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 Tenth.

Answer to the Eighth Reason.

1. Eight reason, Iesus Christ speaking to his Disciples, advised them to pray, that their flight should not be on the Sabbath day, that is on our Sunday.

2. First answer, The Sabbath day is ever taken in the New Testa∣ment for the Sabbath of the Iewes, and is so here taken by Christ. Neither is our day of publike service any where in holy Scrip∣ture, called the Sabbath day.

3. True sence of Christs words, and that they had relation to the Iewes only.

4. Although he spake them to his Disciples.

5. Second answer, Although he had spoken to his Disciples only, he might have had respect, not to them, but to their brethren among the Iewes that were weake in faith.

6. Third answer, Although by the Sabbath, the Lords day were to be understood, the morality of one of seven dayes in the wee•• cannot be inferred from thence.

1 IEsus Christ speaking in the 24. of Saint Matthew and twen∣ty verse, to his Disciples, of the desolation that was to come upon Iudea, and namely upon Ierusalem, said unto them, Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day. Not in the winter, because then the wayes are incommodious, and there is neither driving, nor marching, but with difficulty. Not on the Sab∣bath day, by reason of the holinesse of that day, which being appoin∣ted and set a part for Gods service, although it was lawfull unto them to flie in it, to save their lives, yet they should not be able to doe it, but with griefe, and sore against their will, being constrai∣ned to spend, on trotting, toyling, and much hurrying up and down, a day particularly consecrated to the publike exercises of Religion, and so should have a just occasion to pray to God to keepe them

from being brought to such a necessity. Some alleadge this passage, esteeming it to be pressing, and of great weight. For, say they, Ie∣sus Christ speaketh to his Disciples of a thing that was to fall out forty yeeres after his Ascension, when all the ceremonies of the Law should be abolished in the Christian Church, and yet notwithstan∣ding, he speaketh unto them of the Religion of the Sabbath, as of a thing that they ought alwayes to take to heart, in so high a measure, that they should be sorry and throughly grieved to be in that time of desolation constrained to flee on so holy a day, instead of applying themselves to Gods service. Therefore the Sabbath day was not a ceremony comming within the compasse of those that he was to abrogate, but a morall point, and of perpetuall necessity: Other∣wise he had not done well to intangle their mindes with an unne∣cessary Religion towards the Sabbath day in the time of their flight, seeing it being abrogated by him, they might with as little grieve, in respect to the day, get packing as fast as they could, trot and toyle on that day, as on another day.

2 I answer, that this argument is a silly one, and of no value. For Iesus Christ speaketh not in that place of Saint Matthew of the day of rest that Christians were to observe after his Ascension, but of the Iewish Sabbath day, as this word, Sabbath day, sheweth clerely, which his Disciples were farre from understanding other wayes, then for the last day of the weeke observed among the Iewes. For it is certaine that it signified nothing else at that time, seeing there was not, as yet, any other day of rest in vigour, saving that alone. And Iesus Christ had not at all made himselfe to be under∣stood of them, nay he had purposely given them occasion to mistake him, if by the Sabbath day his intention was to denote another day then the last of the weeke, because this alone carryed that name, nei∣ther shall it bee found in the whole Scripture, that any other day is specified by that name.

3 The heavenly rest under the Gospell is once called by the Apo∣stle in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chapter 4. verse 9. by a name drawne from the Hebrew word Sabbath,* 1.1 because it was figured by the Sabbath of the Iewes. But our day, wherein wee apply our selves to Gods outward service, and to that intent doe cease from our ordinary labour, is alwayes called in the New Testament The first day of the weeke, or The Lords Day, and not the Sabbath

which name the Apostles and first beleevers had not failed to give unto it, if Iesus Christ had so qualified and stiled it. Now if they would never tearme it by such a name, although it might have been in some sort attributed unto it, but only, The Lords Day, or The first day of the weeke, to distinguish it from the day which was so called among the Iewes: For the same reason Iesus Christ in the foresaid place, if he had minded to speake of the day, which Chri∣stians were to observe after his death, he had intitled it by some o∣ther name then of the Sabbath day, to make a distinction betweene it, and the day of the Iewes.

Wherefore those which use this argument doe most fondly sup∣pose, without proofe or likenesse of truth, that by the Sabbath Iesus Christ meaneth the Lords day. Now if it be understood of the Sabbath of the Iewes, as it must, for the foresaid reasons, and as all the interpreters, whom I have read and perused, doe take it, this ar∣gument, being urged according to the ratiotination of those that have set it on foot, shall yeeld, against their intention, this conclusi∣on, that after the death and ascension of our Lord Iesus Christ, the Sabbath day of the Iewes ought to bee yet kept in the Christian Church, and that the faithfull are obliged unto it by Religion and conscience, and ought bee hartily sorrowfull, when being constrai∣ned to flye on it, to save their lives in a great desolation, they should not be able to consecrate it to Gods service.

3 The true sence of this passage is, that indeed our Lord Iesus <Christ commandeth his Disciples to pray to God, that their flight happen not on the Iewish Sabbath day. Yet it was not his intenti∣on to make that day necessary unto them, and to urge them with the observation thereof, nor also to imbrew their spirits with a super∣stitious opinion, as if it were not lawfull to flye on that day for the saving of their lives from the day of desolation, although they had beene obliged to keepe it still, seeing on both sides it is agreed on, that a man may lawfully flie, and doe all necessary things on any Sabbath day whatsoever, without feare of breaking it. In this speech the Lord hath regard to this onely, that because there was a Law amongst the Iewes, forbidding them to travell on the Sabbath day ordinarily, further then a certaine number of steppes, to wit, two thousand, and that for a religious end, which was called a Sab∣bath dayes journey, Acts 1. verse 12. he knew well, that many,

not only of the Iewes, which were not converted to the faith, but also of those which had professed the Gospell, moved with devoti∣on and Religion towards the Sabbath, for want of sufficient instru∣ction, should bee scrupulous to prepare things necessary for their f••ight, and to flee far on that day, the desolation comming upon them on a suddaine, through feare to breake Gods Commandement con∣cerning the Sabbath: as we see in the History of the Maccabees, that many of the Iewes, which were gone downe into the secret places of the wildernesse, the battell being given them on the Sabbath day, chused rather to be slaine with their Wives, Children, and cattell, then to make resistance for the safety of their lives, least they should profane the Sabbath day, 1 Maccab. 2. verse 32. &c. There is another example of a like scruple in the second booke, Chapter 6. verse 11. And we read in Iosephus, in the eight Chapter of the foureteenth booke of the Antiquities of the Iewes, and in the first booke of the Warres of the Iewes Chapter 5. that when the Ro∣mans under their generall Pompeius, beleagured the Temple of Ie∣rusalem, the Iewes, which were fled thither, although they defen∣ded themselves on the Sabbath day, if they were assaulted, yet they remained quiet and bonged not, if they were not assaulted; which when the Romans had perceived, they set not on them, and threw nothing against them on the Sabbath day, but prepared only things necessary for the assaults, dressed terrasses and forts, brought neere their engines, to make use of them the next day, and the Iewes of Religion and great devotion toward the Sabbath, suffered them to doe what they would, without disturbance. And Iosephus appro∣veth this Religion, or rather superstition, as if it had beene con∣formable to the ordinance of the Law, saying that the Law permit∣teth on the Sabbath day, if the enemies come to wage battell, or give blowes, to drive them backe.

Many might have beene intangled with the same superstition, during the desolation wherof Christ speaketh in the place before al∣leadged. For although that upon such an occasion as this was, to wit, to save their lives, they should and might have beene informed, that they had full liberty to work and flie, yet the devotion so ancient, so usually practised, so exactly and scrupulously observed towards the Sabbath, specially in these times, as may be seene in sundry places of the Gospell▪ this devotion, I say, was more than sufficient to forme

many difficulties in their mindes, and cast into many perplexities, concerning the practise of this knowledge, even those that had it. Wherefore our Lord Iesus Christ foreseeing, that many, in the dayes of the future desolation of Ierusalem, should be disquieted with such feares, should make such difficulties, or at least conceive a great displeasure to be constrained to worke and travell on the Sab∣bath day, for the preserving of their lives, adviseth them, to pray to God that their flight be not on that day.

4 If they reply, that Iesus Christ spake these words to his Disci∣ples, who were infallibly to be well instructed before the desolati∣on of Ierusalem concerning the Evangelicall day of Sabbath, and concerning all things that may be lawfully done on it, and there∣fore there was no occasion to feare, that they should suffer them∣selves to be carryed away with any Religion, or rather superstition towards the Iewish Sabbath day, which before that time should be abrogated.

To that objection I answer againe, that verily Iesus Christ spake to his Disciples, who apparantly were alone with him, but not in regard to them. For he knew well, that about the time of the desolation of Ierusalem they should be either dead, or farre remo∣ved from Iudea, among the other nations of the earth, and there∣fore this danger was not to be feared on their behalfe. Wherefore in their persons he spake to all the Iewes, who were all to be in com∣mon partakers of this desolation; or at least to all the faithfull, who in that time should be conversant in Iudea, as if they had been present before him with his Disciples: This is evident by these words in the 16. 17, 18, 19. Verses, Then let them that be in Iu∣dea flee into the mountaines: Let him which is on the house toppe, not come downe to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field, returne backe to take his clothes: and woe unto them that are with child, and unto them that give sucke in those dayes, &c. For these are common advertisements to all that were to be insnared in that danger, and so is likewise this, Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day, which must be understood as said to all the Iewes, to whom the preceding warnings are directed, amongst whom Iesus Christ knew that many Christians conver∣ted unto him, and carryed away with a Religious respect towards the Law, should still have the opinion of the Sabbath which I have

specified. Nay he knew, that amongst the faithfull Iewes, the best instructed should tye themselves, for a certaine space of time, after his Ascension into heaven, to the observation of certaine legall ceremo∣nies, and specially of the Sabbath, although of right they were all made of no effect by his death, not for any conscience to them∣ward, nor through an acknowledgement of any obligation on their behalfe to the ceremoniall Law, which had beene a thing hurtfull and dangerous, but simply through love, to shunne all occasions of giving offence to the other Iewes, to imbrace all meanes of gaining them more easily to the faith, and to bury the ceremonies with ho∣nour, which in that respect was lawfull. So then for these reasons he might well exhort them all to pray that there flight should not befall on the Sabbath day; because those that are weake, and not so well instructed, should not dare to flie, or should flie with scruple of conscience, and the strong that had greater knowledge, should doe it, although without trouble of Conscience, yet not without some griefe, remembring that on that day they were accustomed, till then, to apply themselves to religious actions, and foreseeing that their flight might be offensive, and make them odious to some, that also they might be hindered in their flight, and preparatives for it, by those which should superstitiously sticke fast unto the prohibiti∣ons, not to worke, to run, and to toyle on the Sabbath day.

5 I adde, that although we should consider this Commandement of Christ, Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day, as di∣rected to the Disciples only, and should advow, that being well in∣structed there was no cause why they should feare to flie on the Sab∣bath day, and therefore no cause why they should pray for their par∣ticular, that their flight should not happen on that day, we may fitly say, that Iesus Christ commanded them to pray so, having regard, not to them, but to others that he foresaw should be ignorant and weake, and to whom the Sabbath day should be an impediment to flie. For although Christians strong in the faith make no such diffi∣culty, and in that respect have no cause to feare for themselves, yet knowing that such difficulties to some other ignorants and weake in faith wil be a stumbling block, they ought to pray to God, having re∣gard to them, that the causes and occasions of such difficulties happen not, if it be possible, and ••in this respect Iesus Christ might have said to his Disciples, Pray that your flight from the desolation to

come be not on the Sabbath day, if not for your owne sake, who, be∣ing well informed and instructed in the faith, shall know that yee may flee on that day, and make no difficultie for conscience sake, yet in regard of others, who shall be distressed with the same necessity to flee with you, but who being altogether ignorant of the liberty of the Gospell, as the Iewes not as yet converted, or the weake ones retaining, after their conversion and profession of the Gospell, a religious respect towards the ceremonies of the Law of Moses, as many Christians, who, for conscience sake towards the Sabbath will be scrupulous to flie on it, for whom, in respect of their igno∣rance and weakenesse, you ought to pray, that your common flight be not on that day. For yee are all members of one body.

6 I say more, that although Iesus Christ by the Sabbath day had signified the first day of the weeke, which after his Ascension was to be observed by all Christians, and had commanded his Disciples to pray, that their flight should not fall out on Sunday, least they should be compelled to imploy, upon bodily working, travelling, and hur∣rying up and downe, a day, which otherwise they had applyed to GODs service, of that no man can conclude, neither that a seventh day of rest is a morall point, nor also that Christs minde was to injoyne the observation of the first day of the weeke, but only, that he foresaw, that after his Ascension the first day of the week should be kept by Christians, of their owne free will, through respect to his resurrection, which should befall on that day, and that it should be loathsome and grievous unto them to weary themselves with flee∣ing on a day wherein they were wont to rest from all worldly im∣ployments, and to addict ••hemselves to serve God in his house.

Verily although a day be not ordained of God to be stinted for his service, yet if by the custome of the Church it be ordinarily im∣ployed for that use, a true Christian will be hartily sorry that hee should be forced by necessity to busie himselfe in other exercises, then those which are proper to Gods service, and he may with good rea∣son make humble suit unto GOD, that he be not brought to such a hard strait; And therefore CHRIST might advise his Disciples to pray, that their flight should not befall on the Saturday, without any other inference that can be gathered from thence, saving a fu∣ture use and custome to observe such a day in the Church, and not any obligation proceeding from him, farre lesse a naturall and mo∣rall

obligation towards a seventh day of the weeke which is the point in question.

Notes

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