A treatise of the Sabbath and the Lords-day Distinguished into foure parts. Wherein is declared both the nature, originall, and observation, as well of the one under the Old, as of the other under the New Testament. Written in French by David Primerose Batchelour in Divinitie in the Vniversity of Oxford, and minister of the Gospell in the Protestant Church of Roven. Englished out of his French manuscript by his father G.P. D.D.

CHAPTER Twelfth.

Answer to the replyes made unto the former Argu∣ment.

1. First reply, the Sabbath being morall from the beginning of the world, the figure was accidentally annexed unto it.

2. Answer. The Sabbath was a legall figure, and no thing else.

3. Second reply. The Sabbath was never a figurative and Typi∣call signe, but only doctrinall, marking the straite communion betweene GOD, and those that are his, and is still such a signe.

4. Answer to this reply, by the distinction of signes, in those that are onely doctrinall and onely memoriall, or which besides are figurative or typicall.

5. Of which last sort was the Sabbath.

6. And therefore it was to be abrogated, as well as all other types and figures of the Law.

7. Which were all, not only typicall, but also doctrinall.

8. Why the signes of the Christian Church, are not figures & types.

9. Third reply, concerning the Raine-bow, which is a signe only, and no type at all, answered.

10. Some things yet subsisting, which were signes, figures and types under the Làw, may be yet lawfully used, but not as signes, fi∣gures, types.

11. For cleering of this, the types of the Law are distinguished in∣to those whose whole essence consisted in their typicall use, as the Circumcision, Passeover, sacrifices, &c.

12 And in those, which besides the type, may in the new Testament have some other good and religious use, as abstinence of certaine meats, observation of the first day of Moneths, of feasts, of Sabbaths, &c. but not as any part of Gods service, or through necessity of obedience to Gods Commandement.

13 Of this last sort is the Sabbath.

14 Fourth reply. The Sabbath did not figure Christ, therefore it was not a type.

15 Answer by a distinction of legall types, in those which represen∣ted directly Christs person and actions;

16 And in those which represented directly his benefits, such as were the Circumcision, all kinde of Sabbaths, the weekely Sab∣bath: all these are abrogated, and therefore this also.

17 All other judaicall ceremonies, although they had no relation to Christ, have beene abrogated; how much more the Sabbath.

1 TO the last reason heretofore alledged, some doe reply, that indeed in the Sabbath there was a kind of figure & ceremo∣ny annexed only unto it accidentally, but as for the thing it selfe, the Sabbath hath beene since the beginning of the world, and continueth still a morall thing, seeing it was ordained to Adam before sinne came unto the world, and to the Israelites be∣fore the Law, since the giving whereof God added the ceremo∣ny to the day, to the intent it might be a part, not onely of the morall, but also of the ceremoniall Law; that Christ hath taken away the ceremony, but a seventh day of Sabbath hath alwaies the same vigor and force, it had from the beginning.

2 It sufficeth to answer, that this reply layeth a false foundation, to wit, that a seventh day of Sabbath is of it selfe morall, that it was in the time of innocency ordained to Adam, and commanded to the Israelites before the Law. Whereas it was first ordained by the Law, and not before, and the figure was not annexed unto it, as an accident to a thing already subsisting; Nay, it was never of its owne nature but a legall figure, belonging to the government and ceremonies of the Law, as hath beene already, and shall be more abundantly confirmed in the refutation of the arguments broached for the contrary opinion.

3 Others doe reply, by denying that in the observation of a se∣venth day of Sabbath there was any legall figure and ceremony, which was to be abrogated by Christ: That indeede God in the foresaid passages of Exodus and Ezechiel saith, that the Sab∣bath day was to the Israelites a signe that God sanctified them. But the word Signe signifieth not alwaies a type and figure; for love

is a signe that we are Christs Disciples, and is not a type; And the publike profession of a thing, is a signe of that thing, and is not a type thereof; Even so the Sabbath in the strict keeping therof was a marke of the strait communion which was betweene God and the faithfull Israelites, as it hath still the same use towards Chri∣stians; but was not a signe of the nature of those which were abro∣gated by Iesus Christ, to wit, a signe typicall and figurative of things to come, to the fulfilling whereof it ought to yeeld and give place, but only a doctrinall signe, that is, given to be unto them a do∣cument and instruction of Gods benefits towards them, and of their duty to him, which therefore was such a signe, that it might, and ought to subsist together with the thing that it signified; and so it followeth not, that it ought to be abrogated at the cōming of Christ, but rather that it continueth under the new Testament, to be unto us a signe and document of the same benefits which concerne us as much as the Israelites.

4 But this reply is of no better mettall then the former, and the distinction that it is founded upon is vaine and frivolous. It is true, that whatsoever under the old Testament might in some sort be cal∣led a signe, was not alwaies a type and figure: For the word Signe is now and then taken in a most generall sense, for any marke and token whatsoever, which maketh a thing to be knowne, for every effect shewing the cause from whence it proceedeth, or for every ad∣junct denoting the subject wherein it is inherent; As in the ex∣amples aforesaid, the actions and courses that men take themselves unto, may be signes of their inward disposition, of their religion, or of some other thing that concerneth them. And as Christ said to his Disciples, that by this should all men know that they were his Disciples, if they had love one to another, Ioh. 13. v. 35. Even so may it be said, that a pure and holy life, a religious and upright conver∣sation under the old Testament, made the true Israelites to be knowne, and were a signe whereby they were denoted, as by the same badges the true Christians are now knowne. There is an in∣finite number of such signes, which were never, neither could be types and figures. But these are not the signes that wee treat of, nor also other signes ordained purposely to be memorialls of things past, whereof there were, perhaps, some which had no other use, and were never types, and shadowes of better things. The signes we

are about, are ceremonies and outward observations ordained of God to men, to signifie unto them on his behalfe the saving graces which he will communicate, and Iesus Christ hath purchased un∣to them by his death: And I affirme, that there was no such signe under the old Testament, which was not a type and shadow of Iesus Christ to come.

5 The Sabbath ought to be sorted among these. I acknowledge it was a doctrinall signe, teaching the Israelites, that God maker of all things, and therefore of all men, neverthelesse amongst all had consecrated and hallowed them particularly to himselfe, with which signe, the thing, to wit, their sanctification was present. As they also by it made publike profession of their religion and pious affection towards God. But that barred it not from being a typi∣call and figurative signe, in as much as it was a ceremony ordained of God to the Israelites, that it might signifie unto them a most pro∣fitable benefit, which, although it was in that same time graciously bestowed upon them, had notwithstanding relation to the Messias to come, for whose sake they received it, as we doe also at this time.

6 Wherupon it cannot be inferred, that we therefore ought to have the same signe at this time in the Christian Church: Nay, on the contrary, we should not have it at all. For although the Covenant of Grace, in regard of the saving benefits comprehended in it, be in substance the same since the comming of Christ, that it was before his comming, yet it is new in regard of their signes. For it behooved the old signes to cease for ever, and to give over their place to the new. The Sabbath, and all other Signes and Sacraments of the Law were of the same degree.

7 They were all jointly doctrinall and figurative. They taught the faithfull what was their dutie towards GOD, and what were GOD's graces towards them, and figured unto them the Messias to come, as the meritorious cause, and as that wonderfull one, who, in the fulnesse of times, was to purchase those graces, which in re∣ference to that acquisition, and to a more full communication of them under the new Testament, and their accomplishment in hea∣ven, are called The good things to come, Col. 2. vers. 17. Heb. 10. vers. 1. Although all true believers received them in part, even then, in as much as Christs future death was no lesse present to God, then if he had suffered it already, and obtained the same

worth, power and efficacy. Their Sacraments the Circumcision, Passeover, Sacrifices, Aspersions, &c. were they not signes of Spirituall benefits, which God granted to his faithfull servants at the very instant of their celebration, as of the forgivenesse and blot∣ting out of their sins, of their regeneration, and of other heavenly and saving graces? Were they not out of hand made actually par∣takers of these graces, as soone as they received the signes whereby they were signified, and they instructed and assured by them, as by most certaine documents and pledges of their present and reall exhi∣bition? Did not GOD declare himselfe to be, and was he not really the GOD of Abraham at that same instant, when he or∣dained unto him the Circumcision in his flesh to seale that gracious promise in his heart? And did not that promise containe the whole substance of the Covenant of grace?

8 But although they received the graces signified, the signes were never the lesse typicall and figurative; for as much as the Messias to come, was the marke that they were levelled unto, and by whose death those graces were to be deserved and purchased. Also they have all ceased at the comming of Christ; and although we receive under the new Testament the same graces, we have no more those ancient signes: For Christ hath given us other signes, which with greater clearenesse and perspicuity represent and assure us, that God giveth them unto us, but as being already purchased. Which there∣fore to speake properly, are not signes and types, because they have no relation to the Messias to come, nor to a future acquisition to be made by him, as were all other signes, wherewith under the old Testament God had clothed the Covenant of Grace, and which also for this cause, Christ hath abrogated. Neither can it be shewed, that GOD will have to continue under the new Testament, any thing that he had ordained under the old Testament, to be an out∣ward signe, signifying any saving grace, that Christ at his com∣ming was to purchase by his death to his Church, God will have it to continue under the new Testament.

9 They alledge to this purpose, but most unfitly, the Raine-bow in the clouds, which God gave of old for a signe to Noah, and continueth still in this use of a signe. For it was a signe ordained onely to confirme a temporall promise, common, not onely to all men, but also to all living creatures of all flesh that is upon the earth,

to wit, that there shall not any more be an universall floud to de∣stroy the earth, and all the creatures that are therein, as he had done before, Genes. 9. vers. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. which was not a benefit of the Covenant of grace founded upon Iesus Christ, but a naturall covenant, and therefore was in no sense typicall, had no re∣lation to the Messias to come, and for this cause ought not to be abolished by him, but was to continue, as in its naturall being, even so in its being relative, signifying this temporall grace, which the earth shall injoy to the worlds end.

10 It is true, that some things which in the old Covenant have beene used for types and figures, and subsist still in their naturall and absolute essence, may be freely and indifferently applyed to some good and lawfull uses, which they are capable of under the new Covenant. But in regard of the end they had to be typicall signes, and of that necessary obligation which was in them by Gods anci∣ent Ordinance for any end whatsoever, they are all abolished; nei∣ther is there any one of them that hath vigour and strength vnder the new Testament.

11 Which to explaine more clearely, I say, that typicall things under the old Testament were of divers sorts: Some of them were in such sort typicall, that their whole essence consisted in that; neither can in matters of religion, the type & figure be severed from their lawfull use, nor applyed to the exercise of any religious functi∣on allowed in the state of the Gospell. Of this condition, for example, were the Circumcision, the immolation of the Paschall Lamb, the Sacrifices: The whole use of which signes was to figurate Christ to come, and his benefits; neither is there any respect fitting for the exercises of our Evangelicall religion, for which any man may lawfully circumcise his children, offer the Paschall Lambe, or give sacrifices of beasts to God.

12 Others were in such sort typicall, that they may in themselves have another use then to be types, and be imploied lawfully in the practice of actions of the Christian Religion: As for example, these that the Apostle speaketh of in the Epistle to the Colossians, Chap. 2. vers. 16. to wit, the abstinence of certaine meats, the keeping of new Moones, of Holy daies, of Sabbaths. For we may abstaine from meats, nay, from a certaine kind of meats, to fast, to keepe under our body, and bring it into subjection. We may observe

the first daies of every Moneth, the Holy daies, the Sabbaths, to rest from the toile of the world, and to apply our selves more carefully and particularly, then usually we doe, to the hearing of Gods Word, to singing of Psalmes, to publike Prayers, to bestowing almes on the poore, all which are Evangelicall duties, for which it is not onely lawfull, but also fitting that some times be appointed. As indeed from all times both fasts and divers feasts have beene ob∣served in the Christian Church. But to keepe all those things for Religion and Conscience sake, as a necessary point of Gods ser∣vice, or to believe that we are bound to doe so, by the Com∣mandements which God gave under the old Testament, when he established them for shadowes and figures, were a thing al∣together unlawfull.

13 The Sabbath day is wholly of this kind. It is certaine that Christians may observe that day indifferently, as any other day, and in it give themselves unto all exercises of our Christian Religi∣on. And indeed the Christian Church kept it in her first ages many yeeres together, as well as the Sunday, which we shall shew more expresly hereafter. But to keepe it as a type and figure, as it was of old, or believe that we are bound to keepe it rather than any other day by the Commandement which God gave at that time, or to make of it, for any other respect, a point of conscience, it is a thing in no case tollerable under the Gospel, in the time wher∣of Gods Commandements given under the old Testament concer∣cerning any typicall thing, although capable otherwise to be apply∣ed to som other use then to be a type, are not obligatory, and bind not the conscience. And as putting apart the typicall consideration, divers good uses may be found, for which a course may be taken to keepe the first day of every Moneth, the solemne feasts of the Passe∣over, of Pentecost, of Iubiles at the end of fifty yeeres, and others, yet all these daies are abolished, and if any man would lay a neces∣sity of such observations upon Christians, in the authority of the ancient Commandements of the Law, which the Gospell hath not ratified, and establish in them a point of Religion, he should with∣stand the Gospel: Even so, albeit reasons may be found, laying aside the type and figure, to make lawfull the observation of the Sabbath day, by applying it to Evangelicall uses, neverthelesse it should be a sin against the Gospell to make the observation thereof

necessary, by vertue of the Commandements which God gave of old, but the Gospel hath no more ratified then these others, or other∣wise to establish in it any part of Gods service, seeing it was a typi∣call thing which hath been abolished with all the rest. This is the maine point which I stand unto here: Not that it is unlawfull to keepe the Sabbath day just as any other day; But that there is not on Gods part any obligation to that day, more than to another day, and that it cannot be of it selfe a service of our Christian Religion, be∣cause it was a type of the old Testament, and all the types of that time have ceased, in regard of their obligation, notwithstanding any lawfull use of them, which otherwise may be thought on under the new Testament.

14 And wherefore, I pray, if all other types be abolished, ought the Sabbath onely to continue, seeing it was a type of the same nature with the rest, figuring to the Israelites their sanctification by the Messias to come? Vpon what grounds is it said, that it was not typicall and figurative as all the rest? Is it, because nothing can be seene in it figurative of Iesus Christ, as in all other signes? As in the feast of Passeover, the Lambe which was killed figured manifestly the person of Iesus Christ put to death for our redemp∣tion: The sacrifices of beasts were figures of the Sacrifice of Christs body: The sprinklings and washings were types of his blood, of the shedding of it upon the crosse, of the sprinkling thereof upon our consciences by the holy Ghost, and of the spirituall washing which we receive thereby.

15 To this I answer, that the figurative and typicall signes of the old Testament, were not all of one sort. It is true, that all had re∣lation to Christ, but some of them represented meerly and directly Christs person, the actions of his person, and consequently the be∣nefits depending thereon: Others represented nothing directly but his spirituall benefits, yet as proceeding from him, and from his actions, which consequently they figured also. Of the first kind was the Paschall Lambe, and the sacrifices that were offered, which properly were figures of Christs person and of his sacrifice, and con∣sequently of our redemption, and of the expiation of our sins made by him, which is the benefit proceeding from his sacrifice.

16 Of the second sort was the Sabbath day, which properly and di∣rectly represented the sanctification of the people, and their ceasing

from workes of sinne, but figured also therewith Iesus Christ: Because by him, that benefit was to be purchased to the faithfull, and they were to receive it by his meanes. For it is by the offering of the body of IESUS CHRIST once for all that we are sanctified, Heb. 10. ver. 10. Of the same sort was the Circumcision, where∣in no thing can be found that figured properly CHRISTS person, and the actions thereof. But because it sealed the righteousnesse of faith, Romanes 4. verse 11. figured the spirituall circumcision of the heart, Rom. 2. ver. 28, 29. Col. 2. ver. 11. and was a signe of the covenant of grace, Genesis 17. ver. 7, 9, 10, 11. which bene∣fits Christ was to deserve by his death, in that respect it was a figure of Christ, and a shadow, whereof the body was in him, who also hath abolished it. The like were so many Sabbaths ordained on the first and last day of the feasts of the Passeover, and of Tabernacles, on the feast of Pentecost, on the tenth day of the seventh moneth, in every seventh yeere, in the fiftieth yeere of Iubile, which all con∣fesse to have beene abolished by Iesus Christ, as things typicall. Yet there was no thing in them that made them more particular to the Iewes, more ceremoniall and typike, nay not so much as the ordinary Sabbath, whereof God had said, that which he hath not said of these, that it was a signe betweene him and his people, &c. Neither figured they Iesus Christ otherwise then this ordinary Sab∣bath did. For they were not types of his person, nor of his acti∣ons, but only of the spirituall benefits which are alwayes received of the faithfull, and which the true Iewes received then in him and through him. Now if all the signes of this second kinde, which had of old a great sway in the Synagogue, were accounted to be figurative, and as such are abrogated, wherefore should not the Sabbath be likewise abolished?

17 Yea how many things were there under the Old Testament, whereof no man can tell what relation they had to Christ, either in his person, in his actions, or in his benefits, and which perhaps in effect represented no such thing, had no typicall signification, but were only ordinances belonging to order and ecclesiasticall govern∣ment, servill exercises, childish rudiments, elements of the world, wherewith it was GODs pleasure to burthen his people in those times, which were the times of the infancy and bondage of the Church, and therefore were ceremonies, as well as those that had

some typicall and figurative signification. (For under the name of Ceremonies may and ought to be comprised not only the types and figures, which properly and manifestly were such, but universally all the observations of the ecclesiasticall policy and government of the Iewes, all the ordinances of the Law of commandements, which were a partition wall betweene them and all other nations, as the Apostle saith, Ephes. 2. verse 14, 15.) Or were memorials of things past, which did belong to the Iewes only, and for that cause have beene abrogated by Iesus Christ. So that, although the Sab∣bath had not had any typicall signification, nor relation to Iesus Christ, as it had, it was enough to make it to be done away, that it did belong to the ecclesiasticall government of the Iewes, and was also given them for memoriall of a benefit particular to them, to wit of their deliverance out of the land of Aegypt, and of that miserable bondage wherein they had not any one day free, neither to rest from their labours, nor to serve the Lord their God. For in the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomie, God repeating by the mouth of Moses the Commandements of his Law, addeth to the fourth Commandement this reason of the institution of the Sabbath, ver. 15. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Ae∣gypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence, through a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arme: Therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keepe the Sabbath day, shewing by these words, that the deliverance which he had given them from that la∣borious bondage of the land of Aegypt, should not onely oblige them to keepe the Sabbath so much the more carefully and religious∣ly, but was a cause why he ordained it, to wit, that it might be unto them a memoriall, or a token for remembrance of that glorious and wonderfull deliverance.