tradition of it . 2. it s agreed on that the passoever that year fell on the sabboth day , and that pentecost was fifty daies after the passover : which falleth out on the lords day . and grotius noteth from exod. 19. 1. that it was the day that the law was given on , and so on which the spirit was given for the new law. 3. and considering that this great gift of the holy ghost which was to make the apostles infallible , and to enable them for their commission-work , and bring all christs doctrines and commands to their remembrance , was so memorable a thing , that it was as it were the beginning of the full gospel-state of the church , and kingdom of christ , ( which through all christs abode on earth , was as the infant , existent indeed but in the womb , and on this day was as it were born before the world , and brought into the open light ; ) the lords day also seemeth to me to be as it were conceived on the day of christs resurrection , but born on this day of the holy ghosts descent . but dr. heylin hath one poor reason against it , viz. because it was but an accidental thing that the day fell out that year on the first day . answ. 1. was it not according to the course of nature ? how then can that be called accidental ? 2. but however it was no contingent accidental thing ( in his sense ) that the holy ghost was sent down on that day rather than another . if a sparrow fall not to the ground without gods providence , did god choose that day he knew not why ? or did it fall out hap hazard or by chance ? i need not insist on the confutation of his cavi●s about the other texts forecited . note only , 1. that as to his exception about christs travel on his resurrection day , i have after answered it . 2. that he freely granteth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifi●th the first day of the week , both in act. 20. 7. and 1 cor. 16. 2. 3. that he himself citeth afterward many testimonies that oblations and contributions were in the churches a usual lords dayes work . 4. that he confesseth that rev. 10. 1. is meant of the lords day , as by that time grown into reputation . 5. that he thinketh it was in small reputation before , because paul chose the sabbath so often to preach on , to the jews and hellenists , or greeks : whereas he himself is forced to confess that it was not for the days sake , but the assemblies , to do them good . 6. that he vainly conceiteth [ that because the lords day was kept on the account of christs resurrection , ] it implyeth that it was not kept by gods command , which needeth no confutation . 7. that his labour to prove that paul meant the jewish sabbath as abrogated is vain ; for we deny it not . 8. that he cannot deny that christians had all that time of the apostles a stated day ( as pliny himself witnesseth ) for solemn worship , above other daies . 9. that he vainly snatcheth a little countenance from calvin and beza , &c. when as no man since cochlaeus writeth more detestably of them . 10. that after he confesseth that [ its no doubt but the religious observation of the day began in the apostles age with their approbation and authority , and hath since continued in the same respect . ] and what needs he more for confutation ? and as to his allegations of the judgement of the reformed , lutheran and roman church , 1. we take none of them for our rule ( so impartial are we ) but , 2. he himself citeth beza , mercer , paraeus , cuchlinus , simler , hospinian , zanchius , &c. as holding that it was , an apostolical and truly divine tradition , that the apostles turned the sabbath into the lords day , that it was an apostolical custome , or a custome received in the apostles times , &c. and whereas afterward he would perswade us that they spent but a little of the day in holy worship , he himself cited mr. george sandys travels ; saying of the copties , that [ on saturday presently after midnight , they repair unto their churches , where they remain well nigh till sunday at noon ( of the evening he speaketh not , but of their first meeting ) during which time they neither sit nor kneel , but support themselves on crutches ; and they sing over the most part of davids psalms at every meeting with divers parcels of the new testament ] ( this is like the old way ; and such a liturgie we do not contradict nor scruple . ) sandys also informeth us of the armenianchristians that coming into the place of the assembly on sunday in the afternoon ( no doubt they had been there in the morning ) be found one sitting in the midst of the congregation , in habit not differing from the rest , reading on a bible in the chaldaean tongue : that anon after , came the bishop in a hood or vest of black , with a staffe in his hand ? that first he prayed , and then sung certain psalms assisted by two or three . after all of them singing joyntly , at interims praying to themselves , the bishop all this while with his bands erected and his face towards the altar ; that service being ended , they all kissed his hand , and bestowed their almes , he laying his other hand on their heads , and blessing them , &c. and of the abaffines he reciteth out of brierwood , ( and he from damianus a goes ) that they honour the lords day as the christian sabbath , and the saturday as the jews sabbath , because they receive the canons called the apostles which speak for both . and king edgar in england ordained that the sabbath should begin ou saturday at three a clock afternoon , and continue till break a day on munday . these laws for the sabbath of alfred , edgar , &c. were confirmed by etheldred , and more fully by canutus . but of these things i shall say more anon under the proposition following ; in the mean time only remembring you , 1. that it is well that we are required after the fourth commandment to pray [ lord have mercy upon us , and encline our hearts to keep this law ] and we accept his concession , that this includeth all of that commandment which is the law of nature ( though i have told you that it reacheth somewhat further . ) 2. that we approve of the plain doctrine of the english homilies on this point , and stand to the exposition of sober impartiality . prop. 10. it hath been the constant practice of all christs churches in the whole world , ever since the daies of the apostles to this day , to assemble for publick worship on the lords day , as a day set apart thereunts by the apostles . yea so universal was this judgement and practice , that there is no one church , no one writer , or one heretick ( that i remember to have read of ) that can be proved ever to have dissented or gainsaid it , till of late times . the proof of this is needless to any one that is versed in the writings of the ancients ; and others cannot try what we shall produce . i have been these ten years separated from my library , and am therefore less furnished for this task than is requisite : but i will desire no man to receive more , than the testimonies produced by dr. pet. heylin himself , which with pittiful weakness he would pervert . and he being the grand adversary with whom i do now contend , i shall only premise these few observations , as sufficient to confute all his cavils and evasions . 1. when his great work is to prove that the lords day was not called the sabbath ( unless by allusion ) we grant it him ( as to a jewish sabbath ) as nothing to the purpose . 2. whereas he strenuously proveth that the lords day was not taken for a sabbath de re , we grant it him also , taking the word in the primitive jewish sense . 3. when he laboureth to prove that christians met on other daies of the week besides the lords day ( though not for the lords supper ) we grant it him as nothing to the purpose . so calvin preached or lectured daily at geneva , and yet kept not every day as a holy day separated to gods worship , as they did the lords day , though too remisly . so we do still keep week-day lectures , and the church of england requireth the reading of common prayer on wednesdayes and fridays , and holy day evens ; do they therefore keep them holy as the lords day ? 4. when he tells us that clemens alexandrinus and origen , plead against them that would hear and pray on that day only , we grant it him ; and we are ready to say as they do , that we should not confine gods service to one day only , as if we might be profane and worldly on all other daies ; but should take all fit opportunities for religious helps , and should all the week keep our minds as near as we can in a holy frame and temper . of the rest of his objections i shall say more in due place . 5. but i must note in the beginning that he granteth the main cause which i plead for , acknowledging , hist. sab. l. 2. page 30. it thus ; [ so that the religious observation of this day , beginning in the age of the apostles , no doubt but with their approbation and authority , and since continuing in the same respect for so many ages , may be very well accounted amongst those apostolical traditions , which have been universally received in the church of god. ] and what need we more than the religious observation , in the apostles time , by the apostles approbation and authority , and this delivered to us by the universal church , as an apostolical tradition . but yet he saith that the apostles made it not a sabbath . answ. give us the religious observation , and call it by what name you please . we are not fond of the name of the sabbath . 6 and therefore we grant all that he laboriously proveth of the abolition of the jewish sabbath , and that the ancients commonly consent , that by the abolished sabbath , col. 2. 16. is meant inclusively the weekly jewish sabbath : epiphan . l. 1. haeres . 33. n. 11. ambros. in loc . hieron . epist. ad algus . qu. 10. chrysost. hom. 13. in haebr . 7. august . cont . jud. cap. 2. & cont . faust. manich. l. 16. c. 28. i recite the places for them that doubt of it . now let us peruse the particular testimonies . 1. i begin with ignatius , ( though dallaeus have said so much to prove the best copy of him of latter date and spurious ; because others think otherwise , and that copy is by him thought to be written cent. 3. ) who saith [ let us not keep the sabbath in a jewish manner in sloth and idleness , but after a spiritual manner ; not in bodily ease , but in the study of the law ; not eating meat drest yesterday , or drinking warm drinks , and walking out a limited space , but in the contemplation of the works of god — and after the sabbath let every one that loveth christ keep the lords day festival , the resurrection day , the queen and empress of all daies , in which our life was raised again , and death was overcome by our lord and saviour . ] either these epist. of ignatius ( ad philip. &c. ) are genuine or spurious . if genuine , than note how clearly it is asserted that the lords day was to be observed as the queen of all daies , by all that were lovers of christ. and that the seventh day sabbath was kept with it then and there ( in asia so near the apostles daies ) no wonder ; when it was but the honourable , gradual , receding from the mosaical ceremonies , with an avoiding the scandalous hinderance of the jews conversion . and dr. heylin well noteth , that it was only the eastern churches next the jews that for a time kept both daies , but not the western , who rather turned the sabbath to a fast . but if ignatius ep. be spurious written cent. 3. then as dallaeus would prove , they were written by some heretical or heterodox person ; and so it will be no wonder that holy dayes are pleaded for , when ( as dr. heylin observeth ) cerinthus and his followers in the apostles times , stood up for the jewish sabbath and ceremonies , and so were for both daies : but it will be our confirmation that even the hereticks held with the universal church for the lords day . 2. the great controversie about the day of easter , which spread so early through all the churches is a full confirmation of our matter of fact . for when the western churches were for the passover day ( the better to content the jews saith heylin ) the eastern thought it intollerable that it should not be kept on a lords day , because that was the weekly day observed on the same account of the resurrection : the eastern churches never questioned their supposition of the lords day ; and the western ( after victors rash excommunicating the asian bishops ) never rested till they brought them to keep it on the lords day : pius , anicetus , victor , &c. prosecuting the cause . 3. the book ( though perished ) which melito wrote of the lords day , euseb. l. 4. c. 25. by the title may be well supposed to confirm at least the matter of fact or usage . 4. all those little councils , mentioned by heylin , p. 48. held at osroena , corinth , in gaul , in pontus , in rome prove this , the canons of them all , saith heylin , being extant in eusebius ' s time , and in all which it was concluded for the sunday . but saith heylin by this [ you see that the sunday and the sabbath were long in striving for the victory ] p. 49. answ. i see that some men can out-face the clearest light . here was no striving at all which day should be the weekly day set apart for holy worship , but only whether easter should follow the time of 〈◊〉 , or be confined to the lords day . 5. justin martyrs testimony is so express and so commonly cited , that i need not recite the words at large [ vpon the sunday all of us assemble in the congregation — vpon the day called sunday all within be cities or in the countrey , do meet together in some place , where , &c. ] he proceedeth to shew the worship there performed . now 1. here being mention of no other day , no man can question but that this day was set apart for these holy assemblies in a peculiar manner as the other week dayes were not . 2. this being the writing of one of the most learned and antient of all the christian writers . 3. and being purposely written to one of the wisest of all the emperours , as an apologie for all the christians : 4. and being written at rome , where the matter of fact was easily known , deserveth as much credit as any christian history or writing since the apostles can deserve . nor hath heylin any thing to say against it . 6. the next remembred by heylin is dionysius corinth . who lived 175. cited out of eusebius hist. l. 4. c. 22. [ to day we keep the holy lords day , wherein we read the epistle you wrote to us , &c. ] against this heylin saith not a word . 7. the next is clemens alexander . who expresly asserteth the matter of fact , that the lords day was then kept by christians . yea , heylin derideth him for fetching it as far as plato strom. l. 7. but heylin thinks he was against keeping any dayes : but he that will examine his words shall find , that he speaketh only against them that would be ceremonious observers of the day , more than of the work of the day , and would be religious on that day alone . and therefore he saith , that [ he that leadeth his life according to the ordinances of the gospel doth keep the lords day , when he casteth away every evil thought , and doing things with knowledge and understanding , doth glorifie the lord in his resurrection . ] this is not to speak against the day , but to shew how it ought to be sincerely kept . but if he had been against it , it s all one to my cause , who only prove that de facto all christian churches kept it . 8. the next witness is tertullian , who oft asserteth this to be the holy day of the christians church-assemblies , and holy worship : his testimony in apolog. cap. 16. is so commonly known that i need not recite it . it is the same in sense with justin martyrs , and written in an apology for the christians , purposely describing their custom of meeting and worshipping on the sunday ( as he calls it there ) as justin did . and that it was not an hours work only , he shews in saying , that the day was kept as a day of rejoicing , and then describeth the work . and de idolol . c. 14. he saith , that every eighth day was the christians festival . and de coron . mil. c. 3. and oft he calleth it the lords day , and saith it was a crime to fast upon it . and the work of the day described by justin , and by him apolog. c. 39. is just the same that we desire now the day to be spent in : we plead for no other . but most grosly saith heylin , pag. 55. [ but sure it is that their assemblies held no longer than our morning service ; that they met only before noon ; for justin saith , that when they met they used to receive the sacrament , and that the service being done , every man went again to his daily labours . ] answ. is this a proof to conclude a [ certainty ] from ? most certainly abundance of testimonies might be produced to prove that they came together early in the morning , and stayed till evening , if not till within night . the former pliny and many others witness : and the later many accusations of the heathens , that censured them for night-crimes at their meetings : and all that report it almost , tell us of the sacrament administred , and tertullian and others , of their feasting together ( their love feasts ) as a supper before they parted : now let but the time be measured by the work : by that time the scriptures of the old testament and new were read , and all the prayers then made , and all the preaching and exhortations , and then all the prayers and praises at the celebration of the lords supper ( especially if they were half as long as the liturgies ascribed to basil , chrysostom , and the rest in the biblioth . patrum ) and by that time the sacrament it self was administred , with all the action and singing of psalms , and all the oblations and collections made ; and besides this , all the church discipline on particular persons exercised , where questions and answers and proofs must take up a great deal of time , sure one day would be at an end , or very near it . and after when the love feasts were left off , and the church met twice , and made an intermission , they did as we do now . and the very custom of preaching all the morning to the audientes and catechumens , till almost noon , when they were dismist with a missa est , and spending the rest of the day in teaching the church , and celebrating the sacrament with all the larger eucharistical acts , do fully shew how the day was spent : which i would quickly prove by particular testimonies , but that i am separated from my library ; and dr. young hath fully done it to my hand . the very context of these testimonies , with what albaspinaeus hath of their catechizing and church order will soon satisfie the impartial searcher . as for what he saith out of justin , of returning to their labours , i can find no such word in him ; nor do i believe there is any such to be found , unless of returning to their six dayes weekly labour , when the religious work was ended with the day : and i imagine the reader will find no more , if so much . 9. the next proof is universal , even the consent of all the christian churches without one contradicting vote that ever i read of , that the lords dayes worship was to be performed standing , and that it was not allowed them to pray or worship kneeling , upon any lords day in the year ( or any week day between easter and whitsontide ) : and the difficulty of these stations is expressed ( see albaspinaeus of it ) which sheweth that it was for a long time . whatever they did in hearing ( its like they sate , for justin saith , we rise to pray ) but it is certain they stood in worshipping acts , as prayer and praise . this justin martyr hath before mentioned : tertullian hath it expresly , and heylin himself citeth him de coron . mil. & basil l. de spir. s. c. 27. & hieron . advers . luciferian . august . epist. 118. hilar. praef. in psal. ambros. serm. 62. to which he may add epiphanius , and divers councils , especially nic. 1. & trul. of which after . ( i once pleaded this ancient custom with them that would have all excluded from the sacrament that kneel not , to prove that kneeling at the sacrament on the lords dayes could not be in the church of many hundred years after the apostles , when the universal church condemned kneeling on all lords dayes worship . ) and dr. heylin himself saith [ what time this custom was laid by i can hardly say ; but sure i am , it was not laid aside in a long time after ; not till the time of pope alexander the third , who lived about the year 1160. &c. ] now from all this it is most evident that the lords day was then observed . 10. in this place though by anticipation i add the two general councils now named : the first great general council at nice , can. 20. which reneweth and confirmeth this antient custom of not kneeling in prayer on the lords dayes , that there might be an uniformity kept in the churches . and the cano● . con●●● trul. have the same again ; which proveth what we seek , the matter of fact of the dayes general observation . 11. the next is origen , who is not denyed to witness to the matter of fact ; but heylin thinks he was against the right of it : but his mistake is the same , as about clemens alex. origen did but desire that other dayes might be kept also as profitably as they could ; as our lecture dayes are . 12. cyprian is the next , whose testimonies for matter of fact are full , and heylin hath nothing to say against him , but that it is his private opinion , that the lords day was prefigured in the eighth day destined to circumcision . which is nothing at all to our business in hand . 13. and he himself cites pope fabians decretal anno 237. ( a testimony therefore that he is not to refuse ) [ for every man and woman on the lords dayes to bring a quantity of bread and wine to be first offered on the altar , and then distributed in the sacrament ] the canon of clem. before mentioned i now pretermit . but saith dr. heylin 1. all days between easter and whitsunday had adoration by genuflection also prohibited on them . 2. and the church had other festivals also . answ. 1. the reason of station was to signifie christs resurrection and ours : therefore it continued for these dayes : but that was for the short occasional meetings of those dayes , which he himself will not say were separated to worship . 2. and the other festivals of the church make nothing against us : for 1. some of them ( as easter and whitsunday ) were but the same lords day . 2. and some of them were but anniversary , and not weekly holy dayes ; as the nativity , &c. 3. and he confesseth even these were brought in long after the apostles dayes , and therefore can lay no claim to apostolical institution . pag. 62. he himself saith , that [ the feast of christs nativity was ordained or instituted in the second century , and that of his incarnation in the third . ] and besides easter and whitsunday ( which are the lords day ) christmas is all that he nameth out of beda ( so long after ) as the majora solennia . the eves were but hours for preparation . 14. to these ( though in the fourth century ) i may add epiphanius , who recordeth the station ( and adoration to the east ) on the lords dayes as those traditions received by the universal church . and here i would have it specially noted , that when tertullian , epiphanius and others note standing on the lords dayes to be an unwritten tradition received by the whole church , they do not say the same of the lords day it self , ( though the antients oft say , that we received it from the apostles : ) now by this it is plain , that they took the lords day to be of apostolick institution past all question , and the unwritten vniversal traditions to be somewhat lower ( which there was no scripture for at all . ) ( among which the white garment , and the milk and honey to the baptized , and the adoration toward the east are numbred . ) for he that is appointed to worship on the lords dayes standing , or toward the east , is supposed to know that on that day he is to worship . if the mode on that day be of universal tradition as a ceremony , the day is supposed to be somewhat more than of unwritten tradition . 15. i add here also ( though in the fourth century , because it looks back to the institution ) the words of athanasius cited by heylin himself , homil. de semente ( though nannius question it ) [ that our lord transferred the sabbath to the lords day . ] but saith dr. heylin [ this must be understood , not as if done by his commandment , but on his occasion : the resurrection of our lord on that day , being the principal motive which did influence his church to make choice thereof for the assemblies — for otherwise it would cross what formerly had been said by athanasius in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ] answ. it expresseth the common judgement of the church , that christ himself made the change by these degrees : 1. fundamentally and as an exemplar by his own resurrection on that day ; giving the first cause of it , as the creation-rest did of the seventh day : 2. secretly commanding it to his apostles . 3. commissioning them to promulgate all his commands . 4. sending down the spirit on that very day . 5. and by that spirit determining them by promulgation to determine publickly of the day , and settle all the churches in long possession of it before their death . that which is thus done , may well be said to be done by christ , 2. and what shew of contradiction hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this ? [ it was commanded at first that the sabbath day should be observed in memory of the accomplishment of the world : so do we celebrate the lords day as a memorial of the beginning of a new creation . ] had not he a creating head here that out of these words could gather , that we celebrate the lords day without a command voluntarily ? one would think [ so ] should signifie the contrary . but ib. pag. 8. he citeth socrates for the same , saying that [ the designe of the apostles was not to busie themselves in prescribing festival daies , but to instruct the people in the wayes of godliness . ] answ. socrates plainly rebuketh the busie ceremonious arrogancy of after ages , for making new holy dayes ; and doth not at all mean the lords day ; but saith that to make festivals , that is , other and more , as since they did , was none of the apostles business . nor is this any thing at all to the matter of fact , which none denyed . 16. i will add that as another testimony which p. 9. he citeth against it . the council at paris , an. 829. c. 50. which as he speaketh ascribeth the keeping of the lords day to apostolical tradition , confirmed by the authority of the church : the words are [ ut creditur apostolorum traditione , immo ecclesiae authoritate descendu , &c. ] now i have proved that if the apostles did it , they did it by the holy ghost , and by authority from christ , but he citeth p. 7 , 8. the words of athanasius , maximus taurinensis and augustine , saying that [ we honour the lords day for the resurrection , and because christ rose , and ( aug. ) the lords day was declared to christians by the resurrection of our lord , and from that ( or from him rather ) began to have its festivity ] from whence he gathereth that it was only done by the authority of the church and not by any precept of our saviour . answ. as if christs resurrection could not be the fundamental occasion , and yet christs law the obliging cause ? would any else have thus argued , [ the jews observed the seventh day sabbath , because the creator rested the seventh day : therefore they had no command from god for it ? ] woe to the churches that have such expositors of gods commands ! or as if christ who both commissioned and inspired the apostles by the holy ghost , to teach all his commands , and settle church orders , were not thus the chief author of what they did by his commission and spirit : what church can shew the like commission or the like miraculous and infallible spirit as they had ? see further august . de civitat . dei l. 22. c. 30. & serm. 15. de verb. apostol . but , saith he , christ and two of his disciples travelled on the day of his resurrection from jerusalem to emaus , seven miles , and back again , which they would not have done if it had been a sabbath . answ. 1. they would not have done it if it had been a jewish sabbath of ceremonial rest ; but those that you count too precise will go as far now in case of need to hear a sermon : and remember that they spent the time in christs preaching and their hearing and conferring after of it . 2. but we grant that though the foundation was laid by christs resurrection , yet it was not a law fully promulgate to , and understood by the apostles till the coming down of the holy ghost ( nor many greater matters neither ) who was promised and given to teach them all things &c. and it is worth the noting how heylin beginneth his chap. 3. l. 2. [ the lords day taken up by the common consent of the church , not instituted or established by any text of scripture , or edict of emperour , or decree of council , save that some few councils did reflect upon it : in that which follows we shall find both emperours and councils very frequent in ordering things about this day and the service of it . ] answ. note reader , what could possibly besides christ and the holy ghost in the apostles be the instituter of a day , which neither emperour nor council instituted , and yet was received by the common consent of all churches in the world , even from and in the apostles dayes ? yea , as this man confesseth by their approbation and authority ? but hence forward in the fourth century i am prevented from bringing in my most numerous witnesses , by heylins confession that now emperours , councils and all were for it . but yet let the reader remember , 1. how few and small records be left of the second century , and not many of the third . 2. and that historical copious testimonies of the fourth century , that is emperours , councils , and the most pious and learned fathers , attesting that the universal church received it from the apostles , is not vain or a small evidence ; when as the fourth century began but 200 years after st. johns death , or within less than a year . and that the first christian emperour finding all christians unanimous in the possession of the day , should make a law ( as our kings do ) for the due observing of it ; and that the first general council should establish uniformity in the very gesture of worship on that day , are strong confirmations of the matter of fact , that the churches unanimously agreed in the holy use of it as a separated day even from and in the apostles dayes . obj. but the emperour constantines edict alloweth husbandmen to labour . answ. only in case of apparent hazard lest the fruits of the earth be lost ; as we allow sea-men to work at sea , in case of necessity . and so though by his second edict manumission was allowed to the judges as an act of charity , yet they were forbidden judging in all other ordinary causes , lest the day be profaned by wranglings . gratian , valentinian , and theodosius by their edict forbad publick spectacles or shews on the lords day . and all seeking and judging of debts and litigious suits . and afterward valentinian and valens make an edict that no christian should on that day be convented by the exactors or receivers . ob. but ( saith h. ) for 300. years there was no law to bind men to that day . answ. the apostles institution was a law of christ by his spirit , mat. 28. 20. and how should there be a humane law before there was a christian magistracie ? obj. saith h. p. 95. the powers which raised it up , may take it lower if they please , yea take it quite away , &c. ans. true : that is , christ may : and when he doth it by himself , or by new apostles , who confirm their commission by miracles , we will obey : but we expect his presence with the apostolical constitutions to the end of the world , mat. 28. 20. theodosius also enacted that on the lords day and in the christmas , and on easter and to whitsuntide the publike cirques and theaters should be shut up . ( for we grant that when christian magistrates took the matter in hand , other holy dayes were brought in by degrees ; whereas before the christians indeed met ( yea and communicated ) as oft as they could , even most daies in the week ; but did not separate the daies as holy to gods service as they did the lords day : only christmas day , and the memorials of those martyrs that were neer them ( to encourage the people to constancy ) they honoured somewhat early ; but those were anniversary , and not weekly . and the wednesdays , and fridays , were kept by them but as we keep them now , or as a lecture day . i grant also that when christian magistracie arose , as the holy dayes multiplied , the manner of the dayes observation altered . for whereas from the beginning , the christians used to stay together from morning till night , ( partly through devotion , and partly for fear of persecution , if they were noted to go in and out ; ) afterward being free , they met twice a day , with intermission as we do now . not that their whole dayes service was but an hour or two as heylin would prove from a perverted word of chrysostomes and another of origenes ( or ruffinus ) and from the length of their published homilies : for he perverteth what was spoken of the length of the sermon , as spoken of the length of all the service of the whole day : whereas there was much more time spent in the eucharistical and liturgick offices , of prayer , praise , sacraments , and exhortations proper to the church , than was in the sermon . when i was suffered to exercise my ministry my self , having four hundred or five hundred if not six hundred to administer the sacrament to ( though twice the number kept themselves away ) it took up the time of two sermons usually to administer it , besides all the ordinary readings , prayers and praises morning and evening . heylin noteth by the way , 1. that now officiating in a white garment begun ; 2. and kneeling at the sacrament ; which last he proveth from two or three words where adoration only is named : but , 1. a late treatise hath fully proved that the white garment was not a religious ceremony then at all , but the ordinary splendid apparel of honourable persons in those times , which were thought meet for the honour of the ministry when christian princes did advance them . 2. and he quite forgot that adoration on the lords dayes was ever used standing , and that he had said before , that it was above a thousand years before the custome was altered . the inclinations to overmuch strictness on the lords day . the destruction of the gothish army by the romans in africa because they would not fight on that day , &c. see in heylin , p. 112 , 113 , &c. his translation of the words of the synod or council at mascon , 588. i think worthy the transcribing . [ it is observed that christian people do very rashly slight and neglect the lords day ; giving themselves thereon as on other dayes , to continual labours , &c. therefore let every christian , in case he carry not that name in vain , give eare to our instruction ; knowing that we have care that you should do well , as well as the power to bridle you , that you do not ill . it followeth , custodite diem dominicum qui nos denuo peperit , &c. keep the lords day , the day of our new birth , whereon we were delivered from the snares of sin . let no man meddle in litigious controversies , or deal in actions or law suites ▪ or put himself at all on such an exigent , that needs he must prepare his oxen for their daily work , but exercise your selves in hymnes , and singing praises unto god ; being intent thereon both in mind and body . if any have a church at hand , let him go unto it , and there pour forth his soul in tears and prayers ; his eyes and hands being all that day lifted up to god. it is the everlasting day of rest , insinuating to us under the shadow of the seventh day or sabbath , in the law and prophets : and therefore it is very meet that we should celebrate this day with one accord , whereon we have been made what at first we were not . let us then offer to god our free and voluntary service , by whose great goodness we are freed from the goal of error : not that the lord exacts it of us , that we should celebrate this day in a corporal abstinence or rest from labour , who only looks that we do yield obedience to his holy will , by which contemning earthly things , he may conduct us to the heavens of his infinite mercy . however if any man shall set at naught this our exhortation , be he assured , that god shall punish him as he hath deserved ; and that he shall be also subject unto the censures of the church . in case he be a lawyer , he shall lose his cause ; if that he be an husbandman , or servant , he shall be corporally punished for it : but if a clergy-man or monk , he shall be six moneths separated from the congregation . ] his reproof of gregorius turonensis for his strictness for the lords day , sheweth but his own dissent from him and from the churches of that age. king alfreds laws for the observation of the lords day , and against dicing , drinking , &c. on it , are visible in our own constitutions , in spelman and others . and many more edicts and laws are recited by h. himself of other countreys . two are worthy the observation for the reasons of them . 1. a law of cl●tharius king of france , forbidding servile labours on the lords day [ because the law forbids it , and the holy scripture wholly contradicteth it . ] 2. a constitution of the emperour leo philosophus , to the same purpose [ secundum quod spiritui sancto ab ipsoque institutis apostolis placuit ; as it pleased the holy ghost and the apostles instructed by him . ] you see that then christian princes judged the lords day to be of divine institution . yea , to these he addeth two more princes of the same mind , confessing that leo was himself a scholar , and charles the great had as learned men about him , as the times then bred , and yet were thus perswaded of the day ; yea , and that many miracles were pretended in confirmation of it ; yet he affirmeth , that the church and the most learned men in it were of another mind . let us hear his proofs . 1. saith he , isidore a bishop of sevil makes it an apostolical sanction only , no divine commandment : a day designed by the apostles , for religious exercises in honour of our saviours resurrection ; and it was called the lords day therefore : to this end and purpose , that resting in the same from all earthly acts and the temptations of the world , we might intend gods holy worship , giving this day due honour for the hope of the resurrection which we have therein . the same verbatim is repeated by beds l. de offic. and by raban . maurus l. de inst . chr. l. 2. c. 24. and by alcuinus de die offic. c. 24. which plainly shews , that all these took it only for an apostolical usage , &c. answ. reader , is not here a strange kind of proof ? this is but just the same that we assert , and i am proving ; save that he most grosly puts an apostolical usage , and sanction ( sanxerunt ) as distinct from , and exclusive of a command , which i have fully proved to be christs own act and law to us , by vertue of 1. their commission : 2. and the infallible spirit given them . and having brought the history to so fair an account by our chief adversaries own citations and confessions , i will not tire my self and the reader with any more ; but only wish every christian to consider , whether they that thus distinguish between apostolical sanctions , and divine institutions as this man doth , do not teach men to deny all the holy scriptures of the new testament , as being but apostolical writings : and go far to deny or subvert christianity it self ; by denying the divine authority of these commissioned inspired men , who are foundations of the church , and sealed their doctrine by miracles , and from whom it is that our christian faith , and laws , and church constitutions which are universal and divine , are received . i only remember you of pliny a heathens testimony , of the christians practice stato die . no man can question pliny on the account of partiality : and therefore though a heathen , his historical testimony as joyned with all the christian church history , hath its credibility . he telleth trajan , that it was the use of christians on a stated day , before it was light to meet together , to sing a hymn to christ as to god secum invicem , among themselves by turns ; and to bind themselves by a sacrament , not to do any wickedness , but that they commit not thefts , robberies , adulteries ; that they break not their word ( or trust ) that they deny not the pledge ( or pawn ) ; which being ended they used to depart , and to come again together to take meat , but promiscuous and harmless . ] epist. 97. p. 306 , 307. where note , 1. that by a stated day , he can mean no other than the lords day , as the consent of all other history will prove . 2. that this is much like the testimonies of justin and tertullian , and ( supposing what they say of the use of reading the scripture , and instructing the church ) it sheweth that their chief work on that day , was the praises of god for our redemption by christ , and the celebration of the lords supper ; and the disciplinary exercises of covenanters thereto belonging . 3. that they had at that time where pliny was two meetings that day , that is , they went home , and came again to their feast of love , in the evening . ( which , no doubt , was varied , as several times , and places , and occasions required ; sometimes departing and coming again , and sometimes staying together all day . ) 4. that this epistle of pliny was written in trajans dayes , and it is supposed in his second year : and trajan was emperour the year that st. john the apostle died , if not a year before ; so that it is the churches custom in the end of the apostles dayes , which pliny here writeth of . 5. that he had the fullest testimony of what he wrote , it being the consent of the christians whom he , as judge , examined ; even of the timorous that denyed their religion , as well as of the rest . and many of them upon his prohibition forbore these meetings . 6. and the number of them he telleth trajan in city and countrey was great , of persons of all degrees and ranks . so that when 1. christian history , 2. and heathen , acquaint us with the matter of fact , that the day was kept in the apostles time ; 3. yea , when no hereticks or sects of christians are found contradicting it , but the churches then and after universally practised it without any controversie ; what fuller historical evidence can there be ? and to say , that 1. the apostles would not have reproved this , if it had not been their own doing : 2. or that it could be done , and they not know it : 3. and that all christians who acknowledged their authority , would have consented in such a practice superstitiously before their faces , and against their wills , and no testimony be left us of one faithful church or christian that contradicted it , and stuck to the apostolical authority , even where the churches received their writings , and publickly read them , all this is such , as is not by sober christians to be believed . but the great objection will be , that other things also were then taken for apostolical traditions , and were customs of the universal church , as well as this ; which things we now renounce as superstitious . answ. though i answered this briefly before , i now give you this fuller answer : i. it is but few things that come under this charge , viz. the unction , white garment , with the taste of milk and honey at baptism , adoration towards the east , and that standing ; and not kneeling on the lords dayes , and the anniversary observation of easter and whitsuntide : and the last is but the keeping of one or two lords dayes in the year with some note of distinction from the rest , so far as there was any agreement in it . 2. that these are not usually by the antients called apostolical traditions , but customs of the vniversal church : 3. that when they are called traditions from the apostles , it is not with any assertion that the apostles instituted them , but that they are supposed to be from their times , because their original is not known . 4. that the antients joyn not the lords day with these , but take the lords day for an apostolical institution written in scripture , though the universal practice of all churches fullier deliver the certain history of it : but the rest they take for unwritten customs , as distinct from scripture ordinances . ( as epiphanius fully sheweth . ) 5. that most christians are agreed , that if these later could be proved apostolical institutions for the church universal , it would be our duty to use them , though they were not in scripture . so that we reject them only for want of such proof : but the proof of the lords dayes separation being far better ( by concurrence of scripture and all antient history ) it followeth not that we must doubt of that which hath full and certain proof , because we must doubt of that which wants it . 6. and if it were necessary that they stood or fell together ( as it is not ) it were necessary that we did receive those three or four ceremonies , for the sake of the lords day , which ●ath so great evidence , rather than that we cast off the lords day , because of these ceremonies . not only because there is more good in the lords d●y , than there is evil to be any way suspected by a doubter in these ceremonies ; but especially because the evidence for the day is so great , that if the said ceremonies had but the same , they were undoubtedly of divine authority or institution . in a word , i have shewed you somewhat of the evidence for the lords day ; do you now shew me the like for them , and then i will prove that both must be received : but if you cannot , do not pretend a parity . 7. and the same churches laying by the customs aforesaid , or most of them , did shew that they ●●ok them not indeed for apostolical institutions , as they did the lords day which they continued to observe ; not as a ceremony , but as a necessary thing . 8. and the ancient churches did believe , that even in the apostles dayes some things were used as indifferent which were mutable , and were not laws , but temporary customs . and some things were necessary , setled by law for perpetuity : of the former kind they thought were , the greeting one another with a holy kiss , the womens praying covered with a veil , ( of which the apostle saith , that it was then and there so decent , that the contrary would have been unseemly , and the churches of god had no such custom , ( by which he answereth the contentious ) yet in other countreys , where custom altereth the signification , it may be otherwise : also that a man wear not long hair ; and that they have a love feast on the lords day , ( which yet paul seemeth to begin to alter in his rebuke of the abusers of it , 1 cor. 11. ) and if these ancient churches thought the milk and honey , and the white garment , and the station and adoration eastwards , to be also such like indifferent mutable customs , as it is apparent they did , this is nothing at all to invalidate our proof , that the lords day was used ( and consequently appointed ) in the dayes of the apostles . obj. at least it will prove it mutable as they were . answ. no such matter : because the very nature of such circumstances , having no stated necessity or usefulness , sheweth them to be mutable . but the reason of the lords dayes use is perpetual : and it is founded partly in the law of nature , which telleth us that some stated dayes should be set apart for holy things ; and partly in the positive part of the fourth commandment ; which telleth us , that once god determined of one day in seven , yea , and this upon the ground of his own cessation of his creation-work , that man on that day might observe a holy rest in the worshipping of the great creator , which is a reason belonging not to the jews only , but to the whole world . yea , and that reason ( whatever dr. heylin say to the contrary , from the meer silence of the former history in genesis ) doth seem plainly to intimate that this is but the repetition of that law of the sabbath which was given to adam : for why should god begin two thousand years after to give men a sabbath upon the reason of his rest from the creation , and for the commemoration of it , if he had never called man to that commemoration before . and it is certain that the sabbath was observed at the falling of manna before the giving of the law : and let any considerate christian judge between dr. heylin and us in this ; 1. whether the not fal●ing of manna , or the rest of god after the creation , was like to be the original reason of the sabbath . 2. and whether if it had been the first , it would not have been said , remember to keep holy the sabbath day ; for on six dayes manna fell , and not on the seventh , ] rather than [ for in six dayes god created heaven and earth , &c. and rested the seventh day . ] and it is causally added , [ wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it . ] nay , consider whether this annexed reason intimate not , that the day on this ground being hallowed before , therefore it was that god sent not down the manna on that day , and that he prohibited the people from seeking it . and he that considereth the brevity of the history in genesis , will think he is very bold , that obtrudeth on the world his negative argument : [ the sabbath is not there mentioned : therefore it was not then kept . ] and if it was a positive law given to adam on the reason of the creation rest , it was then such a positive , as must be next to a law of nature , and was given to all mankind in adam , and adam must needs be obliged to deliver it down to the world . so that though the mosaical law ( even as given in stone ) be ceased , yea , and adams positives too , formally as such ; yet this is sure , that once god himself determined by a law , that one stated day in seven , was the fittest proportion of time to be separated to holy worship . and if it was so once , yea , to all the world from the creation , it is so still : because there is still the same reason for it : and we are bound to judge gods determination of the proportion to be wiser than any that we can make . and so by parity of reason consequentially even those abrogated laws do thus far bind us still ; not so far as abrogated ; but because the record and reason of them , is still a signification of the due proportion of time , and consequently of our duty . now the lords day , supposing one weekly day to be due , and being but that day determined of , and this upon the reason of the resurrection , and for the commemoration of our redemption , and that by such inspired and authorized persons , it followeth clearly , that this is no such mutable ceremony , as a love feast , or the kiss of love , or the veil , or the washing of feet , or the anointing of the sick , which were mostly occasionall actions and customs taken up upon reasons proper to those times and places . obj. but by the reason aforesaid , you will prove the continuance of the seventh day sabbath ; as grounded on the creation rest . answ. this is anom to be answered in due place . i only prove that it continued , till a successive dispensation , and gods own change did put an end to it ; but no longer . obj. but to commemorate the creation , and praise the creator is a moral work , and therefore ceaseth not . answ. true : but that it be done on the seventh day ; is that which ceaseth . for the same work is transferred to the lords day ; and the creator and redeemer to be honoured together in our commemoration . for the son is the only way to the father ; who hath restored us to peace with our creator ; and as no man cometh to the father but by the son , and as we must not now worship god , as a creator and father never offended , but as a creator and father reconciled by christ , so is it the appointment of christ by the holy ghost , that we commemorate the work of creation now as repaired and restored by the work of redemption , on the lords day , which is now separated to these works . that the sabbath was appointed to adam , wallaeus on the fourth commandment , cap. 3. and rivet dissert . de sab . c. 1. have most copiously proved . and clem. alex. strom. l. 5. out of homer , hesiod , callimachus and others proveth that the heathens knew of it . we may therefore summ up the prerogatives of the lords day , as leo did , ep. 81. c. 1. on this day the world began ; on this day by christs resurrection , death did receive death , and life its beginning ; on this day the apostles take the trumpet of the gospel to be preached to all nations ; on this day the holy ghost came from the lord to the apostles , &c. see more in athanas. de sab. & circ . & august . serm. 154. de tempore . therefore saith isychius in levit. l. 2. c. 9. the church setteth apart the lords day for holy assemblies . and in the times of heathenish persecution , when men were asked , whether they were christians , and kept the lords dayes , they answered that they were , and kept the lords day , which christians must not omit : as you may see act. marty● . apud baron . an . 303. n. 37 , 38 , 39. they would die rather than not keep the holy assemblies and the lords dayes : for saith ignatius , after the sabbath every lover of christ celebrateth the lord● day 〈◊〉 to ( or by ) the lords resurrection , the queen and chief of 〈◊〉 d●yes ( as is afore cited . ) for saith augustine , the lords resurrection hath promised us an eternal day , and consecrated to us the lords day ; which is called the lords , and properly belongeth to the lord , serm. 15. de verb. apost . and saith hilary pr●leg . in psalm . though the name and observance of a sabbath was placed to the seventh day , yet is it the eighth day , which is also the first , on which we rejoyce with the perfect festivity of the sabbath . of the f●●l keeping of the whole day , and of the several exercises in which it was spent , and of the more numerous testimonies of antiquity hereupon . dr. y●ung in his dies dominica hath said so much , with so much evidence and judgement ▪ 〈◊〉 i purposely omit abundance of such testimonies , because i will not do that which he hath already done ; the learned reader may there find unanswerable proof , of the matter of fact , that the lords day was kept in the apostles dayes , and ever since as by their appointment ; and for the unlearned reader , i fear lest i have too much interrupted him with citations already . i only tell him in the conclusion , that if scripture hi●tory interpreted and seconded by fullest practice and history of all the churches of christ , and by the consent of heathens and heretick● , and not contradicted by any sect in the world , be to be believed , then we must say , that the lords day was commonly kept by the christians in and from the apostles times . prop. 11. this evidence of the churches universal constant usage , is a full and sufficient proof of the matter of fact , that it was a day set apart by the apostles for holy worship , especially in the publick church-assemblies . 1. it is a full proof , that such assemblies were held on that day above others , as a separated day . for if it was the usage in anno 100. ( in which the apostle john dyed ) it must needs be the usage in the year 99. in which he wrote his revelations , where he calleth it the lords day : for all the churches could not silently agree on a sudden to take up a new day , without debate and publick notice , which could not be concealed . and if it was the universal usage in the dayes of ignatius or justin martyr , it was so also in the dayes of st. john , ( and so before ) for the churches were then so far dispersed over the world , that it would have taken up much time to have had councils and meetings or any other means for agreement on such things . and it is utterly improbable that there would have been no dissenters ? for , 1. did no christians in the world so neer to the apostles daies make any scruple of superstition ? or of such an addition to divine institutions ? 2. was there no countrey , nor no persons whose interest would not better suit with another day , or an uncertain day ? or at least their opinions ? when we find it now so hard a matter to bring men in one countrey , to be all of one opinion . 3. and there was then no magistrate to f●rce them to such an union ; and therefore it mast be voluntary . 4. and they had in the second age such pastors as the apostles themselves had ordained , and as had conversed with them , and been trained up by them and knew their mind , and cannot soberly be thought likely to consent all on a sudden to such a new institution , without and contrary to the apostles sense and practice . 5. yea , they had yet ministers that had that extraordinary spirit which was given by the laying on of the apostles hands : for if the aged apostles ordained young men , it is to be supposed that most of those young men , ( such as timothy ) overlived them . 6. yea and the ordinary christians in those times had those extraordinary gifts by the laying on of the apostles hands , as appeareth evidently in the case of samaria , act. 8. and of the corinthians , 1 cor. 12. & 14. and of the galathians , gal. 3. 1 , 2 , 3. and it is not to be suspected that all these inspired ministers and people would consent to a superstitious innovation , without and against the apostles minds . 2. therefore this history is a full proof , that these things were done by the consent and appointment of the apostles . for , 1. as is said , the inspired persons and churches could not so suddenly be brought to forsake them universally in such a case . 2. the churches had all so high an esteem of the apostles , that they took their authority for the highest , and their judgement for infallible , and therefore received their writings as canonical and divine . 3. the churches professed to observe the lords day as an apostolical ordinance , and they cannot be all supposed to have conspired in a lie , yea to have belyed the holy ghost . 4. the apostles themselves would have controlled this course , if it had not been by their own appointment . for i have proved that the usage was in their own daies . and they were not so careless of the preservation of christs ordinances and churches , as to let such things be done , without contradiction ; when it is known how paul strove to resist and retrench all the corruptions of church-order in the churches to which he wrote . if the apostles , silently connived at such corruptions , how could we rest on their authority ? especially the apostle john in an . 99 would rather have written against it as the superstition of usurpers ( as he checkt diotrephes for contempt of him ) than have said that he was in the spirit on the lords day when he saw christ , and received his revelation and message to the churches . 5. and if the churches had taken up this practice universally without the apostles , it is utterly improbable that no church writer would have committed to memory either that one church that begun the custome , or the council or means used for a sudden confederacy therein . if it had begun with some one church , it would have been long before the rest would have been brought to an agreeing consent . it was many hundred years before they all agreed of the time of easter ; and it was till the middle of chrysostomes time ( for he saith it was but ten years agoe , when he wrote it ) that they agreed of the time of christs nativity . but if it had been done by confederacy at once , the motion , the council called about it , the debates , and the dissenters and resistances would all have been matter of fact , so notable , as would have found a place in some author or church history : whereas there is not a syllable of any such thing ; either of council , letter , messenger , debate , resistance , &c. therefore it is evident that the thing was done by the apostles . prop. 12. they that will deny the validity of 〈◊〉 historical evidence , do by consequence betray the christian faith , or give away or deny the necessary means of proving the truth of it , and of many great particulars of religion . i suppose that in my book called the reasons of the christian religion , i have proved that christianity is proved true , by the spirit as the great witness of christ , and of the christian verity ; but i have proved withall , the necessity and certainty of historical means , to bring the matters of fact to our notice , as sense it self did bring them to the notice of the first receivers . for instance , i. without such historical evidence and certainty , we cannot be certain what 〈◊〉 of scripture are truly canonical and of divine authority , and what not . this protestants grant to papists in the controversie of tradition . though the canon be it self compleat , and tradition is no supplement to make up the scriptures , as if they were i● su● genere imperfect , yet it is commonly granted that our fathers and teachers tradition is the hand to deliver us this perfect rule , and to tell us what parts make up the canon . if any say that the books do prove themselves to be canonical or divine , i answer , 1. what man alive could tell without historical proof that the canticles , or esther , are canonical ? yea or ecclesiastes , or the proverbs , and not the books of wisdome and ecclesiasticus ? 2. how can any man know that the scripture histories are canonical ? the suitableness of them to a holy soul , will do much to confirm one that is already holy , of the truth of the doctrines : but if the spirit within us assure us immediately of the truth of the history , it must be by inspiration and revelation , which no christians have , that ever i was yet acquainted with . for instance , that the books of chronicles are canonical , or the book of either , or the books of the kings , or samuel , or judges . and how much doth the doctrine of christianity depend on the history ? as of the creation , of the israelites bondage , and deliverance , and the giving of the law , and moses miracles , and of chronologie and christs genealogie ; and of the history of christs own nativity , miracles and life ; and the history of the apostles afterward ? to say that the very history so far proveth its own truth , as that without subsequent history we can be sure of it , and must be , is to reduce all christs church of right believers into a narrow room ; when i never knew the man that ( as far as i could perceive ) did know the history to be divine by its proper evidence , without tradition , and subsequent history . 3. and how can any man know the ceremonial law to be divine , by its proper evidence alone ? who is he that readeth over exodus , leviticus and numbers , that will say that without knowing by history that th●● is a divin● record , he could have certainly perceived by the book it self , that all these were indeed divine institutions or laws ? 4. and how can any meer positive institutions o● the new testament be known proprio lumine , by their own evidence to be divine ? as the institution of sacraments , officers , orders , &c. what is there in them that can infallibly prove it to us ? 5. and how can any prophecies be known by their own evidence to be divine , ( till they are fulfilled and that shall prove it . ) i know that the whole frame together of the christian religion 〈◊〉 its sufficient evidence , but we must not be guilty of a peevish rejecting it . the 〈◊〉 part 〈◊〉 its witness within us , in that state of holiness which it imprinteth on the soul ; and the rest are witnessed , to or proved partly by that , and partly by miracles , and those and the records by historical evidence . but when god hath made many things necessary to the full evidence , and wranglers through partiality and contention against each others will some throw away one part and some another , they will all prove destroyers of the faith ( as all dividers be . ) if the papist will say , it is tradition and not inhaerent evidence , or if others will say that it is inhaerent evidence alone , and not history or tradition , where god hath made both needful hereunto , both will be found injurious to the faith . ii. without this historical evidence we cannot prove that any of the books of scripture are not maimed or depraved . that they come to our hands as the apostles and evangelists wrote them , uncorrupted . it is certain by history , that many hereticks did deprave and c●rrupt them , and would have obtruded those copies or corruptions on the churches : and how we shall certainly prove that they did not prevail , or that their copies are false , and ours are true , i know not without the help of history . mahomet and his followers ( more numerous than the christians ) pretend that mahomets name was in the gospel of john as the paraclet or comforter promised by christ , and that the christians have blotted it out , and altered the writings of the gospel . and how shall we disprove them but by historical evidence ? as the arrians , and socinians pretend that we have added , 1 john 5. 7. for the trinity , so others say of other texts ; and how shall we confute them without historical evidence ? iii. therefore we cannot make good the authority of any one single verse or text of scripture which we shall alledge , without historical evidence . because we are not certain of that particular text , ( or words , ) whether it have been altered or added , or corrupted , by the fraud of hereticks , or the partiality of some christians , or the oversight of scribes : for if a custome of setting apart one day weekly , even the first , for publick worship , might creep into all the churches in the world , and no man know how , nor when ; much more might one or a few corrupt copies become the exemplar of those that follow . for , what day all the churches meet , men , women , and children know ; learned and unlearned know ; the orthodox and hereticks know ; and they so know , as that they cannot choose but know . but the alterations of a text , may b● u●●nown to all save the learned , and the observing ●iligent part of the learned only , and 〈◊〉 that they tell it to . and besides origen ( 〈◊〉 a heretick ) and hierome , alas , how few of the fathers were ●ble and diligent examiners of such things ? therefore in the case of various re●dings such as ludov. capellus treats of in his 〈◊〉 sacra , contradicted in many things by bishop vsher and others , who are those divines that have hitherto appealed either to the spirit , or to the proper light of the words , for a decision ? who is it that doth not presently fly to historical evidence ? and what that cannot determine we all con●ess to be uncertain ? and if copies and history had delivered to us as various readings o● every text as they have done of some , every text would have remained uncertain to us . let none say that this leaveth the christian religion , or the scriptures uncertain : i have fully answered that elsewhere . 1. christian religion , that is , the material parts of the scripture on which our salvation lyeth , hath much fuller evidence , than each particular text or canonical book hath . and we need not regard the perverse zeal for the scriptures of those men that would make all our christianity as uncertain , as the authority of a particular text or book is . and therefore god in mercy hath so ordered it , that a thousand texts may be uncertain to us , or not understood ( no not by any or many divines ) and yet the christian faith be not at all shaken , or ever the more uncertain for this : when as he that understandeth not or believeth not every essential article of the faith , is no christian. 2. and those books and texts of scripture , are fully certain by the subservient help of history and usage , which would be uncertain without them . therefore it is the act of an enemy of the scriptures , to cast away , and dispute against that history which is necessary to our knowledge of its certainty , and afterwards to plead that they who take in those necessary helps do make it uncertain : even as if they should go about to prove that all writings are uncertain , and therefore that they make christs doctrine uncertain , who rest upon the credit of writings , that is , the sacred scriptures . iv. without historical notice , how should we know that these books were written by any of the same men that bear their names ? as matthew , mark , luke , john , paul , peter , &c. especially when the hereticks did put forth the gospel of thomas , nicodemus , the itinerary of peter and many books under venerable names ? or when the name of the author is not notified to all christians certainly , either by the spirit within us , or by the matter ? and though our salvation depend not on the notice of the pen-man , yet it is of great moment in the matter of faith . v. and how should we be certain that no other sacred books are lost , the knowledge of which would tell us of that which these contain not , and would help us to the better understanding of these ? i know that a priore we may argue from gods goodness , that he will not so forsake his church , as a jew might have done before christs incarnation , that the gospel should be written , because it is best for the world or church . but when we consider how much of the world and church , god hath forsaken , since the creation , and how dark we are in such prognosticks , and how little we know what the churches sins may provoke god to , we should be less confident of such reasonings , than we are of historical evidence , which tells us de facto what god hath done . so much of the use of the history , as to the cause of the scriptures themselves . next you may observe that the denyal of the certainty of humane history and usage , doth disadvantage christianity in many great particular concernments . as , 1. without it we should not fully know whether de facto the church and ministry dyed , or almost dyed with the apostles ? and whether there have been any true churches since then till our own dayes ? christs promise indeed tells us much ; but if we had no history of the performance of it , we should be ready to doubt that it might be yet unperformed ; as far as the promise to adam ( gen. 3. 15. ) and to abraham ( in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed ) were till the coming of christ. nor could we easily confute the roman or any hereticall usurpation , which would pretend possession since the apostles daies , and that all that are since gone to heaven , have gone thither by their way , and not by ours . ii. nor could we much better tell de facto , whether baptism have been administred in the form appointed by christ , in the name of the father , of the son , and of the holy ghost ? indeed we may well and truly argue a priore , christ commanded it , ergo the apostles obeyed him : but , 1. that argument would hold good as to none or few but the apostles : and , 2. it would as to them , be though true , yet much more dark than now it is , because , 1. we read that peter disobeyed his command , in gal. 2. and , 2. that after he had commanded them to preach the gospel to every creature , and all the world , peter scrupled still going to the gentiles , act. 10. and , 3. that when he said to them , pray thus [ our father , &c. ] yet we never read that they after used that form of words ; so when he said to them [ baptize in the name of the father , &c. ] yet the scripture never mentioneth that they or any other person , ever used that form of words . but yet usage and history assureth us that they did . iii. nor have we any fuller scripture proof , that the apostles used to require of those that were to be baptized any more than a general profession of the substance of the christian faith , in god the father , the son , and the holy ghost ; or of the ancient use of the christian creed , either in the words now used , or any of the same importance . from whence many would inferr that any one is to be baptized , who will but say , that [ i believe that jesus christ is the son of god ] with the eunuch , act. 8. 37. or that christ is come in the flesh , 1 joh. 4. 2 , 3. but historical evidence assureth us , that it was usual in those times , to require of men a more explicite understanding profession of the christian faith before they were admitted to baptisme ; and that they had a summary or symbole , fitted to that use , commonly called the apostles creed ; at least as to the constant tenour of the matter , though some words might be left to the speakers will , and some little subordinate articles may be since added . and that it was long after the use to keep men in the state of catechised persons , till they understood that creed . and it is in it self exceeding probable that though among the intelligent jews , who had long expected the messiah , the apostles did baptize thousands in a day , act. 2. yet where the miraculous communication of the spirit did not antecede ( as it did act. 10. ) they would make poor heathens who had been bred in ignorance to understand what they did first , and would require of them an understanding profession of their belief in god the father , son , and holy ghost ; which could not possibly ( if understanding ) contain much less than the symbolum fid●i , the apostles creed . iv. nor have we any scripture proof , ( except by inferring obedience from the precept ) that ever the lords prayer was used in words , after christ commanded or delivered it : whence some inferr that it should not be so used : but church history putteth that past doubt . other such instances i pretermit . i think now that i have fully proved to sober considerate christians , that the matter of fact ( that the lords day was appointed by the apostles peculiarly for church-worship ) is certain to us by historical evidence , added to the historical intimations in scripture as a full exposition and confirmation of it : and that this is a proof that no christian can deny without unsufferable injury to the scriptures and the christian cause . chap. vi. prop. 5. this act of the apostles appointing the lords day for christian worship , was done by the special inspiration or guidance of the holy ghost . this is proved , 1. because it is one of those acts or works of their office , to which the holy ghost was promised them . 2. because that such like or smaller things are by them ascribed to the holy ghost , act. 15. 28. [ i● seemed good to the holy ghost and us ] when they did but declare an antecedent duty , and decide a controversie thereabout . see also , act. 4. 8. act. 5. 3. & 6. 3. with 7. 55. act. 13. 2 , 4. & 16. 6 , 7. & 20. 23 , 28. & 21. 11. 2 tim. 1. 14. jud. 20. act. 11. 12 , 28. & 19. 21. & 20. 22. 1 cor. 5. 3 , 4. & 14. 2 , 15 , 16. and 1 cor. 7. 40. when paul doth but counsel to a single life , he ascribeth it to the spirit of god. 3. and if any will presume to say , that men purposely indued with the spirit , for the works of their commission , did notwithstanding do such great things as this , without the conduct of that spirit , they may by the same way of proceeding pretend it to be as uncertain , of every particular book and chapter in the new testament , whether or no they wrote it by the spirit : for if it be a sound inference , [ they had the promise and gift of the spirit , that they might infallibly leave in writing to the churches , the doctrines and precepts , of christ : ergo whatever they have left in writing to the churches as the doctrine and precepts of christ , is infallibly done by the guidance of that spirit , ] then it will be as good an inference [ they had the promise and gift of the spirit , that they might infallibly settle church-orders for all the churches universal●y : ergo , whatever church-orders they setled for all the churches universally , they setled them by the infallible guidance of that spirit . ] but this few christians will deny , except some papists , who would bring down apostolical constitutions to a lower rank and rate , that the pope and his general council may be capable of ●●ying claim to the like themselves ; and so may make as many more laws for the church as they please , and pretend such an authority for it as the apostles had for theirs . by which pre●ense many would make too little distinction between gods laws , given by his spirit , and the laws 〈◊〉 a pope and popish council ; and call then all but the laws of the church . whereas there is no universal head of the church but christ , who hath reserved universal legislation to himself alone , to be performed by himself personally , and by his advocate the holy ghost , in his authorized and infallibly-inspired apostles , who were the promulgators and recorders of them ; all following pastors , being but ( as the jewish priests were to moses and the prophets ) the preservers , the expositers , and the applyers of that law. chap. vii . qu. 2. whether the seventh day sabbath should be still kept by christians , as of divine obligation ? neg. i shall here premise , that as some superstition is less dangerous than prophaneness ( though it be troublesome , and have ill consequents , ) so the errour of them who keep both daies as of divine appointment , is much less dangerous than theirs that keep none : yea and less dangerous , i think , than theirs who reject the lords day , and keep the seventh day only . because these latter are guilty of two sins , ( the rejecting of the right day , and the keeping of the wrong ; but the other are guilty but of one ( the keeping of the wrong day . ) besides that if it were not done , with a superstitious conceit ( that it is gods law ) in some cases a day may be voluntarily set apart for holy duties , as daies of thanksgiving and humiliation now are . but yet , though the rejecting of the lords day be the greater fault ( and i have no uncharitable censures of them that through weakness keep both daies ) i must conclude it as the truth , that we are not obliged to the observation of the saturday or seventh day as a sabbath , or separated day of holy worship . arg. 1. that dayes observation which we are not obliged to , either by the law of nature , the positive law given to adam , the positive law given to noah , the law of moses , nor the law of christ incarnate , we are not obliged to by any law of god ( as distinct from humane laws : ) but such is the observation of the seventh day as a sabbath : ergo we are not obliged to the observation of the seventh day as a sabbath by any law of god. the minor i must prove by parts ( for i think none will deny the sufficient enumeration in the major . ) and , 1. that the law of nature bindeth us not to the seventh , or any one day of the seven more than other , appeareth , 1. in the nature and reason of the thing : there is nothing in nature to evidence it to us to be gods will. 2. by every christians experience : no man findeth himself convinced of any such thing by meer nature . 3. by all the worlds experience : no man can say that a man of that opinion can bring any cogent evidence or argument from nature alone to convince another , that the seventh day must be the sabbath . nor is it any where received as a law of nature , but only as a tradition among some few heathens , and as law positive by the jews , and some few christians . i am not solicitous to prosecute this argument any further ; because i can consent that all they take the seventh day for the sabbath , who can prove it to be so by meer natural evidence : which will not be one . ii. that the positive law made to adam ( before or after the fall ) or to noah , bindeth not us to keep the seventh day as a sabbath , is proved . 1. because we are under a more perfect subsequent law ; which being in force , the former more imperfect ceaseth . as the force of the promise of the incarnation of christ is ceased by his incarnation , and so is the precept which bound men to believe that he should de future be incarnate ; and the law of sacrificing ( which abel doubtless received from adam , though one of late would make it to be but will-worship ; ) so also is the sabbath day , as giving place to the day in which our redemption is primarily commemorated , as the imperfect is done away when that which is more perfect cometh . 2. because that the law of christ containeth an express revocation of the seventh day sabbath , as shall be shewed anon . 3. because god never required two dayes in seven to be kept as holy : therefore the first day being proved to be of divine institution , the cessation of the seventh is thereby proved : for to keep two dayes is contrary to the command which they themselves do build upon , which requireth us to sanctifie a sabbath , and labour six dayes . 4. and when it is not probable that most or many infidels are bound to adams day , for want of notice ( at least ; ) for no law can bind without promulgation ( though i now pass by the question , how far a promulgation of a positive to our first parents may be said to bind their posterity , that have no intermediate notice ) it seemeth leís probable that christians should be bound by it , who have a more perfect law promulgate to them . 5. nor is it probable that christ and his apostles and all the following pastors of the churches would have passed by this positive law to adam , without any mention of it , if our universal obligation had been thence to be collected . nay i never yet heard a sabbatarian plead this law , any otherwise than as supposed to be implyed or exemplified in the fourth commandment . iii. and that the fourth commandment of moses law bindeth us not to the seventh day sabbath is proved . 1. because that moses law never bound any to it but the jews , and those proselites that made themselves inhabitants of their land , or voluntarily subjected themselves to their policy . for moses was ruler of none but the jews ; nor a legislator or deputed officer from god to any other nation . the decalogue was but part of the jewish law , if you consider it not as it is written in nature , but in tables of stone : and the jewish law was given as a law to no other people but to them . it was a national law , as they were a peculiar people and holy nation . so that even in moses daies it bound no other nations of the world. therefore it needed not any abrogation to the gentiles , but a declaration that it did not bind them . 2. the whole law of moses formally as such is ceased or abrogated by christ. i say , as such , because materialy , the same things that are in that law , may be the matter of the law of nature , and of the law of christ : of which more anon . that the whole law of moses as such is abrogated , is most clearly proved , 1. by the frequent arguings of paul , who ever speaketh of that law as ceased without excepting any part , and christ saith , luke 16. 16. the law and the prophets were untill john , that is , were the chief doctrine of the church till then , joh. 1. 17. the law was given by moses , but grace and truth cometh by jesus christ. no jew would have understood this , if the word [ law ] had not contained the decalogue . so joh. 7. 19 , 23. act. 15. 5 , 24. it was the whole law of moses , as such which by circumcision they would have bound men to . gal. 5. 3. the gentiles are said to sin without law , even when they broke the law of nature , meaning [ without the law of moses ] rom. 2. 12 , 14 , 15 , 16. in all these following places its not part but the whole law of moses , which paul excludeth ( which i ever acknowledged to the antinomians , though they take me for their too great adversary , ) rom. 3. 19 , 20 , 21 , 27 , 28 , 31 , & 4. 13 , 14 , 15 , 16. & 5. 13. 20. & 7. 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 16. & 9. 4 , 31 , 32. & 10. 5. gal. 2. 16 , 19 , 21. & 3. 2 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 19 , 21 , 24. & 4. 21. & 5. 3 , 4 , 14 , 23. & 6. 13. eph. 2. 15. phil. 3. 6 , 9. heb. 7 , 11 , 12 , 19. & 9. 19. & 10. 28. 1 cor. 9. 21. 2. more particularly there are some texts which express the cessation of the decalogue as it was moses law , 2 cor. 3. 3 , 7 , 11. not in tables of stone , but in fleshly tables of the heart — but if the ministration of death written and engraven in stones was glorious , so that the children of israel could not stedfastly behold the face of moses for the glory of his countenance , which was to be done away ( or is done away . ) they that say the glory , and not the law is here said to be done away , speak against the plain scope of the text : for the glory of moses face , and the glorious manner of deliverance ceased in a few daies , which is not the cessation here intended ; but ( as dr. hammond speaketh it ) [ that glory and that law so gloriously delivered is done away ] and this the eleventh verse fullyer expresseth [ for if that which is done away was glorious ( or , by glory , ) much more that which remaineth is glorious , or ( in glory ) so that as it is not only the glory , but the glorious law , gospel or testament which is said to remain , so it is not only the glory , but the law which was delivered by glory which is expresly said to be done away : and this is the law which was written in stone — nothing but partial violence can evade the force of this text. so heb. 7. 11 , 12. [ vnder it ( the levitical priesthood ) the people received the law — and the priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 18. for there is verily a disanulling of the commandment going before , for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof . for the law made nothing perfect ; but the bringing in of a better hope — 22. by so much was jesus made a surety of a better testament ] in all this it is plain that it is the whole frame of the mosaical law that is changed , and the new testament set up in its stead . heb. 9. 18 , 19. neither was the first dedicated without blood ; for when moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law , &c. here the law which is before said to be changed is said to contain every precept . and eph. 2. 15. it is the law of commandments contained in ordinances , which christ abolished in his flesh ; which cannot be exclusive of the chief part of that law. obj. this is the doctrine of the antinomians , that the law is abrogated , even the moral law. ans. it is the doctrine of the true antinomians that we are under no divine law , neither of nature nor of christ ; but it is the doctrine of paul and all christians , that the jewish mosaical law as such is abolished . obj. but do not all divines say that the moral law is of perpetual obligation ? ans. yes ; because it is gods law of nature , and also the law of christ. obj. but do not most say that the decalogue written in stone , is the moral law and of perpetual obligation . answ. yes : for by the word [ moral ] they mean [ natural , ] and so take moral , not in the large sense as it signifieth a law de moribus as all laws are whatsoever , but in a narrower sense as signifying , that which by nature is of vniversal and perpetual obligation . so that they mean not that it is perpetual as it is moses law and written in stone formally , but as it is moral , that is natural ; and they mean that materially the decalogue containeth the same law which is the law of nature , and therefore is materially still in force : but they still except certain points and circumstances in it , as the prefatory reason [ i am the lord that brought thee out of the land of aegypt , &c. ] and especially this of the seventh day sabbath . q 1. how far then are we bound by the decalogue ? answ. 1. as it is the law of nature ; 2. as it is owned by christ , and made part of his law. therefore no more of it bindeth directly , than we can prove to be either the law of nature , or the law of christ. 3. as it was once a law of god to the jews , and was given them upon a● reason common to them with us or all mankind , we must still judge , that it was once a divine determination of what is most meet , and an exposition of a law of nature , and therefore consequentially , and as that which intimateth by what god once commanded , what we should take for his will , and is most meet , it obligeth still . and so when the law of nature forbiddeth incest , or too near marriages , and god once told the jews what degrees were to be accounted too near , this being once a law to them directly , is a doctrine and exposition of the law of nature still to us ; and so is consequentially a law , by parity of reason . and so we shall shew anon that it is by the fourth commandment . iv. the law of christ bindeth us not to the observation of the seventh day sabbath . proved . 1. because it is proved that christ abrogated moses law as such ; and it is no where proved that he reassumed this , as a part of his own law. for it is no part of the law of nature ( as is proved ) ( which we confess now to be part of his law. ) object . christ saith , that he came not to destroy the law and prophets , but to fulfill them , and that a jot or tittle shall not pass till all be fulfilled . answ. he is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth , rom. 10. 4. the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to christ , gal. 3. 24. he hath therefore fulfilled the law according to his word , by his incarnation , life , death and resurrection . it is past away , but not unfulfilled : and fulfilling it , is not destroying it . the ends of it are all attained by him : 2. and though having attained its end , it ceaseth formally , as moses law ; yet materially , all that is of natural obligation continueth under another form ; that is , as part of his perfect law. therefore as our childish knowledge is said , as knowledge to be increased and not done away ; when we come to maturity ; but as childish to be done away , so the mosaical jewish law , as gods law in general is perfected by the cessation of the parts which were fitted to the state of bondage , and by addition of more perfect parts ( the natural part of it is made a part of a better covenant or frame : ) but yet as mosaical and imperfect it is abolished . briefly this much sufficeth for the answer of all the allegations , by which any would prove the continuation of moses law , or any part of it formally as such . i only add , that all moses law , even the decalogue was political , even gods law for the government of that particular theocrcratical policy , as a political body . therefore when the kingdom or policy ceased , the law as political could not continue . 2. it is proved that christ by his spirit in his apostles did institute another day . and seeing the spirit was given them to bring his words to remembrance , and to enable them to teach the churches all things whatsoever he commanded them , it is most probable that this was at first one of christs own personal precepts . 3. and to put all out of doubt , that neither the law of nature , nor any positive law , to adam , noah , or moses , or by christ doth oblige us to the seventh day sabbath , it is expresly repealed by the holy ghost , col. 2. 16. [ let no man therefore judge you in meats or in drink , or in respect of an holy day ( or feast ) or of the new moon , or of the sabbaths , which are a shadow of things to came ; but the body is of christ. ] i know many of late say , that by sabbaths here is not meant the weekly sabbath , but only other holy dayes , as monethly or jubilee rests : but 1. this is to limit without any proof from the word of god : when god speaks of sabbaths in general without exception , what is man that he should put in exceptions without any proof of authority from god ? by such boldness we may pervert all his laws . read dr. young upon this text. 2. yea , when it was the weekly sabbath , which then was principally known by the name of a sabbath , above all other festivals whatsoever , it is yet greater boldness without proof to exclude the principal part , from whence the rest did receive the name . 3. besides the feasts and new moons being here named as distinct from the sabbath , are like to include so much of the other separated dayes , as will leave it still more unmeet to exclude the weekly sabbath in the explication of that word [ sabbaths ] when so many feasts are first distinguished : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incuit grotius , hic sunt azyma dies omer , scenopegia , dies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . obj. but the sabbath mentioned in the decalogue could not be included . answ. this is spoken without proof , and the contrary is before proved . obj. by this you will make the christian sabbath also to be excluded . is not the lords day a sabbath ? answ. i am here to speak but of the name ; of which i say , that the common sense of the word sabbath was , a day so appointed to rest , as that the bodily rest of it , was a primary part of its observation , to be kept for it self ; and such the jewish sabbaths were . though spiritual worship was then also commanded , yet the corporal rest was more expresly or frequently urged in the law , and this not only subordinately as an advantage to the spiritual worship , but for it self , as an immediate and most visible and notable part of sabbatizing . even as other ceremonies under the law were commanded , not only as doctrinal types of things spiritual , but as external acts of ceremonious operous obedience suited to the jews minority , which is after called the yoke which they and their fathers were unable to bear , acts 15. whereas the lords day is appointed but as a seasonable time subserviently to the spiritual work of the day ; and the bodily rest , not required as primary obedience for it self , but only for the spiritual work sake : and therefore no bodily labour is now unlawful , but such as 〈◊〉 hinderance to the spiritual work of the day , 〈◊〉 or accidentally a scandal and temptation to others ) whereas the breach of the outward rest of the jews sabbath , was a sin directly of it self , without hinderance of , or respect to the spiritual worship . so that the first notion and sense of a sabbath in those dayes being ( in common use ) a day of such ceremonial corporal rest , as the jewish sabbath was , the lords day is never in scripture called by that name ; but the proper name is [ the lords day . ] and the ancient churches called it constantly by that name , and never called it the sabbath , but when they spake analogically by allusion to the jews sabbath ; even as they called the holy table , the altar , and the bread and wine , the sacrifice . therefore it is plain , that paul is to be understood of all proper sabbaths , and not of the lords day , which was then and long after distinguished from the sabbath . and this ceremonial , sabbatizing of the jews was so strict , that the ceremonicusness made them the scorn of the heathens , as appeareth by the derisions of horat. li. 1. sat . 9. persius sat . 5. juvenal . sat . 6. martial . lib. 4. and others : whereas they derided not the christians for the ceremonious rest , but for their worship on that day . the lords day being not called a sabbath in the old sense then only in use , but distinguished from the sabbath cannot be meant by the apostle in his exclusion of the sabbath . obj. but the apostles then met in the synagogues with the jews on the sabbaths ; therefore it is not those dayes that he meaneth here col. 2. 16. answ 1. you might as well say , that therefore he is not for the cessation of the jewish manner of worship , or communion with them in it , because he met with them . 2. and you may as well say , that he was for the continuance of circumcision and purification , because he purified himself and circumcised timothy . 3. or that he was for the continuance of their other feasts , in which also he refused not to joyn with them . 4. but paul did not keep their sabbaths formally as sabbaths , but only take the advantage of their assemblies , to teach them and convince them ; and to keep an interest in them : and not scandalize them by an unseasonable violation and contradiction . 5. and you must note also , that the text saith not [ observe not sabbath dayes ] but [ let no man judge you ] that is , let none take it for your sin , that you observe them not ; nor do you receive any such doctrine of the necessity of keeping the law of moses . ] the case seemeth like that of things strangled and blood , which were to be forborn among the jews while they were offensive , and the use of them hindred their conversion . obj. but the ancient christians did observe both dayes . answ. 1. in the first ages they did as the apostles did ; that is , 1. they observed no day strictly as a sabbath in the notion then in use : 2. they observed the lords day , as a day set apart by the holy ghost for christian worship . 3. they so far observed the jews sabbath materialy , as to avoid their scandal , and to take opportunity to win them . 2. but those that lived far from all jews , and those that lived after the law was sufficiently taken down , did keep but one day , even the lords day , as separated to holy uses : except some christians who differed from the rest , as the followers of papias did in the millenary point . 3. and note that even these dissenters , did still make no question of keeping the lords day , which sheweth that it was on foot from the times of the apostles . 〈◊〉 ( whoever it was , and whenever he wrote ) saith that [ after the sabbath we keep the lords day . ] and pseudo-clemens can. 33. saith [ servants work five dayes , but on the sabbath and lords day , they keep holy day in the church , for the doctrine ( or learning ) of godliness ] the text of gal. 4. 10. is of the same sense with col. 2. 16. against the jews sabbath , and therefore needeth no other defence . and i would have you consider , whether as christs resurrection was the foundation of the lords day ; so christs lying dead and buried in a grave on the seventh day sabbath , was not a fundamental abrogation of it : i say not the actual and plenary abrogation : for it was the command of christ by his word , spirit , or both to the apostles before proved , which fully made the change : but as the resurrection was the ground of the new day so his burial seemeth to intimate , that the day with all the jewish law which it was the symbolical profession of , lay dead and buried with him . sure i am that he saith , when the bridegroom is taken from them , then shall they fast and mourn ; but he was most notably taken from them , when he lay dead in the grave ; and if they must fast and mourn that day , they could not keep it as a sabbath , which was a day of joy therefore as by death he overcame him that had the power of death , heb. 2. 14. and as he nailed the hand-writing of ordinances to his cross ; so he buried the sabbath in his grave , by lying buried on that day . and therefore the western churches , who had fewer jews among them , did fast on the sabbath day , to shew the change that christs burial intimated : though the eastern churches did not , lest they should offend the jews . and that the ancient christians were not for sabbatizing on the seventh day , is visible in the writings of most , save the eastern ones before mentioned . tertull. cont . marcion li. 1. cap. 20. & chrysost. theodoret , primasius , &c. on gal. 4. expound that text , as that by dayes is meant the jewish sabbath , and by moneths , the new moons , &c. cyprian 59. epist. ad hidum saith , that the eighth day is to christians , what the sabbath was to the jews , and calleth the sabbath , the image of the lords day . athanasius de sab. & circumcis . is full and plain on it . see tertullian advers . judae . c. 4. ambros. in eph. 2. august . ep. 118. ch●ys●st . in gal. 1. & h●m . 12. ad pop . hilary before cited prolog . in psalm . origen hom. 23. in num. item tertull. de idol . c. 14. epipban . l. 1. num . 30. noting the nazaraei and ebionaei hereticks , that they kept the jews sabbath . in a word , the council of laodi●aea doth anathematize them that did judaize by forbearing their labours on the sabbath or seventh day . and as sozomen tells us , that at alexandria and rome they used no assemblies on the sabbath , so where they did , in most churches they communicated not in the sacrament . yea , that ignatius himself ( true or false ) who saith as aforecited [ after the sabbath let every lover of christ celebrate the lords day ] doth yet in the same epistle ( ad magnes . ) before say [ old things are passed away , behold all things are made new : for if we yet live after the jewish law , and the circumcision of the flesh , we deny that we have received grace — let us not therefore keep the sabbath ( or sabbatize ) jewishly , as delighting in idleness ( or rest from labour . ) for be that will not labour , let him not eat . in the sweat if thy brows thou shalt cat thy bread . ] i confess i take the cited texts to have been added since the body of the epistle was written ; but though the writer favour of the eastern custom , yet he sheweth they did not sabbatize on the account of the fourth commandment , or supposed continuation of the jewish sabbath as a sabbath : for bodily labour was strictly forbidden in the fourth commandment . dionysius alexandr . hath an epistle to basilides a bishop on the question , when the sabbath fast must end , and the observation of the lords day begin , biblioth . patr. graec. lat. vol. 1. p. 306. in which he is against them that end their fast too soon . and plainly intimateth that the seventh day was to be kept , but as a preparatory fast ( being the day that christ lay in the grave ) and not as a sabbath , or as the lords day . i cite not any of these , as a humane authority to be set against the authority of the fourth commandment ; but as the certain history of the change of the day which the apostles made . qu. how far then is the fourth commandment moral ? you seem to subvert the old foundation , which most others build the lords day upon . answ. let us not entangle our selves with the ambiguities of the word [ moral ] which most properly signifieth ethical , as distinct from physical , &c. by moral here is meant that which is ( on what ground soever ) of perpetual or continued obligation : and so it is all one as to ask how far it is still obligatory or in force ; to which i answer , 1. it is a part of the law of nature , that god be solemnly worshipped , in families and in holy assemblies . 2. it is a part of the law of nature , that where greater things do not forbid it , a stated time be appointed for this service , and that it be not left at randome to every mans will. 3. it is of the law of nature , that where greater matters do not hinder it , this day be one and the same in the same countreys ; yea , if it may be through the world . 4. it is of the law of nature , that this day be not so rarely as to hinder the ends of the day , nor yet so frequently as to deprive us of opportunity for our necessary corporal labour . 5. it is of the law of nature , that the holy duties of this day be n●t hindered by any corporal work , or fleshly pleasure , or any unnecessary thing which contradi●teth the holy ends of the day . 6. it is of the law of nature , that rulers , and in special masters of families , do take care that their inferiours thus observe it . in all these points the fourth commandment being but a transcript of the law of nature , which we can yet prove from the nature of the reason of the thing , the matter of it continueth ( not as jewish , but ) as natural . 7. besides all this , when no man of himself could tell , whether one day in six or seven or eight were his duty to observe , god hath come in , and 1. by doctrine or history told us , that he made the world in six dayes , and rested the seventh . 2. by law ; and bath commanded one day in seven to the jews ; by which he hath made known consequential●y to all men , that one day in seven is the fittest proportion of time . and the case being thus determined by god , by a law to others , doth consequentially become a law to us , because it is the determination of divine wisdom ; unless it were done upon some reasons in which their condition differeth from ours . and thus the doctrine and reasons of an abrogated law , continuing , may induce on us an obligation to duty . and in this sense the fourth commandment may be said still to bind us to one day in seven . but in two points the obligation ( even as to the matter ) ceaseth . 1. we are not bound to the seventh day , because god our redeemer who is lord of the sabbath , hath made a change . 2. we are not bound to a sabbath in the old notion , that is , to a day of ceremonial rest for it self required ; but to a day to be spent in evangelical worship . and though i am not of their mind who say , that the seventh day is not commanded in the fourth commandment , but a sabbath only ; yet , i think that it is evident in the words , that the ratio sabbati , and the ratio diei septimi are distinguishable : and that the sabbath as a sabbath , is first in the precept , and the particular day is there but secondarily , and so mutably ; as if god had said , i will have a particular day set apart for a holy rest , and for my worship , and that day shall be one in seven , and the seventh also on which i rested from my works . and thus i have said as much as i think needful to satisfie the considerate about the day : again professing 1. that i believe that he is in the right that maketh conscience of the lords day only . 2. but yet i will not break charity with any brother that shall in tenderness of conscience keep both dayes ; especially in times of prophaness when few will be brought to the true observation of one . 3. but i think him that keepeth the seventh day only and neglecteth the lords day , to sin against very evident light , with many aggravations . 4. but i think him that keepeth no day ( whether professedly , or practising contrary to his profession ; whether on pretence of avoiding superstition , or on pretence of keeping every day as a sabbath ) to be far the worst of all . i shall now add somewhat to some appendant questions . chap. viii . of the beginning of the day . quest. 1. when doth the lords day begin ? answ. 1. if we can tell when any day beginneth , we may know when that beginneth . if we cannot , the necessity of our ignorance , will shorten the trouble of our scruples by excusing us . 2. because the lords day is not to be kept as a jewish sabbath ceremoniously , but the time and the rest are here commanded subserviently for the work sake , therefore we have not so much reason to be scrupulous about the hours of beginning and ending , as the jews had about their sabbath . 3. i think he that judgeth of the beginning and ending of the day , according to the common estimation of the countrey where he liveth , will best answer the ends of the institution . for he will still keep the same proportion of time ; and so much as is ordinarily allowed on other dayes for work , he will spend this day in holy works ; and so much in rest as is used to be spent in rest on other dayes ; ( which may ordinarily satisfie a well informed conscience ) and if any extraordinary occasions ( as journeying or the like ) require him to doubt of any hours of the night , whether they be part of the lords day or not , 1. it will be but his sleeping time , and not his worshipping time , which he will be in doubt of : and 2. he will avoid all scandal and tempting others to break the day , if he measure the day by the common estimate : whereas if the countrey where he liveth do esteem the day to begin at sun-setting , and he suppose it to begin at midnight , he may be scandalous by doing that which in the common opinion is a violation of the day . if i thought that this short kind of solution , were not the fittest to afford just quietness to the minds of sober christians in this point , i would take the pains to scan the controversie about the true beginning of dayes : but left it more puzzle and perplex , than edifie or resolve and quiet the conscience , i save my self and the reader that trouble . chap. ix . quest. 2. how should the lords day be kept or used ? answ. the practical directions i have given in another treatise . i shall now give you but these generals . i. the day being separated or set apart for holy worship , must accordingly be spent therein . to sanctifie it , is to spend it in holy exercises : how else should it be used as a holy day ? i was in the spirit on the lords day , saith st. john , rev. 1. 10. ii. the principal work of the day is , the communion of christians in the publick exercises of gods worship . it is principally to be spent in holy assemblies . and this is the use that the scripture expresly mentioneth , acts 20. 7. and intimateth 1 co● . 16. 1 , 2. and as most expotors think , john 21. when the disciples were gathered together with the door shut for fear of the jews . and all church history assureth us , that in these holy assemblies principally , the day was spent by the ancient christians . they spent almost all the day together . 3. it is not only to be spent in holy exercises , but also in such special holy exercises as are suitable to the purposes of the day . that is , it is a day of commemorating the whole wo●● of our redemption ; but especially the resurrection of christ. therefore it is a day of thanksgiving and praise ; and the special services 〈◊〉 it must be laudatory and joyful exercises . 4. but yet because it is sinners that are called to their work , who are not yet fully delivered from their sin and misery , these praises must be mixed with penitent confessions , and with earnest petitions , and with diligent learning the will of god. more particularly , the publick exercises of the day are 1. humble and penitent confessions of sin . 2. the faithful and fervent prayers of the church . 3. the reading , preaching and hearing of the word of god. 4. the communion of the church in the lords supper . 5. the laudatory exhortations which attend it . and the singing and speaking of the praises of our creator and redeemer and sanctifier ; with joyful thanksgiving for his wonderful benefits . 6. the seasonable exercise of holy discipline on particular persons , for comforting the weak , reforming the scandalous , casting out the obstinately impenitent , and absolving and receiving the penitent . 7. the pastors blessing the people in the name of the lord. 8. and as an appurtenance in due season , oblations or contributions for holy and charitable uses , even for the church and poor , which yet may be put off to other dayes , when it is more convenient so to do . qu. but who is it that must be present in all these exercises ? answ. where there is no church yet called , the whole day may be spent in preaching to , and teaching the unconverted infidels : but where there is a church , and no other persons mixt , the whole exercises of the day must be such as are fitted to the state of the church . but where there is a church and other persons ( infidels , or impenitent ones ) with them , the day must be spent proportionably in exercises suitable to the good of both ; yet so that church-exercises should be the principal work of the day . and the ancient laudable practice of the churches was , to preach to the infidel auditors and catechumens in the morning , on such subjects as were most suitable to them , and then to dismiss them , and retain the faithful ( or baptized ) only ; and to teach them all the commands of christ ; to stir them up to the joyful commemoration of christ and his resurrection , and to sing gods praises , and celebrate the lords supper with eucharistical acknowledgments and joy . and they never kept a lords day in the church , without the lords supper ; in which the bare administration of the signes was not their whole work ; but all their thanksgiving and praising exercises , were principally then used , and connexed to the lords supper ; which the liturgies yet extant do at large express . and i know no reason but thus it should be still ; or at least but that this course should be the ordinary celebration of the day . qu. but seeing the sabbath was instituted in the beginning , to commemorate the work of the creation , must that be laid by now , because of our commemoration of the work of our redemption ? answ. no : our redeemers work is to restore us to the acknowledgement and love of our creator . and the commemoration of our redemption fitteth us to a holy acknowledgement of the almighty creator in his works : these therefore are still to go together ; according to their several proper places : even as the son is the way to the father , and we must never separate them in the exercise of our faith , obedience or love. a christian is a sanctified philosopher : and no man knoweth or acknowledgeth gods works of creation and providence aright , in their true sense , but he that seeth god the creator and redeemer , the beginning , the governour and the end of all . other philosophers are but as those children , that play with the book and letters , but understand not the matter contained in it ; or like one that teacheth boyes ●litide literas pingere , to write a curious hand , while he understands not what he writeth . obj. but to spend so much of the day in publick as you speak of , will tire out the minister by speaking so long ▪ few men are able to endure it . answ. 1. how did the christians in the primitive churches ? they met in the morning , and often ( as far as i can gat●●er ) parted not till night , ( and when they did go home between the morning and evening service , it was but for a little time . ) obj. then they made it a fast and not a festival . answ. it was not the use then to eat dinners in those hot countreys ; much less three meals a day , as we do now . and they accounted it a sufficient feasting , to feast once , at supper , which they did at the first all together at their church-meeting , with the sacrament ; but afterward finding the inconvenience of that they feasted at home , and used only the sacrament in the church : which change was not made without the allowance of the apostles ; paul saying , 1. cor. 11. have ye not houses to eat and drink in ? or despise ye the church of god ? 2. i further answer that the work of the day being done according to the primitive use , it will be no excessive labour to the minister : because in the celebration of the lords supper , he is not still in one continued speech , but hath the intermission of action , and useth shorter speeches which do not so much spend him . and the people bear a considerable part , to wit , in gods praises , which were spoken then in their laudatory tone , and are now uttered by the singing of psalms ( which should not be the least part of the work . ) and though their manner of singing was not like ours , in rithmes and tunes mel●diously , ( as neither were the hebrew , greek or latine poems so sung ; ) but as most think , more like to our cathedral singing , or saying ; yet it followeth not that this is the best way for us , seeing use hath made our tunes and meeter , and way of singing more meet for the ends to which we use them , that is , for the chearful consent of all the church ; neither should any think that it is a humane unlawful invention , and a sinful change , to turn the old way of singing ( used in scripture times and long after ) into ours ; for the old way of singing was not a divine institution , but a use ; and several countreys had their several uses herein : and god commandeth us but to praise him , and sing psalmes , but doth not tell us what meeter or tunes we shall use , or manner of singing , but leaveth this to the use and convenience of every countrey : and if our way and tunes be to us by custome more convenient than those of other nations in scripture times , we have no reason to forsake them , and return to the old ( though yet the old way is not to be judged a thing forbidden . ) and we see that custome hath so far prevailed with us , that many thousand religious people , do cheerfully sing psalmes in the church in our tunes and way , who cannot endure to sing in the cathedral or the ancient scripture or primitive way , nor to use so much as the laudatory responses . 3. and i further answer that every church should have more ministers than one , as the ancient churches had besides their readers ; and then one may in speaking ease another . 4. but lastly i answer , that these circumstances being alterable according to the state of countreys & conveniences , i do not discommend the custome of our countrey , and of most christian churches in our times , in making an intermission , and going home to dinner ; as being fittest to our condition . and then there remaineth the less force in the objection , as to the weariness of the ministers , or the people . i 〈◊〉 to say more of the publick church-performances , having described them all in a small book called vniversal concord , and having exemplified all except . preaching , in our reformed liturgie given in to the bishops at the savoy . only here , i will answer them , who object much that the ancient churches spent not the whole day in exercises of religion , nor farbad other exercises out of the time of publick worship , because we read of little other observation of it by them , but what was done in the publick assemblies . answ. 1. we find that they took it to be a sanctified or separated day ; and they never distinguish , and say , that part of the day only was separated and sanctified to such uses . if they did , which part is the sanctified part of the day ? what houres were they which they thought thus separated ? but there is no such distinction or limitation , in the writings of the ancient doctors . 2. what need you find much mention , what they did out of the time of publick worship , when they spent all the day frequently at first , and almost all the day in after times ( with small intermission ) in publick worship ? do you stay but as long at church as they did , even almost from morning till night , and then you will find little time to dance or play in . but yet , 3. there want not testimonies that they thought it unlawful to spend any part of the day , in unnecessary diversions from holy things , as dr. young hath shewed . iii. so much of the day as can be spared from publick church-worship , ( and diversions of necessity ) should be next spent most in holy family-exercises . and in those unhappy places where the publick worship is slenderly and negligently performed , ( on some small part only of the day ) or not at all , or not so as it is lawful to joyne in it , ( as in idolatrous worship , &c. ) there family worship must take up most of the day : and in better places , it must take up so much as the publick worship spareth . and here the summ of holy exercises in families is this ( which having elsewhere directed you in , i must but briefly name . ) 1. to see that the family rise as early on this day as on others , and make it not a day of sleep and idleness : and not to suffer them to violate prophane or neglect the day , by any of the sins hereafter named . 2. to call them together before they go to the solemn assembly , and to pray with them and praise god , and if there be time , to read the scripture , and tell them what they have to do in publick . 3. to see that dinner and other common employments make no longer an intermission than is needful ; and to advise them that at their meat and necessary business , they shew by their holy speeches , that their minds do not forget the day , and the employments of it . 4. to sing gods praises with them , if there be time , and bring them again together to the church-assembly . 5. when they return either to take some account of them what they have learned , or to call them together to pray for a blessing on what they have heard , and to sing praises to god , and to urge the things which they have heard upon them . 6. at supper to behave themselves soberly and piously : and after supper to shut up the day in prayer and praise ; and either then or before , either to examine or exhort inferiours , according as the case of the persons and families shall require ( for in some families it will be best on the same day to take an account of their profiting , and to catechize them : and in other families that have leisure , other daies may be more convenient for catechising and examinations , that the greater works of the lords day may not be shortened . ) iv. so much of the day as can be spared from publick and family worship , must be spent in secret , holy duties : such as are , 1. secret prayer . 2. reading of the scriptures and good books . 3. holy meditation ; 4. and the secret conference of bosome friends . of which i further adde ▪ 1. that where publick or family worship cannot be had ( as in impious places ) there secret duties must be the chief , and make up the defect of others . and it is a great happiness of good christians who have willing minds , that they have such secret substitutes and supplies ; that they have bibles and so many good books to read , that they may have a friend to talk with of holy things ; but much more that they have a god to go to , and a heaven to meditate on , besides so many sacred verities . 2. that my judgement is , that in those places where the publick worship taketh up almost all the day , it is no sin to attend on it to the utmost , and to omit all such family and secret exercises as cannot be done , without omission of the publick . and that where the publick exercises allow but a little time at home , the family duties should take up all that little time , except what some shorter secret prayers or meditations may have , which will not hinder family duties . and that it is a sinful disorder to do otherwise . because the lords day is principally set apart for publick worship ; and the more private or secret is as it were included in the publick : your families are at church with you ; the same prayers which you would put up in secret , you may ( usually ) put up in publick , and in families : and it is a turning gods worship into a ceremony and superstition , to think that you must necessarily put up the same prayers in a closet , which you put up in the family or church , when you have not time for both . ( though when you have time , secret prayer , hath its proper advantages , which are not to be neglected . ) and also , what secret or family duty you have not time for on that day , you may do on another day , when you cannot come to church assemblies . and therefore it is an errour to think that the day must be divided in equal proportions , between publick , family , and secret duties : though yet i think it not amiss that some convenient time for family and secret duties be left on that day ; but not so much as is spent in publick , nor nothing neer it . if any shall now object , [ i do not believe that we are bound to all this ado , nor so to tire out our selves in religious exercises : where is all this ado commanded us ? ] i answer , 1. i have proved to you that in nature and in scripture set together as great a proportion of time as this for holy exercises is required . 2. but o what a carnal unthankful heart ; doth this objection signifie ? what , do you account your love to god , and the commemoration of his love in christ , a toile ? what if god had only given you leave , to lay by your worldly business , and idle talk and childish play , for one dayes time , and to learn how to be like christ and angels , and how to make sure of a heavenly glory , should you not gladly have accepted it as an unspeakable benefit ? o what hearts have these wretched men that must be constrained by fear to all that is good , and holy , and spiritual ; and will have none of gods greatest mercies , unless it be for fear of hell ( and they shall never have them indeed till they love them ! ) what hearts have those men , that had rather be in an ale-house , or a play-house , or asleep , than to be in heart with god ? that can find so much pleasure in jesting and idle talking and foolery , that they can better endure it , than to peruse a map of heaven , and to read and hear the sacred oracles ! who think it a toile to praise their maker and redeemer , and a pleasure to game and dance and drink ! who turn the glass upon the preacher , and grudge if he exceed his hour ; and can sit at a tavern or alehouse , or hold on in any thing that 's vain , many hours and never complain of weariness ! do they not tell the world what enemies they are to god , who love a pair of cards , or dice , or wanton dalliance , better than his word and worship ? who think six dayes together little enough for their worldly work and profit , and one day in seven too much to spend in the thoughts of god and life eternal ? who love the dung of this present world , so much better than all the joyes above , as that they are weary to hear of heaven above an hour at a time , and long to be wallowing in the dirt again ? is it not made by the holy ghost , a mark not only of wicked men , but of men notoriously wicked , to be lovers of pleasures more than of god ? 2 tim. 3. 4. o sinners , that in these workings of the wickedness and malignity of your hearts , you would at last but know your selves ! is it not the carnal mind that is thus at enmity to god , and neither is nor can be subject to his law , rom. 8. 6 , 7 , 8 ? which will you take to be your friend ; him that loveth your company , or him that is a weary of it , and is glad when he hath done with you , and is got away ? what would you think of wife , or child , or friend , if they should reason as you do , and say , what law doth bind 〈◊〉 to be so many hours in the house , or company , or 〈◊〉 of my husband , my father , or my friend● you do not use if you have a feast , or a cup of wine before you , to ask , where doth god command me to eat or drink it ? you can do this without a command ! if you hear but of a gainful market ▪ you ask not , where doth god make it my duty to go to it ? if one would give you money or land , you would scarcely ask , how prove you that i am bound to take it ? you would be glad of leave , without commands . if the king should say to you ▪ ask what you will , and i will give it you , you would not say , where am i bound of god to ask ? and when god saith , ask and it shall be given you , you say , how prove you that i am bound to ask ? you can sing ribbald songs , and dance without a command ; you can feast , and play , and prate , and sleep , and loyter in idleness without a command ; but you cannot learn how to be saved , nor praise your . redeemer without a command . a thief can steal , a fornicator can play the bruit , a drunkard can be drunk , an oppressour can make himself hateful to the oppressed , not only without law , but against it ? but you cannot rejoice in god , nor live one day together in his love and service , without a law , no nor with it neither . for because you had rather not love him , it is certain that you do not love him : and because you had rather play than pray , and serve the flesh than serve your maker ; it is a certain sign that you do not serve him , with any thing which he will accept as service . for while he hath not your hearts , he hath nothing which he accepteth . your knee and tongue only is forced against your will to that which you call serving him : but your hearts or wills cannot be forced . when you had rather be elsewhere , and say when will the sermon and prayer be done , that i may be at my work or play ? god taketh it as if you were there where you had rather be . i pray you deal openly , and tell me , you that think a day too long for god , and are weary of all holy work , what would you be doing that while , if you had your choice ? is it any thing which you dare say is better ? dare you say , that playing is better than praying , and a piper or dancing is better than praising god with psalms ? or that your sleep , or games , or chat or worldly business is better than the contemplation of god and glory ! and will those deceivers of the people also say this , who teach them that it is a tedious uncommanded thing , to serve god so long ? i think they dare not speak it out . if they dare , let them not grudge that they must be for ever shut out of heaven , where there will be nothing else but holiness . but if you dare not say so , why will you choose the worse , before the better ? why will you be weary of well doing , that you may do ill ? why are you not more weary of every thing than of holiness , unless you think every thing better than holiness . especially those men , 1. whose judgement is for will-worship , should not ask , where is there a command , for any good which they are willing of . but doth not this shew that you had rather there were no command for it ? be judges your selves . 2. and they that are for making the churches a great deal more work than god hath made them , ( o what abundance hath popery made ; and what a multitude of new religious particles ! ) methinks should not for shame say that god hath tired them out , and made them too much work already ? do you cry out , what a weariness is this one day , when you would adde of your own such a multitude of more dayes , and more work ? yet though i talk of doing it willingly if you had no forcing law of god , but bare leave to receive such benefits , my meaning is not that god hath left any such things indifferent or made them only the matter of counsels and not of commands : for he hath made it our duty to receive our own benefits , and to do that which tendeth to our own good and salvation . but if it had been so , that we had only leave to receive so great mercies without any other penalty for refusing , than the loss of them , it should be enough to men that love themselves , and know what is for their good . much more when commands concurr . chap. x. how the lords day should not be spent : or , what is unlawful on it ? as to the resolving of this question also , i would wish for no greater advantage on him that i dispute with , but that he be a man that loveth god and holiness , and knoweth somewhat of the difference between things temporal and things eternal ; and knoweth what is for the good of his soul ; and preferreth it before his body ; and hath an appetite to relish the delights of wisdom , and of things most excellent and divine . and that he be one that knoweth his own necessities , and repenteth of his former loss of time ; and liveth in a daily preparation for death ; that is , that he be a real christian ; and then by all this it will appear , how the lords day must not be spent ; or what things are unlawful to be done thereon . i. undoubtedly it must not be spent in wickedness : in gluttony or drunkenness , chambering or wantonness , strife or envying , or any of those works of the flesh , which are at all times sinful . an evil work is most unsuitable to a holy day . and yet , alas , what day hath more ryotting and excess , of meat , and drink , and wantonness , and sloth , and lust , than it ? ii. it ought not to be spent in our worldly businesses , which are the labours allowed us on the six dayes ; unless necessity or mercy make them at any time become such duties of the law of nature , as positives must for that time give place to . for how is it a day separated to holy employments , if we spend it in the common business of the world ? it is the great advantage that we have by such a separated day , that we may wholly call off our minds from the world , and set them on the world to come , and exercise them in holy communion with god and his church , without the interruptions and distractions of any earthly cogitations . a divided mind doth never perform any holy work , with that integrity and life , as the nature of it requireth . heavenly contemplations are never well managed with the intermixture of diverting wordly thoughts : so great a work as to converse in heaven , to be rapt up in the admirations of the divine perfections , to kindle a fervent love to god , by the contemplation of his love and goodness , to triumph over sin and satan with our triumphing glorified head , to commemorate his resurrection , and the whole work of our redemption with a lively working faith , doth require the whole heart , and will not consist with aliene thoughts , and the diversion of fleshly employments or delights . nay , had we no higher work to do , than to search our hearts , and lament our sins , and beg for mercy , and learn gods word , and treat with our redeemer about the saving of our souls , and to prepare for death and judgement , surely it should challenge all our faculties , and tell us that voluntary diversions , do too much savour of impiety and contempt . it is the great mercy of god , that we have leave to lay by these clogs and impediments of the soul , and to seek his face with greater freedom , than the incumbrances of our week day labours will allow us . no slave can be so glad of a sabbaths ease from his sorest toil and basest drudgery , as a believer should be to be released from his earthly thoughts and business , that he may freely , entirely and delightfully converse with god. iii. the lords day must not be spent in tempting , diverting , unnecessary recreations , or pleasures of the flesh . 1. for these are as great an impediment to the holy employment of the soul , as worldly labours , if not much more . it is easier for a man to be exercised in heavenly cogitations , at the plow or cart , or other such labours of his place and calling , than at bowls , or hunting , or cards , or dice , or stage-playes , or races , or dancing , or bear-baitings , or cock-fights , or any such sensual sports . i need no proof of this to any man , that hath himself any experience , of the holy employments of a believing soul , or that ever knew what it was to spend one day of the lord aright ; and no proof will suffice them that have no experience , because they know not effectually what it is that they talk of . 2. we find that even on other daies , the worst men are most addicted to these sports , and are the greatest pleaders for them , and that the more they use them the worse they grow ; yea that the times of using them are frequently the times of the eruption of many heynous sins . i have lived in my youth in many places where sometimes shews or uncouth spectacles have been their sports at certain seasons of the year , and sometimes morrice-dancings , and sometimes stage-playes , and sometimes wakes and revels ; and all men observed that these were the times of the most flagitious crimes , and that there was then more drunkenness , more fighting , more horrid oathes and curses uttered than in many weeks at other times ; then it was that the enraged sensualists did act the part of furious devils , in scorning and reviling all that were soberer and better than themselves , and railing at those that minded god and their everlasting state , as precisians , puritans and hypocrites ; then it was that they were ready in their fury , if they durst , to assault the very persons and houses of them that would not do as they did . whatever is done in such crowdes and tumults , is done with the impetuosity of rage and passion , and with the greatest audacity , and the violation of all laws and regulating restraints . as many waters make a furious stream , and great fires where much fuel is conjunct do disdain restraint , and quickly devour all before them ; so is it with the raging folly of youth , when voluptuous persons once get together , and their lusts take fire , and they fall into a torrent of profuse sensuality . yea those that at other times are sober , and when they come home do seem of another mind , yet do as the rest when they are among them , and seem as bad and furious as they : as we see among the london apprentices on the day called goodtides tuesday , or may day , when they once get out together and are in motion , they seem all alike , and those that are most sober and timerous alone , in the rowt are heightened to the audacity of the rest ; and as in an army the sight of the multitude , and the noise of drums and guns , puts valour into the fearful ; and they will go on with others , that else would run away from a proportionable single combate and danger ; and as boyes at school that fear to offend singly , yet fear not to barr out their master in a combination when all concurr ; so all seem wicked in a crowd and rowt of wicked persons ; and sensuality and licentiousness is not the smallest part of wickedness . o how unfit is youth in such a crowd , to think of god , or eternity , or death ; or to hear the sober warnings of a preacher , in comparison of what the same persons be , when they are at church , and congregated purposely to hear gods word . go among them and try them then , with any grave and wholesome counsel : ask them whether they are penitent converts , and whether they are prepared for another world . try what answer they will give you , and whether they will not deride you more than at another time ? i would those that write and plead for this under the name of harmless recreations , would go amongst them sometimes with sober counsel , and learn to be wise by their own experience ; that their errours might not be of such pernicious consequence to mens souls as it hath been . reason it self hath no place or audience in the noise of youthful furious lusts . they will laugh at reason , as well as at scripture ; and scorn sobriety , as well ( though not so much ) as holiness . if even in the meetings of grave persons , it have ever been observed that individual persons are apt to be carryed by the stream , and otherwise than their talk importeth at other times when they are single , what wonder if it be so in evil with unbridled youth ? if you say that the law forbiddeth rowts and riots , and it is no such unruly assemblies that we defend . answ. disclaim not the name only while you defend the thing . be not like them that say , we perswade men to voluntary untruths but not to lying ; to break their vows and oathes in lawful matters , but not to perjury ; to kill those that anger them , but not to murder ; to take other mens goods by force , but not to robbery , &c. is not a wakes and revels and morrice-dances , and dancing-assemblies , and spectacles , and stage playes , and the like , such a concourse as i am speaking of . do you limit dancers , and players to any numbers ? i speak not of the laws . i am too much unacquainted with them . if they say , that above four meeting to dance or drink on the lords day shall be accounted a conventicle or unlawful assembly , it is more than ever i heard of , but i am speaking of the common practice of the contrary , and of those that ordinarily defend it , and labour to bring both godly ministers , and sober people , under the scorn of foolish preciseness and superstition , because they would hinder the sin and ruine of the people . if you will allow them to assemble for their dancings , shews , and sports , you will encourage them to break the laws both of god and man , though you pretend never so much care that they be observed . you may as well allow them to be drunk , and when you have done , forbid them to break gods laws and the kings in their drunkenness . there are few in such sportful assemblies that are not drunk with concupiscence , and whose reason is not drowned in voluptuousness and vain imaginations . let those divines ( if i may so call the advocates of sensuality and sin ) which are otherwise minded , give us leave to oppose against all their cavils , and the false names of harmless recreations , but , 1. our own experience , who in our youth , have alwaies found such sports and revelling assemblies to be corrupters of our minds , and temptations to evil , and quenchers of every holy motion , and enemies to all that 's good . 2. the experience of the visibly corrupted undone sensual youth , that are round about us , in all countreys where we have lived . 3. and the judgement of s●lomon , ( who saith as much for pleasure as any sacred writer ) eccl. 7. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. it is better to go to the house of mourning , than to the house of feasting : for that is the end of all men , and the living will lay it to his heart : sorrow is better than laughter ; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better . the heart of the wise is in the house of mou●ning , but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth ( i pray you do not say i raile at you by the reciting of these words , nor that i diminish the honour of the reverend advocates for wakes and lords day sports and dancings : ) it is better to hear the rebuke of the wise , than for a man to hear the song of fools . for as the sound of thorns under a pot , so is the laughter of the fool . ] 3. moreover , these sports , and pleasures , and riotings , are worse than plowing and labouring on the lords day , because ( as they are more adverse to spiritual and heavenly joyes , so ) they do less good to recompense the hurt . a carpenter , a mason , a plowman , &c. may do some good by his unlawful , unseasonable labour ; some one may be the better for it : but , dancing , and sports , and gaming , do no good but hurt . they corrupt the fantasie ; they imprint upon the thinking faculty , so strong an inclination to run out after such things ; and upon the appetite so strong a list and longing for them , that carnality is much encreased by them , mortification hindred ; concupiscence gratified ; the flesh prevaileth , the spirit is quenched ; and the soul made as unfit for heavenly things , as a school-boy is for his book , whose heart is set upon his play : yea abundance more ; as nature by corruption is more averse to spiritual things , than to the things of art or nature . 4. these dancings , and playes , and wakes and other riotous sports , are a strong temptation also to them that are not of the riotous societies , but have convictions on their hearts , that they have greater and better things to mind . without accusing others , i may say that i know this by bad experience . i cannot forget , when my conscience was against their courses , and called me to better things , how hardly when i was young , i passed by the dancing , and the playing congregations ; and especially when in the passage i must bear their scorn . and i was one year a school-master , and found how hard it was for the poor children , to avoid such snares , even when they were sure to be whipt the next day for their pleasures . 5. and those riots and playes are injurious to the pious and sober persons who dislike them . for it is they that shall be made the rabbles scorn , and the drunkards song ; besides that the noise oft times annoyeth them when they should be calmely serving god. and they are hindered from governing and instructing their families , while their children and servants are thus tempted to be gone , and their hearts are all the while in the playing place . never did a hungry dog more grudge at his restraint from meat , than children and young servants usually grudge , to be catechised , or kept to holy exercises , when they hear the pipe , or the noise of the licentious multitude in the streets . i cannot forget , that in my youth in those late times , when we lost the labours of some of our conformable godly teachers , for not reading publickly the book for sports and dancing on the lords dayes , one of my fathers own tenants was the town piper , hired by the year ( for many years together ) and the place of the dancing assembly was not an hundred yards from our door ; and we could not on the lords day , either read a chapter , or pray , or sing a psalm , or catechise or instruct a servant , but with the noise of the pipe and taber , and the whootings in the street , continually in our ears ; and even among a tractable people , we were the common scorn of all the rabble in the streets , and called puritans , precisians and hypocrites , because we rather chose but to read the scriptures , than to do as they did ( though there was no favour of any non-conformity in our family . ) and when the people by the book were allowed to play and dance , out of publick service-time , they could so hardly break off their sports , that many a time the reader was fain to stay till the piper and players would give over ; and sometimes the morrice-dancers would come into the church , in all their linnen and scarfs and antick dresses , with morrice-bells jingling at their leggs . and as soon as common prayer was read , did haste out presently to their play again . was this a heavenly coversation ? was this a help to holiness and devotion ? or to the mortification of fleshly lusts ? was this the way to train up youth in the nurture and admonition of the lord ? and were such assemblies like to the primitive churches ? or such families governed christianly and in the fear of god ? o lord set wise and holy pastors over thy poor flocks , that have learnt themselves the holy doctrine which they preach , and who love , ( or at least abhorr not ) the service and imitation of a crucified christ , and the practice of that religion which they themselves profess . obj. but poor labouring people must have some recreation , and they cannot through their poverty have leisure any other day . answ. 1. a sad argument to be used by them that by racking of rents do keep them in poverty . they that cannot live without all those superfluities , which requireth many hundred pounds a year to maintain them must for this gratifying pride and fleshly lusts , set such bargains to their poor tenants , as that they confess they cannot live , without taking the lords day to recreate them from the toile and weariness of their excessive labours : and will not god judge such self-condemning oppressours as these are ? 2. but is this an argument fit for the mouth of a minister or any christian , who knoweth how much the soul is more worth than the body ? and eternity more valuable than the pleasures of this little time ? if poverty deny the people liberty to play on the week dayes , doth it not as much deny them liberty to pray , and to read the scriptures , and to learn their catechisms , and the word of god ? surely it better beseemeth any man that believeth another life , a heaven and a hell , to say , poor labourers have so little time , to learn , to meditate , to read , to pray , on the week dayes , that if they do not follow it close upon the lords day , they are like to perish in their ignorance : ( for if the gospel be hid , it is hid to them that are lost , 2 cor. 4. 3. ) which do you think it better to leave undone , if one of them must be left undone ? whether the learning of gods word , or the pleasures and recreations of the flesh ? 3. it is either their bodies or their minds , that need recreation . when the body is tired with toilesome labour , it is ease , rather than toilesome dancings or plays , that are fit to recreate it . or else god will be charged with mistake in the reasons of the ancient sabbath . but if it be the mind that needeth recreation , why should not the learning of heavenly truth , and the joyful commemoration of our redemption , and the foresight of heaven and the praises of god , be more delightful than the noise of thornes under a pott ; even than the laughter and sport of fools , or than the dancings and games that now you plead for ? but the truth is , it is not the minds of poor labouring men , that are over-workt and tired on the week dayes , but it is their bodies : and therefore there is no recreation so suitable to them , as the ease of the body , and the holy and joyful exercise of the mind , upon their creator , their redeemer , and their everlasting rest. 4. but if you will needs have daies of temptation and sinful sports and pleasures for them , let landlords abate their tenants as much rent , as one dayes vacancy from labour in a month or a fortnight will amount to , or let the common ` saints dayes , which of the two are more at mans disposal , be made their sporting dayes , and rob not their souls of that one weekly day , which god hath separated for his worship . obj. but there are students , and lawyers , and ministers , and gentlemen , whose labour is most that of the brain , and not the plow-mans bodily toile ; and these have need of bodily recreation . answ. and there are few of these so poor but they can take their bodily recreation on the week dayes : and many of them need as much the whole lords day for their souls edification as any others : and no one that knoweth himself will say that he needs it not . if any men need remission of studies , and bodily exercise it is ministers themselves : and is it themselves that they plead for sports and dancing for ? would they be companions of the vain in such like vanities ? obj. but the mind of man is not able to endure a constant intension and elevation of devotion all the day long without recreation and intermission ; and putting men upon more than they can do , will but hinder them ; when a little recreation will make them more fresh and fervent when they return to god. answ. o what an advantage is it to know by experience what one talketh of ? and what an inconvenience to talk of holiness and heavenliness by hearsay only ! 1. to poor people that have but one day in seven , that one day should not seem too long . 2. if it be from a carnal enemity to god and spiritual things , shortness and seldomeness will be no cure. but they have need rather to be provoked to diligence till they are cured , than to be indulged in that averseness and floth , which till its cured will prevail , when you have done your best against it . 3. but if it be a weariness of the flesh ; as the disciples when they slept while christ was praying ; or a weariness through such imperfection of grace and remnant of carnality , which the sincere are lyable to , then giving way to it will increase it , and resisting it is the way to overcome it . 4. how many necessary intermissions are there , which confute this pretense of weariness ? some time is taken up in dressing ; and some with poor servants in waiting on their masters and mistrisses , and in preparing meat and drink ; some in going to church and coming home ; some in eating , usually more than once ; some in preparing again for sleep ; besides what cattle and by-occasions will require ? and is the remainder of one day in a week yet too much for the business which we are created , preserved , and redeemed for , and on which our endless life dependeth ? o that we knew what the love of god is ? and what it is to regard our souls according to their worth ! would not a soul ▪ that loveth god rather say , alas , how short is the lords day ? how quickly is it gone ? how many interruptions hinder my delight ? shall i think a week short enough for my worldly labours , ) and one day ( thus parcelled ) too long to seek the face of god ? i see blind worldlings and sensualists can be longer unwearied at market , in their shops and fields , especially when their gain comes in ; and at cards and dice , and bowling and idle prating , &c. and shall i be weary so soon of the most noble and necessary work , and of the sweetest pleasures upon earth ? an hypocrite that draweth near to god but with the lips , whilest his heart is far from him , as he never truly seeketh god , so he never truly findeth him , and hath none of the true spiritual delights of holiness , nor ever feeleth the pleasure of exercising his love to god by the help of faith , in the hopes of heaven : and therefore no wonder if he be weary of such unprofitable , sapless and unpleasant work , as his dead formalities and affectations are . but it is not so with the sincere experienced christian , who serving god in spirit and truth , hath true and spiritual recreation , pleasure and benefit in and by his service . and therefore we see that the holy experienced believers , are still averse to these sensual diversions , and do not think the lords da ▪ or his service too long . and o christian what happy advantage in such controversies have you , in your holy sincerity and sweet experience ? 5. but yet i am not such a stranger to man , to my self or others , as to deny that our naughty hearts are inclined to be weary of well doing : but mark what a cure god in wisdom and mercy hath provided for us : as it is but one day in seven which is thus to be wholly employed with god , and as much of this day is taken up with the bodily necessaries aforesaid ; so for the rest , god appointeth us variety of exercises , that when we are weary of one , another may be our recreation . when we have heard we must pray , and when we have prayed we must hear again : we must read , we must sing and speak gods praises , we must celebrate the memorial of christs death in the sacrament ; we must meditate ; we must conferr , we must instruct our families : and we have variety of subjects for each of these . as a student that is weary hath variety of books and studies to recreate his mind ; so hath every christian variety of holy employment on the lords day . and all of it excellent profitable and delightful ! christian , believe not that minister or man whatever he be , that telleth thee that christs yoak is heavy , or that his commandments are grievous . hath he done so much to deliver us from the strait yoak , the heavy burden , and the grievous commandments ? and now shall we accuse him of bringing us under a toylesome task ? is it a toile to love or count your money ? to love and look upon your corn and cattle ? to love and converse with your friend ? to feast your body on the pleasantest food ? if not , why should it be a toile to any but a wicked heart , to spend a day in loving god , and hearing the messages of his love to us , and in the foresight and foretasts of everlasting love . caviller , come but unto christ , and cast off the wearisome , toilesome burden of thy sin , and satans drudgery , and take christs yoak and burden on thee , and learn of him , and try then whether his daies and work be grievous . come and spend but a day in loving god , as thou dost in talking of him , and try whether love , and the holiest love , be a wearisome work . but if thou wilt make a religion of all shell and no kernel , all carkass and no life , like that which the jansenists charge the jesuites with , that say , we are bound to love god but once in four or five years , or once in all our lives , no wonder if thou be weary of such a religion . 6. but i will tell them that are the teachers of the people , an honester way to cure the peoples weariness , than to send them to a piper or to a play to cure it . preach with such life and awakening seriousness ; preach with such grateful holy eloquence , and with such easie method , and with such variety of wholesome matter , that the people may never be aweary of you . pour out the rehearsal of the love and benefits of god , open so to them the priviledges of faith , and the joyes of hope , that they may never be aweary . how oft have i heard the people say of such as these , i could hear him all day and never be aweary ! they are troubled at the shortness of such sermons and wish they had been longer . pray with that heavenly life and fervour as may rap up the souls of those that joyne with you , and try then whether they will be aweary : praise god with that joyful alacrity which beseemeth one that is ready to pass into glory , and try whether this will not cure the peoples weariness . misunderstand me not . i am now speaking to none but guilty hypocrites , and not to any faithful holy ministers ; and to such i say , when you have done nothing but coldly read over the publick prayers , or as coldly and crudely added your own , and tired the hearers , with a dry , a sapless , lifeless , unexperienced discourse , and then send them as a wearied people , to dancing and sports for a needful recreation , is this like the work of a pastour of souls . when you have cryed down other mens praying and preaching , and then tell the people that the praying and preacing which you recommend to them as better , will not digest well , without a dance or recreation after it , to expel the peoples weariness ; is not this to disgrace your own prayers and preaching which you before commended to them ? and when you have done , if after this you speak against others for their long praying , and for so much preaching and hearing , as if they never had enough , is not this to commend what you discommend ? and to tell the people that those mens praying and preaching whom you revile , is such as doth not weary their auditours ; when yours is such , as will tiremen , if it be long , or if they be not recreated after it with a piper , a ●idler , or a dance ? o that the ithacian bishops of the world , and all the clergie of their mind , would at least hear hooker in the preface to his eccles. pol. how little their cause is beholden to such patrons , and how well it might spare them ! for my own part , as my flesh is weak , so my heart is too bad , too backward to these divine and heavenly works ! and yet i never have time to spare . god knoweth that it is my daily groans , how great is work , yea and how sweet ; and how short is the day , the week , the year ! how quickly is it night ! how fast do weeks and years roll away ! and shall any man that is called a minister of christ , perswade poor labourers and servants who have but one day for retirement from the world , to converse with god without distraction , that this one day is too long , and that their work must be ●ased by carnal sports ? nay shall a man that would be called a minister or a christian , perswade men against all the experience of the world , that the diversions and interruptions of a dance or may game , or a race or a comedie , will dispose their minds to return to god with more heavenly alacrity and purity than before , or than variety of holy exercises will do ? or rather , are we constrained to say ( though it displease ) that hypocrites are all for imagery and hypocritical religion ; and that whether he be at church or at home , in praying or in drinking and sensuality and voluptuosness , a worldling is every where a worldling still , and an hypocrite is an hypocrite still ; and it is not his book or pulpit that maketh him another man. and that as the man is , such will be his work. operari sequitur esse . and that the jesuites are not the only men in the world , that would make a religion to suite mens lusts , and would serve satan and the flesh , in the livery of christ. but i fear i have been too long on this objection . iv. the lords day must not be spent in idleness : not in unnecessary sleep , or in vain walking , or vain talking , or long dressings , or too long feastings , or any thing unnecessary which diverteth our souls from their sacred seasonable work . it is not a jewish ceremonious sabbath of bodily rest which we are to keep : but it is a day of holy and spiritual works : of the needfullest work in all the world : to do that which is ten thousand times more necessary and excellent , than all our labours and provision for the flesh . and if no man hath time to spare on the week day , but he that knoweth not aright what it is to be a christian or a man or why god maintaineth and continueth him in the world ; what shall we think of them that can find time to spare on the lords own day , and can walk and idle away the most precious of all their time ? if it be folly to cast away your silver , it is not wisdom to cast away your gold . o that god would but open mens eyes , to see what is before them , and how near to eternity they stand , and awaken mens sleepy sensual souls , to live as men that do not dream of another world , but unfeignedly believe it ; and then a little reasoning would serve turn to convince them , that the lords day should be spent in the duties of serious holiness , and not in idleness , or unnecessary works or sports . obj. but by all this you seem to cast a great reproach on calvin , beza , and most of the great divines of the forreign churches , who have not been so strict for the observation of the lords day . answ. let these things be observed by the impartial reader . 1. it cannot be proved to be most of them , that were so faulty herein as the objection intimateth . many of them have written much for the holy spending of the day . 2. it must be noted , that it is a superstitious ceremonious sabbatizing which many of them write against , who seem to the unobservant to mean more . it is not the spending of the day in spiritual exercises . 3. and you must remember that they came newly out of popery , and had seen the lords day and a superabundance of other humane holy dayes imposed on the churches to be ceremoniously observed , and they did not all of them so clearly as they ought , discern the difference between the lords day and those holy dayes or church festivals , and so did too promiscuously conjoine them in their reproofs of the burdens imposed on the church . and it being the papists ceremoniousness , and their multitude of festivals that stood all together in their eye , it tempted them to too undistinguishing and unaccurate a reformation . 4. and for calvin you must know that he spent every day so like to a lords day , in hard study , and prayer , and numerous writings , and publick preaching , or lecturing and disputings , either every day in the week , or very near it , scarce allowing himself time for his one only spare meale a day , that he might the easilier be tempted , to make less difference in his judgement between the lords day and other dayes , than he should have done ▪ and to plead for more recreation on that day for others , than he took on any day himself . 5. and then his followers having also many of the same temptations , were apt to tread in his steps through the deserved estimation of his worth and judgement and lest they should seem to be of different minds . but as england hath been the happyest in this piece of reformation , so all men are unexcusable that will encourage idleness , sensuality or neglect of the important duties of the day . chap. xi . what things should not be scrupled as unlawful on the lords day . as i have told you the lords day is not a sabbath in the jewish sense , or a day of ceremonious rest , but a day of worshiping our creator and redeemer with thankful commemorations and with holy joy , &c. and a day of vacancy from such earthly things as may be any hinderance to this holy work ; so now i must resolve the question first in the general , that nothing lawful at another time is unlawful on this day , which hath not the nature of an impediment to the holy duties of the day ; unless it be accidentally on the account of scandal or ill example unto others , or disobeying the laws of magistrates , or crossing the concord of the churches , or such like . therefore hence i deduce these particular resolutions following . i. it is not unlawful to be at such bodily or mental labour as is needful to the spiritual duties of the day . if the priests in the temple ( saith christ ) did break the sabbath and were blameless ( that is , not the command of god to them for keeping the sabbath , but the external rest of the sabbath , which was commanded to others with an exception to their case , ) we may well say that it is no sin , for a minister now to spend his strength in laborious preaching and praying ; or for the people to travel as far as is needful , to the church assemblies : nor do we need to tye our selves to a sabbath dayes journey , ( that is , according to the scribes 2000 cubits , which is 3000 feet , and quinque stadia : ) it is lawful to go many miles when it is necessary to the work of the day . ii. it is not unlawful to be at the labour of dressing our selves somewhat more ornately or comely than on another day . because it is suitable to the rejoycing of a festival . but to waste time needlesly in curjosity , and proud attiring , to the hinderance of greater things , is detestable . iii. it is not unlawful to dress meat , even in some fuller and better manner than on other dayes ; because it is a festival , or day of thanksgiving . and it is a vain self-contradiction of some men , who think that another day of thanksgiving is not well kept , if there be not two feasting meals at least , and yet think it unlawful to dress one on the lords day : but yet to make it a day of gluttony , or to waste more of the day in eating or dressing meat than is agreeable to the spiritual work of the day , which is our end ; or to make our selves sleepy by fulness , or to use our servants like beasts , to provide for our bellies , with the neglect of their own souls ; or to pamper the flesh to the satisfaction and irritation of its lusts ; all this is to be detested . iv. it is not unlawful to do the necessary works of mercy to our selves or others , to man or beast ; those which must be done , and cannot be delayed without more hurt than the doing of them will procure ( for that is the description of a necessary work . ) as to eat and drink and cloth our selves , and our children ; to carry meat to the poor that are in present necessity ; to give or take physick ; and to go for advice to the physician or surgeon : to travel upon a business of importance and necessity ; to quench a fire ; or prop a house that is about to fall ; to march or fight in a necessary case of warr ; to saile or labour at sea in cases of necessity ; to boat-men over a river that go to church ; to pursue a robber , or defend him that is assaulted ; to pull a man out of fire or water ; to dress a mans sores , or to give physick to the sick ; to pull an oxe or horse or other cattle out of a pit or water ; to drive or lead them to water , and to give them meat : to save cattle , corne or hay from the sudden inundations of the sea , or of rivers , or from floods ; to drive cattle or swine out of the grounds where they break in to spoile ; such necessary actions are not unlawful but a duty ; it being a moral or natural precept , which christ twice bid the ceremonious pharises learn [ i will have mercy and not sacrifice . ] and it is not only works of necessity to a mans life , that are here meant by necessary works ▪ but such also as are necessary to a smaller and lower end or use . and yet it is not all such necessity neither that will allow us to do the thing . otherwise a tradesman or plowman might say that his labour is necessary to the getting or saving of this or that small commodity ; i shall be a loser if i do not work . and on the other side , if it were only a necessity for life , limbs or livelihood that would allow us labour , than it would be unlawful to dress meat , and to drive cattle out of the corn , and many such things before mentioned ; and then it would be lawful to give meat only 〈◊〉 oxen or horses of great pri●e , and not to hens , ducks , geese , dogs , and other animals of little value . therefore there is a great deal of prudent discretion necessary to the avoiding of extream● god hath not enumerated all the particulars which are allowed or forbidden in their generals . what then shall we do ? shall we violate the outward rest of the day for the worth of 〈◊〉 groat or two pence ( as the feeding of hens or such like may be ? ) or shall we suffer the lo●● of many pounds rather than sti●r to save them ? as for instance , is it lawful to open , or turn , 〈◊〉 carry in corn or hay , which in all rational probability ( though not certainly ) is like to be lost o● very much spoiled , if it be let alone to the next day ? the cor● or hay may be of many pounds value , when the feeding of swine o● hens may be little : the cor● or hay is like to be lost ; when the swine , or hens , or horses , or oxen , may easily recover the hunger or abstinence of a day ? what must be done in such cases as these ? i answer , 1. it is necessary to know that where god hath not made particular determinations , yet general laws do still oblige us . 2. and that christian prudence is necessary to the right discarning how far our actions fall under those general laws of god. 3. that he that will discern these things must be a man , that truly understandeth , valueth and loveth the true ends and work of the lords day , and not a man that hateth it , or careth not for it ; and a man that hath a right estimate also of those outward things , which stand in question to be medled with . and he must be one that hath no superstitious jewish conceits of the external rest of the day : and he must be one that looketh , not only to one thing or a few , but to all things how numerous soever which the determination of his case dependeth on . 4. and because very few are such , it is needful that those few that are such , be casuists and advisers to the rest , and that the more ignorant consult with them ( especially if they be their proper pastors ) as they do with physicians and lawyers for their health and their estates . 5. it must be known that oft times the laws of the land do interpose in such cases ; and if they do determine so strictly , as to forbid that which else would to some be lawful , they must be obeyed ; because bad men cannot be kept from doing ill by excesses unless some good men be hindered by the same laws from some things that are to them indifferent , nay possibly eligible , if there were no such law. 6. and accordingly the case of scandal or temptation to others , that will turn our example to their sin , must be considered in our practice . yea it is not only things meerly indifferent that we must deny our liberty in , to prevent anothers fall , but oft times that which would else be a duty may become a sin , when it will scandalize another , or tempt him to a farr greater and more dangerous sin . as it may be my duty to speak some word , or do some action , as most useful and beneficial , when there is nothing against it ; and yet if i may foresee that another will turn that speech or action to his ruine , to the hatred of piety , or to take occasion from it to exercise cruelty upon other christians , &c. it may become my hainous sin . so it must here be considered , who will know of the action which you do ? and what use they are like to make of it ? 7. and a little publick hurt must be more regarded than more private benefit ; and the hurt of a mans soul cannot be countervailed by your corporal commodities . 8. these things being premised , i suppose that the great rule to guide you in such undetermined circumstances is the interest of the end ; all things must be done to the glory of god , and to edification . a truly impartial prudent man can discern by comparing all the circumstances whether his action ( as if it were carrying in endangered corn ) were likely to do more good or harm ? on one side you must put in the ballance the value of the thing to be saved ; your own necessity of it ; the poors need of it ; and christs command , gather up the fragments that nothing be lost : on the other side you must consider , how far it will hinder your spiritual benefit and duty ; and how far the example may be like to encourage such as will do such things without just cause ; and so try which is the way of gods honour and your own and your neighbours good ; and that is the way which you must take ( as in the disciples rubbing the ears of corn , &c. ) for the rule is , that your labour is then lawful and a duty , when in the judgement of a truly judicious person , it is like to do more good than hurt ; and it is then sinful when it is like to do more hurt than good . though all cannot discern this , yet ( as far as i know ) this is the true rule , to judge such actions by . as for them that suppose our lords day to be under the same laws of rest with the jewish sabbath , and so think that they have a readyer way to decide these doubts , i will not contend with them , but i have told you why i am not of their mind . v. from hence i further conclude , that whereas there are some actions which bring some little benefit , but yet are no apparent hinderances of any of the work of the day , it seemeth to me too much ceremoniousness , and too ungospel-like , to trouble our own or other mens consciences , by concluding such things to be unlawful . if one have a word to speak of some considerable worldly business , which may be forgotten if it be not presently spoken ; or if i meet one with whom i must speak the next day about some worldly business , and if i then wish him not to come speak with me , i must send a great way to him afterwards , i will not say that it is a sin to speak such a word . i will first look at a mans positive duties on the lords day , how he heareth , and readeth , and prayeth , and spendeth his time , and how he instructeth and helpeth his family ; and if he be diligent in seeking god , ( heb. 11. 6. ) and ply his heavenly business , i shall be very backward to judge him for a word or action about wordly things that falls in on the by without any hinderance to his spiritual work . and if another speak not a word of any common thing , and yet do little in spiritual things , for his own or others edification , i shall think him a great abuser or neglecter of the lords day . a few words about a common thing that falleth in the way , may be spoken without any hinderance of any holy duty : but still we must see that it be not a scandalous temptation to others . if i see a man that unexpectedly findeth some uncomely hole or rent in his cloaths , either pin it up , or few it up before he goeth abroad , i will not blame him : but if he do it so as to embolden another who useth needlesly to mend his cloaths on the lords day , it will be a sin of scandal . if i see one cut some undecent stragling haires before he go forth , i will not blame him : but if he do it before one who will be encouraged by it , to be barbed needlesly on that day , he will offend . and so in other cases . vi. by these same rules also we may judge of recreations on the lords day . the recreations of the mind must be the various holy employments of the day . no bodily recreations are lawful which needlesly waste time , or hinder our duty , or divert our minds from holy things , or are a snare to others . unless it be some weak persons whose health requireth bodily motion , few persons need any other than holy recreations on that day . i know no one man that so much needeth it as my self , who these twenty years cannot digest one dayes meat , unless i walk , or run , or exercise my body before it , till i am hot or sweat ; and therefore necessity requireth me to walk or fast : but i do it privately on that day , left i tempt others to sin . but i will not censure one whom i see walking at fit houres , when for ought i know he may be taken up in some fruitful meditation . but if persons will walk in the streets or fields in idleness , or for vain delight , or discourse , as if the day were too long for them , and they had no business to do for their souls , this is not only a sin , but a very ill sign of one that is senseless of his souls necessity and his duty . vii . to read history , philosophy , or common things , unnecessarily on the lords day , is a sinful diversion from the more spiritual work of it ; and unsuitable to the appointed uses of the day ( much more romances , play books , or idle stories : ) yea or those parts of divinity it self , which are less practical and useful to the raising of thankful and heavenly affections . but yet sometimes such other matter may fall in , at a sermon , or conference , or in meditation , which will require a present satisfaction in some point of history , philosophie , or controversal divinity , which may be subserviently used to edification , without sin . here therefore we must judge prudently . viii , a thing that may be lawful singly in it self , unless it be of great necessity is unlawful when he that serveth us in it is drawn or encouraged to make a trade of it . as to use a barber to cut your hair ; or a tailor to mend your cloaths , or a coblar to mend your shooes : because if you may use him ; so may others as well as you , and so he will follow his calling on the lords day . and yet i dare not say , if when you are to travel to church , you find your shooes or boots by breaking something , to make you uncapable of going out , but you may get them mended privately , where it may be done without this inconvenience . and though cooks and bakers should not be unnecessarily used in their trade , yet is it not alwaies unlawful , but sometimes very well . because as one servant in the kitchin may be used to dress meat for all the family , so one baker or cooke may serve many families , and save ten times as many persons the labour which else they must be at ; and perhaps with easier and quicker dispatch than others . the trade of the apothecary , surgeon and physician is ordinarily used but for necessity . ix . there is no sufficient avoidance of such abuses , but by careful foresight , and prevention and preparation the week before ; which therefore must be conscionably done . chap. xii . of what importance the due observation of the lords day is . these singular benefits of keeping the lords day aright , should make all that love god , or holiness or the church , or their own or other mens souls , take heed how they grow into a neglect or abuse of it ; much more that they plead not for such negligence or abuse . i. the due observation of the lords day is needful to keep up the solemn worship of god , and publick owning and honouring him in the world : if all men were left to themselves , what time they would bestow in the worshipping of god , the greatest part would cast off all , and grow into atheisme or utter prophaneness ; and the rest would grow into confusion . and if all princes and rulers or churches in the world were left to their own wills to appoint the people on what dayes to meet , some kingdoms and churches would have one day , in eight , or nine , or ten , or twenty , and some only now and then an hour , and some one day , and some another , and some next to none at all . for there is no one universal monareh on earth to make laws for them all ( whatever the pope or his nominal-general councils may pretend to : ) and they would never all come to any reasonable agreement voluntarily among themselves . therefore the light of nature telleth us , that as a day is meet and needful to be stated , so it is meet that god himself the true universal monarch should determine of it ; which accordingly he hath done . and this is the very hedge and defensative of gods publick worship . when he hath made a law that one whole day in seven shall be spent in it , men are engaged to attend it . o what a happy acknowledgement of god our creatour and redeemer is it , and an honouring of his blessed name , when all the churches throughout all the world , are at once praising the same god , with the same praises , and hearing and learning the same gospel , and professing the same faith , and thankfully commemorating the same benefits ! the church is then indeed , like an army with banners . and were it not for this dayes observation , alas , how different would the case be ? and what greater thing can man be bound to , than thus , to keep up the solemn acknowledgement and worship of god and our redeemer in the world ? ii. the due sanctification of the lords day , doth tend to make religion vniversal , as to countreys and individual persons , which else would be of narrower extent . when all the world are under a divine obligation , to spend one day every week in the exercises of religion , ( and superiours see to the performance of their subjects obedience to this law , ) it will make men to be in some sort religious whether they will or not : though they cannot be truly religious against their will , it will make them visibly religious . yea gods own law , if mans did nothing , would lay arrawe on the consciences of most , who believe that there is a god that made that law. and the weekly assemblies keep up the knowledge and profession of the christian faith , and keep god and heaven in the peoples remembrance , and keep sin under constant rebukes and disgrace : and were it not for this , heathenisme , infidelity and prophaneness would quickly overspread the world . the lords day keepeth up the christian religion in the world. iii. the lamentable ignorance of the generality in the world , doth require the strict and diligent observation of the whole lords day . children and servants , and ordinary countrey people , yea and too many of higher quality , are so exceeding ignorant of the things of god and their salvation , that all the constantest diligence that can be used with them , in preaching , exhorting , catechizing , &c. will not overcome it with the most . the most diligent masters of families lament it , how ignorant their families are when they have done the best they can . let those that plead for dancing and sporting away much of the day , but do like men that do not secretly scorn christianity , nor despise their servants souls , and let them but try what measure of knowledge the bare hearing of common prayer , yea and a sermon or two with it , will beget in their servants , if the rest of the day be spent in sports ; and let them judge according to experience . if ever knowledge be propagated to such , and families made fit to live like christians , it is likest to be by the holy improvement of this day , in the diligent teaching and learning the substance of religion , and in the sacred exercises thereof . iv. the great carnality , wordliness and carelesness of the most , and their great averseness to the things of god , doth require that they be called and kept to a close and diligent improvement of the lords day . whatever unexperienced or carnal persons may pretend , that such constant duty so long together will make them worse and more averse , reason , experience and scripture are all against them . if there be some backwardness at the first , it is not sports and idleness that will cure it , but resisting of the slothful humour , and keeping to the work . for there is that in religion that tendeth to overcome mens averseness to religion ; and it must be overcome by religion , and not by playing or idleness , if ever it be overcome . it is want of knowledge and experience of it , which maketh them loath it or be weary of it : when they have tryed it more and know it better , they will ( if ever ) be reconciled to it . six dayes in a week are a sufficient diversion . apprentices , and pupils and school-boyes will hold on in learning , though they be averse ; and you think not all the six dayes too much to hold them to it . a school-boy must learn daily , eight or nine hours in a day ; and yet some wretched men ( yea teachers ) would perswade poor souls that must learn how to be saved or perish for ever , that less than eight hours one day in seven , is too much to be spent in the needfullest , excellentest and pleasantest matters in all the world. if you say that the sublimity or difficulty maketh it wearisome , i answer , that philosophers do much longer hold on in harder speculations . if you say divinity being unsuitable to carnal minds , their sick stomachs must take no more than they can digest , i answer , 1. cannot a carnal preacher for his gain , and honour , and fancy , hold on all the year in the study even of divinity , perhaps eight or ten hours every day in the week ? and may not ignorant people be brought one day to endure to be taught as long ? 2. that which you call digesting , is but vnderstanding , and believing , and receiving it : and one truth tendeth to introduce another ; and he that cannot learn with an hours labour may learn more in two . 3. and it is hearing and exercise that must cure their want of appetite . experience telleth us , that when people take the liberty of playes , and sports , and idleness for a recreation , they come back with much more want of love to holy exercises , than they that continue longer at them . gratifying sloth and sensuality , increaseth it , and increaseth an averseness to all that is good ; for who are more averse than they that are most voluptuous ? if ever people be made seriously holy , it is a due observation of the whole lords day , that is like to bring them to it ( i mean observing it in such learning and seeking duties as they are capable of , till they can do better ) for when the mind long dwelleth on the truth , it will sink in and work ; and many strokes will drive the nail to the head . let the adversaries of this day and diligence but observe , and if true experience tell not the world that more souls are converted on the lords dayes than on all other dayes besides , and that religion best prospereth both as to the number and the knowledge and serious holiness of the professours of it , where the lords day is carefully sanctified , rather than where idleness and playing do make intermission , than i will confess that i am uncapable of knowing any thing of this nature by experiences . but if it be so , fight not against the common light . v. the poverty , servitude and worldly necessities of the most , do require a strict observation of the whole lords day . tenants , and labourers , carters and carryers , and abundance of tradesmen are so poor , that they can hardly spare any other considerable proportion of time : much less all their children and servants , whose subjection , with their parents and masters poverty , restraineth them . alas , they are fain to rise early and hasten to their work , and scarce have leisure to eat and sleep as nature requireth : and they are so toiled and wearied with hard labour , that if they have at night a quarter of an hour to read a chapter and pray , they can scarce hold open their eyes from sleeping . what time hath the minister then to come and teach them ( if we had such ministers again as would be at the pains to do it ? ) and what time have they to hear or learn ? you must teach them on the lords day , or scarcely at all . almost all that they must learn , must be then learnt . i deny not but in those former years , when the law forbad me not to preach the gospel , the people came to me on the week day , house by house , and also that they learned much in their shops while they were working . but , 1. it came to each families turn but one hour , or little more in a whole year ( for about fourteen families a week so catechized and instructed , did no sooner bring their course about . ) 2. and our people were mostly weavers , whose labour was not like the plowmans , masons , carpenters , carryers , &c. to take up their thoughts ; but they could lay a book before them and read , or meditate , or discourse to edification whilest they were working . but this is not the case of the multitude . and let any sober man but consider , whether with people so ignorant and averse as the most are , should he be never so diligent on the lords day , the six dayes intermission be not a great cooling of affection , and a great delayer of their growth in knowledge ; when they are like by the weeks end to forget all that they had learned on the lords day . what then would these poor people come to , if the lords day it self must be alsoloitered or played away ? vi. the tyranny of many masters maketh the lords day a great mercy to the world : for if god had not made a law for their rest and liberty , abundance of worldly impious persons , would have allowed them little rest for their bodies , and less opportunity for the good of their souls . therefore they have cause with great thankfulness to improve the holy liberty which god hath given them , and not cast it away on play or idleness . vii . the full improvement of the lords dayes doth tend to breed and keep up an able faithful ministry in the churches ( on which the preservation and glory of religion much dependeth . ) when there is a necessity of full ecclesiastical performances imposed on ministers , they are also necessitated to prepare themselves with answerable abilities and fitness . but when no more is required of them , but to read the liturgie , or to say a short and dry discourse , they that know no more is necessary ( to their ends ) are so strongly tempted to get ability and preparations for no more , that few will overcome the temptation . and therefore the world knoweth that in moscovy , abassia , and for the most part of the greek and armenian churches , as nothing or little more than reading is required , so little more ability than to read is laboured after , and the ministers are ordinarily so ignorant and weak , as is the scorn and decay of the christian religion . viii . yea it will strongly encline masters of families to labour more for abilities , to instruct and catechise their families , and pray with them , and guide them in the fear of god , when they know that the whole day must be improved to the spiritual good of their families . and so knowledge , abilities , and family-holiness will increase : whereas those that think themselves under no such obligations , what ignorant , profane and ungodly families have they ? because for the most part , they are such themselves . ix . a multitude of gross sins will be prevented by the due observation of the lords day . nothing more usual than for the sports , riots , idleness and sensuality of that day , to be nurseries of oathes , curses , ribaldry , fornication , gluttony , drunkenness , frayes and bloodshed . and is not gods service better work than these ? x. lastly , this holy order and prosperity of the churches , and this knowledge and piety in individual subjects , will become the safety , beauty , order and felicity , of kingdomes , and all civil societies of men . for when the people are fit but duly to use and sanctifie the lords day , they are fit to use all things in a sanctified manner , and to be an honour to their countrey , and an ease , and comfort to their governours , and a common blessing to all about them . chap. xiii . what other church festivals or separated daies are lawful . i shall conclude this discourse with the brief answer of this question . i. no sober christian doubteth , but that some part of every day is to be spent in religious exercises ; and that even our earthly business must be done with a spiritual intent and mind . and that every day must be kept as like to the lords day , as our weakness , and our other duties , which god hath laid upon us , will allow . ii. few make any question but the whole dayes of humiliation and of thanksgiving may and must be kept upon great and extraordinary occasions , of judgements or of mercies . and that many churches may agree in these . and i know no just reason why the magistrate may not ( with charity and moderation to the weak ) impose them , and command such an agreement among his subjects . iii. few doubt but the commemoration of great mer●ies or judgements may be made anniversary , and of long continuance . as the powder-plot day ( nov. 5. ) is now made among us , to preserve the memorial of that deliverance . and why may it not be continued , whilest the great sense of the benefit should be continued ? and so the second of sept. is set apart for the anniversary humbling remembrance , of the firing of london . and so in divers other cases . iv. the great blessing of an apostolick ministry , and of the stability of the martyrs in their sufferings for christ , being so rare and notable a mercy to the church , i confess i know no reason why the churches of all succeeding ages may not keep an anniversary day of thanksgiving to god for peter or paul , or stephen , as well as for the powder plot-deliverance . i know not where god hath forbidden it , directly or indirectly . if his instituting the lords day were a virtual prohibition for man to separate any more , or if the prohibition of adding to gods word were against it , they would be against other daies of humiliation and thanksgiving , especially anniversarily ; which we confess they are not . if the reason be scandal , lest the men should have the honour instead of god , i answer , 1. an honour is due to apostles and martyrs in their places , in meet subordination to god. 2. where the case of scandal is notorious , it may become by that accident unlawful , and yet not be so in other times and places . v. the devil h●th here been a great vndoer by overdoing : when he knew not how else to cast out the holy observation of the lords day , with zealous people he found out the trick of devising so many dayes called holy dayes to set up by it , that the people might perceive that the observation of them all as holy , was never to be expected . and so the lords day was jumbled in the heap of holy dayes , and all turned into ceremony , by the papists and too many other churches in the world. which became calvins temptation ( as his own words make plain ) to think too meanly of the lords day with the rest . vi. in the lawful observation of daies , it is most orderly to do as the churches do which we live among and are to joine with . vii . but if church tyranny would overwhelm any place with over-numerous daies ( or ceremonies which are ( singly considered ) lawful , we should do nothing needlesly to countenance and encourage such usurpation . viii . yet is it lawful to hear a sermon , which shall be preached on a humane holy day , which is imposed by usurpation . seeing such a a moral duty may be done , and so great a benefit received , without any approbation of the inconvenient season . ix . and when we think it unlawful to joyne in the positive celebration of unlawful dayes ( as the mahometan sabbath , ) yet it may become a duty for the civil peace and our own safety , to obey the magistrate in forbearing open opposition or contempt , or working upon that day ? and so paul justifieth himself against the jews accusations , that they found him not in the temple disputing with any man , nor raising up the people , nor in the synagogues , nor in the city , act. 24. 12. unless it be when we have a special call , to reprove the errour which we forbear complying with . x. it is long agoe decided by the holy ghost , rom. 14. & 15. that we must not be contentious , contemptuous , nor censorious against one another , about things of no greater moment , than the jewish dayes were , though some observed them without just cause : because the kingdom of god consisteth not in meats , and drinks , and daies , but in righteousness and peaceableness and joy in the holy ghost . and he that in these things serveth christ , is acceptable to god ( and received by him ) and approved of ( wise ) men , and should be received to communion with them , rom. 14. 17 , 18. & 15. 7. we must therefore follow after the things that make for peace , and things wherewith one may edifie another , rom. 14. 19. xi . the controversie , whether it be lawful to separate an anniversary day for the commemoration of christs nativity , circumcision and such like things which were equally existent in th● apostles dayes , and the reason for observing them equal with following times , ( and so the apostles had the same reason to have appointed such dayes had they thought it best , as we have ) i acknowledge too hard for me to determine ▪ not being able to prove it lawful , i cannot own and justifie it ; and not seeing a plain prohibition i will not condemn it , nor be guilty of unpeaceable opposing church customes or authority in it , but behave my self as a peaceable doubter . xii . but that no earthly power may appoint a weekly day , in commemoration of any part of our redemption , besides the lords day , and so make another separated weekly stated holy day , i think plainly unlawful , because it is a doing the same thing for one day which god hath done already by another ; and so seemeth to me , 1. an usurpation of a power not given , and 2. an accusation of christ and the holy ghost , as if he had not done his work sufficiently , but man must come after and do it better . but especially if such ( or any day or ceremony ) be by an universal law imposed on the universal church , it is arrogant usurpation of the divine authority ; there being no vicarious head or monarch under christ of all the world or all the church , nor any universal governour who may exercise such legislation , whether personal or collective . the same i may say of any that would presume to abrogate the lords day . and so much shall suffice in great haste of this subject . and to thee o most glorious and gracious creatour and redeemer , i humbly return my unfeigned thanks , for the unspeakable mercies which i have received on thy day ; and much more for so great a mercy to all thy churches and the world : and craving the pardon ( among the rest ) of the sins which i have committed on thy day , i beseech thee to continue this exceeding mercy , to thy churches and to me ; and restore me and other of thy servants , to the priviledges , and comforts of this day ; which we have forfeited and lost ; and let me serve thee in the life , and light , and love of thy spirit , in these thy holy dayes on earth , till i be prepared for , and received to , the everlasting rest in heavenly glory , amen . octob. 11. 1670. finis . an appendix for further confirmation of gods own separation of the lords day , and disproving the continuation of the jewish seventh day sabbath . written since the treatise went to the press , upon the invitations of some latter objections . heb. 7. 12. for the priesthood being changed , there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 2 cor. 3. 7 , 11. but if the minist●ation of death , in letters engraven in stones was glorious , &c. if that which was done away was glorious , much more that which remaineth is glorious . act. 15. 28. it seemed good to the holy ghost and to us , to lay upon you no greater bu●den than these necessary things — col. 2. 16. let no man judge you in mat , or in drink , or in respect of an holy day , or of the new moon , or of the sabbath , which are a shadow of things to come , but the body is of christ. london , printed for nevil simmons , at the three crowns near holborn conduit . 1671. chap. i. an answer to certain objections against the lords day . though they are answered before , the reader must pardon me , if upon the particular urgencies of some objectors , i again make answer to these that follow . obj. act. 20. 7. the first day 〈◊〉 the week ; gr. [ one of the sabbaths ] that 〈◊〉 breaking of bread there was common eating , ●mpare the like greek phrase , act. 27. 35. & ● 42. see esa. 58. 7. however it was but an ●ample of preaching , and breaking bread , upon a ●ecial occasion . answ. 1. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signi●●●th on the first day of the week , the generality 〈◊〉 the ancients both greek and latine agree , ●hose testimony about the sense of a word , is the ●st dictionary and evidence that we can expect . ●nd the same phrase used of the day of christs ●surrection by the evangelists proveth it . ●hough i am sorry to hear of one that denyeth ●at also , and asserteth that christ rose on the second day morning , because else he could not as jonah , be three dayes and nights buried . but i am not so proud as to think my self capable of convincing that man in such a matter of fact , who will not believe the historical witness of the whole church of christ , and expecteth to be believed against them all , at ●uch a distance in the end of the world. 2. there is no doubt but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breaking of bread , was both a common and a sacred action : and the phrase is to be interpreted by the context , to know when it signifieth the common , and when the sacred . in act. 27. 35. the context teacheth us to interpret i● of common eating : but that it doth not so , act. 2. 42 , 46. or act. 20. is plain to him that considereth , 1. that it was then usual to communicate sacramentally in all their church assemblies . 2. that these mentioned were church-assemblies ; the church being met purposely for sacred works . yet it is to be remembred , that the love feasts did usually concurr in the beginning with the sacrament , and the name might be used with respect to both . 3. that it was not a meer occasional meeting ▪ is apparent to the unprejudiced , 1. because they stayed at ●roas seven dayes , v. 6. and in all the seven make no mention of this exercise , but on one only , which was the first , 2. because as is said it was not a family , or by-meeting , but a church●meeting ; [ the disciples came or assembled together● 3. because it said that they assembled for this very end , to b●●●k bread [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] 4. the great length of time which was spent in the holy exercises : besides the rest of the worship , and breaking of bread , paul preaching till midnight : which intimateth that such work took up the day . 5. because it is mentioned as a matter of their custome : they did not assemble because paul called them to hear him only , as being to depart on the morrow ; but paul assembled with them at the time of their assembling to break bread ; and it seemeth that he deferred his journey for that opportunity . 6. because other texts as joyned with this , and infallible church history following , do prove past all doubt that it was the constant custome of all the churches so to do . obj. 1 cor. 16. 1 , 2. the first day of the week , &c. gr . one of the sabbaths . it is an ordinance to lay aside for charitable uses ; but not one word about changing of the sabbath . answ. the abolition of the sabbath we prove not by this text , but by others : all that we bring this for , is but to shew in conjunction with others , as part of the sacred history , that the first day was the churches separated day . and i pray mark the strength of the proof , that the apostle did [ give order that all the churches of galatia as well as the corinthians , should deposite ] their almes on one and the same day , viz. on the first day : was it not enough to tie them to the contribution , but he must tie them all to one set day to lay it by , or deposite it ? if it had not been because the churches used to assemble on this day , and not to appear before god empty ( as dr. hammond noteth on the text ? ) whoever heard else that god or man tyed several countreys to one set day for the private depositing of their own moneys afterward to be distributed ? with such sacrifices god is well pleased ; and therefore it was ever accounted by christians a fit work for the sanctified day : but no other day was ever appointed peculiarly for the set time of laying by mens gifts of charity . obj. rev. 1. 10. john was in the spirit on the lords day . compare exod. 20. 10 , &c. esa. 58. 13 , &c. luk. 6. 5. mark 2. 28. mat. 12. 8 , &c. and if the scriptures be the rule to judge , resolve whether that day be not the lords day , of which day , ( and of which only as distinguished from the other dayes of the week , ) the son of man is lord. answ. we are not upon a controversie of title or propriety , whether god be lord of other dayes : for so no doubt , he is lord of all , and therefore no more of one than another , because his propriety in each one is absolute ; and it can be no more in any . thus also he is absolute lord of all things , all places , all persons , &c. and yet some things , some places , some persons have been separated to his service by a peculiar dedication and relation ; and thence have been peculiarly called the lords . and the texts cited by you out of the old testament prove that such was the seventh day sabbath then : but not that it is so now ; or was to be so for perpetuity . and the words of the new testament cited [ the son of man is lord also , or even of the sabbath day , ] shews no more , then that it was in his power : he giveth it as a reason for his doing that which the pharises counted sabbath-breaking ( by which he oftentimes offended them ; ) and not as a reason of his astablishing it . and it seemeth plainly to mean , that being but a positive law , and a law of moses , he had power to change it , and dispense with it , as well as with other positives and mosaical laws . as it is said , ephes. 1. 22 , 23. he hath made him head over all things to the church ; not head to all things ; so he is lord over , or of all dayes ; but all are not separated to his worship . as it is said , joh. 17. 2. as thou hast given him power over all flesh , that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him : so it may be said , he hath power over all dayes , that he may sanctifie one to his peculiar service , and use the rest in more common works . but that which we bring this text for is but to know what day is notified to the world by this title of the lords day , and consequently was then accounted his separated peculiar day . now the signification of words is known but by use : they are not natural signes , but arbitrary : you know not the sense of one word of hebrew , greek , or latine , but by the history of their use , by dictionaries , authors or other tradition . now it is unquestionable to any man verst in antiquity , that all the churches , and authors , greek and latine , syriack , aethiopick , persian , arabick , that have been known among us , and speak of such things , do unanimously call the first day of the week by the name of the lords day , as being so called from the beginning , even from the apostles ; and all old expositors so interpret this present text. and you may as well question what day the word sabbath signified in the old testament almost , as what day the name of [ the lords day ] signified in the new ; or what sort of people they were that were called christians first at antioch , when only one sort hath ever since been notified by that name ; even the disciples of christ. the greek , with the syriack translation , the arabick , the vulgar latine , have all [ the lords day ; ] and the ethiopick as equipollent , hath [ the first day ] and dr. heylin ( who would find something against it if any thing were to be found ) speaking of some of late that otherwise expound it , is so ingenious as to say ( par. 2. cap. 1. p. 37. ) touching this we will not meddle ; let them that own it look to it : the rather since st. john hath generally been expounded in the other sense , aretas , and andr. caesariensis on the place , and by bedae de rat . temp . c. 6. and by the suffrage of the church , the best expositor of the word of god ; wherein this day hath constantly since the time of the apostles been honoured with that name above other daies ] and i know no one man ( nor many ) that at 1600 years distance almost , is so worthy to be believed for the bare sense of a word , as the constant use and universal testimony of all ages from that time till now . as christ is the lord of all our suppers , yet all are not named the lords supper ; so is it in this case . i must needs conclude therefore , that if i should cast off the evidence of this text , upon no greater reason than you offer me , i think , i should resist the holy ghost , and use violence against gods word which i should obey . obj. there is no law in the scripture to observe the first day , no promise made to observers of it , no threatning against the breakers of it , &c. shew it . and if no law , no transgression , rom. 4. 15. sin is a transgression of the law. answ. i have shewed you full proof of a law for it before . though it is not christs way to enact his laws in that majestick commanding forms as god did to moses on the mount : but as he condescended into flesh , to be a teacher and saviour , in the form of a servant , under the law himself , to redeem those that were under it , so he maketh his laws in a merciful teaching stile . all that is revealed by him as his will appointing our duty is his law. but that we observe the lords day is revealed by him as his will , making it our duty . these are his laws requiring us to hear and obey his spirit in his apostles , joh. 20. 21 , 22. as the father hath sent me , so send i you : and when he had said this , be breathed on them and said , receive ye the holy ghost ; &c. luk. 10. 16. he that heareth you , heareth me . and this is his law requiring his apostles by that spirit to promulgate his laws , and make known his will. mat. 28. 19 , 20. go , disciple me all nations , baptizing them , &c. teaching them to observe all things whatever i have commanded you , and loe i am with you alwaies to the end of the world ( or age ) with the other texts forecited . and that the spirit in the apostles hath setled the lords day , as the separated day for holy assemblies and worship , i have proved to you , both by the texts which you now sought in vain to make void , and by the unquestionable practice and history of the universal church , from that age untill this . and withal by other texts which you omit : which ( not alone , but ) all set together make up the proof , because it is historical evidence of a matter of fact , which we have to seek after . 1. christs resurrection laid the foundation , or gave the cause ; as gods ceasing from his works did of the sabbath . 2. christs appearing to them assembled on that day , began the actual separation . 3. the holy ghost coming down on them , on that day , did more notably sanctifie it . 4. the holy ghost as an infallible spirit in them , did cause them to make a publick settlement of that day in all the churches , which was the full and actual establishment . 5. this settlement is fully proved de facto in scripture and infallible history . 6. and that there are promises and threatnings , to the obeyers and rejecters , of christs commands , ( whom the father commanded us to hear , and who is the great prophet of the church , ) i hope you believe . rev. 20. 14. happy are they who do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life , &c. heb. 12. 25. see that yee refuse not him that speaketh ; for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth , much more , &c. act. 3. 23. it shall come to pass that every soul that will not hear that prophet , shall be destroyed from among the people : 1 joh. 4. 6. we are of god : he that knoweth god heareth us : he that is not of god , heareth not us : hereby know we the spirit of truth , and the spirit of errour . if besides all this you must have particular precepts , promises and threatnings in the form which you imagine to be fittest , you may for want of those deny many other gospel laws as well as this . have you not much more for the separation of the lords day , than you have for infants baptism , for a christian magistrate , for christians wageing warr , for prohibited degrees as to marriage , &c. i am perswaded the sober study of these points would do much to convince the contrary minded , 1. how much of christs work as to the settlement of church-orders , was committed to the apostles to be done , and how little he publickly setled himself in person , before his resurrection . 2. how much the gospel administration excelleth that of the law. and what eminent glory god designeth to himself by the work of mans redemption , and how much more now he calleth man to read , and study and know him in the face of jesus christ , than in the creation , and how largely the change of the covenant is proved in the epistle to the hebrews . 3. what a change is made herein as to mans duty , since the fall of man under the wrath of the creator , who is not now his rest , but his terrour and a consuming fire , till reconciled and adopting us in christ ; and since the earth is cursed to us as a punishment for our sins . 4. how much of the certainty , and glory of the christian faith , and of all our rest and consolation in it , is laid in the gospel on the resurrection of our lord , as beginning a new world , or creation as it were , and as conquering and triumphing over death and satan , and sealing the promise and bringing life and immortality to light , and opening the kingdom of heaven to believers . 5. how much of christs legislation , and administration of his church-settlement and government was to be done by the holy ghost ! and how glorious this office of the holy ghost is , and of what grand importance to be understood : as he was the promised paraclete or advocate or agent of our glorified lord , to do his work on earth in his bodily absence ; to whom the infallibility of the scriptures , the sealing operation of miracles , the sanctification of believers , and forming them for glory in the image of god , is to be ascribed : whom to blaspheme is the unpardonable sin . 6. how dangerous a thing it is made by the holy ghost to seek to set up moses law , ( as the whole epistle to the gal. besides most of the other epistles testifie ) as intimating a denyal of christ , and a falling from grace , and a perverse setting up of that which christ came to take down , as part of our own redemption . and how large and plain paul is upon this subject ; and how the spirit in all the apostles did determine it , act. 15. and how the cerinthians , nicolaitans , ebionites , nazaraeans , and many more of the condemned heresies of that age , which troubled the churches , and whom the apostles wrote against , went all that way of mingling the jewish law with the gospel . 7. how plainly and expresly paul numbreth sabbaths with the shaddows that cease , col. 2. 16. ( to pass by other texts ) and what violence mens own wits must use , in denying the evidence of so plain a text. their reason , that he saith not sabbath but sabbaths , is against themselves ; the plural number being most comprehensive , and other sabbaths receiving their name from this ; and the word sabbath alwaies used in scripture , for a rest which was partly ceremonial . see what dr. young in his excellent dies domin saith of this text ( though i know some say otherwise to the injury of their own cause , ] 8. how many years together the churches had been in possession , and consequently in the undoubted knowledge , of the true established day of holy worship , before a word of the new testament was written . and therefore that it was not written to be the first enacting of this day or change ; but for other uses . 9. and yet how much evidence of the fact there is in the scripture it self , that really such a day was used for the ordinary church-assemblies , as a peculiar separated day ; even by the common order of the apostles in the churches , as 1 cor. 16. 1 , 2. speaks . 10. and how impossible it is that all the churches in the world should from their beginning keep this as the separated day , even by the apostles and from their times , if it had not been so ordered by them indeed . and whether it be possible that in no age neer the original hereof , no pastor , no christian , no heretick , no enemy would have detected the fraud or common errour , or once have written , that this day was not separated or used by the apostles or apostolical churches ; no nor any one ( that i know of , that denyed not the resurrection ) ever to have scrupled or opposed the day . 11. whether they that can reject such historical evidence as this is , do not unwittingly cast away the holy scriptures , what zeal soever they pretend or have for their honour and perfection . 12. whether they that can reject all this evidence , and yet can find in the second commandment , the prohibition of all formes of prayer , sermons , catechismes , & all modal inventions of men , as images , if not idols , are without partiality , or do not walk as men , by very different measures ; and partial conceptions . i would on my knees intreat some most dear and worthy friends , on their knees to ponder these twelve particulars . but because by their preterition of the text , act. 2. 1 , 2. i perceive they observe not , that the holy ghost came down on the lords day , let them consider that the passeover was on the sabbath day that year , and therefore it must needs be just fifty dayes to that lords day , and it must be the day of pentecost . and it is not a trifle , that the first sermon to 〈◊〉 people was preached by peter on that day , and ●000 converted by it and baptized dr. heyli●s own words are these , [ part. 2. p. 13. the first particular passage which did occ●●● in holy scriptur● touching the first day of the week , is that upon that day the holy ghost did first come down on the apostles , and that on the same day st. peter preached his first sermon , to the jews , and baptized such as believed , there being added to the church that day 3000 souls ] and to prove the day he saith , p. 14. [ the rule being this , that on what day soever the second of the passover did fall , on that also fell the great feast of pentecost ( as scaliger de emend . temp. l. 2. ) so that as often as the passover did fall on the sabbath , as this year it did , then pentecost fell on the sunday . ] the last part of our objections are from history ; and it is said , obj. [ qu. whether the observation of the first day was not brought into this island by antichrist , about 408 or 409 years agoe ? roger hoveden about an . 1202 ( above 1200 years after christ ) mentioneth a council held in scotland for the initiation or first bringing in that which he calls the dominical day : see this testimony mentioned by binius in his councils , and somewhat enlarged by matth. paris the old impression fol. 192 , 193. and the last edition fol. 200 and 201 ; and how the king of england and the nobility would not then receive this alteration . — i conceive that in the first centuries the great controversie relating to this was about translating the keeping the passover , which they now call easter , from the fourteenth day of the first moon , &c. ( under the colour of honouring christ ) to the first day of the week as the dominical day ; which the popes first set themselves with great vehemency to introduce — and as the pope obtained his purpose for one day in a year , so by degrees in some places , came in one day in a week , the first day to be observed , and the seventh day by one of the popes turned from a festival 〈◊〉 fast , whilest many of the eastern and some of the western churches did still retain withall the observation of the seventh-day sabbath together with the first day , and others of the churches in the east and west kept only to the seventh day as the christian sabbath , &c. answ. how much more desirable an adversary is heylin by his acquaintance with history ! 1. were any of the authors i before cited either antichristian or 1200 years after christ ? ignatius , if genuine was about an . 102. if not , as dalaeus thinks then he was about 300. the canons called the apostles , and the constitutions called the apostles , very ancient . justin martyr wrote his apol , an . 150. about 50 years after st. johns death ; where his testimony is as plain as can be spoken . to which plinyes who wrote about 107. some seven years after st. johns death , may be joyned that he may be understood of the day . clemens alexand. about 94 years after st. john , an . 194. tertullian who is most express , and full , and frequent , about 198 , that is , 98 years after st. john. origen about 206 began his teaching . cyprian about an . 250. athanasius who wrote largely of it , about an . 330. to what purpose should i mention again eusebius , greg. nazianzen , nyssen , and all the rest . it was but about an . 309 , that constantine began his raign , who made laws for the lords day , which other christian emperours enlarged . but how much earlier were all those synods which eusebius mentioned , which in the determination of easter owned the lords day ? and that of nice was but about an . 327. the council of laodicea but about an . 314 or 320. the council of eliberis about an . 307. can. 21. saith , if any that live in the cities shall stay from church three lords daies , let him be so long suspended from the sacrament , till he be sensible of his punishment . after this how many councils and how many imperial laws take care of the lords dayes ? it is tedious to cite them . to these may be added , 1. the common agreement that it is founded in the resurrection , and was from that time . 2. the early contest for keeping easter only on that day , which you note , as being a day by all christians received . 3. the common detestation of fasting on that day . 4. and the universal custome of not kneeling in adoration on that day : which all shew that the day was specially observed . athanasius saith de sab . & circ . even as at the first it was commanded that the sabbath should be observed in memory of the finishing of the world , so do we celebrate the lords day as the commemoration of the beginning of a new creation . and hom. de sem. the lord transferred the sabbath to the lords day . though nannius question the hom. de semente , so do few others ▪ and none that i know of , question that de sab. & circ . greg. nyss. orat. in s. pasc. saith , as god rested on the sabbath from all his works which he had done in the creation , so did the only begotten son of god rest in truth from all his works , &c. august . epist. 119. the lords day was declared to christians by the lords resurrection . from that time ( or thence ) it began to have its festivity . maximus taurinensis saith , hom. 3. de pentec . the lords day is therefore set apart because on it our saviour as the rising sun , discussing the infernal darkness , did shine forth in his resurrection . and for fasting , tertul. de cor. mil. c. 3. saith , we account it unlawful to fast on the lords day . and though the montanists fasted excessively , they excepted the lords day , tertul. adv . psych . c. 15. ignatius and the apost . const. & can. are forecited of this . austin saith , ep. 86. it is a great scandal to fast on the lords day . ( which the manichees were accused of . ) the concil . gangr . can. 18. saith . if any on pretense of abstinence fast on the lords day , let him be anathema . the concil . caesar-august . c. 2. is against fasting on the lords day either for the sake of any time ( as lent ) or perswasion , or superstition whatsoever . so the concil . agath . c. 12. concil . aurel. 4. c. 2. and the concil . carth. an . 398. can. 64. let him be taken for no catholick who purposely fasteth on the lords day . and the prohibition of kneeling in adoration , i have opened before , ex concil . nic. c. 20. concil . trul● . epiphan . &c. to which i adde collect. can. joh●n . antioch . sub titulo l. tertul. de cor. mil. c. 3. ( now cited ) hieronym . adv . lucifer . cap. 4. die dominico & per omnem pentecosten nec de geniculis adorare , & jejunium solvere , multaque alia que non script● sunt , rationabilis sibi observatio vindicavit . ( yet paul kneeled , act. 20. in that time , vid. justell . ad can. 20. conc. nic. ) question . ad orthod . inter justin. opera qu. 115. p. 283. die dominico genua non flectere symbolum est resurrectionis , &c. germanus constantinop . in theoria eccles. p. 149. our not kneeling on the lords day , signifieth our erection from our fall , by christs resurrection , &c. see also basil de spir . sanc. c. 27. to. 2. p. 112 , 113. & balsamon theron p. 1032. & zonari . in c. 20. conc. nic. p. 66. see casp. suicerus de bisce sacr . observ . c. 6. 2. your historical observations are utterly mistaken . the observation of the lords day was in all the churches past all controversie from the beginning , while the time of easter was in controversie , as i have proved . why would you not name those churches in east and west ( which i never read or heard of ) yea or that person , that was for the seventh day alone ? i am confident because you could not do it . indeed all churches called the seventh day alone by the old name sabbath , while they maintained the sabbath to be ceased ; but under the name of the lords day , the first was solemnly observed . 3. in hoveden and mat. paris , there is not a word of what you say ; so much do you mis-cite history . there is indeed an . 1201. ( which as i remember is hovedens last ) the story that many authors talk of , and heylin mentioneth , of one that sound a letter pretended from heaven upon the altar , reproving the crying sins of the times , and especially the prophanation of the lords day , and requiring them to keep it strictly for the time to come : which was so far from being the initiation of the lords day , that it was about 1167 years after it . and how could men pretend such a divine reproof for such a sin , if the day not been received before ? i pray read heylins history against us , which will set you righter in the matter of fact . and there is no mention of any such council as you talk of , for the initiation of the lords day , nor any resistance of the kings , or scots : there is nothing of all this in hoveden or mat. paris . 4. but what if england had been ignorant of the lords day till then ( which is utterly untrue ) it followeth not that they kept the sabbath on the seventh day . nor would a barbarous remote corner of the world , prejudice the testimony of all christs churches in every age . 5. but that you may see how greatly you mistake the case of england ; read but our eldest english historian , beda hist. eccles. as l. 1. 26. he mentioneth an old church named st. martins built in the romans time , and cap. 33. a church built by the ancient faithful romans ; ( and by the way , i think it most probable that the roman souldiers first brought christianity into brittain ) so he oft describeth the worship as agreeable to other churches : and l. 2. c. 2. he begins his reproof of the britains for not keeping easter on the due lords day , but never reproveth them for not keeping the lords day it self . and though the britans and the scots had so little regard of the english bishops sent from rome , that they awhile refused so much as to eat with them , yea or to eate in the same inne ( cap. 4. li. 2. ) yet about the lords day there was no controversie . lib. 3. c. 4. he tells you that the scots difference about easter day continued till , an . 716. for want of intelligence from other churches , though columbanus and his followers were very holy persons . and ( that you may see you errour ) he there tells you that they did not keep easter day with the jews on the fourteenth day still , as some thought , but on the lords day ; but not in the right week : for ( saith he ) they knew ( as being christians ) that the lords resurrection which was on the first day of the week , was alwaies to be celebrated on the first day of the week ; but being barbarous and rusticks , they had not yet learned when that same first day of the week , which is now called the lords day , did come . here you see that it was past controversie with them that the lords day must be celebrated in memorial of christs resurrection , and the scots kept not easter on any other week day ; and that they had not been like christians , if they had not owned and kept the lords day ; only they had not skill enough in calculating the times , so as to know when the true anniversary lords day came about , but kept easter on a wrong lords day . the same he saith again in the praise of f●nan lib. 3. cap. 17. that though he kept not easter at the due time , yet he did not , as some fals●y think , keep it on any week day in the fourteenth moon with the jews ; but he alwayes kept it on the lords day , from the fourteenth moon to the twentieth , because of the belief of the lords resurrection , which the church truly believed was on the first day of the week for the hope of our resurrection , and which ( they believed ) will fall out on the same first day , of the week , which is now called the lords day . so cap. 25. the king and the queen kept easter on several lords dayes , and the difference made the stir : and wilfrid in his speech there saith the same , that the scots kept ester only on the lords day ; ( by whom the king at that time was changed . ) and li. 3. c. 26. beda saith that tuda , ( another holy follower of the scots ) being made bishop , on the lords daies the people flockt by crowds together either to the church , or to the monasteries , not to refresh their bodies , but to learn the word of god ; and if any priest hapt to come into a village , presently the inhabitants , congregati in unum , gathered together , took care to seek from him the word of life . ] cap. 2. li. 4. theodorus his consecration on the lords day is mentioned . lib. 4. cap. 5. in the synod at herudford the first canon is that all keep easter on the lords day next after the fourteenth moon of the first month. lib. 5. cap. 22. ceolfridus sendeth an epistle to the king of the picts , in which are these words [ postquam verò pas●ha nostrum immolatus est christus , diemque nobis dominicam , quae apud antiqu●t una 〈◊〉 prima sabbati sive sabbatorum vocatur , gaudio suae resurrectionis fecit esse solennem ; ita hanc nunc apostolica traditio festis paschalibus inseruit . ] that is , [ but when christ our passover was sacrificed for us , and by the joy of his resurrection made the lords day , which by the ancients was called one or the first of the sabbath or sabbaths , to be a solemn day to us ; so now apostolical tradition hath ingraffed it into the paschal festivals : ] where you see that the lords day settled as solemn by the resurrection , he taketh for uncontroverted , but the graffing it into the easter festivals , he ascribeth to apostolical tradition , meaning st. peters . and after in the same epistle [ qui tertia post immolationem suae passionis die resurgens à mortuis , hanc dominicam vocari , & in eâ nos annuatim paschalia ejusdem resurrectionis voluit festa celebrare ; ] that is , [ christ rising from the dead , the third day after the sacrifice of his passion , would have this called the lords day , and would have us on it to celebrate the paschal feast of his resurrection . ] the like is after again in that epistle , with this addition , that we hold that our own resurrection will be on the lords day . by this epistle the king of the picts was brought to conformity in that day and made laws for it : and cap. 23. the scots of hy who stood out so long , were brought to it by the perswasion of eigbertus . judge now of your historical note of england . but that you may see more of this , you may read beda's mind that lived in england in other of his works . on act 20. [ in una sabbathi eum convenissemus ad fraugendum p●nem ; id est , die dominico qui est primus a sabbate , cum ad mysteria celebrandae congreg●ti essemus ; ] that is , [ on the lords day , which is the first from the sabbath , when we were congregated to celebrate the mysteries ] — and he thinks it called , the lords day , because it is the remembrance of the lords resurrection or ours . and on luc. 6. fol. 78. he saith [ the observation of the legal sabbath , ought of it self to cease , and the natural liberty of a sabbath to be restored , which till moses time was like other dayes . that as it is not circumcision or the ceremonies of the law that save the church but the faith of abraham working by love , by which being uncircumcised he was justified , so he calleth the second sabbath after the first , no other but the spiritual sabbath , in which as on other daies , it is lawful to do any profitable work , for distinction from the jewish sabbath , in which it was not lawful to travel , to gather wood , nor to do other needful things ] pardon his errour about that word ; i only cite it for the historical use . and on luc. 24. 1. fol. 143. [ one of the sabbaths , or the first of the sabbaths , is the first day after the sabbath , which the christian custome hath called the lords day , because of the lords resurrection . ] and ibid. fol. 143. [ whence ecclesiastical custome hath obtained , that either in memory of christs resurrection , or for the hope of ours , we pray not with bended knees , but only with faces declined towards the earth , on every lords day , and all the quadragesimae . ] and in act. 2. 1. [ the holy ghost sent — the example of the ancient sign returning , did himself by his own coming most manifestly consecrate the lords day . ] and on col. 2. fol. 308. he sheweth that the sabbath was a shadow , and christ that made it was lord of it and ended it ; and that to abstain from sin is now our sabbath . see him also on rev. 1. 10. heb. 4. fol. 308. 2 cor. 3. fol. 176. d. and because he was a scot , i will adde sedulius who lived 430. in col. 2. fol 91. [ the sabbath being a shadow ceased when the body came , because the truth being present , the image is needless . and on heb. 4 9. there remaineth a rest , that is , the eternal rest which the jewish sabbath signified . ] see philastrius h●res . 8. abundance more of this kind i might cite , but for making the book tedious to those that need it not . and so much of the history , to satisfie your objections and mistakes . chap. ii. an answer to more arguments for the seventh day sabbath . reasons . 1. that the lord jesus christ is jehovah , zach. 11. 13. & 12 , 4 , — 10. gen. 19. 24. act. 2. 25. compared with psal. 16. 8 , &c. the lord our righteousness , jer. 23. 6. answers . 1. this is no controversie among us , meaning of christs divine nature ; and his person in respect thereof . reasons . 2. that the world was made by jehovah christ , joh. 1. 3 , 10. heb. 1. 2 , 3 , 10. col. 1. 14 , 15 , 16 , 17. eph. 3. 9. psal. 102. 22 , 24 , 25. heb. 3. 4. rom. 11. 36. 1 cor. 8. 6. gen. 2. 4 , &c. answers . 2. nor is this any controversie , if meant of the second person in the eternal trinity , not yet incarnate , nor in the flesh annointed ( christ. ) reasons . 3. the seventh day sabbath was instituted by jehovah christ , and kept by him , gen. 2. 2 , 3 , 4. whilest man was in innocency , before the fall , gen. 3. 6. ( and before any types . ) answers . 3. though this have long been doubted in the church , some thinking it mentioned but by anticipation yet i deny it not , but believe that it was sanctified and kept from the beginning , because the reason of the consecration was from the beginning . but , 1. the second person is not called christ before the fall , nor without respect to his humane nature . 2. it is uncertain whether it was before the fall ; because we know not whether man fell on the same day in which he was created , which is the commonest opinion , ( though unproved ) whereupon mr. ● . walker in his treat . of the sabbath maintaineth , that the fall and promise went before the sabbath , and so that gods rest had respect to christ promised , as the perfection of his works , and that the sabbath was first founded on christ and the promise . but because all this is unproved opinion , i incline to the objectors , and the common sense . reasons . 4. the seventh day sabbath was kept by abraham , gen. 26. 5. by the israelites , exod. 5. 5. the law for the seventh day was repeated exod. 16. 22 , 23. answers . 4. i am of the same opinion ; but it is uncertain ; so far as it is uncertain whether it was instituted actually at first . but the rest , ex. 5. 5. seemeth plainly to referr to no sabbath , but to the peoples neglect of their tasks , while moses kept them in hope of deliverance , and treated for them . and their tasks , with their desire , to go into the wilderness to sacrifice , maketh it probable that pharaoh never allowed them the sabbaths rest . reasons . 5. the decalogue was spoken by jehovah christ , exod. 20. 1. ( see the assemblies lesser catechisme on the preamble in the commands : ) because the lord is our god , &c. redeemer , &c. therefore we are bound to keep , &c. exod. 19. 3. compared with act. 7. 38. esa. 63. 9. ex. 19. 17. the decalogue written by his finger , ex. 31. 18. on tables of stone , ex. 32. 15 , 16 , 19. & 34 , 1 , 28. and kept by all the prophets . answers . 5. all true , and uncontroverted , with these suppositions : 1. that the father as well as the son gave the decalogue : 2. that the second person was not 〈◊〉 incarnate , ( christ. ) 3. that the law was given by the ministration of angels , who its like are called the voice and finger of god. 4. that god our redeemer did variously govern his kingdom , by his law and covenant in various editions : of which more anon . reasons . 6. the decalogue was confirmed by jehovah , christ , ma● . 5. 17 , 18 , 19. luk. 16. 17. mat. 28. 20. joh. 14. 15. & 15. 14. rom 3. 31. & 7. 12. jam. 2. 8 , 12. newcovenant , heb. 8. 10. 1 joh. 3. 22 , 24. 1 joh. 5. 3. 2 ep. joh. 5. 6. rev. 12. 17. & 14. 12. & 22. 14 , 18. compared with mal. 4. 4. answers . 6. here beginneth our fundamental difference : i shall first tell you what we take for the truth , and then consider of what you alledge against it . 1. we hold that every law is the law of some one ; some law-maker or soveraign power : and therefore christ being now the head over all things to the church , eph. 1. 22 , 23. whatever law is now in being to the church , must needs be the law of christ. 2. we hold that christs redeemed kingdom hath been governed by him , with variety of administrations , by various editions of his law or covenant : that is , i. universally to mankind ; viz. 1. before his incarnation : which was ; first , to adam , and secondly to noah , and to mankind in them both : 2. after his incarnation . ii. particularly , to the seed of abraham even the jews as a particular political society ; chosen out of the world ( not as the only people or church of god on earth , but ) for peculiar extraordinary mercies as a peculiar people . 3. we believe that each of these administrations was fittest for its proper time and subject , according to the manifold wisdom of god : but yet the alterations were many and great , and all tended towards perfection : so that the last edition of the covenant by christ incarnate and his holy spirit , much excelled all that went before , in the kingdom of the mediatour . and all these changes were made by god-redeemer himself . 4. as it was the work of the redeemer to be the repairer of nature , and recoverer of man to god ; so in all the several administrations , the great laws of nature containing mans duty to god , resulting from and manifested in our nature as related to god , and in the natura rerum or the works of god , was still made the chief part of the redeemers law : so that this law of nature , whose summe is the love of god , and of his image , is ever the primitive unchangeable law ; and the rest are secondary subservient laws , either positive , or remedying , or both . and no tittle of this shall ever cease , if nature cease not . 5. but yet there are temporary laws of nature , which are about temporary things ; or where the nature of the thing it self is mutable , from whence the natural duty doth result . as it was a duty by the then law of nature it self ; for adams sons and daughters to marry [ increase and multiply ] being made a natural benediction , and the means a natural duty . and yet now , it is incest against the law of nature , for brother and sister to marry . so it was a natural duty for adam and eve before their fall to love each other as innocent ; but not so when they ceased to be innocent : for cessanie materiâ cessat obligatio . 6. so also some positive commands made to adam in innocence ceased on the fall , and sentence ; ( as to dress that garden . ) and some positives of the first administrations of grace , did cease by the supervening of a more perfect administration . as the two symbolical or sacramental trees in the garden , were no longer such to man when he was turned out ; so no positive ordinance of grace , was any longer in force , when god himself repealed it , by the introduction of a more perfect administration . 7. accordingly we hold , that a change is now made of the sanctified day . where note , 1. that we take not the seventh day , ( no nor one day in seven , though that be nothing to our controversie ) to be a duty by the proper law of nature , but by a positive law : 2. that the seventh day is never called a sahbath till moses time , but only a sanctified and blessed day ; the word sabbath being ever taken in scripture for a day of ceremonial rest , as well as of spiritual rest and worship . 3. that christ himself hath continued a seventh day , but changed the seventh day to the first ; not as a sabbath , that is , a day of ceremonial rest , for he hath ended all sabbaths as shadows of things that were to come , even of rest which remained for the people of god , heb. 4. 9. col. 2. 16. and this is it which is incumbent upon us to prove , and i think i have fully proved already . 4. that having proved the thing done ( the positive law of the seventh day changed by the holy ghost to the first day ) it concerneth us not much to give the reasons of gods doings : but yet this reason may secondarily be observed : that god having made the whole frame of nature very good , did thereby make it the glass in which he was to be seen by man , and the book which he would have man chiefly study , for the knowledge of his maker and his will. but sin having introduced , disorder , confusion and a curse upon part of the creation for mans sake , god purposed at once , both to notifie to man , what he had done by sin , in bringing disorder and a curse upon the creature , and blotting the book of nature which he should have chiefly used , and also that it was his good pleasure to set up a clearer glass , even christ incarnate , in which man might see his makers face , in a representation suitable to our need ; not now as smileing upon an innocent man , nor as frowning on a guilty man , but as reconciled to redeemed man ; and to write a book in which his will should be more plainly read , than in the blotted book of nature : yea in which he that in the creature appeared most eminently in power , might now appear most eminently in love , even redeeming , reconciling , adopting , justifying and saving love. so that , though god did not change the day , till the person of the incarnate mediator , with his perfect last edition of the covenant , was exhibited , and set up as this clearer glass and book , yet then as the seasonable time of reformation ( heb. 9 , 10 , 11. ) he did it . to teach man that though still he must honour god as the creator , and know him in the glass and book of the creature , yet that must be now but his secondary study ; for he must primarily study god in christ ; where he is revealed in love , even most conspicuous , wonderous love. and how suitable this is to man after sin and cur●e and wrath , may thus evidently appear . 1. we were so dead in sin , and utterly deprived of the spiritual life , that the book of the creatures , was not a sufficient means of our reviving : but as we must have the quickning spirit of jesus the mediator , so we must have a suitable means for that spirit to work by : which that the cursed mortified creature is not , appeareth in the experience of the case of heathens 2. we were so dark in sin , that the creature was not a sufficient means of our illumination : but as we must have the illuminating spirit of jesus , so we must have a glass and book that was suited to that illuminating work . 3. we were so alienated from god , by enmity and malignity , and loss of love , that as it must be the spirit of jesus which must regenerate us unto love , so it must be a clearer demonstration of love than the creature maketh in its cursed state , which must be the fit means for the spirit to work by in the restitution of our love . where further note , 1. that love is holiness and happiness it self : and the operations of divine love are his perfective operations , and so fit for the last perfective act . 2. that man had many wayes fallen from love : as he had actually and habitually turned away his own heart from god ; and as he had fallen under gods wrath , and so lost those fullest emanations of gods love , which should cherish his own love to god ; and as he had forfeited the assistance of the spirit which should repair it ; and as he was fallen in love with the accursed creature , and lastly as he was under the curse or threatning himself , and the penalties begun ; it being impossible to humane nature , to love a god who we think will damn us , and feel doth punish us in order thereunto . so that nothing could be more suitable to lapsed man , or more perfective of the appearance and operations of god , than this demonstration of reconciling saving love , in our incarnate crucified , raised , glorified , interceding redeemer . all which sheweth that gods removal of the sanctified day from the seventh to the first of the week , and his preferring the commemoration of redemption , and our use of the glass and book of an incarnate saviour before that of the now accursed creature , is a work of the admirable wisdom of god , and exceeding suitable to the nature of the things . ii. now i come to consider of what you say against all this . you cite the numbers of many chapters and verses ( contrary to your grand principles , these divisions being humane inventions ; ) in all which there is nothing about the controversie in hand . the texts speak not of the decalogue only , but of the law , and of gods commandments , and christs commandments . now i must tell you before-hand , that i will take no mans word for the word of god , nor believe any thing that you say , god speaketh ; without proof . prove it , or it goeth for nothing with me . for as i know that adding to gods word is cursed , rev. 22. 18. as well as taking away ; so it i must once come to believe that god saith this or that without proof , i shall never know whom to believe : for twenty men may tell me twenty several tales , and say that god saith them all . i expect your proof then of one of these two assertions ( for which it is that you hold , no man can gather by your own words , or citations . ) 1. that all the law which was in being at christs incarnation , was confirmed and continued by him ( which yet i do not imagine you to hold ▪ 〈◊〉 all pauls epistles , and especially the ep. to the heb. do so fully plead against it . ) 2. or else that by the law in all those texts is meant all the decalogue , and the decalogue alone . the texts cited by you prove no more than what we hold as confidently as you : viz , 1. that all the law of nature , ( where the matter or nature of the things continue ) is continued by christ , and is his principal law. 2. that the decalogue as to that matter of it , is continued as it is the law of nature ( which is almost all that is in it , ) but not as the jewish law given by moses hands to the political body . 3. that the natural part of all the rest of moses law is continued as well as the decalogue . 4. that all moses law as well as the decalogue shall be fullfilled , and heaven and earth shall sooner pass away than one jot or tittle of it shall pass till it be fulfilled . 5. that the elements , shadows , predictions , preparations , &c. are all fulfilled by the coming of christ , and by a more perfect administration . for christ fulfilled all righteousness , mat. 3. 15. ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes put materially for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ) 6. that a change may be two waies made , 1. by destroying a thing . 2. by perfecting it . and that by the law in matth. 5. 17 , &c. christ meaneth , the whole body of gods law then in force to the jews , considered as one frame , consisting of natural and positive parts . of which he saith , that he came not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to dissolve , pull in pieces or destroy the law , as a licentious teacher , that would take off gods obligations , and leave the wills and lusts of men to a lawless liberty ( which was it that the pharises imputed to such as were against the law : ) but that he came to bring in a greater strictness , a righteousness not only exceeding that of his accusers , v. 20. but instead of destroying it , to perfect the law it self , that is , to bring in a perfecter administration and edition of the law. so that as generation turneth semen in suppositum , and so doth do away the seed , not by destroying it , but by changing it into a perfecter being ; and as paul saith , 1 cor. 13. 16 , 17 , 18. when that which is perfect is come , then that which is in part shall be done away ; when i was a child , i spake as a child , i understood ( or was affected ) as a child , i thought ( or reasoned ) as a child ; but when i became a man i put away childish things , &c. not that the child or his knowledge is destroyed , but perfected , and changed into better ; and yet many acts of his childish reasonings may cease ; and as he that would repair the temple to a greater glory , may take away the brass , and put gold instead of it , and so not change one pin of the temple by a destructive change but by a perfecting change , which ( to the frame ) is to edifie , and not to destroy ; even so christ professeth that he came not to gratifie the lusts of men , nor to destroy the law in the smallest point , but 1. himself to fulfill it in the very letter , and 2. to accomplish the shadows , predictions and types , by coming himself as the truth and end , which when they had attained they were fulfilled ; and 3. by a more perfect edition and spiritual administration , advancing the law to a higher degree of excellency ; by which not the law is said to be put away , or destroyed , but the imperfections or weaknesses of it to be done away . not but that all gods laws are perfect is to the time and subject which they are fitted to ; but not in comparison of the future time , and degrees to be added . it is a better testament that christ bringeth in ; heb. 7. 22 & 8. 6. established on better promises , and procured by better sacrifice , and bringing a better hope , heb. 8. 6. & 7. 19. and better things that are provided for us , that they without us should not be made perfect , heb. 11. 40. so that when moses law is considered as such , in that imperfect state , it is essentially or formally all done away ; but not materially , for it is done away but by changing it into a better testament and more perfect administration , which retaineth all that is natural in it , and addeth better positives suited to riper times . so that the law as denominated from the nobler natural part , and as signifying the whole law or systeme of precepts , then in force , is not destroyed , but perfected ; but the law as signifying that called jewish delivered by moses to that republick , as such , though part of the said systeme , yet is the imperfect part , and is taken down and is now no law , though it be not destroyed , but fulfilled , and turned into a more perfect testament and administration . now that by the law and commandments i am not to understand the decalogue only , in any of your cited texts , i thus prove . 1. from the notation of the name . the word [ law ] in its usual proper sense , doth signifie the whole , or other parts as well as that ; and not that one part only . therefore i must so take it , till you prove that in any text it hath a limited sense . else i shall turn gods universal or indefinite terms into particular , and pervert his word , by limiting by my own invention where god hath not limited . 2. because the common sense in which the jewes , ( against whom christ spake ) did take the word [ law ] was not for the decalogue only but for the pentateuch , or all moses law. and if christ speak to them , he is to be supposed to speak intelligibly , and therefore in their sense . 3. because christ in this very chapter , mat. 5. extendeth the sense further than the decalogue : as v. 17. he adjoynes the prophets equally with the law , which he came not to destroy . and thus he speaketh as the jews , who distributed the old testament into the law and prophets , when by the law they meant the pentateuch . now it is certain that all the prophesies that say [ the messiah is not yet come , but shall come , and be incarnate , and that shew the time and manner , ] &c. are not now true de futuro , as they then spake ; and yet they are not destroyed but fulfilled , and so cease as prophecies of things yet future . and so it is with the positives of moses law. 2. v. 18. he saith universaly , till all he fulfilled , and not the decalogue only . 3. v. 19. he extendeth it to the least command . 4. v. 20. he extendeth it to all the pharises righteousness , which was righteousness indeed . 5. v. 21. [ whosoever shall kill , shall be in danger of the judgement , ] hath the political penalty in it , above the bare sixth commandment . 6. v. 31. whosoever shall put away his wife , let him give her a writing of divorcement , is not the bare seventh commandment , but fetcht from deut. 24. 1. and this instance it self expoundeth , v. 17 , 18. for when christ had protested against destroying an iota or tittle of the law , yet he changeth this very law now cited by himself , so far as it indulgeth putting away ; so that it is hence evident that be meaneth not that he came not to make a perfective change , but that he came not to indulge licentiousness , and lust by a destructive change . luk. 16. 18. 1 cor. 7. 10. mat. 19. 9. so 7. v. 33. thou shalt not forswear thy self , &c. is fetcht from , lev. 19. 12 , &c. 8. v. 38. an eye for an eye , &c. is fetcht from exod. 21. 24. lev. 24. 20. deut. 19. 21. and not from the decalogue alone . 9. so v. 43. is from lev. 19. 18. and other places . 4. because in all pauls epistles , and commonly in all the new testament the word law is ordinarily , if not alwayes , taken more extensively than the decalogue : therefore to expound it for the decalogue only , is to contradict the constant use of the scripture , under pretense of expounding the scripture . if then by the law , be meant either the whole systeme of gods laws , natural and positive , or all moses law , or the pentateuch , then i may thus argue . it is most certain that much of this law of moses is ceased or abrogate . therefore it is certain , that it was none of christs meaning that he would abrogate none of that law which he speaketh of , or change it for a better . that all and every word of the decalogue is not of the dureable law of nature , i shall prove anon . that by the word [ law ] the scripture meaneth more than the meer decalogue these texts among others prove , exod. 13. 9. & 24. 12. deut. 1. 5. & 4. 8. & 17. 18 , 19. & 28. 61. & 29. 29. & 31. 9. 2 king. 17. 37. & 23. 〈◊〉 25. 2 chron. 31. 21. & 33. 18. & 34. 19. 〈◊〉 7. 6. & 14. 26. & 10. 3 neh. 8. 2 , 7 , 9 , 〈…〉 & 10. 29 & 13. 3. mal. 2. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9. 〈…〉 11. 13. & 12. 5. & 26. 36 , 40. 〈…〉 luk 2. 22. 27. joh. 1. 17 , 45. & 7 , 19. 23. ●1 . & 8. 5. & 10. 34. & 12. 34. & ●5 25 act. 6. 13. & 13. 15 , 39. & 15. 5 , 24. & 21. 20 , 28. & 22. 3 , 12. & 23. 3 , 29 & 〈◊〉 . 23. rom. 2. 12 , 13 , 14 , 17 , 18 , 20 , 23. & 3. 19 , 20 , 21 , 28 , 31. & 4. 13 , 14 , 15 , 16. & 5. 13. & 7. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. 5 , 6 , &c. and so to the end of the new testament ; which i need not f●rther number . 7. that the seventh day sabbath was kept by the lord jehovah christ during his life , ma●k . 1. 21. & 6. 2. luk. 4 31. & 6. 6. 1. 5. & 13. 10. mat. 12. 1 , 9. & 13. 1 , 2. and constantly , luk. 4. 16. 17. see christs counsel ▪ which was to come to pass about forty years after his death . mat. 24. 20. 7. 1. so christ was circumcised , and joyned in the synagogue worship , and held communion with the jewish church , and priesthood , and observed all the law of moses , never violating any part ; for he was made under the law to redeem them that were under the law , gal. 4. 4 , 5. do you think that all this is established for us ? 2. and his counsel , mat. 24. 20. had respect to the jews misery and not to their duty . he therefore foretelleth their destruction , because they would reject him and his law , in a perverse zeal for moses law ; and therefore intimateth that even moses should condemn them , and their misery should be increased by their zeal for his law ; for their city was taken on the sabbath day , which increased their calamity , who scrupled on that day to fight or fly . and can you think christ approved of that opinion , who had so oft before condemned the like , about their over rigid sabbatizing ? or as dr. hammond thinks , it is liker to be spoken of a sabbath year , when the war and famine would come together . however it be , it only supposeth their adherence to their law and sabbath , but justifieth it not at all : though yet the total and full abrogation of the jewish law , was not fully declared , till , at that time of the destruction of their city and temple , their policy more fully ceased . 8. that after jehovah had finished the work of redemption , joh. 19 30. his body rested in the grave , mat. 27. 66. and himself in heaven , luk. 23. 42 , 43. as he rested when he ended the work of creation , gen. 2. 2 , 4. 8. you again adde to the word of god : it is not said that he had finished the work of redemption . but only [ it is finished ] which seemeth to mean but that , 1. this was the last act of his life , in which he was actively to fulfill the law and offer himself a sacrifice for man ; 2. and in which all the law and prophets were fulfilled which foretold this sacrifice . for that it is not meant of the whole work of redemption as finished when he spoke those words , is evident , 1. because after those words he was to die ; 2. because his state in death and his burial were part of his humiliation as is implyed , 1 cor. 15. 4. joh. 17 7. rom. 6. 4. col. 2. 12. isa. 53. 9. 1 cor. 1● . 35. act. 2. 24. 1 cor. 15. 26. phil. 3. 10. 2 tim. 1. 10. heb. 2. 14 , 15. 3. because his resurrection was his victorious act , and a part of the work of mans redemption ; 4. and so is his intercession . for redemption is larger than humiliation or sacrifice for sin . as exod. 6 6. luk. 24. 21. rom. 3. 24. & 8. 23. 1 cor. 1. 30. eph. 1. 14. luk. 21. 28. it is the resurrection by which we are made righteous and receive our hope of life , and victory over death and satan , rom. 1. 4. phil. 3. 10 , 11. 1 pet. 1. 3. & 3. 21. rom. 4. 25. 2. the clean contrary therefore to your collection is true : viz. that god did indeed end the work of his creation on the sixth day , and rested in it , as finished on the seventh : but christ was so far from ending his on the sixth , and resting in it on the seventh , that on that day above all other he seemed conquered by men and by him that had the power of death , heb. 2. 14 and was held as captive by the grave , so that his disciples hopes did seem dead with him , luk. 24. 21. this state of death being not the least , if not the lowest part of his humiliation : whence came the churches article that he descended into hades . 3. i did more probably before prove from christs own words compared with his burial , a casting down of the seventh day sabbath , thus . that day on which the disciples are to fast , is not to be kept as a sabbath ( for that is a day of thanksgiving ) but on the day of christs burial , the disciples were to fast , ( that is , to walk heavily : ) which appeareth from mark. 2. 20. when the bridegroom is taken from them , then they shall fast . now though this meant not to command any one day for fasting , much less the whole time of his bodily absence , yet both the sense of the words themselves , and the interpretation of the event tell us , that as there was no day in which he was so sadly taken from them as that sabbath day , which almost broke their hearts and hopes , ( for the next day he was restored to them ) so there was no day in which they were so dejected , and unlike to the celebraters of a gospel day of joy , or sabbath . do you call the day of satans power , and triumph , and of the discples greatest fear and grief that ever befell them , the celebration of a sabbath rest ? it had indeed somewhat like an outward rest , but so as seemed plainly to burie in his grave the seventh day ceremonial sabbath . and from the reasons now pleaded it was that the western churches kept the seventh day as a fast. 9. whilest the lord jehovah christ rested , private believers rested according to the commandment , luk. 23. 55 , 56. mar. 15. 42. & 16. 1. compared . 9 a. they did indeed keep yet the jewish sabbath , till christs resurrection , and the coming down of the holy ghost : and so they did the rest of the jewish law. for they yet knew not that it was abrogated ; but must we do so too ? you may as well argue from their keeping the sabbath before christs death , as on that day when he was dead . the change of the day was made by degrees , by three several acts or means . 1. the resurrection of christ , was the founding act , which gave the cause of changing it ; like gods finishing his works of creation at first . 2. the inspiration of the holy ghost in the apostles doth teach them , and bring all things to their remembrance which christ commanded , and was the authorising means of the change : and the apostles actual settlement thereupon was the promulgation . 3. the gradual notification by the preachers to the churches , and finally the destruction of the jewish policie , and temple , and priesthood , were the fuller proclamation of it , and the way of bringing the change that was made by command into fuller execution . 10. the seventh day sabbath was observed by the apostles after the resurrection and ascension , act. 13. 14 , 15 , 16 , 42 , 44. & 16. 13 , 14. and constantly , act. 17. 2. ( the same greek phrase with that luk. 14. 16. for christ constant keeping the seventh day sabbath as before ) act. 18. 1 , 4. &c. 10 a. 1. but withal , in this time they stablished the lords day , as soon as ( on that day ) the holy ghost came down upon them . 2. so all that while they kept other parts of the jewish law : they scrupled , yea refused a while communion with the gentiles as act. 10. shews . they so carryed it to the jews that paul made it his defence , that he had not offended any thing at all , either against the law of the jews or against the temple , act. 25. 8. and when he circumcised tim●thy , purified himself , shaved his head , for his vow , &c. do you think that all these are duties to believers ? 3. none of the texts cited by you do prove that the apostles kept the sabbath at all as a sabbath , that is , a day on which it was their duty to rest ; but only that they preached on that day in the synagogues , and to the people ; for when should they preach to them but when they were congregated , and capable of hearing ? they took it for no sin to preach on the sabbath no more than i would do to preach christ on friday , which is their sabbath , to the turks , if they would hear me . but sabbatizing according to the law , was something else than preaching . 4. and it is most evident that for a long time the christian jews did still keep the law of moses : and that all that the apostles did against it then , was , but 1. to declare that christ was the end of the law , and so to declare the keeping of it to be unnecessary to salvation , but not unlawful , laying by the opinion of necessity . 2. that the gentile christians should not be brought to use it , because it was unnecessary . for the apostles act. 15. do not forbid it to the jews , but only to the gentiles , ( who were never under it . ) therefore the apostles who lived among the jews no doubt did so far comply with them to win them , as to keep the law externally , though not as a necessary thing , that is , not as a law in force obliging them , but as a thing yet lawful to further the gospel . and therefore no wonder if peter went so far as to withdraw from the gentiles when the jews were present , when even paul the apostle of the gentiles who speaketh so much more than all the rest against the law , doth yet as aforesaid circumcise timothy , shave his head , purifie himself , &c. and as he became all things to all men , so to the jews he became a jew . but when the jews policie and temple ceased , the change was executively yet further made , and the jewish christians themselves were weaned from their law. in the mean time paul and john , rev. 2. & 3. do openly rebuke the judaizing hereticks , the ebionites and cerinthians , and nicolaitans , and shew the perniciousness of their conceits . 11. the holy spirit calls the seventh day ( and no other day ) the sabbath , throughout the scriptures , before and after the death , resurrection and ascension of the lord jehovah christ , gen. 2. 2 , 3 , 4. exod. 20. 10 , &c. act. 13. 14 , 15 , 16 , 42 , 44. & 16. 13 , 14. & 17. 2. & 18. 1 , 4. 11. a. though it be not true that the seventh is called the sabbath , gen. 2. and though others deny the sufficiency of your enumeration , yet i grant your assertion as true . and therefore am satisfied that it is the seventh day which is put down , when sabbatizing was put down ; and that it could be none but the seventh day which paul meant , col. 2. 16. let no man judge you in mea●s , &c. and sabbaths which were shadows of things to come . for the first day is never called a sabbath as you truly say ; therefore it was not put down with the sabbath . see dr. youngs dies dom. on col. 2. 16. 12. the seventh day sabbath was prophaned by the church heretofore and reformed : neh. 10. 28 , 29 , 31. & 13. 15 , 17 , 18 , 22. see belg. annot. on dan. 7. 25 , &c. as prophesied who would change it . 12. this is all granted . sacrificing also was then prophaned and reformed , and polluted and destroyed by antiochus ; and yet we are not still under the obligation of sacrificing . we are not under the law , but under grace . chap. iii. whether the seventh day sabbath be part of the law of nature ; or only a positive law ? it is but few that i have any controversie with on this point : but yet one there is , who objecteth and argueth as followeth . god hath put this into nature , ex. 20. 10. thy stranger . deut. 5. 14. the three first chapters of romans . particularly chap. 2. 14 , 15 , 26 , 27. & 3. 9. 21. 1 cor. 11. 14. nature hath its teachings . the humane nature in the first adam was made and framed to the perfection of the ten words ; some notions whereof are still retained , even in the corrupt state of fallen man. gen. 1. 26 , 27. eccl. 7. 29. eph. 4. 20. col. 3. 10. the law of the seventh day sabbath was given before the ten words were proclaimed at sinai , exod. 16. 23. even from the creation . gen. 2. 2 , 3. given to adam in respect of his humane nature , and in him to all the world of humane creatures , gen. 1. 14. psalm 104. 19 lev. 10. 23. numb . 28. 2 , 9 , 10. 't is the 〈◊〉 word in the original . se● times of divine appointment f●r solemn asse●●●ing , and for gods instituted service are directed to and pointed at , by those great lights which the creator hath set up in the heavens , psal. 19. with rom. 10. 4 , 5 , 6 , 7. 8 , 18 , 19 , 20. deut. 30. 10 , 15. john 1. 9. every man hath a light and law of nature which he carrieth about him , and is born and bred together with him : these seeds of truth and light , though they will not justifie in the sight of god , and bring a soul throughly and safely h●me to glory , rom. 1. 20. yet there are even since adams fall , those reliques and dark letters of this holy law of the ten words , to preserve the memory of our first created dignity , and for some other ends , though these seeds are utterly corrupted now , titus 1. 15. natural reason will tell men , that seeing all men in all nations , do measure their time by weeks , and their weeks by seven dayes , they should ( besides what of their time they offer up as due to god every day ) give one whole day of every week to their maker , who hath allowed them so liberal a portion of time , wherein to provide for themselves and their families . there being no other proportion of time that can so well provide for the necessities of families , as six dayes of every week , and that is so well fitted to all functions , callings and employments . and the light of nature ( when cleared up ) will tell men , that all labour and motion being in order to rest , and rest being the perfection and end of labour , into which labour work and motion doth pass , that therefore the seventh day which is the last day in every week is the fittest and properest day for a religious rest unto the creator , for his worship , gen. 2. 1 , &c. exod. 20. 9. deut. 5. 13 , 14. heb. 4. 1. 11. exod. 31. 17. rom. 14. 13. exod. 23. 12. & 34. 21. answ. how far a day is of natural due , i have shewed before : in all the words of this reason ( which i set down as i received them ) there is much which is no matter of controversie betwen us ; as that there is a light and law of nature ( which few men doubt of , who are worthy to be called men ) and that by this law of nature god should be solemnly worshipped , and that at a set or separated time . i hope the reader will not expect that i weary him with examining the texts which prove this before it is denyed . but the thing denyed by us is , that the seventh day sabbath as the seventh , is of natural obligation . the proofs which are brought for this i must examine : for indeed this is the very hindge of all our controversie : for if this be once proved , we shall easily confess that it is not abrogate : for christ came not to abrogate any of the law of nature ( though as i have said , such particles of it may cease , whose matter ceaseth , by a change in nature it self . ) the first proof is exod. 20. 10. the stranger . to which i answer , our question is not whether the sabbath was to be rested on● by strangers that are among the jews , but , whether it was part of the law of nature ? if it be intended that [ whatever such strangers were bound to , was of the law of nature : but strangers were bound to keep the sabbath — ergo — ] i deny the major , which they offer not to prove : and i do more than deny it : i disprove it by the instances of ex●d . 12. 19. was eating leavened bread forbidden by the law of nature ? v. 48. 49. one law shall be to him that is home-born , and to the stranger that sojourneth among you : circumcision was not of the law of nature . lev. 16. 29. resting from all work on the tenth day of the seventh moneth , was not of the law of nature , though made also the strangers duty . so eating blood , and that which dyeth , or was torn , lev. 17. 12 , 15. so lev. 25. 6. numb . 15. 14 , 15 , 16 , 26. 29. & 19. 10. & 35. 15. deut. 31. 12. jos. 8. 33 , 34 , 35. & 20. 9 , &c. the next pretended proof is , rom. 2. 14 , &c. where there is not one syllable mentioning the decalogue as such , but only in general , the law , so far as it was written in the gentiles hearts . but where is it proved , that the law or the decalogue are words of the same signification , or extent ; any more , than the whole and a part are ? or where is it proved , that none of the rest of the law is written in nature , but the decalogue only ? or else that every word in the decalogue it self is part of the law of nature , ( which is the question . ) i shall prove the contrary anon : in the mean time , the bare numbring of chapters and verses is no proof . 3. it is next said , that [ adam was made and framed to the perfection of the ten words . ] answ. adam was made in the image of god , before the ten words were given in stone : but so much of them as is of the law of nature , and had matter existent in adams dayes , no doubt , was a law to him as well as it is to us . but that 's nothing to the question , whether all things in the ten words are of natural obligation ? 4. it is said , that the law of the seventh day sabbath was given before the ten words were preclaimed in sinai . answ. so was circumcision ; and so was sacrificing : yea , so was the law about the dressing of the garden of eden , and about the eating or not eating of the fruit thereof , even in innocency ; which yet were no parts of natures laws , but positives which now cease . 5. it is said , that it was given to adam in respect of his humane nature , and in him to all the world of humane creatures . answ. so was the covenant of works , or innocency , which yet is at an end . but what respect is it ( to his humane nature ) that you mean. if you suppose this proposition , [ whatever law is given with respect to humane nature , and to all men , is of natural and perpetual obligation ] i deny it . the law of s●crinces and oblations was given with respect to humane nature , that is , in order to its reparation , and it was given to mankind , and yet not of natural perpetual obligation . the law of distinguishing clean beasts from unclean , and the law against eating blood , were given to noah and to all mankind , with respect to humane nature . gen. 8. 20. & 9. 4. and yet not wholly of natural or perpetual obligation . all common laws have some respect to humane nature . but if your meaning be , that this law was given in and with the nature of man himself , or that it is founded in , and provable by the very essentials of mans nature , or any thing permanent , either in the nature of man , or the nature of the world , i still deny it , and call for your proof . positives may have respect to humane nature as obliged by them ; and yet not be written in humane nature , nor provable by any meer natural evidence . 6. it is said [ set times of divine appointment for solemn assembling , &c. are directed to by the great lights , &c. psal. 19. rom. 10 , &c. ] ans. but the question is not of set times in general ( that some there be ) but of this set time , the seventh day in particular . it will be long before you can f●tch any cogent evidence from the lights of heaven for it . nor do any of the texts cited mention any such thing , or any thing that can tempt a man into such an opinion . it must be the divine appointment and institution ( which you mention , ) that must prove our obligation to a particular day , and not any nature within us or without us . 7. the only appearance of a proof is at the end , that time being measured by weeks , and the end of the weeks being fittest for rest , therefore nature points us to the last day . answ. but 1. you do not at all prove , that nature teacheth all men to measure their time by weeks . 2. nor is your philosophy true , that all motion is in order to rest . indeed all labour is , that is , all the motion of any creature which is out of its proper place , and moveth towards it . but if you will call the action of active natures , such as our souls are , by the name of spiritual motion , or metaphysical motion , as many do , then no doubt but cessation is as contrary to their nature , as corporal motion is to the nature of a stone : and the rest , that is , the perfection , pleasure and felicity of spirits , consisteth in their greatest activity in good ; they rest not saying , holy , holy , &c. 3. you transfer the case from a day of worship to a day of rest. and so make your cause worse : because nature saith much for one stated day of worship ; but not for one stated day of rest from labour , further than the worship it self must have a vacancy from other things . for reason can prove no necessity to humane nature of resting a whole day , any more than for a due proportioning of rest unto labour every day . the rest of one hour in seven , is as much as the rest of one day in seven . or if some more additional conveniences may be found for dayes than hours , there being no convenience without its inconvenience , this will but shew us , that the law is well made when it is made , but not prove a priore that there is or must be such an universal law. as you can never prove , that nature teacheth men the distribution of time by weeks ( 1. it being a thing of tradition , custom and consent . 2. and no man naturally knoweth it , till others tell him of it . 3. and many nations do not so measure their time . 4. and no man can bring a natural reason to prove that it must be so , which they might do if it were a law of natural reason ) so also that every family , or countrey at least , should not have leave to vary their dayes of rest , according to diversity of riches and poverty , health and sickness , youth and age , peace and war , and other such cases , you cannot prove necessary by nature alone , though you may prove it well done when it is done . 4 you cannot prove the last day more necessary for rest , than the first , or any other . for there are few countreys , where wars , or some other necessities , have not constrained them sometimes to violate the sabbaths rest : which when they have done , it is as many dayes from the third day to the third , as from the seventh to the seventh . 5. if time were naturally measured by weeks , yet it followeth not , that rest must be so : some countreys are strong and can labour longer , and others tender and weak , and can labour less . 6. and seeing that the reason of a day for worshipping assemblies , is greater and more noble , than the reason of a day for bodily rest , nature will rather tell us , that god should have the first day , than the last ; a jove principium : as god was to have the first born , the first fruits , &c. 7. if we might frame laws for divine worship by such conceits of convenience , as this is of the last day in seven as fittest for rest , and call them all the laws of nature , what a multitude of additions would be made , and of how great diversity ? whilst every mans conceit went for reason , and reason for nature , and so we should have as many laws of nature , as there are diversities of conceits . and yet that there is such a thing as a law of nature in which all reason should agree , we doubt not . but having in vain expected your proof , that the seventh day sabbath is the law of nature , or of universal natural obligation , i shall briefly prove the negative ( that it is not ) 1. that which is of natural obligation may be proved by natural reason ( that is , by reason arguing from the nature of the thing ) to be a duty . but that the seventh day must be kept holy as a sabbath , cannot be proved from the nature of the thing . therefore it is not of natural obligation . he that will deny the minor , let him instance in his natural proof . 2. that is not an universal law of nature , which learned , godly men , and the greatest number of these , yea , almost all the world , know no such thing by , and confess they cannot prove by nature . but such is the seventh day sabbath — &c. it is not i alone that know nothing of any such law , nor am able by any natural evidence to prove it , but also all the divines and other christians that i am or ever was acquainted with : nay , i never knew one man that could say , that he either had such a law in his own nature ( unless some one did take his conceit for a law ) nor that he could shew such 3 law in natura rerum . and it is a strange law of nature , which is to be found in no ones nature , but perhaps twenty mens or very few in a whole age ; nor is discerned by all the rest of the world . if you say , that few understand nature or improve their reason : i answer 1. if it be such a law of nature as is obliterated in almost all mankind , it is a very great argument that nature being changed , the law is changed . how can that oblige which cannot be known ? 2. are not we men as well as you ? have not several ages had as great improvers of nature as you ? if grace must be the improver , are there , or have there been none as gracious ? if learning must be the improver , have there been none as learned ? if diligence or impartiality must be the improvers of nature , have there not been many as diligent , studious and impartial as your selves ? let all rational men judge which of these is the better argument , [ i and twenty men more in the world do discern in nature an universal obligation on mankind to keep the seventh day sabbath : therefore it is the law of nature . ] or [ the world of mankind , godly and ungodly , learned and unlearned , discern no such natural obligation , except you and the few of your mind : therefore it is no law of nature . ] 3. that is not like to be an universal law of nature , which no one man since the creation can be proved to have known and received as such by meer natural reasons without tradition . but no one man since the creation can be proved to have known and received the seventh day sabbath by meer natural reason without tradition : therefore it is not like to be an universal law of nature . if you know any man , name him and prove it ; for i never read or heard of such a man. 4. if the text mention it only as a positive institution , then it is not to be accounted a law of nature . but the text mentioneth it only as a positive institution — as is plain , gen. 2. 3. god blessed the seventh day and sanctified it , because that in it he had rested from all his work , &c. if it had been a law of nature , it had been made in nature , and the making of nature would have been the making of the law. but here are two arguments against that in the text. 1. blessing and sanctifying are positive acts of supernatural institution , superadded to the works of nature : they are not divine creating acts , but divine instituting acts . 2. that which is blessed and sanctified , because god rested in it from all his works , is not blessed and sanctified meerly by those works or that rest : and if neither the works of nature , nor the rest of god from those works did sanctifie it , then it is not of natural sanctification , and so not of natural obligation . 5. if the very reason of the day be not of natural , but of supernatural revelation , then the sanctification of the day is not of natural , but supernatural revelation and obligation . but the former is certain . for no man breathing ever did or can prove by nature , without supernatural revelation , that god made and finished his works in six dayes , and rested the seventh . aristotle had been like to have escaped his opinion of the worlds eternity , if he could have found out this by nature . 6. the distinction of weeks is not known by nature , to be any necessary measure of our time ; therefore much less , that the seventh day of the week must be a sabbath . the antecedent is sufficiently proved , in that no man can give a cogent reason for the necessity of such a measure . and because it hath been unknown to a great part of the world . the peruvians , mexicans , and many such others knew not the measure of weeks . and heylin noteth out of jos. scaliger de emend . temp. li. 3. & 4. and rossinus antiq. and dion , that neither the chaldees , the persians , greeks , nor romans did of old observe weeks ; and that the romans measured their times by eights , as the jews did by sevens . hist. sab. p. 1. ch. 4. p. 83 , 84. and p. 78. he citeth dr. bounds own words , p. 65. ed. 2. confessing the like , citing beroaldus for it as to the roman custom . yea , he asserteth that till near the time of dionys. exig . an . 500. they divided not their time into weeks as now . in which he must needs except the christians and consequently the ruling powers since constantine . and if they were so unsetled through the world in their measure by moneths , as bishop vsher at large openeth in his dissert . de macedonum & asianorum anno solari , ( see especially his ephemeris in the end , where all the dayes of each moneth are named without weeks ) the other will be no won-wonder . i conclude therefore 1. that one day in seven , rather than in six or eight , may be reason be discerned to be convenient when god hath so instituted it : but cannot by nature be known to be of natural universal obligation . 2. that this one day should be the seventh , no light of nature doth discover : therefore dr. bound , dr. ames , and the generality of the defenders of one day in seven against the anti-sabbatarians , do unanimously assert it to be of positive supernatural institution , and not any part of the law of nature : though stated dayes at a convenient distance is of the law of nature . chap. iv. whether every word in the decalogue be of the law of nature ? and of perpetual obligation ? and whether all that was of the law of nature was in the decalogue ? but the great argument to prove it the law of nature is , because it was part of the ten words written in stone . to which i say , that the decalogue is an excellent summary of the generals of the law of nature , as to the ends to which it was given ; but that , i. it hath more in it than the law of nature . ii. it hath less in it than the law of nature : and therefore was never intended for a meer or perfect transcript of the law of nature : but for a perfect general summary of so much of that law as god thought meet to give the jews by supernatural revelation , containing the chief heads of natures law ( lest they should not be clear enough in nature it self ) with the addition of something more . i. that the decalogue written in stone hath more than the law of nature , is proved 1. by these instances ; 1. that god brought them out of the land of egypt , and out the house of servants , and that he is to be worshipped in that relation , is none of the law of nature , universally so called . 2. that god is merciful ( and therefore reconciled ) to thousand generations of them that love him , notwithstanding mans natural state of sin and misery , and all mens actual sin , this is of supernatural grace , and not the law of meer nature . 3. the great difference between the wayes of justice and mercy , expressed by the third and fourth generation , compared to thousands , is more than the meer law of nature . 4. those divines who take all gods positive institutions of worship , to be contained in the affirmative part of the second commandment , must needs think that it containeth more than the law of nature ( though i say not as they ; but only that as a general law , it obligeth us to perform them , when another law hath instituted them . ) 5. to rest one day in seven is more than the law of nature . 6. to rest the seventh day rather than the sixth or first is more than the law of nature . 7. the strictness of the rest , to do no manner of work , is more than a law of nature . 8. that there be man servants , and maid servants , besides natural inferiours , is not of the primitive or universal law of nature . 9. the distinction of the israelites from strangers within their gates , was not by the law of nature . 10. that cattle should do no manner of work ( as for a dog to turn the spit in a wheel , or such like ) is more than a law of nature . 11. that god made heaven , and earth in six dayes and rested the seventh , is not of natural revelation . 12. that this was the reason wherefore god blessed the sabbath day aud hallowed it , is not of natural revelation . 13. some will say that more relations than natural being meant in the fifth commandment , maketh it more than a law of nature . 14. that the land of canaan is made their reward , is a positive respecting the israelites only . 15. that length of dayes in that land should be given by promise , is an act of grace , and not of nature only . 16. that this promise of length of dayes in that land , is made more to the honouring of superiours , than to the other commanded duties , is more than natural . 2. i prove it also by the abrogation of the law written in stone , which i proved before ; if the decalogue had been the only and perfect law of nature , it would not have been so far done away , as the apostle saith it is ( of which before . ) ii. all the law of nature was not in the tables of stone . here i premise these suppositions . 1. that a general law alone , obligeth not to all particulars , without a particular law. e. g. if the second command say , thou shalt perform all gods instituted worship : or , thou shalt worship me , as i appoint thee ? this bindeth no man to baptism , the lords supper , &c. till another law appoint them . therefore there is not so much in the general law alone , as is in that and the particular also . 2. all that is presupposed in a particular law , is not part of that law. 3. it is not so much to inferr a duty indirectly and by far fetcht consequences , as to command it directly . now i prove the assertion by instances . all these following are natural duties , and commanded also in other parts of scripture , and yet are not in the law of moses as written in stone . 1. to believe that the soul is immortal . 2. to believe that there is a heaven where we shall be perfectly blessed in the knowledge , love and fruition of god. 3. to believe that there is a hell , or life of future punishment for all the impenitent . 4. to love ourselves , with a just and necessary love , as such . 5. to take greatest care to save our souls , above our bodies . 6. to tame and mortifie all our fleshly lusts in order to our own salvation . 7. to deny all bodily pleasure , profit , honour , liberty and life , for the securing of our salvation . 8. to forbear all outward acts of gluttony , drunkenness , sloth , &c. as they tend to our own damnation . 9. to rejoice in persecution because of our great reward in heaven . 10. to pray constantly , and servently for heaven , as the means of our obtaining it . let none say that many of these same things are commanded in order to god , and our neighbour . for i grant that the same material acts be so ; as they are expressions of love to god and man : but to do them in love to our selves and for our own salvation , is another principle and end , not contrary to , but necessarily conjunct with the former two : and indeed all the duties of self-love as such are past by ( as supposed ) in moses decalogue ; because they are deeply written in mans nature , and because the law was written as political , for another use . obj. but these are all supposed in the first command of loving god , and in the second table , thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self . answ. 1. these last are not the words of the decalogue : but a part of the summary of all the law. 2. both tables indeed suppose the love of our selves , but that which is supposed , is not a part of them . obj. but it is the socinians that say the old testament speaketh of no reward or punishment but in this life . answ. true : but camero ( de tripl . faed . ) and others that rightly understand the matter affirm , that , 1. the law of nature containeth future rewards and punishments in another life , 2. and so doth the covenant of grace made with adam and all mankind in him , and renewed to noah , abraham and the israelites , which by paul is called the promise as distinct from the law. 3. but the law of moses in its own proper nature as such , was only political , and spake but of temporal rewards and punishments . 4. though yet all the faithful were bound to take the law and promise together , and so to have respect both to temporal and eternal things . for the law it self connoted and supposed things eternal as our great concernment . iii. there is more of the law of nature in other parts of moses law , conjunct with the decalogue , than is in the decalogue alone . i will stay no longer in the proof of this , than to cite the places as you do . exod. 23. 13 , 32. & 22. 18 , 20. lev. 20. 1 , 4 , 6. deut. 13. & 17. exod. 23. 24. deut. 12. & 23. lev. 24. & 23. 3. exod. 12. 16. deut. 23. 18. exod. 22. 28. & 23. 20. & 21. 15 , 17. lev. 19. 32. deut. 21. & 1. & 16. & 6. & 11. exod. 21. 12 , 13 , 18 , 20 , 22 , &c. & 22. 2 , 3. lev. 13. 14. & 17. deut. 21. exod. 22. 19. lev. 18. & 19. 29. & 20. deut. 22. exod. 21. 16 , 21 , 32 , 35. & 22. 1. 4. to 17. lev. 19. 30 , 35. deut. 24. & 29. 14. & 21. & 25. exod. 23. 1. to 9. deut. 23. & 24. lev. 19. 11 , 15. exod. 22. 21 , 22. & 25. & 26. & 23. 4. lev. 19. 14 , 16 , 18 , &c. by all this i shew you why , 1. i allow not of your making the word law in the new testament to signifie the decalogue only , or taking them for equipollent terms . 2. why i take not the decalogue and the law of nature , for equipollent termes , or their matter to be of the same extent : and consequently why i take it for no proof that all things in the decalogue are perpetual , because all things in the law of nature are so . chap. v. whether the truest antiquity be for the seventh day sabbath as kept by the churches of christ ? it is here further objected that the seventh day sabbath hath the truest testimonies of antiquity : that it is controvertible when and how the lords day came in ; but the antiquity of the seventh day sabbath is past controversie : that the eastern christians long observed it , and antichrist in the west did turn it into a fast : that the empire of abassia keepeth it to this day . answ. there is enough said of this before , were it not that some objectors causlesly look for more . i answer therefore , 1. that it is true that the sabbath is more ancient than the lords day ; and so is moses more ancient than christ incarnate , and his law than the gospel as delivered by christ and his apostles , and circumcision than baptism , and the passover than the lords supper ; and so every mans conception , nativity , infancie and ignorance was before his maturity and knowledge . and what can you gather from all this ? thus the papists say that their way of religion was in england before ours , and that the reliques of it in our monuments [ orate pro animabus , &c. ] is their standing witness , which we cannot totally deface : and its true , if by our way they mean the reformation of theirs as such : for the cure is ever after the disease : though its false if they speak of our religion it self ; which was here before their errours , as health is before sickness . but they should consider , that by this prerogative the heathens excell us both : and that they may say , you have yet many monuments of our more ancient religion , which you have not been able to obliterate : you still call your week dayes by our ancient names , sunday , munday , &c. your adoration towards the east was fetcht from us , and so were abundance of your customes : which we hope may recover the reputation of our religion . 2. i have shewed you already how and why the eastern christians kept the sabbath : 1. they kept it not as a sabbath , but only met on that day as they did on the fourth and the sixth dayes , ( wednesdayes and fridayes ) as it is used in england to this day . and for the most part they celebrated not the lords supper on that day . and they abhorred the keeping it as a day of rest. 2. they met on that day for all these reasons . 1. because having been used in the beginning to meet every day in the week ( when they had all things common , and were to shew the power of the evangelical doctrine to the height , act. 2. 44 , 45 , 46. & 4. 33 , 34 , 35. ) as they found cause to retrive their community , so did they to meet seldomer , and yet not so seldome as once a week : and therefore as we now keep other meetings for lectures and prayers , besides the lords day , so did they then on wednesdayes , fridayes , and saturdayes . 2. because the conversion of the jews was a great part of their work and hope : and therefore to win them , they would with paul become jews , that is , not affect an unnecessary distance , but come as neer them as lawfully they could . 3. because converted jews were no small part of the eastern churches : who could not easily be quite brought off from jewish customes ; and the rest were unwilling to offend them , being taught not to despise the weak that observed meats and days , rom. 14. & 15. gal. 2. 4. because the assemblies on the seventh day were taken as fit preparatories to the sanctifying of the lords day , on which account the church of england now appointeth them . these things one that is acquainted with church history needeth no proof of . and they are sufficiently proved before . ignatius words before cited are full . and those of the council of laodicea , can. 29. are more full , who do at once appoint meetings on the seventh day , and yet anathematize them that judaize thereon , by bodily rest ; and would have men labour on it , and preferr the lords day before it . justin martyr in his dialogue with trypho , doth largely shew that circumcision and the sabbath are ceased by the coming of christ , and his institutions , and are not now to be used by christians . and what writer have we of full reputation and credibility more ancient than justin , from whom any testimony in this case might be sought ? tertullian ( one of the next ) li. 2. against marcion saith , that the sabbath was for that time , and present occasion , or use , and not for perpetuity . athanasius was one that was for meeting on the sabbath : and yet writeth his book de sab. & circum . purposely to prove that the sabbath is ceased with circumcision as a shadow , and that now the lords day is the sanctified day . and the like he hath most expresly in homil. de semente , as is cited before , saying that , the master being come , the vsher was out of use ; and the sun being risen the lamps are darkened . basil ep. 74. writeth against apollinaris for holding that after the resurrection , we should keep sabbaths , and judaize● ; as if that were the perfection to which christ would restore men . see greg. nazianz. orat. 43. and chrysoft . hom. 19. in mat. 12. against the use of the sabbath . cyril . hieros . cat . 4. & epiphan . against the nazaraei , condemn them for keeping the sabbath and circumcision , though withal they kept the lords day . the same doth epiphanius li. 1. haer. 30. n● 2. and before him eusebius hist. li. 3. say of the ebionites . augustine oft telleth us , that the observation or keeping of the seventh day sabbath is ceased , and not to be done by christians . qu. ex . n. test. 69. ad bonif. l. 3. contr. faust. manich. li. 6. c. 4. de genes . ad lit . l. 4. c. 13. de spir . & lit . c. 14. de util . cred. c. 3. 3. and as for the abassians keeping the sabbath , it s true , they keep that day in some sort : but it is as true , that they use circumcision , and many other jewish ceremonies ; besides oft baptizings ; and that they profess not to use these as the jews do , but only as ancient customes , and as paul did while he complyed with them , using the outward action for other ends than judaizers do . and the rather because they think their emperours descended from solomon . but the lords day they keep on the same account as other christians . and if this instance make any thing for sabbatizing , it will make as much for circumcising , and other jewish rites , but nothing against the sanctifying of the lords day . 4. and as for the matter of fasting on the sabbath , the churches greatly varyed in their customes . the eastern churches , and millan in the west , were against fasting on the sabbath on two accounts , 1. because , as is said , they would not offend the jewes . even as many peaceable non-conformists , who are against many holy dayes now established , do yet forbear labouring and opening their shops on those dayes , because they will not give offence ; yea and go to hear the sermons on those dayes , though they keep them not holy as such dayes . 2. because there were many sorts of hereticks in those times , who held that the world was made by an evil god , and thence came evil , and so they fasted on the seventh day on that reason : which made the christians avoid it lest they should symbolize with those hereticks . and therefore the ( real or pretended ) ignatius speaketh so severely against fasting on the sabbath , as well as on the lords day . and so do the constitutions called the apostles ; yea and the canons called theirs , can. 65. but in the western churches , ( as is aforesaid ) both jews and hereticks were more distant , or less considerable for numbers ; and therefore they fasted on the seventh day , and that the rather lest they should seem by sabbatizing to judaize . which was before antichrists appearing , unless you think all the holy doctors before cited , and all the western churches to be antichristian . having gone thus far i here add two more scripture arguments to prove the abolition of the jewish sabbath . the first is because it is frequently made ( as circumcision is ) a sign of the particular covenant between god , and that nation as they were a political body , and peculiar people . therefore if their policy cease , and gods relation to them as a political body , and peculiar people , and so that political covenant with them , then also the signe of the covenant and relation ceaseth . and though the word [ for ever ] is sometime added , it is no other than is oft added also to the jewish law and ceremonies . 2. from act. 15. where the case is determined by a council of apostles , elders and brethren , yea by the holy ghost . v. 28. it appeareth by v. 24. that the thing asserted by the false teachers was , [ that the gentiles must be circumcised and keep the law ; that is , of moses ] v. 1. now the seventh day sabbath was part of that law ( as sacrificing was , though it was a law before . ) but the holy ghost determineth the case , [ to lay on them no greater burden than these necessary things , ] after named ; where the sabbath is none of them , and therefore hereby shut out . the precepts given to noah are named ( of which the sabbath was not one . ) obj. by this exposition you may say that the rest of the decalogue is excluded : for idolatry , murder , &c. are not here forbidden by name . answ. i have fully proved that the decalogue as written in stone , and part of the law or covenant of moses is not at all in force , especially to the gentiles , nor yet as part of the covenant ( or promise ) of works , made with adam in innocency : for the form of the promissory covenant of works ceased upon mans sin , and the promise of a saviour ; and the form of the mosaical law or covenant never reached to the gentile nations and is ceased to the jews : therefore the matter must cease as it constituted the same covenant , when the forme ceased : and paul saith expresly that this law written in stone is done away : but , 1. the law of nature as a meer law never ceased : 2. and christ hath taken it into his covenant , as part of the matter of it : so that it is wholly in force , though not as part of the covenant of works , either adamical or mosaical . but the sabbath as to the seventh day , was no part of the law of nature , as is proved : and paul expresly saith that it was a shadow of things to come , and is therefore vanished away , col. 2. 16. had it been part of the law of nature , it had bound us as such and as christs law : or had it been one of the enumerated particulars , act. 15. it had bound the neighbour gentiles , pro tempore at least . but being neither , that council dischargeth christians from the observation of it , as far as i can understand the text. finis . postscript . it is long since the foregoing treatise was promised to a person of honourable rank , who was enclined to the jewish sabbath ; but before it was finished , or well begun , i had a sight of a treatise on the same subject , by the late reverend worthy servant of christ mr. hughes of plimouth , which enclined me to take my promised work as unnecessary . but yet some reasons moved me to reassume it . near two moneths after it went from me to the press , the said treatise of mr. hughes first , and after another on the same subject by dr. i. owen came abroad . yet do i not reverse mine , because many witnesses in an age of enmity and neglect , can be no injury to a truth so serviceable to the cause of christianity , and the prosperity of the church , and the good of souls . though if i were one that took the churches prosperity to consist in the riches , grandeur , ease and domination of empire of papal pastors , rather than in the humble , holy , heavenly , self-denying imitation of a crucified christ , i would have forborn a subject which is all for our preparation for a heavenly sabbatism , and carrieth men above the sensual rest of fleshly men , and therefore is so much disrelished by them , rom. 8. 6 , 7 , 8. but supposing it my duty to do what i have done , i think meet to advertise the reader , that when several men treat of the same subject , though they speak the same things in the main , yet usually each of them bringeth some considerable light , which is omitted by the rest : and as the same spirit sets them all on work , so all together give suller evidence to the truth , than any one of them alone . and i hope the concourse of these three tractates doth prognosticate , that ( though the devil hath so contrived the business for the prophane , that like papists , they will hear and read none , but those that are not like to change them ; yet ) god will awaken the sober and serious believers of this age , to a more holy and fruitful improvement of his day ; which will greatly tend to the encrease of real godliness , and consequently to the recovery of the dying hopes of this apostatizing and divided age. but that which moveth me to write this postscript , is to acquaint thee , for the prevention of scandal by any seeming differences in our writings , 1. that it cannot be expected , that all who plead the same cause , should say just the same things for it , for matter and manner of argumentation . 2. that if i own the name sabbath less than some others , and adhere more to the name of the lords day , i do not thereby oppose the use of the name of sabbath absolutely ; nor is that in it self a controversie about the matter , but the name , which though not contemptible , yet is of far less moment than the thing . 3. that if i make not use of so many old testament texts as some others , i do not thereby deny the usefulness of them , nor call you off from the consideration of any argumentation or evidence thence offered you . 4. that if i seem to be more for the cessation of moses law than some others , even of that part which was written in stone , yet no part of the law of nature is thereby denyed by me any more than by any of them ; and they that are angry with me , for writing so much against the antinomians , should not also be angry with me for going no further from them , than the force of truth constraineth me . 5. that you must pardon me for my purposely avoiding the name of the [ moral law ] mr. cawdry and mr. palmer who have written most largely of the sabbath , have told you the reason . i love not such names , as are not fitted to the nature of things , but are fitted to signifie almost what the speaker pleaseth . i know no law which is not formally moral , as being regula actionum moralium . and men may if they will , as well confine the signification of the word [ law ] it self , as of a [ moral law ] nor doth use it self sufficiently notifie the distinguishing signification of it : for one meaneth by that name , all the law of nature as such . another meaneth only so much of the law of nature as is common to all mankind . another meaneth all positive laws of supernatural revelation , which are perpetual and universal , as well as the law of nature . therefore without finding fault with others , it sufficeth me to distinguish laws by such names as plainly signifie the intended difference . and though by the law of nature , i mean not formally the same thing that some others do , i have sufficiently opened my sense and the reasons of it , in my reasons of the christian religion . 6. that they who say , that the old covenant , or the covenant of works made by moses with the jews is abrogate or ceased , and the decalogue as a part of , or belonging to that covenant , do say the same thing that i do , when i maintain that the decalogue and whole law as mosaical is ceased , but that all the natural part is by christ assumed into his law or covenant of grace . for it is the same thing which is denominated the law ( of moses , or of christ ) from the preceptive part , and and a covenant from the terms , or sanction , especially the promissory part . nor is there any part of the law of moses , which was not a part of the mosaical covenant . and if the form cease which denominateth , the being and denomination ceaseeth , and all the parts as parts of that which ceaseth . so that if the covenant of works made with the jews cease ( which camero calleth a third or middle covenant , and several men do variously denominate , but the scripture calleth the old , or former covenant , or testament , or disposition ) then all the law as part of that covenant ceaseth : and that is as much as to say also that it ceaseth as meerly mosaical , or political to the jews . and then the argument is vain , this or that word was written in the tables of stone : therefore it is of perpetual obligation . for as it was written in stone , it was mosaical , and is done away ; and under the new covenant all that is natural and continued , shall by the spirit be written upon the heart ; whence sin at first did obliterate it . 7. that as the rest of god in the creation is described by a cessation from his work , with a complacency in the goodness of it : but christs rest is described more by vital activity and operation , than by cessation from work , even his triumphant resurrection as the conquest of death , and beginning of a new life : so i think the old sabbath is more described by such corporeal rest , or cessation from work , which was partly ceremonial , or a signifying shadow , and that the word sabbath is never used in the scripture , but for such a day of ceremonial rest ( though including holy worship ) . but that the lords day and its due observation is more described by spiritual activity and operation , in the spiritual resurrection of the soul , and its new life to god ; and that the bodily rest is no longer ceremonial or shadowy , but fitted to the promoting and subserving of the spiritual activity and complacency in god and holy exercises of the mind , as the body it self is to the service of the soul. 8. that i am not ignorant that many of the english divines long ago expound matth. 24. 20. of the christian sabbath , and col. 2. 16. as exclusive of the jewish weekly sabbath : but so do not most expositors , for which i think they give very good reasons , which i will not stand here to repeat . 9. that i intended not a full and elaborate treatise of the lords day , but a brief explication of that method of proof which i conceive most easie and convincing , and fittest for the use of doubting christians ; who are many of them lost in doubts in the multitude and obscurity of arguments from the old testament : when i think that the speedy and satisfactory dispatch of the controversie is best made by a plain proof of the institution of christ by the holy ghost in the apostles ; which i thought to have shewed in two or three sheets , but that the necessity of producing some evidence of the fact , and answering other mens objections , drew it out to greater length . and my method required me to say more of the practice of antiquity , than some other mens . but again , i must give notice that dr. t. ysoungs dies dominica is the book which i agree with in the method and middle way of determining this controversie , and which i take to be the strongest written of it : and that i omit most which he hath , as taking mine but as an appendix to his , and desire him that will write against mine , to answer both together , or else i shall suppose his work to be undone . errata . page 19 line 23 and 24 for there put the● . p 21 l 20 blo●t out ( of the conclusion ) p 30 l 10 for pentecost r passov●● . p 35 l. 4 r ( canon . council . trul. ) p 181 l 13 r george walker . and in my defence of the principles of love the errata being not gathered , the reader is desired part : 2. page 92 line 3 for the verb to read the word . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a26918-e1260 * * i speak only de facto , how the antients used these words . the doctrine of the sabbath wherein the first institution of the vveekly sabbath, with the time thereof, the nature of the law binding man to keep it, the true ground, and necessity of the first institution, and of the observation of it, on the severall day in the old testament, and also of the moving of it to the first day under the gospel, are laid open and proved out of the holy scriptures. also besides the speciall dueties necessarily required for the due sanctification thereof, those two profitable points are proved by demonstrations out of gods word. first, that the lord christ god and man, is the lord of the sabbath, on whom the sabbath was first founded...2. that the faithfull under the gospell are as necessarily bound to keep the weekly sabbath of the lords day... deliverd in divers sermons by george walker b. of divinity and pastor of st. iohn evangelists church in london. walker, george, 1581?-1651. 1638 approx. 434 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 84 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2005-10 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a14653 stc 24957 estc s103296 99839053 99839053 3449 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a14653) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 3449) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1224:01) the doctrine of the sabbath wherein the first institution of the vveekly sabbath, with the time thereof, the nature of the law binding man to keep it, the true ground, and necessity of the first institution, and of the observation of it, on the severall day in the old testament, and also of the moving of it to the first day under the gospel, are laid open and proved out of the holy scriptures. also besides the speciall dueties necessarily required for the due sanctification thereof, those two profitable points are proved by demonstrations out of gods word. first, that the lord christ god and man, is the lord of the sabbath, on whom the sabbath was first founded...2. that the faithfull under the gospell are as necessarily bound to keep the weekly sabbath of the lords day... deliverd in divers sermons by george walker b. of divinity and pastor of st. iohn evangelists church in london. walker, george, 1581?-1651. [2], 3-167, [1] p. [by richt right press], printed at amsterdam : in the yeare 1638. printer from stc. page 36 misnumbered 39. some print faded and show-through and some pages stained; pages 74, 77 and 92 marked. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng sabbath -early works to 1800. sunday -early works to 1800. 2004-11 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-01 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-02 emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread 2005-02 emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the doctrine of the sabbath . wherein the first institution of the vveekly sabbath , with the time thereof , the nature of the law binding man to keep it , the true grounds , and necessity of the first institution , and of the observation of it , on the severall day in the old testament , and also of the removing of it to the first day under the gospell , are laid open and proved out of the holy scriptures . also besides the speciall dueties necessarily required for the due sanctification thereof , these two profitable points are proved by demonstrations out of gods word . first , that the lord christ god and man , is the lord of the sabbath , on whom the sabbath was first founded , & by whom it was changed from the last to the first day of the weeke ; and is on that day unchangeably to be kept by all true christians , untill they come to the eternall rest in heaven , after the generall resurrection . 2. that the faithfull under the gospell are as necessarily bound to keep the weekly sabbath of the lords day , by vertue of the fourth commandement , as the fathers under the law were bound to keep the seventh day . delivered in divers sermons by george walker b. of divinity and pastor of st. iohn evangelists church in london . levit . 19.30 . ye shall keepe my sabbaths , and reverence my sanctuary : i am the lord. printed at amsterdam , in the yeare 1638. to the christian reader . the author of this treatise being much importuned , to publish his sermons concerning the sabbath ( preached in his owne parish-church to his owne flocke ) not onely by divers of his ch●istian hearers ; but also by others both preachers and godly people , who had heard by report the manner of his large handling and expounding of this text , did yeeld at length to their req●ests , and composed this treatise , which containes in it the whole summe and substance of the matter more largely delivered . the copie whereof written with his owne hand , he gave to be imparted from hand to hand , and transcribed by such as did d●sire to make use of it , for their owne satisfaction , and the inst●uction of their owne private families and christian friends . which comming to my hands , i thought fitt to publ●sh and impart i● to the engl●sh c●urches in those c●u●tries on this other sid● of the s●as ; being credibly informed , that the author ●s not unwill●ng to submite his doct●ine to the judgement of the true reformed church●s of ch●ist , acco●ding to that saying of the holie apostle , 1 cor. 14 . 3● . the spirits of the p●ophets are subject to the prophets . let those things which be●ein seeme most of all to savour of noveltie , be read without prejudice and sinister aff●ction , & weig●ed by the sh●kel of the sanctuarie , and i doubt not but such as are judicious , will ●i●de them to be auncient truths like pure old gold newlie brought to light out of the old treasu●e of the sacred scriptu●es , in which m●ny p●ofitable truths fitt for these last times remaine , yet to be more clearely revealed . which god w●ll undoubtedly bring to light , by such as d●gge deeper in those mines then others formerly have done , and labour to ●raw st●ll more waters of comfort out of those wells of salvation . to that god onely immortall , and infinit in goodnesse and wisedome , and to ●he wo●d of his grace i commend you , which is able to bui●d you up , and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified . the doctrine of the sabbath . gen. 2 : 2.3 . and on the seventh god ended his vvorke which he had made , and he rested the seventh day from all his wo●ke which he had made . 3. and god blessed the seventh day , and sanctified it , because in it he had rested from all his worke which god created and made . chap. 1. in the unfolding of this text , and handling of this maine and necessary point , i will observe the method and order which is most agreeable to the order of the words . first , from these words , ( and on the seventh day ) j will observe , and declare the time of the institution of the weekly sabba●h , even the very day wherin the first occasion was given for the sanctification of it , and god did first sanctifie it , and commaund that it should be kept holy secondly , i will shew the true ground and occasion of the institution of it , laid downe in the next words : god ende● his work which he had made , and he rested the seventh day from all his worke which he had made , and god bl●ssed the seventh day . thirdly , i will declare what is the blessing , and sanctifying of the seventh day , where i shall have occasion to speake of the law and commandement by which god seperated it from other naturall dayes to holy heavenly and supernaturall use . and of the dueties which that law requires at the hands of all gods people in all ages to the end of the world on the most blessed day of all the seven in every weeke , even the weekly sabbath-day . under these heades divers subordinate points will ●ffer themselves to be handled , and divers necessarie questions will come to be answered and explaned . first , concerning the time of the institution , there are severall opi●ions among learned writers of former and later times . first , some heathen writers , as iustine & tacitus , with others , have grossely and absurdly erred , as in the time , so also in the author and in the occasion of the institution , though they had perhaps read the the writings of moses ; yet it seemes they beleeved him not concerning the fi●st institution of it by god ; but finding the first expresse law , concerning the keeping of the sabbath given by moses at mount sina , written in tables of stone , and afterwards recorded in the the bookes of moses ; they make moses the first author of the sabb●th , and that upon this occasion , because wandring with the israelites out of egypt in the wildernesse , and finding no sustenance , but being forced to fast six dayes , at length comming to mount sina with the people , there found meate , and rested , and upon this occasion did appoint it to be keept weekly for a sabbath or day of rest . but all true christians , who beleeve the scriptures to be the sacred infallible vvord of god , being thereby better instructed , doe with one consent hold , confesse , and constantly teach , that god the lord iehovah , the onely true god , is the author and ordainer of the sabbath , and that he first ordained it upon the ground and occasion mentioned in this text , and expressed in the words of the law. but yet in the time they much d●ff●r among themselves ; some in the time of the first institution concurre with the infidell heathens before mentioned ; though they differ much concerning the author and the occasion ▪ for they hold that the sabbath was neither commaunded by god , nor knowne to the fathers and patriarches , nor observed by any before the comming of israel with moses to mount sina , and that the first inst●tution of it was in the fourth commaundement given by god among the ten from mount sina , both by word of mouth , in the audience of all israel , and also in tables of stone written with his owne finger . iustine martyr , tertullian , irenaeus , and others of the auncient , seeme to have given the occasion of this opinion , where they make it a question , whether adam , abel , noah , abraham , melchizedeck , or any of the holy fathers kept the seventh day for an holy sabbath , and affirme that abraham beleeved and was justified , and called the friend of god without circumcision or observation of sabbath ; for from their words , which are but doubtfull , some late writers , both * papists and protestants , doe goe about to prove that the sabbath was not instituted by god untill the giving of the law by moses on mount sina . and although the words of this text , written by moses , doe here plainely affirme the contrarie , and tell us that on the seventh day god ended his worke , rested and sanctified the seventh day ; yet thus they wrangle and wrest the text by a childish forged sense and meaning ; first , they grant the first words , that on the seventh day god ended his worke , and rested ; but they deny that he blessed and sanctified the sabbath on the same day , they say that here by way of anticipation , moses mentions the blessing and sanctifying of the sabbath , not as a thing at this time done ; but as a thing which was first done in the giving of the law on mount sina , many ages after , and that upon this ground which is here mentioned , to witt , his ending of his worke , and resting on the first seventh day of the world. and here moses his purpose was , to shew not the time , but the equitie of the institution ; not the beginning but the ground of that sabbath . the paraphrase of the text in their sense was thus : and on the seventh day god ended his worke , and rested ; and upon this ground he many ages after at mount sina instituted the seventh day to be kept by jsrael for an holy sabbath of rest . but though some men of learning , and divers out of effected errour and mal●ce stand for this opinion ; yet indeed there is no ground for it in the scriptures , but many plaine proofes to the contrarie . first , this text ( ●f we take the words as they runne ) shewes most manifestly , that on the seventh day , even th● next after the six dayes of the crea●ion , god ended or perfected his worke , and on that day he rest●d , and also blessed and sanct●fied it to be his sabbath . secondly , there is no c●l●ur of reason for any man to thinke , that god sh●uld lay the ground and foundation of the sabbath on the first seventh day of the world , and suffer it t● lye voide , and of no use , and never goe about to build on it till so many ages after , god cannot endure to doe any thing in vaine nor to suffer any thing to lye void , & to be of no use , which of it selfe is very useful . surely , as he loved & chos al the holy fathers from the begining , & promisd to them the eternal rest of heaven , wich they loked for , and sought in t●e everlasting citie , which hath sure foundations , and in the countrie above in the world to come . so he kept not back from them the outward sign● , seal● & pledg therof , his holy sabbath , wich was both a motive to make them bend t●eir whol cours towards that rest , & a meanes to further them in their way & jorney to it also . thirdly , the lords owne words which he spake from mount sina in the commaundement of the sabbath , are most cleare , and doe shew that god blessed and sanctified the sabbath in the beginning , on the first seventh day wherein he ended his wo●k and rested . for he doth not say , i the lord rested on the seventh day from works of creation , and therefore i now blesse and sanctifie every seventh day of every weeke hereafter . but the lord rested the seventh day , wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath , and sanctified it , that is then of old in the beginning when he rested , he blessed and sanctified it . fourthly , the sabbath-day was kept and observed by the israelites a moneth before they came to mount sina , exo. 16.25.26 . and moses and the people knew that the seventh day after that god began to raine manna from heaven , for to be their bread , was the lords sabbath , as his words doe plainely shew , and that the lord before that time hath by his word appointed it to be the rest of the holie sabbath . ve●s . 23. and the words of the lord to moses , when some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather manna , doe plainly shew , that god had before that time given them commaundements and lawes concerning the rest of the seventh day ; for in the 28. verse he saith : how long will ye refuse to keep my commaundements and lawes ? intimating that their going out on the seventh day was a refusing to k●ep his lawes , which of old he had given , and before this had revealed to them . for otherwise they could not be said to transgresse : lawes cannot be refused to be kept before they be given ; wherefore it is a vaine praetence and shift , which some use to decline this argument , viz. that the ceasing ●f the manna on the seventh day , and moses his admonishing of the people to rest that day , was but a praeludium of the fourth commandement , and a preparation to gods promulgation of it ; for the words of the text shew most plainely , that the intermission of manna was an evidence of the sabbath already sanctified by the commaundement of god ; the resting of the jsraelites was observing and obeying of the law already given , & the going out of some to gather manna on the seventh day , was refusing to keep gods law given in the first institution . now , for justine martyr , tertullian , jraeneus , their words doe not prove any thing for the maintaining of this opinion ; tertullian denyes onely the perpetuall moralitie of the law , concerning the iewish sabbath , and calls into question ▪ not the institution of it in the beginning , but the observation of it by the first fathers and patriarches . iustine martyr and j●aeneus say , that abraham was justified without circumcision and observation of sabbaths , that is , of the ceremoniall sabbaths commaunded by god in the ceremoniall lawes given by moses , not without observation of the weekly sabbath , as the word , zabbaton , of the plurall number which they use , doeth clearely declare : that the weekly sabba●h was instituted from the beginning , the best learned of the fathers affirme , as origen , hi●rome , austine , and others . and although the scriptures which briefly runne over the lives and acts of the fathers , make no expresse mention of their observation of the weekely sabbath ; yet we have divers places which minister very probable arguments for this purpose . in genesis , cap. 4.3 . it is said , that at the end of dayes , caine brought his offering to the lord , that is on the sabbath , which was the end of the weeke and the last of the dayes . the hebrew words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifie at the end of dayes , and howsoever they are taken to signifie in processe of time , by some learned translaters , yet in no other place of scripture doe i finde , that they signifie any other end of dayes , but of a certaine sett number of dayes , either of thirtie or for●ie , or many dayes ; or of the dayes of a whole yeare , as 2 sam. 14.26 . where it is said at the end of dayes , according to dayes , t●at is of every yeare . absalom polled his head . and 1 king. 17.7 . at the end of dayes , that is of a yeare ( ●s tremellius translates the words ) the brooke dried up . now , i see no reason why we sh●uld unde●st●nd by the end of dayes , the end of the yeare , that caine and abel did onely at the end of the yeare offer to god , or after a long time ; but that on every seventh day of the weeke , which is the weekely sabbath , they sacrificed to god ; undoubt●dly their father adam , who taught them to sacrifice ( which worsh●pp god first instituted on the seventh day ) he also taught them the day of gods holy worship even the sabbath which god had sanctified , and this was the end of the dayes of the weeke . also in the same fourth of genesis in the last verse , it is said , that when seths children began to increase , that then men began to call on the name of the lord ; that is as learned iunius well expounds the words , they began to assemble themselves together in publicke assemblies to pray unto god and worship him , even all seths seed who were gods people . and were called by the name of the lord , that is the children of god , as we see gen. 6.2 . now , as they had solemne and set meetings , so undoubtedly they had a set time , even every sabbath or seventh day , and set places or churches ; for without set time and place there can be no solemne invocation or worshipp in solemne assemblies , as common sense teacheth . and that noah when he came out of the arke began to observe the rest of the sabbath , and did offer a sacrifice of the rest that is of the holy sabbath , and that god was well pleased with it . me thinkes the hebrew words in the originall text teach very plainely ; for it is said , that god smelled a savour of the rest ; that is he accept●d it as a pleasing sabbath sacrifice , the hebrew emp●raticall and demonstrative particle here added to sett forth a speciall rest , implies so much . and the word which is in the hebrew , rest , is of the same note and originall with the word which exod. 20.11 . in the fourth commaundement is used to signifie gods resting on the seventh day . now , all these things well weighed and laid together doe shew that this opinion , though held by some learned men , is but a meere dreame and idle fancie . and indeed the very first words in which god gave the fourth commaundement , to wit , remember the sabbath day to keep it holy , are of themselves alone a sufficient argument to prove , that the lord did not in giving the law from mount sina first institute the sabbath day ; but onely did renew the memory of it , and of the first institution thereof by renewing and receiving his old commandement , by which he on the first seventh day of the world did sanctifie it . there is another opinion which divers both auncient and moderne christians do hold upon a better ground ; for they do gather & cōclude with one generall consent from the plaine words of this text , that god in the beginning immediatly after the creation ended , did give the law of the sabbath , and did blesse and sanctifie the seventh day of the first weeke of the world , and every seventh day of every weeke following , and commanded it to be kept an holy sabbath , in memory of his rest on the seventh day . but howsoever , they all agree in the generall ; yet in divers speciall and particular things they doe much differ . 1. some hold , that the law of the sabbath was given to man in the state of innocency , before his fall on the sixth day , and that it was written in mans heart , that he ought to keepe the seventh day holy ; and that if man had continued in his integrity , he would have kept the seventh day of every weeke an holy rest unto the lord his god. 2. others hold , that the sabbath was instituted not in the state of innocency , nor before mans fall , which happened towards the end of the sixth day ; but that on the seventh day when god rested from the worke of creation , he then did blesse & sanctifie that & every seventh day and appointed it to be a weekly sabbath , & the law by which he instituted the sabbath : was no other but such as was written in mans heart in the creat●ō , & that man by the instinct of nature would haue obeyed that law and kept the sabbath in the state of innocnecy , if he h●d stood & continued therein . 3 a third sort are of opinion , that the sabbath was instituted and the commandement for the keeping therof given in the state of innocency , and yet not till the seventh day : for they imagine that man stood more then one day , and did in his innocency keepe the sabbath , and if he had continued would haue alwaies kept it ; not by any instinct of nature or light of naturall reason created in him & moveing him so to do , but by a possitiue law and precept giuen by god : of the same nature and kinde with the commandement of abstaining from the tree of knowledge of good and euill . in all and euery of these opinions i finde some failling , and noe consent and perfect agreement with the word of god. first they all go too farre , and haue not one word in scripture to warrant their opinion : that adam in the state of innocency should and would haue kept every seventh day for an holy rest , & that god would haue required it at his hands . for all scriptures which mention the sabbath do speake of it as of an holy signe looking altogether towards christ and towards the state of grace and glory in him , and not towards the state of innocency . it is most certain that man in that state was perfect with naturall perfection , at all times equally disposed to obey god & to serue him , and to remember his creation and to honour his creatour . he needed no obseruation of any day to put him in minde of any thing which he had before known , & which god had revealed to him , his memorie was perfect , and he knew whatsoever was needfull for him to know or doe in that present state . and his will was every m●ment ready to doe wha●soever he knew to be right , hee needed no signe to ad●onish him of his duty , or to moue him to do it in due seas●n . he did not labour nor weary himselfe , every day was to him a da●e of delight and pleasure of rest and recreation , and in every creature which he did see or medle with , he did behold & take notice of the wisdome & goodnesse of god , in a word : his whole life was a constant & obedient seruice of god , and there was no inequality nor lesse worship of god in one then in another , for he fully serued god at all times : w●osoever denyes this must needs deny therein mans perfection & constant conformity to god in the state of innocency . for where one day is kept better then another , there is inequality , and noe constant vniformity in himselfe nor conformitie to gods will. in the second place , they who hold that the sabbath was first instituted after mans fall , & yet that it was writtē in mans heart in the state of innocency , and he then was bound to keepe it : they fall into many absurdities . first that a man was bound to keepe a sabbath before ever it was instituted . secōdly , that god did by his word & cōmādmēt teach má in vain that which he was fully taught alreadie & had writtē in his heart . thirdly , that god gaue to man a law in vaine after his fall when he knew he was become vnable to keep it . 3. they who hold that the law of the sabbath was not written in mans heart , but was a positiue law given in the state of innocency , of the same nature with that commandement of mans not eating of the tree of knowledge , they doe make this commandement of the sabbath vtterly voyd by mans fall , euen as that of not eating is now voyd , and was not to bee renued after mans fall . but of the vnsoundnesse and vanity of these opinions i shall speake more fully , when i come to shew what kind of law that of the sabbath is , and how that commandement bindes men . now because i cannot find any solidity , or satisfaction in any of these opinions , j haue left humane writings even of the best learned , and haue betaken my selfe wholy to the searching of the holy scriptures , gods most pure infallible w●rd , and what light j finde therein for the manifestation of the truth i will not hide nor cover , but set it before you openly . and for the time when god first instituted the sabbath , i conceive it to haue been not in the state of innocency , but after mans fal imediately , & yet upon the seventh day wherein god rested from the worke of the creation , as my text here sayth , and although this may seeme to crosse the order of the history as is here laid down by moses , because mans fall related a while after his sanctification of the sabbath , even in the third chapt. yet let this moue no man , for moses doth not set downe al thi●gs in order as they were done in this & the next chapter , but first he speaks of the finishing of heaven and earth , and all the host of them , and then of gods rest , and of the sanctifying of the seventh day , & then returnes to speak of thi●gs which were done before : as the planting of the garden in eden , which was a worke of the third day , and the making of the woman and forming her of a rib taken out of mans side , and mans naming of al living creatures before the woman was made , which things were done on the sixt day . also in this chapter the forming of the man is related before the planting of the garden and the watering of it with a river which was devided into foure heads , though it is most euident that before there was a man to till the ground , god made every plant & tree that was pleasant to the eye and good for food , to grow out of the ground , that is all the trees of the garden amongst the rest ver . 5 , wherefore we must not cleave strictly to the order in which moses sets things downe in this chapter , nor take all things to be first done which are here first related , for then wee should beleeve that plants , herbes , trees , man and woman were all created after that the workes of creation were finished , and after gods resting one the seventh day . but to passe by all needlesse doubts , let us come to the proofes of this point which proue strongly that gods institution of the sabbath was not in mans innocency but af●er his fall ▪ first , the very words of my text affirme that the sabbath was instituted on the seventh day , for first it is said in expresse words , that on the seventh day god rested & blessed & sanctified that day . secondly , the things which gaue god occation to sanctifie the seventh day ; & upon which the first institution of the sabbath was grounded came not to passe , neither were they in being vntill the seventh day , that is gods perfecting of the worke and resting from al he work which he had made : the words of the text are very plain on , or in the seven●h day god ended his worke and rested , and because of this resting he blessed and sanctified the seventh day , and therefore the sanctifying of the seventh day which was the institution of the sabbath , cannot be before the seventh day ; the building could not bee beefore their was ground to build on , neither could the worke goe before the cause and occation of it . thirdly , it is against all reason to thinke that god actually blessed and sanctified the seventh day , and made ●it his holy sabbath before it came into being . now this ground being very cleare , that the sabbath was instituted on the seuenth day from the beginning of the creatiō & not before . i proceed to a second ground , to weet : that man did fall towards the end of the sixt day , even on the same day in which he was created , which being fully proved , jt well necessarily follow that the fi●st institution of the sabbath was after mans fall and not in the state of innocency . first that man did fall vpon the very day of his creation the sixt day , i proue by plaine scriptures and by strong arguments grounded on them . the first testemony is that speech of david , psalme 49.12 . man beeing in honour lodged not a night therein , but became like the beasts that perish . soe the words runne in the originall text , & we cānot without wresting of the words from their proper sence in the hebrew , expound them of any other person but of the fir●t adam , & of his fall , the word which is in our translation ( man ) is adam in the hebrew , and the words which we read in our engglish ( abideth not ) bal-jalim , and in the hebrew signifie , lodged not a night therein : as appeareth by other scriptures , in which it is continually vsed to signifie lodging or tarrying for a night , viz. exod. 23.18 . & 34.25 . devt . 16. 4. where god forbids the israelites to let the fat of their sacrifice , or any part of the fl●sh of the paschall lambe : lodge with them all night till the morning . and 2 sam. 17.8 . where hushai saith to absalom of his father david , that he was a man of warre , and would not lodge with the people . and 2 sam. 19.8 . where joab saith to david , there will not one abide with thee one night . and psal. 30.5 . where it is said , that weeping may lodge for a night , but joy commeth in the morning . and soe in all other scriptures this word is vsed . and the learned hebrews who best know the propriety of the phrase : vnderstand this place of adam and of his falling on the day of his creation , and not continving one night in the honourable state of innocency· the second testimonie is that speach of our sauiour ioh. 8. 44. where he saith that the devill was a murtherer of mā & alier from the beg●nning & abode not in the truth . by the beginning is meant the first day of mans creation , & it is never absolutely vsed in any other sence but for the time of the first creation . now if the devill did lie & deceiue & murther mā by drawing him to sin frō the first day , of mās being , it follows that man did fall the sixt day , on which was the day of his creation . the third proofe is grounded on the words which passed between the woman & the serpent t ; he serpents speech implies that as yet they had not eaten of any tree , & that he set upō the woman immediately after that god had given them commandement not to eate of the tree of knowledg ; the words which he uset● ( y●a , or is it even soe ) they are a forme of speech vsed by one that standing aloofe and ouer hearing what was forbidden , doth immediatelie step in and askes the party to whom the commandement was given if it were even soe as he conceived . and the womans answ●r is in such a word as is of ●he future tence in hebrew , and signifies not an act past or present , but a power & liberty to eate heereafter when they sh●uld haue occation , and the true translation of her words is : we may or will hereafter eate of the fruite of the trees of the garden . alsoe it is very likely that if they had eaten of the fruite of any tree of their owne accord before their temptation & fall , their reason will , and appetite would haue led them to the tree of life , which was neere at hand even in the midest of the garden close by the forbidden tree ver. 9. the very name wher●of was amiable , and vnto which the naturall desire of man did of it selfe cheifly carry him , as gods words do intimate chapt. 3.2 . but that they had not yet re●ched forth their hands to take and eate of that tree , that speech of god shews chap. 3.23 . wher he saith that he wil cast adam out of the garden . least hee put forth his h●nd and ●ake and eate of the tree of life , which was the state of naturall life ; now this had beene too late if they had alreadie before eaten of it . fourthly , soe soone as god had created the woman , and given her to the man , he gaue them the blessing of fruitfulnesse , and the desire of procreation of children which is most naturall to man , & he did bid them increase and multiply , soe we reade chapt. 1.28 . & vndoubtedly they would not haue neglected the blessing of multiplying and increasing mankind , but if they had continued in their integrity one night , the woman by companying with the man would haue conceiued a pure seed without sinne , for there was no barrennesse of the wombe in innocency , that came in as a curse after the fall . chapt , 3.16 . f●ftly , the v●rity of god threatening , and the strictness●●f his justice required that in the same day w●erein man sinned , in the same should the sentence of death , bee executed , the words of the law are very peremtory ver . 17. in the day that thou ea●st thou shalt surely dye . which sentence was fully and truly execu●ed , though not on adam himselfe , yet on christ the second adam mans surety . the fi●st adam all his posterity are the same day made subject to death , wherein they act or pertake actually of this transgression , & christ the secōd adam who vndertooke to satisfie the law for this sinne and to suffer the punishment due to it and all sin w●ich spring f●ō this root , did certainly dy on the same day , & at the same houre of the day in which the first adam transgressed , so irenaeus & divers of the ancients & other acute writers do hold , & they well observe , that on the sixt day of the weeke on which day adam was created and after the ninth houre of that day , that is in the afternoone and to●ards the end of the day christ suffered both a cursed bodily death on the crosse , and also the agonies and paynes of t●e second death , as he sheweth by his crying out my god , my god , why hast thou fo●saken mee . and by his word consummatum est , that is the fulnesse and vtmost extremity of torments is come , or now is the utmost ex●remity of my paynfull suffering . and therefore it is very probable and cannot without scornefull wrangling be denied , that adams fall was about the same time of the sixt day , which doth make good the word of god and shew the verity of his threatning law , and his admirable wisdome and providence in thinking of man● redemption before he would suffer man to fall . sixtly if adam had stood any while , even one daie or night or more vntill he had eaten of the tree of life , which seemes to be aseale of the first couenant of life by workes of natural righteousnes , it is likely that he could not haue falne , nor the devill been suffered to tempt him , or if after the tast of the sweetnes of the tree of life , and the sealing of the couenant of life by his owne workes of obedience , he had fallen : surelie his fall had been more desperate , even totall and finall apostacy : for which god alloweth no sacrifice to be offered nor prayer to be made , & from which there is no recoverie nor renueing by repentance . the devill being created with the angells amongst the supernaturall host on the first day , and having seene the glory of god and tasted of the heavenly joys all the sixt dayes of the creation vntill man was created and all the frame of the world finished , and lordship given to man over all inferiour creatures , he then after this tast falling away and not abiding in the tru●h but leaving his first estate , did sin more disperately & rebelliously against the light , and his sinne is so hatefull to god , that hee will not accept of any satisfaction for it , neither could the sonne of god under take for him . but mans fall being at the first before he had tasted of the tree of life & the full sweetnesse & fruision of earthly fellicity , and springing not originally from himselfe , but from the devill who deceived him , therefore there is mercy with god for him , gods giving of christ , and christs vndertaking for man , is an argument that adam did fall in the day of his creation before he had tasted of the tree of life , and that he was made , ma●d , formed and deformed in one day , as the greeke writers speake . lastly , it seems by divers other reasons very probable , that man did fall on the sixt day before he had eaten of the tree of life , which if he had beene left to himselfe , and if he had not beene prevented and seduced by the devill he would haue done . first because the covenant of life by mans owne workes of obedience , being sealed by his eating of that tree which was the seale of that covenant : as appeares by gods speech gen. 3.23 . man had beene confirmed in that naturall life & estate wherein god created him , and the devill could haue had no power either to seduce him or to prevaile by his temptations . secondly the things which adam did after his creation and before his fall : could not be done orderly and distinctly in lesse then a good part of a day . first god brought all living creatures before him , and hee tooke notice of them and gaue to every kinde of creature fitt names , before the woman was made , as appeares ver . 20. then god cast him into a deep sleep and tooke one of his ribs , and formed it into a woman and brought her to him . after that god gaue them the blessing of fruitfulnesse , and said be fruitfull and multiply , he also gaue them rule and dominion over all creatures , and appointed them all trees bearing fruit , and hearbes bearing seed for their meat , and set man to keep and dresse the garden , and withall hee gaue them the commandement to abstain from the tree of knowledge of good & evill , before they were tempted & drawne into sinne & transgression . therefore their fall must needes be towards the end of the day , after the ninth houre , at the same time of the day in which christ sufferd death and gaue vp the ghost : as the gospell shewes math. 27.46 . and soe the day and houre of mans first sinne , was the daie and houre of death for sinne according to gods threatning ver . 17. thirdly after their fall & the sight of their nakednesse , they sewed fig leaues together & made them aprones , & by this time we may suppose that the sunne did set & the coole of the day approached , even the breathing winde which cōmonly blowes af●er the setting of the sun & did blow in the night of the seuenth day , at which time they heard gods voice walking in the garden , which was tirrible vnto them , partly by reason of the darknes of the night , and partly through the conscience of their sinne , and the shame of nakednesse which sin brought vpon them , & hereupon they hid themselues frō gods presence among the trees of the garden , which shelter was too vaine & foolish no way able to hide them frō gods pure eyes . therefore certainly they did sinne and fall towards the end of the sixt day in which they were created . and justly might adam haue cursed the day of his creation , if christ had not immediatly betimes on the seventh day been promised , and had not actually and openly vndertaken to become the seed of the woman , and began to be an actuall mediatour for mans redemption . and thus i haue by the help & light of scriptures made it plaine and manifest , that mans first sinne and fall was on the sixt daie . and that the first institution of the sabbath being vpon the seventh day , must needs be after mans fall and not in the state of innocency . chap. 2. now this proving & demōstrating of the first point in my text , ●o weet : the time of the first institutiō of the sabbath , doth lead vs directly as it were by the hand vnto the second maine point , that is , the ground upon which the sabbath was founded , and the true outward moving cause and occation of the first institution of it . first we may hence collect that the ground of the sabbath is not any thing revealed or done on the sixe daies of the creation , & therfore there was no vse of the sabbath nor place for it in the state of innocency , neither is it a commemoratiō of any thing then brought into beeing , but rather of gods resting from creation and ceasing to proceed further in perfecting the world by way of creation . secondly , that the true ground must bee sought and found among the things which came to passe on the seventh day , and after the state of innocency which ended at mans transgration and fall , now this we will seeke in the next words of the text . the ground of the sabbath . and on the seuenth day god ended his worke which he had made , and on the seuenth day god rested frō all his workes which he had made , and god blessed the seuenth day . in these words we may obserue three distinct things concurring on the seventh day . first gods ending or perfecting of the whole worke or busines of the creation . secondly gods resting from that worke and ceasing to proceed that way , and ●iving over to vphold the world & to repaire man & other creatures ( which were ●rought vnder corruptiō & through his fall made subject to vanity ) by the meer worke of creation . thirdly gods blessing the seventh daie by revealling therein agreat blessing , farre a boue all the good which he shewed in the sixt daies of ●he creation . that these are the true grounds of the sabbath , and that god because of these concurring & comming together on the seventh day , did sanctifie it & made it an holy sabbath , to be kept by man for an holy rest , the words following immediately do shew where it is said god did sanctifie the seventh day , because in it he rested from all his worke of creation , and from dealing & doing that way . these three points , i will therefore proue and explaine out of rhe words of the text in there order . first for gods ending or perfecting of his workes which he had made , that is , expressed in the first words . [ god ended his workes which he had made . ] the words in the originall hebrew text are these ; vaiecal elchim melacht● asher gnassah , which are diuersly translated and expounded by the learned translaters and expositers of this text . the uulger latine runnes thus : cumpleuitque d●us opus suum quod fecerat . that is , god finished his worke which he had made , or god made his worke compleat on the seventh day , the greeke septuagints render the words thus . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that is , god perfected his worke on t●e sixt day . the caldee paraphraseth thus . on the seventh day god delighted in his worke which h● had made . trem●llious & junious and many other learned expositers do reade the words thus : that before the seventh day god had ended his worke , & had finished it on the se●enth day that is , when the seventh day come he had ended the creation . the words thus diversly translated seemes to haue severall meaning and may bee taken in divers and severall sences . the uulger latine which is all one with our english translation seems , to make this the sence of the words . that on the seventh day god made an end of his worke , which till then was not fully finished , and that in memory and for joy of the finishing of his worke and makeing it fully compleat on the seventh day , he sanctifyed that day to be his holy sabbath . the caldee paraphrase seemes to make the joy & delight which god tooke in viewing all the worke of creation on the seventh day , to be a ground & cause of gods sanctifying that day for his sabbath tremellius and the learned who agree with him , seeme to hold that god had before on the sixt day ended all the works of the creation . and all being finished when the seventh day came , that was the only day of the weeke in which god had no worke left to be finished , nor any thing to make , and therefore he made this his holy day and day of rest . this also seemes to be the meaning of the greeke septuagints , who for this purpose haue changed the hebrew text , and instead of the seventh day , put in the sixt day for the ending of the weeke , and the seventh day they make the day onely of gods resting . now of all these translations taken in these uulgar sences , there is not any on which can give full satisfaction and remove all doubts and scruples : yea if we receive and grant them all , some difficulties will still remayne ; a●d therefore , for the removing of all doubts & full manifestation of the truth , i will endeavour to search and diue fur●her into the words of the originall hebrew text , and to finde out a further sence and meaning ; by comparing them with other scriptures which giue more light unto them , and in so doing j will make use of these severall traslations & sences , to gather some light and strength from them , and from the difference which is among them for the more full manifestation of the truth which i shall commend vnto you . first for the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translalated , ended , perfected , finished , it signifies in the first and most proper and full sence , to bring a thing to the full end of it , soe that now it hath al which belongs to it in any kinde . some times it is vsed in scripture to signifie the beginning of a thing to the last end of it , either by consuming of it , and bringing it to an ●nd of beeing & well beeing which it had before iob. 4.9 . by the breath of gods nostrills the wicked are sayd to be consumed , & isa. 1.25 . or by ceasing to continue it if it be a trans●et action or speech : as gen. 17.22 . god ended his speech or talke with abraham , that is : ceased to continue it , and exod. 34.33 . & 1 sam. 10.13 . & 2 sam. 6.18 . 1 king. 7 40. where mention is made of moses his ceasing to speake , of saulls making an end of prophicieing , and d●vid of offering sacrifice , & hiram of his working . this sence is in no case to be admitted . first because god consumed not the workes which he had made before , neither did god bring his working and making of creatures to an end by ceasing to continue it , for that was the sixt day when he had made the woman the last creature which h● made , then hee ceased from his working and brought it to an end . secondly because consuming and destroying of creatures , can be noe good ground of blessing and sanctifying the daie and time in which it is done . some times this word is vsed to signifie the bringing of a thing to the full end of perfection , either by adding to the last & vtmost thing which belongs to the nature , kinde and beeing of it , soe that now it wants no perfection which it ought to haue in that kinde , thus the word is vsed 2 chro. 7.11 . wher it is said that salomon finished the house of the lord , & exod. 40.33 . moses finished all the work of the tabernacle . or else by adding to it more then naturally belongs to it : even some supernaturll and extraordinary perfection , thus the word is vsed ezech. 16.14 . where it is said that god made jerusalem perfect by his beauty which he put vpon his people whom he placed to dwell therein : even david and other holy men whom he beautified with supernaturall & saving guifts & graces . in this last sence i conceiue the word to be especially here vsed . for it is most certain that god brought al things to the full end & natural perfection on the sixt day when he created man and woman , and gaue them rule & dominion over all living creatures , and appointed all things which he had made to serue for their vse , and soe much the last words of the first chap. shew , where it is said : god saw euery thing which he had made , & behold it was very good , & this was before the end of the sixt day . and therfore that giving of full naturall beeing and perfection cannot be this which is here said to be on the seventh day . if we should here vnderstand that perfecting and finishing of the work ; we must either with the 70 greek translatours corrupt the text , and for the seventh put the sixt day ; or else with tremelius and others , straine the plaine words of the text , and make this the sence of them ; in the seventh day ( that is before the seventh day ) god ended , that is : god had ended his work & already finished it before , to weet : on the sixt day ; which being granted ▪ it will herevpon follow , either that this perfecting of gods work is no ground of the sabbath at all , or else that the sixt should rather be the sabbath , because it was the day and time in which god brought the created worke to perfection . but here in the originall text , the hebrew words are beiem hashebingi . in the seventh day , that is within the compasse of that day god perfected his worke which he had before made and created on the six dayes , and therefore i doe verily conceive and beleeve , and dare be bold to affirme for a certaine truth , that on the seventh day , god gave to the which he had before made very good and perfect , with naturall & mutable perfection , ( & which the devill by mans fall had marred and defaced ) now another second and greater , even supernaturall perfection by promising christ the blessed seed of the woman for the restauration of the work defaced , and by christ his vndertaking not only to redeeme us from all evills which entered in by mans sinne , & from that mutability of estate in which we were all created : but also to exalt us to a farre more excellent state and condition , even to the state of immutable grace here ; & of eternall life a●d glory in the sight and fruition of god in heaven hereafter in the world to come . that adam did sinne and fall on the sixth day which we call fryday , & in all liklihoode towards the evening about the same houre in which christ dyed on the crosse to redeeme vs from that sinne and all sinnes which therby entered into the world , i haue proved before . that after mans fall and discouerie of his nakednes , and sowing of figge leaues together for aprons , gods voyce was heard walking in the garden in the coole of the day , that is , after the sunne was gone down & the seventh day begunne , & that adam hid himselfe the words of the text affirme plainly in the third chapter . also that after the conventing examining and arraigning of the man & the woman , and cursing of the serpent , and also of the earth ; & passing sentence of punishment on the persons of the man and woman to weet : sorrowes & labours in this life , & in the end thereof bodily death and returning to durst , god for a comfo●table remedie of all these evils , promised christ to redeme man kinde from them all and to purchase for them eternall life and glory , the history as it in the same third chapter laid downe shewes most clearly , and i do verily beleeve that all reasonable men , especially all true christians , will most freely confesse and willingly grant : that christ in the day wherein hee was first promised , and did actually undertake to redeeme the world , brought in a greater perfection vnto the worke of creation , or the things created , then they had befor given to them on the six dayes in there creation , to weer : supernaturall grace ; and heauenly and spirituall gifts of holinesse , which exalt man to astate immutable and eternall . now seeing it is a truth most manifest , that in the seventh day ( god the father promising the blessed seed christ to destroy the workes , and to breake the head and power of the d●vill the old serpent , and the sonne of god actually vndertaking mans redemption , and beginning to mediate for man : and god the holy-ghost inspiring by the promise and through christ grace and faith into both the man & the woman to beleeue that out of her who was the instrument of death to man ; should christ spring , who is the life and light of men , and so shee should become , chavab , that is : the living one , or mother of all living ) there was a supernaturall perfection brought into the world . and god brought his worke which hee made to a better estate , and shewed a further end of things created . surely it should be too much perverstnes in us , and too grosse resisting of our owne reason , guided by the text it selfe . if wee should d●ny or refuse to beleeue , that this perfecting of gods worke is here meant in this place , and is the true ground of blessing the seventh day to be the lords holy sabbath . and thus j hope i haue fully discovered the true sence & meaning of the first words , & shewed how we are to vnderstand this which is here said , to weet : and on the seventh day god ended or perfected his w●rke , j proceed to the next words , and on the seventh day god rested from all his worke which he had m●de , to which i ●dde the repetition of the same w●rds with some addition in the later end of the third ver . namely that he rested from all the worke which he created , even from making any more , so the words in the hebrew do runne . now for the word rested , it is in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shabath of which the name of the sabbath is derived , and it doth not signifie a resting of god for to refresh himselfe : as being weary , nor resting from all working absolutly and simply , but ceasing from making any more kindes of creatures : for god doth alwaies as a provident lord and father work in the continuall generatiō of particular creatures ; & in multiplying , preserving , ordering , and disposing of them , as our saviour shewes iohn 5.17 . here therefore we are to vnderstand , that on the first sixt dayes the lord shewed his good will and pleasure in making every thing very good and perfect , with naturall perfection . so in the seventh day hee rested wholy fro making any new kinde of creature by way of former creation : and man being fallen and hauing brought confusion into the world , and corruption and vanity vpon the creatures , christ is promised and actually vndertakes and begins to enterceede for man , and to be his redeemer and saviour , and by this meanes god may bee sayd to rest divers wayes . first whereas the rigour of justice required that man should dye and perish in the same day wherein hee sinned , and the creatures made for his vse should together with him be distroyd , & so should god haue bin busied in executiō of justice & destroying his former work , & in making a new world of creatures : the eternall word the sonne of god vndertooke mans redemtion , brings rest to god by that meanes from destroying the former and making a new or second worke of creation , which is truely called resting from all the worke which he had made . secondly the naturall estate and b●st being and perfection which man and other creatures had by creation , shewing it selfe mutable by mans fall so appearing , if god should haue proceeded and gone on in the same manner of working as he had done in the sixt dayes of the creation , there should haue been no rest nor end of his work of making & remaking . but christ vndertooke the worke of redemption and as an alsufficient saviour to perfect for ever them that are sanctified by the cōmuniō of his spirit & spiritual & supernaturall grace , & to renue them after his heavenly image of true & vncha●gable holines , doth this way bring rest to god f●ō the work or busines of creation , & sets on foot a new & more admirable work in which god resteth , and on which he taketh much delight , and by which his creatures are reconciled , and made pleasing and acceptable to him . thirdly christ who was promised to become the seed of the woman for mans redemption , b●ing the eternall wisdome and mighty word of god , and able to beare vp the pallace of the earth , when it and all the whole tents thereof were disolued , and the first foundations thereof were out of course , as the psalmist speakes psal. 5.3 . & 82 5.8 . god doth justly settle his rest on him and commits to him the ruling , governing , and judging of the world , as he is medidiatour and the sonne of man. so our saviour himselfe affirmes iohn 5.22.27 . now that on the seventh day god did not barely rest from his worke of creating and making creatures ; but also that in and by christ promised on that day , hee found rest and rested the sever●ll wayes before named , the holy scriptures and also common reason doe plainly shew . first a bare resting from creation and not working is not a matter of such moment & benefit , that it should be the ground of blessing and sanctifying of one day in seven every week to the solemne memory of it . holy dayes and feasts mentioned in the scriptures haue alwaies beene appointed by god , and set apart for the commemoration of some great extraordinary workes , & delivering jsraell out of egypt , giving of the law and such like . secondly , that gods resting on the seventh day was more then this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shabath which is here v●ed , and doth properly signifie in any other places of scripture where it is vsed to set forth other ceasing and resting from worke . the holy scriptures themselues do fully shew . also that god found rest in christ : even of refreshing , and se●led his delight in him the redeemer , and in his worke of redemption , and committed the world to be ruled , iudged , ordered and disposed by him as mediatour , vpon the seventh day and from that forward vntill the eternall rest of heaven comes in , and the kingdome be deliuered vp to god his father , that god may be all in all . as for example exod. 20.11 . where god in giving of the law , and mentioning the ground of his sanctifying of the seventh day , to weet : his resting , doth vse the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 janach , which signifies not a bare resting from worke , but such a rest as is full of sweetnesse & delight , and exod. 31·17 . where it is said that on the seventh day god rested and was refreshed , that is : hee did not onely cease from creating and rest from workes of creation , but he found also great delight , that is in christ vndertaking to be the saviour and redeemer of the world , hee found great pleasure and delight in his kinde : such as men in their kinde do finde in things which delight and refresh their soule , so much the words imply . and the scriptures of the prophets and apostles speaking to the same purpose : justifie this sence and meaning , where they tell us , that christ the mediatour is gods righteous servant in whom his soule delighteh . isa 42.2 . math. 12.18 . and that in him god setles his rest and is well pleased math. 2.17 . and makes his elect acceptable in his beloued ehe . 1.6 . thirdly the keeping and observing of every seventh day for aholy sabbath , which god requires of us , consists not in bare resting from ordinary workes and labouring in worldly affaires which concerne this life : but also in sanctifyng of the day by holy and religious exercises , which concerne the heavenly life , and in making it our delight to honour the lord ; as appeates both in the wordes of the law exod. 20.8 . deut. 5.22 . and also in the prophets isa. 56.4 . and 58.13 . now such as the observation is , such must the ground thereof be on which it is founded . and therefore vndoubtedly gods resting on the seventh day includes his resting and delighting in christ who was the promised redemption . thus much for the opening & expounding of the second clause , & the discovery of the rest of god by which he rested on the sevē●h day , which is the second ground of gods blessing and sanctifying that day , and making it a holy sabbath of r●st . the third ground remaines , and that is : gods blessing of the seventh day , layd downe in the next wordes . and god blessed the seventh day , ve●s . 3. this blessing of the seuenth day consists in two things the first is : gods blessing of it , by giving and revealing to man on that day the greatest blessing which was made knowne to the sonnes of men during the time of the old testament , while the sabbath of that seventh day was to be in vse and the law thereof inforce that was , the giving of c●rist by promise to be the redeemer of the world ; this belongs to the ground of the sabbath . the second is , gods blessing of the seventh day by setting it apart to be kept and observed of men as a day most blessed in memory of of that blessing , that is of the promise of chrst and his undertaking and beginning to mediate for man kinde , this belongs to the in sanctifying of the sabbath which is the third maine thing observed this text . first i will speake of blessing as it is a ground of institution , and after in the next place , j will handle it , as it is a part of the institution of the sabbath , & concurres with sanctifying of it . blessing ( as it belongs to the ground of the sabbath and signifie● gods giving and revealing on the seventh day a blessing aboue the blessings of all the other six dayes by which that day became more honourable ) must needes be gods giving , ether of some naturall blessing tending to outward prosperity , and to naturall perfection and temporall felicity in this world ; or of some gift and blessing supernaturall tending to heavenly happinesse & eternall blessednesse . 1. gods blessing with naturall & temporall blessings is declared in the scriptures to be two manner of wayes . f●rst by giving all sorts of temporall blessings and naturall gifts in generall , thus god is sayd to blesse ishmaell gen. 17. ●0 . and to bl●sse the jsralites in all their affaire● and in all the wo●kes of their hands devt . 14.29 . secondly , by giving some speciall worldly blessing ; successe ; and prosperity either in respect of their corne , wine , m●ate , & drinke , exod. 23.25 . or in respect of their cattell , or the fruite of their body or worldly goods , p●ssessions and the like devt . 28.3 . 2 gods blessing with spirituall and supernaturall blessings and guifts is his making of men to grow and prosper in grace and in all heavenly blessings as gen. 12.3 , & 28 , 4. where it is said that in the blessed seed of abraham & iacob that is in christ. all the nations & families of the earth shall be blessed , and thus god is said to blesse us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in christ ephess . 1.3 . & of this blessing david ●peakes psal. 67.1 . where hee sayth , god b● mercifull vnto vs and blesse us . 3. god is said to blesse in a full and perfect sence with all blessings of prosperity and happinesse both temporall and spirituall , that is : by giving all saving graces needfull to salvation and good increase and growth in them , and all outward prosperity and all things therevnto requisite , together with his favour and a sanctified vse of them , thus god promised to blesse abraham gen. 12.2 . & jsaac gen. 26.3 . & jacob gen. 28.3 . & joseph gen. 49.25 . with blessings of heaven a boue and deep beneath . and his people & inheritance psal. 28.9 . now the thing here to be inquired after & sought out , is what blessing is meant in this place : where god is said to blesse the seventh day . for it it most certaine , that this blessing wherewith god blessed the seventh day , did not consist only in gods giving of any naturall and temporall blessings to that daie , or to man and other creatures on that day , or in ann●xing and tying any such vnto it . for god had before ceased and now rested from all works of creation , that is both from creating any kinde of creature , & also from adding more naturall goodnes or perfection to any thing created . we never read that god made the seventh day blessed a boue the other sixe , either in clearer light of the sun , or in more faire and seasonable weather , at any time , or in any age from the beginning , or that he blessed it with any such blessing which belongs to nature , or to the naturall vse of the creature . secondly for spirituall and supernaturall blessings which tends to eternall life and blessednes in heaven , we never read of any proceeding from god , but only through the eternall son incarnate and made man : even christ the mediatour . the apostle affirmes that god blesseth us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in christ ephe. 1.3 . and that there is no other name vnder heaven given among men whereby we must be saved act. 4.12 , if any man hath ascended higher then saint paull was rapt , farre a boue the third heaven , & hath t●●re heard of spirituall blessings which god intended to bestow , or did bestow vpon adam in the creation before christ was promised , or did openly vndertake to be mans mediatour ; hee goeth farre beyond my lyne and measure of faith , i dare not be wise a boue that which is written . jt is enough for me to know and beleeve that c●r●st is the onely true way to heavenly and supernaturall happin●sse , and that he is the truth and the life ioh. 14.6 . and that none can cōe to the father but by him , & that in his name the father giues the spirit ver . 26. and through him sheds the holy ghost aboundantly on all that are sanctified and saued tit. 3.6 . and that as christ onely makes way into the holy of holiest heb. 10.20 . so in him is all fullnesse , & from him all grace proceedeth by which god makes us accepted ephe. 1.6 . i know that god created all things , and man in his owne image ; perf●ct in his kinde , but yet mutable . j confesse and beleeve that man by his perfect obedience performed to god in his owne persō , according to the first covenant of works , might haue continued in that naturall life and earthly happinesse wherein he was created : but that he had any supernaturall or spirituall power given before the promise of christ , wherby he was fitted for heavenly happinsse , ot that any such life and happinesse was promised in the first covenant , or any grace tending therevnto , i cannot be perswaded . first because the scriptures are vtterly silent in these pointes· secondly because it is against all reason to thinke , or conceiue of god , who is the fountaine of all wisdome & doth nothing in vaine . that if there had been a more neer way then christ , more ready for him to reveale and communicate all his goodnesse and glory to mankinde , even the way of mans owne personall obedience to the first covenant of workes ; surely god would never haue suffered man to fall , nor haue given his sonne to discend from heaven & to humble himselfe to such base ignominous painefull and cursed sufferings as he did , and all to bring man soe farre a bout to the fruition of himselfe in heavenly glory . thirdly , whatsoever hath or shall certainly come to passe concerning mans happinesse or misery , that god decreed , foresaw and purposed , and that only he intended , and that from the beginning , even from all eternity ; though god laid vpon man no impossibility of standing in innocency , nor any necessity of falling , but man was able to doe gods will according to the first covenant , and if hee had done it , he might & should haue lived & enjoyed an earthly felicity : yet certainly god foreknew what man would doe when he was tempted , and did willingly permit him to breake the first covenant , intending to make a more sure couenant in christ , and to establish it with better promises heb. 8.6 . and that none of all man kinde should be saued but onely they who are in christ and under this covenant . now these things being thus : if the blessing wherewith god blessed the seventh day , be any spirituall blessing , it must needes be in , and under christ promised : yea it must needes be either the promise made to man one that day that christ should be his redeemer , and christ his vndertaking openly to be mans surety and mediatour , or else some speciall blessing which comes by christs mediation , as the guift of the spirit , and spirituall grace given to man to beleeve in christ , to rest on him , and in him , to seeke eternal rest , or gods acceptation of christ for mans surety , and god resting on christs satisfaction and righteousnesse . in very deede , let others thinke what they please , for my part j can see no reason either in this text or any other text of scripture to perswade me that this blessing was any , but the supernaturall and heavenly blessing , even gods gracious favour , kindnesse and loue then first shewed to man in christ , by promising him to become the seed of the woman , accepting him for mans surety , and resting in his mediation , & alsufficient satisfaction , which blessing brings with it , and includes in it many , yea all naturall blessings which are true blessings indeed , and end in eternall happinesse . for by christ who then was first promised and revealed , man hath naturally life continued to him , and right and rule over the creatures restored and given in an higher degree , and in a more excellent kinde : he had power given to him in the state of innocency to rule over cattell and all living creatures , and to order and command them for his delight and pleasure . but in christ he hath power given to kill and sacrifise , and to eat them and vse them for his profitt . jn the creation god gaue to man as his steward rule over all cteatures & right in them ; but in christ he gaue man the right of a sonne and heire , and made all creatures mans inheritance , which is a firme and vnchangable right , and now all the blessings temporall which the elect & faithfull haue and possesse by faith in christ and by a true right in him , are blessed and sanctified to them , and are helps and furtherances to their heavenly glory . and this i dare be bold to conclude : that the blessing wherewith god blessed the seventh day , was a blessing a boue all blessings naturall which god gaue to man in the sixt day and to other creatures on other daies of the creation . it was the blessing of his kindnesse and loue to man , revealed in christ promised , which includes in it the restitution of man to all naturall blessings , all which all mankinde haue & injoy by christ & through his mediation . so that here is a blessing worthy of an euerlasting memoriall among all adams posterity , which justly bound them all to obserue that day of the weeke to the honour and prais● of god , vntill the comming in of the fullnesse of that blessing on the day of christs resurrection , which is the first day of the week & the eight from the beginning of the creation , which all christians by verue of the institution of the sabbath here in my tex● , are bound to k●ep holy and to solemnize with thankfullnesse for all blessings in christ on the seventh day , and on the first day fully exhibited a perfect redeemer in his resurrection . and thus i haue discovered ou● of this text the whole ground upon which the lords holy weekly sabbath is founded , which is briefely comprehended in these 3 particulars . 1. gods perfecting of the wo●k cr●ated . 2. gods ●est on the seventh day . 3. gods blessing of it . out of which particulars as i haue laid them open : this doctrine doth arise . chap. 3. that the first institutiō of the sabbath on the seventh day of the first week of the world was grounded vpon christ , and occationed by the promise of him to be mans mediatour , and the worlds redeemer . and the true & proper grounds of the sanctification of the weekly sabbath , vpon which it stands perpetually to the worlds end , and to the eternall rest in heaven , are gods perfecting of the created world by bringing in redemption by christ , gods rest delight and pleasure in christs mediation , and gods blessing the seventh day with a blessing farre a boue the blessings all of other daies even the giving of christ a perfect saviour for mankinde . this point is most plaine and manifest by that whih i haue before delivered . but yet for the better setling of our judgments and confirming of our hearts in the knowledge and beleefe of this truth jt will not be amisse to add further proofes and reasons grounded on the sacred scriptures . first that which is the ground of gods sanctifying the seventh day aboue all the other six dayes of the weeke must needes be somthing which came to passe one that day , which farre excelled the workes created on the six dayes . for the holy scriptures and the common practise of all nations do concure in this , that all holy daies whether weekly monthly or yearely are obserued and were first instituted in memory of some notable and extraordinary thing which on those dayes of the weeke , moneth , and yeare happened & came to passe , witnesse ●he passover , pentecost , the feast purim ; and dedication , the feast of christ nativity , resurrection , ascension , our fif●h of november a●d many others . but there can be nothing imagined greater then the works of creatiō which were all finished on the six daies , but only the promise & relation of christ the redeemer & the work of redemption by him the eternall sonne of god , on that day openly undertaken and begune as i haue before proved . first for gods ceasing from his workes of creation , and his bare rest from them , it being a doing of nothing & not making of good things , cannot in any case be esteemed better then the workes of the six dayes wherin god created all things good and perfect with naturall perfection . for doing of good is better in the judgment of all reasonable men , then doing of nothing . secondly , for gods perfecting of the creation by bringing man and woman the last and chiefest of his creatures into being that wa● on the sixt day , and his making of every creature compleat and perfect in his kinde , that was done on the severall dayes in which they were severally created , they cannot be any ground of sanctifying the seventh day but rather of the six daies of the weeke . wherefore it remaines that christ promised ● perfect redemptiō on the seventh day of the world begin̄ing actually to mediate for man & to cōmunicate his spirit & supernaturall grace & faith to our first parents is the ground of the institution of the we●kly sabbath on that day· secondly ; a supernaturall effect cannot proceed from a naturall cause , a spirituall building cannot be surely setled on a naturall ground and foundation . if the effect be supernaturall the cause must be such , and if the bu●lding be spirituall , the found●tion alsoe must be spirituall on which it is setled . now the sanctification of the sabbath as it is gods worke in the first institution , it is a seperating of a day from naturall , to heavenly , spirituall , and supernaturall vse , and to workes which tend to such an end as cannot be obtained by creation , but onely by the mediation of christ , and sanctification of the sabbath as it is a worke and duty which god requires of a man , is wholy exercised about things which concerne christ , & which haue relation to him , and which none can rightly performe without the communion of the spirit of christ , and the sauing guifts and graces of god in christ. the hebrew word kad●sh signifies onely such workes in all the scriptures wheresoever it is vsed , & never any thing is said to be holy or sanct●fying but in , for , and by christ , wherefore that ground of the sabbath must needes be something in christ , or indeed christ himselfe on the seventh day first promised and revealed a perfect and alsufficient redemer and mediatour to gather all things to god. thirdly that which hath no proper or principall end or vse , but such as presupposeth christ and his mediation , and is subordinate to him promised and to the revelation of redemption by him , must needes be grounded on christ , and receive the first institution and originall from the promise of him , or him promised . this is a certaine truth which with no culour of reason can be denied , for god doth nothing in vayne , he makes althings for there proper end & vse , and brings nothing into being before hee hath a proper end & vse ready before hand , for which it may serve . now the proper principall end & vse of the sabbath for which the lord is said in the scriptures to institute & give it to his people , is such as presupposeth christ and his actuall mediation , and is subordinate to the promise of redemtion by him . first god himselfe testifieth both in the law exod. 31 , 13. also in the prophets ezech. 20.12 . that he gaue his sabbath to his people for this end and vse , tha● it might be a perpetuall signe betweene him and them , to confirme them in this knowledge & beleefe , that he is their god who doth sanctifie them . secondly , another maine vse for which god instituted the sabbath is , that it might be a signe and pledge to his people of the eternall rest or sabbathisme which remaines for them in heaven , and vntill they come to that rest , they are bound to keepe a weekly holy sabbath to put them in hope of that eternall rest , soe much may be gathered from the apostles words , heb. 4.3.9 . thirdly , the sabbath is for that end and use that by keeping it holy , & by sanctifying our selvs to the lord , and delighting our selvs in him , and in his holy worshippe , wee might grow up in holinesse without which none can come to see , and enjoy god , and soe might draw still more neere to god till we be fully fitted to see and enjoy him in glory , and to come to his eternall rest in heaven . now all these principall endes and vses of the sabbath doe presuppose the promise of christ and his mediation . for first in him alone as he is our mediatour , god becomes our god , who doth sanct●fie us , and without gods shedding of the holy ghost on us through christ , we can never be truly sanctified as appeares rom. 8.9 : tit. 3.6 . & 1 cor. 1.30 , and in christ we are called to be saints and sanctified , 1 cor. 1.2 . secondly , there is no thought or hope of eternall rest in heaven but in and by christ , hee brings us into that , and by going before us makes way for us heb. 6.20 . & 9 , 24. jt is that which never entered into the heart of man , his reason conceives it not till god doth reveale it by his spirit given though christ 1 cor. 2.9.10 . thirdly , no man can haue accesse vnto god but in christ , there is no approach to the throne of grace but in him heb. 4.16 . it is christ alone who for his peoples sake sanctified himselfe , that they also might be sanct●fied ioh. 17.19 . and there is no growing up in grace & holinesse but in him and by vnion and communion in one body with him as our head eph. 13·16 . vpon these infalible premises it followes necessarily , that the proper end and use of the sabbath presupposing christ , the first institution thereof must needes be grounded on christ also . fourthly , if christ as he is the sonne of man vnited in one person vnto god , and so our mediatour , be the lord of the sabbath , so that the alteration and chaunge of it from one of the seven dayes to another , is onely in his power and depends wholy on some chaunge in him ; then the institution of it is grounded one the promise of him and upon his mediation . now the antecedent is manifest by our sauiours owne words , mat. 12.9 . where hee calls himselfe lord of the sabbath day . and by his resurrection and becomming the head stone of the corner , the sabbath is chaunged from the day of him promised vnto the day of the full exhibition of him aperfect actuall redeemer in his resurrection , as david foretold psal. 118. and the practise of the apostles in all churches of christian gentiles doth aboundantly declare , act. 20.7 . and 1 cor. 16.2 . wherefore undoubtedly christ promised , was the first ground of the institution of the sabbath , & as our saviour in that place of the gospel mat. 12.9 . affirmes . it was made for man , that is not only for mens use but also for him , the son of man : & upon the promise & undertaking of him to become man & the seed of the women , for mans redemption & for destroying the workes of the divill . vse . this doctrine thus fully proved & confirmed , is a doctrine of speciall use to worke in the hearts of all true christians , who have all their hope & confidence in christ , an high & holy reverence & esteeme of the lords holy weekly sabbath , & to provoke & stirre them up to a carefull conscionable & diligent observation thereof , in all their generations , for the promoting & propagating of pietye , & for the increase of devotion and advauncement of religion , in all succeding ages . if the observation of the weekly sabbath were but a dictate of nature , written in mans heart in the creation ; then were the chiefe end and ayme of it no more but an earthly felicitye , and the fruition of a naturall life in an earthly paradise . it should be no better then one of the duties which belong to the old couvenant of life , & justification by mans owne works ; which is abolished and made void by mans fall . and it is wholy frustrated of the proper end & use of it , which was justification , & life by workes of a mans own doing . and so being not a part of the wisedome , which is from above , it should be of lesse esteme and of common and ordinary account with holy christian saintes . or if the sabbath were a legall rite and ceremoniall ordinance onely , such as were sacrifices , burnt offerings , circumcision and legall purifications , which were shadowes of things to come , then should it be abolished by the full exhibition of christ , and the observation thereof among chistians of the beleeveing gentiles , were no better then setting up of abominations which make desolate by cutting men of from christ. but here we are taught better things concerning the lords holy weekely sabbath , to weet : that it is an holy heavenly , euangelicall ordinance , wholy grounded upon christ and depending onely upon him ▪ first instituted upō the promised christ , & limitted to the seventh day of the weeke , in which he was promised to be mans redeemer , did undertake , & in some measure begin actually to mediate and to intercede for man with god , and commaunded to be kept onely on that seventh day , during the tyme of the old testament while christ was onely promised , & the fathers sought salvation in him to come : and now ever since the full exhibition of christ a perfect redeemer in his resurrection , necessarily imposed on all christians , and limitted by virtue of the first institution and foundation of it upon christ , to that day even the first day of the weeke , which is the greatest day of christ appearing in the nature of man on earth , that is the day of his resurrection to glory and immortalitie , and the day of his complete victory and triumph , in his owne person over sin , death , the devill & all the powers of darknesse . so that though the particular dayes of the weekely sabbath , that is the seventh of the weeke in the old testament , and the first in the new ; and under the gospell may truly be called temporarye and caeremoniall , because they have their set tymes and seasons ; the one the tyme and season onely under christ promised ; the other the tyme and season under christ fully exhibited , that is the whole tyme of grace under the gospell vntill we come both in soules and bodyes to the etternall sabbath and rest in heaven , when ( christ mediatour haveing destroyed all enimyes and delivered up the kingdome to god his father ) god shal be all in all : yet they are such ceremonies as are holy in their seasons , not by signification and consecration to holy and supernaturall use only , as legall shadowes were : but also materially and in respect of the very duties , which are performed in observation of them ; yea and effectively because the due observations of them properly tends to begitt and increase true holynesse in gods people . besides if we consider the observation of a weekely sabbath simply in it self without limitation to a particular day , so it is a perpetuall ordinaunce of god which bindes all mankind to the end of the world . and there is none of all adams posteritye , but by gods first institution he is bound to keep the holy weekely sabbath , upon that very day of the weeke , which by the word of god and the ground of the institution , appeares to be most seasonable in the age and the state of the church under which thy live and have their being on earth . now these things being , soe , how it is possible that any true syncere christian ( who as by one spirit and by a true lively faith , soe also in his whole heart and in all holy affections is vnited vnto christ ; and hath all his h●pe & confidence in him as in his only redeemer lord & saviou● ) should not haue the we●kely sabbath in most high esteeme , which was first grounded vpon christ , promised & came in upon the seventh day of the world , ●ogether with the word of promise and the glad tidings of the worlds redemp●ion by christ : ●nd with the perpe●u●ll commandements of repenting and beleeving in christ , which are the great commandements of the gospell , which holy and blessed sabbath hath still continued and gone a long with christ pr●mised on the seventh day , during the time of the old testament , and si●ce the full exhibition of christ in his resurrection ; hath advanced forward together with christs vnto the fi●st day of the weeke , in wh●ch day he perfected mans redemption , triumphed over death , rose vp and was advanced to glory & immortallity , surely they who professe loue to christ , and profane the weekely sabbath , they are no better then painted hipocrties , yea rather they are to bee numbred among those bold , audacious and scandalous sinners , who presume to pull a sunder those whome god hath inseperably joyned together , that is , the sabbath and christ the lord of the sabbath , who while they professe christ in word , doe indeed deny the power of true chr●stian godlinesse , and do what in them lieth , to turne the publick worship of god into sacrilegious profanation , and soe to provoke the eyes of his glory . thus much for the second maine thing her● offered in this text , that is the ground of the holy weekly sabbath . chap. 4. the third maine thing which here offers it selfe and which i haue propounded to be handled more largly , as comprehending in it divers speciall points of great weight and moment , as the sanctifying of the sevēth day , ● as gods blessing of it , so far as blessing sign●fi●s go●s setting of it apart to be kept & observed for a bl●ssed memoriall of the promise of christ , & as it is apart of the fi●st institution of the sabbath . f●r gods blessing of a day or any other thing d●th signifie . 1. his giving of some notable benefit on that day , or to the thing blessed . 2. his setting of it apart to a blessed end & vse , in the former sence it belongs to the ground of the sabbath and so i haue spoken of it before . jn the later sence it belongs to gods act of institution ; and as in effect the same with sanctifying of the seventh day , onely this i conceiue to be the difference that gods sanctifying of a thing is , his seperating of it by his word and commandement , to a supernaturall and extraordinary vse either profittable , or unprofittable to it selfe , as h●s seperating of things to be his instruments of just vengance for the destruction of his enemies , and seperating men to some holy offce for a time , as saul to prophesie , e●●e● sonnes to bee priests , and iudas to bee an apostle , by which office they received no true blessing ; but it turned to their greater curse at last . but gods blessing of a day , or any other thing , is his setting of it apart for a bl●ssed vse , and his pronouncing and demanding it by his holy p●werfull word , to be a blessed daie or blessed thing , and to serve for holie & blessed vse , and so blessing is that speciall sanctifying which is seperating of things to a blessed use , and come here to bee handled vnder gods sanct●fyng of the ●eventh day : for gods sanctifying i● this place , is a blessed sanctifying of the daie to a blessed vse , and the word blessed is put before to make us clearlie see and vnderstand soe much . i will therefore insist only upon sanctifying which comprehends blessing in it ; and will first open and exp●und the word and so proceed to points of doctrine . the hebrew word , kadash , is never vsed in any other sence in all the scriptures , but onelie to signifie seperating of things from their ordinarie and naturall vse , to some vse more then naturall or aboue nature & the fitting & preparing of them for that use , as for example compining of nations in an holie league against babell , or other wicked state to execute on them gods just reuenge jer. 6.4 . & 12.3 . & 22.7 . & 51.27.18 . and seperating some cities for refuge iosh. 20.7 . whensoever this word is attributed to god in all the scripture , it signifies ei●her gods seperating things or times for holy vse , by his word and commandement , or by some h●linesse shewed or some extraordinarie holie word done in them as exod. 9.44 . 2. cron. 7.20 . or else gods infusing of his holie spirit , and of spirituall and supernaturall gr●ces & gifts of hol●nesse into men by wh●ch they are seperated from carnall men , and prepared for heavenlie glory as exod. 31.13 . levit. 20.8 . ezec. 2.12 . ier. 1.5 . where god is said to sanctifie his people , and to make t●em holy , that so they may be fitt to come nerer to him . and frequently in the new testament , the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in this sense as eph. 5.26 . heb. 2.11 . here the word signifies not sanctifieing by infusing holinesse and making holy , but gods consecrateing , that is seperating the seventh day to an holy , heavenly spirituall , and supernaturall use , by h●● word and commaundement , or by some holy worke done first in it , or some holinesse first revealed upon it . for this was the day in which god by his gracious promise of christ , and by the new covenant of life made with mankind in him , did communicate his spirit to our first parents , and wrought in them faith and all holy graces needful to salvation , and so of , ishah , a woman who brought wo to man made our first mother . chavah . that is the mother of life in christ to all liueing . this day , god here upon , commaunded to be sanctified of men , and kept holy by holy exercises which tend to the honour & praise , and to the solemne commemoration and memoriall of christ promised , and of his own rest in christs mediation , and this day he appointed to man to be a signe and pledge of the aeternall sabbath in heaven , after the end of the world which in six dayes he created . here therefore we see wherein especially gods sanctifieing of the seventh day to be an holy sabbath of rest , did consist . which that it may yet appeare more fully and distinctly in all the particulars , j will reduce , the summe of all into a few positions , some negative , and some affirmative ; which being by evident testimonies of scripture , and by good arguments grounded on the word of god , proved and confirmed ; the trueth will be so cleare and manifest , that the simple shal be able to understand the true sanctification , both of the seventh day which was the old sabbath of the old testament , and also of the lords day the christian sabbath of the new testament under the gospell . chap. 5. first we must not in any case imagine . that gods sanctifieing of the seventh day was the creating or in●useing of any naturall holynesse in to it , by which it was distinguished from other dayes of the weeke , and made more excellent then any of them . my reasons are : first because creating of naturall holynesse in any thing , is a worke of creation : but god rested from all works of creation on the seventh day , and from making any thing which belonged to the naturall being of any creature , or to the natural frame and perfection of it , witnesse the wordes of my text , and the wordes of the lord him selfe . exod. 20.13 . secondly the scriptures which are the onely rule of faith , and so all doctrines of this kind do never mention any naturall holynesse in any creature which god made in the whole created frame of heaven and earth ; all though god did create man perfect in his kinde , even in his own image . yet i doe not read , that this image comprehended any more in it , but naturall gifts and endowments onely , as light of understanding , libertye of will , most free to good onely , and well ordered affections all upright ; also a comely frame and excellent temperatur of the body , fitt to be the seat , subject & instrument of a liveing reasonable naturall soule and spirit , and to rule over all other creatures . salomon the wise preacher describeing the image and excellent frame wherein god created man , makes no mention of any holynesse , but onely of naturall uprightnesse . god ( saith he ) made man upright . we never read of holynesse naturall to any but onely to god. thirdly true holynesse is a gift of supernaturall grace given onely in christ , and proceeding f●om the holy ghost shed on men through christ , and dwelling in them as the immortall seed of god. it belongs not to the naturall image of god wherein the first earthly adam was created ; but to the spirituall and heavenly image of the second adam , christ who is a quickening spirit & the lord from heaven heavenly , whose image no man can bear but in the state of regeneration , when he is borne of the spirit , and begotten of god to a lively hope , to the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled which fadeth not a way ; as i have largly here to fore proved by divers scriptures which appose the image of true holynesse , and undefyled righteousnesse , which men have in christ ; to the image of the first adam , but that upright image wherein he was first made , and that corrupt image where in to he was transformed by his fall , as appeares most plainely . 1. cor : 15.45.49 . & eph. 4.23.24 . the thing which deceives many learned men , and carries them to thinke that holinesse was apart of mans naturall image in which he was created is this . first they take it for granted , that all vprightnesse & purity of man in heart , soule , life , and conversation , by which he is conformable to the law of nature and to gods will revealed , and his commandements given to him , is true holinesse and is so called in scripture . secondly , they reade that adam was made by god vpright and had that purity & vprightnesse which made him conformable to gods law and revealed will , and this was gods image in him , & herevpon they conclude , that adam was created in true holinesse . to this i haue heretofore vpon another textfully answered , by laying downe a plaine distinction gathered from gods word , and daily experience , and by applying it to this purpose . for i haue distingu●shed purity and uprightnesse by which man is conformable to the revealed will and law of god into two sorts . first there is a created naturall purity & vprightnesse founded upon naturall principles , which god gaue to man in his fi●st creation , by he which was conformable to gods revealed will , to the law of his nature in the state of innocency , but this vprightnesse having no other roote , or foundation , but mans mutable nature and frame , was also mutable and was quickly defaced and corrupted by the subtilty of the tempter and mans fall . secondly , there is a renewed or new created uprightnesse and purity of man in his heart and soule , life and conversation , which is found onely in gods elect & faithfull regenerat children ; by which they are here in some measure made conformable to the law and will of god ; this although it is much ecclipsed and obscured by the remainders of naturall corruption which still dwell in gods saints in this fraile life and mortall body , and doth not shine forth in the true brightnesse of it , yet it proceeds from an eternall fountaine , the pure waters whereof spring vp unto life eternall , and cannot be defiled but remaine pure , though they passe through the dead sea of sodom , the filthy lake of mans naturall corruptions , which dwell still in this body of death , this pure fountaine is the spirit of regeneration which god sheds through christ on the elect , as our saviour himselfe teacheth , joh. 14.4 . & 8.38.39 . and because this spirit even the holy ghost which daily renues them , being shed on them in there new birth tit. 3.5.6 . doth dwell in them as the mortall seed of god , & abides with them for ever joh. 14 , 16. and is stronger then the spirit of malice the devill , which overthrew our first parents and ever since rules in all worldly men , 1 iob. 4.4 . therefore it is true puritie and vprightnesse which cannot faile nor deceive us as adams did ; and this is that which the apostle cals the new man and the righteousnesse and holinesse of truth , ephess . 4.24 . in the same sence that spirituall , supernaturall , and heavenly graces are called the true riches , that is the riches durable and incorruptible , which will neverly vnto vs : nor by failing deceive vs , luk. 16. as for the created purity and vprightnesse by which the first adam was conformable to the law , it is never in all the scriptures called by the name of holinesse , neither is it , or any morall virtue in any vnregenerate man , any true holinesse , because it proceeds not from the holy ghost who dwels in the regenerate and works all true holinesse in in them . i wish that all the learned would seriously weigh this truth & embrace it with their hearts , and beare it continualy in their minds and memories : for this will at one blow raze to the very foundation all pelagian , popish , armian hoeresies , concerning the power of mans fre● will , the efficacy and merit of mans naturall workes don before regeneration , and the falling away of men regenerate and justified , from the grace of god and from justifying faith and true holinesse , also concerning vniversall grace given to all men , by which they haue it in their owne power to be saved . and if it would please the lord to open the hearts of our people r●ghtlie conceive this difference , betweene the image of the first and second adam , and betweene the created naturall vprightnesse of adam , and the spirituall vprightnesse and infused holinesse wherein the second adam was conceived and framed by the holy ghost . this would ravish their hearts and fill them with admiration of the singular loue of god to his elect in christ , and of the singular excellencie of the grace & holinesse , and of those high prerogatives which the regenerate and faithfull receive and enjoy through him , which indeed soe farre exceed all that belonged to man in the state of innocency , as christ the second adam in his humanity exceeded the first adam , and immutable grace exceeds mutable nature , and as eternall fruition of god in heavenly grace , excels the fruition of fading pleasures in an earthly paradise . chap. 6 secondly , gods sanctifying of the seventh day was not the creation or infusing of any spirituall or supernaturall holinesse into it ; by which it did excell all other dayes of the weeke . for first all spirituall and supernaturall holinesse : is created & infused by the holy ghost , only into reasonable creatures angels and men , and cannot be in any thing void of reason , vnderstanding , free will and affections . although things without life , and creatures void of reason , are called holy by way of relation , because they are dedicated to an holie use : yet nothing is called holie by holinesse of qualification , that is by holinesse inherent & heavenlie grace , qualitie and perfection , but onelie man and the holie angels who are partakers of the holie ghost ; and haue him dwelling & working in them . for this holinesse is unstained puritie and vnspotted vprightnesse , which possesseth and informeth the vnderstanding , will , desires , affections and inclinations of resonable creatures , & makes them conformable to gods revealed will and the rule of his law . s●e that to imagine holines infused into any time , place or any other thing , which hath not reason & vnderstanding and will , is a mere dreame , dotage and superstition . times and places , as holy daies , and holie temples , are holie in scripture not for any holines inherent in them , which they communicate to gods people , but because these daies and places are dedicated to holie use , and in them god is pleased by his spirit working with his word and ordinances , to beg it , increase and stirre vp holy aff●ctions in men , and to come and enable them to performe holie actions , according to gods will. secondlie , all true infused inherent holinesse , created and wrought by the holie ghost , springs from an eternall fountaine , and is founded vpon a sure rock which can never bee removed but standeth firme for ever . where gods spirit once informeth or taketh possession , and worketh true holinesse ther he abides for ever , ioh. 14.16 . the devill and all the powers of darknesse cannot prevaile , nor dispossesse him , for he is greater then they all , 1. ioh. 4.4 . soe that if god had sanctified the seventh day ; by infusing holinesse , and conforming it with the holy ghost , it could never haue beene profaned , polluted and defiled by men , neither could there haue beene any chaunge , of it from the holy sabbath to a common and ordinary day of the weeke , as now wee see , by christs resurrection : it should haue continued gods holy weekly sabbath for ever , even as men once truly regenerate and sanctified by the holy ghost ; are by that spirit sealed vnto the day of full redemption , ephess . 4.30 . chap. 7. the affirmatiue positions wherein j will shew how god sanctified the seventh day are three . first god did on that day reveale himselfe to man a most pure and holy god , more then in all the six daies of the creation . for in creating all things of nothing , he shewed his power : and omnipotencie in making al things good and perfect , in there kind . and in setting the heavens and the earth and all creatures in such an excellent & comelie order , hee shewed his wisdome and goodnesse . and in making man vpright in his owne image , & giving him dominion over all living creatures to order them according to his will , and to the law written in mans heart , he declared his righteousnes . but on the seventh day by promising christ a perfect redeemer and sauiour , he manifested and revealed his most perfect purity & holinesse diverse waies . first by his suffering of man to liue in his sight , and to approach to his presence when he was corrupted by his fall , and become filthy and abominable , and in the strictnesse and rigor of justice worthy to be destroyed with eternall death . god did plainly shew that he is a god infinitly holie and cannot receive the least spot and staine of mans corruption approaching to his presence , but appeares most pure and glorious , and shines forth bejond all measure , by making an holy vse of mans vncleannesse , and ordering and disposing it to the more full manifestation and communication of his glorie & goodnesse to his elect in christ : for as the purity of gold doth more appeare by abiding most pure and perfect in the midst of consuming fire and a furnace of fire full of uncleane ashes , and after the touching of things most vncleane . soe gods perfect purity and holinesse appeares most infinit and vnspotted , in that he suffers vncleane man , made filthy and abominable by sinne to live in his sight and presence , & doth order & dispose his uncleannesse to an holy end , & doth meddle with it , & touch it , & yet is no whit diminished or obscured therby but made more bright and resplendent in the eyes of the world . secondly god by his promising of christ to become mā , & in mans nature to make a ful & perfect satisfaction to justice for mans sin , did shew his infinit purity & holy hatred of sin , more then by any worke of creation , in that rather then mās sin & filthines should not be punished to the full , & his justice fully satitisfied , he would giue his own son , a person of infinit value to bear the cur●e & sufferedthe whole punishment of sin in mans nature and so to make full satisfaction for it . thirdly , the revealing of christ and promising of him to be a second adam , who is the lord from heaven heavenly , and a quickening spirit , through whom he doth richlie shed his spirit on adam , and all his elect seed in their generation ; which holy spirit doth dwell in their frail earthly sinfull bodies , as in a tabernacle & temple all the time of this fraile life , & is not stained nor defiled with their corruptions : but doth abide most pure and holy , and doth overcome , mortifie and kill by a long and lingring death the old man of sinne in them , and workes in them that spirituall purity , and holinesse , which though it be not like a grain of mustard seed ; yet cannot bee destroied or defiled , but increaseth more and more , and prevaileth against all powers of darknesse , this doth aboue all shew the infinit puritie and holinesse of god and of his spirit . and therfore j conclude that god by promising and revealing christ , on the seventh daie , did then first shew himselfe infinitly pure , and did manifest vnspotted holinesse , more then in all the six daies of the creation : and this is the first point of his sanctifying of the daie , to bee an holie sabbath of rest , vntill the full exhibition of christ , a perfect actuall redeemer , on the day of his resurrection . chap. 8. secondly , god on the seventh daie , did though christ promised ●●ed the holie ghost on our first parents , begittēth of his immortal thē seed , sanctifie them and worke , faith and all saving graces in them ; so that they bele●ved the promise and found rest in christ. and so this was the daie wherein god did first make man actuall partaker of his spirit , and did make in him true holinesse , and conforme him to the image of christ , this appeares by three things . first , by adams words , chapt . 3.20 . where not withstanding gods passing of the sentence of bodilie death against him , and of his returning to dust in the grave , in the words next before : yet ●e by faith laies hold on one eternall life in christ the promised seed , and being strengthened with might by the spirit in the inner man , doth call his wife chavah , which signifieth life , because by christ promised to be come her seed , shee sh●uld bee the mother of all liuing , and not onely all his naturall seed , should by christ haue naturall life for a time , and being on earth continued vnto them : but also after death his wife and al their elect seed should haue life eternall in him . this is a strong argument of a lively faith , and of the quickening spirit given to adam vpon the verie daie of the promise which was the seventh day . secondly , that our first parents had the holy spirit given them on that daie , & by faith were instituted & made partakers of the righteousnes of christ , the coats of skins doe shew which god fitted to them , & put vpon them . for undoubtedly these skins of cleane beasts , which god taught and commanded them to kill and offer in sacrifice as tipes , figures , and pledges of their redemption , by the death and sacrifice , of of christ : and these coats made of the skins of beasts sacrificed , and put upon our first parents by god himself , did plainly forshew the covering and clothing of all the faithfull with the robes of christ satisfaction and righ●iousnesse , & were a token and pledge to them , that they were justified by faith in christ to come , and cloathed with the garments of salvation . for all gods works are perfect : he gives to no men by his own hand immediatly the outward pledg & seale without the inward grace . thirdly , adams teaching of his sonnes , caine and abell to sacrifice , and to bring offerings & first fruits to god , which were tipes of christ , and of gods rest in his mediation and fulls satisfaction , and that , at the end of daies , that is the seventh which is the last of the week , & gods holy weekly sabbath , these j say doe testifie adams faith in the promise , his holy obedience to gods commandment of keeping holy the seuēth day , and his holy care to teach his children holy obedience also . now this being manifest , that of the seventh day god did first sanctifie man by his holy spirit , and did bring in holinesse into the world among men . we must needs acknowledg this a second point of gods sanctifying that day , and making it fit to bee his holy weekely sabbath and the day , of his holy worship , chap. 9. thirdly the lord god for a memoriall of these supernaturall & heavenly things first revealed , & done on the seventh day , and for a pledg to man of the eternall rest in heaven , did also by his word and commandment , appoint every seventh day to be vnto man a day of rest from his owne works which concerne this worldly life , and to be kept an holy sabbath , to the lord his god , and this is the third point of gods sanctifying the seventh day , and setting it apart for holy and heavenlie vse , and for holy worshippe , service , and religious duties which tend to begit and increase holinesse in men , and so to bring them to see and enjoy god in the eternall rest of glorie . this point because it is of greatest weight and moment , & comprehends in it many of those things which are necessary to be laid open , & made knowne for the distinct and profittable understanding of the lords holy weekly sabbath , & the right obseruation thereof , together with the duties which belong thereunto , & are therein required . therefore i will doe my best endeavour to handle this point more fully , & to laie open distinctly the speciall things therein contained , and that in this method & order . first i will proue this maine point , to weet : that gods blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day , did include the giving of a law & commandement for the keeping of an holy weekly sabbath , & gods giving of this commandement was a maine & speciall part of his sanctifying of it . secondly i will enquire & search out the nature of that law & commandement , & how farre , & in what manner it bindes adam , and all his posteritie . thirdlie , because everie law which god gives to man , doth impose a dutie upon man , and bindes man to the performance of it , therefore the uerie words of the text binds me to handlle at large , mans dutie which this commandement of god , & this word by which hee did blesse and sanctifie the seventh day , doth impose upon adam & all his posteritie , even their sanctifying & keeping holy the sabbath day . for the proofe of the maine point , we haue three notable argumēts : first we haue the plaine testimony of god himselfe exod. 16.28 . where he cals this his blessing & sanctifying of the seventh day , by the maine of a commandement & law . & tels the isralites that they not keeping of an holy rest ; but going out togather manna on the seventh day , did refuse to keepe his commandements and lawes , that is his commandements and lawes which he had given from the beginning in his blessing and the sanctifying of the seventh day ; for of other speciall lawes and commandements given beefore that time concerning the sabbath there is no mention at all in scripture , neither did god giue any besides that from the beginning , untill hee spake unto them afterward from mount sinah , and in the fourth commandement called upon them to remember the law of old , giuen for keeping holy the sabbath , and renewed it againe to them . secondly , in all the law of god and in all the scriptures wee never read of any thing truly hallowed , sanctified and set apart for holy vse but by speciall commandement of god , and by the direction of his word : the first thing which is said to bee sanctified after the seventh daie , is the first borne of israell exod 13.2 . and this was by gods speciall commandement , and therefore hee saith that he hallowed them on that day which he smote the first borne of egypt , num. 3.13 . the next sanctified mentioned in scripture is that of the people of israell when they were to come into the sight and presence of gods majestie at mount sina exod. 19.10 . and that was by gods direction and commandement as is there testified in expresse words . the third sanctification mentioned in the scriptures , is that of the sanctuary , and the altar and all the holy uessels and implements therof . and aaron and his sonnes the priests with all their robes and vestments , also the sacrifices and all other holy things of the tabernacle , & they all were sanctified by the speciall commandement of god , and by direction of his word as moses in the law testifies in exodus 40. & divers other places . soe the temple in ierusalem and all the holie things which are consecrated and dedicated to the service of god by solomon , are said to be hallowed and sanctified by god 1 king 9.3 : and 2 cron. 7.17 . that is by gods speciall commandement & direction . and moses his dedication of all things in the law , is said to bee by bloud and that by precepts spoken to the people according to gods law heb. 9. vers . 19.22 . and every creature of god is said to be sanctified to the use of the saints by the word of god and by prayer 1 tim. 4.5 . now if in all gods word everie thing is said to bee sanctified , by the word and speciall commandement of god : and wheresoever in all the scriptures god is said to sanctifie any thing , and to seperate it for holy use : the word ( sanctifie ) doth necessarilye implie a commandement , and speciall law of god given for the seperating of it . it were against all reason and common sence to deny heere in this text the wordes ( blesse and sanctifie ) doe necessarilie alsoe implie that god gaue a speciall commandement and law for the keepeing of his holie weekelie sabbath an holy rest unto him the lord our god. thirdly , whatsoever is sanctified by god and so dedicated to holy vse , that it is not in the power of any creature to alter and chaunge and turne it to another use , without sinne and transgression against god , that is certainlie established by a spirituall law of god , for where there is no law there is no transgression . now after that god had sanctified the seventh daie , & apointed it to be the rest of the holie sabbath . it was a sinne and transgression not to keepe it , or to chaunge and alter it to common vse , yea it was transgression against gods commandements as appeares in the place before mentioned exod. 16.23.28 . therfore gods sanctifying the sabbath was vndoubtedlie by giving of a commandement for the due keeping and observing of it . but from this point thus proved , there ariseth an objection , the answering and removing whereof seemes to a matter of some moment . for this being granted , that god in sanctifying the seventh day immediatlie after the ending of the creation , did giue a speciall law for the observation of the seventh day of every weeke as an holy sabbath : and if once consecrared by gods law to holie use , may in no case be turned to common and profane vse , and whosoever doth chaunge it , sinneth most greeviousl●e , as appeares exod. 30.32 . & num. 16.38 . and also by the destruct●on of k●ng belsh●zz●r for turning the hallowed vessels of the temple of ierusalem to common and profane vse , dan. 5. it will here upon follow , that adams posterity in all ages are bound to keepe the weekely sabbath on the seventh day , and no creature may chaunge it to another daie without grieuous sinne . and the christian churches which haue chaunged the sabbath to the first day of the weeke ; & haue made the seventh daie a common daie wherein they doe the workes of their private calling & their worldlie businesse ; haue transgressed gods law in so doing . neither haue they any warrant or ground from this first institution , or the fourth commandement ( which the sabbath of the seventh daie , ) to keepe their weekely sabbath on the lords day which is the first of the weeke . for the satisfying of this obj●ction , and clearing of this doubt , divers things may be answered . first that in the most strict commandement of god by which he binds men to the keeping of holy assemblies , and publick solemnities for the performance of religious duties , worshippe , and service , to his majesties memorable of his extraordinary blessings and benefits , though the solemne duties be limmited to some certaine and fit daies & those particular duties be named in the law . yet if the substance of the commandement be kept , that is ; the holy solemnitie observed and the duties , worship , and service be performed , in all full and ample manner as the law requires , though the particular daies of the month , yeare , and weeke be chaunged vpon good reason and for weighty consideration ; the lord doth dispence with alteration of that circumstance to another day and time , which appeares by good reason , and for just causes to bee more convenient , and doth allow and accept that for the right performance of his law . this is manifest by a plain instance and example given by god himselfe . for the law of the passover which god gave to israel did command them to keepe that feast in their generations , vpon the fourteene day of the first month , and that under paine of being cut off . exod. 12.14.18 . & levit. 23.5 . and yet upon just occasion , such as gods law approves either of uncleannesse of absence from home vpon a farre jouney , it was lawfull to chaunge the particular time , and to keepe the passover , on another day more convenient , even on the fourteenth day , of the second moneth , num. 9.11 . and soe hezekiah and all the people of israell and iudah kept it and chaunged the day 2 cron. 30. and hereby the lord himselfe teacheth us , that the lawes which command holie solemnities and bind all his people in their generations to the due observation of them on certaine set daies , such as the law of the weekly sabbath , & the yearly passover , may stand in force and bee dulie observed , though the particular daie of the weeke be chaunged vpon such grounds , as gods law approveth and for such causes and reasons , as make that other day more fit , and excellent for the solemnitie , then that particular day of the weeke , or of the moneth which is named in the law . secondly , if any object that the law of the passover was ceremoniall , and therefore might admit of some chaunges , but it cannot be so in the law of the sabbath if it be morall and perpetuall , binding all man kinde to the worlds end . to this i answere , that for the time and season wherein ceremoniall lawes are in force they are equall ( in their obligation and binding of the persons commanded ) to lawes morall and perpetuall , and therefore the argument and answer is good and firme , and cannot with any good reason be rejected and denied . thirdly , divers positive lawes which are morall and perpetuall and bind adam , and all his posterity , in all their generations , though they be firme and immutable in themselves & in their obligation : yet because the duties of obedience which they impose vpon men , and the men up on whom the duties are imposed , are in their state , and condition mutable and chaungable , and the chaunges and alterations of the things commanded in times , places , and other relations and respects , do not at all chaunge the law , nor proue it ceremoniall , and chaungable . as for example , gods commandement and law given to israell , was that they should loue him the lord their god , and serue him with such worship as is agreable to his word . this law bindes them and all gods people in all generations unchaungable : jt bound all such as lived in the old testament to serve god with sacrifices , and burnt offerings , and to worship him with their first fruits , and sweet odoures and perfumes of incense , and that in the place which he did chuse out of all the tribes of israell . and it bindes vs still who liue under the new testament : to loue god , and to serue him . but with a spirituall woshippe and seruice , such as is most agreable to the word of the gospell , as saint paul shewes rom. 12. ● . and our sacrifices are not of bruite beasts , but our owne bodies deuoted to the obedience of christ , and sacrifices of thankes and praise which are the calfes of our lipps heb. 13.15 . for now men are not by the lavv bound to worship god in ierusalem , nor in the mountaine of samaria . but in every place to lift up pu●e hands and hearts to god , and to worshippe him in spirit and in truth , iohn 4.21 . and to this worshipp the same law doth as strictlie binde us , as it did the fathers to their bod●ly sacrafices in ierusalem , though the seruice in divers particulars is chaunged , yet the law is perpetual and st●nds firme and immutable , and bindes all gods people in al their generations . soe likewise from the first promise of christ , a redeemer to mankinde , adam and all his posterity are bound to beleeve in christ , and to seeke , expect , and hope for salvation , and life only in him the promised seede of the woman , that is in him made man , and mans mediatour and the law of beleeuing in christ is perpetuall firme , and vnch●ungable . and yet the dutie which he requires is changeable , and is chaunged , now under the gospel from that which is under the law , in circumstance , for the faithfull in the old testament were bound to except and wait for christ and to beleeve in him to come , but we under the gospel confesse christ and beleeue in that christ iesus which is come in the flesh . ●nd whosoever confesseth not christ which is come , but beleevs christ to come he is lead by the spirit of antichrist , 1 joh. 4.3 . and euen thus the case stands with the law of the sabbath , which god gaue in the beginning when he sanctified the seuenth day , for by that law he bound adam and all his posterity to obserue and keepe an holy weekly sabbath , and that one the particular day of the week which is the day most blessed with the greatest blessing aboue all other daies of the weeke , and wherein the created worke of the world comes to greatest perfection , and that is brought into actuall being where god especiallie resteth , and wherewith he is chiefly satisfied & delighted . this is the summe and substance of the law which equallie bindes all gods people perpetually to the worlds end . this law , bound the fathers to keepe holy the seventh day , and last day of the weeke , in the old testament , because that was the day most blessed with the greatest blessing as yet reuealed in the world , that is the promise of christ , & his actuall undertaking & beginning to be mans mediatour , by which promise of the redeemer & bringing in of supernaturall grace , which is spirituall & immutable , the mutable worke of the creation was perfected , & in which mediatō of christ , god rested & took such delight , that he would not go about to uphold the world by way of creation , but cōmitted the reparation of the world to christ the mediatour . but now under the go●pel since the ful exhibition of christ , a perfect actual redeemer , & the perfecting of the work of redemption on the first day of the week , in christ his resurrectiō , that first day of the seuenth , which is the seventh in the weekly revolution , if we count the daies begin̄ing with the daie next following , is now the day most blessed , & wherin the created world is after a better manner , & in an higher degree perfected , & god findes that actually performed wherin he resteth & wherwith he is fully satisfied . and therfore the same perpetuall law of the sabbath bindes us to keepe this day for our weekly sabbath , & that not with such service as was , holy under the law , that double bodily sacrifices , nor with assemblies appointed for preaching , reading & hearing of the law , & the promises of a redeemer to come , & for seeking salvation & blessings in messiah promised & yet not come . but with spirituall worship & faithfull praier & invocation in the name of christ exhibited , & already exalted , & with reading , preaching , & hearing of the gospel , which declareth christ iesus already come in the flesh . and thus i hope i haue fully answered the objection , & made it manifest , the christian churches in chaunging the day of their weekly sabbath , & their forme & manner of worship , haue not made void , but established the law of the sabbath , which god gaue in the beginning . and these chaunges doe in no case proue the law to be ceremoniall onely and mutable , neither doth the moralitie and perpetuity of the law require that every circumstance of the sabbath , and every particular sabbath duty , should at all times remain the same perpetual & unchangable chap. 10. bvt that this truth may yet shine forth more clearlie , and may soe m●nifestlie shew it selfe that no scruples may remaine , nor any doubts concerning it or any part of it . i will proced to the second special thing which is before propounded . that is , to inquire , search out , & discover the nature and kinde of this law and commandement of god , concerning the weeklie sabbath : and how farre and in what manner it bindes adam and all his posterity . and her● i haue alarge field to passe through , wherein divers points offer themselues to our view , which j cannot passe by , nor lead you along withou● due consideration of them . first here j meete with divers and severall opinions , of the learned concerning the law of the sabbath which come first to be rehearsed and examined . secondly , i finde severall kindes of lawes which god hath given to men ; mentioned in the scripture , and divers sorts of commandements , which we must severally discribe , and distinctlie consider before we can determine that which principallie is here intended , that is , what kinde of law and commandement this of the sabbath is , and how farre and in what manner all man kinde are obliged by it , & bound to obey it . the first opinion is , that the law of the sabbath is naturall , morall , & perpetuall writen in the heatt of the first man in his creation . and that as he was bound to keepe the seventh day holy to the lord in the state of innocency . soe also are all his posteritie bound in all all ages even to the last man to keepe the weeklie sabbath . but they who conceiue this law to be naturally writen in mans heart doe much differ & are diuided into two opinions . the one sort holds the law to be wholy naturall , and perpetuallie morall both in respect of the rest , and sanctification , & also in respect of the particular day of the weeke , even the seventh from the beginnning of the creation . thus doe iuda●zing christians hold , who professe christian religion , but reject the sanctification of the lords day and embrace and cleave to the iewes sabbath . the other sort do hold that there is a three fould vse of the sabbath day . 1. religious and holy , which is the exercise of holy & religious duties . 2. politicall or civill , which is rest from worldlie weariesom labour of man and beast . 3. ceremoniall or sacramentall which is a signification and shadowing of spirituall rest in christ. that in the two first respects the law is naturall , ●mortall and perpetuall , and that nature requires , that a seventh day of everie weeke should bee for rest and refreshing , and for holy exercises of religion , they all affirme : and because the seuenth and last daie of the weeke , was the daie wherein god rested , hauing in the sixt dayes before perfected all the workes of the creatiō , therf●● they hold that for the signifying & sh●dowing forth of spirituall rest in christ ; the seventh day was the fittest of all , & gods people were by gods law bound to observe it , for their sabbath vntill christ had fully finished the worke of redemption , & then rested from it as god did from the worke of creation . and that ever since the resurection the signe and ceremony of christs rest being fulfilled . the sabbath is to be kept by the same law of nature , and commandement of god on the lords day the first day of the weeke , which is one in seventh vntill the eternall sabbath and rest in heaven , unto which christ will bring all his elect at last . this is the doctrine of many of the best learned heretofore in our church , and divers godly divines do rest in this opinion which for the maine matter & substance of it , is pious & godly & approved by aquinas the great scooleman . the second opinion is , that the law of the sabbath was not naturall wr●tten in mans heart , neither did binde man to observe an holy rest the seventh day of every weeke , & onelie on the seventh day in which god rested , but that it was a possitiue law given by god , commanding more then the light of nature did clearly & distinctly shew to man , or bare naturall instinct move him unto , and that it was like the law by which god forbad man to eate of the tree of knowledge , which his own naturall appetite did leade him to eate of , being good for food & to the eye & appetite pleasant and desirable . but god restrained him from it , not but instinct of nature or law written in his heart , but by his owne voluntary commandement , to shew his authority over man , to teach man obedience , & to make man know , that he might as justlie haue restrained him from all , or the most part of either fruites , & that the use of the creatures , & the power which he gaue to man over them was his free gift , & therfor man ought to loue & serve him his creatour , as for his whole being , so also for the use & benifit of all other crea●urs . and soe like wise they hold , that by nature all dayes are alike in themselvs , & mā by the light of nature can disc●rne no difference in thē , b●t yet god to make man mindfull of his creation , & of god his creatour , did by his word & everlasting commandement given to man , seperat one day fot the vses before named . 1. for holy use even performance of religious duties only . 2. for civill use , to weet : rest from hard labour . 3. for ceremoniall , to signifie the rest of christ after the work of redemption finished , to admonish man of rest from sinfull works , & to be a token of eternall rest in heauē . & though any one day in the week is of it self naturally as fit as another , & that it is no matter what day be kept , so that one in sevē be for these uses set apart : yet because god rested on the seventh day from his work of creation , therfor in the old testament he would haue that last day of seven to be the sabbath untill the comming of christ : intēding that when the greater work of mans redemption was perfected by christ ; then the day of his resurrection in which he rested from that worke even the lords day , should be the sabbath of gods people to the end of the world ; and so this law & commandement though it be not naturall , yet it is morall , & a perpe●uall , and vnchangable rule of gods canstant will , & of mans duty in this particular : which is the main substance of it , viz , that man do keep one day in seven of every week for a sabbath of rest ' though●ut all ages of the world , & that it is chaungable onely in the circumstance of the day , & that onely thus far . 1. that while the work of creation was , that work vvhich had the preheminence in the eyes of the vvorld , the sabbath vvas to be kept necessarily one the last of the seven , in vvhich god did rest from that vvork , & so this lavv did binde men . 2. that after christ had finished his vvorke of redemption , ●ested the seventh day in the graue , & on the first day vvas risen & entered into his rest , & the vvorke vvhich novv hath the preheminence vnder the gospel , is redemption perfected by christs resurrection , the day of his resurr●ction & rest , should bee the holy sabbath to all christian people , wherby they should be admonished of the eternall rest in heaven , & wherin they should be holy devoted to such duties , as tend to bring thē on , to the fruition of rest with christ in glory . the third opinion is , that the law of the sabbath is not naturall nor perpetually morall at all , but only civill & ceremoniall , & some who are of this opinion doe hold , that it was giuen of god in the beginning to be obserued only untill the comming of christ , partly in memory of the creation , vntill the greater worke of redemtion should come in , & partly to signifie things to come by c●rist , & of true rest to bee found in him , & that now it is vtterly abolish●d , together with all the festival sabbaths , of the iewes . others of them hold , that because there was great equity in this law , & also seting apart of one day in the week for religious exercises , is a thing uery profittable & usefull for the propogation of religion , and for the upholding of order in gods c●urch : therfor the lavv in respect of the particular day is abolish●d , for that vvas ceremoniall , but the equity of the observation of on in seven still rem●ines . and therfore all christians in imitation of the ap●stles , ought to keep one in seven , especially the lords day vvhich is the last in the vveeke , rather then any other , if the church so determine it , & if it bee obserued vvithout any superstitious conceipt of more holinesse in that day , or annexed to it , rather then any other . the fourth opinion is , that the first lavv for observation of the vveekly sabbath vvas the fourth commandement , given from mount sina , & that is did bind only the isralits to keep the sevē●h day of the vveek for an holy sabbath untill the cōming of christ : but novv under the gospel it is abolish●d in respect both of the particular day , & also the strictnes of the obseruation , & only the equity of it remains in the lords day , the obseruation vvherof is commēded to us by the example of the apostles , & ●ovv the lavv of keeping it holy is only ecclesiasticall & an holy ordinance of the church· thus you see vvhile men build vpon vnsure and vnstable grounds , & not upon the certain vvords of holy scripture compared together & made to runne in a svveet harmony , hovv various & different they are , & hovv contrary some of them , in their opinions . for the removing of all doub●s , & setling of mens judgments in a sure vvay so farre as god shal enable me . i vvill endeavour to select & single out vvhatsoever i finde in these severall opinions , to be agreeable to the truth , & to the sacred vvord of god : & reject the rest : & vvill ad more over what is wanting to make up a perfect doctrine , not out of mine owne conjections , but out of canonicall scriptures , for that is the sure rule of all necessary saving and sanctified knowledge , & that must be the sure guid when fathers , councels , & churches do lead vs into severall & doubtfull wayes . first for them who hold that the law of the sabbath was written in mans heart in the creation , i hold it true insome part , to weet : thus far . that god creating man in his owne image did print this in mans heart that as he had his . whole being from god , especially his reasonable soule , by which he was made able to understand the will of god , revealed to him by his word , so hee was bound to obey god and to serue him all his dayes , with his whole heart , and with all his might . and if god did require of him any part of his time , and commanded him to obsteine from some good and lawfull workes tending to his naturall good and well being , & to doe some speciall workes for his lords pleasure , in one day or more selected daies of the weeke , or of every moneth or yeare , he ought to doe it out of duty and obedience to his lord and creatour . thus farre j consent that the law is naturall written in mans heart , to weet : in generall and in respect of the common foundation : j grant also that the law and commandement of god , injoyning the rest of men , their servants , and cattell from hard labour the seventh day , or one daie in every weeke , is a thing so naturally helpfull & needfull for the health and wellbeing of men ever since mans fall , and the curse of barennesse laid upon the earth , and the punishment of toyle some labour and faint sweating imposed on man kinde , that mans own naturall reason , will and affection must needes approue it , and moue and incline his heart to the obedience of it , and his inward thoughts cannot but accuse him of wrong done to his owne body , and to the life of his labouring cattell , and servants , if he disobey it , and in this respect it may be called a law of nature : yea i adde moreover that if wee take the law of nature in a large sence , as some times it is taken , that is for every law which commands such duties and such obedience , as in there owne nature are very vsefull & profittable to the parties commanded , and which is grounded on such just causes & weighty grounds , as by the judgment of naturall reason , are in their owne nature well worthy of such observance , then the law & commandement of keeping an holy sabbath ( on the seventh day in the old testament in thankfulnesse for christ promised & for a continuall memoriall of that great blessing : & one the first day of christs resurr●ction now under the gospell , in thankfulnesse for christ fully exhibited , & the worke of redemption by him perfected , which so much excels the promise made on the seventh day , as perfecting of a worke excels the beginning & undertaking of it ) may both in respect of the particular day & the sanctification of it be called a law of nature that is a law requiring such morall & perpetuall obedience , as is in the nature of it most just , and worthy to be performed . but that the law and commandement , which bound the fathers to keepe an holy rest one the seventh day of every weeke , and us under the gospel to keepe it on the first day especially and no other , was in in the creation written & imprinted in the heart of man so distinctlie , and expressly , that man had an inbred notion of it , and a naturall instinct of himselfe to observe this law , & to keepe a weekly sabbath on those uerie daies which god hath prescribed both to the fathers & us . this i must needs deny for these reasons following . first gods sanctifying of the seventh day by his word and commandement , and his institution of the sabbath by a positiue law giuen , as my text here shewes ; had beene vaine and needlesse , if the law and the sabbath of holie rest had beene expressly , and particularly written in mans heart already . for what man by the instinct of nature , & by his own naturall reason , will and affection , is lead and moved to do , that hee is vainly & needlesly vrged unto by any law or commandement , being of himselfe without any monitor ready to performe it . secondly , the very word ( sanctify ) signifieth the setting apart of this day to a supernaturall and heavenly vse , euen for the performance of such duties as are aboue the naturalll imaginations and thoughts of man , and which his naturall reason would never haue revealed to him , not his will lead him to do . if god by his word , and divine & superturall revealation had not directed and moved him . therefore this law by which god sanctified & instituted the sabbath is not a naturall law , but a divine and supernaturall precept . thirdly , in the creation and state of innocency , man was bound to serve god as his creatour and the author of all his being , and to be content with that estate wherein god had placed him , and saw to be very good , and to looke no higher . it was the inordinat desire of more knowledge and of an higher estate then god had revealed and promised , which made our first parents so yeelding to the devils temptations , and vndoubtedly it was an occasion of their sinne in eating of the forbidden fruite . now the serving of god as his lord and creatour was the duty of man euery day alike , for the heavens aboue ▪ and the earth beneath , and all creatures in them serving daily for mans naturall good & welbeing , even every day equallie did put man continually in mind of his duty . to weet : that he was to loue and serue the lord with all his heart , soule , and strength at all times , for this is the righteousnesse of a mans owne workes and of his owne person , which god required of man in the first covenant in the state of innocency , even his constant obedience to the vvhole and law and revealed will of god all his dayes withou● one dayes intermission . therefore the sabbath which requires service of god and worship , & loue of him as mercifull a redeemer , and that upon one day of the weeke more then all the rest , vvas not knowne nor commanded nor observed by nature in the state of innocency . fourthly , the lavv of nature written in mans heart requires no particular duty , but such as his owne naturall reason and vvill did direct & lead him vnto in the creation , and vvhich belonged to him in the state of innocency . but the lavv of the sabbath from the first institution commands and requires such things , ●nd such vvorkes , and duties as did not concerne man in the state of innocency . as 1 : rest of man and beast from their vvearisome labour for their refreshing upon one day in seven . this man had no need of , neither vvas their any need of such rest , because the toile and labour of man and beast came in after the fall , vvhen god cursed the earth for mans sinne . secondly , it requires in generall sanctification of the seventh day , by holy and religious exercises , and in particular by sacrificing to god , by prayer and supplication , and by meditating on heavenly things , and on eternall rest , and by studying all holy duties vvhich might fit men for the sight and fruition of god in heavenly glory . all which & vvhat soever other holy sabbath duties and vvorks , are mentioned in the word of god , do belong to man , only since the promise of christ the blessed seed . and in the state of innocency , man had no occasion of any such duties he had no need of sacrificing vntill christ , his ransome and sacrifice for sinne vvas promised , he neither could have any thought ar meditations of glory in heauen , or studies to fit and sanctifie himselfe for the fruition thereof untill christ the onlie vvay to eternall rest , & glory vvas promised : vvhat use had he of prayers and supplcations to god for any good thing needful , vvhen he lacked nothing , or for deliverance from evill vvhen as yet noe evill vvas knovvne in the vvorld ? what occcasion could he haue to praise god either for christ , before he did so much as dreame of christ or had any thought of him at all . as for naturall guifts and blessings he vvas by them admonished and provoked every day alike to loue , serve , honour and praise god , vvherefore seeing the vvorkes and duties of the sabbath are holy , and tend onely or chiefly to the supernaturall and heavenl● life , and to the eternall rest which christ hath purchased in heauen for man , vndoubtedly the lavv of the sabbath vvhich expresly commands such workes and duties everie seuenth day , is a positiue supernaturall and divine law , not any dictate of nature imprinted in mans heart in the creation . fiftly , every law of nature is common to all man kinde , and is written as well in the hearts of heathen as of christians , so that the conscience of men whoe never heard of god or of his word , is a monitor , to admonish them of the duty which that law requires , and an accuser if they transgresse that law , and men haue no more need to be put in mind of those duties , then of any other which the law of nature requires : but the law of the sabbath hath no footsteppe of impression in the hearts of barbarous heathen nations . it is quite forgoten among them , and onely gods people who have his written law , and word continually read and preached , do keepe the sabbath : and god in giving it to israell in written tables , & in repeating it often afterwardes , still calls upon them to remember it , thereby shewing that it is not as the law of nature printed in mans heart , but is a law giuen by word and writing , and from thence learned , and therefore easilie and quickly forgotten . sixthly , if it were a naturall law founded upon the creation , and binding man to keepe a weekelie holy day in thankfulnesse for his creation , and for the creatures made for his vse , then it should in all reason binde man to keepe holy the six dayes in vvhich god created all things , and especiallie the sixth daie wherein god made man himselfe and gaue him rule and dominion over all creatures . for holy celebrations are kept weekely or yearely one the dayes in which the blessing and benefits solemnized and celebrated were first bestovved one men . therefore it is not a naturall law grounded on the creation . lastly christ came not to chaunge the law of nature , nor to take away any part of the obedience therof , but to establish and fulfill it in every jot and title as he himselfe testifieth mat. 5.17.18 . and yet the law of the sabbath soe farre as it requires keeping holy the seventh day , as the fathers were bound in the old testament is changed by christ and by his resurrection , in which hee finished the worke of redemption , and was exhibited a perfect redeemer . and the observation of the seventh and last day of the weeke is abolished . and the first day of the weeke even the day of christs resurrection , is sanct●fied and substituted in the place of it , and so was obserued by the apostles , & after them by all true christian churches for the lords day , and for the queene and ch●efe princesse of all daies , as the blessed martyr ignatius cals it . epist. ad magnesi●s pag. 31. therefore it is not a law of nature printed & e●grauen in mans heart . j could alleadge more reasons , but j hold this perfect number of seven sufficient for this present purpose . j will therefore proceed to the next thing which is the discovery of the seuerall kindes of lawes , which god hath given to men , & the briefe discription of every kind particularly , by which j shall come to demonstrate what kind this of the sabbath is . chap. 11. the lawes of god which he hath given to men , are of two sorts , either lawes printed in mans heart which we cal lawes of nature : or else positiue lawes , which god hath commanded in his word over , and above , or besides the lawes of na●ure . th● law of nature is that will of god which hee as lord and creatour hath imprinted in mans heart in the creation , even that naturall disposition which god gaue to man , when he made him in his owne image , by which he doth informe man in the knowledge , and moue him to the practise of all duties which belong to him , and which he requirs of him , for naturall wellbeing & continuance in that life , & good estate wherein he was created . the law of nature may be distiguished into two sorts . the one is generall and indefinit , which binds man definitly in a generall bond . the other is speciall and particular , which doth define & prescribe speciall & particular duties & workes to men . the generall and indefinit law is this . that man being gods creature and hauing his whole being , life , motion and all things from god , of free gift , is in duty bound to obey god to the utmost of his power in all things whatsoever god either by naturall light , or by his word either hath revealed , or shall at any time reveale and make knowne unto him , to be his will that he should doe them . the bond and obligation of this law is very large , and reacheth through all lavves , & binds men to doe whatsoever god commands by any law whatsoever . the speciall definit and particular law of nature , is that commanding will of god engrauen in mans heart ▪ and in his upright naturall disposition , which directs man to know & moues him to performe such speciall kinds of duties and such particular workes , as he ought to do and god reveales to him & declar●s to be his wi●l that hee should do them . of these speciall lawes some are primary . and some are secondarie lawes of nature . a speciall primary law of nature is the will of god , concerning such speciall duties and particular workes , as mans owne pure created nature and naturall disposition did direct , lead & moue him vnto , which his naturall reason in the state of integrity did shew unto him , and his pure naturall will and affections did moue and stirre him to performe . as for example , to know and acknowledge god for his sole lord and creatour , and one onely god , to serue and worship him with such worship and reuerence , as his pure reason taught him to bee meet for god , to thinke and speake of god accordingly : to beare himselfe towardes the creatures , and to rule them according to the wisdome which god , had given him , to increase and multiply and to replenish & subdue the earth and such like . a secondary speciall law of nature , is a rule or precept concerning such speciall and particular duties and workes , as mans owne right reason , or gods word discouers vnto him , to bee in there owne nature good , and just , and profittable either for his owne naturall being , and wellbeing , as the cause now stands with him since his fall , and for any other good end and use agreeable to gods revealed will. as for example , that men should not liue idle , but labour painfully to provide for themselves and families , this is a duty which vvas knovvne to man before his fall , but ever since the curse vvherevvith god cursed the earth for mans sinne , gods vvord requires it , and mans ovvne naturall reason vvel informed , and his vvill and affections vvell ordered doe naturally moue him to the performance of it for his naturall vvelbeing . so diuers negatiue precepts vvhich forbidde such euils and sinfull deedes , as man never knevv nor had any thought of them in the state of innocency , but novv true naturall reason , affection and conscience ; teacheth and moueth man to hate and abhorre them ; they are lavves of this kinde . and if vve should extend the lavv of nature to the utmost , as many do , and bring under it every law which commands duties which are in their owne nature just and honest and very vsefull and profittable to the doers and to others ; ●nd serve directly and naturally for gods glory . we might reduce to this kinde of naturall lawes , every positiue morall and perpetuall precept commanding any just or holy work & duty which is just in it selfe , though there were no expresse commandement given for the doing of it . a positiue law of god is that vvhich god in his wisedome & by his word giues to man , by which he bindes man to some obedience which he of him●elf by his own naturall vvit & reason would not haue found out & discerned to be good & just , neither would haue done or performed by the instinct of nature , and the motion of his will & affection , for such an end as god hath appointed them unto . there are diuers lawes and precepts of this kinde , all which as they require that which god justly & wisely willeth man to do , & do command things which are in respect of the present state & condition good for man , so they al are after a generall manner included in the generall law of nature , and bindes men to obey them all . of these positiue lawes there are divers sorts . some are positiue commanding things which tend to preserve & maintain good order , society & peace , not onely between god the creatour and man his creature , but also betweene man & other creatures , & among men themselves . such was the law which god gaue to man , when he commanded him vnder the paine of death to obsteine from the fruite of the tree of knowledge of good and evill , & that for a wise & just end , even to put man in mind that he was not absolute lord of all the visible creatures , to vse them at his pleasure , but that he was a subordinate lord and ruler under god , and that all other trees berbes & fruites which god alowed him to eate of , were gods free guift , & also to teach him , that hee was chiefly & aboue all to looke to the service of god & obedience of his will , & to omit the serving of his owne turne , & the doing of that which his owne vvill might moue him to doe , when god at any time should call him another way . and of this kind are all the judiciall lawes , vvhich god gaue to israell by moses for the well ordering of their common vvealth , & all precepts of obedience , vvhich inferiors ovve to superiours in things lavvfull and that for peace sake . some positiue lavves are evangellicall and religious vvhich command vvorks & duties tending to an holy heavenly & supernaturall end & use , such are all lavvs & cōmādments vvhich god hath given vpō occasiō of christ revealed to mā , & in & through christ vvhich require duties , & service due to god as he is mās redeemer , & bind mā as he expects benefit by christ the mediatour & redeemer , to such workes & such obedience , as come to be of vse in respect of christ. these evangellicall lavvs are of two sorts . 1. some are vniversall & perpetuall requiring necessary works & duties of all such as are to be saued by christ. 2. some are special & temporary , which require some speciall service & workes of obedience , & them of some only , & for some times , & in some condition of the church . perpetuall & vniuersall evangellicall lawes , which bind all gods redeemed ones , & require things necessary to salvation by christ , are the commaundements of god , by which he bindes all men to repentance & reformation of life , to godly sorrow , & humiliation for sinne , to beleeue in christ under penalty of loosing salvation , & of perishing for euer , & condemned & cast into hell for their sins . speciall or temporarie laws are they which bind men , or all men of some ages and in some times to some speciall service & worship , fit for the present state & condition of the church , or to so some duties & workes vvhich for the time are profittable to guid & lead men to christ , & therfore are sanctified of god & set apart for that purpose : ●uch are the lawes & commandements of sacrificing & bringing offerings & first fruits to god , of oxen & sheep & other cleane beasts & birdes , & of the increase of the earth , some of which lavves did binde all gods people from the first promise of christ even all the fathers from adam untill moses , & all israell untill the comming of christ , such lawes were that of circumcision given to abrahā , as a seale of the covenant wh●ch god made with him & his seed , & that of the passouer , and of the first borne , & all leviticall ceremoniall lawes , given to israell by the hand of moses , & such are the commandements of baptisme & the lords supper , which binde all christians under the gospell . there are also besides these severall kinds of lawes , some mixt lawes , & of these some are partly & in some respects naturall , because they bind men to some duties vnto which nature binds them ; & in some respects civill , for they require things which tend to civill order & government ; & partly in some respects also evangellicall commanding things which tend to salvatio● in christ. some are partly morall & perpetuall in that they require morall duties which are necessary & vsefull at all times to the end of the world ; & partly ceremoniall & temporary in that they require obedience in things which are usefull onely in some cases and at some times . as for example the law which god gaue from mount sina , & wrote it in tables of stone it doth binde men not only to all morall duties which engrauen in the creation , to weet : all duties which man did owe to god as to his onely creatour , & to men as fellow creatures ; but also to such further duties & degrees of obedience as man doth owe to god his only saviour & redeemer in christ , & to men & angels as his fellow sevants brethren & mēbers of one & the same spirituall body under the same head christ. and therefore god presseth and urgeth obedience to that law , at the giuing thereof vpon this consideration , and for this reason , because hee is the lord god the redeemer and deliverer , who as he delivered the naturall israell from egyptian bondage , so by that typicall deliverance did foreshew and prefigure the spirituall redemption of all the spirituall bondage under sinne , the world and the devill . to loue god aboue all , and a mans neighbour as himselfe , to honour parents , and to speake truth of euery one , to giue leaue to every one freely to enjoy his owne , and many such duties requited in the ten commandements are naturall , and nature bound man to them in innocencie , and in respect of them that law is nature . but to beleeve in god as a redeemer , to visite and comfort the sick , and distressed , to honour parents , pastors , superiours , as fathers in christ , and divers duties of neglatiue precepts , as not to make images of god ; not to pollute gods name by vaine swearing and such like , the knowledge and thoughts of vvhich man had not in his heart by nature in the creation , vvhich come into the vvorld by naturall corruptions , and man vvas not subject to them , untill he vvas seduced and fallen and brought into bondage by satan , they are posituallie morall , and as the lavv commands them , it is a positiue morall law , yea in respect of some of them evangelicall . and as reverence and respect to civill magistrates and men of higher place , as they are superiours and men of greater power and authority ( which difference and equality came in by mans fall , and flowes from gods distribution of his common guifts in a different manner & measure ) as i say this honour giuen to them as civill rulers , ruling for our good and the good of the common weath , is commanded in this law so it is ciuill . and lastly as all ceremoniall & religious ordinances , and outward significatiue , & worship sanctified by god , and appointed as most fit for the time and season , receiue their originall authority and first strength from that law given from mount sina , especially from the commandement which bindes man to obey god , as his creatour & redeemer in all ordinances , so farre as he requires , so and in this respect this law is ceremoniall and bindes to obedience temporary , fit for the season , & opportunity . jn like maner the commandement which the lord christ hath given in the gospell , for baptizing of christians and for the administration and receiving of the sacrament , of his body and blood , as they command an outward sacramentall washing with water , and abodily eating of bread and drinking of wine which haue beene of use onely since the comming of christ , and not from the beginning , so they are ceremoniall and temporary . for whatsoever ordinances are in vse in the church of god for a season onely , that is during the time of the true and proper signification of the world ceremonia : which is compounded of the gr : wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifies a set time or season , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , whice signifies onelie , or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to abide or remaine . but because the time of the gospell is perpetuall unto the end of the world , and they are commanded to be observed of all christians at the time of the gospell , in this respect these commandements may be called vniversall and pepetuall . and as in these and all other ceremonies , ordained by god , there are required besides the outward bodily rites & actions , many spirituall duties , as inward reverence and holy affections of the heart faith in christ & the blessed trinity beleeving of the covenant , commemoration of christ & his benefits , confession of three persons in one god , and the eye of faith looking chiefly to the spirituall things signified , so the commandement and law enjoyning them may justly be esteemed positiuely and evangellically morall . thus much for the divers and severall kindes of gods lawes which hee hath given to men . j proceed to that which is the maine thing here intended , that is to shew what kinde of law the commandement of the sabbath is , & vnder which of these severall kindes it is comprehended . and in a word j hold it to be of the last kinde , to weet : a mixt law that is partly naturall , and partly positiue , both ciuill and evangellicall , and not onely universall and perpetuall but also speciall & ceremoniall , and so indeed it takes part of all kindes of lawes which god hath given men , and which are mentioned in the scriptures , which thing because the learned haue not heretofore obserued nor well considered , but some haue cast their eyes upon the common ground of this lavv printed in mans heart in the creation , and finding it among the ten commandements which are generally held to be the summe and substance of the law of nature , doe call it a law of nature . others haue considered it as a speciall commandement given by god immediatly after the creation by word of mouth and not written in mans heart , and do call it a positiue morall law . others haue considered it as it commands rest one the seventh day , now altered by christ , which rest was a signe of christs rest from the worke of redemption & is a token & pledge of eternall rest in heauen , & there upon hold it to be a ceremoniall law : and hence ariseth the diuersity among christians , and almost civill warre betweene the pastors of severall churches , yea & amōg learned preachers of one & the same church : whereas indeed they all hold the truth in part but not wholy : they all erre in this , that they limit it every one , to that speciall kinde of law , which he hath hath chiefly in his eye and upon which he hath set his conceit : now make it a mixt law & proue it manifestly , & there needs no more contention , except some men wil contend without cause & against reason out of a spirit of contention & contradiction . first , this law as all other lawes is indefinitly comprehended in the generall law of nature , for the generall law written in mans heart in the creation , binds him to attend the wil of god , & to be ready to obey god , his creatour in all things whatsoever he either had already declared , or should at any time to come reveale to bee his will , and to bee a duty which he required of man. and therefore the observing & keeping of a weekly holy sabbath , & devoting of a seventh part of every weeke to religious exercises & to rest from bodily labour & common worldly busines , being expresly commanded by god , & declared at severall times & upon severall occasions to be his will , man is by the generall of nature bound to performe it , & in this respect we may truly say that the law of the sabbath is a law of nature , included indefinitly in that generall law & dictate of nature written in mans heart in the creation . secondly , though j cannot conceive that the keeping of an holy sabbath weekly , was a thing so disti●ct written in mans heart in the creation , that man of himselfe by the instinct of his nature , or by the light of his reason & motion of his will , would haue set either the seventh daie or any other of the seven daies of the weeke apart for rest , or other duties of the sabbath , which god in the first institution required , & commanded also in his law giuen from mount sina : yet because the keeping holy of a weekly sabbath upon such grounds as are mentioned in this text , & for such ends & vses as god hath ordained , to weet : commemoration of gods mercy & bounty in promising christ , preserving the knowledge & memory of the covenant of eternall life , & rest in christ , training up of people in religion , the feare & worship of god , & in holines , by which they are made fit to see & enjoy god in glory , because j say , the keeping holy of a weekly sabboth is in these respects a thing very good & profittable , yea & necessary for the helpe of man and for the reparing of his nature corrupted . thirdly , if we consider the law of the weekly sabbath as it was given by god in the first institution , & in his blessing & sanctifying of the seuenth day , & againe renewed & inserted among the ten commandements given from mount sina : & at other times upon diuers occasions repeated by moses and by the prophets from gods mouth , if we also consider that neuer the sabbath it self nor the ground ; reason , & ocasion of it , ( to weer : gods perfecting the creation by promising & revealing redemptiō in christ , & the rest which j haue before proved & demonstrated ) were written ●n mans heart in innocency , but were after mans fall revealed by god , & thereupon the holy rest commanded to bee kept on that day which god aboue other daies hath blessed and sanctified . we may truely affirme that the commandement of the sabbath in these respects is a positiue law of god , & not a law of nature requiring such particular duties as man of himselfe without gods positiue commandement would haue observed . yea the word ( memento remember ) soe often added to the precept of the sabbath as appeares exod. 20.8 . doth plainly shew that the keeping holy of a weekly sabbath , was not a thing printed in mans heart , for then it had beene vaine & needlesse for god soe often to use this word remember & to put them in mind of this duty by moses & the prophets , mans owne conscience would haue been his daily and continual monitor & remembrancer , & his own thoughts would haue ben ready to accuse him for every omision & neglect of it . as the apostle testifies of the worke of the law written in mans heart , rom. 2.15 . fourthly , if we consider the law of the sabbath as it commandeth man together with his children , servants & labouring cattell to rest from their wearisome labours & bodily paine ; which came in by sinne , & by mans fall , together with servile subjection & difference of the maister & servant , which weekly rest & intermission from toyle & labour granted to servants & cattell by their maisters : as well as to themselves , makes very much for good order in every state & common wealth , & for peace & society among mē , & in every family , & serves for an excellent civill & politicall use , so it is in the judgment of many learned & godly divines , not without good reason hold to be a civill and politicall lavv . fifthly , if we consider . first the time of gods first institution of the sabbath , as it fals under chist , even upon the seventh day of the world , in which christ was , promised to redeeme man who was fallen in the latter end of the sixth day as is before shewed . secondly , if wee consider the ground and reason of gods institution of the sabbath and sanctifying the seventh day , even christ promised the seed of the woman , & to breake the serpents head , by whose actually undertaking & beginning to mediate for man , god did perfect the mutable worke of creation , & setled the world in an higher estate of the perfection supernaturall , & did rest in christs mediation , being that which was able to giue full satisfaction to his justice . thirdly , if we consider that in the first institution , the sabbath day was sanctified & blessed aboue the other six dayes : that is , vvas set apart to heavenly & supernaturall vse ; which cannot be imagined but in & under christ in whome all things are sanctified . we must needes know & confesse that the commandement of the sabbath even in and from the first originall and institution , is a law divine and evangellicall , commanding such an observation and service , as is of use onely in and under christ , and mainly tends to lead men to salvation in him . sixtly , if we consider the necessity of resting , one whole day in every weeke , from all our worldly affaires . first that with one consent the church and congregation of gods people may all generally meet together in their set places of holie assemblies , to heare and learne the doctrine of saluation and word of life , and to honour god with publick holy worship and service , and with joynt prayers to call upon him in the name and mediation of christ for all blessings . secondly , that every man may instruct his family in private also at home , and by constant exercising of them a whole day together in religious duties every weeke , may make them to grow and increase in grace and religion and in knowledge and skill to order and direct all their weeke dayes labours , to gods glory , their owne salvation , and the comfort and profit of their christian brethren . without which religious observation once every weeke at the least , especially upon the particular day of the week , which god hath blessed with the most memorable work belonging to mans redemption , it is not possible for people to be well ordered in a christian church , nor gods holy worship to bee either generally known or publickly practised , nor the vulgar sorts of christians to bee brought to the knowledge and profession and practise of true religion neceessary to salvation . these things i say considered , we must necessarily grant that the law of the sabbath is an evangellicall universall and perpetuall law ▪ such as the commandements of beleeving in christ , repenting from dead workes , reforming of our lives , worshipping and invocating of god in the name & mediation of christ , and by the motion & direction of his holy spirit , all which commandements binde all gods people of all churches and ages from the first day wherein christ was promised in one measure or other . so that without obedience in some degree vnto these evangellicall lawes , it is not possible for any man to be and to continue a true child of god , and to attaine salvation in and by christ. and this law thus farre and in these respects cōsidered , can no more be abrogated and abolished , then gods covenant of redemption of salvation made with mankinde in christ. but all mankinde even every one who seekes salvation in christ , is at all times & in all ages bound to obserue this law of sanctifying a seventh day in every weeke , and of resting from all worldly affaires , that they may serve and vvorship and seeke god in christ. lastly , if we consider the lords sabbath , as it is a significatiue éven a signe to us of the eternall sabbath in heaven , and as it is in respect of the particular day of the weeke and some ceremoniall worship used in it , chaungable and mutable according to the chaunges and motions of christ the foundation and lord of it , and according to the seuerall estates of gods church , and gods seuerall dispensations of the misteries of salvation , and severall waies of reuealing christ in the old testamēt , and before and after the comming of christ in the flesh . we must of necessity confesse , that the law of the sabbath is in these respects a ceremoniall law , commanding things which are temporary and mutable and fitted for some times and seasons onely . first as it commanded the seventh day of the week to be kept holy , as the most holy day because therein christ was promised to be the redeemer of the world , and god rested in his creation , and perfected the creation by bringing in redemption , which was the greatest blessing of the old testament . and as it required hallowing of the day by sacrifices and other outward service and worship which were tipes and figures of christ to come , and by preaching and rehearsing the promises of christ out of the lavv and prophets , beleeving in the saviour in heaven . soe it was a ceremoniall and temporary lavv , and did stand in force and binde all gods people to the obseruation of the last day of the weeke , all the time of the old testament vntill christ vvas fully exhibited a perfect redeemer in his resurrection . and it vvas not in the povver of the church to chaunge the sabbath to any other day of the weeke that power rested in christ the foundation and lord of the sabbath . it also bound the faithfull of these times , to the ceremoniall ●●nctification , and to that tipicall seruice vnhich looked towardes christ to come , as well as to the seventh day onely and no other , during ●hat nonnage of of the church . secondly , as the law of the sabbath ( which requires that day to bee kept for an holy rest in which god hath revealed the greatest blessing & so hath blessed it aboue all other dayes of the weeke ) doth now ever since the perfecting of the worke of redemption in christs resurrrection , binde all gods people to keepe for their sabbath the first day of the weeke which by christs victory over death obtained fully in that very day , became the most blessed day aboue the seventh day and all other daies of the weeke . and as under the name of hallowing & keeping holy the lords sabbath , it enioines such worship as god requires of his church in her full age & more perfect estate , to weet : spiritual sacrifices of praise & thanksgiving , preaching & teaching faith in christ crucified & fully exhibited , aperfect redeemer , praying vnto god in the name & mediation of christ , & seeking accesse vnto the father in him by one spirit . and as this law imposeth this holy weekly sabbath , to be a pledg to the faithfull , of that sabbathisme of eternall rest in heaven which remaineth for the people of gods as the apostle testifieth . heb. 4.9 . so this law is like the commandements of baptisme , & the lords supper . it is ceremoniall commanding such duties to be performed , & such a day to be obserued as are fitted to the time & season of the gospel , & yet it is so ceremoniall , as that it is also perpetuall , binding all christians during the season & time of the church during the time in the new testament & under the gospel that is perpetually to the end of the world , vntill we come to the eternall rest in heaven . and as there shal be no chaunges in christ , nor of the state of the church vntill christ shall come in glory to receive us into that eternall rest . so there shal be no chaunge of the sabbath to any other day of the weeke , neither hath the church or any other whatsoever any power to alter either the day or the sanctification & obseruation of it , no more then to bring in such an other chaunge in christ , and such an alteration of the estate of the church , as that was from christ promised and obscurely revealed in the old testament , to christ fully exhibited . chap. 12. now hauing discouered the severall kindes of lawes , and commandements which god hath giuen to men , and having shewed what kinde of law this is which god hath giuen for the observation of the weekly sabbath , and how and in what manner it bindes the sonnes of adam in all ages , some in one kinde , and some in another , and adam and all his posterity in some respects . there remaines yet for all that hath beene said before , one speciall point to be more fully proved . that is concerning the chaunge of the sabbath from the seventh to the first day , what ground and warrant we haue for it , and how the law of god ( by which god set apart the seventh day in the first institution , and still in the fourth cōmandement and other repetitions of that law by moses mentions on the seventh day for the weekly sabbath ) can bind us christ ans to keep holy the lords day , or warrant us to make it our sabbath . for the more full manifestation and proofe of this point , and satisfiing of all doubts : i will by the light of gods sacred word , and by the helpes which i shall finde in the writings and sayings of the best learned both ancient and moderne christian divines , do my best endeavour to shew and proue that the lords day , which is the first of the weeke , and the day of christs resurrection , the fittest day of all the seven to be the holy weekly sabbath of christians . that god before and in the first giving of the law of the sabbath , did intend and foresee the chaunge & the grounds of the chaunge of it to the first day , that god by christ hath chaunged it . and that the law of the sabbath in the maine duties which it requires is more fully and in a better and more excellent manner obeyed by christians in there observation of the lords day ; and keeping it for the holy rest ; then it was by the fathers of the old testament ; in their keeping of the seventh and last day of the vveeke ; for their holy rest and vveekly sabbath , first to proue the conveniencie & fitnesse of the lords day to be the sabbath under the gospell , aboue all other daies , we haue diuers arguments . the first i frame thus . that day which is the first of dayes , & the first fruits of time especially of the time of grace , is the fittest to be the lords holy day aboue all other daies of the weeke in & under the time of grace . the lord himselfe teacheth this for a plaine truth requiring the fruits of all things for an holy offering to himselfe under the law , & from the beginning when he taught adam , & adam did teach his sonnes caine , & abell , to bring sacrifices of firstlings & first fruits for offerings to him . gen. 4. now the lords day which is the first day of the week is the first of all daies in the world . in it god began the creation , the highest heavens which is the place of blessednes & the heavenly host , also the common masse & matter of the whole visible & inferior world , & the chiefest & most gracious element , the light , that is the fiery heavens with the first beginning of the creation , this day began , & so it is the first fruites of all times created , & although in the creatiō & during the state of innocency the first fruites were no more holy thē the rest of the lump , or masse , & sanctifying of things to holy use , came in by christ & with the first promise of him ▪ & the first time of christ revealed being the seventh day was to be the holy sabbath all the time in which christ was onely promised & not given . yet now seeing by the resurrection of christ , in which christ wa● exhibited a perfect redeemer , and became the first fruites of them that sleep . the first day of the weeke and of the world which was onely the first fruits of time before , is by gods providence become the first day & firist frvites of the time of grace vnder christ a perfect redeemer . therfore the first day which is now the first fruites of time both in the crea●ion and under pefect redemption , which doth perfect and sanctifie the creation , is now the fittest of all the dayes of the weeke to be the lords holy sabbath . and it is against all reason for any to think any other day so fit to bee offered vp for the first fruites of every weeke , and of our times to god , as this day which is the day of the lord christ , who is the true first fruites of all creatures , and doth sanctifie the whole masse and lumpe of mankinde and all other creatures which are gathered vnto god in him . in which day christ arose from death and became the first frutes of them that sleepe : that by the virtue of his resurrection hee might sanctifie the very grave to them that sleep in him , & might raise them up as to grace in this life , soe alsoe to glory at the last day in the generall resurrection . secondly that day wherein the place of eternall rest and of the everlasting sabbath which after this vvorld ended , remaines for the people of god , was created and brought into being , and vvherein eternall rest was purchased , and the way opened into that rest , must needes in the judgment of reasonable men be the fittest day for the weekly sabbath , which is to all gods people a sure signe and pledge of eternall rest and of their everlasting sabbath in heauen , which weekly sabbath is to be kept holy and sanctified by mediations on heaven and heavenly rest , & by such holy exercises of religion , as doe fit and prepare vs for the life of glory in heaven . now the first daie of the weeke is the day wherin god created the place of eternall rest , euen the highest heavens , which are from eternity decreed and ordained to bee the place in vvhich his elect shall keepe rheir eternall sabbath after this life . in this day also christ arose from death perfected redemption , and rested from that vvorke by vvhich he procured eternall life and heavenly glory for god people , upon this day hee opened the way to the holie of holies , and made his first enterance both in his owne flesh , & also for all his members into that life eternall and that rest which they with him shall enjoy in the heavenlie mansions . therefore vndoubtedlie : this day of all the daies of the weeke most fit and and worthy to be kept an holy sabbath of rest and to be sanctified with mediations on heaven and heavenly glory , and with other exercises of religion which fit men for eternall rest in heaven . thirdly , that day wherein god first created the light of this inferior visible world , and wherein the light of the visible heavens did shine forth , when it is once blessed with the rising up of a greater and more glorious light , even the sun of righteousnesse : it is of all daies become the fittest & most vvorthy to be the lords holy weekly sabbath , which is to be hallowed by meditating vpon the inheritance of the saints in light , and by such holy exercises as tend to make men meet to be partakers thereof . now the first day of the weeke , the lords day is the day wherein god first created the light of the visible world , even the fiery heavens which shine forth ever since , and give light to the inferiour world , soe it is testified gen. 1.3 . and on this day christ the lord , the sun of righteousnesse did rise up , and did bring to light immortallity & eternall life , and became the great and glorious light of the world . therefore this day is the fittest and most worthy to bee the holie weeklie sabbath , and to be spent in meditation upon , & seeking for the inheritance of the saints in light . fourthly , that day which hath not only the same grounds and reasons in it , upon which god first founded the sabbath , and sanctified the seventh day , but also divers additions of the same kinde which make the grounds and reasons more forcible and excellent . this is most fit and worhy to be the holy weekly sabbath , and such is the first day of the weeke and hath beene , ever since it became the lords day , by the lord christ his resurrection . for proofe whereof consider the grounds and reasons upon which god sanctified the seventh day . 1. gods ending or perfecting his created worke . 2. gods resting from that worke . 3. gods blessing of the seventh day by revealing on it the greatest blessing , farre aboue any given in the creation . these are the groundes here laid downe in my text , which are rehearsed againe by god in the fourth commandement of the law . and another reason drawne from the end and use of the sabbath is also added exod. 31.13 . ezech 20.12 . to weet : that the sabbath might be a signe and token from god that hee is their god who doth sanctifie them , that is : by giving his holy spirit with all saving graces in this life vnto them in christ , doth fit them for the fruition & sight of his glory in the eternall rest in heaven , & so makes the weekly sabbath a pledge of the eternall sabbath in the world to come also . now the godly learned heretofore who had no thought of founding the sabbath on christ promised on the seventh day of the world , they do understand gods ending of his worke , to be either the finishing of the creation on the seventh day by adding some perfection or natural blessing to the creatures more then he had given , on the sixt daies . or else that god had already ended & perfected his worke before the seuenth day , & for this cause blessed & sanctified the seventh day for a memoriall of the creation of the world , and all things therein made perfect and compleat & so appearing on that day . and by gods resting on the seventh day from all his worke which he created & made , they understand nothing else but gods rest of mere cessation , & because this was the day wherein god hauing finished his worke , & made all things good , had no occasion to worke any more by way of creation , but rested from making more kindes of creatures . therefore god commanded man to rest after his example every seventh day , and to keep it for a weekly sabbath . and by gods blessing of the seventh day , they doe understand gods sanctifying of it to be a signe & pledge of the eternall rest . these being the grounds & reasons ( in the opinion of the learned ) vpon which god sanctified the seuenth daie , are in a more excellent measure to be found in the first day of the week , on which day the lord christ rose from death· for first the lord christ on that day , who is the lord of the sabbath . ended a greater worke then the creation , even the great worke of redemption which on that daie he did perfect and finish , by the last & highest act of it , even his resurrection in which he got the victorie & triumphed ouer death the last enimie , & ouer him who had the power of death that is , the devill , and did shew to the world that he had fully paid the ransome & price of mans redemption , satisfied justice , & wrought & fulfilled all righteousnesse , sufficient to justifie all that beleeve in him & to settle them in gods favour for ever . so that here is a better ending & finishing of a better work , then that of the creation was , which did perfect the mutable worke of creation , & so here is a b●tter ground of sanctifying the day in which it came to passe , as dive●s learned writers haue rightly observed . secondly , on this day the lord christ entered into a better rest , then any from the creation can be : he rested from all his laboures , paines , & sufferings , & all workes which gods infinite justice required for mans redemption by way of satisfaction , heb. 4.10 . and he tooke possession of eternall rest for himselfe as the head , and for his body the whole church & for every elect member thereof . so that this resting is a more farre excellent ground & reason of the sanctifying of this day to be the weekely sabbath . yea though i do by gods perfecting of his worke , vnderstand his perfecting of the worke which was marred & defaced by mans fal , even the worke of creation , & his making of it more perfect and compleat , by his promising of christ , and by christs undertaking & beginning his actuall mediation , & first bringing in of supernaturall perfection . and by gods resting i vnderstand his resting so fully & wholy in christs mediation , & in his satisfaction undertaken for the repairing & perfecting of the world , which man by his fall had brought under vanity & corruption , that he put from him all thoughts & purposes of going about any new worke of creation for the repairing therof , and so is said to rest , as i haue befor fully proved : yet i must confesse that on the lords day , which is the first of the weeke , in which christ did rise from death . god did more fully & excellently perfect all his worke & brought in a rest , which doth so farre excell that perfecting of his worke & resting from creation on the first seventh day , as the actuall performance of a promise , & giuing and fulfilling of a good thing promised , vndertaken , & begun , doth excell the promise & the undertaking & beginning of it . and therefore j will bee bold vpon these grounds & premises to conclude with the best learned both of the auncient fathers and moderne divines . that there is more conveniency and fitnesse in the lords day , the first day of the week to be the lords holy weekly sabbath now under the gospell . and there are more excellent grounds and sure reasons for the sanctifying of it , then any which are named or can be found in the seventh daie which was the sabbath of the old testament : yea this day by meanes of christs resurrection to glory in it , is the surest pledge and token which outwardly can be given to gods church and people , that god who raised him up , is by him fully appeased , satisfied and reconciled to his people , and is the lord who doth sanctifie them & will bring them to glory . and thus i passe from the conveniency and fitnes of the lords day , which is the first of the weeke , to shew the chaunge of the sabbath unto that day both in gods intention and purpose from the beginning , & also actually in the fulnesse of time by the glorious resurrection of the lord christ vp on that day . where by gods assistance j shall make it appeare . that this chaunge of the sabbath to the lords day is no humane invention , or eccesiasticall tradition , but a thing which god the lawgiuer did purpose and intend from all eternity , and foretold by the prophets , and by divers signs foreshewed of old , and in fulnesse of time did by his sonne christ the lord of the sabbath , command and actually bring to passe . first saint augustine and divers other learned men haue heretofore obserued . that god by some notable things which he in his wisdome made to concurre in the first day of the ceration , did plainly foreshew in the beginning before the seventh day was sanctified , or the law of the sabbath given , that it was his purpose and will , and he in his eternall counsell had determined to advance in fulnesse of time , that day aboue all other daies of the weeke to the honour of the holy weekly sabbath , to a day of meditation on the eternall rest in heaven , and a pledge to his people of the euerlasting sabbathisme , which there remaines for them , and the first fruites of their time offered vnto god in christ and sanctified in him . those notable things are the three things before named . 1. that god made that day the first fruites of all time . 2. created in it the place of eternall rest the highest heaven , in which the blessed saints shal injoy their blessed sabbath whereof the weekly sabbath is a signe and pledge to them in this life . 3. in it he created the light of this visible world , which things concurring in one and the same day : ( god in his wisedome soe ordering it , who doth nothing in vaine but every thing for some wise purpose ) and being good reasons to prove and grounds to make that day the fittest to be sanctified in christ , & made the ch●istian sabbath , as j haue before noted , the learned from thence do gather , and not without good reason : that from the beginning god intended for this day the honour of his weeklie sabbath , in the time of the glorious gospel . secondly , diuers of the auncients haue observed . that god raineing manna first from heaven to israell on the first day of the weeke in the wildernesse : as we read exod. 16. did therefore foreshew that this was the day which he had appointed to be the day of the lord christ , even the day wherein he who is the heavenly manna and bread of life should be given from heaven in his incarnation , and the day in which he should come out of the furnace of fiery afflictions , and made a strong bread & nourishment by his resurrection able to feed our soules spiritually to life eternal . and from hence they inferr , with the approbation of diuers graue divines and schoolemen of later times , that god did of old intend and purpose to make this day , in the times of the gospel after christ fully exhibited and giuen unto us , to be the bread of life , & heavenly mann● , his holy weekly sabbath and day of spirituall provision , wherein christians should make their weekly provision of spirituall food , and heauenly manna to feed their soules . thirdly , diuers of the auncient fathers haue observed , and diuers both schoolemen and godly learned writers of the reformed church therein conse●t with them . that the lord did of old by his spirit-speaking in the prophets , fortell the chaunge of the holy sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the weeke , the lords day , and day of christs resurrection . the blessed m●rtyr jgnatius who lived and was growne in the knowledge of christianity in the time of the apostles , and before the death of st. iohn the evangelilist as hee himselfe testifies , doth in his epistle to the m●gnesians not onely affirme that the lords day is the queene and supreme lady of all dayes , but also endeavours to proue , that god from the daies of old had ordained it to be the true christian sabbath , and did foreshew so much by the wordes of the prophet david in the title of the sixth psalme , wherein it is called a psalme unto the eighth day , that is in honour of the lords day , which as it is the first of the weeke counting from the creation everie weeke severallie by it selfe , and the seventh if we begin our account with the next day after the lords day , as the iews did with the next after their sabbath . so if we reckon forward from the beginning of the creation into an other weeke it is the eight day . and also learned augustine and others of the fathers , as also diuers late writers do in this point concurre with him , and affirme that god moving dauid to make such honorable mention of the eighth daie , did foreshew his purpose and will , to chaunge that day by christs resurrection in to his holy sabbath . some also from gods institutiō of circumcision one the eighth day after the birth of the child which was to be circumcised , do gather that the eight day , after the birth of the world , to weet : the lords day was befor ordained of god to be not only the day of christs resurrection & victorie over sin & death by which sin should be cut of & destroyed , but also the christian sabbath and so both a speciall day of circumcising their hearts to the lord in the state of grace , and also a pledge of the fulnesse of mortification and sanctification in the day of the last resurrection & of enterance into the eternall sabbath in heauen . for this purpose also saint austen & many other learned men in all ages since even to this day , doe alledge the plaine words of david , psal. 118.24 , where hauing prophetically fortold the glorious resurrection of christ. thow after that the iewes had crucified & put him to death , hee should rise up to be the head corner stone even the rock & foundation of the church , ( for so our sauiour mat. 21.42 . & the apostle act. 4.11 . do expound davids words ) he immediatly affirmes , that this is the day which the lord hath made , we will rejoyce , and be glad in it . that this is the day of the lord christ as st. iohn cals it revel . 1.10 . which the lord hath made . that is , in his degree hath already appointed to be his holy day , we ( that is in the time of the gospell when this stone is become the head of the corner ) will rejoyce & be glad in it : that is , rejoyce befor the lord with all joy & serve him , be glad in him with sabbatical & holy solemnity , & if we consider wel the matter and substance of the 92. psalme , which is intitled a psalme for the sabbath , we shall see that it is most fit for the day of christs resurrection , setting forth the fruites thereof plainely and after a lively manner , to weet : the soled joy of gods people , and the florishing state of the righteous in gods church , and exalting of the horne of christ the true m●ssiah and king of the church . fourthly , if we consider the diversity and difference of things which are commanded in the law of the sabbath , and are to be observed in the weekly sabbath as it was instituted by god at the first , and againe reviued in the fourth commandement , if we call to minde that the law is a mixt law commanding some things which concern the uery substance and being of the holy sabbath , unto which it bindes men perpetually , such as are a fit proportion of time one day in every weeke , rest and cessation , from common workes of this life , and sanctification of it by religious exercises and devoting it to publicke assemblies and holy worship . and other things it commanded which were typicall , and ceremoniall , and were to haue there full accomplishment in christ , and to be in force only vntil the ful exhibitiō & revelation of christ , a pefect redeemer , all which i haue largely shewed before , and the best learned haue euer held . it will upon these grounds necessarily follow , that there must be a chaunge of the sabbath from the seventh day , and in respect of the tipicall and ceremoniall worshippe , at the full exhibition of christ , into aday and a worship more fit for christ giuen and revealed , and for the times of the gospell . first it is generally held by the best learned . that god by sanctifying the seventh day and commanding his holy sabbath to be kept everie weeke on the seventh day , did thereby shew , that in his wisdome he saw it fit and necessary for man to observe this proportion of time , & to devote one day in everie weeke , both to bodilie rest and a totall cessation from his owne worldlie labors , pleasures , and delights , and also to holie and heavenlie meditations , and to religious exercises , and holie assemblies . and in these respects they call the law of the sabbath naturall , morall , and perpetuall , and they proue it thus . first because nature it selfe and common reason and experience doe teach , that ever since mans fall it is naturallie necessarie for mans health and welbeing , and for the preserving and upholding of the life & strength of his labouring and ●oyling cattell , that he , his servants & cattell should haue one daies rest in seaven . and that without this proportion of time dedicated to holie assemblies , and exercises of pietie , the saving knowledge of god , and true religion and pietie cannot well be upheld , fraile men would by little forget god , become ignorant of heavenly things , and so of the way to eternall rest ; if it were left in mans power to chuse his owne time ; some would chuse none at all , the rest for the most part would differ that time which some thought fit . others would refuse as inconvenient , and so there would be no set ordinary assemblies , gods worship would grow out of use . secondly , true piety teacheth us ; that we ought to think our selues bound in conscience to giue and devote so much of our time at the least to pious exercises , as god , in whose hand we and our times are , did require of his people in the obscurer times of the old testament , for the keeping of religion and his worshippe on foote , for preserving of the knowledge and memory of his goodnesse , and benefits , and for the sanctifying of their weekely laboures of his creatures to their use and of themselves to him , that they might be fitted to see him in glory , for the abundance of grace shed on us by the gospel ; is a bond and obligation to us of much more service and obedience which we owe to god. now god required of them every seventh day to be kept holy , and that was the least which any of them in any age were bound to dedicate to his worshippe . and therefore true piety binds us much more to keepe an holy weekly sabbath . these are arguments and proofes , sufficient to satisfie any man who doth not peruersly resist , and rebell against the law of nature . but let me here giue a cave at by the way : that when the learned call the sabbath and the law of it naturall , we are not to conceiue that by natural , they mean a thing writen in mans heart in the creation , which man was made to performe and obey simply as a reasonable creature and naturall man ( for man was made for the sabbath marke 2.27 . ) neither did he toyle and sweat or need a set weekly rest : neither did he need a weekly solemnity , to helpe his memory , or to stirr up his affections , as i haue before proved . but that they understand by naturall , that which the uerie light of naturall reason shewes to be most convenient and necessary for men now corrupt , and which so soone as it is commanded and revealed by gods word appeares so necessary in the very nature of it , both for men soules and bodies , that without it they can̄ot haue ordinarily any wel being on earth , nor escape hel & cōe to heaven after death . this exposition learned zanchyus , gives of his owne and other learned mens speeches , when they call the law of the sabbath naturall . jf , saith he , it were so naturall as things written in mans heart in the creation , then the heathen gentiles would haue felt themselves bound by it , and would haue shewed it in their practise in some measure more or lesse . neverthelesse the conclusion of zanchyus , and other learned divines is firme and sure , vpon the former premises , to weet : that gods first commandement of the sabbath doth perpetually bind al gods people to the worlds end , to keep a weeklie sabbath even a seventh day in everie weeke holie to the lord. secondly , it is a thing vniversally held by all true christian writers , that the sabbath as it was limited to the seventh day of the weeke , and was to be observed by bodily sacrifices morning and evening , and by worshippe which consisted in outward rites which were tipes and figures of things which haue their accomplishment in christ , so it was ceremoniall temporary and chaungable . the common ground of the sanctifying of the seventh day and tying the sabbath to it , is held commonlie to be gods rest on the seventh day from the worke of creation . and this is such a grounde as in the fulnesse of the time was to giue place and did giue place to a better rest arising , and brought in by the finishing of a more excellent and glorious worke of gods goodnes and bountie even the worke of mans redemption . the worshippe of god on the sabbath of the seventh day in the old testament , by double sacrifices & such ryts were but vanishing shadows the substance of thē was christ , & therfor they were to cease whē the body & substance came in . and the particular day it selfe and the rest tyed to it was a tipe and figure of the death of christ , and of his rest in the grave , and of the rest and ease which christ by his death should bring to all gods people from the burden of legall rites , and from the guilt of sinne and horrour of conscience , which as an heavy load did presse them downe , and from the masse of corruption like a weight hanging fast one them , all which christ abolished by his death and redemption , and so put an end to the sabbath as it was tied to the last day of the weeke . this being commonly held for a certaine truth by the learned fathers and writers of all ages after them untill this day , proues so farre as their authority and reason will reach : that though the keeping holy of a weekly sabbath is a perpetuall day , to which all gods people are boūd in all ages : yet the particular day was mutable , and another speciall day was to be appointed and consecrated by him who is the lord of the sabbath , wherin an holy rest fitter for the time and state of the new church must be kept , with better service and solemnity . instead of bodily sacrifices , there must be offering up of spirituall sacrifices of praises , praiers , alms , & works of piety , & charity : for-slaughtering of beasts , ther must mortifying of corruption by holy contrition , and killing of all brutish lusts and carnall pleasures and delights , by seperating our selues and sequestring our mindes from them . instead of darke shaddowes of the law , and obscure promises of christ to come ; there must be the light of the gospel shining in the church & preaching of christ crucified , and raised up and set at gods right hand , and there must be seeking of gods face in his name and mediation , and of accesse vnto god in him by one spirit . now what day can any man conceive in any reason so fit as the lords day , the first of the week : wherin we christians keep our weekly sabbath ? this undoubtedly is the most fit and convenient of all daies as i haue largely before proued . yea that this vndoubtedly is the onely particular day which gods law bindes us to keepe holy all the time of the gospell , even untill we come to the eternall rest in heaven . i will as briefly as i can proue and demonstrate , in the last place , and so conclude this point of sanctifycation of the sabbath , as it is the worke of god the lawgiver , and is distinguished from mans duty and worke of sanctification . chap. 13. the first which is the maine foundamentall argument , is drawn from the foundation upon which god hath from the beginning builded and surely setled the weekly sabbath . it is a thing most certaine and undeniable , that whatsoever things are inseperably joyned & cleaue fast together , they stand & move together , the one cannot moue to any place , but the other of necessity must moue with it . whatsoever is firmly s●tled on a rock and inseperably fastened to it , & founded on it , must needes moue with the rock and cannot moue to any place but where the rock is moved , upon which ground i argue thus : that which is from the beginning founded upon christ , and so surely setled and firmly builded vp●n him by god , the founder of al things , that cannot be seperated , it must needs moue and chaunge the place with christ , and cannot be moved , nor chaunge and remove to any place but onely to that which christ is removed . the weekly sabbath from the first institution is founded by god , firmly builded and sure setled upon christ the redeemer , and is in seperably joyned to him . there●ore it cannot move nor chaunge the place , nor be remoued from the seventh day to any other day of the weeke , vnlesse christ the redeemer change his day and moue together with it , and if he doth chaunge his solemne day , it must needes be chaunged and removed with him to the same day . the proposition is undeniable : the assumption also j haue fully proved before , in the laying open the grounds of the sabbath : and therefore the conclusion is a most manifest truth . that whensoever christ chaungeth his day and chooseth another , the sabbath must needes bee chaunged to the same day . which conclusion fully proved i lay it down for a good ground and argue thus upon it . that day which christ leaveth and passeth from it vnto another , which he chooseth for his speciall and particuler day . from that day the sabbath also is chaunged and moved , and the other day which christ hath chosen becoms also immediatly the particular day of the holy weekly sabbath . now the seventh day which was the speciall day of christ in the old testament , because on it christ was promised a redeemer of the world , and did first undertake openly and actually to mediate for man , is now ceased to be christs peculier day , he hath left it , & hath chosen the first day , and made that his speciall and peculiar day aboue all other daies of the weeke , when in it he got the victory ouer death , and by his resurrection entered into his glory and eternall rest ; and of a redeemer in promise , became a redeemer indeed & fully perfected mans redemption . therefore ever since hath the weekely sabbath beene removed to the first day , and that is the peculiar day of the weekely sabbath . secondly , that god did from the beginning purpose in himselfe , and by many evidences did declare his intent , to chaunge the sabbath from the seventh to the first day , & also in the first institution of the sabbath , and in the giuing of his law for the keeping of it , did intend to bind us under the gospel to the keeping of our weekly sabbath on the first day of the weeke , as he bound the fathers to the seventh day in the old testament . j proue from the determinate counsell and forknowledge of god concerning the chaunges which he foreknew and determined to bring to passe , in the foundation , groundes , and prerogatiues of the sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week : it is a thing which all men who haue any true knowledge of god must needes know and acknowledge for an undoubted truth : that god whose wisedome is infinit , and his wife providence ordereth and disposeth all things , doth never any thing in vaine , he never laies the foundation in any place but there also he intends the building , he never brings in the proper causes any where , or in any time , but then and there he intends to bring in & to produce the proper effects of them , and whatsoever commandement god giues to men to performe some speciall duty upon some speciall grounds , and for some singular causes , occasions & reasons , by that commandement he binds them to performe the duty whensoever and whersoever he shewes the grounds and reasons to them , and giues and offers the causes and occasions . so that if it be made to appeare unto us , that now under the gospel , god had according to his owne determinat counsell and forknowledge chaunged the foundation of the weekly sabbath , and removed it & all the grounds , reasons , accasions , and praerogatiues of it , from the seventh day to the first which is the lords day , we must needs see and acknowledge , that it was the purpose , minde , & will of god to make the lords day our weekly sabbath , and in his giving of the first law of the sabbath , which in the maine substance of it is perpetuall , to binde all his people after the full exhibition of christ to the last resurrection to keep the holy weekly sabbath on that day onely . now these things may sufficiently appeare by the opening and proving of divers things befor , which i haue observed out of this text , & by urging & pressing them home to this present purpose a little more fully here againe i shall put them out of all doubt and question , and make them manifest & clear to al who do not wilfully shut their eares against the truth . first , that the foundation of the sabbath is christ the redeemer , & that all the true & proper grounds , reasons and occasions , of keeping one day in every week holy to the lord , are only to be found in christ and came in with him , as i haue before fully proued . and as god first promised christ to come the seed of the woman , for the redemption of mankind , & christ did undertake for man to mediate for him on the first seventh day of the world , and thereupon that day was sanctified to be the weekly sabbath : so god had in his immutable counsell determined to exhibit christ a perfect redeemer , & by him to perfect mans redemption on the first day of the weeke , and so to remoue christ the foundation from the seventh day of the weeke , to the first day , together with all other grounds , reasons , occasions & prerogatiues of the holy sabbath . what greater chaunge could be or ever was hard of in christ the maine foundation both of the sabbath & of the vniuersall church , then when of a redeemer promised on the seventh day , and so continuing all the time of the old testament while the fathers beleeued onely in him promised & not yet come . he became a redeemer fully exhibited in his resurrection on the first day of the week & changed the state of the church : and bringing her from the nonnage and childish estate of bondage vnder the rudiments of the world , and legall rites , & carnall ceremonies , to the fulnesse of her time which god had appointed , & to her full age in the new testament . and hereby that first day of the weeke became the chiefest day of the lord christ , even his speciall & particular day , & came to haue all the subordinat groūds & high prerogatiues of the sabbath . for in it god perfected his worke which he had made in the creation by the worke of redemption , not promised & undertaken onlie , as in the seventh day , but by a better kind of perfecting and ending , even by redemption fullie finished , on that daie christ rested from that greater worke of redemption , & declared by his resurrection , that he had made ful satisfaction for mankind to the justice of god , & that god rested in his satisfaction , now actually made & performed , by a more excellent manner of resting then that wherwith he rested on the seuenth , in that satisfaction only undertaken & promised , on that day christ gott the victory over death , hell , sin , the world & the devill , and becomming immortall not subject to die , or suffer any more , entered into the glorious state of exaltation and into his eternall rest , and made way for men to that eternall rest wherof the sabbath is both a liuely pledg , & also a powerfull meanes to fit men for it . and in al these respects god blessed the first day of the week , with a blessing farre aboue his blessing of the seventh day , for that was the promise & undertaking only , this was the performance & perfecting of redemption : & therfore so farre excels that , as the giuing of a great guift & perfecting of a worke exceeds the promise of that guift & undertaking of that worke . now that that this remouing of the maine foundation of the weekly sabbath , together with the subordinat grounds , occasions & prerogatiues of it , from the seventh day to the lords day ; the first of the weeke , came to passe by the determinate counsell , foreknowledge and providence of god , and that from the beginning and in the first giuing of the law of the weekely sabbath , god did purpose and intend this chaunge , it appeares most plainly by diuers reasons . first because god is no idle spectator , but the provident lord & disposer of all things , which come to passe in the world , & nothing can come to passe but so as he hath appointed , and in the time & season which he hath determined . the flood and generall deluge by which the old world was destroyed , came to passe in the very yeare and day which god had prefixed , & did for tell to noah one hundred and twenty yeares before . the end of jsraell peregrination and servitude in egypt , came to passe just at the end of foure hundred and ●hirty yeares , in the same day which god had determined , & foretold to abraham . exod. 12.41 . and so the deliverance of the isralites out of captiuity , and the decree for their return came out at gods appointed time , which he had foretold by ieremiah the prophet . dan , 9.2 23. and the particular time of christs satisfaction and attonement for sinne , and bringing in of eternall righteousnesse , was determined by god , and came to passe at the end of the seventy sevens of yeares , as it was revealed to daniell in the same chap. 24. ver . and in a word the very time of christs resurrection , by the virtue whereof we are fully redeemed and shall in our verie bodies be raised vp to life eternall , and rest in glorie , as the apostl● testifies . rom. 6.5 . 1 cor. 15.13.21 philip. 3.10 . & 1 pet. 1.3 . it was determined by god befor the foundation of the world , as the words of st peter do shew . 1 pet. 1.2 . secondly ; god in the very creation & from the first beginning of the world , did foreshew that he had a purpose to honour the first day of the weeke aboue all the other daies , and to make it the lords day and christian sabbath by the resurrection of christ. in that he made it the first fruites of time , and in it created the highest heaven , the place of the eternall sabbath , and brought forth the light of this inferiour world , by which naturall prerogatiues he made this day the fittest of all daies of the weeke , to be the day of christs resurrection , wherein he the sun of righteousnesse & light of the world , rose up with healing in his wings , and became the first fruites of them that sleepe , and by virtue whereof he will bring the faithfull into the eternall rest , wherof the weekly sabbath is a pledge & will make them partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light , as the scriptures testifie 1 cor. 15.20 . & coloss. 1.12 . vpon these premises before proved at large , and here againe pressed home to the purpose . the conclusion followeth necessarily : that it was the purpose , intent and will of god to make the first day of the weeke , the lords day and the christian sabbath , and in the first institution of the sabbath . and by his first law of the sabbath ( which in the maine substance of it is perpetuall ) to binde all his people in the time of his glorious gospell , to observe that day onely for their holy weekly sabbath ; vntill they come to that wherof the sabbath is a liuely pledge , even the eternall rest of glory in heaven . thirdly whatsoever tends most to the perfect fullfilling of any speciall law and commandement of god given to men , and is manifestlie made known to man to be most agreeable to gods will revealed in that law , and to the endes and uses which god openly pretendeth therein , that man is chiefly bound to do by that law and commandement . this is a most certaine and undoubted truth . for gods generall commandement is , that we loue him with all our heart , and worship and serve him with all our soule and all our strength . deut. 6 ; 5. & mat. 22.37 . now the will of god revealed in this first institution , and sanctifying of the sabbath , and in the fourth commandement of the law , is often repeated & urged by moses & the prophets , is more perfectly fulfilled in the right sanctification of the lords day vnder the gospell , then it was in the observatiō of the sevēth the sabbath of the old testament , & whatsoever necessary duty god in the law of the sabbath requireth of mā from the beginning , or whatsoever end and use he openly pretendeth , his law of the keeping of the holy sabbath that is more fully obtained , effected , and brought to passe by an holy sanctification of the lords day , and by keeping it an holy sabbath to the lord now vnder the gospell . therefore by the law of the sabbath given at the first , and by the fourth commandement , it is repeated and explaned , christians are bound to to keepe the lords day which is the first of the weeke for their weekly s●bbath . if any man doth make doubt of the assumption in this syllogisme . it is easily proved by a particular enumeration , both of the particular substanciall and necessary duties which gods word requires in the sabbath : and also of the ends and uses for which god requires an holy sabbath to be kept every seventh day . the first maine dutie from which the seventh day requirs the name of sabbath , is rest and cessation from all worldly labours , pleasures and delight , wherein man is to withdraw his mind from worldly cares and secular affaires , which concern this fraile earthly life , and is to giue rest and refreshing to his owne body , and to the bodies of his children , servants straungers , and toyling cattell as appeares . exod. 20.10 . isa 58.13 . and the proper end and use of this rest is . first to admonish man that he must not place nor seeke felicity in this world , nor since his fall and breaking of the covenant of workes by his disobedience , hope for any happinesse or felicity either here or else where to be purchased by his owne workes of righteousnesse , which he either is , or was able in the first creation to performe in his owne person . secondly to shew that gods just wrath appeased by c●rist , and the sting of death and the curse and bitternesse of mans sorrowes , and toilsome laboures which god imposed on him for his transgression , is taken away , and god will not haue his people to torment their bodies which continuall toile , and painfull labour , but to ease and refresh themselves with a weekly rest . thirdly to make men take notice that god hath a provident and fatherly care of his creatures both men and beasts , hates all mercilesse cruelty , & oppression of their very bodies , and will haue them so refreshed & eased that they may last the longer , and goe cheerfully through their weeklie labours . fourthly , to shew that in christ vpon whom the sabbath is founded , there is spirituall rest and ease and refreshing of the soul , from the heavie burden of sinne , and the miser●es of sinne , to be found of all them who being heavy laden do flee to him , and in him place their hope and confidence . fif●ly , to put in mind of gods resting in christs mediation from the worke of creation , and that he hath wholy given over all purposes and thoughts of repairing the world , and restoring man fallen and corrupted by any worke of creation , and hath set his mind on another kind of worke , even the work of redemption by christ , and the new creation of heavenly spirituall and supernaturall graces and perfections in men by his holy spirit . sixthly , to be a signe and memoriall of christ his full perfecting of the worke of mans redemption , and of his perfect satisfaction made to the justice of god for fraile sinfull men . lastly to be a token and pledge of the eternall rest in heaven , and of the sabbathisme which after the labours and troubles of this life , the elect and faithfull people of god shall enjoy for ever in the world to come . now there is no day in all the weeke , in which this first maine dutie of the sabbath can be well be performed , for the ends and uses , as on the lords day which is the christian sabbath . the seventh day never yeelded halfe so much light & helps to gods people in the old testament for these purposes , as the lords day doth to us vnder the gospell . for the lords day in which christ arose from death , and entered into his glorie , and perfected the worke of redemption , it discovers christ the maine foundation of all rest , & even of the sabbath it selfe more plainly unto us , and in it being bewtified and adorned with so manie blessings and prerogatives which gods word gives to it , wee may as in a cleare glasse see and behold christ with open face , we see in his resurrection gods justice fully satisfied , his wrath appeased , redemption fully perfected , gods resting in christ mediation , eternall rest purchased by christ for us , and gained to himselfe , & heaven opened unto us , & sin , death and hell already ouercome and conquered . and therfore there is no day by many degrees , soe fit as this day of christs resurrection to make us rest comfortably in our bodies and minds from worldly cares , and bodilie l●boures , and in our soules and consciences from the burden of sinne and the guilt thereof . no daie or time can so plainly shew vnto us , that our fellicity is not in this world , nor to be obtained and purchased by the righteousnesse of our owne workes . this sets before us christ raised for our justification . this shews gods aboundant mercy and compassion ●o us , and that hee hates all cruelties and oppressions . and this is a speciall meanes to bring us to the assurance of the blessed hope and eternall rest reserved in heaven for vs. and therfore the first maine duty with all the partes thereof , and the speciall endes and uses of it , are more fully performed and obtained in the observation of the lords day for the holy weekly sabbath , then they possibly can be now by vs , or could be of old on the sabbath of the seventh day , by the fathers in the old testament . the second maine duty of the sabbath is sanctifying and keeping of it holy to the lord , which comprehends in it many speciall and particular duties . 1. setting of their affections even their joy and delight wholy vpon god and heavenly things . 2. honouring & worshipping of god , in their hearts with holy thoughts and meditations , by their lipps with holy prayers , praises , and thanksgiuing , in their outward actiōs by preaching , hearing , reading , & repeating of gods word , and solemne commemoration of his promises , mercies and blessings in the word and sacraments . 3. teaching and learning all holy duties which tend to bring vs nearer to god in christ. 4. offering spirituall sacrifices to god of sweet sauour , such as are almesdeedes & works of mercy and charity , wherby others may be made to tast of gods goodnesse and stirred up to laud and praise his name . all these are comprehended vnder the maine duty of sanctifying the holy sabbath which the lord commands expresly in the law , and they are commended to vs by the prophet . isa. 56.4 . & 58.13 . and the proper end and use of this duty and all the partes thereof , is . first to make vs set our affections on things which are aboue and not on things below , and to stirre us up to seeke eternall life and heavenly happinesse in christ onely , and in him crucified and raised up . secondly , to continue and increase in fraile men the knowledge and memory of christ , and of the way to eternall life and blessednesse in him , which without keeping holy of a weekly sabbath , would faile & cease among the sonnes of men . thirdly , to begit and increase true grace and holinesse in men by exercising holy duties of religion ; and so to bring them by justification & adoption to the right of inheritance in heaven , and by sanctification to fit them for the possession of it . now the observation of the lords day , in which christ arose is such as may far more powerfully & effectually moue men to the performance of these duties , & lead men more directly to the proper end and use of them , then the old sabbath of the the seventh day , either now can , or of old could do when it was most in force . for it had no other light or life in it , but onely from obscure promises , and darke shaddowes through which christ was seene as things farre off are seene , and in the starre light nights . but the lords day the first day of the weeke , hath light and life from the sun of righteousnesse christ who in it rose up , and to be the light of life to all nations , & hath brought life & immortallity to light by the gospell , and discovered to us the kindnesse and loue of god & the riches of his goodnesse , in giving grace and shedding his spirit on us abundantly here , and so fit us for glorie hereafter . and therefore this day must needes be of great force and power , farre ab●ve the seventh day , to make men set their affections on god and heavenly things , especially upon the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled which fadeth not away : reserved in heaven for us , unto which god hath begotten us by the resurrection of christ from the dead . 1. pet. 1.3 . it is also powerfull and excellent to incite and stirr us up to honour god in our hearts , by the due consideration of his goodnesse and mercie . also it much furthereth us to proclaime the high praises of our god , and kinge , and to make prayers and supplications to him . besides to make us helpfull unto others , in seeking after their salvation . and thus we may see what are sabbath duties , even the workes of piety , mercy , charitie , &c. pleasing to god , and by which others may be brought to joyne with us , in lauding and praising god , and we our selves fitted for glorie . vpon ●hese points so fullie proved . the conclusion followes necessarilie : that the law by which god first instituted the sabbath on the first s●venth day of the world , doth binde us under the gospel to keepe the lords day for our weeklie sabbath . fourthly , that day which god hath made , most honourable , and hath given it a most honourable name and title aboue all the daies of the week , to that he hath given the prerogatiue to be the weekly sabbath & hath made it his day of holie rest . for it is a property of the sabbath , to be the lords holy and honourable day , as the evangellicall prophet isaiah shews . jsa 58.13 . & making of it hono●able , is making of it the sabbath . now the first day of the weeke is the day which god hath honoured aboue all daies , by the glorious victorie of christ , ouer death and over all enemies , and powers of darknesse , and to it he hath given the most honourable , name and title : for the holy evangelist and divine apostle s. iohn , who was the intimate , beloved , and bosome disciple of the lord , and did best know his minde cals it the lords day . revel . 1.10 . that is , the day which the lord hath made the day of great joy & gladnes to his people , as david foretold . psa. 118. which day the lord christ hath appropriated to himselfe , & his honour , & honoured with his own name , as he is the lord god , one iehovah with the father . for the greeke word ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) lord , is in respect of the roote from whence it is deriued the same in signification , with gods proper name iehovah , and most commonly in the new testament , is used to expresse that sacred name . therefore it is now under the gospell made by god himselfe the weekly sabbath . the fifth argument is grounded upon the wordes of our saviour . math. 12.8 . & mark. 2 . 27·28 . where he saith , that the sabbath was made for man , and not man , for the sabbath . therefore he , even as he is the sonne of man , or god made man , is the lord of the sabbath . the first clause , to weet : ( the sabbath was made for man , ) notes out vnto us two things . 1. that the sabbath was first instituted for man , even by reason of the sonne of god promised to become man , and so he is the foundation of it . 2. that it was made for man , that is , for the man christ , and for the benefit of all mankinde in him , for his honour and the advancement of his kingdome among men , and for the good of men , both naturall and civill , in respect of weekly rest , and refreshing , & also spirituall , as knowledge , instruction , growth in grace & holinesse . the second clause ( not man for the sabbath ) shews that the sabbath is not one of those things which man was made to obserue in the creatione , neither is the law of it written in mans heart in the the creation : it was the fall of man and his corruption , which caused his to stand in need of a weekly rest , and of holy sabbath exercises , to worke good in him , and to bring him neerer to god. and being made for mans use , he may in case of necessity dispence with outward obseruations of the sabbath : & the same must giue place to works of necessity which cannot be omitted either without losse of life or some certaine losse or mischiefe the third clause ( therefore is the sonne of man lord also of the sabbath ) doth giue us to understand that the use of the sabbath was founded on christ promised to be lord of the sabbath , and was in , & under him made man , and necessary for the profit of man corrupted , not for man in innocency . therfore c●rist the son of man is lord of the sabbath that is , he hath th● true proper right and propriety , in it for to make it serve for his use being the lord possessor of it , and he hath authority and power ouer it , so that it is at his command , either to be or not to be in vse , either the seventh day or upon some other day of the weeke . now we never read , that christ exercised any lordship ouer the sabbath , as hee is the son of man , either to command it or to chaunge it , but only in thes● two respects . first that he brought it first into the world by undertaking to be the seed of the woman , & the sonne of man , & so it was setled on the seventh day , in which he was promised during the time of the old testament , while he was a redeemer pr●mised . secondly , that he by his resurrection in which he perfected redemption , did consecrate the first day and made it the most honourable day , fit to be the sabbath of the new testament , and also gaue commandement to his apostles so to ordaine in all churches . besides this lordship and power of christ as sonne of man ouer the sabbath , we cannot conceiue or imagine any other . therefore undoubtedly he hath chaunged it to the first day of the weeke , and as lord of it hath given commandement for this chaunge and alteration . the sixth arg. is drawne from gods sanctifying of the lords daie by his sonne christ more fully and excellently , then he did the seventh day in the first institution of the sabbath . for seeing the making of the seventh day to be the holie sabbath , is the sanctifying of it as the words of my text shew , and also the words of the law . exod. 20.13 . it must needes hereupon be granted . that what day god by his son christ , hath in all respects more fullie and excellentlie sanctified , then the seventh day was sanctified when god made it the sabbath . that daie god by christ hath made his holie sabbath , and so it is worthie to bee esteemed , and soe is to be observed in the new testament . but now it is most certaine and manifest : that the lord god by his son christ hath in all respects more fullie and excellentlie sanctified the first daie of the weeke , in which christ arose from death ( as appeares by diuers things which i haue formerlie touched . ) first he in that daie more abundantlie revealed his holines to the world in that he declared christ our redeemer and the head of the whole bodie the church , to be the sonne of god with power , according to the spirit of holinesse by the resurrection from the dead . rom. 1.3 . secondlie , he then opened as it were the flood-gates of heaven , that holinesse might be more abundantly with his spirit powred out upon all flesh , when christ was raised up and exalted by gods right hand , that he might shed his spirit on all sorts of people of all nations , as wee read . act. 2.33 . yea in that , in the feast of pentecost which was the first day of the weeke , and the 49. day after christs resurrection , the holie ghost was sent downe vpon the apostles to sanctifie them , and to lead them into all truth , and to giue them the guifts of tongues , to preach the gospell unto all nations which they presently did , and the same day converted 3000. soules , herein he both shewed his holinesse more abundantly then before . thirdly ; it is piously held by manie divines , that among other things which after his resurrection christ spake to his disciples , concerning the kingdome of god , that is the church under the gospell : this was one , namely , of the keeping of the holy sabbath , and holie assemblies , or gathering of the saints togither vpon the first day of the weeke : for immediatly after , the apostles observed that day , and all churches in all ages since haue followed their example . therefore it is god who by his sonne christ hath made this first day , that is the lords day the weekly sabbath of christians . j might here adde for further proofe of this truth , an observation of diuers godly and learned writers , to weet : that our saviour sanctified the first day of the weeke more then any other day by his promise and example , in that he did most commonly appeare to the disciples after his resurrection , and came amongst them when they were assembled together on that day , and taught and instructed them and breathed on them , so we reade . luk. 24.13.36 . & ioh. 20.19.26 . seventhly that which the apostle taught by word and writing and ordained in all churches of christian gentiles , and confirmed by their constant practise , is undoubtedly a commandement which they received from the lord christ , so it appeares . act. 15.28 . where they professe that what they prescribed to the chirstiā churches , was the dictate and sentence first of the holy ghost , and then of them joyntlie . and our saviour tells us that the holie ghost leads men into all trueth by speaking his word onely to them and calling it to their remembrance , ioh. 16.13.14 . therefore it was christ his word and ordinance , st. paul also professeth that he deliuered unto them , such traditions as be received from the lord 1 cor. 11.23 . and againe he saith 1 cor. 14.37 . jf any man thinke himselfe to be a prophet , or spirituall , let him know , that the things which j write unto you are the commandements of the lord. now it is manifest in the gospel , and in the writings of the new testament : that it was a constant practise of the apostles to keep their assemblies with one accord on the first day of the weeke , so we read : ioh. 20.19.29 . act. 2.1.2 . and in those their assemblies the lord christ presented himselfe to them bodily , and by the visible appearance and powerfull operation of his spirit . also act. 20.8 . st paul on that day kept an holie assembly at troas , and there he preached and administered the sacrament of the lords supper and performed holie exercises of the christian sabbath . and the same apostle gaue a precept and commandement to the corinthians , even the same which he there saith hee had ordained in the churches of galatia . 1 cor. 16.1.2 : to weet : that they should observe the first day of the week , and in their holy assemblies on that day offer up pleasing sabbath sacrifices , that is do good & distribute to the necessities of the saints , with which sacrifices god is well pleased . heb. 13.16 . therefore vndoubtedly it is the ordinance and commandement of christ , which the apostle receiued from him . that the first day of the weeke should be the holy sabbath , and the day of weekly holy assemblies to all christians . the 8. argument is drawn from the blessing of stability wherwith god hath blessed the sabbath of the first day , the joy and comfort & great benefit which most godly & religious christians finde in it , and the tediousnes of it to carnall people , & the loathsomnesse of it to all such as are opposites to christ , and from his grace . this is most true which graue and learned gamaliell gaue in the counsell of the high priests and elders of the iewes . that which is of men and not an ordinance of god , if it concerne religion , it will come to nought , it cannot continue in force , nor prosper any long time . act. 5.38 . and surely if the christian sabbath , & keeping holy of the first day of the weeke were an invention of men , and not the ordinance of the the lord christ , it could not prevaile and stand in force in all christian churches , and in all ages by an uniforme consent without interruption . the most godly zealous , and religious christians , would find no solid joy and comfort in it , nor any blessing from god in their religious obseruation of it . and the world of carnall men who hate christ , & his ordinances , would not be so opposite to it , as to hate and loath it . for the world loveth her own . but all carnall worldlings , and profane persons , do so hate it , as they hate christ , and it is loathsome and tedious to them , & notwithstanding many and great oppositions of profane persons . yet we see it stands firme in all ages since the apostles , and in all christian churches . none but heretiques haue rejected it , & all godly christians finde solid joy & abudance of blessings in the strictest observation of it . therefore it is most certainly no humane invention , but christs ordinance , it is he who hath made the first day of the weeke his owne holy day and our weekly sabbath . the ninth arg. is drawn from the manifestatiō of gods wrath against the open profaners of the lords day , and from the great & fearefull judgments , which god hath in former ages , & doth still execute on the dispicers & polluters of the christiā sabbath . it is certain that the lord doth not cut of or consum mē in wrath , but for some notable scandalous sinnes & transgressions against some expresse law & commandement , hee makes no men examples of vengance by sudden and fearfull d●struction , and notable plagues , but for some notable sinne , & all notable sinnes , are transgressions of gods law , comitted against his revealed will & word . now as the histories of all ages do afford many examples of fearefull judgments suddenly executed & inflicted on wilfull profaners of the lords day in former times . so i could rehearse and relate aboue 30. examples of gods vengance , which he hath shewed openly in this land within the space of two yeares , upon such as haue shewed open contempt of this christian sabbath , some of whith hee hath sticken with sudden death by his mediate hand , others he hath devoured with waters , and some he hath cut of by surfets which they got in dauncing & drinking on the lords day , and sōe he hath fired out of their houses in the middest of their drinking & jollity , & consumed al their substance . and these judgments haue suddenly & unexpectedly befallen them in the very act of their transgression , while they were in the midst of their actions , very busie about their owne workes , sports & pleasure . and these things are as cleare as the light , and manifest to our eyes & outward sences , that god is most severe against the profanation of this day , and that it is apparent that his sonne christ made this day his holy sabbath , and commands all men to keep it . lastly we haue clear testimonies both from the apostles them selves , that the day wherin christians keepe their sabbath , even the first day of the week is the lords peculiar day . revel . 1.10 . and also from all the most auncient fathers and learned christian writers which succeeded the apostles in the next ensuing ages , that the lord christ changed the holy sabbath to this day , consecrated it by his resurrection , & that all christian churches from the time of the apostles kept their holy rest in it , & devoted it to publick exercises of religion , and of gods worship & counted it the queene of daies , the supreme lady & princesse , & worthy to be observed & sanctified with sababaticall solemnities ignatius cals it . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . epist ad magnesios justin martyr 2. apol. pag. 77. discribes the observation of it in his times , and tels us , that christians spent it in reading , preaching , prayer administration of the sacraments , offering of almes , & other publick worship of god in their publick assemblies , besides priuate exercises of religion . tertullian also acknowledgeth this first daies sabbath , & none other lib. adversus gent. p. 41. & 155. eusebius lib. 4. eccles. histor. cap. 22. brings in the profession of dionysius corinthius , who saith thus . this day we kept holy the lords day . st. austen in his 119. epistle and in the 22. booke . de civit dei. cap. 30 & serm . de verbis apostoli . 15. and many other which it would be a tedious thing here to reherse , especially seeing . j haue before mentioned diuers of their testimonies , which tend to this purpose , and shall produce some also hereafter . now upon all these arguments laid togither , j hope wee may boldly and confidently conclude against all both iewish sabbatarians , who retaine the old abolished sabbath of the seventh day , and also vnchristian antisabbatarians who deny the lords day to bee the sabbath vnder the gospell , which gods people by gods law and christs appointment are enjoyned to keepe holy to the lord. and that this sabbath of the lords day , cannot bee chaunged but must stand firme , and be still in force among all gods people vntill the end of the world and the last resurrection , i will briefly demonstrate & shew by two plaine reasons which i hope none will deny , and thus i frame them . the first is grounded on christs wordes . mark. 2. vers . 28. thus i frame it . that which hath christ , as hee is become the sonne of man , lord of it , must needs exist and haue a being under him as he is the sonne of man , that is in the time of the gospell . the sabbath hath christ the sonne of man lord of it . mark 2.28 . therefore it continues in being under christ. whatsoever ordinance of god is given to his people to bee unto them a token and pledge of some great blessing , and future good promised , that god will haue them to keepe saf● and to hold fast , vntill they receive the blessing and come to the full possession of it . this is manifest by the tipes and sacraments of the law , which could not bee a bolished , nor without sinne purposely neglected vntill christ was fully exhibited , of whom they were signes and pledges and he was the body and substance . and we finde by daily experience , that the loosing or casting away of the pledg , is the forfetting or forgoing of a mans right whereof it is a pledge : if we will receiue the blessing we must do the condition of it . now the observing of a weekly sabbath is not onely a signe of eternall rest in heaven , but also a token and pledge if it , given in the beginning , togither with the first promise of christ , and conveighed ouer from the fathers to us , & setled on the day wherin christ arose from death , and perfected mans redemption . that it is a pledg of the sabbathisme which remaines for the people of god , the apostles words imply . heb. 4.9 . and the best learned haue ever held it to be our pledge of eternall rest in heaven . as aust●n . tom. 4. quaest. 162. and lib. contra adimantum . cap. 13. & divers others . therfore the holy weekly sabbath upon the lords day must be observed by all gods people , & the law of the sabbath binds them therunto perpetually to the end of the world ; & to the day of resurrection to glory . and thus i haue finished the doctrine of the sanctification of the sabbath , as it is the proper act of god , even his seperaing of the seventh day to be an holy rest , by his word & commandement . chap. 14 the thing which now followeth , next in order , is mans sanctifying the weekly sabbath & keeping of a seventh day holy to the lord , which god hath imposed on him for a necessary holy duty , when by his word & cōmādement he blessed & sanctified it , as here we read in the words of my text . for gods sanctifying of daies , times , & places is not any infusing of his holy spirit into them , as he doth into his saints , even holy angels & men , but this giving of a law & commandement to mē to obserue & keep them after an holy manner , & to use & imploy them to holy heavenly & supernaturall use , even to divine worship & exercises of piety & religion , as i haue before proued plainly . and in that gods sanctified the seventh day , that is : gaue a law in the beginning to man to keep & observe it for an holy sabbath , as my text shews . therfore it is a necessary duty imposed by god upon man so to observe & keep an holy sabbath every seventh day , or a sevēth day in every week , & that duty of mans sanctification & keeping holy the lords sabbath , comes now in order to be handled , which is here necessarily implied & included in the worde of my text . in the opening & handling wherof , i purpose to proceed in this method & order . first i will shew that this duty of sanctifiing an holy sabbath to the lord , is imposed by this act of god , on all mankinde , & the children of men are bound unto it from the seventh day of the world , after the first beginning of the creation , untill that last day of the generall resurrection & judgment , in which they shal be called to an account & reckoning of all things which they haue done in this life . secondly , i will shew how farre , & upon what termes & conditions men are bound to this duty by gods law , given for that purpose in his act of sanct●fying the sabbath . thirdly i will shew more speciall , the speciall workes wherein the sanctification and observation of the weekly sabbath consisteth . the duties are of three sorts . 1. some are common to all gods people in all ages from the beginning , and all states and conditions of the c●urch , both in the old and new testament . some are proper to the fathers of the old testament , while the sabbath was limitted to the last day of the weeke , and grounded upon christ promised onely . 3. some are proper to the church and people of god vnder the gospell in the new testament , when the sabbath is ch●unged to the fi●st day of the week , even the lords day , & builded upon the finishing of mans redemption , and christ fully exhibited , and gods resting in christs satisfaction consummated , which is a more excellent ground . of all these in order . the ●●rst point ( concern●ng the obligation of all mankinde to the keeping of an holy weekly s●bbath from the first seventh day of the world , vnto the last resurrection , when the elect and faithfull shall both in their soules and bodies , enter into the eternall rest in heaven ) may be proued by divers arguments . my first argument is drawne from the law by which god here in my text did first bind man to this duty : & thus j briefly frame it . that duty which god hath enjoyned by a commandement given to our first parents , without limitation , exception , or exemptiō of any , that he hath imposed by his commandement upon adam and all his seed and posterity in his loynes , and they are all bound unto it to the worlds end . the sanctifying of a seventh in every weeke , and keeping it an holy sabbath , is a duty injoyned by a commandement which god gaue to adam without limitation , or exemption of any of his seed and posterity . therefore it is a duty imposed by god upon all mankinde , and they are bound unto it in all ages vntill the end of the world . the first proposition cannot with any colour of reason be denied : if any shall object that god gaue to adam upon the promise of christ a law of sacrificing cleane beasts , and offering first fruites which bound him and his seed in his loynes : and yet they are not bound by it in all ages but onely untill the comming of christ : and his offering of himselfe a sacrifice which is the substance of all sacrifices , and after that men are boūd no longer to that duty . i answer , that though the last of sacrifices , & of other service & worship , which were types & shaddows , was given to adam upon the first promise without expresse limitation , and reached to his seed in his loynes , and as caine , & abell , so noah , abraham and all the patriarches , & people of god were bound to that dutie vntill christ , yet there was a limitation in the things commanded , which being types and shaddowes onely of christ promised , were of no use , but onely while christ was yet expected , and not actually offered up a sacrifice of perfect attonement , and gods people had neede of such types and figures to lead them to christ. therefore this objection doth not touch , nor infring this proposition which speakes of a law , & of a duty whi●h is of use to all mankinde in all their generations . the assumption also is manifest . for here we haue a law giuen to adam , when all mankinde were in his loynes , commanding a duty even the sanctifying of a weekely sabbath , which hath beene and is , of as great use after christ as before . for as the isralites were bound unto this duty by god exod. 16.23.28 . & 20.8 . euen in al their generations , as appeares . jer. 17.21 . so also gods people are bound to it under the gospell , whether they be strangers which joyn themselves to the lord , and lay hold on his covenant . isa. 56.6.7 . that is , churches of the beleeving gentiles , or naturall isralites after their long hardnesse , in the last daies , converted to christ the repairer of the breach and builder up of the old wast places after many generations . isa. 58.12.13.14 . and j do not thinke there is any man professing christianity dare be so impudent as to affirme , that any of gods people in any age are exempted frō the holy duties by which the sabbath is sanctified , and a seventh day in every weeke kept holy to the lord , or that we in these evill and perillous times , haue not as much neede of them , for the upholding of true religion , & for the increasing of grace & godlinesse in our hearts . therefore undoubtedly all mankinde in all generations and ages are bound to keepe a weekly sabbath . my second argument is drawne from the duty it selfe , of keeping holy a seventh day weekly to the lord , and thus i frame it . everie duty imposed on adam and his posterity by gods commandement , which is in it selfe perpetually holy and just , and of as great use to all men in all ages , & as necessarily in all respects as it was in adam when god first enjoyned it by his law . that belongs to all mankinde , and all the posterity of adam are bound thereunto in all ages to the end of the world . the keeping of an holy weekly sabbath , and sanctifying of a seventh day in every weeke , is such a duty . therefore it belongs to all mankinde , and all adams posterity are bound to it in all ages to the end of the world . the proposition is so manifestly true , th●t there can be no acception against it , to deny it is , to deny that greatest of gods commandements , which saith that gods people ought to feare the lord , and walke in his wayes , & to loue and serve them with all their heart , and with all their soule , and with all their might . deut. 6.5 . & 10.12 . for whosoever exempts himselfe , or others from a duty which is perpetually holy & just , & usefull , & necessary for all men , he in so doing , refuseth to serue god with all his heart , soul , & might , and teacheth others to transgresse that great commandement . the assumption also is an undoubted truth . for first there can be no time nor age named since mans fall & corruption , which brought all mankind vnder the bondage of hand & toylsome labour , & eating his bred with the sweat of his face , wherin the rest of one day in every weeke is not usefull profi●table , & needfull for mens bodies , & most just & equall to be granted to their labouring servants , & toyling cattell , the verie light of naturall reason reqiures it for the cōmon good , & welbeing of all men . he who denies this to himselfe , and to his children , servants , & cattell , he is an unjust & unmercifull man , not to be numbred among the righteous who are good & mercifull to the life of their beasts . prov. 12.10 . secondly , justice & equity require , that seing the life of man is a pilgrimage on earth , & here on earth there is no abiding place for him , nor any felicity , true rest , or perfection to be found but in heaven , mā should not spend all his time , & all his thoughts & studies in , & about the things of this world , but that he should haue a set time at lest one day in every week , wherin he resting & ceasing from worldly cares ; laboures , & delights , should wholy devote himself to heavenly meditations , and to holy exercises , which may fit him & prepare him for the place of rest , teach & direct him in the right & ready way thereunto , & enable him to walke wisely therin . who thinks it to much to consecrate one whole day in seven unto religious exercises which may fit him for eternal life , he is undoubtedly most vnequall in his judgment & a judge of unjust things . thirdly , it is a thing not only good & holy in it selfe , that man of his owne accord , & much more being commanded by god , should devote one whole day in every weeke to the mediate worship of god , in thankfulnes for his creation & redemption , & the vse of gods creatures restored to him in christ ; with some advantage : but also very vsefull & necessary for the seasoning of mans weekly laboures with justice & piety , for the cōtinuance & increase of holines , & religiō in his heart and for the enlightening of his mind , rectifying of his will , sanctifying , of his affections , and fitting him to undertake and begin all his weekly laboures in the feare of god , to direct them to the right end , and to perfect and finish them happily by gods favour and blessing . jf any man shall dare to deny this , we may justly feare that he is rude & ignorant of those heavenly and spirituall things , whereof all gods people haue continually experience in themselves . and the constant practice of gods people who in all ages haue observed and kept a weekly sabbath holy to the lord , and therby haue profitted in all piety and holinesse , will convince them of grosse blindnesse stupidity . adam no doubt did every seventh day devote himselfe to gods worship , and taught his first sonnes , caine & abell to bring their offerings to god , at the end of daies that is : every last day of the weeke , for that is the most proper sence of the words in the hebrew text . gen. 4.3.4 . and so soone as the posterity of seth began to multiply and increase they gathered themselves into a church & were called the children of god , or gods people , and hereby they were distinguished from the carnall and profane progeny of caine , & then they began to invocate and call upon the name of the lord , that is to worship god in publick assemblies . gen 4.26 . whereas adam , abell and seth , had invocated and worshipped god in their own private families onely , now the faithfull being multiplied did frequent publick assemblies , which could not be , but in set places , and at set times surely euery weeke on the seventh day which god had blessed and sanctified . also after that generall apostacy which came in by vnequall mariages of the sonnes of the faithfull with the daughters of the profane , & the destruction of the the old world with the flood . righteous noah who was saved in the arke with his familie , immediatlie after began to observe the holy rest of the seventh day , for it is said , that the burnt offering which he offered on the altar , of every cleane beasts and cleane foule vnto the lord was a sweet smelling sacrifice of rest , that is sacrifices , of the sabbath . the hebrew word in the text there used , with the emphaticall particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the most notable rest , even the rest of the holie sabbath , wherein man resteth in memory of gods rest , in the satisfaction of his people the isralites before the giving of the law from mount sinah , by gods owne voyce , they did obserue the sabbath & were admonished by moses so to do . exod. 16.23 . and they who rested not , but went forth to gather manna are reproved by god , as transgressours of his lawes and commandements ver . 28. and although we doe not reade of any sabbath , kept by abraham and the patriarches before moses , because the church of the faithfull was but small , comprised onely in their families , which could not keepe any great and publicke sabbath assemblies , worthy of record in the sacred history : yet undoubtedly they had their set time as well as set place of gods worshipp , even a weekly sabbath according to the law which god gaue to adam when he blessed & sanctified the seventh day . but i shall more fully speake of these things hereafter . and here upon these grounds i conclude , that the assumption of this present argu : is manifest : and the conlusion which thence flowes is certaine , to weet : that the posterity of adam in all ages are bound to this duty of keeping a weekly sabbath holy to the lord. a third argument is drawn from the ground upon which god founded the sabbath , and commanded the duty of keeping it holy to himselfe . for if the ground of the duty stand firme , throughout all generations , and do belong to all men of all ages , as well as to adam who had the commandement given to him , and the duty imposed on him by god. then the dutie also belongs to all men of all ages vnto the end of the world . and whosoever do clayme any interest in the ground of the duty , and expect profit by it , ought to acknowledge that the duty belongs to them also , except they can shew some speciall dispensation from god himselfe . now the ground upon which god founded the sabbath and imposed the duty of keeping it holy , is such as doth equally belong to all men . for if wee cleave to the bare letter of the text ( as diuers commonly doe ) and take the ground of the sabbath to be no more but this , that god finished the worke of creation on the seventh day , or hauing finished it and made every creature good & perfect before on the sixt daies , rested on the seventh from creating any things in the world . then we must withall confesse , that this ground belongs equally to all mankinde , for all men of all ages haue interest in the benifit of gods creating the world , and making all things so perfect , that he had no more to do but rested on the seventh day . but if that be the true and proper grounds which i haue before laid downe and proved , to weet : gods perfecting of the creation , which left all things good but mutable : by bringing in redemption which christ promised , did on the sevēth day , take upon him to perform in mans nature : and god resting in the al sufficient satisfactiō which christ undertook , to make for man , and which saved god the labour of a new creation , & making new creatures , and of repairing by a mediation the breach which mans fall had made in the word ; and so made for mans use . this ground doth belong to all mankinde in all ages . we now under the gospell haue as great , or rather greater interest in it , then adam or the fathers in the old testament . and by virtue of this promise of christ , & by meanes of his undertaking to be mans mediatour , and of gods resting in his mediation , all living men , and all creatures made for the vse of man do consist , and haue them in being in this world . coloss. 1.17 . and god by him ( the word of his power being made man and fully exhibited aperfect redeemer ) doth substaine and uphold all things . heb. 1.3 . and although the circumstances of this ground , are with the times and ages of this world mutable , and there is a great chaunge from christ only promised and undertaking mans redemption , to christ fully exhibited aperfect redemer in his resurrection : yet the ground it selfe , even redemption by christ , is still the same : the promise of redemption which was made to our first parents on the seventh day being the greatest blessing , which was revealed to mankinde in the old testament , procured to that day the honour of the weekly sabbath in all ages before the comming of christ. and the full exhibition of christ , and the perfecting of redemption in the resurrection of christ , on the first day of the weeke , did merit , & procure to that day the honour of the christian sabbath in all ages vnder the gospel : for god did not rest soe much in the undertaking of redemption on the seventh day , as in the actuall performance and full perfecting of it , on the first day of the weeke , the foresight of the full performance made the promise a ground both of gods rest , and of the sabbath in ●he old testament . and if christ had suffered , dyed , and been swallowed up of death and corruption in the graue , and had not gotten the victory ouer death , and all the powers of darknesse in his resurrection , then had we remained in our sinnes , & all our preaching of christ , and all our faith in him had beene vaine . 1 cor. 15.17 . jt was christs resurrection which consumated the great work of mans redemtion , and on the day wherein he a rose from death , did he rest from that great worke , as god on the seventh day did from the worke of creation , and consecrated that day to bee the christian sabbath . but yet all this while redemption both promised & undertaken and also actually performed is the same common ground of the holy weeklie sabbath : and christ is the same redeemer to all mankind , and the onlie mediatour and saviour . yesterday , and to day , and the same for ever . heb. 13.8 . and the duty of keeping an holie weeklie sabbath is grounded on him throughout all ages , who is the common saviour , and redeemer of all mankinde . therefore all men of all ages are bound to this dutie , & none exempted from it , in any nation age or generation . fourthlie , that which god hath given to all mankinde in adam , for a perpetuall law to them of future benefit , which he hath promised and hath in store for them , that they are bound carefullie to keepe untill they fullie obtaine the blessing and benefit promised , for if he that hath given a pledge , doth take it away from them to whom he hath given it , this is an evident signe that he hath altered his minde and purpose of giving the benefit to them . and if they do at any time loose this which is the pledge , or wilfully cast it from them , they haue no evidence or token any more to assure them of the benefit , nor any witnesse of the covenant , or signe wherby to challenge the blessing . now the holie weeklie sabbath is ordained of god , and given in adam to all mankinde to be a signe and pledge to them of spirituall and eternall rest in christ , which they shall never fullie obtaine vntill the last resurection in the end of the world : for the full rest & sabbatisme whereof the sabbath is a pledge , doth till then , still remaine for them . heb. 4.9 . and they shall not enter into the full possession of it untill the last resurrection . and gods giving of himselfe unto his people to bee their god , which doth sanctifie them whereof the sabbath is a signe , token , and pledge vnto them as he himselfe testifieth . exod. 31. 13. is not fully manifested , nor perfected untill they bee fully sanctified both in soules and bodies at the last day , and made fit to see and enjoy god to rest with him in glorie for ever . it is true which the auncient fathers haue observed and taught , that the old sabbath as it was limited to the the seventh daie of the week , was a signe of the spiritual rest of the faithfull from their own sinfull works , and of their steadfast rest upon christ by faith , when they are regenerate and renued by the holie ghost , which is shed on them abundantlie through iesus christ vnder the gospel . tit. 3.5.6 . and therefore that old sabbath of the seventh daie of the weeke , is so farre fulfilled in christ , and hath the accomplishment in him : but because the fulnesse of eternall rest wherof the weeklie sabbath absolutelie considered is the signe and pledge shall not be obtained vntill the last resurrection of the just , when by virtue of christs resurrection , their bodies shal be raised out of the dust and be made like the glorious body of christ , which they still exspect in hope . therefore the keeping of a weeklie sabbath as a pledge of that perfect eternall rest , still belongs to all gods people , and they are bound to keepe it on that day of the week in which christ arose , which day by his resurrection is made a sure pledge that they shal be raised vp in the perfect image and similitude of his resurrection . fifthly , that which is ordained by him and given to men , to fit them for eternall rest in heaven , & to be a speciall means to conduct & lead them in the right way therunto , and which of it selfe is very good , profittable , and excellent for that purpose . that gods word and will , and every mans reason guided by the word , bindes him to obserue & keepe , and to hold himselfe constantlie and perpetually vnto it , vntill he comes to the end of his race , even the eternall rest in heaven . this is a truth vndoubt●dly . for the scriptures command us to runne our race vnto the end , and to omit no meanes which may helpe to eternall life : and experience teacheth us , that the neglect of the ready way and meanes of gaining the pledge is the way to loose it . now the keeping of an holy weeklie sabbath after the best and strictest manner , by resting from all worldly businesse , so farre as our weaknesse and necessitie will suffer , and devoting our selves to gods holy mediate worship , as prayer , reading , & hearing of gods word both in priuate and publick assemblies , and to serious meditations of heavenlie things , is in it selfe one of the most powerfull meanes , to beg it and increase faith , and all holy saving graces in us , and god hath ordained it , for to conduct and lead men on , in the right and readie way to etenall rest in heaven . therefore gods word , & will revealed , & everie mans own reason guided by the word : binds all men to it in all ages , vntill they come to eternall rest in heavē . chap. 15. the first point being thus proued . the second thing before propounded followes : that is , to shew how farr , and upon what termes and conditions the sonnes of adam are bound to the duty of keeping a weekly sabbath by gods commandement , giuen in the sanctifying of the seventh day here recorded in my text , where god is said to sanctifie the seventh day , that is : by giving man a law to keepe it holy . first for such sons of adam as are borne and liue in the church of god , & haue the means to know gods word , & to obey his law : there is no questiō to be made , it is cleare that they are bound to know & to keep this cōmandement of god , and to seperate one day in every weeke , even that which god hath blessed aboue all the rest , & to devote it to holy & heavenly exercises , ceasing from all worldly cares , labours , & delights , and so to keep it an holy sabath . first , as they are gods creatures , & god hath thus far declared his mind & will , that men in immitation of him their god , who rested on the seuenth day , & also for the refreshing of themselves , their children , servants , & cattell in their bodies , should rest from worldly labours : & for the comfort of our soules should spend it in holy & spirituall exercises , & in the worship of him their maker , and preserver : even the generall law of nature bindes them to this duty . secondly , as god hath revealed himselfe a redeemer & saviour of mankind by promising & giving christ : so they are much more bound to keep all his commandements to the utmost of their power , especially this of the sabbath , which god ordained to be a memoriall of redemption and eternall rest , to be found only in christ promised on the sevēth day , and in fulnesse of time given and exhibited . jf they beleeve that christ is their redeemer , and that they are bought with the price of his blood , and are no more their own , but his , who hath bought them , this binds them to glorifie god with their soules , and bodies also which are gods. 1 cor. 6.20 . and this they cannot do , except some time be set apart , at least one day in everie week , to celebrate in holy assemblies , the gracious goodnesse , bounty & loue of god to them in christ , & to sanctifie and fit themselves , for him in all their weekly works , and for the intending and seeking of him in all the labours of their hands , thus much the lord shews in his law giuen & expounded by moses . deut. 5.15 . where he tells israell , that he gaue his commandement to them of keeping holy his sabbath , for this end , that they might remember their slavery in egypt , & their deliverance by his mighty hand , & stretched out arme . vpon which words wee must necessarily inferre , that if god bound them by his commandement vrging them and pressing often to keep the sabbath day , for a memoriall of their deliuerance from temporall & tipical bondage , & thankfulnes to him for it , then much more were they & all gods people still are bound , to keep holy the sabbath day in thankfulnes & for a memoriall of spirituall deliverance from sin , death , and hel , and that on the day of the lord christ , wherin he is promised or fully exhibited . thirdly , because there is none of all the sonnes of men who live in the church , and know the word & law of god , & discern their own frailtie but know how hard it is for them to continue in grace , & in the knowledge of christ , & in the understanding of the misteries of godlinesse , without often exercises of religious duties , as well in publick as in private , & without much hearing & publick instruction in the word and law of god. therfor every rational man must needs know & acknowledg himselfe bound by the light of reason , & his naturall appetite of his own happinesse , to use all means for continuance & increase of grace & of heavenly knowledg in himselfe needfull to salvation , especially this keeping of an weekly sabbath which he findes by experience to be ameans to hold him fast to christ. but if any who liue & are borne in the church , in such times & places wherin they haue sufficient means to know gods revealed will and law for the keeping of an holy sabbath weekly , do through negligence , & idlenesse , malice , or perversnesse remaine wilfully ignorant of this law & will of god , as well as diuers alients . this shal in no case excuse them , neither doth it from the bond of this duty , no more then it doth frō the bond of any other laws of which they are wilfull ignorant , but god will punish them , both for their failing in this duty , & for their wilfull shutting of their eyes & eares and refusing to know his will & law . now because a great part of mankind even of adams posterity do liue out for the church , & many nations for many ages even all pagans and heathen infidels never heard of the sabbath , nor of gods word vvhich requires the vveekly observation of it . we are in the second place to consider , vvhether this law of god , and this his blessing and sanctifying , of the seventh day , doth in any respect bind them to this duty . and first that ignorance of the law doth not exempt them from the duty , it is manifest by plaine reasons . first because they had means from adam and their first progenitours to know this law , for when the earth was devided into severall nations and countries , the fathers and first founders of euery nation did know , that god had , in sanctifying the seventh day given this commandement to our first parents and their seed in their loynes : but they by wilfull neglect of this duty brought the law into obliuion , and their children rejoycing to follow their licentious waies , and to put farre from all thoughts of this duty , and all regard of this law , became wilfully ignorant of gods will , yea they skorne to hearken to gods word if it be brought vnto them . secondlie , no ignorance which is not invincible , but might be avoided by due care & diligence , can exempt a man from any dutie which god hath commanded all mankind to performe : our saviour tells us , that he which failes of his duty out of simple ignorance , and doth not his lords will , because he knew it not , shal be punished and beaten though with fewer stripes . because god is the lord of all , euerie man ought to enquire after & learn his will : and therefore heathen people though they know not this law , shal be beaten for neglect of this dutie , because they ought to know god , and to learne his will , who giues them life , breath , and all things . and if they who faile though simple ignorance , must be punished though in a lesse measure , then wilfull profaners . jt must needes follow , that they are bound to the duty though not so strict lie , nor in that manner and measure as they who live in the church , & in such times and places , where they know , or may know the law and word of god. thirdlie , all mankinde even the most barbarous and sauage nations , as they haue their being , and all guif●s of nature , from gods creating hand and power . so they haue all these things continued vnto them by the mediation of christ , and by a common and vniversall virtue of him the redeemer , they are vpheld in life and health and strength in this world : and christ as mediatour procures all these things to them , after a secondarie manner for his elects sake , which are either to spring after many ages out of their loines , or to receive benifit of their laboures in subduing the earth , making it habitable and fit for his people to dwell in , and so preparing a place for his church , or the like . in this respect god is called the saviour of all men , but especially of them that do beleeve . of all , in as much as he preserues them innaturall life , but of the faithfull , fullie and perfectlie in that he saues them from eternall death , and hell , and brings them to life eternall . and hereupon it is , that all things are said to be and to consist in , and by , and for christ. coloss. 1.17 . and hee is said to be a ransome for all men , that is reaching to all in some measure , manner , and degree , even to infidels to obtaine common guifts for them , and to the elect perfectlie to redeeme them . now they who partake the benefit of the christ the blessed seed promised to adam , they are bound to the dutie which god requires in thankfulnesse for it , and for a continuall commemoration thereof . therfore all mankinde even the most barbarous are bound to the duty of keeping an holie sabbath weeklie , though they doe not know that which bindes them to it , and leades them to the performance thereof . fourthlie , gods blessing of a seventh daie , and sanctifying it by his commandement given to our first parents , is as easilie to be learned , and knowne , and kept in memorie as many other things of lesse moment , which heathen jnfidels doe learne and know , and kepe in memory for worldlie respects . as for example , to measure the times of the world by yeares , and yeares by months , and months by weekes , and weekes , by seven daies , this because the heathen finde to be verie commodious for worldlie and civill respects , therefore they are carefull to learne and remember it , and all such things . and it is as easilie and as possible to to learne and know gods law , concerning a weeklie sabbath , and they would and might learne it , if they were as carefull for their soules , and to serve god , as they are for their life , and to serve their owne lusts , and this world . and if they would travell , and send abr●ad into farre countries to learne heavenlie knowledge and holy bevaviour , as diligentlie as they do to learne humane knowledge and worldly wisedome , art & skill , they could not be ignorant of gods law , concerning the weekelie sabbath : but they refuse to learne this , as they do to learne true religion , and shut their eyes against it , as they doe against the knowledge of christ. therefore as turkes and other infidels , who haue gods word professed in their countries , cities and among them : though they cannot rightlie call vpon god , nor beleeue in christ without preaching of the word , which they will not looke after but skorne it : yet they are bound to repent and beleeue , and shall perish for rejecting and not vseing the meanes to git faith . so it is with other infidels further of , they shall perish for not using such meanes as are in their power , wherby they might come to know this & other duties which they are boūd to performe in thankfulnes for gods gracious promise of christ the redeemer , & for the commō benifits which they receiue through him . chap. 16. the third thing which i propounded concerning mans sanctification so the sabbath , is the consideration of the duties wherin it doth consist , which are of three sorts . first some are such are common to all gods people in all ages of the world , and they be duties which are necessarie to the being of the sabbath . secondly , some are proper to the sabbath of the seventh daie , while the fathers under the old testament did expect christ promised , and were to keep their sabbath in memorie of the promise of christ made to our first parents on the last day of the week . thirdly some are proper to us who liue under the gospel since christ fullie exhibited a perfect redeemer : & after the buriall of moses , that is the utter abolition of all legall shaddows together with the materiall temple of the jews . the duties common to all such as are necessary to the being of an holy sabbath at all times , & they are three especiallie . the first is a rest & cessation from all seculiar affaires & worldly pleasures , except only such as are necessarie for mans welbeing , & cannot be omitted or deferred without great hurt & danger of mans health , & life , & of the life and safety of the creatures which god hath made for mans use . the second is sanctification of the sabbath , with such holy exercises of religion & of gods worship as god requires in that age , & state of the church in which they live . the third is sanctifying of that day of the week which god hath blessed & honoured with greatest blessings , aboue all other daies , & wherein he hath more fully revealed his holines , & opened the fountaine of holines for the sanctifying of his people . concerning the first , to weet : rest and cessation from all worldlie affaires & bodilie delights , there is a doubt made by some , whether it doth equally concerne all gods people , as wel christians under the gospel , as the fathers of the old testament . divers are of opiniō that christians haue more liberty & are not so strictly bound to rest from all worldly affaires & bodily delights , as the fathers were befor christ. but for the clearing of this point we are to note three specially things . first that rest & cessation from all seculiar businesse , & worldly pastimes is a dutie of the sabbath which generally belongs to all men in all ages who are bound to keep a weekly sabbath or holy daie by virtue of gods sanctification of the seventh daie . for first the very name ( sabbath ) which god gaue to the day , signifies rest & cessation , & puts us continually in mind of this duty . and whosoever cals it by the name sabbath , doth thereby acknowledge it to be a day of rest . secondly , a maine ground of gods first institution of the sabbath , the rest from all workes of creation wherwith god rested in christ the seventh day , who on that day was promised & took upon him to be mans mediatour ( as hath been proved befor out of the words of this text . for chtist the son of god vndertaking to repaire the works of creatiō , which were defaced by mans fal , & to restore al his by another kinde of work then creation , even by incarnation , obedience ; suffering & satisfaction for sin in mans nature , & for the redemption of the world ) did bring unto god the creatour , rest & cessation from any more creation of new kindes of creatures . and upon this ground , even this perfecting of his worke of creation , by bringing in redemption , and in memory & for a signe of gods resting in christ promised , god sanctified the seventh daie to be an holy weeklie sabbath , & bound man to this duty of rest on the sabbath day from all secular businesse . thirdly , in all ages whensoever god repeated the law of the sabbath , or vrged the observation of it , either by moses or the prophets we shall observe that rest and cessation is injoyned , as exod. 20.10 . the seventh day is the sabbath , in it thou shal● do no maner of worke . & exod. 31.14 . thou shalt do no manner of worke therein . & exod. 33.2 . devt . 5.14 . whosoever doth any work on the sabbath shall surely be put to death . they might not gather man̄a on the sabbath day . exo. 16.28 . they who went out to seeke manna are called trasgressours . and all the prophets which in after times made mention of the sabbath , vrged rest , & blamed all servile vvorks vvhich concern this life : as isa. 58.13 . jer. 17.27 . neh. 13.17 . fourthly vve in these later daies , haue as much need of rest & more then men in former ages , and the greater hopes and more cleare evidences of rest and glorie in heaven which we haue , do more bind us to rest from worldly cares , and to set our mindes on heaven where our hopes are . these are strong arguments to prove that rest vpon the sabbath day , is a duty which generally belongs to all men in al ages , which the first thing serving to satisfie the former doubt & to proue the first generall duty . secondly , gods sanctifying of the sabbath , and his first commandement given to adam for the keeping holy of the seventh day : binds all men , in all ages , to keepe a weekely sabbath to the end of the vvorld , as i haue before proued , and therfore the duty of rest belongs to all . thirdly , they vvho hold the lavv of the vveekly sabbath to be but for a time , and that it is novv abolished , they can shevv no scriptures to vvarrant their opinion . that place vvhich they object , coloss. 2.16 . speakes not in the singular number of the vveekly sabbath , instituted here in my text . for though the day bee chaunged upon vveightie reasons and good ground . yet the sabbathisme still remaineth to the people of god , not onely the eternall , and heavenlie , but also the temporall sabbath on earth which leads to the heavenly . the words of the apostle speake of those sabbaths or holy daies of the iewes , which were tipicall , and shaddows of things to bee exhibited in christ , such as were the first and last daies of the passouer , pentecost , and other great yearly feasts . the word sabbaton , being of the plurall number , implies soe much , and the nameing of feasts , daies , and new moones which were shaddowes of the law , giue us just cause to conceiue that the apostle intends only the festiuall and not the weekly sabbaths . or if we should grant that the weekly sabbath is meant , among the rest , which the father 's obserued on the seuenth day : yet the apostle calls it a shaddow , onlie in respect of the particular day of the promise of christ , which day is a bolished , & giues place to the first day , in which the promise was fullie performed , and christ became a perfect redeemer actuallie in his resurrection . the anti-sabbatarians haue onely two objections which haue some shew and coulour of reason at the first hearing . the first is , that if it had beene the minde and will of christ , that the weekly sabbath should be continued and remoued to the lords day , vnder the gospell , then would he either by himselfe , or by his apostles , haue giuen some expresse commandement to that purpose , which they say , he did not . to this i answere . first that our saviour spake fully to this point , when he said , that he came not to destroy , but to fulfill the law . it remaines therefore on their part to shew , that the commandement of the sabbath is no part of the morall law , or else they do but beate the aire and labour in vaine . secondlie , the apostles themselves kept their holy assembles , & ordained in all churches of the beleeving gentiles that publick assemblies should be kept and exercises of the holy sabbath perfomed ordinarily on the first day of the weeke , as i haue before proved , from . act 20. & 1 cor. 16.1 , 2. and whatsoever they ordained was the comma●dement of che lord 1 cor. 14. vers . 27. thirdlie , while the first temple was yet standing in the daies of the apostles , and moses was not yet buried and quite taken out of the way : jt was not convenient that the apostles should chaunge the day of the sabbath among the beleeving iewes . yea they themselves in iudea and all places among the iewes , kept the seventh daie : among the gentiles the lords daie . we never read that the lords day was called a sabbath in the primitiue times next after the apostles , nor since , by any but onely by iewish sabbatarians . howsoever these adversaries , put on a bold impudent face , to colour and countenance this objection : yet herein publish a manifest untruth . for igna●ius immediatly after the apostles saith . that the christians must keep their holy sabbath : not after the man̄er of the profane iews of those times , with excessiue feasting , dauncing , and such carnall sports and pleasures , nor on their seventh day : but on the lords day , the day of christs resurrection , which he calls the queene and supeeme lady of daies , as i haue formerlie shewed . saint hilary saith , nos in prima die perfecti sabbathi festiuitate latae mur. i.e. we christians rejoyce in the festiuity of our perfect sabbath on the first day of the weeke . st. augustine in the 25. sermon de tempore . hauing rehearsed diuers notable blessings and prero●atiues which god of old honoured the first day of the weeke the lords day , doth there affirme , that upon those grounds the holy doctors of the c●urch , to weet : the apostles . who were taught by christ , and inspired by the holy ghost in all things which they decreed and ordained , haue by their decree remoued or rather transferred all the glory of the iewish sabbathisme , vnto the lords day . and immediatly he adds this exhortation . let us christians therefore obserue the lord day , and let us sanctifie it so as of old the law giver commanded the fathers concerning the sabbath saying . from evening to evening shall ye celebrate the sabbath . and further he saith , that if wee from the evening of the iewes sabbath the satturday , to the evening of the lords day sequester our selves from all rurall workes ; and all seculiar busines and devote our selves onely to gods worship , then we rightly sanctifie the lords sabbath according ●he wordes of the law : ( yee shall not doe any worke in it . also psalm . 32. he affirmes that keeping of the sabbath is one of the things which belong to the loue of god , and thus he exhorts every true christian. observa diem sabbati non carnaliter , non judaicis delicijs , &c. that is observe the day of the sabbath not carnally with iudiciall delicacies , for they abuse their rest , and rest to naughtinesse for indeede it is better that men should digge all the day then daunce as they doe : but doe thou meditate on the rest in god and doing all things for obtaining that rest , abstaine from servile worke . and in his 3. tract at vpon iohn . he saith , we are more strictly commanded to keepe the sabbath then the iewes : for we are injoyned to keepe it spiritually . jewes keepe it carnally in luxury and drunkennes , and it were far better that their women should be busied in working all the day in woll , then dance . the true christian keepes the sabbath spiritually , by refraining from servile worke . these and diuers other testimonies of the auncients shew ●ufficiently the falshode and vanity of this objection . and that in the judgment of the most godly and learned fathers , the law of god bindeth us to keepe the sabbath holy on the lords day weekly . it is true that some part of the sevēth day was by reason of great multitudes of iewes abounding in all countries , soe frequent and soe commonly known & called by the name of the sabbath , & that name was so proper to the saturday in those times , that if any had called the lords day by that name , his wordes would bee understood by the hearers of the iewes sabbath , except ●e had expounded his meaning as those fathers before named do in their speeches b●f●re mentioned . and againe the iewes were soe superstitious in observing their sabbath , ●o contrarie to the christian sanctifying of the lords day , even with feasting , dauncing , and profane pomp , that the name of sabbath through their abuse of it grew distastfull to godly christians , even as in our time the old name catholike ; by reason of the antichristian papists , falsly vsurping and approbria●ing it to their apostaticall church and false religion , is growne to haue an ill sound in the eares of reformed christians . and therefore t●e auncients were very sparing in calling the name of the sabbath , and seldome did they call the holy weeklie rest of christians by that name , except onlie in case when they opposed it to the jewish sabbath , and preferred it farre before their carnall observation . but wheras in this objection the aspersion and reproachfull name of iewish sabbatarians is laid on all them who call the lords day the cbristian sabbath , and urge the sanctification of it , by the law of god. this is a point of such notable impudency and intemperancie , that it deserues the scourge & whip of ecclesiasticall censure & punishment , to chastise and correct , rather then any arguments of reason or divinity to convince such raylors . for in the homilies which are comprehended and commanded in the articles of our religion , by law established : the lords day is frequently stiled by the name of sabbath , even no lesse then eight times in one homily , which treateth of the time & place of praier . and both there , and in the writings of the most godly diuines , and builders of our church , gods people are vrged by the law of god , even the fourth commandement to keepe holy the lords day , for the christian weekly sabbath , and in our divine service after the publicke rehearsing of that commandement in the congregation , are injoyned to pray in these words . lo●d haue mercy upon us , and incline our hea●tes to keepe thy law and this you see the first generall duty of the sabbath , to weet : resting from worldly affaires clearly proved , and that while their is a sabbath or weekly day of holy assemblies , either under the gospel , all men are bound to observe this rest . the second generall duty necessa●ily to be performed in the keeping of the sabbath is sanctification , which is by mens devoting of themselves wholy to divine worship , & such religious actions , as god requirs in the times of the church in which they live , such as are publick assemblies for praising god , praying to him , preaching , reading , expounding , and hearing of his word , commemoration of his great works , and rehearsing of his promises for common edification . also private praier● , and meditations on heavenly things , domesticall instructions and the like . all these are necessary sabbath duties to be observed of al men , in all ages , both under the old & new testament . first the words wherin moses here in my text , discribes gods first institutiō of the sabbath , proue this fully . for here it is said that god sanctified it , that is , set it apart for holy exercises in the performance whereof men do sanctifie it . for sanctifying is either by infusion of holinesse into the thing sanctified , or setting it apart to holy use and exercise , but it had no holinesse infused into it , as i haue else where proved . therefore it was sa●ctified , by consecration , that is , setting apart to holy use . secondly , it is called the holy sabbath , that is : such a day of rest as is to be kept exod. 16.23 . before the giving of the fourth commandement as moses shewes , saying . to morrow is the rest of our holy sabbath to the lord , that is : this is a rest not of idlenesse , but from common affairs , that men may be exercised in holy duties onely . thirdly , in the giving of the law from mount sina , god commands expresly , that all his people doe remember to sanctifie and keepe holie the sabbath , which cannot be but by exercise of holy duties , and performance of holy service and worshippe vnto god. exod. 2● . 9 . l●stly , in all the scriptures of the law , which speake of the sabbath in the old testament , it is called the lords holy sabbath . and sanctification of it , is required as appeares , exod. 31.15 & , 5.2 . deut. 5.12 . and in the evangellicall prophets , which speake of the sabbath both of old , and also in the last daies of the gospell , it is called the lords holy day . isa. 58 : 13 : & 66 : 23 : and it is said , that all flesh , that is true christians of all nations shall from one sabbath to another come to worship before the lord & ezech. 44.24 . they shall hallow the sabbath . but here some perhaps will object . that none can truly sanctifie the sabbath , nor performe a●y holy duty , who are wholy carnall , & unregenerate and haue not the spirit of god dwelling in them , & sanctifying them , & such are many even in the bosome of the true church . and therfore sanctification of the sabbath , cannot be a generall duty performed by al men , nor requi●ed of all , but is a special duty pr●per to the elect saints , who are truly sanctified , others were neuer able to sanctifie the sabbath and therefore it is not a duty which god can justly require of all in generall . jt is true indeed , that as a bitter fountaine & corrupt , can send forth no sweet and pure water , so no naturall man can performe a true & holy duty . holines is a supernaturall guift of the holy ghost , and he it is who enables men to performe all workes which are eternally holy : but as ther is a two fold sanctification the one internal , which is the wo●k of the holy ghost in men ; the other externall , which is the consecrating & setting apart of things naturall and artificiall to be imployed to an holy vse , and to supernaturall end , so also there are two sorts of holy exercise . some which are eternally holy , as holy prayers and praises and all workes of true piety , which onely holy men performe , by the power of the holy ghost working in them and mouing them . others are only externally holy , by outward consecration & seperation , because the are appointed to be done for holy use , & to be used in the worship of god , such are all outward religious duties , as sacrificing and such like performed by hipocrites and carnall professours in the old testament , such as caine , saul , and elis wicked sonnes were . and reading , preaching , set formes of prayer , and gestures of worship performed by hipocrites both before and under the gospel . these later are in the power of hipocrites and unregenerate men , who by a common guift and generall grace are enabled to performe farre more in this kinde then they do , or are willing to do . now though all men cannot performe the first , yet so farr as they are able they are bound to performe the later sort of dut●es , among which are the externall sanctifications of the sabbath , as frequenting holy and publick ass●mblies , singing of psalmes , joyning with the church in publick prayers and the like : which as they are able to do , so they are bound to do , and if they refuse in such things to conforme themselves , they are punis●ed both by god for disobedience to his law , and also by the censures of the church . the third generall duty necessarily required of all in the observation of the sabbath is : that they keep for their holy sabbath that verie day of the week , whether it be the first or seventh , which god hath blessed aboue all other daies with the greatest blessing , and which he hath sanctified aboue all other daies by more full relation of his own holines to the world , and opening of a more wide doore of holines for the san●tifying of all his people . thus i prove . first most plainly from the words of my text , which describe gods first institution of the sabbath . first by blessing it aboue other daies with that greatest of blessings even the promise of christ a perfect saviour and redeemer of mankinde . secondly , by sanctifying it in revealing his holinesse to man , and sanctifying man by his spirit & the promise and thereupon appointing it to be kept holy . as i haue fully before proved . secondly , the lord god himselfe , both in giving the law from mount sina , and often repeating of the fourth commandement by moses , still vrgeth the obseruation of the weekly sabbath upon this groūd : because he hath on that day redeemed them out of the house of bo●dage with a mighty hand & streached out arme . deut. 5.15 . & in oth●r places : for indeede on the sabbath he redemed them and sanctified the first borne to himselfe . exod. 13. from whence we conclude , that gods blessing of a day aboue other daies with greatest blessings , is a good ground for the keeping of it for his holy sabbath , and so also is gods sāctifying of it by more speciall holines . thirdly it is manifest , that all extraordinary and yearlie sabbaths which god commanded israell to keepe holy such as the first and seventh dai●s of the feasts of the passover , pentecost , & of tabernacles were al enjoyned to be k●pt & observed in memory of greater blessings given on those daies , and of gods sanctifying them by more full revelation of his holines . and therefore much more is the observation of the continuall weekly sabbath grounded upon greater blessings given , & holines fully revealed on that day of the week which is to be observed for the sabbath : & in whatsoever age , time , or state , of the church men do live , they are bound by the first institution of the sabbath , and by the first law which god then gaue for the keeping of it , as to obserue an holy weekly sabbath , so to obserue on that verie daie of the weeke , which god hath at that time and in that age revealed , and declared to be the day which he hath blessed and sanctified aboue all others daies of the weeke . as for example , while christ was promised a redeemer of the world , and was not yet given , the day of the promise wherin he was first promised , and did undertake and begin to mediate for man , was the most blessed day which god had sanctified and blessed with the promise , which was the greatest blessing revealed and made knowne in the old testament . but when an other day of the weeke comes to be blessed with a greater blessing , even the giving of christ , and the full exhibition of him a perfect redeemer , then is that the day which god hath sanctified aboue all daies , & then the law & the words of the first institutiōs bind mē to keep that for the holy sabbath . and thus you see the generall duties which god requires of all men in generall which are necessary to the being of the sabbath , and with out which there can be no right obseruation of a weekly sabbath holy to the lord. chap. 17. the second sort of duties now follow , to weet : those which were proper to the people of god in the old testament , vnto which the fathers were specially bound befor the cōming of christ while he was yet only promised & not given a perfect redeemer . they also though they consist in many particulars : yet may be reduced to three chiefe heads . first to rest and cessation . secondly to sanctification . thirdly to obseruation of the seventh and last day of the weeke for their holy weekly sabbath . first concerning rest from all worldly affaires , and cessation from bodily exercises such as delight and refresh the outward man onely , and are directed to no other end , there are different opinions among the learned . some hold that the fathers vnder the law , were bound more strictly to rest from bodily exercises and worldly affaires on their sabbath , then christians are on the lords day under the gospel , jnsomuch that the strict bond of rest vnto which the law tyed them , was an heavy yoke , and apart of the bondage vnder which they groaned . others are of opinion , that their rest being no more but from worldly affaires & bodily exercises : seruing only for bodily delight & worldly profit , was the very same vnto which all gods people were bound in all ages , and are still under the gospel . there are reasons brought on both sides : but all scriptures and reasons being well weighed : i doubt not but they may bee brought to agree in one truth : if only one thing wherin both sides agre , and which both mistake , be remoued , namely a conceipt which both haue of a more strict and religious exaction of rest and cessation , then indeede was required in the sabbath of the old testament . they who hold the first opinion , bring many testimonies of scripture , which seeme to impose such a strict rest & cessation on the fathers , and the isralites vnder the law , as is by common experience found to be an heavy burden , hard to be borne , and even intollerable . as for example . exod. 9.16.23 , where moses speakes thus unto israell . this is that which the lord hath said . to morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath vnto the lord , bake that which yee will bake to day , and seeth that yee will seeth , and that which remaineth over , lay vp for you to be kept untill the morning . hence they conclude that the fathers were restrained frō baking or seething any meate on the sabbath day . also verse 29. wher moses saith let no mā go forth of his place , but every mā abide in his place on the seventh day . hence they inferre . that the fathers might not walke abroad on their sabbath . likewise from the words of the law . exod. 20.10 . jn it thou shalt not do any worke , they gather that the isralites might upon no worldly occasion do any worke on the sabbath day , not so much as make a plaister or medicine for a sick and wounded man. and so the learned doctours of the iewes vnderstodd the law , and observed it , as they shewed by their reproving of christ for healing a diseased person by a word onely and no other labour . also exod. 31.14.15 . & 35.23 . all kinde of worke is forbideen under paine of death . whosoever doth any worke therein shal be put to death , saith the lord. yea he forbids to kindle a fire through their habitations on the sabbath day , & num. 15.35 . the man that was found gathering stickes in the wildernesse on the sabbath day , was by gods appointment stoned to death by the congregation . & neh : 13 : 17. jt was called profaning of the sabbath , when men sould any wares or vitails , and when straungers of other nations brought in wares and fish on the sabbath day to be sold. also amos 8.5 . they whose mindes were so set on the worldly affaires , that they longed , till the sabbath was past , and had their minde on selling corne and wheate . the lord sweares by the excellency of iacob , that hee will not forgit to reveng their doings : from these scriptures divers both of the auncients , and later diuines haue concluded that the law of the sabbath in respect of rest and cessation , which is exacted in the old testament , with such rigour and upon such grievous penalties . was an heavy and intollerable burden , and therefore is abolished by christ , in respect of that totall cessation and strict rest . others on the contrary doe hold , that as christians haue more clear evidence & hope of eternall rest in heaven , and the spirit which makes the more spirituall , shed on them more abundantly through christ , soe they ought to be more restrained from loue of the world , & from care of earthly things . and therefore by the law of the sabbath are bound rather more strictly then the fathers in the old testament , to rest and cease from all worldly cares , and all laboures , and affaires of this life , on the lords day , which is consecrated by the resurrection of christ , to be the weekly sabbath of all christians . but if these scriptures be diligently searched , and all circumstances well weighed . it will appeare vpon good reason , that both sides are mistaken , and that the forenamed scriptures do not import any such rigorous rest or burden some cessation . for first of all , though the pharises , and other strict sects , and rabbinicall doctors , and expounders of the law , did of later times alittle before , and at the appearance of our saviour in the flesh , expound the law soe strictly in respect of the carnall and literall sence , that thereby they laid heavy burdens vpon men , as our saviour doth charge them . matth. 23.4 . yet it was not so from the beginning , but even the isralites themselves who lived vnder the law , as under a scoole maister , and under the rudiments of the world , they had liberty to go out of them places , and dwellings a sabbath days journey , which was , as their rabbinnes writes two thousand cubites , that is as some take it an italian mile , & in the opinion of others two miles . and 2 king. 11.6.7 . it is recorded the priests and people went in and out , to and from the house of the lord on every sabbath day . they did also kindle fire for sacrifices & burnt offerings , which they did offer unto god double , morning and evening everie sabbath daie , after they had killed and dressed the beasts , and this according to the strict sence and strained exposition of the law , which the scribes and pharises gaue of it , was a breach of the law , and prophanation of the sabbath as our saviour shewes . matth. 12.5 . secondly , the scribes and pharises did not expound the law , as forbidding all bodily workes . for they do circumcise children , & apply medicines to heale the sores of the circumcised on the sabbath , when it happened vpon the eight day after the birth of children , as our saviour also shewes . joh. 7.23 . they led their oxen & asses to the water , and if a sheepe , or oxe , or asse did fall into a pit they did pull it out on the sabbath , because these were works of necessity . luk. 13.15 . & 14.5 . and the chiefest and strictest of the pharises did make great feasts & invited many guests , & our saviour himselfe amongst the rest , who did not refuse to take part with them . luk. 14.1 . & did obserue how the invited guists did choose out the chiefest roomes ver . 7. which shewes plainly that dressing of necessary and convenient meat was not forbidden by the law on the sabbath day , neither did the pharises so expound the law . thirdly for the places of scrpture before alleaged , let us take a perticular view of them in order , and we shall see , that they are much mistaken . first that place exod. 16.29 . doth not enjoyne every man to keepe his place , and not to goe out of their campe to gather manna on the seventh day , the reason prefixed shewes this plainly , to weet : because god gaue them on the sixth day manna sufficient for that day & the seventh . the exposition which some make of the 23. ver . is very idle & ridiculous , namly that the isralites were commanded to bake and seeth on the sixth day , that which they were to eate on the seventh . and therefore it was not lawfull to bake and seeth on the sabbath . for moses doth not bidde them bake for the sabbath which was the morrow after , but onely that which they were to eate on the present day , and to reserve the ouerplus , which they did not bake and seeth vntill the seventh day ; and though they did so , and did not bake and seeth it : yet it did not putrifie neither were any worms therin , which had it beē sodde or baked , for baking and seething do naturally and as an ordinarie means preserue things from stincking and putrefaction . in the next place the wordes of the fourth commandement ( in it thou shalt not do any worke ) they do not forbid religious workes which tend either to inward or outward sanctification of the sabbath day , nor workes of mercy , charity , or necessity which are necessarie , for the safety and preseruation of the life of man or beast . though the perverse scribes and pharises out of their hipocrisie did ●oo strictlie expound and interpret the law of the sabbath against our savious doeings , and held it unlawfull to heale the sick on the sabbath daie , though it were but by speaking a word : yet their practise which they received from the fathers of killing and offering sacrifices , circumcising their children , leading their oxen to the water to drinke , and drawing their sheepe , asses and other profittable cattell out of a ditch : did shew that they were taught from the beginning a contrary lesson , of more liberty , which our saviour approueth , and thereby convinceth them of grosse errour and hipocrisie . thirdly , that place of exod. 3 35. where they are forbidden to kindle a fire in all their habitations on the sabbath day , is not a generall commandement binding all simplie at al times . but a perticular precept binding in some cases , for they kindled fires and burned sacrifices twice every sabbath , they also kindled fires to dresse necessary and comfortable meat exod. 12 : 16. where god forbidding all manner of workes on the sabbath of the passouer , which were commanded to be kept as strictly , and to be sanctified with holy assemblies and solemnities , as much as the weekly sabbath , yet exceps that which is to be done in dressing necessarie meat . wherefore the kindling of a fire here forbidden , is expounded by some rabbines to be onely making of fires to burne malefactors . but indeed if we looke to that which followeth , it will appeare that moses being about to summon the people to bring all materials , gold , silver , brasse , jron , and other materials , and also silke , purple , and other stuffe for the building of the altar , the tabernacle and all things therunto belonging , doth first call to their remembrance the law of the sabbath , and doth giue them a charge from god that in building of the tabernacle , the place of his worship , they abstaine from all worke on the sabbath day vnder paine of death , and that they doe not kindle a fire to melt gold , or silver , or brass , for the altar or the arke , or any holie thing in the tabernacle . for god abhorres the breaking of his law , or prophaning his sabbath vnder the pretence of building an house , or tabernacle , or altars to him . and this is no more then our builders of the famous cathedrall church of saint paul , in this city , are on our lords day the christian sabbath , at this time bound to observe , and do abserue very strictly . fourthly the forbidding of all worke vnder paine of death , exod : 31.14.35.2 . and the commanding of him to be stoned who gathered sticks on the sabbath day . num. 15.35 . are not thus to be understood , that every breach of the sabbath by any bodily labour , was to be punished with death in all persons under the law ( though inded before god everie b●each of every commandement deserues death . ) but that the open wilfull & presumptious prophaning of the sabbath by any scandalous act , or by a cōmon practise was to be punished wi●h death . this is plaine by the words next before going . num. 15. ●0 . 31 . where the lord commands that he who sinneth presump●iously with an high hand , and so reproacheth the lord. and dispiseth his word , be cut of from among his people , against which word and expresse commandement the man which was found gathering sticks on the sabbath daie , did presently sin , and committed wilfull transgression presumptuously , not through ignorance nor compelled by necessity , and therefore he was stoned for an example of terrour to all presumptious transgre●sours . but as for others who did beare burdens , and sell vitailes not presumptuously , but either through ignorance or forgetfulnesse , or drawn by custome and ill example of the multitude in the daies of jeremiah , and nehemiah , they were not by the law put to death , but compelled by authority and rebukes , and by threatnings of wrath & judgments of god , to desist from profanat●ō of the holy sabbath , as the plac●s before named shew . neh. 13. ier. 17.27 . as for them whole mindes are altogether carried away after buying , s●lling , and worldly games on the sabbath day , amos. 8. they are threatned with no other wo , then that which belongs to all such as af●er the same manner ; vnhallow the lords day now under the gospell . wherefore it is manifest that the fathers in the old testament , had no heavy burden of strict rest laid on them by the law , but the same cessation from worldly affaires which they are bound vnto , is still required of us , and of all gods people in all ages of the world . they were not restrained in time of war from works of necessity , as fig●t●ng against enimies , taking and destroying their cities , as we see in the compassing of jericho seven daies together , one of which must needes be the sabbath day . iosh. 6. they might flee for their liues , and pull cattell out of pits , and do any other worke which could not be deferred vntill the next day , but present necessity requ●red it for their owne safety , and for the saftie of their cattell and of other good creatures which otherwise were in danger to perish . but suppose the opinion of diuers both auncient and late writers were true , to weet . that the isralites were bound to obserue a more strict and burdensome rest , and under greater penalties , then either the fathers before the law , or we who liue in the light and liberty of the gospell : yet this proues no more but onely that this rigour was apart of the bondage and paedagogie of the law ; wherewith they are hardlie pressed , for this end to driue them to seeke ease in christ , and to long for his comming in the flesh . and this burden and rigour onely is abolished by christ , together with the chaunge of the perticular day : but the substance of the law still remaines and bindes all men to keepe the sabbath , resting and ceasing from all worldly busines , except that which is of necessity & charity , even as the fathers were boūd frō the first institution . the secōd principal head of which the secōd sort ●f special & proper duties which god r●quired the fathers under the old testamēt , may be reduced , as sanctification . for ouer and aboue ●heir resting from secular affaires , they were by gods first institution of the sababath bound to sanctifie the seventh day , with holy and religious duties , such as god in that state and condition of the church required , as an holie service and for heavenly and spirituall use , even for begitting and increasing of grace and faith in them , and for the fitting of them for the fruition of eternall rest . the sanctification of the sabbath in generall belongs to all mankinde in all ages , and that all are bound to it by a perpetuall law . as i haue proued sufficiently before . i am now onlie to shew the speciall and perticular duties of sanctification , which god required of his people in the old testament . the first speciall duty of sanctification was the solemne commemoration of christ the blessed seed , and of the promise of redemption by him . unto this all the fa●hers fro adam until moses , & so to christ , were bound by gods fi●st institution of the sabbath and sanctifying the seventh day , vpon promise made of the blessed seed : for full proofe of of this : i argue thus both from scripture and common experience . whensoever a day is set a part either by god or holy men , to be kept with solemnity because of some great blessing or deliverance given or promised , the chiefe thing to be observed in that solemnity , is a publick & solemn commemoration & rehearsall of the blessing & deliverance with joy & praise . experience of all ages doth proue this . in the solemn feast of the passouer , the chiefe duty of sanctification was the cōmemoration of gods deliuerance of jsraell from bondage in egypt , by his mighty hand streched out to smite egypt , and his destroying angel passing over all the houses of the isralites , & slaying all the first borne of ●he egyptians , & this deliuerance was the blessing , because of which god instituted this feast . exd. 13.5 . the solemnitie of the feast of tabernacles for seven daies together was instituted by god , because of his preservatiō of israell in the wildernes forty yeares together without houses or cities , in boothes & tents , & the chiefe thing which they were bound to obserue in this holy solemnity , was the commemoration of that preseruation in the wildernes , by dwelling in boothes all the time of that feast , wherby occasion was given to thē to rehearse vnto their childrē , & their child . were moved to enquir , learn , & bear in mind that blessing of gods preservatiō lev. 23.43 . & so in al ages we find by experience , that the commemoration of the blessing upon which every feast was first ordained , is the chiefe duty in all the solemnity , as the cōmemoration and rehersal of christs resurrectiō in the feast of easter , of the cōming down of the holy ghost in the feast of pentecost , of christs incarnation in the feast of the nativity . and in our late yearely f●stivall for our deliuerance from the powder treason , the chiefe duty is the cōmemoration of that deliuerance . so that this proposition is most certain & undeniable . now what the blessing of the seventh day was , because of which god sanctified , it to be the weekly sabbath of the old testament , & also after by moses commanded it to be kept holy . as i haue largely before proued : euen the promise of christ the redeemer . and therfore it followes necessarily , that the first and chiefest duty of sanctification of the sabbath , which the fathers were bound vnto , was the commem●ration of the promise of christ & of redemption by him , which was the blessing wherwith god blessed the seventh day , and therupon sanctified it : and because from adam untill noah , christ was promised to be the seed of the woman : and then he was promised to come of the seed of shem , & afterwards abraham was singled out of shems family , & christ the blessed seed was promised more specially to come of his seed , even of isaak the sonne of promise , & of iacob isaaks younger sonne . and of all the tribes of jsraell judah was nominated . and of all the families of iudah davids house was chosen , & david received the promise that he should be the progenitor of christ. and all the prophets in all ages in their prophesies of christ foretold : that he should be made of the seed of david according to the flesh . therefore the fathers from adam untill noah , and after him untill abraham , isaak , & iacob , their seed & posterity in their severall families , still made a commemoration of christ promised to come of them , in all their weekly sabbaths . and when god had enlarged his church in all the tribes of israel : & had by moses recorded the promise of christ , that he should be the seed of abrahā &c. & after the prophets had foretold that the messiah was to come of davids royal seed : then they were all bound to preach christ. and to commemorate the promise of him after a most solemn manner , to their publick ●ssemblies on every sabbath day . and this was a prime duty , and speciall worke of their sanctification of that day . as we reade luk. 16.29 . & act. 15.21 , the second speciall duty was offering of sabbath sacrifices , which were types and shaddowes of christ , and of red●mption and reconcilia●ion of men vnto god in him . for as they did more solemnly rehearse the promises of christ , so also they did offer more solemne sacrifices , & in a double measure both morning and evening everie sabbath day , this god commanded by moses to israell . num. 28.9 . and vndoubtedly caine and abell being instructed by adam , did bring their ●fferings on the seventh day which ended the weeke , gen. 4.3 . and noah his pleasing sacrifice was a sweet savour of rest , that is a sabbath sac●ifice . gen. 8.21 . as j haue largely before proved . the third speciall dutie , was an holie assembly or holie convoca●ion , which they were commanded to keepe on all other yearly festivall sabbaths , so every weekly sabbath day as we reade . l●vit . ●3 . 38 . for although while the church & people of god , were but a small number , and despersed in severall places and families , as in the familie of melchisedek , and abraham , and lot , and afterwards in the family of i●b , and of the sonnes of abraham , and iacob before that israell grew vp to be a nation , there were few publicke holy assemblies kept either on the sabbath , or vpon any other occasion . the godly fathers did onelie call togither their houshould and families by themselves , and did commaund and teach them to keepe the way of the lord , and to remember this covenant . as is testified particularly of abraham . gen. 18.19 . and in another place . where he is said to build altars and there to worshippe god. as gen. 12.7 . & 13.4 . as also it is said of job . c. 1.5 . that he rose up early and sanctified his seven sonnes , and offered vp burnt offerings according to the number of them . yet it is manifest that whensoever in any age , there was a great increase of gods people , and an enlargment of his church ouer a whole nation and countrie , the sabbath was by gods appointment sanctified with holy assemblies . after the birth of enosh when the family of seth began to increase and multiply , it is said , that men began then to call upon the name of the lord. or as some not unfittly doe translate the words , then they began to call men by the name of the lord , that is : adam and his sonnes especially seth & his children began to separate themselves from the wicked and profane people of caines race , and being gathered into a church , were called the children of god , & gods people , and did assemble themselues togither in set places , and at set times every sabbath day to worshippe god , and to call upon his name , as appeares in the four●h chapter of gen. ver . 26. thus luther and iunius expound that place , & as the words will uery well beare this exposition , so also both scrip●ure & reason confirme it . for gen. 6.2 . the people of god who were gathered into the church , & professed pure religion in their assemblies , are called by the name of god , even the sons of god and by this title are distinguished from the wicked and profane , who are called the sonnes of adam , that is carnall earthly corrupt men . secondly , it is manifest that abell long before seth and enosh did worshippe god and call upon his name , and so undoubtedly did adam and seth before this time in their priuate families , and therefore here cannot bee meant the first begining of mens calling upon gods name , and worshipping him . but certainly the first beginning of gods worship in publick assemblies of the church in set places , and at set times even everie sabbath day . as for them who translate this place , that when enosh was born men began to profane the name of the lord , they make way for diuers absurdities . first that calling upon gods name is profanation of it . secondly , that profanation began in the family of seth , or at the least by the increase of his posterity . thirdly , that there was no profanation of gods name committed by caine and bloody lamech before this time , contrary to that which is recorded before in this chapter ver . 8. & 24. where lamech is brought in skorning of gods threatnings . and as we haue some monuments of antiquity which shew that holie assemblies were observed as religious duties of the holy sabbath from the beginning . so after that israell became a nation , and god set up his church and tabernacle among them , we haue most cleare and expresse commandements of god given by moses to them and all their posterity , that they should do no servile worke , as appeares levit : 23.3.7.8 . num. 28 : 18 & 29.1 . deut. 16.8 . and that the priests and levites toge●her with the people assemble together in the temple on the sabbath day , it is recorded 2 king. 11.5 . 2 cron. 23.8 . but i need not insist vpon further proofe of this point . for everie man of reason must needes confesse , that no publick holy sabbath duties can be performed but in publick assemblies . the fourth speciall duty of the sabbath ( unto which gods people under the law were bound ; after the time of the law written by moses , and the publishing of the promises in the scriptures of the prophe●s ) was the publick reading , and expounding of the law & the prophets , by the priests and publick teachers , and reverent hearing of them by the people . this is manifest by the places before named , to proue asolemne rehearsall of the promise , to weet : luk. 16.29 . & ast : 15 : 21. and that on the sabbath day . for as those scriptures do shew that the promises of christ were solemnly rehearsed . and out of moses and the prophets every sabbath day . so also they shew that moses and the prophets were publickly read , and heard in their weekely holy assemblies , and by this meanes the people were taught , not onely in the promises and prophecies of christ to beleeue in him a redeemer to come : but also in all the righteousnes and duties of the law morall , and all the judgments ; ordinances , & ceremonies of the law ceremonial , w●ich was their scoole-maister to lead them to christ. wee haue also to this purpose another plaine testimony luk. 4.16 . where it is said , that our saviour as his custome was , went into the sinagogue on the sabbath day & stood up to read , and the booke of isaiah the prophet was delivered unto him . and he read a place which was written concerning himselfe , and expounded it vnto them with the generall aprobation of the assembly . also ast , 13.15 & 27 verses . jt is testified , that the iewes in their sinagogues on every sabbath daie , had moses and the prophets read unto them publickely : both in forraine countries where they were disperced , and also at ierusalem and in their own countrie . and that this was an auncient practise even from moses , and in the time of the iudges , and the kings of jsraell and iudah , to reade the law in the holy assemblies , and to heare it read by the priests we may gather from exod. 24.7 . where it is said , that moses read the covenant in the audience of the people , & deut. 31·11 . 12 . where the isralites are commanded to read the law in their assemblies , in the hearing of all men , women & children . i● may also be collected from i●sh . 8.34.35 . iudg. 18.3 . & 2 cron. 17.7.8.9 . & 30.22 . & 35.3 . that it was in vse after the captivity , the historie of nehemiah testifies nehem. 8.4 , & 9.3 . the auncient division of the five bookes of moses into 54 lectures , that th●y might be read over once in every yeare , by reading one lecture every sabbath , is a thing soe auncient , that we finde no mention of the author of it , & therfore it may be supposed to be from moses the writer of those books . and the reading of a lecture also out of the prophets everie sabbath , is recorded to be a custome long before christs birth begun , by occasion of the tirant antiochus who prohibited the iewes to reade the law of moses in their sabbath assemblies vnder the paine of death . as we read in the apocripall history of the macchabees lib. 1. c. 1.59 . whereupon they were forced insteed of the law of moses to read lectures , out of the prophets as elias leuita saith , and euer since that custome is retained and was in use in our saviours daies luk. 4.16 . the fifth speciall dutie of sanctification , was the worshipping of the lord , which as it is required of gods people in priuate and upon particular occasion at all times : so publick upon the sabbath day , and in all holy yearlie sabbaths . the dutie of worshippe consists in confession of sinnes , praiers , supplications , lauding and praising god , singing of psalmes , and offering of free will offering , and the like as wee read , neh. 9.33 . levit. 26.3 . deut. 5.5 . where confession & acknowledging gods favours is called worship , and set downe for apart of it . & gen. 4.26 . & 12.8 & 13.4 . and psa. 79.6 . where the name of invocation and calling upon god by prayer is used by synechdoche for all worship in in generall and exod. 15.1 . iud. 5. lauding and praising god with singing of psalmes , and holy songs are rehearsed as a speciall part of gods worshippe . now this worshippe of god by publick confession , praiers , and singing of praises , cannot be but in publick assemblies , and holy convocations which are especially kept on the sabbaths , and therefore this worshippe must needs be a speciall duty of the sabbath and one part of the sanctification of it . david also shewes this psal. 42 : 3. where he saith that he was wont to go up to the house of god , among the multitude which kept holy day , with the voyce of joy and singing . and the 92. psalme which is intitul●d a psalme for the sabbath day , doth proclaime it to bee a good and necessarie duty on that day , to giue thankes and to sing prayses to the name of the lord , to shew forth his loving kindnesse and truth from morning to night , to triumph in his works , to speake of them with admiration . and to declare his mercies and judgments and what a rock he is to rest on . these are the most notable duties which gods people were bound vnto , in their sanctifying of the seventh day in the old testament . the third and last principall head comprehen●ing the rest of the duties . which did belong to the observation of the sabbath in the old testament is the day it selfe which they were bound to keepe for their weekly sabbath , that is the last day of the week even the seventh from the beginning of the creation . that this and no other was to be kept for their weeklie sabbath in the old testament appeares most plainlie by three things . first because it vvas the day which god blessed with the greatest blessing of al which were giuen and reveal●d before the resurrection of christ , to weet : the promise of christ & of the redemption of the world by him , & gods entering into the covenant of grae with man , & christs open actuall undertaking to be mans mediatour & saviour in whom the mutable worke of creation is perfected , and god is well pleased and resteth satisfied : as j haue before proved . secondly , because as the fathers and isralites obserued it according to gods commandement in the first institution exod. 16. before the giving of the law from mount sina : so in giving of the law to jsraell & in the renuing of the commandement by moses vpon divers occasions the lord doth expresly require the keeping of the seventh day for his holy sabbath : as we see exod. 20. & 31.35 . & deut. 5. thirdlie , because not onely as the prophets and holy men of god urged & taught all men to obserue that day vntill the comming of christ. but also our saviour himselfe all his life time on earth , and after his death kept this sabbath by resting in the ground . and the apostles also while they lived among the jewes and the tabernacle was yet standing , and moses was not yet buried , did obserue & keep for orders sake the old sabbath of the seventh day as appeares luk. 4.16 . ast : 13.13 . and diuers other places . chap. 18. i am come now to the last place , to the speciall sabbath duties , vnto which all christians are bound under the gospell . in the right observation of the lords day which is their holy sabbath : and these speciall duties may be reduced to the common & generall heads before named . the first which come here to be handled in the first place , as the ground upon which the rest are builded , is the consideration of the particular day of the weeke which they are bound to keepe for their weekly sabbath . this is that which is most controverted & called in question among the learned in this age , & therfore comes to be first proued and clearly demonstrated by testimonies and proofes out of the holy scriptures , which being performed i proceed in the next place to the dutie of rest , & will shew how far christians are bound unto it on their weekly sabbath the lords day . and in the last place , i will come to the speciall duties of sanctification by which that day is to be kept holy to the lord now under the gospell . first for the day it selfe . some are of opinion that it is the same which was from the begining , that is : the seventh & last day of the week this opinion is grounded upon the bare letter of the law , as it was giuen both in the institution , and sanctifying of the seventh day , & renewed againe in the fourth commandement , and understood by the fathers in the old testament . j confesse that the words of the law , if we take them as they were limited to the fathers , not considering wi●hall how and upon what grounds and conditions god made the seventh day the weekly sabbath , they seeme to favour their opinion . for if we conceiue no mo●e but a mere cessation and rest of god from his works on the six daies created , to be the ground of the law , then we may also conceiue that the law of the weekly sabbath binds all mankind to that particular day in all ages , because the ground is the same to all men & equally belongs to all men , in all times to the worlds end . o●hers are of opinion that the law of the sabbath , being but a mere ceremoniall law is a bolished by the comming of christ , and bindes not us under the gospell to any particular day . and that it is free for the church of god , to appoint any day for their holy assemblies , and that christians haue no sabbath , neither are bound to keepe any such rest as the law required in the old testament . others hold that the law of the sabbath is naturally simply morall , in the generall nature of it as it requires a weekly sabbath to be sanctified and kept holy , and that the particular determination of the daie is an honour and prerogatiue which belongs to christ the redemer who is the lord of the sabbath . and that it was the purpose of god from all eternity and in the first giving of the law , as to consecrate the seventh day in memory of god perfecting all the works of creation , & resting from them on that day , so also to consecrate by the resurrection of christ ; the first day of the weeke to be ever after the weekly sabbath in honour and memory of the worke of redemption , which on that day was fully perfected by christs rising from the dead , and entering into that state of glory , in which he rests for ever , hauing no more to do for the ransoming and redeming of mankinde . gods justice being full satisfied . the first of these opinions being grounded vpon a carnall vndestanding , and imperfect sence of the words of the law , hath but a weake and sandy found●tion , and because as the first authors of it were blasphemous hereticks which erred in diuers fundamental points of christian faith and religion : soe also the reviuers of it , are either cursed anabaptists , or men who doe not rightly vnderstand the law nor the groundes and conditions vpon which it requires an holy weekly sabbath . therefore it is justly hated and rejected as a jewish errour , & the maintainers thereof haue in all true christian churches of all ages beene branded with the name of hereticall and iudaicall sabbatarians . and i need not spend any precious time in confuting it , and the frivolous fallacies by which it is maintained . the second opinion being too rashly conceived , and vnadvisedlie professed and held by some godly divines of the reformed churches , who in this point do much contradict themselves , also being an unsound opinion and therefore well relished by popish schoole-men , malicious iesuites , licentious liber●ines and men of profane hearts , hath no ground in the scriptures , nor any sound orthodox writings of any auncient fathers : yea bringing great confusion into the decalouge which is the summe of the morall law , and laying a foule staine upon our church which hath appointed the commandement of the sabbath , to be read among the tenne commandements , and enjoynes the people to pray that god would incline their hearts to keepe that law , as well as all and everie one of the rest . therefore i shall not spend any time in the confutation of it : the arguments which are brought for the confutation of the contrary truth , will sufficiently raze and vtterly abolish it , out of the hearts of all true christians . the third opinion is most agreeable to the holy scripture , and the common doctrine of the orthodox writers both of auncient and later times , especially of the most godly and learned in the church of england , who haue heretofore writen learned treatises of the sabbath , and expositions of the ten commandements of the decalogue . and therefore i wil bee bold here againe to commend it to you for an undoubted truth ▪ which i haue aboundantly proued & confirmed by many demonstratiue convincing arguments already , partly in that large search which j haue made before into the nature of the law of the sabbath ; and that description which i haue made of it , but most fully in that passage where i proued the change of the day by the resurrection of christ from the seventh to the first day of the weeke now vnder the gospel , and brought diuers argumen●s to shew that the law which god gaue for the keeping holy of a seventh day in every weeke ( at the first institution of the sabbath here in my text ; and renewed againe on mount sina , and giue ●f●en in charge by moses to israell ) doth now as strictly binde us to keepe an holy sabbath on the lords day in everie weeke , as it bound the auncient people of god in the old testament to keepe the sabbath of the seventh day . but for the confirming of your hearts in the beleife of this truth , and in the knowledge of this duty . i will not multiply any new arguments , onely that you may more firmely retaine it in your memories and still beare it in minde , that you are in conscience bound to keepe only the lords daie and none other for your weekly sabbath in these times of the gospell : j will bri●fly touch and explaine some principall heades which haue beene before laid down at large and in ample manner . the summe whereof is this ; namely : that although the law of the sabbath is not a law of nature in ●hat rigid sence in which some do conceive it , that is a law written in mans heart expresly and distinctly in the creation which by the mere instinct of nature , and direction of naturall reason did lead man to keepe everie seventh day of the weeke an holie sabbath to the lord. but that indeed it came in after mans fall together with the promise of christ , and therefore is more fitly called a law of grace , and a positiue evangellicall law requiring duties of obedience to god which chiefly and especiallie tend to begit grace & and increase holinesse in men . yet it is not simply positiue . nor soe evangellicallie morall , but that it may in some sence and respect bee called naturall also . for first it requires some duties of obedience which in their owne nature are good and profittable , though the law giuer had not by expresse commandement revealed his will that they should be done , such is the giuing , no wof rest & int●rmission of bodilie labour and toile , to our bodies and to the bodies of our servants and labouring cattell one whole day in everie weeke ouer and besides that which they haue in the time of sleepe in the darknesse & dead of the night . this is according to naturall reason and common equitie . secondly , it commands some duties of gods worship and service which man by the law of nature was bound to performe in his innocency and which are naturally morall , as lauding and praising god , and giuing to him all honour and reverence in the most solemne and pu●lick manner . thirdly , it commands such holy spirituall works of grace , & such duties of sanctification , as in thei● own nature worke to the sanctifying of men more & more , & to make them capable of eternall rest in heaven , & of the full fruition of god. as for example : meeting upon a set daie in everie week in holy assemblies , for to heare & read gods word , publick instructions , exhortations , & mutuall provocations to piety , sanctity & christian charity . fourthly , the patticular day of the week which the law commands to be kept for an holy sabbath , is separated upon such a just ground & reason in the first institution of the sabbath , and blessed by god with such a blessing aboue other daies of the week , that whosoever knows the law & true intent & meaning of it , & rightlie unde●stands the ground of the sabbath mentioned in the law , he must by the light both of nature & grace , he forced to confesse & acknowledge the particular day which the law commands to bee kept an holie sabbath both in the old & new testament . for the law doth not command one day in seven to be an holy rest simply & merely for the pleasure of the lawgiuer , because he would haue it soe , & for no other reason : but for very good reason & upon a ground because he dignified the day of the sabbath & blessed it aboue all other daies with a singular blessing : & our owne reason doth tell us , that the particular day of the weeke , which hath in it the true reasons & the honour & blessing of the sabbath , it ought by the law to be obserued for the holy sabbath & none other , while it retaines that honour & blessing , & hath the true reasons properly annexed to it . now it it most manifest to all who read the scriptures , & are well exercised in gods word & law : that as the seventh & last day of the weeke was blessed , honoured & adorned by god with the greatest blessing which god gaue to the world in the old testament , to weet : the promise of christ the redeemer of the world , & gods entring into the couenant of grace & of eternall life & salvavation with man , also gods perfecting of the whole worke of creation , by revealing & giving in promise the worke of redemption , & his resting in christs mediation on that day vndertaken & begun . and therefor every reasonable man must by his own reason be induced , & lead to acknowledg that day the fittest & most worthy of all daies in the week to be the holy sabbath , & to be spent in thankfull commemoration of gods free loue & bountie to mankinde . during the whole time of the old testament before the comming of christ. so likewise god hauing now under the gospel transferred this honour to the first day of the week , that is become a blessed day aboue all other daies , being blessed of god with a blessing farr more excellent then that of the seventh day , to weet : the actuall performance of the promise by giving & exhibiting christ a perfect actuall redeemer in his resurrection without which resurrection all our preaching of christ , & all our faith in gods promises would prove vaine as the apostle proueth . 1 cor. 15. therfore every man must out of common reason & equity conclude , that together with the ground & reason of the sabbath which god hath now removed from the seventh to the first day , he hath also remoued the honour & festiuall solemnity of the sabbath . also his first law which enjoyneth man to keep that day for the holy sabbath which god hath blessed with the grea●est blessing , doth bind all christians to obserue the lords day for their weekly sabb●th under the gospel : and in a word that it were a thing most vnequall & unjust , if a man or any church should goe about to set up for the weekely sabbath any other day which god hath not dignified & honoured with so great a blessing . now upon these pr●missed reasons , i hope it appeares manifestly . first that though the commandement of the weekly sabbath is no dict●te of nature : but a positiue evangellicall law : yet it doth by common naturall reason as well as by the light of grace direct every reasonable man to the partilar day of the weekly sabbath as to the seventh day in the old testament , so to the first in the new testament . and no resonable man can deny it to be the most equall which this law binds men unto , but vpon the true grounds of the sab : well weighed & considered must be forced to confesse , that as the seventh day was most worthy of the honour of the sabbath , & had it before christs full exhibition in his resurrection , so ever since the lords day the first of the week is become the true sab : of christians , & none hath power to giue that honour to any other day . secondly , it is here manifest : that though christ the sonne of god made also the son of man , & mans redeemer is the lord of the sab : & the determination of the particular day of the week depends on him , and none other haue the honour & pror●g●tiue to appoint the particular day , but he only . yet we must not conceiue that christ by his bare will sets downe the particular day , & that the day is to be obserued only because of his bare will & commandement , & that any other is as fit & worthy as the seventh , & the first if he would be pleased at any time to comm●nd the same . but we are to hold th●● christ is the lord ▪ of the sabbath , & hath the determinatiō of the particular day depends on him the redeemer , onely because the ho●y sabbath is founded and builded upon him , and in him alone are to be found all the meane and essentiall grounds and reasons both of the sabbath and alsoe ●f the particular day wherein hee requires that it should be obserued . if he had not undertaken mans redemption from death and hell , and mans exaltation to eternall rest and glory , there had beene neither any place for mans keeping of a sabbath nor anie use of it to fit him for heaven or to be a pledg of eternall rest in heaven . jf god had not on the seventh day promised christ the blessed seed to redeeme man from death , to purchase life for him , and to continue to him the benefit of the creatures , and to perfect his creation . surely it had not been the most blessed day of the weeke , neither would god haue instituted it to be a weekly sabbath at the first , and soe to continue untill the comming of christ. and if god had not raised up christ on the first day of the weeke , and so exhibited him aperfect redeemer ; and fully performed his promise . then the first day had not beene made a more blessed day then the seventh and all other daies of the weeke . and the lord christ would never haue made that day of the weeke his sabbath alwaies after , neither would his holy apostles by inspiration of his spirit being moued to call it the lords day , and to obserue it , and teach others to obserue it for their day of holy assemblies for the performing of all holy sabbath duties . and thus we see christ is the lord of the sabbath , and so determines the particular day of the weeke , not by his bare will & word , but by bringing in such blessings on the sevēth or first day of the week , as made the one of them most worthy under the new testament to bee the holy sabbath , to be kept and obserued of all gods people , vnto the observation whereof they are justly lead by the light both of grace and nature : and it is not either in the power of man or any other creature or in the just will of god , or agreeable to the will of the lord christ and the wisedome of his spirit to appoint any other day for the weekly sabbath , but onely the day of the lord christ , that is the day of him promised in the old , and the day of him fully exhibited in the new testament . the first of which and no other the fathers were bound to keepe for their holy rest of old . and the later and no other is our weekly sabbath and the due obseruation of that particular , is the first speciall sabbath duty of all christians under the time of the gospell untill the last resurrection . the second sort of speciall duties vnto which all true christians are bound unto , in their obseruation of the lords day , which is the christian sabbath , are the duties of rest & cessation from all worldly affaires which now follow to be handled in the n●x● place . concerning which j finde much diuersity both of opinion and practise , not only betweene true christians of the reformed churches , and antichristian papists & other hereticks , but also in the reformed churches among themselves . first for the church of rome , and all that are of her faction devoted to her superstition and idolatry , and marked with the marke of the beast which beares up the romish babylon , though diuers of their learned scoole-men haue heretofore maintained a very strict obseruation of rest on the lords day . yet now in later times both in doctrine & practise they are growne uery desolate , especially the romish catholicks which liue among us , turning the lords day into a day of liberty , and spending a great part of it in sports , plaies , revelling other bodily exercises which are carnall , fleshly , prophane and impious . as if so be their irreligious prophanenesse were at strife with their idolatrous religion . and at great emulation contending which should out go & ouer runne the other in carrying them with greater speede to hell . yea to shew and make it manifest to the world , that the romish man of sinne is that great antichrist , which exalts himselfe aboue al that is called god , euen aboue the true god , & the lord iesus christ whose vicar he in hipocrisie makes himself . the church of rome doth teach and urge her uassals to ke●p yearelie holie daies most strictly , which are of her owne devising , which the pope hath commanded to be observed in honour of his cananized saints : & in the mean time opposeth with many great profanations the lords day , which the lord hath consecrated by his resurrection . which day being blessed by god with the greatest blessing aboue all other daies of the weeke , is by the law vvhich god gaue from the beginning , commanded to bee kept for the lords holy sabbath vveeklie . secondly , there are of the hereticall faction of the anabaptists , antimonians , families & other such prophane sectaries , which make little so● any lavv of god or man , saving onlie the dictate of their faniticall ●pirit . and left the commandemēt of the vveekly sab : least they should seeme to be subject to gods lavv and to be be his ( servants vvhich they account slauerie ) and not absolute libertines and sonnes of beliall vvhich haue cast of the lords yoke . these esteem and obserue no daie at all , but according to their own fancie , & make the lords day so far as they dare for feare of men a market day of buying and selling wa●es , & a daie of labour , and of bearing and carrying our burdens as they well know who haue beene at amsterdam where such heretickes and sectaries are tolerated . thirdlie , among christians of the reformed churches there is a difference both in doctrine and practise . some of the reformed churches , who out of their extreme hatred to popish superstition , and to all popish rites and ceremonies , being unwilling to retaine any thing which was used in poperie , except there bee some expresse commandement or example for it in the scriptures , especiallie of the new testament , and labouring to overthrow the whole hierachie and gouernment of the church by bishops , & all bodily rites : they do in the heat of their zeale so violently set themselues against popish superstious holie dayes , that they goe about to take away all observations of daies , and they haue proceeded so farre , as to deny that any either weekely sabbath , or yearelie set feast , ought to be kept holy by any speciall law or commandement of god. they teach that the sabbath as it was commanded to be kept of old , was a mere ceremoniall & shaddow of things which are accomplished in christ , and that is now a bolished . but because it is a thing necessary for the hauing of holy assemblies , and for good order in the churches , that there should be a set day either a seseventh or sixth day of eight dayes : and because the law of nature requires that christian people should haue some daies of rest from hard labour for the refreshing of themselves , and their seruants and cattell : therefore the church of god m●y appoint any day of the weeke . and in honour of the resurrection of christ on that day , hath from the time of the apostles agreed to keepe that day for the lords day , not out of any opinion that god hath blessed & sanctified it aboue all other daies of the weeke , but onely for good orders sake , and that it is lawfull for gods people , after publick exercises of religion and some needfull rest and refreshing , to use necessarie laboures and bodily recreations ; which in themselves are not sinfull and unlawfull , neither do hinder publick duties of religion and of gods worship . but on the contrarie it is the common doctrine of the most godly and learned in the church of england , ever since the reform●●ion of religion held , maintained & taught , that although christians are by christ freed from the observation of the seventh day , which was the sabbath of the old testament , and from that servile bondage and rigorous rest which the law litterally and carnally vnderstood did impose on them , or rather they by their carnal exposition & wresting of the law did impose on themselves , as not kindling of a fire , nor liberty to heal the sick , nor to do any worke of charitie and necessity on the s●bbath day , which could not without danger be deferred . yet they are bound by the law which was first giuen here in my text , and after by moses and the prophets , to keepe in everie weeke an holy rest , and that on the first day which is the lords day , because god hath blessed it with a blessing aboue all other daies , even by exhibiting christ a perfect redeemer in his resurrection , and hath thereby consecrated that day to be his holie sabbath . and that all bodilie laboures , sports and recreations , and all worldly negociation , are by gods law strictly prohibited now under the gospell , as they were in the daies of the patriarches , and prophets , and under the law , because indeed and in truth they crosse the holie purpose of god which he hath manifested in his law , and are impediments of those holy exercises , which are required in the sanctification of his holie day . this doctrine and practise i hold to be the best , and this we are all bound to receiue and imbrace and to cleaue vnto it , not onely because it is the doctrine of our mother church , commended to us in the book of homilies , established by divets lawes statutes and constitutions still in force : but also because it is most consonant to the sacred scriptures , the precepts and practise of the apostles , and to the common doctrine of the purest and most holy orthoxe of the auncient fathers in the primitiue times , and ages next succeeding after the apostles , as by gods assistance as j shall make cleare and manifest . in the justifying & proving of this doctrine , and in laying open the speciall duties of christians which concerne rest and cessation from all worldly negociation , and bodilie laboures , on the lords daie which is the christian sabbath : i will shew : first of all . that rest and c●ssation from all bodilie laboures about the worldlie businesse , and from all servile and and earthlie workes which concerne this fraile life , is a necessarie dutie which god requires by his law of all christians on the lords daie , which is their holie weeklie sabbath vnder the gospell . 2. that gods law rightlie understood doth in respect of rest from worldly cares , and all bodily workes and pleasures , as strictly binde us vnder the gospell on the lords day as it bound the fathers upon their seventh day in the old testament . 3. i will shew how far gods word & law doth allow of bodily exercises which concerne this life , and how farre in such exercises we may goe with good warrant upon the lords holy sabbath , and what exercises are condemned in the word of god. chap. 19. for the full proofe of the first point , there are many strong and invincible arguments grounded vpon the word and law of god , upon the generall consent of orthodox divines both auncient and moderne , even upon the confession of them who in this point much differ , and seeme to deny that the lords day either is , or ought to be called a sab. the first argument is drawn from the words of the law , which forbids all workes to be done on the sabbath day either by man himselfe , or his children , servants , or cattell , as exod. 20 : 10. deut. 5.14 : where it is said . in it thou sh●lt not do any worke thou nor thy son nor thy servant nor thy cattell : & exod. 35.2 leuit. 23.7 . yee shall do no servile work● therein , whosoeve● doth any work therin shall be put to death . the reasons why the lord requires rest from all servile worke on the sabbath day are two . first because he who is the lord our god and our redeemer , hath on that day rested from his worke , and him we ought to imitate if we will enter into his rest . secondly , because he hath blessed the day which is his sabbath aboue all daies of the weeke , and wheresoever the causes and reasons stand firme , there the law is still in force . now this law of the sabbath doth reach to the lords day : ( as j haue proved before ) & the reasō vpon which it requirs rest frō se●vile works are much more to be found in the lords day which is the christian sab : then in the old sabbath of the seventh day . for in it christ who is god ouer all blessed for ever , and who is our redeemer from a greater then egyptian bondage , even the slauery of sinne , death and hell , and the divell , hath rested from the great worke of redemption as god the creatour did one the seventh day from the worke of creation . and this day is now by christs resurrection in which christ perfected mans redemption , blessed with a blessing farre more excellent then any wherewith god blessed the seventh day . therfore this is the sabbath now under the gospell , & in it god requirs of us by his law a rest & total cessatiō frō al servile works . secondly whatsoever day is the lords holy day , & a day of holy convocations & assemblies that is a sab : of rest frō al servile works & worldly busines , this is manifest exod. 12.16 . & 31.15 . & 35.2 : & leuit. 32.3 : 7 : which places do plainly shew , that every day which is holy to the lord and a day of holy assemblies , is a sab : of rest , & no worke may be done therin . and so likewise in all the law & the prophets every day which is a day of holy convocation , & an holy day is called a sab : & day of rest from our own works & pleasures & every sab : is called the lords holy day , for these two are termini convertibiles , termes which may be naturally affi●med one of another , as apeares neh. 9 : 14 : & isa : 58 : 13 : now the lords day in the time of the gospell is the chiefe of all holy dayes among christians : it was sanctified & observed by the apostles for their day of holy assemblies from the first publishing of the gospell among the gentiles , on that they did meet together to heare the word & to receiue the sacrament of the lords supper act : 20 : 7 : and on that day st paul ordained that the collections & offerings should bee made for the saints 1 cor : 16 : 12 : which were things proper for holy & publicke assemblies : so st : john cals it by the name of the lords day : revel : 1 : 10 : that is , the day which is universall , sacred , & holy to the lord in an high degree . for whatsoever things haue the lords name named on them , are such , as all confesse & many examples of scripture proue abundantly : all the auncient fathers & doctors of the church who immediatly & in the ●ext ages succeed the apostles , do proclaime it to be the chief holy day of christians ; even the queene & supreme lady of dayes : so ignatius cals it as j haue often before noted : also the day of their holie assemblies wherin they did come together to preach , read , expound , & heare gods word , to worshipp god , to pray & to praise god with their one voyce , to receiue the sacramentt and offer up almes . so iustin martyr affirmes : the rest of the most learned fathers , as basill , nazianzene , chrysostome , hyerome , & austen , do all extoll it for the lords high roiall holy daie , the chief● , primate , & first fruites of daies , as the learned of all sides know & co●fesse , even calvin , & his followers , who made a doubt & scruple of calling it the sab : or observing it for a sab : of holy rest by any warrant from gods law . therefore none can with any good reason deny , that one maine duty of this day is rest from all earthly workes . thirdly , wheresoever there is as much use of holie rest & cessation frō all worldlie affaires , as there was of old when god first gaue , & afterwards repeated and urged the law of the weekly sab : there a sab : of rest ought to be kept weeklie even by the com : of god. this is truth & undeniable . for no laws of god comm●nding things which are but tipes & figures , are at any time abrogated , vntill the things commanded cease to be of use as the apostle shewes in the 8 9 : & 10 cap : of heb : now christ who is the body and substance of all types and shaddowes , hath not by his comming so fulfilled the rest of the weekly sabbath , but there is as great , as holy and as necessary use of it to us christians , as there was to the people of god in the old testament . first , we haue as much and more need of refreshing our weak bodies , and the bodies of our servants and labouring cattell then they had , by keeping a weekly sabbath , for we are grown farre more weake and feeble , and of shorter life then they were . secondly , we haue as great neede of seperating , sequestring , and recalling our minds and affections from all worldly cares negociations , and pleasures , ●hat we may haue pleasure and freedome to worship and serue god , and devote one day in everie weeke to publick assemblies for our edification in grace faith and holin●sse . for we are more full of infirmities , and doe decay and grow corrupt more and more , as all the world doth , and haue need of all outward helpes more then they . thirdlie , as rest from all workes and labours which concerne this life was necessarie and of great vse to adam , and al the fathers , to withdraw their hearts and mind●s from placing their felicitie and seeking happinesse in this world , and to put them in remembrance , that ( being fallen from that integrity in which they were created , and the first covenant of life by mans owne workes , being broken and made voyd by the first fall and disobedience ) there is no hope of life or of any true blessednesse . soe it is of no lesse use , but of much more necessitie for us , who are farre more eagre after the world , more readie to place our felicitie in earthly things , and more proud and arrogant , readie to glorie in our own merits , & to boast of our own righteousnesse , ●s we see by common course of the world , which now a daies soe madlie doateth after popish and pelagian merits . f●ur●hlie , as gods commanding of a weeklie rest to be given to man and beast ; and the resting of the fathers on the sabbath day , from servile workes and labour which came in as a curse for sinne , were of great vse to teach them , and to be a pledge , and token unto them , that god did rest in christs mediation , and his justice was fullie satisfied , and his wrath appeased towards them , by that satisfaction which christ had vndertaken to make , and that the sting of sinne and death , and the bitternesse of the curse was taken awaie by him . so likewise it is of the same use still to us , and we haue as much need of the same weekly holie r●st , to make us feele more sensible , and relish more sweetly the virtue of christs satisfaction , the sweetnesse whereof wee through our dullnesse can hardlie tast and relish , and many amongst us make a doubt whether there be any such satisfaction of gods justice needfull at all , or any appeasing of his wrath by christ. fifthly , as gods injoyning of rest was of use to the fathers to testifie to them his prouident care ouer his creatures , both men and beasts , and his hatred and detestation of mercilesse crueltie and unjust oppression : soe it is much more usefull to us for the same purpose in these last daies and perillous times , wherein men are become fierce , cruell , implacable , without naturall affection , as experience teacheth , and the apostle foretold . 2 tim. 3.2.3 . lastlie , as the weekly rest of the old sabbath grounded upon the obscure promise of christ , was commanded by god , that it might bee a meanes to stirre up the fathers to looke for true comfort , ease & refreshing in christ , if they did by faith flee to him , whensoever they did travell under the burden of their sinnes , and satans temptations , as wee read that iob did cap. 16.21 . and 19.25 . soe now it is much more usefull to stirre us up to seeke to christ , when wee are heavie laden , and groane under the burden of sinne , and of the miseries which come by sinne , and of satans dangerous temptations . seeing as satan doth now ●ore rage like a roaring lyon , 1 pet 5.8 . and is full of wrath because his time growes shorter revel . 12. so we haue christ actuallie given and revealed , and in the gospell calling and inviting us and promising rest and refreshing for our soules in such causes of distresse , if we come to him . jn a word , to us the rest of the lord christs day is a more liuelie pledge of eternall rest by him prepared in heaven for us : these things being cleare and manifest , the conclusion following vpon these praemises it this . that we are as much or more bound by gods law to keepe the lords day as a sabbath of weekly rest , by ceasing from all affaires of this life , laying aside all worldlie cares , and resting from all our owne ordinarie and common workes and labours . fourthlie , they who are more spirituall and haue haue liuely hope of heaven , and haue the spirit shed on them more abundantlie , they are more bound by gods law to sequester themselves and withdraw their mindes from worldlie cares , and more to minde heavenlie things as at all other times , so on the lords holie daie , which is consecrated to heavenly , spirituall and religious worship and seruice of god , & is a pledg to them of eternall rest with christ in heaven . for to whome god hath given , more of them shall more bee required . now it is most plainly testified in the scriptures . that christians vnder the gospell are more spirituall , and haue the spirit more abundantly shed on them through christ , then the fathers had act. 2.17 . & tit. 3.6 . the ministery of the new testament is the ministery of the spirit not of the letter 2 cor. 3.6 . and we haue now more evidence & more assurance of the blessed hope reserued in heaven for vs. colos. 1.5 . there is christ our life and treasure colos. 3 , 1.2 . and there our hearts ought to be , and not on earthly things . we must now be ready if christ call vs to sell all and to giue to the poore , that we may haue treasure in heaven . therefore we are bound by the law especially on the lords day our weekly holy day , to be more sequestered from the world , and to rest wholy from all cares and labours about earthly things , that we may be wholy deuoted to heavenly things and to divine meditations . lastly , though auncient fathers and doctours of the church did much condemne in their writings , the observation of the sabbath after the manner of the later iewes , to weet : in idlenesse , and from resting from all worldly affaires , that they might spend the day in vaine sports and delights , and in wanton leaping and dauncing , which in the graue judgment of these learned fathers : was worse and more prophane then plowing and digging and working in woll . yet notwithstanding they doe generally commend the lords day as a day of rest to all gods people from all rurall workes and worldly affaires , that they may be at leasure to exercise themselues in holy duties , and be wholy devoted to the worshipp of god. and hereupon it is , that the learned of these later times ; especially the builders of gods church in this land , do most frequently in respect of this rest and cessarion from al seculiar affaires call the lords day the sabbath of christians , as appeares in the first part of the homily of the time and place of prayer , and do affirme that as the fathers in the old testament were bound to rest one the seventh day from all manner of worke : soe also are christians bound on the lords day to rest and that by the law of god. chap. 20 the second position which i haue propounded before , which now comes to be proved is : that gods law rightly understood , doth in respect of this duty of rest from all worldly affaires , as strictly bind us under the gospell on the lords day , as it bound the fathers on the sabbath of the seventh day in the old testament . here some will perhaps imagine , that i goe about to laye an heavy yoke of jewish legall bondage upon christians , contrary to christian liberty , by which christ hath made us free . but if they remember , and beare in minde what i haue before proued , to weet : that the fathers from the beginning had no such burden imposed on them as is commonly conceived , and that the scrip●ures are alleaged to proue that they might not kindle a fire nor dresse meate , nor goe out of their place on the sabbath day , and that it was death to gather sticks on that day in case of necessity , are much mistaken . they shall be forced to confesse that i take away the heavy yoke which many lay upon the fathers in the old testament , ra●hen then lay any yoke upon christians in the obseruation of the sabbath . yea that i require and urge no more , then that which all the learned of best note in all ages haue ever since the time of the apostles , and by tradition from them commended to the churches of christ , which also the lawes , canons ; and doctrine of the church of england generally receiued and established , doe impose on us the light burden and easie yoke of christ. it is true that the scribes and pharises those great corrupters of the law , and blinde hypocrites as our saviour cals them , did lay an heavy yoke on the people of their time , by their false glosses and corrupt traditions , as in diuers other points , so in the obseruation of the sabbath . they held it unlawfull in case of necessity to pull an eare of corne , or any fruite from a tree on the sabbath day , and blamed christs disciples for doing so when they were hungry and had no other meanes to keepe themselues from fainting . they accused our saviour christ for working a glorious miracle , and doing a worke of great charity on the sabbath , when by his word he healed some that were sick of great infirmities , and sent them away bearing their beds on their backes in open sight of all , which tended much to the honour of god , and made the people glorifie christ and his gospell . but our saviour reproues them for this strictnesse , and convinceth them of errour by diuers argument● . first , by scripture which saith , that god will haue mercy rather then sacrifice , that is : god is serued more acceptably with workes of mercy which are morall duties , then sacrifices which are but a seruice ceremonial , & he delights more in works of mercy & charity then in them , as at all times , so when they are done to his glory on the sab : day . so that if it was a breach and prophanation of the sab : to do any worke of mercie in it , then it must needs be much more a prophanation to labour & worke about sacrifices in killing beasts , dressing & washing their flesh , & making fires to burne them on the altar , which were not so pleasing to god as works of mercy . but the pharisees allowed & approued such works of sacrificing & durst not condemn thē . and th●●for our saviour concludes that they ought not to condemne his mercifull works of healing the sick on the sab : day , & shewes that by censuring his doings for prophanation , they did much more censure the forenamed actions of their priests even the dressing & burning sacrifices mat . 12.5.6.7 . secondly , our saviour proues , that by gods owne law they were allowed to circumcise children on the sab : day , whensoever it happened to fall out on the eight daie after the birth of children , and to the child circumcised they applied healing medicin●s , and therfore they groslie erred in accusing him for healing on the sabbath which was a thing pleasing to god and was a lesse labour then circumcision , iohn , 7.22 . thirdlie , he convinceth them of grosse hypocrisie and blindnesse in that they imposed heavie burdens upon others which they themselves would not beare , they did restraine men from pulling an eare of corne , rubbing & eating it on the sabbath daie in the case of hunger & great necessitie . and yet they led their oxen to the water , and did pull a sheepe or a asse out of a pitt on the sabbath daie . mat. 12.11 . luk. 13.15 . & 14.5 . by these arguments which our saviour vsed against the scribes and pharisees in the gospell it is most cleare and manifest , that it was not the law of god given from the beginning , nor the will of god the lawgiuer , but onely the hipocriticall scribes and pharises who by their traditions & devices of their owne brains , imposed on the iews that strict and rigorous rest and cessation from all works whatsoever on the sabbath day , which the learned fathers and christian writers do cal an heauy burden hard to be borne object . but it may bee some will object that the fathers in the old testament were bound to offer double sacrifices on sabbath daie , num. 28.9 . even two lambes of the first yeare without spott , and two tenth deales of flower for a meate offering mingled with oyle , & the drink● offering thereof . which was more costly & required more bodily labour and care , then any which is imposed on us chri●●ian● by gods law upon our christian sabbat● , and therefore their observation of the sabbath was an heavie yoke & burden harder to be borne , then ●ny which is imposed on us . answ. i answer , that this objection doth strongly proue the point in hand . for if more bodilie labour and care was required of the fathers in their worship ( which was more carnall & bodilie then ours ) on their sabbath , and vve are therefore eased of that yoke , & haue a more spirituall vvorship taught us , and imposed on us by christ and his apostles as the prophets foretold . then vvere the fathers lesse restrained from bodilie laboures then wee are , neither was there soe strict and rigorous a rest and cessation imposed on them , which serues much for the justifying of our position , to weet : that gods law rightly understood , and expounded according to the will and intent of god the lawgiuer , doth as strictly bind us under the gospell to rest from all worldlie businesse on the lords day , as it bound the fathers one the seventh day in the old testament . but to proceed in the further manifestation of this truth : although i could bring many arguments and proofes both out of scripture , alsoe out of the writings of the learned , and cleare testimonies which shew the consent of all godlie orthodox vvrititers of all ages : yet because i vvill leave no occasion or colour to such sonnes of beliall as doe intrude into our assemblies , to catch calumniate and report my vvords safely and to accuse my doctrine , except they vvill h●rden their despeand malicious hearts , and put on brasen faces vvith vvhorish foreheads to accuse the holy scriptures , and the doctrine published in the booke of homilyes , and by lavv established in this church of england vvherof vve are members : therefore i vvill onely commend to your consideration the publick doctrine of our church in the verie vvords of the homilies , vvhich both by statut● lavv , and royall perogatiue are established in this land and kingdome , and vvill shevv hovv parfectlie they agree vvith holie scripture in this point . first in the first part of the homilie . concerning the time and place of prayer , we are taught : that god in the f●urth commandement hath appointed the time for his people to assemble themselves together solemnly , when he said . remember that thou keepe holy the sabbath . secondly , in the same place it is affirmed , that the praecise keeping of the seventh day , and the externall ceremoniall worshippe of the sabbath which the law required , as it wa● given to the jew●s being b●t c●remoniall are ceased to us , and we are not bound by the law so strictly to forbeare worke and labour in the case of necessity after the manner of the iewes . that is as they were taught by the scribes and pharisees . but we keepe now the first day of the weeke which is our sunday ; and make that our sabbath , that is our day of rest , in the honour of our lord christ , who as upon that day rose from death , conquering the same most triumphantly . these are the words of the homily . and that the keeping of a set time , to weet : one day in weeke , wherein wee ought to rest from lawfull and needfull workes , js found in the fourth command●ment , among th● things which appertain to the law of nature , & is a thing most godly most just , and needfull for the setting forth of gods glory , and ough● to 〈◊〉 retained & kept of all good christian people . so is it there expresly affirmed . thirdly , we are there ●aught . that as by the fourth commandement no man on the six dayes ought to be slothfull , or idle , but diligently to labour in their estate wherein god hath set him . even so god hath given expresse charge to all men , that on the sabbath day which is now our sunday , they sho●ld 〈◊〉 from all worldly and worke day labour , and that gods obedient people should use the sabbath holily , and so rest from their common & dayly businesse , that they may giue themselves wholy to heavenly exercises of gods true religion and service . fourthly , in the same homily all gods people are urged and pressed to keepe the sunday for their holy sabath . by three a●guments . the first is the commandement of god in the law . the second is , gods examample who rested on the seventh day , and did no worke of creation at all , but blessed and sanctified it , and consecrated it to quietnesse , and rest from labour . the third is an example of the apostles , who immediately after the ascention of our lord christ began to keepe this day of the week , & commended it the first churches of the gentiles 1 cor. 16 ▪ and called it the lords day . revel . 1.10 . sithens which time gods people hath alwaies with out any gainsaying obserued it . fifthly , and lastly the homilies shewes that the rest and cessation which god requires by his law one the lords day , at the hands of us christians , is the same which the law did bind the fathers unto from the beginning upon this sabbath in the old testament . first , whereas the law commanded the fathers to rest from all such workes , as they are allowed to do on the other common dayes of the weeke , that is wordly labours as the expresse words of the law shew . in it thou sh●lt not do any worke , thou nor thy sonne , nor thy daugther , nor thy servant , &c. exod. 20.10 . and again thou shalt do no servile work therin levit. 23.7 . thou shalt do no manner of servile worke . num. 28.18 . so the homily blames all those people for wicked boldnesse & carelesse prophanation of the lords day , who make no conscience of doeing their worldly businesse one that day , though there bee no extreame need and necessity . secondly , as the law forbids journeying from home about worldly affaires on the sabbath : exod. 16.29 . bringing in and carrying out loads and burdens ier. 17.27 . exercising themeselves in the workes of their ordinary calling & trade , as buying , selling , keeping market and faires on that day . so also the homily condemnes them as transgressours & profaners of the lords sabbath , who on the sunday which is the lords day and christian sabbath , do not spare to ride , and journey , bring and carry , row , and ferry , buy , and sell keepe markets and faires ; and so use the lords holy dayes and worke dayes both a like . thirdly , as the law and the prophets commanded gods people in the old testament to rest in holynesse , exod. 31.14 . & 35.2 . and not pollute the sabbath , by doing their owne pleasure , but to honour the lord , not doing their own wayes , nor finding their own pleasure , nor speaking their owne words isa. 58.13 . so also the homily requires of all gods people , the same holy rest on the lords day , in that it condemnes them who follow vain and carnall sportes , and fleshly pleasures , and all such exercises as cause brawling and railing and tending to wantonnesse , as a worse sort of people then they that breake the sabbath by working and doing all their businesse in it . for these are the words of the homily . the other sort is yet worse , for though they will not travell and labour on the sunday , as on the weeke day , yet they will not rest in holinesse , as god commandeth , but they rest in vngodlinesse and filthynesse praunsing in their pride , pranking , and pricking , pointing , and painting themselues to be gorgeous , and gay , they rest in excesse and superfluity , in gluttony and drunkennesse , like rats and swine , they rest in brawling and rayling , in quarrelling and fighting . they rest in wantonnesse , ●oyish ●alking , and filthy fleshlynesse . so that it doth evidently appeare , that god is more dishonoured , and the divell better served upon sunday , then all other dayes of the week besides . and i assure you the beasts which are commanded to rest one the sunday , honour god better then this kinde of people . now by these expresse words of the homily we se most clearly , that both this and the former position are not any new doctrines , or factious opinions of my owne devising ; as some malicious catchers & false traducers haue slaunderously reported both of them & mee : but the true orthodox doctrine of the scriptures in the law , the prophets & new testament , & the divine doctrin pubklickly receiued in the church of england , & by law established . for the further confirmation whereof , j could say much besides the strong arguments which i haue brought to proue the former position , which doe ouer and aboue most strongly proue this also . for 1. jf the lords day be a more blessed day then the seventh daie was in the old testament . 2. jf it bee a more holie day , & a daie of more holy convocations & assemblies . 3. jf we haue as much , & as manifold use of rest & cessation as they had & more . 4. jf we be bound by gods law , & by the gospel to be more spirituall & more sequestred from the world , because we haue more abundant gifts of the spirit , more cleare sight & knowledg of heavenly & eternall rest , & more hope of eternall life & glory . then it must needs follow , that we by gods law are as strictly bound to rest & cease from all worldlie cares , & bodily workes , sports , and pleasures , as the fathers were in the old testament . but because slaunderous traducers shal haue nothing here to object against me in this point , except they can desperately harden their hear●s , and faces to accuse , blaspheme , & wound thr●ugh my sides the holie scriptures , and the publick doctrine of the church of england by the law established and royall authoritie maintained : i will content my selfe & desire you my hearers to be satisfied with this which i haue said & you haue heard alreadie . and so i passe to the third point befor propounded concerning the dutie of rest , even the manner & measur● of it , & in what cases gods law permits bodily exercises on the l : day . chap. 21. howsoeu●r all worldlie workes and labours are forbidden , and rest from them all is commanded in the law , yet the equitie of the law permits some labours and exercises , and in some cases allowes such bodilie workes , as are ordinarilie vnlawfull to be done on the lordes holie sabbath daie . first of all it is lawfull for ministers and preachers of gods word to doe some painfull and laborious workes upon the lords daie , even all such as are necessarie for the better sanctification of the daie , and for the edification of the people and flock in publick . though they are not allowed to neglect their studies on the six daies , but are bound to read , study , meditate , & for help of their memories to write downe the heads , points , and proofes of their doctrine ; before the day of assembly ? yet because few or none are so perfect , as to preach publick with good order , method and readinesse of speach and memorie , that which they haue studied , without searching , and reading ouer the testimonies of scripture which they haue collected and studied , & noting down & writing some which come new & fresh to their mind , & serious meditating upon that which they are to speak , for better imprinting of it in their mem●ries . therefore their is a necessity laid on them to labour in this kinde on the lords sabbath . a●d though it be a great labour of the body to stand up & preach in the congregation , with intention of the voyce & earnestnes of affection , & doth more spend the spirits , & strength of the body , & makes drops of sweat run downe the face more abundantly then the tilling of the ground : yet the matter in which they deale is holy & all their worke is religious , & their labour tends to an holy & supernatural end , & is necessary for a ful sanctification of the day : therf●re it is not only allowed , but also required & commandement by the law of god. if any doth make a doubt or question of this truth we haue very strong proofe thereof in the holy scriptures . th● first argument is drawne from the hard bodily labours & artificiall practises of the preists which they vver● by the law bound to performe in their double sacrifices & offerings on the sab : day in the old testament , they were bound to flealambs & to dresse & wash the flesh & the intrals , & to offer them up in sacrifices on the altar , thy were bound to lay them upon wood on the altar , to kindle the fire & burne the fat , & some part of the flesh also they were to take a tenth deale of flower to mingle it with oyle , & to make the drinke offering thereof also , & to offer all to god as we read , num. 28.9 . now if god by his law allowed & commanded such bodily works on the sab : day , because they were needfull for sacrifices , & circumcision which were but a ceremoniall & tipicall seruice of the lord , which he in his temple required by a ceremoniall law for the sanctification of the sab. then much more doth gods law allow & cōmand his publike ministers , to labour & sweat & spend their bodily strength & spirits in preaching his word in the holy christian assemblies , where christ who is greater then the temple is present by his spirit in many of his members who are so many temples of the holy ghost and of god. the second argument is drawne from the practise and example of christ and his apostles . for as the priests and learned scribes did of old read and expound the law and the prophets in all their sinagogues every sabbath day . and our saviour approued this by joyning with them in some practise , preaching & teaching in their sinagogues in great throngs & assemblies of people , which thronged after him & undoubtedly made him sweate as appeares . mat. 4.13 . & iohn . 5.10 . so also the holy apostles did on the first day of the week the lords day , labour in the word as we see by the example of st. paul , who at troas continued his preaching till midnight , because he was to depart the next daye . act. 20.7 . now what they did performe as a duty taught by the law and moued by the spirit of god. jn that all their faithfull successoures are bound to immitate them . therefore the laboures and paines of ministers and preachers are allowed on the lords day , being holy and religious workes , and fittest of all for the holy day and holy place . a second sort of workes alowed to be done on the lords day : are bodily workes and laboures which are soe necessary for the fitting and enabling of christians to sanctifie that day , and for bringing them vnto holy and publick assemblies and places of prayer and of gods worship and holy service , that wit●out such working and labouring even on that day they neither can be so fit and able to serue god joyfully , and to worshippe him with cheerefull hearts , neither can they as the present case stands , come unto holy sabbath assemblies , to heare the word , to pray and to worship in publick . as for example , in places of restreant , and of trouble and persecution where publicke sabbath assemblies of true christians are not tollerated , but in churches which are remote diuers miles , and in barren countries where the churches are foure or fiue miles distant from some houses and vilages in the parrish , men may lawfully ●rauell on foote and ride one horses , or make their horses labour in drawing them to the church in coaches . and because men cannot be soe cheerfull in the seruice of god , nor soe hartily rejoyce before him , not with strength and delight spend the whole day in sabbath duties , wit●out warme and wholesome food , and plentifull refreshing of their weake bodies . therefore the dressing boyling baking and rosting of meate is lawfull on the lords day , soe farre as it more helps then hinders holy duties and the service of god. this is manifest by the words of the law , exod. 12.16 . where the lord forbidding all manner of worke on his holy sabbaths , excepts labour and worke about that which people were to eate , and which was necessary for the upholding of an holy moderate feasting on those daies . this was practised by the ph●rises and by our saviour and his apostles who on the sabbath day came to a feast to the house of a chiefe pharise , luk. 14.1.2 . also the speech of the shanamite to his wife 2 king. 4.23 : doth import , that for the solemn observation of the sabbath they were wont to ride and travell to the prophets and to places where they might worship god ; and be instructed in the knowledge of his will and worship . for when shee desi●d an asse to ride on , and a young man to attend her unto carmell where elisha ●he man of god was . wherefore wilt thou ( saith he ) got to him to day seeing it is neither new moon nor sabbath ? but here let me giue a caution . that christian people bee not too heedlesse setting their inhabitations in places remote from the church for some worldly commodities , when they may with a litle lesse conveniency dwell neere . and that they do not by vnnecessary feasting and superstitious dressing of meate , hinder , or wholy disable some of their fam●ly from keeping holy the lords day a fault to common in our daies . thirdly , all works & actions of bodily labour which are works of mercy and of charity which cannot without convenience or danger be deferred , or which may be done without hindering of our soules in gods publick worship , and to the great comfort of our brethren are lawfull and may be done on the lords day . as for example , visiting of the si●k , and of them that are in prison , or in any great distresse , and applying and ministering comfort , and healing medicines to them : offering and gathering of collections for the reliefe of poore saints , labouring to set men at ●nity , and to reconcile jarring neighbours . these are holy pious workes as our saviour shewes , and hee accounts such deeds when they come from a sincere heart as if they were don to himselfe , mat 25.40 : yea he himselfe did commonly on the sabbath day practise such deeds soe often as he found occasion as we read , mat. 12. luk. 6 : paul by inspiration of the spirit and by commandement from the lord christ doth ordaine , and appoint such vvorks to be done on the lords day : 2 cor. 16.1 : 2. and from the daies of the apostles , all true churches of christ did practise such vvorkes of mercy , pietie , and charity as justine martyr vvitnesseth , and divers others in alter ages . and such works the ecclesiasticall constitutions of our english church , commanded and commend on the sundayes & holy daies of the lord. fourthly , all bodily workes of great , and extreame necessity which concerne the life and safety of men , and of their cattell , the preseruation of necessary creatures , & other good things of good use , value and moment , serving for mans being and welbeing , may lawfully be done on the lords day . as for example . 1. fighting for our liues and for the safety of our country or city against enimies which invade us , and set upon us , and taking advantage if god doth offer it to us on the lords day , as ioshua did at jerico in compassing the city by gods appointm●nt , and ( by circumstances it is probable ) taking it on the seventh day and offering a bloudy sacrifice in fire to god , as a cherem , or anathema , devoted and seperated to god , for the first fruites of the land of canaan after they came to jordan from which no man might without sacrilege detract any thing as achan did and was cut off for it , josh. 6. if ioshua did compasse the citty seven daies together , ( as the text saith ) then one of the seventh must needs be the sabbath , & most likely the last of the seventh , wherein the citty was taken and offered up in fire as a devote thing to god. god offering the occasion and giving the advantage by the ruine of all the walles about the citty , did impose a necessity vpon them to take and destroy the cittie on that day , and this worke was dispensed with and approved by god , and so are all of the like kinde : ( for necessity hath no law ) . secondly , by the same rule other works of necessity , as labour in quēching fire , when mens houses are on fire , or the towne in danger , or in stopping of a breach when the sea , or some overflowing river breakes through the banks , and is readie to draw some part of the countrie ; and to destroy men and beasts , and there is a necessi●y of removing men & beasts , corn & other good creaturs that they be not be drowned & swallowed vp . and in a word wheresoever god brings men into that necessity , that they cannot be kept in welbeing without present help by some worke done on the sabbath day , such workes are not forbidden on that day . neither killing of sheep and oxen , nor dressing of them nor grinding corne nor baking bread to refresh an armye returned from battell and ready to faint without present sustenance , by dressing and preparing some part of the praey which they haue taken : our saviour in the gospell proues this clearlie mat. 12. where by davids example , who did take and eate the shew bread in his necessity he defends his disciples & their act of plucking ●ares of corn , rubbing and eating them on the sab : & also alloweth leading of cattell to drink , & the drawing thē out of pits , & such like . but because occasion is here offered to speak of all kinds of actions which are allowed to be don , & from which men are not bound to r●st wholy on the lords day : it will be expected of some , that i should speak of actions and exercises of sport and recreation , whether men be altogether restrained from them , or whether any of them be lawfull to bee vsed on the lords day : now because i will not provoke nor exasperate any who seem of contrary judgment , especially men of great place & authority : i will propound my judgment which i conceiue to be agreable to gods word , onely ingenerall rules gathered out of the holy scriptures , which all understanding christians may easily apply to the particulars . 1. jt is acknowledged by all godly learned divines : that nor creations or sports which feed and cherish mens corrupt & carnall affections are at any time lawfull , as idle & uaine jefting , wanton gestures , and daliance which increase lust and occasion wantonnesse , and therefore least of all to be tollerated on the lords day : for this is seeking of our own pleasures & polluting the lords holy day , which the prophet jsaiah condemnes isa , 58. 2. honest and lawfull sports and recreations , such as shoo●ing , wrastling and other games of actiuity , hunting , hawking , angling , and the like , though they be lawfull at other times : yet they are not to be tollerated on the lords day in any measure if they be found to hinder men from publick worship & seruice of god , and publicke set duties of piety fit for the day , or to withdraw them from private duties requisit in christian families , as prayer , reading , meditation , repetition , and examining of doctrines by the scripture which haue beene publickly preached and heard , private instructions , exhortations , and mutuall provocations to piety and to praising of god by singing psalmes and the like : whatsoever sports and recreations do hinder these , and withdraw people from them , they are on the lords day impious and prophane how lawfull soever on other daies : in this point all godly grave and learned divines do agree . and how sinfull prophane and hatefull to god such sports are on the lords day . the lord himselfe doth continually shew and declare by the many examples of dreadfull judgments and tokens of his wrath which hee hath shewed and doth still shew in this and in all ages for such doings , dorwning some in their swimming , breaking the backs , armes , legges and necks of other in their wrastling , stricking with horrible lamenesse and with dreadly surfers , and sudden death , leapers , dauncers , hunters , hawkers , riders , bowlers , and such like . and let every man take heed that his own heart do not deceiue him , and that he doe not flatter himselfe in his follie , when it is manifest that such sports are a mans owne pleasures condemned by the prophet , isa. 58. and are seen and known daily to steale away mens hearts from holy duties , and to turne their affections from heavenly and spirituall things , wherein they ought chiefly to delight . thirdly , as men may not do the lawfull works of their calling , neither in providing meat , drinke , cloathes , or other necessaries on the lords day , with a bare respect of naturall good and worldly profitt , because this is doing of his owne waies and workes , and not the worke of god. unto which gods holy day is wholy consecrated and set apart : except onely in case of necessity , when men and beasts cannot otherwise bee preserued in life , health and being , or when gods people without such workes cannot be made fit , & able to serue god cheerfully as they ought on that day : so also no bodily sports , recreations and pleasures are to be tolerated or used , merely to cherish the flesh , to refresh the body , and to procure bodily strength , but onely such as are in verie deed needfull in themselves , and used and intended by gods people with this purpose , and ●o this end , that they may with more abilitie , alacrity , and cheerefulnesse do the holy workes , and performe the holie duties of gods worship and service which are proper to the lords holy day . first , this is manifest by the words of the lord : isa. 58.13 . where he requires of his people , that they turne away their feete from doing their owne pleasure on his holy day , and call the sabbath a delight , the holy of the lord , honourable , and honour him , not doing their owne wayes , nor finding their owne pleasure . by their owne waies and pleasures , we are to understand , not onely their corrupt sinfull workes , filthy words , and vaine carnall pleasures which proceed from nature corrupted and naturally tend to increase transgression , ( for they are to be abhorred every daie and at all times , ) but here by their owne waies , words , and pleasure we are to understand such as proceed from nature created good , and are onely intended to that end , and haue none other effect : for such , though at other times lawfull and honest , yet on gods holy daie are prophane , common and inordinate , as these words imply . secondly , as it is not lawfull to use gods holy word in jeasting , nor with it to mingle our owne vaine talke , nor to play with holy things , because this is taking of gods name in vaine . soe undoubtedly to use worldly delights , and to sport our selues with uanishing , earthly naturall and ciuill pleasures , which are neither usefull to helpe and further us in holy devotion , nor intended by us to that end , is a prophanation of gods holy day , and an intermingling of our owne prophannesse with the spirituall , and heavenly obseruation of the lords holie day , in which god requires serious sanctification , and graue and sober conversations as our own ecclesiasticall constitutions do affirme : the reason is the same in both . thirdly , in all other things consecrated by god himselfe , and by his word and commandement to holy and heavenly use , it hath alwayes beene counted a greevious offence to ad our owne naturall inventions and diuises to them , or to turne them to common civill and mere naturall use , either in whole or part , except in case of necessity . so undoutedly it is by the same reason a greevious offence willingly and purposly to imploy the lords holy daie , or any part thereof to common naturall and civill sports and delights . now the first is manifest by the word and law of god. nahab , & abihu , the sonnes of aron , were consumed by fire from the lord when they offered sacrifices with common fire lev. 10. because they added to the holy offering that which was common . alsoe the sonnes of ely did sinne greeviously in turning any part of the consecrated flesh to feede their owne bellies 1 sam. 2. saul in turning gods sacrifice to a prophane use , and forcing himselfe to doe it in ordinately , that he might make the people to stand to him , and keep them from scattering , sinned and lost his kingdome . 1 sam. 13. and when the jewes prophaned gods house of praier ; which was the holie place , by buying , selling : and money chaunging , it was so vile in our saviours eyes , and so wicked , that he who in other things was a meeke lambe , being moved with zeale , did like a lyon roare against them , fell violentlie upon them and whipt them out with disgrace , iohn . 2. now the lords sabbath is an holie day sanctified by god immediatlie after the creation , and commanded in the fourth commandement to be kept holy . and our sauiour by his resurrection hath consecrated & blessed the lords day aboue all other dayes of the weeke and made it the lords sabbath , more holie then the first as haue beene before abundantly proved . and as all true christian churches , so our church more especiallie both by doctrine and practise hath openlie approved this for the lords sabbath . therefore no part of this day ought to be turned to nautrall , ciuill or carnall sports and delights . lastly , though our churches the places of our holy assemblies , and our communion tables haue no particular expresse commandement for them from god , but onely are consonant and agreable to the houses of god in israel , and we haue no other warrant for them but the example of gods people in the old testament , & our own experience , & reason teaching that they are very necessary for publick assemblies , and holie service : the plot of ground is chosen by men , and the materials and framing of them and the forme of them are all the workes of men . god hath neither appointed the place as in the temple of ierusalem , nor the materials & the forme , as in the tabernacle , the arke & altars which were built by moses : yet we would count a great offence , to turn any part of the church to be a place for common sports , & plaies , or a dancing schoole , and to play at dice , or cards , or other profane games , vpon the communion table . now then seeing we count it unlawfull to profane the places consecrated to holy vse by men inimitation of god , and not by expresse commandement given for the separation of the ground or the place : we ought more to count it unlawfull to spend any part of gods holy day in carnall sports , being a time sanctified by his expresse word , and blessed with the greatest blessing . fourthly , and in the last place , whatsoever recreations and exercises of body and mind , are necessary required for the bettering of our sanctification of the lords day , & the enabling of us to perform with more cheerfulnesse strength and courage the holy worship of god , and the work and service of his holy sabbath , and which are also intended by vs onely to that end and use them we may vse . and so farre as they serve to further , and in no wise to hinder gods holy worship and the immediate works and duties thereof . this is manifest by gods allowing to his people in the law , dressing of meat , & cheerfull feasting on his sab : and holy daies : which are needfull to cheere up men , and to provoke them to worship him with all thankfulnesse of heart , also to put on our best apparell ; that we may come decently to gods house . as these are lawfull being directed to holy use , so undoubtedly honest refreshing with recreations which cheer up the heart , & refresh the spirits , are lawfull when they are helpfull to holy exercises and are directed to that end , as stirring of the body ; walking in to gardens or fields , to take fresh aire being found very helpefull to preachers , to reviue their spirits ▪ s●rengthen their loynes , cleare their voyces , sharpen and quicken their wits , and memories , and being done only to that end are lawfull . so also walking into the corne feilds in ●ommer o● harvest , or into meddowes or pastures in the spring , both to refresh our bodies & spirits , and to give vs occasion to admire gods bountie in clothing the bodies , and his fatherlye providence in making the ear●h so fruitfull , and to laud and praise him , is lawfull for vs. and if after publick & private exercise we doe soe walke about , diuers together conferring of heavenly things , & taking occasion by sight of earthly blessings to provoke one another to thankfulnesse , & acknowledgment of gods loue , this no doubt is a recreation fitt for the lords day , and helps much our devotion , and this seemes to haue beene practised by our saviour who went through the corne feilds on the sabbath day mat. 12.1 . and his disciples with them . chap. 22. in the last place j come to the speciall duties of holinesse by which the lords sabbath is especially said to be sanctified , which i will run through as breifly as i can , so far as brevity may stand with plainesse & perspecuity . and first of all you shall see , that the most strict sanctification of the lords day , which is taught and urged by the godly learned both auncient and moderne christian divines , is no judaisme . i would haue you to take speciall notice , that whatsoeuer things the iewes and naturall isralites were bound by the law ●o perfo●me in the sanctification of the old sabbath , which were meerely tipicall and ceremoniall , and were ordained and practised onely to signifie some things , which are fullie accomplished in christ ; that we hold to be so abolished and made void , that christians ought in no case to obser●e or practise them , on their new sabbath the lords day . for they are all removed with the chaunge of the day , & we ought to a voyd them as much as we avoyd the old sab : which was the seventh day from the begining of daies in the creation . as for example offering the sacrifices of slaine beasts , and mear , and drinke offerings of fine flower mingled with oyle and such like , and incense and gummes and spices , they where but tipes and shaddowes of christ his substanciall sacrifice , and in that respect holy by consecration . and though divers of them were indifferent and tollerable while the bodily temple was yet standing . yet when god hath cast them out by the destruction of the materiall temple , & the chaunge of the weekly sabbath , they are growne unlawfull to be practised , and the reviuing of the practise of them is called abomination , dan. 12. and apostacy from christ , gala. 4 5. & turning againe to weak and beggarly elements and rudiments , and becoming slaues to them , gal. 4.9 . wherfor we are now onely to observe in our sanctification of our holie weekly sabbath such holie duties , and exercises as are holie at al● times and in all ages , both before and under the law , and now also under the gospell , which in their owne nature are either trulie holie or t●nde to beg it , increase , and cherish holie graces in men . and because god hath by the gospell shined into our hearts , to giue us the light of the knowledge of his glorie the face of iesus christ 2 cor. 4.6 . and hath shed his spirit on us aboundantly through him . tit. 3.6 . and soe made us more spirituall , because also our saviour himselfe hath taught vs in the gospell , that god is a spirit & they are true worshippers who worship him in spirit , iohn , 4.23.24 . therefore the chiefest duties by which the sabbath is sanctifi●d , are the most speciall duties of gods worshippe , and the more spirituall , the more pleasing to god & more beseeming christ●ans . soe that the first rule which is here to be giuen , and to be observed is this . that all gods people doe chiefely labour to stirre up , and quicken the grace of god in their hearts , and holy , heavenly and supernaturall aff●ctions in their soules , that with pure mind● and spirits they may performe all duties and actions of gods worship and seruice both publick and priuate . it is true that all times and on all daies we ought to keepe our whole spirit and soule , as well as our body pure and blameles , to serue god as well with inward affection of heart and purity of spirit , as ou●ward , visible , sencible actions and gestures of body . but because the lords day is the most blessed daie of the w●eke , sanct●fied & set apart for the holy worshippe , and immediate service of god , and for publick and priuate service . devotion and religious duties onelie , therefore we all ought to haue as great care to furnish our soules with spiritual beauties of holinesse more abundan●ly & in greater measure , as we haue to make cleane and neate our houses , and to decke and adorne our bodies with our best and cleanest holy daie apparell , on the lords day . for though outward & bodily actions , & gestures are required as r●quisit and necessary in the publick worship of god , and without them it is as impossible to do that publick duty and service to god , which belongs to mutuall edification of christians in this life , & to the solemne lauding and praising of him in publick assemblies , as it is to performe visible & senceable actions of this life by the soule only without the body . yet bodily service & worship of god , as coming duly & diligently to the house of god to publick assemblies , hearing the word withall attentions , and speaking it with great vehemency , praying worshipping and giving thankes in the best forme of wordes , which can be devised , and with most humble and reverent gestures of devotion , as bowing down the body to the ground , knocking of the breasts , sighing , groaning , lifting up the hands , and eyes to heaven , and the like , they all without spirituall affection and devotion of the heart , are no better then a dead karcast without a soule , yea they are filthy hyp●crisie , and mockerie of god , and lothsome abomination in his sight as the lord by the prophet testifieth isa. 1 c : 10 : to the 16 : verse : & 29 : 13 : and therefore let our first and chiefest care bee about the fitting and preparing of our hearts , and filling and , replenishing our soules with spiriruall affections , and quickening and stirring up inward and spirituall grace within us ; for these are the life and soule of all religious duties . & of all holy worship of god , & without them we can̄ot in the least measure sanctifie gods holy day , nor performe any least duty of sanctificatiō acceptable to god : now the speciall means which serve for the quickning of spirituall grace , & kindling of spirituall devotion in our hearts , are diuers : the first is that which j haue spoken of befor in the duties which concerne rest , to weet : a totall sequestring of our selues from all worldly businesse , & puting away all earthly thoughts , cares , & delights , that our whole heart and soule , & all our affections being purged from all such drosse , may haue roome for holinesse only , and for spirituall devotion and motions of the spirit : for no man can serve two masters at once , god and the world : cast out earthlie carnall thoughts , and spiritual and heavenlie affections will easilie enter , and beare sway : and because this sequestring of our selves from cares of the world : must go befor true sanctification in order & time , therfor undoubtedlie the beginning of the lords sab : daie , is there where the old iewish sab : ended , that is in the evening of the saturdaie : and certainlie when men taking their rest from labour the whole night befor the lords daie for sequestring themselves from worldlie businesse , fitting of their soules with spirituall devotion , and stirring vp of grace in their hearts , then do they most profittablie begin their sabbath , for by the meanes the time of preparation and quitting of the minde from worldlie troublesome thoughts , shall go before the time of practise and publick assemblies wherein they are to appeare before god , and to performe the maine duties of sanctification and of his holy worship . and her● j cannot passe by without some reproofe that evill carnall custome , most worthy to be condemned which is to common among our cittizens , who defer their reckoni●g with their worke-men untill the evening and night which beginns the lords day . let me here admonish you all to forsake this practise , if you loue the lord , and will honour his holy sab. the second meanes is to meditate on those things which may stirre up our dull spirits , and quicken grace in our hearts , as first upon the greatnesse , holinesse , and gl●rie ●f the lord , and more specially to present our selves when the light of the day commeth , & both to speak to him in praier and praises , to heare him speake to us in his word read and preached . this must needs moue and stirre up spirituall devotion and affection : as we see by experience in worldly things , how carefull we are to trimme and fit our selves when we are to go before an earthly king or some great nobles . secondly , to consider what holinesse and purity , especially of heart and soule is required in vsing the publick holie ordinances of god , and in approaching neare to him , to worship him in his holy place his owns house . as wee reade leviticus , 20.7 . 1 peter 1.15.16 . the holinesse that becomes gods house is not vanishing showes , and shaddowes which passe awaie in the doing and vsing of them , as bowing , cringing , and such gestures , but a spirituall and eternall holinesse which lasts for ever , and can never bee defaced nor perish , as david shewes psal. 93.5 . it is better then thousands of rammes mich. 6.6.7.8 , it is putting on of humility , mercy , meeknesse , and all other affections , and departing from all iniquity , 2 tim. 2.19 . it is the jmage of christ in the new creature which is created after god in righteousnesse and holinesse , that is ; which cannot lye nor deceiue by faiding , but lasts for ever . ephes. 4.24 . thirdly , to call to mind those scripturs which require holy preparation as eccle. 5.1 . which shewes gods anger against such as come to his house without due furniture and a wedding garment , as mat. 22.12 . fourthly , to meditate on that whereof the sabbath is a signe and pledge vnto us , even our resurrection to eternall life , and to the eternall rest of glory in heaven in the sight and fruition of god , whom none can see without holinesse . thi● is most powerfull to stirre up spirituall affection and to quicken grace in our hearts . the third meanes is earnest prayer to god for his spirit and increase of his spirituall grace in our hearts , that is of great force if it be importunate luk. 11.13 . & 18.1 . and fervent , iam. 5.16 . and therefor when the lords day begineth in the evening or day going of the satturday , we must make speciall prayers for this purpose , as also in the morning when we awake and see the light of the lords holy day . jn the next place after we are thus prepared , wee must set our selves wholy to the performance of the duties of holinesse , which are required for the sanctification of an holy sabbath to the lord , which are either publick or private . the first publick duty is diligent assembling of our selues with the congregation of gods people in the house of god the place of publick assemblies . this is so necessary that without it there can be no solemne service , nor publick worship of god performed by us . this the lord requires in the law , where he joynes these two together , as in seperable companions , even holy convocations and keeping of a sabbath . ex. 12.16 . these our saviour christ did frequent though lord of the sabbath , as well as the fathers did under the law , as appears mark. 1.27 . and so did his apostles on the new sabbath the lords day . 1 cor , 16.1.2 . the second publick duty in the publick worship of god , is praier , lauding and praising him , and offering vp sacrifices of thankfulnesse and the first fruites a●d calues of our lippes , in a solemne orderly and decent manner and order . this the holy men of god carefully performed in the house of god on their sabbath in the old testament : as david shewes . psal. 5.7 . & 42.4 . and this our saviour commandes to us for an holy duty in gods house , where hee cals the house of god the house of prayer mat. 21.13 . that not only to the jews , but also to al beleeving nations as the prophets words by him cited do shew isa. 56 : 7. this the godly at philippi , where they had no synagogue nor church , performed in a publick assembly by a riuers side , act. 16.13 . this was practised by the first christians at iudaea act. 2.46.47 . and this the apostle injoynes , heb , 13.15 . this david foretold psal. 118.24 . in a word all scriptures which teach us , to call upon god , to pray to confesse our sinnes , to humble our selves before god , to worshippe him and to giue thankes , and do commend these for holy duties , they doe much more teach vs to performe them on the lords day , in our holy assemblies . the third sort of publicke duties are the holy ordinances of god , which tend properly to beget and increase holinesse , and to teach christians gods holy worship and feare , to weet : the publick reading and and expounded of the word of god , and preaching and catechising on the mininisters part , and on the peoples part , reverent attention & hearing of the word of god. this was a constant practise from the daies of old which the fathers obserued soe long as the church of the jewes , and first temple was standing . as appeares . ast. 13.15 & cap. 15.21.27 . also by our saviours practise . preaching in the sinagogues every sabbath day luk. 4.16 . mar. 1.31 . and this the apostles practised in holie assemblies which they appointed to be kept on the lords day , and this they commanded to be performed by all the christian churches , as appeares act. 11.25 . & 20 , 7. & 1 cor. 16.1 : & 14.23.26 . colos. 4.14 1 thes. 5.27 . fourthly , besides preaching , reading , and expounding , of the holy scripturs , ther is also the administration of the sacraments , as of baptisme and the lords supper , the later of which especially is an holy sab : daies ordinance of christ , first instituted in the assembly of his apostles , & not to be administred and receiued ordinarily but in sab : assēblies , and publick meeting of the church comming together on the lords day as we gather from . act. 20.7 . & 1 cor. 11.20.33 . and that publick baptisme is most fit to bee administered on the lords day in the publicke assembly , these reasons sh●w . 1. because it is joyned with preaching , mathew , 28.16 : secondly , because it is the receiuing of the baptized into the true visible church . thirdly , in publick it may bee better perfomed by the joynt prayers of the whole congregation· fourthly , it may much profit the whole publick congregation of gods people by putting them in minde of the covenant made in baptisme . the fifth sort of publick sabbath duties , are workes of mercy & charity which are fruites of faith working by loue . unto which duties the publick ministers soe often occasion is offered , are to excite up the people , and they ought to offer freelie and to make collections for the poore saints . this st. paul taught 1 cor. 16. 1 : 2 : and this was in times and ages next after the apostles practised , and performed . as iustin martyr testifies apolog. 2 : pag. 77. sixthly , publick censures of the church , and actions of correction are most fitly performed in publick assemblies of the whole church on the lords day , such as open rebuke of scandalous , sinners , before all the people , that others may feare excommunication and casting out , & excluding from outward communion , obstinate and refractary offenders , as hereticks , adulterers , incestuous persons , & such like . receiving into the church of god such as were cast out , upon their humble confession , and publick repentance openly before the whole church . these are not to be done in corners but in the face of the church , as st. paul ordained by commandement from the lord , & by direction from the spirit of god. 1 tim. 5 , 20 ▪ 1 cor. 5.4 . & 2 cor : 2 : 6 : 7 : and as divers of the auncients haue held and shewed in their practise . seventhly , ordaining and calling of bishops , pastors , and elders , being of old performed in the face of the whole church , with publick prayers , and laying on of hands , act. 1.15 . & 14.23 . 2 cor. 8.19 . as it was of old , soe at this day is a verie fitt dutye of the lord holy weekly sabbath . besides these publick duties , there are diuers priuate duties which are necessary both to make the publick duties effectuall , and frutefull , and to testifie to the praise and glory of god the power of his holy ordinances and the worke of the spirit by them upon our hearts and soules . the first of these is private prayer , either by our selves alone or in our families with our children , servants , and others of the houshold , for if we must pray continually when just occasion , and oppertunity is offered as the apostle teacheth , 1 thes. 5. then most especially before we go vnto , and after we returne from the publicke assemblies , for a blessing upon gods publick ordinances both to our selves and others : our saviour bids us pray in secret , and david exhorts vs to commune with god on our beds , and to pray after his example , morning , evening and at noone day : the second is meditation of such as are alone , on things heard in the church , and repetition in the family for the printing of the the word in their mindes and memories , and mutuall instruction and exhortation , one of another , without which the word will take small effect afterwards and quicklie beforgotten : saint paul doth intimate the necessary vse of this duty ; where he commands women to aske and learne of their husbands at home , and not to speak in the church 1 cor : 14 : 35 : & 1 tim : 2 : 11. this is the holy duty which god commended in abraham : gen : 18 : that he did command and teach his houshold & children which few men can do conveniently on the week daies , when every one is about their worke , some in one place and some in another , onely the lords day is the fittest . the third is rejoycing , singing of psalmes , and praising god in our families , this david commends for a duty of the sabbath . psal. 92.1 . and this paul and silas taught us by their example act. 16.35 . where they two being in prison and in the stocks , are said on the lords day at midnight , to pray and sing psalmes with soe loud a voyce , that the prisoners heard them . and yet i hope none dare call them puritants , and hipocrites , as the profane miscreaunts of our time call all the familes in which they heare singing of psalmes on the lords day . the fourth is visiting of the sick , & of prisoners , releiving the poore and needy , perswading of disagreeing neighbours to peace , and reconciliation : these are works of mercie and of christian loue and charity , & haue no proper end but to bring honour to god , and to make him to be praised , of his people and his people to be edified in loue . and being an holie private service of god , they may be done on the lords daie , & our church doctrine doth teach them , and ecclesiasticall constitutions allow them . the last duty is meditating on gods workes , magnifying them and speaking of them with admiration one to another , if upon any just occasion , or for necessarie refreshing we walke diuers together into the feilds . this david mentions in the psalme for the sabbath day psal. 92 , 45. where he saith : thou lord hast made me glad through thy workes , and i will tryumph in the workes of thy hands . o lord how great are thy workes ? thus much for the speciall duties both publick & priuate , which christians are bound to performe on the lords day , which is the christian sabbath . now the consideration of these severall duties , being some publick , some priuate , some more proper for the sabbath , and some for all daies , offer to us somethings more to be obserued . first the publicke duties of the whole church , together must first be regarded and preferred before priuate duties at home , and mumbling of private praies with our selves in the church , because they make more for gods glory and mutuall edification , and do shew and declare our christian vnity . secondly , publick duties must take up the best , and greatest part of the day , because they are proper to the day , and to publick assemblies , which are to be kept weekly on the sabbath day : priuate duties are common to all daies of the weeke . thirdly , the duties of mercy & charity to men , must giue place to the mediate worship of god , when there is no vrgent necessity , and they may bee deferred to another day , without any inconvenience . men hauing oppertunity before must not put them off , vntill the lords daie , and then by them shoulder out holy duties of piety and gods solemne worshippe . lastly , by the many and severall duties required on the lords sabbath , wee see that to him who hath a care and respect of them all , there will be no time left for for idle words , and toyish talking , praunsing in pride and vanity , nor for any carnall sports , pastimes , and pleasures . but gods day wil be found little enough for holy duties which are to be performed . and therefore i dare not allow any liberty for any sports how honest & lawful so ever at other times , except they bee holy , and gods worship be furthered , and no better duties by them be hindered : which no man can in reason conceive or imagine . if god be to be loved aboue all , and honoured and served with all the heart and mind , soule & strength as the law commands . j do not see but all gods people ought so to do , especially on the lords day , & to be discontent & grieued that they can̄ot do it so fully as they ought , & not to allow to themselves in these things anie liberty which may hinder gods holy worship . the greatest opposites of the weekly christians sabbath , when they haue most vehemently disputed , & spent al their argumēts , against the observation of the lords day for an holy sab : & day of holy rest , are by the cleare evidence of the truth so convinced , that will they , nill they , their conscience forceth them to confesse : that the spēding of the whole day even the space of four & twenty hours of the lords day , an holie rest & cessation from all worldly thoughts & cares & from all seculiar affaires , & in holy duties , of gods worship & service , both publick and private , is a thing commendable & praise worthy in them , and pleasing and acceptable in the sight of god. to that one only wise omnipotent , immortall , and eternall god , who in all things and ouer all enimies maketh his truth to triumph , be all honour , glory , and praise now and for euer . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a14653-e160 justin. dialog . cū triphone . tertull. adversus judoeos irenaeus lib. 4. c. 20 * tostatus pererius gomarus . heb. 11.10.16 . origen . hierom. trad . in 2 gen. austin in psal. 80. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gen. 8 21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gen. 31.2 . heb. 10.26 . 1 ioh. 5.16 . heb. 6·6 . notes for div a14653-e1500 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes for div a14653-e2930 doctrine . 1 reason 2 reason 3 reason 4 reason notes for div a14653-e3500 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes for div a14653-e3760 1. position negative . 1· pit. 1.3 ▪ objection . answer . notes for div a14653-e4200 1. position affirmative notes for div a14653-e4260 2. position affi●mative . gen. 4. notes for div a14653-e4390 3 position affirmative objection . answer . object . 2. answer . notes for div a14653-e5020 the severall opinions concerning the law of the sabbath . notes for div a14653-e5360 the distinction of gods laws notes for div a14653-e5810 serm . 251. de tempore . serm . de tempore . 136. zanch. lib de de calog . thes , 1. notes for div a14653-e6440 1 argument . 2 argument . 3 argument . argum. 6 argument . 7 argument . 8. argu. 9. argu. notes for div a14653-e7650 of mans sanctification of the sabbath . 1 argument . 2 argument . 3 argument . 4. argu. 5 argument . notes for div a14653-e8310 objection answer . object . answer . prolog . in psalm . objection answer . notes for div a14653-e9100 lexic● cold . notes for div a14653-e10480 1. argument . 2 argument . 3. argument . 4. argum. 5. argu : chrisostom in cor. 16. augst ser. 25 1. de temp : gregor . magn epist : lib : 11.3 :