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 ninth.

REASON 9.

1 A most forcible argument out of the Epistle to the Colossians, Chap. 2. vers. 16. where the Apostle teacheth, that Christi∣an mens conscience is not tied to the keeping of holy daies, and of Sabbaths.

2 Answer is made, that the naming of Sabbaths in the plurall number sheweth they must be understood of the Sabbaths of ho∣ly daies, and not of the weekely Sabbath.

3 First reply. In the name of a holy day, the Sabbaths thereof are included.

4 Second reply. Sabbaths in the plurall number, include necessa∣rily the weekely Sabbath, which also is most frequently called Sabbaths in holy Scripture.

5 Third reply. The Apostle by Sabbaths, understandeth onely the weekely Sabbath.

6 Fourth reply. The weekely Sabbath did belong to the Law of Commandements, which is abolished, and the Apostle speaketh without exception indefinitely of the ••••••gation of holy dayes, and Sabbaths.

7. Thence it followeth, that the fourth Commandement, in so farre as it stinteth the seventh day for Gods service, is not morall.

1 OF the same nature is the passage in the second Chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians, verse 16. Let no man judge you in meat or in drinke, or in distinction of a holy day, or of the new Moone, or of Sabbaths. Where the Apostle tea∣cheth, that under the New Testament the conscience of beleevers is not bound to make distinction and observation of any holy day, and namely of Sabbaths, neither altogether, nor in part, no more than of meats and of drinkes, ranking all those with the ordinan∣ces and shadowes which have beene abrogated by Iesus Christ, ver. 14, 17. For like as in matters concerning meat and drinke, nature hath necessarily need of them for the entertainment of the body, but the conscience is not now bound to that distinction of them which was of old prescribed by the Law of Moses, even so it is ne∣cessary, for the maintenance of the Soule, that times bee appointed for Gods publike service in the Church, but mens conscience is no more subjected to a seventh day which the Law prescribed to the Iewes.

2 To this passage answer is made, that the Apostle speaketh of the Iewish holy dayes, the Passeover, Pentecost, &c. and of di∣vers Sabbaths which the Iewes observed, such as were the first and last day of some annuall feasts, which lasted many dayes, to wit of the Passeover, of the feast of Tabernacles, of the feast of Propitia∣tions which was kept on the tenth day of the seventh moneth, every seventh yeere, which was the Sabbath of rest unto the land, because in it they did neither sow their field, nor prune their Vineyards eve∣ry fiftieth yeere, which was a jubile. All which times are called Sabbaths in the Scripture. But its denyed that he speaketh of the Sabbath day which God had ordained to be kept weekely, as well under the New, as under the Old Testament: For which cause the Apostle speaketh of Sabbaths in the plurall number, and not of a

Sabbath in the fingular number, to signifie that he understood those Sabbaths, and not this.

3 This answer is not sufficient. For the Apostle speaketh gene∣rally of an holy day, and of Sabbaths, saying that we should not be judged or condemned in distinction and separation, or part and re∣spect of an Holy day, and putting the word signifying an Holy day, in the singular number, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which word denoteth any holy day whatsoever. Now if we be bound for conscience sake to the observation of a seventh day of Sabbath, if we be tyed by Religion to make a distinction of dayes, if we be condemned for the omission of that pretended duty, are wee not condemned 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in distinction of an Holy day?

4 Againe, seeing he speaketh of Sabbath in the plurall number, with what reason can it be affirmed, that his intention was to speak only of the Sabbaths of certaine yeerely feasts, and not of the ordi∣nary Sabbath of every weeke, although he useth a word befitting it aswell, yea more, than the rest, and including it infallibly in its plu∣rality? Namely seeing this word is much more used in the plurall number, then in the fingular, and is ordinarily taken both in the New and in the Old Testament for the Sabbath whereof wee treat. The seventy Greeke translators of the Old Testament are accustomed to say 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the plurall number, when in Hebrew mention is made of the ordinary Sabbath of the weeke in the sin∣gular number, as we may see, Exod. 16. ver. 23, 26, 29. Exod. 20. uer. 8, 10. Exod. 31. ver. 16. Exod. 35. v. 2, 3. Levit. 23. v. 3. Levit. 24. ver. 8. Numb. 28. 2, 9. Deut. 5. ver. 12, 14, 15. and else where conformably to them. This plurall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used in the same sence by the writers in the New Testament, as Matthew 12. verse 1, 5, 10, 12. Matth. 28. ver. 1. Mark. 1. ver. 21. Mark. 2. ver. 24, 28. Mark. 3. ver. 2. Luk. 4. ver. 16, 31. Luk. 13. ver. 10. Iohn 20. ver. 1, 19. Acts 13. ver. 14. Acts 16. ver. 13. Acts 17. ver. 2. I say therefore, that to conclude that the Apostle in the foresaid passage speaketh not of the Sabbath day which returned weekely, because he useth the word Sabbath in the plurall number, is a weake argument, seeing in the Scriptures stile and manner of speaking this word in the plurall number hath a sin∣gle signification.

Nay, it may bee affirmed with good reason, that the Apostle,

when he speaketh of Sabbaths, understands only the ordinary Sab∣bath of the seventh day, and under the name going before of an Holy day, hath comprehended all other Sabbaths which God had commanded in the Law, even as God himselfe in Leviticus Chap∣ter 23. ver. 37. by the word Feasts understandeth all other so∣lemne dayes which he had commanded, and ver. 38. by the word Sabbaths the seventh day in every weeke, according to the ordina∣ry signification thereof, not only in the Greeke, but also in the He∣brew tongue, to which purpose there is a most manifest place, Exod. 31. ver. 13. where God saith, Uerily my Sabbaths yee shall keep, for it is a signe betweene me and you throughout your generations, that yee may know, that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you. And for more ample declaration, in the Verses following, 14. 15, 16, 17. he expounds those Sabbaths of the weekely Sabbath only. Although this were not so, whosoever speaketh of Sabbaths in the number of multitude, and maketh no exception, understandeth whatsoever is contained in the signification of that word, and hath the same denomination. Verily, when the Apostle saith, that no man should condemne us in distinction of an Holy day, or of Sab∣baths, if he had not understood all Sabbaths, but had beleeved that God hath expresly ordained under the New Testament, as hee did under the old, a day to be for his service a day of festivity and of Sab∣bath, he was bound to except it particularly and by name, and so to keepe the Church from falling into an error, namely seeing we are not taught in any part of his Epistles, nor else where in the New Testament, that GOD hath made such an ordinance, that in any time the observation of a Sabbath hath beene injoyned unto us, that any such day hath beene excepted from those dayes and Sabbaths which in the said New Testament we are for∣bidden to keepe.

6 When the Apostle saith, that Christ hath abolished the Law of commandements, Eph. 2. vers. 15. and hath made a change of the Law, Heb. 7. vers. 12. We see easily, that he understandeth the ceremoniall, and not the morall Law, because in the same places he explicates his meaning, calling it, The Law of Commandements contained in ordinances, the middle wall of partition betweene the Iewes and Gentiles, Ephes. 2. vers. 14, 15. the Law of a carnall Commandement, and of the Leviticall Priesthood, weake, unpro∣fitable,

and which made nothing perfect, Heb. 7. vers. 11. 16, 18, 19. Because also in many other places wee are taught, that the Law abolished by Christ, is the Ceremoniall only, and doe see all morall Commandements confirmed and ratified by him. But when the Apostle discourseth of the abolishment of holy daies, and of Sab∣baths, without any limitation or modification, there is no cause why the seventh day should be excepted, seeing he excepted it not, neither is it excepted in any place of the Gospell, which speaketh no where unto us of morall daies of Sabbath, as also it is absurd to establish any such day.

7 It sufficeth not to alledge, that the fourth Commandement of the Law injoineth the seventh day of Sabbath, and to inferre from thence, that of necessity the Apostles minde was to except that Sab∣bath, as being morall. For I say rather, that the fourth Comman∣dement in as farre as it injoineth the observation of a seventh day of Sabbath, is not morall, seeing the Apostle without exception saith, that under the Gospell our consciences should not be tied to Sab∣bath daies; words which he had never so uttered, if the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement had beene morall and obligatory: At least in some other places, information and instructions had beene given us of this, by him, and by the rest of the Evangelists and Apostles, who have instructed us in the knowledge of all other mo∣rall points, which is not to be found. For there is not to be seene in the whole new Testament any injunction to observe a Sabbath day: But of this point we shall speake more fully hereafter.

Notes

• Lev. 23. v. 7, 8, 34, 35, 36. Lev. 25, v. 4, 8.