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.

THE SECOND PART wherein the reasons brought to justifie the morality and perpetuity of a Seventh day of Sabbath are confuted. (Book 2)

CHAPTER First.

First Answer to the first Reason.

1. The opinion of those that hold the morality of a Seventh day of Sabbath cleerely set downe.

2. Their first Reason taken out of Genesis Chapter 2. ver. 2, 3. Where it is said, that God rested on the Seventh day from all his workes, and blessed the Seventh day, and sanctified it, &c.

3. First answer to this Reason. Moses writing the History of the Creation after the Law was given, declareth occasionally the cause that moved God to blesse and sanctifie the Seventh day to the Iewes, according to the custome of the Scripture, to joyne things done long before with those that were done long after, as if they had beene done together, and at one time.

4. Confirmation of this by places named by anticipation.

5. By that which is written, Exod. 16. ver. 33, 34. where it is said, that Aaron laid up in a Pot an Omer of Manna before the Testimony, which was not done many yeeres after.

6. And by the History of Davids combat with Goliah, 1 Sam. 17. Where it is written, ver. 54. that David tooke the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Ierusalem, but he put his ar∣mour in his tent, although there was a great intervall of time betweene these two actions.

7. This joyning of things farre removed in time, is not unsu∣table to him that speaketh or writeth.

8. First instance against this answer, taken from the connexi∣on of the third verse with the second, from the same tence used in both, and from the identitie of the same seventh day spoken of in both, &c.

9. First answer to this instance, shewing, that in the holy Scripture things distant in-time, are expressed by words of the same tence, when the one hath some dependancie upon the other.

10. Application of this answer to the blessing and sanctification of the seventh day in Moses his time, joyned with Gods rest af∣ter the creation, because it was the foundation of that bles∣sing.

11. Second answer, It was not the same particular seventh day after the creation, but the same by revolution which God san∣ctified.

12. Third answer, the Hebrew article 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 confirmeth not, that the seventh day which God blessed was the same seventh day wherein he rested.

13. Second instance, as Gods blessing of his creatures after they were made, was present, so was his blessing of the seventh day immediately after the creation.

14. Answer to this instance, the reason is not alike.

15. Confirmation of the answer made to the words of Moses in Genesis, by the conformity of the same words used in the com∣mandement given to the Iewes concerning the Sabbath.

16. As also, because the Sabbath was not hallowed for Adam who in the estate of innocency had no need of such a day.

17. First instance, Adam was taught by Gods example that hee

stood in need of such a day, refuted.

18. Second instance, as God ordained Sacraments to Adam, so he ordained to him a seventh day of rest, refuted by a reason shewing the nullity of that consequence.

19. And by the excellency of Adams condition, to which the ordi∣nation of such a day was derogatory.

20. Third instance, as Gods rest on the Seventh day was the foun∣dation of the commandement given to the Iewes to rest on that day, so was it from the beginning, refuted.

1 THose that hold the second opinion doe say, that the keeping of a Seventh day of Sabbath is a morall thing, which from the beginning of the world should continue to the end thereof, with this diffe∣rence only, that God before and till the comming of Iesus Christ had ordained, that the last day of the weeke wherein hee rested from all the workes which hee had made, when he created the world, should be sanctified by all men, in remembrance of the creation, and of his rest on that day: But since the manifestation of Iesus Christ, it was his will, that in∣stead of the last day of the weeke, the first day, wherein Christ, ri∣sing from among the dead, rested from the work of our redemption, should be observed in the Christian Church, for a memoriall of this worke, which being more excellent then the former, it was besee∣ming and just, that this last day of the creation, should yeeld the possession of the day of rest unto it.

2 To underprop this opinion, they have broached diverse reasons, amongst which we shall order in the first place the reason taken out of the second Chapter of Genesis, ver. 3. where Moses, after hee had said, that God finished all his workes in sixe dayes, and rested on the seventh day, addeth, And God blessed the Seventh day, and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his workes which hee created and made. Of which words they conclude, that as soone as ever the Creation was ended, and the Seventh day begun to subsist in nature, it was blessed and sanctified, that is, consecra∣ted to Gods service, and ordained, even then to our first Parents while they were in the state of innocency, to be kept by them for this end, and therefore the observation of a Seventh day is morall, is

of the Law of nature, and is in no wise ceremoniall, seeing it was established before sin came into the world, at which time there was no shadowes and figures of Christ, because in that state of innocency our first Parents had not stood in neede of him, nor of any direction to him by ceremonies. If then in that estate, wherein no corruption of sin had hindred them to serve God continually, and the bodily imployments had been no great disturbance unto them in the practice of that duty, God judged necessary to injoine unto them a seventh day, to the intent that giving over all other care, they should in it addict themselves only to the actions of his service, and all religious exercises, how much more in the state of sin, where∣in men have so many hindrances from Gods service, both by sin, and by the laborious occupations of their worldly callings, is it necessary, that a set day of rest be ordained unto them, to cease wholly in it from the turmoile of their secular affaires, and to give themselves only to holy and religious exercises belonging to Gods service. This necessity is as great under the new Testament, as it was under the old; and therefore God hath not omitted to or∣daine under both a Sabbath day, yea, a seventh day of rest, which being established before sinne, and consequently being morall, bin∣deth all men perpetually.

3 There be divers meanes to answer this objection: First, no∣thing obligeth us to believe, that the words written in the third verse of the second Chapter of Genesis should be thus translated: And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, as if Moses had meant to expresse a time past long before his penning of this Booke; and to tell, that this blessing and sanctifying was made even from the time that the creation was finished, and from the first seventh day of the world: Whereas they may be translated thus, And God hath blessed the seventh day, and hath sanctified it, & understood, as being said with a Parenthesis, and in regard of the Ordinance which God had lately made in the daies of Moses concerning the seventh day, when he gave by his Ministery the Law of the Israelites▪ Which ordinance Moses made mention of in his relation to the history of the creation, as of a thing established and knowne of the Israelites when he writ, & by occasion of that he had said, that God after he had created all his works in sixe daies, rested on the seventh day. So we may give this exposition to Moses words; God made

all his works in six daies, and rested on the seventh day, and thence he tooke occasion to blesse and sanctifie now that day, giving com∣mandement by his Law to his people of Israel to keepe it in their generations: So it shall be a narration made in this place occasion∣ally, according to the ordinary custome of holy Writers, and spe∣cially of Moses, when in the historicall relation of things that were come to passe long before, they find occasion to speak of things happened since, specially of those that were come to passe in their time when they wrote, to interlace, upon that occasion, a short re∣hearsall of them, with the narration of things more ancient, and to speake of both in such a manner, as if they had happened in the same time, whereof I will here set downe some examples.

4 First we find divers places named by anticipation: As in the 12. Chapter of Genesis, verse 8. It is said, that Abraham removed unto a mountaine Eastward from Bethel, which name of Bethel was not in the daies of Abraham the name of the place betokened by it in the foresaid words: For it was not called Bethel, till in it Iacob saw a ladder reaching to heaven, and the Lord standing above it. Then Iacob called it Bethel, that is, The house of God, whereas before that time it was called Luz, as may be seene in Genesis, Chap. 28. vers. 13. 19. But Moses writing the history of Abraham, called it Bethel, by an historicall anticipation, because in his time, Bethel was the ordinary name of that place: We read in the fourth Chapter of Ioshuah, vers. 19. that the people came up out of Iordan, and pitched in Gilgal, which was not so called, till Ioshuah in that place circumcised the people, Chap. 5. vers. 9. Likewise in the second Chapter of Iudges, and first verse, the Author saith, that the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bokim, because the place which he calleth Bokim was so called when he wrote that history, although it was not yet so called when the Angel came thither, but received that name afterward, from the teares which the people shed and powred out before God, after the Angel had rebuked them; For the Text saith, that when the Angel of the Lord spake these words to all the children of Israel, the people lift up their voice and wept: Therefore they called the name of that place BOKIM, vers. 4, 5.

5 Secondly, we find the same anticipation in the description of things and actions: As in the 16. Chapter of Exodus, where

Moses reporteth, how God began first to give Manna to the Isra∣elites (which I pretend also to be the time of the first institution of the Sabbath) and how the Israelites carried themselves about the ordering thereof, and immediatly he addeth, how he by Gods command, ordained that an Omer of it should be filled, to be kept for the generations of the Israelites, vers. 32. and gave an injuncti∣on to Aaron to take a pot, to put in it that Omer full of Manna, and to lay it up before the LORD to be kept for their generati∣on, vers. 33. He reciteth also at once, that as the LORD com∣manded him, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony to be kept, vers. 34. which things, as it is evident, were not done at the first, when God gave them that bread to eat, because then there was as yet neither Tabernacle, nor Arke, nor Tables of the Law. But because when Moses wrote, all these things were done, and had their full performance, he taking occasion of the historicall narration, which he was writing of the first Manna which God sent to his people, relateth also the Ordinance that God gave to put a pot full of it in the Tabernacle, before the Arke, and the execution of the said Ordinance, which neverthelesse must be referred to a long time after.

6 So in the first Booke of Samuel, and in the 17. chapter, after the narration made of Davids combat against Goliah, of his victo∣ry of that Giant, and of the defeat of the Philistins, it is added in the Text, verse 54. And David tooke the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Ierusalem, but hee put his armour into his Tent, which notwithstanding was not done, but after that David, being anointed King, tooke the whole towne of Ierusalem from the Ie∣busites, with the strong hold of Sion, and dwelled in it, calling it the City of David, 2 Sam. 5. vers. 7. 9. And therefore our French translation in the foresaid place, 1 Sam. 17. addeth the word depuis, that is, since, saying, And David since brought the head of the Philistine to Ierusalem, and put his armes in his Tabernacle, to shew, that David did not this as soone as he had overthrowne the Philistine, although it be related in the Text jointly and at once, with his combat and victory, as if both had happened together, because when that history was a writing, the transportation of the head and armes of Goliah to Ierusalem, and to the fort of Sion was done: And therefore it is related by occasion, as it were with

one breath, in consequence of the victory gotten over him: Other examples might be found to this purpose, if it were needfull.

7 To keepe this course in discoursing and writing is no wise un∣fitting nor misbecomming. If any writing under the New Testa∣ment the History of the first Creation of the world, and relating the forming of light on the first day, should adde by occasion. And it is also on the first day, that the true light of the world hath shined by his resurrection from the dead, and for that cause wee observe that day: Or if re-hearzing, that God brought forth bread out of the earth to strengthen mans heart, and Wine to make it glad, he should adde joyntly upon this occasion: And it is in this bread and in this Wine which nourish the body, that Iesus Christ hath insti∣tuted the Sacrament of the nourishment of the soule by him, who should finde any thing blame-worthy in such discourses. Wher∣fore then Moses might he not most fitly, by occasion of that hee had written of the Seventh day, and of Gods rest in it, in the Hi∣story of the Creation, touch also in the same discourse the edict made about the sanctification of that day, seeing that edict had a great sway when he wrote the History of the Creation, and Gods rest on the Seventh day was the cause and reason thereof, although it was not so ancient as the first Seventh day?

8 Against this answer the instance hath no force which they urge from the conjunction and, whereby the third verse is joyned with the second, that is, the blessing and hallowing of the Seventh day, with the finishing of the workes of God, and of his rest on that day, as being done at the same time, and expressed in words of the same tence and moode. Nor what they say further, that in these two verses, as most cleerely appeareth, the whole discourse is of the same Seventh day, and as in the second verse is understood the first Seventh day, wherein God, after he had finished his workes, rested, likewise in the third verse it is understood so, when it is said, that he blessed and sanctified the Seventh day, which is also expressed by the demonstrative Article 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: to shew that it was the same Se∣venth day: that otherwise the reason which is added, and taken from the rest of God, should be worthlesse, because God did not rest from the worke of Creation on that day which he ordained to the Iewes, to be their Sabbath day, but on that day wherein hee fini∣shed first all his workes.

9 For I answer to this, that the conjunction and may well enough joyne things distant in time, and farre removed one from another, that also they may be expressed by words of the same tence and moode, specially if they have any connexion and dependancy one upon another, as in this place, The blessing and hallowing of the Seventh day, although done long after Gods rest on the Seventh day, dependeth upon that rest, as upon the cause and reason which was an occasion to God to make it. In the Texts before mentioned of Exodus 16. Chapter the 32. and 33. verses, and of the 17. Chapter of the first booke of Samuel, in the 54. verse, which ex∣presse manifestly things done many yeares after these which are re∣hearsed before, but depending on them, are joyned to the verses im∣mediately going before, by the conjunction and, which is diverse time reiterated, and the words whereby these diverse things are ex∣pressed, are set downe in the same tence and moode. It imports not, that in these examples the thing subsequent joyned straight with the precedent, was not a great deale so farre remote in time from it, because both hapned within the space of the age of one man, as should be in the Text of Genesis before cited the sanctifi∣cation of the Seventh day from Gods rest on the Seventh day, if this being past on the first Seventh day after the Creation, that came not to passe till the dayes of Moses, which should be an intervall of more than two thousand yeeres. For when two things separated and distant in time, are to bee coupled together in a discourse, if so bee the one hang upon the other, those that are remote by many thousand of yeares, may be joyned together, as well as those of twenty or forty yeeres distance. Neither doe I see wherefore it is not as allowable and convenient to rehearse at once a thing come to passe two thousand yeeres and more, after another that it relyeth on, notwithstanding there be a great intervall of time betweene, as to recite one chanced twenty or forty yeares after another whereunto it hath some relation. In the one and in the other there is the same reason, and the same liberty.

10 Wherefore the blessing of the Seventh day made in the dayes of Moses, might bee fitly coupled with the Rest of God, after the Creation, which was the foundation thereof, notwithstanding any whatsoever distance of time betweene them. As indeed it is so joy∣ned in the fourth Commandement, Exodus Chapter 20. verse 11.

where GOD speaking to the Israelites saith, In sixe dayes the LORD made heaven and earth, and rested the Seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. In which place cannot be understood a blessing and hallowing done at the same time, that God rested first on the Seventh day, but that on∣ly which was made in behalfe of the Israelites, as is cleere by the re∣petition of the Law in the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomie, where that which was absolutely said in Exodus, Therfore the Lord bles∣sed the Seventh day, is restrained to the Israelites, v. 15. Therefore the Lord commanded thee to keepe the Sabbath day. And in Exodus 16. v. 29. The Lord hath given you the Sabbath. And in the 31. Chap. ver. 16, 17. The Children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generation, for a perpetu∣all covenant: It is a signe betweene mee and the children of Israel for ever. For in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the Seventh day he rested; where it cannot be denyed, but that with the end of the Creation, and Gods rest on the Seventh day, is immediately joyned the institution of the Sabbath to the Is∣raelites, at least in quality of a signe. If then in that place Moses might speake after this manner, and say, God created in sixe dayes heaven and earth, and rested the Seventh day, and therefore he hath ordained to the Israelites the Sabbath day for a signe; wherefore in the second of Genesis; might he not say after the same manner, God made heaven and earth, in sixe dayes, and finished them on the Se∣venth day, and rested from all his workes, and this his Rest on the Seventh day hath moved him to blesse ánd sanctifie that day, to wit, to the Israelites, to be a signe unto them according to that hath been said in the places before mentioned, which are an evident and cleere explication thereof.

11 Neither is it any wise necessary, as is pretended, that in the second Chapter of Genesis, in the second and third verses, one and the same singular seventh day should be understood, and that God hath precisely sanctified the same seventh day wherein he rested, and rested on the same day that he sanctified, and therefore because in the second verse the first seventh day after the Creation is under∣stood, it must be taken so in the third verse. For it sufficeth to un∣derstand in the third verse the same seventh day in likenesse and re∣volution, and generally a seventh day correspondent continually in

order to that which GOD rested on, after his workes of the sixe dayes. And this reason, that God rested on the first seventh day, might have been to God a most reasonable cause to ordaine long af∣ter the sanctification of a seventh day, answerable in all points to that first seventh day. The sequell of Moses his discourse is as fit∣ting in this regard, as in the other; As if I said, our Lord Iesus Christ rose againe, and rested from the worke of our redemption on the first day of the weeke, wherefore the Church hath dedicated the first day of the weeke that hee rose in, to be holy and solemne, the sequele is good, although it be not the same first singular day that Christ rose on, and the Church hath consecrated, but the same onely in likenesse and revolution, yea although there passed a long time after the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour before the first day of the weeke could be well setled as a day of holy and re∣ligious exercises. We say on Friday before Easter, this day Christ hath suffered: on the Ascension day, this day Christ is ascended into heaven: At Whitsunday, On this day the Holy Ghost is come downe, although those things came to passe on a certaine singular day which is past long agoe. But we name so all the dayes follow∣ing which correspond to that first day, according to the similitude which is betweene them. And we call the day of the Passion, of the Ascension, of the descent of the Holy Ghost, those which are not such properly, but onely have by revolution correspondancie with the first dayes, wherein such things were done. Even so, when it is said in the third verse of the second Chapter of Genesis, And therefore the Lord hath blessed the Seventh day, and hath hallowed it, because in it he hath rested from all his workes, that is to be un∣derstood, not of the same first day wherein hee rested, but of a Seventh day answering unto it in the order and continuall succes∣on of dayes.

12 The Article 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 put in the third verse, before the word that sig∣nifieth seven 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 proveth not, that it is a peculiar seventh, even that seventh day that God rested in verse 2. For although the Ar∣ticle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be often used to betoken emphatically a thing singular and individuall, already knowne and mentioned, yet this is not uni∣versall. For it is used much without any emphasis, or expresse demonstration of any thing, either singular or certaine, yea simply to serve for an ornament, and to make the word that it is joyned

unto more full, which use hath also in the Greeke tongue the ar∣ticle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Verily in the third ver. which we speak of in this place, it is cleere, that the said Article cannot be restrained to a seventh singu∣lar day, as it is in the second verse; Nay it betokeneth more gene∣rally a seventh day comprehending in it many singular dayes, which by similitude, in regard of the order and succession of times, have reference and analogie to the first seventh day mentioned in the said second verse, and have followed it from time to time at the end of sixe dayes. For it is such a seventh day that God hath sanctified, and not a singular seventh. And that seventh day may bee called a particular seventh, and considered as particularised by the Article 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as it is in effect, in as much as it is not indifferently all seventh day, or any of the seven dayes of the weeke that God hath sancti∣fied, but it is the last of them. We seeke only to know, when God began to blesse and to hallow it to men, to be kept by them. And I maintaine that this hallowing began not incontinent after the Creation was finished, but more than two thousand yeeres after. Neither is the contrary proved by this passage of Genesis.

13 No greater weight hath another instance which is much urged, that as in the course of the Creation, when it is said, that God after he had created every living thing, blessed them, Gen. 1. v. 21, 22, 27, 28. is to be understood a present benediction, and not put off to a long time: Even so, when in the second of Genesis, with the perfection of the Creation on the seventh day, is joyned the blessing and hallowing of that day, a present sanctification is to be understood.

14 For the reason is not alike in the one, and in the other. First, the blessing of all living creatures, and the blessing of the seventh day are not to be taken in the same sence. That is a blessing of actu∣all and reall communication of goods and graces: This is a bles∣sing of destination to be solemnized by men. Secondly, all living creatures, as soone as GOD had created them, stood in necessary need of this communication of his graces, without which they could not have subsisted in their being: And therefore we ought to understand, that at that time God blessed them after that manner, but there was no necessity, that man should solemnize the seventh day as soone as it was made, more than any other day of the weeke, and therefore it was not necessary that GOD should then conse∣crate

it to that use. Thirdly, it is clearely set downe in the Text, that God blessed all living creatures as soone as he created them: For it is added, And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitfull, and multiply, &c. But it is not said, that God blessed the day of rest, and at that same time commanded Adam and his posterity to keepe it; wherefore a like blessing and hollowing can∣not be proved from thence to have beene made from the begin∣ning of the seventh day.

15 This first answer to the precedent objection, is moreover confir∣med by the conformity of the words which Moses maketh use of in this verse of the second of Genesis, with those whereby the hallow∣ing of the Sabbath was injoyned in the Law, for they are the same; which is an helpe to shew, that Moses writing since God pronounced the Law, spoke of the hallowing of the seventh day, in regard only to the Ordinance that God in his time had made there∣of, seeing he imployeth the same words, and the same discourse.

16 Againe, the same answer is confirmed by this, that it is not probable, that God from the beginning sanctified the seventh day to ordaine it to Adam for a day of rest, because Adam in the estate of innocency should not have had any use of such a day. For he was without sin, which might have hindred him to serve God continu∣ally, and therefore needed not a signe, which by the similitude of a bodily rest and cessation, might teach him to cease and rest from sin, as if he had beene already obnoxious unto it, and so be for that purpose a good help unto him. And though he was capable of sin, and had a possibility of falling into it afterward: Yet as the holy Angells were and are still capable of sin, and might of themselves fall into sin, if God confirmed them not in grace, and yet a day of Sabbath was not behoofefull unto them, because they are in a perpe∣tuall course of serving God: Even so to man, in that estate of in∣nocency, a particular day of rest was neither very necessary, nor very sufficient to keep him from falling into sin. For to prevent that mis-hap he stood in need of daily helps far more powerfull, making him to cleave to God with purpose of heart, to call upon him, to thinke seriously on him, and consider deeply his favours and graces, which he might and was bound to doe, seeing he had no distraction from Gods service by any temporall and earthly busi∣nesse. For although it be true, that God put him in the garden of

Heden, and commanded him to dresse it, Genes. 2. vers. 15. yet seeing that place was unto him a place of pleasure, delights, and in∣nocency, the dressing of it could not hinder him to serve God every day, with all necessary continuance and assiduity. It had rather been unto him a recreation and delightfull diversion, to keep him from idlenesse, then a necessary occupation, seeing the earth had of it selfe brought forth all fruits unto him; no painfull imploiment, because it had not bin accompanied with toilesome travell and wea∣rinesse, and had not required of him an oversight and imployment so long, that a particular day would have bin necessary unto him, to rest on it from his works, and to apply himselfe without distra∣ction to Gods service; whereas the occupations of sinfull men are such, that they are forced of necessity to win their bread in the sweat of their face. Moreover, in that estate of innocency, Adam and Eve being alone, had no outward exercises of Religion, such as are those that are practised in a Church assembled, and which, to attend on them, require of necessity a stinted time, and a cessation from all bodily works. But rather all the service that God required of Adam, and which he might have applyed himselfe unto, was a particular meditation and consideration of his works, and the calling upon his holy name: Which service he was able to discharge every day abundantly, yea, even then, when he was busied about the dressing of the garden, which was capable rather to stirre up and enter∣taine his spirit in the mediation of Gods workes, then to hin∣der it.

17 Of no weight is the instance that some make, saying, that al∣though Adam in the estate of innocency had no distraction from Gods service, nor trouble and wearinesse by his ordinary labour, yet it was behoofefull unto him to keepe a seventh day of rest, seeing God himselfe, although he was in no regard wearied and distracted by making all his works in sixe daies, neverthelesse rested on the seventh day. Verily, if God after the making of his workes in sixe daies, had rested on the seventh day purposely, to the intent, that by an intermission of his painfull labors, and appointment and solemne applying of that seventh day to some particular holinesse for him∣selfe and his owne use, as having need thereof, because he could not in the sixe precedent daies be earnest enough about it, he might afterwards returne to the making of other works after the former,

and so continue that reciprocation, the foresaid instance by far grea∣ter reason should be much worth. But that saying, that God rested on the seventh day, signifieth nothing saving this, that God ceased to make more workes, and viewed them when they were made, be∣cause in the former sixe dayes he had finished them all, and this ces∣sation was only a resultance and necessary consequence of the in∣tire perfection of all his worke, wherefore also it continued, not only on that seventh day, but ever sithence; Because God hath never since made any new creatures. Whence it is cleerely appa∣rent that the instance is altogether vaine, because there is not the same reason of Gods rest on the seventh day, and of the rest, the ne∣cessity whereof they would faine put upon man in the estate of in∣nocency. All that this example of God could oblige Adam unto, was only to indeavour, after he had done his worke, to contem∣plate Gods workes, and admire in them his glory, which, I say, he might have done sufficiently every day. Now if this example bin∣deth us not at this time under the New Testament, as shall be pro∣ved hereafter, how farre lesse obliged it Adam?

18 No more force hath that which is also objected, that if God or∣dained to Adam, when he was in his integrity, outward signes and Sacraments, as the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and evill, he might as conveniently ordaine unto him a day of rest. For the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge, of good and evill, to speake properly, were no more Sacraments to Adam, then the other trees of the Garden, yea then all other workes of God, in all which he might have considered signes and markes of the grace and power of GOD; But the one was unto him a meanes of the perpetuall conservation of his bodily life by eating of the fruit ther∣of, and the other an occasion to try his obedience, by the prohibi∣tion made unto him to eate thereof. Besides this the consequence is naught: For to establish signes and Sacraments signifying to A∣dam the perpetuall grace of God, and his immortality, if he perse∣vered in obedience, and on the contrary threatning him with the disgrace of God, and with death, if he became a transgressor, was not a thing repugnant to his condition in the state of innocency, neither had it any unreasonablenesse joyned with it: But to or∣daine a particular day of rest to a man, to whom all the dayes had beene Sabbaths, and who day by day had served God, as much as was necessary, and as God did require of him, was not a thing sutable and convenient to his condition.

As in the heavenly Paradise there is no particular day of Sab∣bath, but a perpetuall Sabbath, because there GOD is glorified without stint or ceasing by the heavenly Host, even so in the terre∣striall Paradise, where man was righteous and holy, and in a con∣dition conforme, in some sort, to that of the kingdome of heaven, and a figure thereof, he had observed a perpetuall Sabbath to GOD. For although hee could not doe it so perfectly as it is done in hea∣ven, because he was obnoxious to the necessities of this naturall life, neverthelesse hee might have done it, and did it as perfectly as the quality and condition of his being here beneath could suf∣fer, so that it was no wise requisite that he should have a particular day of Sabbath.

19 Nay I esteeme, that to affirme, that GOD ordained unto him a seventh day of Sabbath, derogateth too much from the excellency of his condition. For it is most sure, that the determination of a particular time of GODs service made to a man expressely, sup∣poseth that he wants the commodity, and is not able to serve GOD ordinarily, or hath not an inclination and affection to doe it, and it therefore must be layd upon him, as a Yoake tying him thereunto, and withdrawing him from his other occupations, as also it is a marke of a servile condition, in witnesse whereof, the appointment of so many solemne dayes of Gods service under the Law, was a part of the Yoke thereof, from which God hath freed the state of the Gospell, as being more free and more perfect, wherein wee should be stirred up with a more free and voluntary affection to his service. To one that is both able and willing to serve God conti∣nually every day, as Adam was in that state of innocency and of perfect righteousnesse, it is not needfull to limit a particular day. And though a day chosen and picked out from others had beene use∣full to Adam, to the end that giving over all other things, he might give himselfe intirely and only to Gods service, doubtlesse God had left that choice to his liberty, considering the wisedome and godli∣nesse wherewith he had endowed him.

20 To say that since Gods rest on the seventh day, after the labour of sixe dayes in the Creation, was the foundation and the reason of the institution made in the Law, of a seventh day, to bee a Sab∣bath day, the same reason being of the same force and use from the beginning of the world, should have caused at that time the same

ordinance, and the same hallowing of the seventh day to all men, it is a forceles consequence. For there was not a like necessity of the in∣stitution of a particular day of rest in these first beginnings, when A∣dam was in the state of innocency, nor afterwards when the Church subsisted in a few families, or particular persons, as there hath been, after the Church was become a great body of people, having need of a stinted order and government, whereof GOD would take the care upon himselfe, and for that end, among other points of ecclesi∣asticall order, and rules of his service, ordaine to his people of Is∣rael growen to a great number, a day of Sabbath, and the seventh of the week, taking for the foundation and reason of the institution of a seventh day his own resting on the seventh day, which became, at that time only, a reason of this ordinance, because God groun∣ded himselfe thereupon to make it, but it followeth not, that be∣fore that time, and from the beginning of the world this rest of God, which was on the first seventh day, should be a reason of the same ordinance. That should be right and prove good, if it were of its owne nature a reason absolutely necessary, and a cause bring∣ing forth unfallibly such an effect, which is not. Otherwise it should follow, that God was bound to hallow the seventh day, and could not sanctifie any other. It is indeed a reason, not of it selfe, but only for as much as God thought fit, and was pleased to ground upon it the sanctification of the seventh day. Whereof this is a manifest proofe, that under the New Testament this reason hath no force to make us observe the day of Gods rest. Now there is no necessity obliging us to inferre, that if God would and thought fit it should bee a reason in the time of the Law, he was also willing, and thought fit, it should be a reason also before the Law, and since the beginning of the world: Whereas it is manifest by the rea∣sons already alledged, that it was very fit it should be so under the Law, but was not so from the beginning, and before the Law was given.

CHAPTER Second.

Three other answers to the first reason.

1. Second answer, although God had from the beginning sanctifi∣ed the Seventh day, he gave no commandement to man to san∣ctifie it.

2. Third answer, although God had sanctified the Seventh day with relation to man, he had done it only with intention to com∣mand it afterwards to the Israelites under the Law.

3. For in Scriptures sanctification is often taken for destination to some use in time to come.

4. The Reply, that so God should have rested on the Seventh day by destination only to rest afterwards, refuted.

5. Fourth answer, although God had commanded Adam to hallow the Seventh day, that proveth not the morality of the Sab∣bath, but only the necessity of a set time, for orders sake in Gods service.

6. Whence no necessity can bee inferred of the observation of the same time stinted to Adam, by all men.

7. But rather of moe times to bee kept by them, seeing all are sinners.

1 BVt Secondly put the case that the mention made in the se∣cond Chapter of Genesis ver. 3. Of Gods blessing and hal∣lowing the seventh day, should be understood, as done at that time, it followeth not, that his meaning was in that sanctification, to prescribe it to Adam and to his posterity, to be observed by them. For it is said only that God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, but not that he commanded man to sanctifie it, as he did in the Law. This sanctification includeth not necessarily a precept given to man. For we may conceive simply, that God in his owne mind blessed and sanctified it, that is, magnified it, gave it a speciall recom∣mendation, made a particular account, and had a good liking of it,

and, as it were, rejoyced and gloried in it, because then he rested from all his workes, beheld seriously their most beautifull and per∣fect structure, and his glory in them. Which implyeth not, that he was willing to give an ordinance to man to observe it. For accor∣ding to the stile of the Scripture, times, as well as places, are called holy, and are said to be sanctified by the Lord, simply in regard of his appearing in them by some famous action, or some other notable mark, whether he ordaineth them to men to be kept by them, or not, as may be gathered out of Exodus Chapter 3. verse 5. Chapter 19. ver. 23. of Deuteronomie, Chapter 26. ver. 15. of Ioshua Chap∣ter 5. verse 15. Of Psalme 11. ver. 4. Of Ieremy 31. ver. 40. Of Ezechiel Chapter 28. ver. 22. Of Sophoniah Chapter 1. ver. 7. Of 2 Peter Chapter 1. ver. 18.

2 Thirdly, although this blessing and sanctifying of the seventh day, were to be understood, as done at that first time, and relatively to man, it should not follow, that it was done for that time, that it had relation to Adam and to Eve, and that God had given unto them notice thereof. For God might have blessed and sanctified that seventh day by an appointment and designe to command the obser∣vation thereof to men, not at that time, nor long after, but onely when he was to give the Law to his people of Israel, as also he did. If any at this time relating the History how Noah and his family were in the Arke saved by the waters of the floud; or how the Is∣raelites were delivered from the hands of Pharaoh by the waters of the Red Sea, upon the occasion of that discourse should adde, that then God sanctified the Baptisme of the New Testament, he should speake fitly to the purpose, because these things were figures, which in Gods intention had relation to the figure of Baptisme 1 Cor. 10. ver. 2. and 1 Pet. 3. ver. 21. Although God sanctified not Bap∣tisme to be practised at that time in the Church, but long after: like∣wise Moses might very well say, that God, as soone as he rested on the seventh day, sanctified that day, because he rested on it purpose∣ly, to ordaine it to bee to men a holy day, although hee ordained it not at that time, but long after in the dayes of the common wealth of Israel. And indeed the Hebrew word which is translated, by the word Sanctifie, signifieth, to consecrate, ordaine, prepare, pub∣lish, proclaime, and is often taken relatively to that which is to come, whether it be applyed to persons, Isa. 13. ver. 3. Ierem. 51.

verse 27. 28. to things, Ierem. 6. vers. 4. or to times, 2 King. 10. vers. 20. Ioel 1. vers. 14. Ioel 2. vers. 15. in which places, as may be seene there, the Holy Ghost speaking in the present tence, persons are said to be actually sanctified, that is, destinated and appointed for some actions which they were not to doe then, but long after: Likewise actions are named, which were to be performed after a long time; as also times and daies to be solemnized, which were not to happen but after a good while, the times betweene, which were correspondent to them in the ordinary course of moneths and weeks, having no part in this solemnity. And why may we not say, that even so, the seventh day was blessed and sanctified, that is, or∣dained to be kept, but not at that time by Adam and Eve, but only by their posterity many ages after, and to beginne to be observed, when the Law should be given to the people of Israel.

3 It must not be thought more strange that such a sanctification done at the beginning of the world should be relative to the giving of the Law, which came to passe two thousand yeeres after, then to see in the aforesaid passages divers sanctifications relative to acti∣ons which were to fall out some hundred yeeres after. More or lesse time are of no moment in such things. It sufficeth to sanctifie, and to say that a thing hath beene sanctified in the present time, for a time to come, which is evident by the places afore mentioned, and by others such like. If God is said to have chosen, set apart, and sanctified from the wombe certaine persons, because he was to im∣ploy them in holy functions when they should be of a mature and ripe age, and such as he should thinke fit, before which time he suf∣fereth them to remaine in a common condition with other men, as may be seene in Ieremiah, Chap. 1. vers. 5. and in the Epistle to the Galatians, Chap. 1. vers. 15. why may it not be said, that af∣ter the same manner he sanctifieth a day to be applyed to holy uses a long while after this sanctification, and in the meane while leaveth it, till that time come, in the common and ordinary use of and with other daies.

4 Their reply is very light, when they say, that if the aforesaid answer be of any value, we must say likewise, that as God sanctified not in the beginning the seventh day, but by destinating it to be holy af∣terwards, even so he rested not on that day, but after the same man∣ner, in as much as he appointed it for his rest in some time to come,

which indeed is absurd. For this reply presupposeth, that Gods rest on the seventh day, and the sanctification of that day are one thing, and that these two fashions of speech may and ought to be taken in the same sense and meaning: which is not so, when we say of any body that resteth and ceaseth to worke, that imports a thing present; and not done by destination only: But when it is said, that one hath sanctified a thing, in the sense that the word sanctifie is ta∣ken, to wit, to destinate and appoint to an holy use, it is not necessa∣ry that such an use beginne, as soone as the thing is sanctified, for it may be very well appointed for a time to come.

5 Fourthly, although it should be granted, that the seventh day was prescribed to Adam, to be observed by him continually, that toucheth not the morality of the Sabbath. For this being granted, I say the seventh day was not ordained vnto him, as a morall thing, nor also as a ceremony and figure directing to Christ, of whom he had no need in the state of innocency, but onely as a point of order and of government, which God was pleased to subject him unto, and to stint unto him that time, to wit, the seventh day, for the particu∣lar time of his service, even as he appointed unto him the garden of Heden for the place where he would have him to make his residence, and there to apply himselfe to admire the workes of his Creator, to serve and to worship him. And indeed, any man may with as good reason conclude, that it must needs be a morall thing to serve God in Heden, because it was the place where God had setled Adam to be served by him there in the state of his innocency, as they doe which seeke to prove, that it is a point of morality to keepe a se∣venth day of Sabbath, because God ordained in that state a seventh day to Adam. For the determination of a certaine time can no more be a morall point, then the determination of a place, neither of them being founded in the principles of nature, and of naturall justice and equity, as should be whatsoever is morall, and as indeed is all that is written in the ten Commandements, saving the Com∣mandement of the seventh day of Sabbath, which is a thing depen∣ding entirely on institution and government, as shall be seene more fully afterwards. Or why may it not be inferred, that not on∣ly a seventh day, but the last of seven is morall, because if God or∣dained a seventh day to Adam, it was the last of seven, as those against whom we doe dispute doe avouch.

6 Now if a seventh day could not be ordained to Adam in quali∣ty of a morall thing, but onely as a point and rule of order, granting that it was prescribed unto him, it is inconsequent that it was to continue afterwards by a perpetuall ordinance given to all men. For there is no necessity, that all men after sinne came into the world, ought to be alwaies ruled in Gods service, by the same outward or∣der that Adam was ruled by before he sinned, seeing things per∣taining meerly and simply to order, are subject to alteration.

7 It is most true, that if in the state of innocency God had or∣dained to Adam a particular day amongst others to serve him, it should be as much, nay farre more fit and necessary, that wee under the state of sinne should alwaies have alike ordinance for us: But I say withall, seeing it is supposed that Adam had one of seven daies prescribed unto him in that estate, although he applyed himselfe every day to Gods service without distraction, that we in the estate we are in, and wherein we give our selves so seldome and so sparing∣ly to Gods ordinary service, by reason of our worldly imployments, should have beene tyed to more then one in seven. Yet for all that, Seeing God hath never prescribed to sinfull men but one seventh day, and that, as I pretend, for the time of the bondage of the Law only; Seeing also under the new Testament, although we be alwaies sinners, he would not stint unto us any day, but in that point hath left his Church free; I inferre from thence, that it is not likely, that hee ordained and limitted to Adam a seventh day; nay, not any other day of Sabbath. For by such a limitation he had tyed and in∣thralled him in that estate of innocency, as much and more then his off-spring in the estate of sinne; which seemeth to imply, that hee was as much and more led daily away from Gods service, then are poore sinners which goe farre beyond all reason.

CHAPTER Third.

Answer to the second Reason.

1. Second reason for the morality of the Sabbath, that before the Law was given, the people of Israel went not out to gather Manna in the wildernesse, on the seventh day of the weeke.

2. First answer, Of this argument the morality of the Sabbath can∣not be inferred, no more than of many ceremonies which were religiously observed long before the Law was given.

3. Second answer, In the wildernesse God commanded the observa∣tion of the Sabbath, and of sundry other ceremonies before the Law was given, and then onely beganne the keeping of the Sabbath.

4. Therefore in vaine are urged the words of Exodus, Chap. 16. vers. 29, 30. The Lord hath given you the Sabbath, &c. which have relation onely to the command newly made.

5. Third answer, If the institution of the Sabbath had beene more ancient, and if it had beene kept by the Patriarches, their chil∣dren had knowne it, and practised it in Egypt.

6. Nullity of the reply made to this answer, that they had forgotten it, first, because God did never rebuke them for the inobservation of the Sabbath in the land of Egypt.

7. Secondly, because many godly men which were in Egypt, had not forgotten it, and yet before the commandement concerning it was given in the wildernesse, made never mention of it, nay, knew it not, as is proved by the Text.

8. And by other places of the old Testament.

9. Second reply, that besides the generall reason which moved God to give the Sabbath to all men, he appropriated it to the people of Israel for some other reasons besides.

10. First answer to this reply, it cannot be proved, that GOD gave it to all men, nay, it is absolutely appropriated to the Iewes.

11. Second answer, There is not one of the reasons why God gave the Sabbath to the Iewes, adapted to other nations, although they were capable of many of them.

12. Nor also to the Patriarches, who had no notice of the Sabbath.

13. If in the Scripture any thing be adapted to the Iewes, which was common to other men, it is knowne to have beene com∣mon either by the nature thereof, or by the testimony of Scrip∣ture: But it is not so of the Sabbath.

1 THe second argument alledged for the morality of the Sab∣bath, is, that before the Law was given by Moses, it was observed; which is proved by the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus, where it is said, that on the seventh day the Israelites * 1.1 went not out to gather Manna, but rested every man in his place on that day, because it was the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, which the Lord himselfe had ordained: Whence they would conclude, that it was already an ancient ordinance knowne of the Israelites to be such, that for this cause they went not out on the seventh day to seek Manna, that for the same cause God powred it not downe on that day, lest it should be an occasion unto them of violating the Sabbath. For all this was done before the Law was given, the giving where∣of is described afterwards in the same Booke of Exodus, Chap. 20.

2 To this I answer first, that although it could be most cleerely shewed that the Sabbath was observed from the beginning before the Law, which notwithstanding cannot be proved, that availeth nothing for the morality of the Sabbath. We see that from the be∣ginning, and in all times before the Law, the firstlings of the slocke, and the first fruits of the ground were offered to God. Genes. 4. ver. 3. 4. distinction was made between beasts cleane and uncleane. Genes. 7. vers. 2. tythes were paid. Genes. 14. 20. Genes. 28. vers. 2. Circumcision was given to Abraham foure hundred and thirty yeeres before the Law: Yet no man will conclude thence, that such things were morall: All things observed before the Law were not necessarily morall; many things may be found in them which were figures and ceremonies, and others which did belong onely to some order and rules concerning Gods service, and of that nature should have beene the Sabbath day, if it could appeare that it was kept before the Law.

3 But secondly, my opinion is, that this cannot be proved, and the testimony brought out of the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus for the proofe thereof is extreemly weake. It is true; we find there that the Israelites kept the Sabbath, but no conclusion can be inferred from thence, that it was kept in all times before the Law, nay, it is rather most likely, that then began the first observation of the Sabbath, be∣cause afore that time, in the whole life of the Patriarches, and in the whole conversation of the Israelites in Egypt, there is no mention found of such a day; neither should the time wherin we see the Isra∣elites kept the Sabbath, be reckoned as a time which went before the Law, but as the proper time of the giving thereof, and the ordi∣nance then made to keepe the Sabbath, as one of the first legall Or∣dinances. The ordinances of the Law of Moses were not all given at once, but by succession of time, and sundry resumptions, as may be seene in his Bookes. As soone as the Israelites went out of Egypt, and about that very instant, God instituted the Passeover unto them, and a few daies after he ordained the Sabbath day. Quickely after followed the other ordinances, as appeareth by the Chapters immediately following this sixteenth Chapter. God then being about to give solemnely his Law a few daies after in mount Sina, as it is apparent by the conference of the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus, vers. 1. with the ninteenth, vers. 1. 11. of which Law the injunction of the Sabbath was to be a good share, it pleased him to give them before hand a particular commandement concerning the Sabbath, by occasion of the Manna, which by and by he was to powre downe upon them from the cloudes six daies every morning, but not on the seventh day, and that to ratifie, by this his cessation on the seventh day, the Commandement that he was to give them in his Law a few daies after, for the Sabbath of the seventh day, and to prepare them afore hand to the carefull and religious observati∣on thereof. Therefore it was necessary that he should warne them to gather on the sixth day bread for two daies, and not to goe out on the seventh day, but to rest in their tents, because there should be none found in the field. The injunction and warning which he gave them is cleerely set downe in the fifth verse, although abridged into few words. For GOD said to Moses, On the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily, to wit, because there shall be none found on

the seventh day, and my will is, that they rest on that day. This is suppressed in the Text, but certainly GOD expressed it to Moses amply, and Moses to the people, who obeying that advertisement, gathered twice as much bread on the sixth day.

4 Therefore, it is to no purpose that they inforce these words in the verses 23. 26, 29, 30. To morrow is the rest of the holy Sab∣bath unto the LORD: On the seventh day is the Sabbath: See that the LORD hath given you the Sabbath; so the people rested on the seventh day, as if they denoted, that the Sabbath was an an∣cient custome, that it was practised in all times from the beginning, and that the Israelites conformably to the ancient custome rested then. For they had no regard but to the ordinance that was newly made, and which God had notified to Moses in the fifth verse of the same Chapter, when he spoke unto him of the Manna: This is cleere by these words in the 23. verse; This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord, and in the 29. verse, See that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath: which cannot be referred to any other thing, then to that which God had said and ordained to Moses a little before in the fifth vers. For if it be not referred thither, When was it that the Lord said and ordained to the Israelites, that the seventh day should be their rest? Where shall wee find before this time the word and the ordinance thereof? Must we reascend to the first daies of Adam, and have our recourse to the sanctification of the seventh day mentioned in Ge∣nesis, Chap. 2. which, as we have shewed, was not for Adam, nor for his time, but was the same whereof God did beginne to speake in this sixteenth Chapter, because it began then, and not sooner, but is occasionally rehearsed in the second Chapter of Genesis.

5 And verily if it had beene an ancient ordinance practised by the Patriarkes, how is it come to passe, that the Israelites their children knew it not? If they knew it, why did they not practise it of themselves? If they practised it, what need was there of injoyning and laying it upon them so expresly, and with so great care, as GOD did by the occasion of the Manna?

6 Some doe reply, that the long captivity of Egypt where they were tyrannized, as well in their consciences, as in their bodyes, might have beene the cause that they lost all remembrance thereof and kept it not: and therefore it was necessary, that it should be

renewed unto them: But this is a supposition, not only without any shew of truth. For if the Israelites had forgotten or neglected in Egypt the observation of the Sabbath, whereunto God had tied them, how is it, that God who charged and upbraided them now and then with the crimes and sinnes committed by them in Aegypt, did not object unto them the inobservation of the Sabbath? In the twentieth Chapter of Ezekiel, ver. 7, 8. God saith, that he spake to the Israelites in Aegypt, and gave them commandements. But of what? to cast away the abomination of their eyes, and not defile themselves with the filthy Gods of Egypt. And he blameth them for rebellion against him in this, and for refusing to hearken unto him, without making the least mention, that he had injoyned them to keepe the Sabbath day, as also he imputeth not unto them the in∣observation thereof, although in the same Chapter ver. 12. he spea∣keth of that day, but as given unto them after he had delivered them out of the land of Egypt, neither doth he cast in their teeth the carelesse regard that they had of it, saving since the time that they were in the wildernesse, ver. 13.

7 Secondly, supposing that some of the Israelites had put the or∣dinance of the Sabbath out of minde, this fault could not be com∣mon to all, not forsooth, to Moses, Aaron, Caleb, Ioshuah, and to other persons eminent in godlinesse, and authority. If these had it in memory, how did they not put the people in minde of it, to make them keepe it as soone as they were in the wildernesse in a full liberty to serve GOD without hinderance? But so far were they from remembring it, that it is noted ver. 22. that all the rulers of the congregation, who should have had best knowledge of the di∣vine and ancient ordinances, when they saw the people gather and prepare on the sixth day Manna for that day, and for the seventh following, according to the expresse command which Moses had given them, were astonished at it, as at a strange and extraor∣dinary thing, whereby they were moved to come to Moses, and acquaint him with it, who upon that occasion informed them of Gods ordinance concerning the day of Sabbath, not as of an anci∣ent, but as of a new thing, which was unknowne before unto them, and which he had a fresh learned himselfe verse 23. So in the 29. verse, he said to the Israelites, See that the Lord hath given You the Sabbath, speaking of it, as of an ordinance particular to them.

8 It is also mentioned elsewhere in the same respect, as an obser∣vation which God had injoyned them particularly, and as a prero∣gative proper unto them, whereby GOD had separated them from all other nations, and consecrated them to himselfe, as he had done by the rest of the ceremonies of the Law of Moses. This the Levites made a religious confession of in Nehemiah. 9. Chapter verse 13, 19. Thou camest downe upon Mount Sinai, and spa∣kest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgements, true Lawes, good statutes and commandements, and madest knowne unto them thy Sabbath, &c. This the Lord said to them by Ezekiel in the twentieth Chapter ver. 10, 11, 12. I caused them to goe forth out of the land of Aegypt, and brought them into the wildernesse, and I gave them my statutes, &c. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths to bee a signe betweene me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them. Which sheweth evidently, that the Sabbath was never given but for the Iewes, who also have acknowledged by those places, and taught in their bookes, that the Gentiles were not bound to keepe the Sabbath.

9 They reply, that the Sabbath is thus appropriated to the Israe∣lites in the places which we have cited, because besides the generall reason, which was the cause of the institution and ordinance ther∣of to all, and for all, since the beginning of the world, to wit, to bee a memoriall of the Creation, and of the rest of God, God re∣newed it againe to the Iewes for other reasons particular to them, as to be a token for remembrance of their deliverance and rest which God had given them from the bondage of Aegypt, and of the mi∣racle done in the Manna.

10 This reply which they bring cannot bee of any weight, seeing it cannot be found that any one man hath kept the Sabbath day, nor that GOD hath at any time commanded it to the Israelites for any reason whatsoever, nor that the people of Israel had kept and observed it at any time before their abode in the wildernesse: Nay it is said, that God gave it to them in the wildernesse, and the Sabbath is often appropriated to them absolutely, even in its sub∣stance, without mention of any circumstances, or particular reasons, as we proved in the places before cited out of the ninth Chapter of Nehemiah, and the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus verse 29. in the last of which places God establisheth not the Sabbath for a memo∣riall

of the miracle of the Manna, but saith, that he had ordained to the Iewes the Sabbath to be kept by them, and for that cause rained not Manna on that day upon them.

11 Moreover seeing there is not any of the reasons that moved GOD to institute the Sabbath, found to be adapted to any other, but to them, it is unreasonable to extend the Sabbath it selfe to others then to them. For although to be a memoriall of the creation, as also to be a signe of sanctification, are reasons capable of themselves to be common to others, as well as to them, yet God applyeth them never to others, but to them only. To them only he said, Uerily my Sabbaths yee shall keepe; 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, Exod. 31. ver. 13. And verse 17. It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for ever: for in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed; which sheweth cleerely, that God took not occasion of his rest on the seventh day from all his workes, to institute that day for a day of rest, but for the Israelites sake only, to wit, that it might bee a signe of their consecration to God to be his people, of their sanctification, and of their spirituall and eter∣nall rest, which were benefits peculiar unto them, and not common to other nations. For it is against reason to say that God would ordaine a signe of these benefits to other nations, which he had ex∣cluded from the covenant of grace, and consequently from sancti∣fication, and from eternall life.

12 It is no more reasonable to say, that it was a signe to the Pa∣triarches and faithfull which were before the Law, seeing that is not mentioned in the Scripture, where it is said expresly, that it was a signe belonging to the generations of the Israelites, that is, to the ages of the continuance of the Law, under which the Israelites did live, and not to them that had lived before, or were to live after. And as when God said to Abraham, that he established his covenant, to wit, Circumcision, with him and his seed after him, in their ge∣nerations, Genes. 17. vers. 7, 8, 9, 10. wee inferre from thence very well, that before the daies of Abraham Circumcision was not used. In like manner, from the institution of the Sabbath to be kept by the Israelites in their generations, we conclude soundly, that before that time it was not observed. Nay with as good rea∣son

may it be thought, that circumcision was used before the dayes of Abraham, and that GOD did onely revive it after some particular fashion, although no mention be made thereof before Abraham, as many doe surmise the Sabbath day to have beene kept from the beginning, and that God did only renew it to the Iewes, although that be not written.

13 I acknowledge, that in some places of Scripture some things may be found appropriated to the Israelites particularly, which ap∣pertained and did still pertaine to others as well as to them, and that by reason of some particular forme whereby GOD gave them more excellently unto them then unto others, and of certaine circumstances wherewith hee accompanied them, to make them more commendable unto them, and move them to keepe them more carefully, and that ordinances obligatory to all men were given them, clothed with certaine ceremonies belonging to them onely: But these are things which carry with them their owne evidence, or which the Scripture teacheth otherwhere to have beene common to others. But as for the seventh day of Sabbath, it appeareth not, neither by the nature thereof, nor by any declaration of Scripture, that it did belong to others then to the Iewes. And therefore from this that we finde it never appropriated to any people but to them, we conclude most rationally, that it was never ordained to any peo∣ple, saving unto them.

CHAPTER Fourth.

Answer to the third Reason.

1. Third Reason for the morality of a seventh day of Sabbath, from the knowledge the Patriarkes had of the distinction of weekes, and the use they made of it.

2. First answer, This argument hath no consequence.

3. Second answer, The faithfull before the Law observed not the distinction of weekes.

4. Impertinent allegation of the Dove which Noah sent forth af∣ter seven dayes out of the Arke.

5. As of the weeke of the feast of IACOBS mariage with Leah.

6. Of the insufficiency of the arguments alleadged to prove the di∣stinction of weekes, it followeth that there was no such distin∣ction before the Law.

7. And yet it followeth not thence, that the Patriarkes did not ce∣lebrate the remembrance of the creation which they had lear∣ned of their fathers, and taught their Children by tradition.

8. Although it was not necessary, that they should have a solemne and stinted day, and specially the last day of the weeke, for that use.

1 TO prove that the Patriarkes and other faithfull which were before the Law kept the seventh day of Sabbath, some take an argument from the distinction of weekes, which is pretended to have beene usuall in their time. To this purpose they alleadge the eight Chapter of Genesis, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. where it is said, that Noah having sent forth a Dove to know if the wa∣ters were abated from of the face of the earth, and the Pigeon re∣turning unto him into the Arke, he stayed yet other seven dayes, and sent her forth the second time, and again other seven dayes, and sent her forth the third time; Whence they would faine inferre, that Noah observed weekes, and in them the seventh day. They al∣leadge likewise out of the 29. Chapter of Genesis, ver. 27. that Iacob complaining of Laban, who had beguiled him, giving him Leah instead of Rachel, for whom he had served seven yeeres, La∣ban answered, fulfill her weeke, and we will give thee this also for the service that thou shalt serve with me yet other seven yeeres. Moreover, they adde this inconvenience, that if the Patriarkes be∣fore the Law observed not the distinction of weekes, and in them the seventh day, they observed and solemnized not also the remem∣brance of the Creation, which God performed in sixe dayes, and of his rest on the seventh day.

2 To that I answer, first, that although the Fathers before the Law had kept a regular distinction of weekes, it should not fol∣low, that they observed the seventh day particularly, and made of it a day of rest, and of exercises of Religion. For they might have kept that distinction simply as a distinction of time, as they did of

moneths and of yeeres, without tying unto it any rule for the ex∣ercises of Religion, no more than to these other.

3 But, Secondly, I say, that it appeareth not, that before the Law they observed the foresaid distinction. We find in the History of their lives, that they have observed distinction of dayes, of moneths, of yeeres, of which times expresse mention is there made, as also the distinction of these times is grounded upon the two great hea∣venly lights, to wit, the Sunne and the Moone, which God created purposely to bee for signes, and for seasons, and for dayes, and yeeres, as is to be seene in Genesis, first Chapter, verse 14. whereof the Patriarkes were well informed, having a great knowledge of the Will of GOD, and of naturall things. Whereas the distinction of weekes is not grounded upon any naturall reason, nor also upon any ordinance of GOD which may be proved to have beene made from the beginning: Neither is there any where mention made of any observation of weekes before the Law: The passages allead∣ged to demonstrate it, being too feeble for that purpose.

4 To the first of the eight of Genesis I say, that the argument which is grounded upon it, consists only in a simple and uncertaine conjecture. Indeed Noah twice or thrice, one seventh day after another, did let out the Pigeon, or as the Text saith, after he had stayed seven dayes, but the History telleth us not what reason hee had to observe after that manner an intervall of seven dayes; And it were too great rashnesse to determine it. Howsoever, no man can gather from thence an ordinary and stinted distinction of weekes, such as hath beene since the Law was given. For to come to that, they must suppose without any evidence produced, or testi∣mony brought, that the first time that Noah sent out the Dove was the seventh day after he had let out the Raven, and that the second time he sent forth the Pigeon precisely on the seventh day follow∣ing after the first seventh day, and so likewise the third time. For if he let her out after seven dayes fully expired, as the words may be taken, it shall be on the eight day, which should make a distinction, of a space not of seven, but of eight dayes. Secondly, in case it was on each seventh day that he sent out the Dove, it must be sup∣posed, that it was precisely on the last, or on the first day of the weeke, and that hee observed exactly the one or the other for that purpose. For if he sent her forth on some other day, then the first

or the last, and sent her forth againe on the seventh day following, that would only make a weeke perverted and irregular, and not the seventh day established and ordained by the Law, whereof the Sab∣bath day was the last day, which can be farre lesse proved by the pas∣sage before cited, to have beene observed by Noah. For to make that good, it must be certaine that he sent forth his Pigeon on the proper day of Sabbath, and that of purpose to performe in so doing a work of sanctification belonging to that day: Which not only is not certaine, but is also against all likelihood. For seeing the observa∣tion of the seventh day, ordained by the Law, obligeth man to rest from all servile workes, and to cause all other living creatures that are in his possession to rest likewise, if Noah had knowne and ob∣served the Sabbath day, such as the Law ordained afterwards, hee had kept himselfe quiet, and had not applyed so holy a day to let forth the Pigeon, that it might flye abroad here and there, and to observe what tokens she should bring unto him of the decreasing of the waters, which was rather a violation, then a sanctification of the Sabbath, according to the tenor of the Law. And therefore, although Noah had let out the Dove on the seventh day of the weeke, that should not be attributed to any particular designe tyed to that day, rather than to another, but taken as done on that day in∣differently, as it might have beene done on any other day, without seeking any other reason thereof.

5 To the other passage taken out of the 29. Chapter of Genesis, I answer, that the weeke there mentioned is not necessarily to bee understood of a weeke of dayes ordinary and regular: But it may be taken for a weeke of yeeres, or for a number of seven yeeres, and the pronoune THIS twice repeated, for Rachel, the sence of Labans words to Iacob being this, As thou hast served seven yeeres, * 1.2 and hast received Leah for reward to bee thy Wife, fulfill also a weeke, that is, serve other seven yeeres, for THIS, that is, for Rachel, and she also shall be given thee to be thy wife; and so is this place explained by many interpreters. But if the pronoune 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the first place, is understood of Leah, and the weeke, of a weeke of dayes, and if Labans words to Iacob be taken, as if he had desi∣red him to fulfill a weeke of dayes ordained for the celebration of the solemnity of his mariage with Leah, promising that after these seven dayes hee should also give him Rachel, as others take it, that

also availes not. For from thence is proved only, that the custome was to bestow seven daies on the solemnities and pastimes of wed∣dings. But that there was then a weeke regular and ordinary, where∣of the last day was the same that God rested on from all his workes, and was also to that people an holy day of rest, it is a conclusion which cannot be gathered out of that history, and will never be proved.

6 Seeing therefore there is no sufficient proofe of a stinted distin∣ction of daies before the Law, this may be to me a contrary argu∣ment to prove, that the Sabbath day was not then kept. For seeing out of the observation thereof followeth of necessity the distinction of weekes, if it had been observed from the beginning of the world, frequent mention had bin then made of weeks, and the men of those daies had counted by weeks as well as by daies moneths, and yeeres, which is not to be found: Nay it is most likely, that the distinction of weekes beganne first among the Iewes, as soone as the Law was given, and from the Iewes came to the Gentiles, as a distinction of time very commodious and convenient, though they corrupted it, consecrating the seven daies of the weeke to the seven planets, which they made Idols of, and imposing unto them their names, whereas the Iewes named them according to their order, with rela∣tion to the Sabbath, the first, second, third, &c. of the Sabbath.

7 Yet, although the faithfull before the Law did not keepe a di∣stinction of daies, the inconvenience propounded in the beginning of this Chapter followeth not, to wit, that if so be they did not ce∣lebrate the remembrance of the creation which God finished in sixe daies, and from which he began to rest on the seventh day, or that they had otherwise forgotten that great worke of God. For consi∣dering the creation absolutely, they could not be ignorant that God had created the world, seeing the thing speaketh of it selfe, and all creatures cry with a loud voice, that they have one Author that hath made them, seeing also the distinction of daies and months that was knowne unto them, by the ordinary course of the heavenly lights, led them of necessity to a beginning, no lesse then the distinction of weekes, which had in it no particular thing capable to teach them so much. As for the Gentiles which were ignorant of the creation of the World, and weened it to be eternall, that was in them a grosse and blockish error against the light and documents of Nature. Yet it

was not universall; For there have beene some in all times, who have beleeved and taught, that the world hath had a beginning, and was made, though they have erred in their opinions concerning the framing thereof.

8 Adde to this, that in the holy generation of these first faithfull, the Fathers had alwaies a speciall care to teach it to their children by a continuall tradition, which, with the manifestation of the crea∣tion in generall, might also make knowne unto them the particular order observed of God in that wonderfull worke, to wit, that in sixe daies he made heaven and earth, and rested the seventh day. For it is likely that Adam learned it of God, that hee kept the knowledge thereof, and imparted it to his children, who called it to memory, and at all occasions glorified for it the Lord their God. So they might know, without any regular observation of weekes, on what day God began, and on what day hee ended the creation of the world. For the foresaid tradition being supposed by the distinction of moneths and yeeres, which was alwaies observed, it was easie to make that supputation, although some, even of the chiefe men a∣mong the Iewes, as Philo in the first Booke of the life of Moses, sticke not to say, that the natall day of the world, wherein it was finished, beganne not to be knowne, but by the Israelites, when God at first rained Manna upon them in the wildernesse, and that it was wholly unknowne to the Fathers, in which affirmation I see no inconvenience.

9 But howsoever, it was no manner of way necessary, that they should celebrate ordinarily the memory of the creation, and of the rest of God on a solemne and stinted day; yea, on the last of the seven daies wherein GOD rested; and marke the revolution thereof from day to day; Neither doth it appeare, that they did any such thing. Nay, it is farre more apparent, that God gave the first knowledge, and commanded the ordinary and common observation of this day, when raining Manna upon the Israelites sixe daies con∣sequently, he gave then none on the seventh day, saying, it was the Sabbath day, which he would have them to keepe in time to come, and which he enjoined expresly unto them in the Decalogue, de∣claring that on that day hee rested from the workes of the Crea∣tion.

CHAPTER fifth.

Answer to the fourth Reason.

1. Fourth reason for the morality of the Sabbath, taken out of the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, vers. 3 & 4.

2. Whence they gather, that the Sabbath day was ordained to all men from the beginning of the world.

3. And that by three arguments inforced upon the words of the Apostle.

4. First answer, In that place the Apostle speaketh not directly of any rest ordained to man, but onely of Gods rest.

5. Second answer, Indirectly Gods rest on the seventh day, and the rest of the Iewes commanded to them afterwards, being as types and figures of the heavenly rest applyed unto the said words, prove not that both are one rest, and the one as ancient as the other.

6. Confirmation of this answer.

7. Answer to the first argument, It is not necessary to understand that Gods rest on the seventh day is a rest given to man, as the two other rests of God must be so understood.

8. Answer to the second argument, shewing by the exposition of the words of the Apostle, that there is no equivocation to be found in them, although the rest of God in one place be not understood of a rest given to man, as in the two other places.

9. Answer to the third argument, shewing there is no defect in the argumentation of the Apostle, although he speaketh not directly of the rest ordained in the fourth Commandement.

THEY object also from the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes, that the Apostle citeth out of the 95. Psalme verse 11. and applyeth to the Hebrewes, the threat denounced of old against the incredulous Israelites in the daies of Moses, that they should never enter into his rest: That

the Psalmist adapted it also to the Iewes of his time, exhorting them not to harden their hearts, when they shall heare the voice of God, as their Fathers have done, lest they also should come short of en∣tring into his rest. That, I say, the Apostle citing that threat, as ap∣plyed by the Psalmist to his time, observeth, that God at that time spoke on this wise; I have sworne in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest, although his workes were finished from the foundation of the world, For he spake in a certaine place (to wit, in the second Chapter of Genesis) of the seventh day on this wise: And God rested the seventh day from all his workes. And that from thence the Apostle maketh this inference, that God in this threat, wherein hee spake in Davids time of a rest to come, whereof the Is∣raelites should come short, could not understand the rest of the seventh day, mentioned in the second of Genesis, because that rest had a great sway from the foundation of the world: As hee sheweth also in the verses following, that it could not be taken for the rest of the Land of Canaan, because Ioshuah a long time before had brought the Israelites into that rest, and therefore of necessity God spake of another rest then of these two, to wit, of a spirituall and heavenly rest, which those that beleeve are admitted into, and all those that beleeve not come short of.

2 They endeavour to make out of this discourse this illation, that the observation of the Sabbath day was ordained to all men from the beginning of the world, even from that seventh day wherein God rested from all his workes. For they put in this the force of the argumentation of the Apostle, to wit, That the rest of the seventh day was not to be understood in the threat denounced in Davids time against the Israelites, that they should never enter in∣to Gods rest, because men were already entred into it from the be∣ginning of the world, as it is written; And God rested the seventh day from all his workes, and is so cited by the Apostle, and by them urged as impossible to be understood onely of Gods resting from all his works after he had finished them, and as of necessity to be taken, for a rest ordained of God to men, which at that same time hee brought them into.

3 Because, even as the Apostle by the other rest of the land of Canaan, which he alledgeth also, and by the heavenly rest, which he mentioneth likewise, understands a rest that men enter into, and

whereof they have an enjoying and possession, the one and the other [unspec 1] being called Gods rest, because he puts them in possession of them; likewise by the rest of God on the seventh day, which hee maketh mention of, as of a thing which had sway when the workes of God were finished from the beginning of the world, he understands necessarily a rest which men enjoyed and practised at that same time after Gods example: For otherwise, and if it had not be∣longed to men, in vaine had the Apostle excepted it, as a thing that could not be understood in Gods threat. As also there should be an equivocation in this, that the Apostle making mention of three rests [unspec 2] of God, to wit, of the rest of the seventh day, of the rest of the land of Canaan, and of the heavenly rest; should by the first understand a rest whereby God onely rested, and belonging to him alone, and by the two others a rest which he had given, or was to give to men for their rest. That moreover, if by the rest of the seventh day he had [unspec 3] not understood a rest ordained to men from the beginning, but on∣ly Gods owne rest, his argumentation should be defective, and sub∣ject to an easie reply, because he had omitted? the rest which out of all doubt God instituted, at least in the fourth Commandement, concerning which rest, seeing hee excluded it not, the Hebrewes might have replyed unto him, that God understood, and denoted it in that threat, wherewith hee threatned the Israelites by David, that they should not enter into his rest, and so hee had not obtained his end, which was to shew, that God speaketh there of the hea∣venly rest, and not of any other.

4 To all this reasoning, which, to some that make use of it, see∣meth to be of great weight, to others but light and probable, I an∣swer shortly, that albeit it hath some shew, it hath not strength enough to prove that which is in question, to wit, that the obser∣vation of the Sabbath day was ordained to man from the beginning of the world. For the Apostle in the place above cited, ver. 3. & 4. speaketh not expresly of any rest ordained to man, nor that men had at that time entred into any rest; nay, he maketh no mention, that God had blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day, but saith that God did rest the seventh day, as soone as his works were finished. There∣fore it is not his scope to teach, that the rest of the seventh day was kept by men from the foundation of the world, and that for that cause God could not understand it, when in the daies of David he

spake to the Israelites of a new entrance into his rest. For if hee had propounded to himselfe that end, doubtlesse he had uttered it in more expresse tearmes, at least he had rather cited these words of the second Chapter of Genesis, And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it, which had manifestly beene more unto the purpose, then these others, And the seventh day, God rested from all his workes. Although that howbeit he had alleadged them, no man can necessarily inferre from thence, that he had such an intention: whereas his mentioning only of GODS rest on the seventh day, and his omitting of the blessing and hallowing thereof which fol∣loweth immediately in the Text, sheweth he acknowledged, that it was not practised from the beginning, and that also his minde was to speake directly of GODS Rest only, and to shew, as a thing most evident, that that rest, seeing it was past, and there was no possibility of entring into it, could not be understood in the pro∣mise which God so long after made by David to the faithfull, of entring into his rest, Hebr. 1. ver. 1, 3. which promise was inclu∣ded in the threat, that unbeleevers should not enter into his Rest; but another rest, to wit, a spirituall rest prepared to the faithfull in heaven, whereof that Rest of God on the seventh day was as a type and figure.

5 Which GOD gave them to understand, when he caused Mo∣ses to observe in the description of the History of the Creation, that * 1.3 on the seventh day hee rested from all his workes, conformably whereunto he commanded the Iewes to keepe the seventh day, and to rest on it, as he had rested, that it might be unto them a type and figure of the heavenly rest. And in this respect we may grant, that the Apostle speaketh also of the rest of the seventh day ordained to men, and excludeth it out of the sence of the threat, but indirectly and by consequence only, for as much as affirming, that even the rest of God Himselfe on the seventh day after he had finished his works, was not understood in the foresaid threat when GOD denounced it by David, we may inferre from thence, that likewise the rest or∣dained to men was not understood in it. Not because this was as ancient as that, for in such an asseveration there is no consequence; but because that was the foundation of the institution of this to the Israelites, and this had a great sway when GOD gave that warning with such a threat, as well as that, albeit not of so long a date.

6 To confirme that I say serveth the tenth verse, where it is said, * 1.4 that he that is entred into Gods Rest, hath also rested from his owne workes, as God did also from his, the meaning of which words is, that they which are entred into the heavenly Rest cease from all their labours and businesses of this life, even as God on the seventh day rested from all his workes, whereby the Apostle signifieth, that God in his own rest established a figure of the heavenly Rest, which he would conferre upon men, whereof he gave them notice after∣ward; whence it followeth, that in the third and fourth verses (which the tenth verse hath relation unto) where it is observed, that God from the foundation of the world, after his workes were finished, rested the seventh day, and notified so much by Moses in the second Chap. of Genesis, the Apostle designed directly no other rest, but Gods owne Rest, and meant not rest ordained from the begin∣ning to Adam. For if he had meant such a rest, he had said in the 10. verse, he that entreth into Gods heavenly rest, ceaseth from all the workes of this life, even as Adam by Gods commandement rested on the seventh day, and had not said simply, as God rested from all his workes.

7 The instances alleadged are weak. For what necessity is there, that because by the two other rests of God mentioned by the Apostle, He. 4. v. 1, 8, 9. to wit, the rest of the land of Canaan, and the heaven∣ly rest, a rest given to men is understood, even so by the rest of the se∣venth day in the 2. & 3. verses a like rest is to be formally understood, and in the same respect; As if one and the same word were not often found in the Scripture, in the same tenor of a discourse, taken in diffe∣rent respects, and much more different then is here Gods rest, which in two places signifieth directly and expresly a Rest of God, in as much as given to men, and in the third a Rest of God, in as much as he himselfe rested: But indirectly and by consequence, in as much as he ordained afterwards to men to rest according to his example.

8 Which is an equivocation (if they will have it to be so called) of small weight, and inferior to many others which in other passages may be found in one and the same word, which moreover bringeth no inconveniency with it. For what necessity was there that this tearme The Rest of God, should be alwayes in this discourse of the Apostle taken in the same sence, seeing his only intention was to demonstrate, that all other Rest of God, which the Scripture cal∣leth

so, saving the heavenly rest, in whatsoever sence it be taken, could not be understood in the threat denounced by David. For I will here set downe a sence which may bee conveniently fitted to the words of the Apostle. God in his threat wherewith he threat∣ned the Israelites by David, that if they were rebellious, they should not enter into his rest, understood either his owne Rest which he rested on the seventh day, after his workes were finished, from the Creation of the world; and which was the foundation and occasion moving him to ordaine long after the rest of the Se∣venth day to men; Or the rest of the land of Canaan, or the heavenly Rest, seeing there is no mention in the Scripture of any Rest of God, but of those three. Now of necessity he understood the hea∣venly Rest. For hee could not understand the rest of the land of Canaan, because the Israelites were already entred into that land, and enjoyed it: Nor also his owne Rest which he rested on the se∣venth day, because it was past and gone from the foundation of the world, besides that it was not of such a nature that men could enter into it: Whence followed also that likewise God did not under∣stand the Rest of the seventh day ordained to men, because indeed it was not ordained unto them, but conformably to the example of Gods Rest, which was the cause and reason of the institution there∣of: And therefore if this rest was excluded from Gods intention in his threat, that was excluded also, although the Apostle expres∣seth not this unto us, and farre lesse at what time God gave to men the ordinance of the seventh day, contenting himselfe with the ex∣pression of Gods own Rest, after he had finished his workes, on the first seventh day, which Rest being excluded, excluded also the other ordained to men, in whatsoever time it was ordained unto them, whether in the proper time of Gods rest, or long after: Neither of which can be learned of the Apostles words in this discourse, but may be elsewhere.

9 According to this, it is cleere, that by the Apostles reasoning the way was shut up to the foresaid reply, which, as is pretended, may be made of the maymednesse of his argumentation, wherein is left out the rest commanded to men in the fourth Commande∣ment, if by the rest of God wee must understand Gods owne rest, and not the rest which he ordained to men. For I deny not, but that this was also understood by the Apostle. But, as I have said,

courtly, indirectly, and by consequence taken from the rest which he expresseth, from which this other hath its beginning and depen∣dance, although it be not of the same antiquity, and that it cannot bee proved, that the Apostle meaneth any such thing. Moreover, albeit we could not find a way to answer such a reply, and to refute it, there should not bee in that any great inconvenience, seeing the thing it selfe affords an easie answer, and the Apostle answereth not alwayes formally in all places to all replyes, which might be made to his allegations: It sufficeth, if their vanity bee evident of it selfe, or if they may be otherwise refuted, as here the reply which is broached against the Apostle his reasoning might have beene easily.

CHAPTER Sixth.

Answer to the fifth Reason taken from the fourth Commandement, and first to the generall argu∣ment taken from the nature of the said Com∣mandement.

1. First objection. The fourth Commandement is a part of the morall Law, and therefore it is morall.

2. A generall answer shewing the nullity of this objection.

3. A particular answer, shewing that the Decalogue is an abridg∣ment of the whole Law of Moses.

4. Specially, that the fourth Commandement is an abridgment of the ceremoniall Law.

5. This is confirmed by the Prophets, who by the profanation of the Sabbath, understand the transgression of the whole cere∣moniall Law.

6. Falsity of an objection, that the Prophets urged not the trans∣gression of the ceremoniall Law.

7. Second Objection: The Decalogue had divers prerogatives which the ceremoniall and Iudiciall Law had not.

8. Cleere refutation of this Objection.

9. Third Objection, God distinguisheth betweene his covenant comprehending the moralities only, and his statutes and judge∣ments, which were ceremoniall lawes.

10. Uanity of the said distinction.

11. Fourth Objection. The Summarie of the Decalogue is morall: therefore all the precepts thereof are morall.

12. Answer, in this summary the ceremoniall Law is compri∣sed.

13. Refutation of the fifth Objection, taken from the union of the tenne Commandements.

14. Answer to the sixth Objection, that our opinion mutilates the Decalogue of a Commandement, and authoriseth the chan∣ging of times.

15. Another Answer, The fourth Commandement is morall in the principall substance thereof.

16. But is ceremoniall in the determination of a particular seventh day for Gods service.

17. Seventh Objection, that if this were so, God would not have named it in the Decalogue, more then the place of his service.

18. Answer, these things are not alike.

19. Eight Objection answered, to wit, that God might have na∣med in the Decalogue the New Moones, and other Holy dayes.

20. The former answer confirmed.

21. A farther answer shewing that under the Sabbath all Holy dayes were comprised, as under the word Sanctifie all ceremo∣niall duties.

22. Those of the contrary opinion confessing that there is some thing ceremoniall in the fourth Commandement, cast themselves in∣to a great absurdity.

23. The falsitie of their doctrine, that a seventh day in generall is only commanded, shewed by Scriptures.

24. And by reason.

25. How it may be said, that all dayes appointed for Gods service are grounded on the fourth Commandement.

26. One of seven dayes cannot be morall, and the seventh ceremo∣niall.

27. Wherein consists the morality of the fourth Commandement.

28. How the keeping of one of seven dayes may be gathered out of the fourth Commandement.

29. Answer to the first inconvenience, that of tenne Commande∣ments nine only should be morall.

30. Answer to the second inconvenience, that Papists may af∣firme the second Commandement to bee likewise ceremoniall.

31. Confirmed by the testimony of Pagans, of the Prophets and of the Apostles.

32. Answer to the third inconvenience, that the second Comman∣dement should also be ceremoniall.

33. Confirmed by Bellarmine.

34. Answer to the fourth inconvenience, that the fourth Com∣mandement might be taken out of the Decalogue.

35. The retorsion shewing that the doctrine of the morality of the Sabbath, giveth a great advantage to the Roman Church.

1 THe principall reason alleadged to prove the morality of the Sabbath, is taken from the fourth Commandement, Re∣member the Sabbath day, to keepe it holy, &c. And first, they urge in generall the nature of the Commandement, which is one of the ten of the morall Law, which God Himselfe pronoun∣ced with his owne mouth, ingraved with his owne hand upon two Tables of stone, for a signe and token of perpetuall continuance, and caused the said Tables to be put and kept in the Arke, and ther∣fore the fourth Commandement must of necessity be morall and perpetuall, as the rest are, otherwise nine Commandements onely shall be morall. But these nine being morall, it cannot be said rea∣sonably that this is not morall. And if any man should dare to say it, profane men may be so licentiously bold, as to make the same ex∣ception against the rest, in all things wherein they cope with their particular vices, saying also, that they are not morall. That they of the Roman Church, who, to shrinke from the objection which we make against their idolatry by the formall words of the second Commandement of the Law, presume to answer that this Com∣mandement is not morall, and did belong to the Iewes only, shall finde a sufficient colour to this answer, if it were true, that in the morall Law there is to be found a Commandement which is not

morall, and that the fourth Commandement is such a one. And therefore as they have taken out of the Decalogue the second Com∣mandement, although without all reason, seeing it is morall and perpetuall, others may take out of it the fourth Commandement, and comprehend it no more with the rest, and that with as good rea∣son, seeing it is not morall, and concerneth us not.

2 To this I answer, first, that in vaine doe they seeke to shew, that the Commandement of the Sabbath obligeth us, because it maketh a part of that Law which God uttered with his owne mouth in the mountaine of Sina with so many evidences of his Majesty, and wrote it with his finger upon two Tables of stone, which he gave to Moses, and caused to be put in the Arke, as if these considerati∣ons did give greater force and efficacy to this Law to binde us, as it did binde the Iewes, to keepe it in all things that it comprehendeth; for they might prove with as good reason, that in these time under the Gospell we are bound to have a Tabernacle or Temple like unto that which the Iewes had of old, and to observe the same service which they observed in it, because God in the same mountaine with much Majesty shewed the patterne thereof to Moses, and comman∣ded him to make it after that patterne. Whereas much otherwise, we are not bound to keepe the Law in that respect, that God pro∣nounced it in the Mountaine of Sina, and wrote it upon two Tables which were given to Moses. For in those respects, it obliged the Iewes only to whom alone also it was adressed in the preface put before it, Heare Israel, &c. No more are these considerations of va∣lue to make it continue for ever. The inscription therof in Tables of stone might have had another end and usage, then that which is pretended by those which say that it denoteth the perpetuity of all that is contained therein; for it represented the hardnesse of the heart of man, which is more refractary and thwart to the spirituall inscription of the Law of God, then the hardest stone is to the ma∣teriall inscription, which hardnesse the Law is not of it selfe able to vanquish and overcome, because it is a dead letter written in stone. It is God, God alone who by his grace, and by the power of the Gospel, and of the Spirit which accompanieth the Gospell, chan∣geth the heart of stone into an heart of flesh, Ezech. 36. ver. 26. and 2 Cor. 3. ver. 3, 6, 7, 8. Wee are bound to the observation of the Law, and it is perpetuall only as it is morall, and written

naturally in the tables of the heart, and as it commandeth us things which of their nature are good, just, and holy, or forbiddeth those which in themselves are evill, which also the Gospel of Iesus Christ, our onely Law, hath declared and confirmed to be such, as it con∣firmeth the other nine Commandements, but maketh no mention of the fourth Commandement, which is here brought in question, as if it did binde us to the observation of a seventh day.

3 Neither doe I see any inconvenience to affirme, that the Law of the ten Commandements which is called Morall, is not such in its totality, but only in regard of the greatest part thereof, to wit, of the nine Commandements, for whose sake it hath deserved the title given unto it, of morall, naturall, universall, and perpetuall Law, as often the whole is named from that which is the principall in it: And that it is Ceremoniall, particular, and temporall in re∣gard of a parcell thereof, to wit, of the fourth Commandement. For the Scripture saith no where, that all the Commandements of this Law are without exception Morall. Nay, seeing this Law is often called in generall termes Gods Covenant made with the Israelites, Exod. 34. vers. 28. Deut. 4. vers. 13. 23. Deut. 5. vers. 3. Deut. 9. vers. 9. 11. 15. &c. 1 King. 8. vers. 21. (which Covenant com∣prehended not onely the Morall points, but also the Ceremonies, as may be seene, Exod. 24. vers. 7, 8. Exod. 34. vers. 10. 27. Levit. 2. vers. 13. Levit. 26. vers. 2. 15. Ierem. 34. vers. 13.) It is most like, or rather most plaine, that God comprehended in the said Law, as in an Epitome or short discourse, all his Ordinances, both Morall and Ceremoniall, which afterward hee declared more fully to Moses, and which are dispersed here and there in his Bookes. And as the other nine Cōmandements are the summary of the Mo∣rall ordinances, even so the fourth Commandement concerning the Sabbath day, and the sanctification thereof, which was done with the practice of Ceremonies, is a summary of all the Ceremoniall ordinances.

4 For to this Sabbath day all other Sabbaths and legall feasts have relation, and to them all the Ceremonies whereby they were so∣lemnized, have reference. Philo a learned Iew, hath observed this very well in his exposition of the Decalogue, where he saith, that the ten Commandements are the summary of all the speciall Lawes contained in the whole sacred volume of the Law-giver, and that

the fourth Commandement containeth compendiously the Feasts, Sabbaths, Sacrifices, Vowes, Purifications, and other Ceremonies. And indeed the Sabbath is joyned with all other holy-daies in the 23. Chapter of Leviticus, as being of the same nature, and is put in the first place before them all, as being the first and principall of them all. It is also joyned with the Sanctuary, Levit. 19. vers. 30. and with the new Moones and other solemnities, Esa. 1. v. 13, 14. where God declareth, that hee cannot away with it, and maketh no better account of it then of all the rest of their solemne meetings, and appointed Feasts. * 1.5 Also the observation of the Sabbath day is taken in divers places of the old Testament, as denoting summarily all the Ceremoniall service which God had of old injoyned to Is∣rael, as being a speciall and principall point of that service, and a meane for the observation of all the other points whereby he would be honoured. Notable amongst other places is that of Ezechiel, Chap. 20. vers. 11. 12, 13. where God saith first, that he gave them his Statutes, and made them to know his Iudgments, which if a man doe, he shall even live in them, vers. 11. understanding by Statutes and Iudgements the Morall Commandements properly, as it is evi∣dent by the 18. Chapter of Leviticus, whence these words are taken, and where the Statutes, Iudgements, and Ordinances, wherof we speake, are expresly opposed to the vices of the Land of Egypt, and of the Land of Canaan, vers. 3, 4, 5. As in the foresaid 20. Chapter of Ezechiel, vers. 18. 19. they are also opposed to the vices of their Fathers, who in former times had lived in Egypt, to which vices the Commandement of the ceremoniall Law could not be conveniently opposed, because before the times of the pilgrimage of the Israelites in the wildernesse, they were unknowne, and had no sway. Now after this, God addeth in the foresaid Chapter of Eze∣chiel, ver. 12. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a signe between me and them, &c. distinguishing the Sabbaths from the Sta∣tutes whereof he had spoken before, as a Commandement ceremoni∣all and typicall, from those that are Morall, and comprehending under it all other typike and figurative ordinances of the Law, where∣of for this cause, although hee had established them in the wilder∣nesse, as well as the Sabbath, he maketh no mention at all.

5 And in the 22. Chapter of the same Prophet, God blaming in many particularities the crimes committed by the Iewes against the

Morall Law, condemneth their transgression of the Ceremoniall Law, saying simply, vers. 26 that they had defiled his holy things, and had their eyes from his Sabbaths. Likewise in the 23. Chapter, vers. 38. and in other places, the prophanation of the Sabbath is set downe to signifie the violation of the whole outward and ceremo∣niall service which God had ordained in that time, because the Sab∣bath day was then solemnly destinated to the practice thereof; Yea, the violation also of the internall, spirituall and Moral service, but by consequence, because the externall service was ordained of God to be unto his people a help and meanes to fortifie them in the practice of the other, in such sort, that he who neglected, or set at naught the outward, could not in truth & sincerity practise the inward service.

6 Out of that I have said, resulteth an answer to an objection, to wit, that the Prophets are accustomed to urge onely the Morall Law, and not the Ceremonies, but run slightly over them, saying, he taketh no delight in them, Esa. 1. vers. 11, 12, 13, 14. 15. Esa. 66. vers. 3. Psal. 50. vers. 13. Ierem. 6. vers. 20. Amos 3. vers. 21. Micah 6. vers. 7. For it is false, that the Prophets urge not the ob∣servation of Ceremonies, seeing when they urged the observation of the Sabbath, they comprised under it for the aforesaid reason, all the Ceremonies of the Law: Moreover, we find other where, that they have recommended them by their names, as well as the Sab∣bath, have blamed the inobservation, have deplored the interrupti∣on of them, as among other places may be seene: Psal. 4. vers. 6. Psal. 118. vers. 27. Ierem. 17. vers. 26. Ezech. 20. vers. 40, 41. Dan. 11. vers. 31. Ioel 1. v. 9. 13. Malac. 1. v. 7, 8, 10, 13, 14. Mal. 3. v. 8. 10. Mal. 4. v. 4. &c. If sometimes they seeme to reject them, they doe it onely by way of comparison with the spiri∣tuall service, and in regard that they were joyned not with it.

7 Therefore it is without any solide ground, that the Morall Commandements are distinguished from the Ceremoniall, by this, that the Morall Precepts onely were spoken to all the people with Gods owne mouth, were written with his owne hand upon two tables, were put in the Arke at Horeb by Moses, to be kept there, 1 King. 8. vers. 9. That the Ceremonialls had no share at all in these prerogatives, but were declared by God to Moses in particu∣lar onely, and were written and taught by Moses to the people, to inferre from thence, that the fourth Commandement concerning

the Sabbath, must needs be Morall, because it did partake of all the foresaid prerogatives.

8 For I say with as good and better reason, that all the Comman∣dements, both Ceremoniall and Morall, were honoured with the foresaid prerogatives, for as much as the Decalogue is the abridge∣ment of the one and of the other, which it was Gods pleasure to utter with his owne mouth, and writ so solemnely and summari∣ly with his owne hand, to procure so much more authority to all his Ordinances, leaving hereafter to Moses the care to declare and explaine them more fully to the people, which also he did: For as may be seene in all his Bookes, hee taught not onely ceremoniall things, but also moral, being in the one and in the other an interpre∣tor and commentator of the Decalogue, which God had pronoun∣ced, and wherein hee had by abridgement comprehended the one and the other. And indeed, in the foresaid 34. Chapter of Exodus, the connexion of the 27. with the 28. verse is worthy to be marked. For God having said to Moses in the 27. verse, that he had made a covenant with him, and with Israel, after the tenour of these words which he had at that instant pronounced unto him, and which are contained in the former verses, where there are ordinances not only morall, but also ceremoniall; in the 28. verse following, these words are added, And Hee wrote upon the Tables the words of the Cove∣nant, the ten Commandements. HEE, not Moses, but the LORD himselfe, as Moses declareth, Deut. 10. vers. 24. Where, by the Covenant, is undoubtedly meant the same whereof hee had spoken in the 27. verse immediately going before. Whence it followeth, that the Decalogue written with Gods owne hand upon two Tables, was an Epitome of all his foresaid Ordinances appertain∣ing to his Covenant, which he commanded Moses to write also, but more fully, and according to all their extent, Exod. 34. ver. 27. And so hee did, Exod. 24. vers. 4. Deut. 28. vers. 58. Deut. 30. vers. 10. Deut. 31. vers. 9.

9 There is no value in the proofe that they seeke in the fourth Chapter of Deuteronomy, to prop the aforesaid distinction, where, when it is said, vers. 13. that God declared to the Israelites his Covenant, which hee commanded them to performe, even the ten Words, and vers. 14. that also he commanded Moses to teach them Statutes and Iudgements, they fancy that by the Covenant, are un∣derstood

onely the moralities, and by the Statutes and Iudgements, the ceremonies and observations of order and of governement, and the one distinguished from the other, in this, that God pronounced the moralities wth his owne mouth, and Moses taught the Sta∣tutes and Iudgements.

10 For these two verses established not a distinction and diversity betweene the things spoken, written and taught, whereof mention is made in these verses, but onely betweene those that are denoted in them as proposers of these things, and the divers manner of pro∣pounding them by the one and by the other. The Covenant, the Statutes, and Iudgements signifie the same thing in substance. But in the 13. verse God is said to have propounded them with his owne mouth, and written them with his owne finger upon two Tables of stone, comprising them all in the abridgement of ten Words or Commandements. And in the 14. verse, Moses is said to have taught them more amply and diffusedly, which is confirmed by that hath beene already said, as also by these words of the 14. verse, The Lord commanded me also that same time to teach you Statutes and Iudgements. For it is certaine, that God commanded Moses to teach, not onely ceremoniall, but also morall Statutes: And Moses saith no other thing but this, that God contented not him∣selfe with that short and summary declaration which hee had given them, of the one and of the other, but injoyned him to teach them more fully and largely. The conference of the 14. verse with the 1, 2. 5. 6. 8. of the same Chapter furnisheth a most evident proofe thereof; For the Statutes and Iudgements which God commanded Moses to teach, verse 19. are the same which in the aforesaid verses going before Moses saith, he taught, and commanded the Israelites to keepe, that they might live, exhorting them to take heed that they neither adde unto them, nor take ought from them, because they were righteous Statutes and Iudgements, and their wisedome and understanding in the sight of all Nations: which agreeth as well, yea, farre more with the Morall Commandements, as with the Ce∣remoniall. And Moses by expresse commission from God, taught them the one and the other, with this injunction, to keepe them, as may be seene in Leviticus, Chap, 19. vers. 27. & 20. vers. 8. & 21. vers. 31. And if we behold in Exodus, Chap. 20. and in the Chap∣ters following, and in Deuteronomy, Chap. 5. and in the Chapters

following, the things that God charged Moses in the mountaine, to declare to the people, and whereunto Moses hath regard in the 14. verse of the fourth Chapter of Deuteronomy, when hee saith, The Lord commanded mee also at that time, &c. wee shall finde, that they were not onely ceremoniall, or meerly judiciall, but al∣so morall ordinances, and illustrations more ample of the De∣calogue.

11 They object againe, that Iesus Christ in the Gospell, hath set downe the summary of the whole Law of the Decalogue in these two Commandements, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy minde: and thy neigh∣bour * 1.6 as thy selfe, and that as this summary is morall, even so the Law, whereof it is the abridgement, is purely morall, unlesse wee will accuse Christ to have given a morall summary of a thing that is ceremoniall.

12 But this objection is of no force. For, first, I might answer, that this summary hath reference to the Law of the Decalogue, in as much as it is morall, and that being in the greatest part of its Commandements morall, and onely ceremoniall in one, it is not un∣coth, that the summary thereof is propounded as morall and not ce∣remoniall. But, Secondly, I say, that this summary hath reference not onely to the morall Law, which is preten••ed to be alone contai∣ned in the Decalogue, but also to the ceremoniall, which I main∣taine to be likewise summarily comprised in it. And indeed Moses having said in the sixth Chapter of Deuteronomy, ver. 1, 2, 3. These are the Commandements, Statutes, and Iudgements which the Lord your God hath commanded, and which I command thee, that thou mayest heare them, and take heed to doe them, he addeth in the 4. and 5. verses, Heare O Israel, the Lord our God is Lord alone: Thou shalt therefore love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy might, referring this summary which commandeth them to love God, to all the Commandements, Iudgements, and Statutes of God, which he had before designed, as being the foundation of the obedience due unto them. And in the Gospell the Lawyer asked the Lord in generall, which is the greatest Cōmandement of the Law, whereunto the Lord answered, The greatest Commandement (to wit, not in dignity onely, but also * 1.7 in extent) is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart,

And the second like vnto this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe. On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets. Which answer sheweth, that unto this sum∣mary did belong whatsoever is comprised in the Law and in the Prophets, and therefore the ceremoniall Law as well as the morall. It cannot be denied, but that the ceremonies, as long as they were in force, were to be kept through love to God, as well as morall duties. And the love of God obliged the Iewes as strictly to practise the ceremonialls as the moralls: For the love of God requireth the observation of all his Commandements, and it is knowne to be sin∣cere by the keeping of them all. Now God had commanded the ceremonies to the Iewes for the whole time of the old Testament: And therefore in this respect, that God had commanded them, and also in regard they had all, or the most part of them a morall foun∣dation, they might very well, nay, they ought to be referred to this morall summary, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, As if Christ had said, The Commandement most generall and principall of all, and which is the foundation of the obedience that ought to be yeelded to all the other Commandements, is to love God with all the heart. For whosoever loveth him so, will undoubtedly serve him alwaies according to all his Comman∣dements.

13 As for the argument taken from the union which is betweene the fourth Commandement and the other nine, wherewith it ma∣keth up one Law, to prove from thence, that it is of the same nature, and morall as they are, it is a light and slight argumentation: For it is an ordinary thing, and most manifest in all Lawes of God and men, that in the same body of a Law, which is framed of many Articles following one another, there are some different in nature from the rest. Vnder the same name of Gods covenant are suffici∣ently understood all the heads and Articles both ceremoniall and morall, as is evident by the passages already cited. And God com∣prehended them all together in grosse, when he spake so often to his people of the keeping of his whole Law, of all his Commande∣ments, Testimonies, Ordinances, and Iudgements. These tearmes occure ordinarily in holy Scripture joyned together, and all acknow∣ledge with one consent that by them and in them all points, as well ceremoniall as morall, are understood. Why then, I pray, might

they not farre more be distinctly and particularly set downe toge∣ther in the body of the same Law, without inforcing from thence, that they are of the same nature? And (to make my advantage of similitudes, which some of those against whom I dispute, make use of) if in a naturall body, the diverse parts whereof it is framed, are not alwayes of the same nature; as in the bodies of men and beasts, other is the nature of flesh, other of bones, other of gristles, &c. If in an artificiall body, as in a chaine and in a carkanet, graines of cor∣all, of silver, of gold, &c. are fitly coupled together, why may not much more be different in nature the parts and articles of a legall body (if I may name it so) although they have no essentiall con∣nexion together? And certes in many places of the bookes of Mo∣ses commandements morall and ceremoniall are to be found mixed one with another. Now should not a man argue fondly and un∣soundly, if, because in these diverse places, and namely in the fore∣said 34. Chapter of Exodus, from the tenth to the eight and twen∣tieth verse, God joyneth in one tenor certaine speeches to Moses, wherein are expressed sundry ordinances of a diverse nature, hee would seeke to make an inference from that union, that they are all of the same nature, although the contrary be most evident and true? For the commandements prohibiting to worship any other God but him, to make any materiall Idols, and to worship them, to match with Infidels, which are morall commandements, are there combi∣ned with other Commandements of keeping the feast of unleavened bread, and other solemne feasts, as of consecrating unto him all the first borne of men and cattell that open the matrix, which are cere∣moniall. Yea, the Commandement of keeping the Sabbath day, which is in the 21. verse is placed there amongst commandements that are wholly ceremoniall: Will they against whom wee dis∣pute, allow us to inferre upon this, that the Sabbath is ceremoni∣all? doubtlesse not. Let them therefore suffer us to reject this their argumentation, that the Commandement concerning the Sabbath is morall, because in the Decalogue it is put among morall comman∣dements, and on the otherside to judge it to be most reasonable, that God in the first Table thereof, where his scope was to comprehend compendiously all that concerneth the service which hee would have yeelded unto him, hath set downe first three commandements concerning the morall and perpetuall service, and next the fourth

concerning the ceremoniall service established by him at that time.

14 Neither is it a diminishing from Gods Commandements, a∣gainst the prohibition which he hath made, Deut. 12. vers. 32. to say that the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue was ceremoniall and for a season, no more then to say the same of all other com∣mandements manifestly ceremoniall, which God gave of old to the Iewes, and in consideration whereof, as well as of those of the Decalogue, God gave in that place objected against us, What∣soever thing I command you, observe to doe it: Thou shalt not adde thereto, nor diminish from it. It is not a diminishing from it, to explaine the nature thereof, and to sh••w of these ten Commande∣ments which are morall and perpetuall, which are ceremoniall and temporall. No more is it an unjust usurpation of authority to change times, with the wicked Antiochus, Dan. 7. vers. 25. to keepe no more the seventh day ordained by the fourth Comman∣dement, As it is no changing of times, to forbeare the keeping of all other daies ordained of God under the Law, but it is a submit∣ting of our selves to that changing, which God himselfe would have to be made, seeing hee had not ordained the Sabbath, nor the feast daies, but for a certaine space of time, to wit, til the time of the new Testament, as it is manifest by that hath beene said.

15 But secondly, albeit that which the fourh Commandement enjoineth in expresse termes concerning the seventh day, the san∣ctification of that day, and the ceasing from all workes in it be ce∣remoniall, neverthelesse, I grant that it is morall in its foundati∣on, end, marrow and principall substance, which must be distin∣guished from particular determinations laid upon this foundation, and added to this principall substance. The foundation and princi∣pall substance hid and infoulded in the termes of the Commande∣ment, is, that there must be an order according unto which God is to be served and worshipped, not onely by each person by him∣selfe, and in his particular conversation, but also openly, publikely, and in common by the whole body of his people assembled and drawne together, that consequently, it is necessary a certaine time be appointed for this publike service, and applyed ordinarily to that use. For without a stinted time, how can many meet together to give their minde to the publike practise of Religion. This is morall,

grounded upon the principles of nature. Witnesses be the Gen∣tiles, which having no other Law but the Law of nature, have ac∣knowledged and practised this, appointing all of them set dayes for the publike exercise of their Religion. This also is ratified by the Gospell, * 1.8 which recommendeth unto the faithfull the assem∣bling of themselves together, for the preaching of the word, admi∣nistration of the Sacraments, common prayers, collections, and other holy exercises, which are in use under the Gospell, and conse∣quently that they have appointed times to attend upon them, and as under the Old Testament the word of Moses and of the Prophets was read and preached every Sabbath day, Acts 13. verse 27. Acts 15. verse 21. that even so the word of the Gospell have dayes appointed wherein it to be read and preached. In this doe agree and shake hands together the Law and the Gospell, Moses and Christ. Because this is morall, God hath injoyned it in the morall Law, and this is the scope of the fourth Commandement. For as in the three first God ordained the inward and outward service which hee will have every particular man to yeeld unto him every day in private, and severally from the society of other men, so in this fourth Com∣mandement he injoyneth a service common and publike, which all must yeeld together unto him, forbearing in the meane while all o∣ther businesses, to give themselves without disturbance to that ne∣cessary duty. This is the end of the fourth Commandement, for as in the three first he had ordained his service, according as it may, and ought to be rendred unto him every day, upon all occasions, par∣ticularly by every one apart, and out of the company of other men; so in this fourth Commandement, he injoyneth a solemne time for a publike service, which all are bound to render unto him, ceassing in the meane while from all other occupations, that they may with∣out any disturbance apply themselves unto it, with all religious zeale and devotion.

16 The thing which is not morall in the fourth Commandement, and that I affirme to be an ordinance appertaining to the Iewish go∣vernment, and to the time, not of the New but of the Old Testa∣ment, is that which is expressed by the tearmes of the Commande∣ment, to wit, the determination of a seventh day, and of a particu∣lar seventh, even the last of seven. For in this there is no thing that hath any taste of morality. It is not founded on the Law of

nature, the Gentiles had never any knowledge thereof, the Gospell hath not ratified it, as hath beene shewed before.

17 They object, that if there be no thing morall in the fourth Com∣mandement, more than I have said, the ordinance of the Sabbath day for Gods service shall no more be morall then was the Com∣mandement concerning the building of the ancient Tabernacle to be the place of Gods service, seeing this command teacheth us also, that of necessity there must be some place assigned for ecclesiasticall meetings, and that it was no more needfull to put in the Deca∣logue, Thou shalt keepe the Sabbath day, then Thou shalt frequent the Temple.

18 To this I answer, that verily there is a morality in this point, that the faithfull resort of ten to some place where they may attend on GODS service, But it was not at all so needfull to make expresse mention thereof in the Decalogue, as of an ordinary and set time, for that this ordinance concerning such a time, draweth of neces∣sity after it the ordinance of some place, because it is not possible to flocke together on an ordinary and solemne day to serve God, if there be not a place appointed for that purpose: But the appointing of a certaine place, includeth not the institution of an ordinary time. For a place may be ordained for publike meetings, wherein there is no ordinary meeting. Farre lesse was it necessary, nay it was no wayes necessary in regard of the morality, to put in the De∣calogue a commandement concerning a particular house, such as was of old the Tabernacle; because although there be some mora∣lity by consequence in it, or rather a necessary sequele of a morality, for as much as necessity being imposed to the faithfull to meet toge∣ther, there must be some place appointed for their meetings, but it is not needfull that those meetings should be with that absolute ne∣cessity alwayes in a house builded and erected for that end. For al∣though they should come together in an open aire, having no other cover but the skye, in grots and dennes under the ground, or in some other place, without house or Temple, as the Christians were forced to meet together in the Primitive persecutions, in such a state of the Church this sufficeth, and no more is required as morall. It is only the decency and commodity which obligeth us to have houses and Temples builded expresly for Gods service. For these reasons GOD would not make mention in the Decalogue at a particular

place, as hee did of a time stinted for his service.

19 This is a sufficient answer to another objection, when they say, that God might as well have put in the Decalogue, Thou shalt keep the New Moones, or the yeerely feasts, as the Sabbath day, because that command, as well as this, had taught us, that there must be a time appointed and stinted for Gods service. For I deny that such a command could have taught us this duty, as well as the other, be∣cause such dayes being rare, and returning only from moneth to moneth, or from yeere to yeere, had not taught us the convenient and sutable frequency of GODS publike service, as did the Sabbath day, which returned weekely. Therefore it being more frequent, yea more holy and venerable then all the rest of festivall dayes or∣dained of GOD under the Law, he made mention of it in the fourth Commandement, rather than of them wherein GOD hath observed a way like unto that which he hath kept in the other Com∣mandements, which is, to set downe a principall head under which he compriseth all other points that have relation unto it. Where∣fore, as in the second Commandement he forbiddeth to make Ima∣ges, to how downe to them, and under that point prohibiteth all will-worship: As in the fifth Commandement under the name of Fa∣ther and Mother, and of the honour which he commandeth to give unto them, hee comprehendeth all superiours, and the respect due to them: As in the sixth under murder he compriseth all other violences against our neighbour: And as in the seventh under A∣dultery he understandeth all uncleannesse of fleshly lust; so likewise in the fourth Commandement, under the Sabbath day, and the ob∣servation thereof, which was his principall festivall, he understan∣deth all other holy dayes, and all the ceremonies which he had in∣joyned, and the practice of them all; As also, (which I have alrea∣dy marked) his custome is other where in the Old Testament, to range under that point all other semblable points of his service, yea all godlinesse and Religion, and make it, in some sort, to consist al∣together in the observation of the Sabbath: whereof the reason is, that a man cannot bee pious and religious to God-ward, unlesse he observe the externall meanes and aides of Religion and godlinesse which he hath ordained. Now the principall meanes of this kind ordained by him at that time, was the sanctification of the Sabbath: All other meanes of the same kinde were referred to it and were

established and dressed as it were, upon the mould of it; even as whatsoever is the first and head in every kind of things, is the rule of all others that are inferiour and subordinate unto it: wherefore it is no wonder, that GOD would in expresse termes set downe this particular determination of the observation of the Sabbath day, rather than any other, and comprise under it the morall substance of that Commandement. For having thought expedient to ordaine and stint to the Iewes the ordinary celebration of his publike ser∣vice on a set day, to wit, on every seventh, and on the last of the se∣ven dayes of the week, the morall substance of the said commande∣ment, which is to have a time regulate and frequent for his publike service, could not be so well comprised and designed under any o∣ther ordinance relative unto it, as under this which was the most notable and principall of them all: So the fourth Commandement is morall and perpetuall in one respect, to wit, in this principall sub∣stance which it infoldeth covertly, and ceremoniall and positive in another, to wit, in the foresaid determination, as also of the sancti∣fication which it expresseth.

20 For when God saith in the beginning thereof, Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it, he understandeth by the Sabbath day, not a day of rest indefinitely and without limitation, but a seventh day, and the last of the weeke wherein he rested, as is manifest by that is said after in the same Commandement, For in sixe dayes the Lord made heaven and earth, the Sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it: where the day of rest, or the Sabbath day signifieth manifestly the same day whereof mention is made in the beginning of the Commandement, which is the day of Gods rest, to wit, the seventh that he rested on, as it is likewise so restrained in the second Chapter of Genesis, And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctifi∣ed it: because that in it he had rested from all his workes: There∣fore it was not a day of rest in generall that he sanctified, but the particular seventh day of the Creation, and not any other. Also this name, The Sabbath day, or the day of rest, doth never signifie in the Scripture any other day besides the seventh and last day of the weeke, which GOD had ordained to the Iewes. For these two appellations, The Sabbath day, and the seventh or last day of the weeke, are indifferently taken for the same thing, and the one is the

explication of the other, as may be seene in infinite places, Exod. 16. verse 29. Exod. 20. ver. 10, 11. Exod. 23. ver. 12. Exod. 31. verse 15. Exod. 35. verse 2. Levit. 23. verse 3. Luk. 13. verse 14. &c. Yea this name, The Sabbath day, is the proper and particular name of the seventh and last day of the weeke, whereby it was distinguished from all the rest, which, as hath beene obser∣ved before, did take from it their denomination, being called the first, second, third of the Sabbath, &c.

21 Also by the sanctification of this day, which God injoyneth in the foresaid words of the commandement, is not expressed and par∣ticularised formally any other, then that which consisteth in the ab∣stinence of severall workes, whereof mention is made in the words following, which may be taken for an explication of the sanctifi∣cation before injoyned, even as in this abstinence is expressely esta∣blished the sanctification of the said day, Evod. 31. verse 16. Neh. 13. verse 22. Ierem. 17. verse 22, 24, 27. And it is indeed that sanctification which ordinarily God betokeneth and requireth of the people of the Iewes in the Old Testament, when he speaketh of the sanctification of the Sabbath day, as on the contrary, the pro∣fanation of that day whereof he blameth them, is that which they committed in doing workes which he had prohibited. But if it be referred to a sanctification which was to be practised by the use of certaine actuall duties of Religion, God understandeth a sanctifica∣tion by the observation of legall ceremonies as well as of morall duties. Yea he understandeth rather that then this, because the ob∣servation of morall duties is not tyed more particularly to one day then to another, but is a service appertaining equally and alike to all dayes of the weeke; whereas the ceremonies of Gods outward service, were to be observed more particularly on that day, then in all the rest: And therfore this Commandement, in as much as it in∣joyneth the sanctification of the seventh day, is ceremoniall, and if in regard of this sanctification it is abolished, what inconvenience is there, that it be likewise abolished in regard of the day? Neither is it a thing singular to this Commandement to have some particu∣lar determination belonging to the Iewes only added to the sub∣stance which is morall, universall, and perpetuall. For the preface of the Law, which some had rather make a part of the first Com∣mandement, concerning the deliverance out of the land of Egypt,

and out of the house of bondage, and the temporall promise of long daies upon the Land of Canaan added to the fifth Commandement, are manifestly circumstances which have relation to the Iewes only, and have no morality in them, nay, were ceremoniall and typike. Now if a ceremoniall promise hath found a roome in the Deca∣logue, there is no greater inconvenience, that a ceremoniall and temporall Commandement be found in it also. Neither is it a whit more repugnant to say, that the fourth Commandement is both morall and ceremoniall, because it is not so in the same, but in a di∣verse sense and respect, as I have shewed. Among the Lawes given by Moses, many are to be found, which are ceremoniall and tem∣porall in that which they expresse, and morall in their foundation and end. As, for example, the Lawes forbidding to muzzle the Oxe when he treadeth out the corne, Deut. 25. verse 4. to seethe a Kid in his mothers milke, Exod. 23. vers. 19. to take in a birds nest the Dam with the young ones, Deut. 22. vers. 6, 7. to plow with an Oxe and an Asse together, Deut. 22. vers. 10. and others such like.

22 And indeed those against whom I write, must acknowledge, nill they, will they; that in the fourth Commandement there is some thing that is not morall, that obligeth not for ever, and that did per∣taine onely to the Iewes, and to their ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall governement, to wit, the ordinance about the observing not onely of one day of seven, but the last of seven. For wee keepe not any more this last day under the new Testament, wherein wee should sinne, if it were a morall thing. Neither can an instance be made from the fourth Commandement, that the observing of a se∣venth day is a thing naturall and morall, but by the same meanes it shall be proved, against the intention of those that make use of this argument, that to observe a seventh day is also morall, because the Commandement ordaineth not without restriction a seventh day, but stinteth particularly and by name the last of seven.

23 There be some, who to avoid the strength of this argument, doe say, that the fourth Commandement enjoyneth onely a seventh day, as the genus, and as a morall thing, but none of the kindes, whether the last of seven observed by the Iewes, or the first of seven observed by Christians is particularly enjoyned, because in this there is no moralitie: Or if in the fourth Commandement besides the seventh

day in generall, a particular seventh is injoined, the generall is in∣joyned as morall, the particular as ceremoniall, and so the genus, to wit, a seventh day, as being morall, continueth for ever, as well un∣der the Gospel, as under the Law, and the particular seventh, to wit, the last of the weeke, is only abrogated by the Gospel. This is a bold reply, and maketh me to wonder at it, seeing on the contrary it is evident by that hath beene already said, that wee may affirme with good reason, that the fourth Commandement maketh not at all any generall mention of observing an unlimited day, but particulari∣zeth expresly a certaine seventh day, to wit, the last. For God af∣ter he had said, Sixe daies shalt thou labour, and doe all thy worke, addeth, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, which expression alone and by it selfe, although there were no other thing said, sheweth, that he meaneth the seventh in order, follow∣ing the other sixe. When a man uttereth his minde in this sort; the third, the fourth, the fifth, &c. his intention is, to denote that which is such in order relatively to others going before, neither is there any man that will take it otherwise. But besides this, God unfoldeth forthwith which seventh he meaneth, to wit, the parti∣cular seventh wherein he rested, after he had made all his workes in the sixe daies which went before, which was the last of seven. Moreover, it is evident, that in the fourth Commandement, the seventh day, and the day of rest are the same, as also wheresoever mention is made of them. And the day of Rest is there taken for the day that God rested in, as is manifest by these words following: And he rested the seventh day, wherefore he blessed the Sabbath day, and hollowed it; the which day wherein he rested is the se∣venth, or the last day after the sixe of the creation, as is evi∣dent by these words also; He made his workes in sixe daies, and rested on the seventh day. Wherefore it is the last seventh, and none other, that is designed in the fourth Commandement as the object of the blessing and hallowing of God; which is yet more cleare by the second Chapter of Genesis, and third verse, where after Moses had said, that God in sixe daies made the heaven and the earth, and all the hosts of them, and after he had ended his workes, rested the seventh day, he addeth, And God blessed the seventh day, and san∣ctified it, because in it he had rested from all his workes, to wit, that seventh which afterwards he blessed.

24 For the Pronoune It, hath a necessary relation to a particular day specified in the foresaid words, as blessed of God, and limited forthwith, as the day of his rest; so it is manifest that the day which God blessed, is the same that he rested in, the same, I say, by corre∣spondency in the order and succession of daies, as I have shewed be∣fore: Otherwise, what should be the sense of these words? God hath blessed and sanctified the seventh day, that is, as is pretended, a seventh day undetermined, because in it he rested, &c. This Pro∣noune It, can it fitly and conveniently denote a day uncer∣taine and unlimited? Where is to be found a seventh day unli∣mited, wherein God did rest? Moreover; Gods blessing and sancti∣fication can it have an indefinite and uncertaine object; so that God in particular sanctified nothing? Againe, can it be a conveni∣ent reason, having any likelihood, that God having rested on a cer∣taine seventh day, and having considered in it all his workes which hee had finished, after hee had made them in the sixe daies before, which was the cause that hee loved and esteemed particularly that day, hath in that respect sanctified one of seven daies indefinitely, which by that meanes might have beene one of those wherein hee wrought, and not the same seventh wherein he rested? If that were true, it should follow that the Israelites did not observe the last day of the weeke, by obligation of the fourth Commandement tying them thereunto, but onely in generall one of the seven daies of the weeke, and that by some other particular Law they were taught to observe the last of seven, although all the rest of Gods Ordinances, which are to be found concerning the Sabbath, say no more then doth the fourth Commandement, and are relative unto it. Where∣as it is most sure, that the Iewes in all times have professed, and doe still make profession, that they keepe the last day of the weeke by expresse obligation of the fourth Commandement, which, accor∣ding to this saying they did never understand. All these are as many palpable absurdities. And therefore it is most certaine, that the fourth Commandement ordaineth expresly and formally the obser∣vation of a particular seventh day, to wit, of the last of seven, and not of another.

25 Neverthelesse, it may be said in some sort, that any day what∣soever, which is celebrated to the honour and glory of God, hath its foundation on the fourth Commandement, and that so we now doe

observe our Sunday, and other solemne and extraordinary daies by vertue of that Commandement: Not that it enjoyneth them pro∣perly and directly, but onely indirectly, and by deduction or conse∣quence taken from the foundation, and generall end thereof, which is to enjoyne all men, to serve God publikely, and to consecrate for that purpose, some solemne times, which in this respect, whatso∣ever they be, may be all referred unto it, not as being commanded in their particular kinde, but onely in their genus, which is covertly and fundamentally contained in it, and therewith determined ex∣presly to one kinde only, to wit, to the seventh day, and to the last of seven, not for ever, but during the time of the old Testament only. Wherefore to say that the fourth Commandement obligeth onely, and in expresse termes to a seventh day unstinted, and not to this particular seventh, which is here the point in question, is a thing altogether unreasonable, as is evident by that hath beene said.

26 It is also a thing farre removed from all reason to say, that veri∣ly the observation of a certaine day of seven, to wit, the last, was a thing ceremoniall and positive, and that this is the day which the Gospel hath abrogated, but to observe alwaies one day of seven, is morall, and that this is ratified and confirmed by the Gospell. For the determination and particular observation of any day whatsoe∣ver amongst a certaine number, in quality of such a one, cannot be a morall thing. Now to ordaine one of seven to be kept, maketh a determination and particular observation, not forsooth, so particu∣lar, as when one of seven: as for example, the last is by name deter∣mined and appointed, yet so farre particular, that none can devise, farre lesse tell reasonably, wherefore there should be a morality to ordaine and observe a seventh day regularly, rather then to ordaine and observe the last of seven; wherefore the Gospell should con∣firme that more then this, abrogate this more then that: wherefore finally, there is lesser inconvenience to avouch, that the fourth Commandement is ceremoniall and positive, in as much as it ordai∣neth a particular seventh day, to wit, the last, (whereof some of those against whom I dispute, are constrained to acknowledge the establishment in the fourth Commandement, but as of a ceremony) as to say, that it is also ceremoniall and positive in as much as it or∣daineth one day of seven, which is the point I stand unto.

27 Verily there is farre more reason to say, that the fourth Com∣mandement ordaineth, as a morall thing, the publike service of God, and consequently that there be for that purpose a stinted day, ordi∣nary, common, and so frequent in its revolution, that it may be suf∣ficient for the practise and exercise of that service, for the continu∣all edification of the Church. For nature teacheth, that it is fit that the publike service of God be frequently practised, which hath as great force under the Gospell, as under the Law, but that the said Commandement obligeth precisely to a seventh day, and to that se∣venth day wherein God rested from all his workes, it is an ordi∣nance of ceremony and of order, which was for the Iewes only, and hath beene disanulled by the Gospell.

28 For since the Gospell came, it is a thing in its selfe indifferent to observe, not forsooth one day of any number how great so ever it be, as of thirty, sixtie, of an hundred, or of a yeare, which as all the world may see, should not be sufficient to serve God publikely by his people, and should bewray in such a people a great negligence and want of affection to Gods service, but one of foure, of five, of sixe, or in summe, of such a number wherein that day may returne frequently, and suffice for the intertainement of Religion and god∣linesse. And it may perhaps be gathered out of the fourth Com∣mandement that one day in seven is very sutable and fitt, and that we should not under the Gospell dedicate lesse to God, for seeing GOD ordained to the Iewes (other wayes burthened with many o∣ther ceremonies and holy dayes) one of seven, it is an argument probable enough that Christians ought to consecrate to him, at least as much if not more of their time, which neverthelesse God left to the liberty of the Church to ordaine with wisedome and consci∣ence as hath beene already said. And so although the ceremoniall order prescribed in the fourth Commandement concerning the day of rest, obligeth not precisely and directly the Christian Church, she may notwithstanding inferre from thence good instructions, whereby she may be directed in things concerning a convenient time for Gods publike service, as she maketh a good use for her di∣rection of many other ceremonies of the Law. Wherefore if there were any man who would rashly maintaine, that it sufficeth under the New Testament to observe one day of twenty, or of an hundred, he should be sufficiently refuted by the foresaid reason, be∣sides

the practise of the Christian Church, which hath judged it fit to observe one of seven dayes, which practise no man shall gaine∣say, but he shall forthwith bewray himselfe to be new-fangled, fan∣tasticall, and selfe-willed.

28 Of all that hath beene said it is evident, that the inconveni∣ences alleadged in the argument, are not to be feared. For I have already shewed, that it is no inconvenience to say, that of tenne Commandements contained in the Decalogue, there are but nine morall which oblige us now, and that the Law which is called mo∣rall belongeth not unto us in all that it containeth. Yet in some sort all the tenne may be defended to be morall, because the fourth Commandement is morall as well as the rest in its foundation and principall end, although the thing expressed in it be a particular de∣termination, ceremoniall, and positive. Whence profane fellowes cannot with any colour of reason inferre, that the substance of the other Commandements is not morall nor obligatory to Christians. For whatsoever is in them (saving the promise annexed to the fifth Commandement, which belongeth not to the substance thereof) sheweth of it selfe, that it is morall, because it hath its foundation in the Law of nature written in the hearts of all men, and is found so frequently, that no thing is more frequently, ratified and confir∣med by the Scripture of the New Testament, which is the rule of Christianity, and therefore obligeth all Christians untill the worlds end, which can not be so said of the fourth Commandement, in the expression that it maketh of a seventh day, for a day of rest: For fitly that is not of the Law of Nature, and is not prescribed by the Gospell, it cannot oblige Christians as a morall Law.

29 By the same meanes is taken from the Roman Church the pre∣tence, which some think this doctrin furnisheth unto them, that the second Commandement, whereof we make so great use against their Idolatry, is not morall nor perpetuall, but was particular to the Iewes, even as, according to our confession, was the fourth Com∣mandement. For all that the second Commandement aimeth at, is contained and expressed most clearely in the words thereof, which is to forbid to represent and worship God by Images, to make Ima∣ges to bowe downe to them, and to serve them religiously, and all that is essentially morall and perpetuall, grounded on the Law of nature, which of it selfe teacheth and sheweth, that it is a thing most

absurd and unworthy of God, who is a Spirit Infinite, Almighty, Eternall, Immortall, Inuisible, and the only Wise GOD, to repre∣sent and serve him by mortall Images; As also a thing unworthy of man to worship the worke of his owne hands, as the Paynims themselve have acknowledged and written.

30 Witnesses hereof are the most ancient Romanes, who know∣ing by the Law of Nature, that GOD is a Spirit, judged by the same light, that hee ought not to be figured nor served by Images. And therefore they had no Images at all during the space of more then an hundred threescore and ten yeeres. And Uarro a Romane, and a Pagan, saith, that if that had continued so, the Gods had beene served more purely, adding, that the first which framed Images to the Gods, abolished the feare due unto them, and were the cause of many errors; as wee reade in S. Augustine, in the fourth booke and 35. Chapter of the City of God.

The Prophets also, in many places of the old Testament, re∣buke the Nations which were strangers from the Covenant of God, for their Images and Statues, as being guilty of a most hainous sin, in making and worshiping them, against a Law which pertained to them, and which they were bound to know. These their repre∣hensions they confirme by naturall reasons, as may be seen, Exod. 23. vers. 24. Exod. 34. vers. 13. Deut. 7. vers. 5. 25. Deut. 12. v. 3. Deut. 29. vers. 17. Psal. 97. vers. 7. Psal. 115. vers. 4, 5, 6. 7, 8. Psal. 131. vers. 15. 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. Esay 44. vers. 9. 10. 18. 19. Ierem. 10. vers. 3. &c, Ierem. 8. vers. 19. Ier. 51. vers. 17, 18, 19, 47. Habac. 2. vers. 18, 19, 20.

The Apostles have likewise done the same in the new Testa∣ment, and namely S. Paul, who in the 17. Chapter of the Acts proved and made it knowne to the Athenians; And in the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, condemned the Romans for transgressing the Law of Nature, darkening the light thereof, and smothering the secret and inward sting of their consciences, by changing the glory of the incorruptible God, into the Image of a corruptible man, and of other living creatures. S. Iohn in his first Epistle, and in the fifth Chapter and last verse thereof, exhorteth the faithfull to keepe themselves from Idolls: And in the ninth Chapter of the Revelation, the crossnesse of false Christians is noted verse 20. by this, that notwithstanding so many plagues, wherewith

GOD had visited them, they repented not of the workes of their hands, that they should not worship Idols of gold, and silver, and brasse, and stone, and of wood, which neither can see, nor heare, nor walke. Therefore seeing the whole matter of the second Comman∣dement is morall, grounded upon the Law of nature, and establi∣shed, not only by the Old, but also by the New Testament, the Com∣mandement is also morall.

32 For whereas some would referre and reduce to the second Commandement, the whole externall service of the Iewes, as con∣tained, in some sort, therein, to inferre from thence, that if the fourth Commandement be in part ceremoniall, because unto it are referred all the Sabbaths of the Iewes, all their holy dayes, and New Moones, the second may likewise be called ceremoniall in part, for the same reason. To that I answer, that a reduction and reference of the externall and ceremoniall service of the Iewes may, in some respect, be made to all the Commandements of the first Table: As indeed some ceremoniall ordinances are in certain respects referred to each of them by some interpreters: And may be all in this man∣ner referred to the second Commandement, which being negative, GOD under the prohibition to make any kinde of Images for reli∣gious worship, compriseth all will-worship. And sith in all nega∣tive commandements the affirmative opposed unto them are com∣prehended, he commandeth on the contrary, that he be served ac∣cording to his ordinance and Commandement. Now sith at that time the manner of his service consisted in the observation of holy dayes, and diverse ceremonies prescribed by him in the Law of Mo∣ses, it may be said, that in it he commanded them all: But indi∣rectly, and a farre of: Which cannot make the second Comman∣dement to be ceremoniall, because the ceremoniall and outward ser∣vice appertaineth not Directly and properly to the substance there∣of, and is not expressed therein. But whatsoever is expressed in it, is of it selfe morall: Whereas in the fourth Commandement the foresaid feasts and ceremonies are directly and neerly comprised. For in it God ordaineth a principall holy day, and under it compre∣hendeth all others: All that is expressed in it is ceremoniall: And the ceremoniall service of the Iewes maketh an essentiall part of the sanctification of the Sabbath injoyned in it. So this comman∣dement is not ceremoniall indirectly, and in regard only that unto

it may be referred and appropriated, by a remote and farre fetched reduction, the feasts, New Moones, and Iewish Sabbaths, but it is such directly and properly in it selfe, even in the neerest substance and matter which it propoundeth. So the foresaid exceptions a∣gainst it should be absurd and impertinently inferred upon our say∣ing concerning the fourth Commandement, because these two Commandements stand not in equall tearmes.

33 If any Papists should make such an inference, Bellarmine him∣selfe will lend us his helping hand to refute it. For in the seventh Chapter of his second booke of Relikes and Images, he acknow∣ledgeth and affirmeth, that saving the Commandement of the Sabbath, all the rest are explications of the Law of nature, and are naturall precepts, which all Christians are bound to observe.

34 This being so, the Roman Church cannot cleanse her selfe of a great crime, for cutting off from the Decalogue, in all her service bookes the second Commandement, and for not propounding it or∣dinarily to the people, for that it fighteth against her idolatry. And, in my judgement, it should be also an hainous fault, although not in the same manner and respect, to nip away from the Decalogue the fourth Commandement, or to make no mention of it in the Church For though it be not morall, and obligeth not Christians under the New Testament in the particulars which it expresseth, yet sith it is morall in the foundation whereupon it is built, and in the generall end that it aimeth at, as hath beene said before, and sith God would insert it in the abridgement of his Law which he gave of old to the people of Israel, it should be foole-hardinesse to pull it away, and to remove it out of the roome where God hath placed it. Even as, although that which is said in the preface of the Law, concerning the deliverance of the people out of the land of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage; and in the fifth Commandement, of the pro∣longation of dayes in the land of Cannaan, is not addressed to us directly, in that which these termes doe expresse, yet it should be ill done, to cut these clauses quite off, or to make no mention of them, when we learne, write, rehearse, or teach the Decalogue. We must keepe religiously, and mention whatsoever God hath beene pleased to put in it: But we must also understand every thing conveniently, appropriating to us whatsoever belongeth to us as well as to the Iewes, and to the Iewes only, that which was proper to them:

And such was the ordinance of the seventh day.

35 Which day if it be not acknowledged to be ceremoniall, and therefore Subject to be abrogated by IESUS CHRIST, and comprised among the points of the Law which the Gospell decla∣red to be annulled, place should be given to an inconvenience that will follow thereupon farre better, then the former which is in∣ferred upon the opinion that the fourth Commandement is cere∣moniall, for so the bridle should be loosed to the immoderate, tran∣scendent and irregular authority which Papists challenge to the Church, to have power to change and alter the things which God himselfe hath established. For it is evident, that God by the fourth Commandement hath established the seventh and last day of the week to be a day of rest, and it is agreed upon, as most true, that under the Gospel that seventh day hath been changed into another, neither can it be sufficiently and clearely proved, that Iesus Christ, or his Apostles, have made that innovation, as shall be seene hereafter: whence they doe inferre, that the Church having done it of her selfe, without commandement, she may change the things established and ordained of God in the morall Law. Whereunto it is impossible to give a pertinent answer, but by saying, as it is most true, that the prescription of the seventh day of Sabbath, although it be among the Commandements of the morall Law, is not morall for that but pertaineth to the government of the Iewes, and is to be numbred with these things which were but for a time, to wit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, untill the time of reformation, as the Apostle speaketh, Hebr. 9. vers. 10. of these shadowes of things to come, whereof the body was in Christ, as they are named, Col. 2. vers. 16, 17. where amongst other shadowes the Sabbaths are specified. That therefore the Church in not keeping any more the Sabbath prescribed by the fourth Commandement, but another, hath not usurped any autho∣rity upon the things established of God, but hath followed the order of God, who had not established that day, but for a certaine time, to wit, untill the comming of the Messias, by whose death the cere∣monies were to be abolished, and consequently the Sabbath day was to expire and give up the Ghost.

CHAPTER Seventh.

Answer to the particular reasons taken from the words of the fourth Commandement.

1. First Objection, The Sabbath was long before the Law, because God commanded to remember it, and remembrance is of things past.

2. Three answers to this Objection.

3. Second Objection, from the first reason of the keeping of the Sab∣bath, sixe daies shalt thou labour, &c. which is a reason of equity, binding Christians as well as Iewes.

4. Answer to this Objection, shewing what is morall and obliga∣tory in this reason, what not.

5. Third Objection; If the labour of sixe daies be not ceremoniall, the rest on the seventh day likewise is not ceremoniall, refuted by three answers.

6. Fourth Objection from the second reason in the words, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, it is Gods day, therefore it is sacriledge to rob him of it.

7. Two answers to this Objection.

8. Fifth Objection from the third reason in the words, In it thou shalt not doe any worke, &c. where a great regard is had unto servants, beasts, strangers, whereunto Christians are also obliged.

9. Answer shewing what in this reason is morall, what belonging to order onely.

10. Sixth Objection from the words; For in sixe daies the Lord made heaven and earth, and rested the seventh day, shewing, that God after his example will have all men to keepe the seventh day till the end of the world.

11. First answer, denying that God ordained the seventh day for a memoriall of the creation.

12. Second answer, although things past should be kept in perpetuall

remembrance, their memorialls ordained in the old Testament are not perpetuall.

13. Third answer to the instance taken from Gods example shewing in which attributes God is to be imitated, in which not.

14. As also in which of his actions, in which not, we are to follow his example.

15. This answer is applyed to the seventh day, shewing that it hath not inherent in it any essentiall righteousnesse why God did rest in it, but as many other actions, hath no other foundation but Gods free-will.

16. Whereby hee ordained the observation of that day to the Iewes, and not to Christians.

17. Who in the observation of their holy day, follow not Gods exam∣ple, as they should, if it had any morality in it.

18. Instance, the seventh day was changed into the first day of the weeke, in remembrance of our redemption by Christ, which is a greater worke then the creation.

19. First answer, hence it followeth, that the observation of one of seven daies is not morall.

20. Second answer, shewing divers absurdities following the opini∣on of the morality of one of seven daies, and of the substitution of the first of seven to the last by Christ himselfe.

21. Their reply, that when Christ made the first alteration of the Sabbath, the Disciples observed the Sabbath of the last and of the first day of the weeke consecutively, is but an imagination.

22. Christs resurrection was of as great force to change the generall order of the observation of one of seven daies, as of the last day of the weeke, nay, to ordaine each fourth day of the weeke for Gods service, as well as the first.

23. The day of Christs resurrection is no more obligatory, then the day of his nativity, of his death, or of his ascention, and is a meer institution of the Church.

24. Seventh Objection from the last words of the Commandement; And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, whence they gather, that the keeping of the seventh day is a meanes of all kinde of blessings, whereof Christians have as great need at Iewes, &c.

25. First answer, Christians have as great need of Gods blessing as had the Iewes, but not by the same meanes.

26. Second answer, the Sabbath was not a meanes of blessing to the Iewes, by any inherent and naturall quality, but by reason of the exercises of godlinesse practised in it, and so the exercises of our Christian religion bring a blessing upon us whensoever they are practised.

27. It is a fond assertion, that if God hath not appointed to Christi∣ans a particular day for his service, as he did to the Iewes, our condition shall be worse then theirs.

28. All the particularities of the fourth Commandement may be applyed to Christians, as well as to Iewes.

29. As the reasons of the institution of their holy-daies.

30. Which neverthelesse we are not bound to keepe.

31. Item, the remembrance of the creation, &c.

32. The necessity of a new day for Gods service inferreth not a di∣vine institution.

1 BEsides the generall argument which is taken from the nature of the fourth Commandement, and hath beene refuted in the former Chapter, others more particular are taken from the termes and words of the said Commandement; and first they urge vehemently these first words thereof, Remember the Sabbath day, from whence, as they pretend, it may be inferred, that seeing the remembring of a thing denoteth that it was knowne before; God, when he commanded the Israelites to remember the Sabbath day, supposeth that it was not a new ordinance which he gave unto them then, but an ancient one, yet, which undoubtedly they had for∣gotten, and whereof it was necessary they should be put in remem∣brance, and the observation urged for the time to come.

2 It is said also, that the sanctification of the Sabbath day which God enjoyneth, saying, Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy, cannot be called a ceremony, but this instance is very feeble. For first, although it should prove that the institution of the Sabbath day, which is here debated, did preceed the Law from the begin∣ning, it cannot for all that inforce the morality thereof. Nay, much otherwise, some doe thinke, that God in the beginning and entrance of the Commandement used the word Remember, because it not

being naturall and morall, as the rest are, the Iewes might have more easily forgotten it.

Secondly, it doth no manner of way prove the antiquity of this ordinance. For when he that commandeth any thing, saith to him to whom he giveth instructions, Remember what I say and com∣mand thee, such a speech implyeth not alwaies that an injunction is given him of a thing he knew before, which is againe recorded unto him, that he may call it to minde; Nay, most often, his intention is only to advise him to consider exactly, to meditate carefully, and to accomplish faithfully in time to come, that which at that time is in∣joyned him. For this terme, Remember, when commandements are given, is not alwaies relative to the time past, but sometimes hath regard onely to the time to come, which joyning and continuing for some daies or yeeres successively, the time wherein they were given is past, and so men have need to call them to minde, as a thing past. So God instituted the Passeover for a memoriall of the deliverance of the first borne of his people from the destroyer, when the first borne of the Egyptians were slaine, although it happened after the said institution, Exod. 12. vers. 14. 27. 29. So Moses said unto them, Remember this day in which yee came out from Egypt, Exod. 13, vers. 3. willing them in time to come to call to minde that where∣of they had the first knowledge and experience, and not before, but at that instant. So Christ instituted to his Disciples the Sacrament of the Eucharist, saying, This doe yee in remembrance of me, that is, of my death, 1 Cor. 11. vers. 24. 25, 26. although hee was at table with them, and was not put to death, till the next day after. So this speech, Remember the Sabbath day, must be taken relatively to the time to come, as if God had said; Take heed that afterwards yee keepe in minde the ordinance which I give you at this in∣stant, that you may observe it carefully; and in the 12. verse of the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomy, in liev of Remember, it is written, Keepe the Sabbath day, or, Take heed to the Sabbath day to sancti∣fie it. Hee that commandeth another to doe any thing of moment, in a time future, ordinary, and regulate, may very well speake un∣to him in these termes, Remember such a thing, and the time that thou art to doe it in, before it come, to the end, that when it shall come, thou mayest be prepared to doe it, and mayest doe it accor∣dingly, which is all that God intended to say to the Iewes in his

Commandement touching the Sabbath, to wit, that before that day should fall out, they should remember it in the precedent dayes, and dispose themselves in time to sanctifie it.

Thirdly, although it should be taken as relative to the time past, it is needlesse to extend it to a long time before, and namely to the beginning of the world, but only to some few dayes foregoing, when GOD, through the occasion of the Manna, spake unto them of the Sabbath day, forbidding them to goe out of their place on that day, to gather of it, because they should find none, and com∣manding them to rest, and to abide every man in his place: which day, when afterwards he gave the Law, he commanded them more particularly and expressely to remember, because they heard menti∣on made of it a short while before, and to beware of profaning it, as they had done already, Exod. 16. verse 28, 29. And question∣lesse, to that which he said unto them concerning the Sabbath in the sixteenth Chapter of Exodus, are to be referred these words which in the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomie are added to the fourth Com∣mandement, Keepe the Sabbath day to sanctifie it, as the Lord hath commanded thee. As for the Sanctification of the Sabbath day which God ordaineth, and of which it is said that it cannot be called a ce∣remony, I answer, that indeed to speake universally and absolutely, it cannot be so called: For the Sabbath day was and ought to be sanctified by morall duties: But in as much as it was tyed to the se∣venth day, and was practised by sacrifices, offerings, and other ser∣vices of the like kind, and by an exact resting from all worldly tra∣vels, such as GOD ordaineth in the fourth Commandement, it is ceremoniall.

3 Secondly, they stand much upon the words following, Sixe dayes shalt thou labour, and doe all thy worke, but the seventh day, &c. Where, as they say, there is a reason of the observation of the seventh day of Sabbath, which hath its foundation in equity and ju∣stice. For if God giveth to men sixe dayes for their owne affaires, and for the workes of their worldly calling, is it not more than just, that they consecrate a seventh day to his service? And is it not as just for Christians, as for Iewes? And therefore, say they, Christi∣ans, sith they take sixe dayes for their workes, are as much obliged as the Iewes to observe a seventh day of Sabbath to God. They adde also, that as the labour of sixe dayes which is mentioned in this

reason, and whence it is taken, is not a ceremoniall thing, no more should the rest of the seventh day be ceremoniall.

4 I answer, that in the foresaid reason there is a manifest justice and equity, which continueth for ever. But that justice is general∣ly in this, that, if a man hath many dayes for himselfe and for his owne workes, it is reasonable hee consecrate one amongst many for Gods service. Yea, there should be a great deale more justice, to imploy, if it were possible, a greater number of dayes upon Gods service, then upon our own businesse, Nay, to bestow them all. Also in consequence of this justice and equity, we have said before, that under the New Testament, in whose time the Christians are farre more beholden to God, then the Iewes were, sith God hath dischar∣ged them of many burdens of outward ceremonies, which did lay heavy upon that people, and hath called them to bee in some sort a people more franke and more affectionate to his service, all the dayes of the weeke, as much as possibly can be, should be Holy dayes unto the LORD. And because they cannot possibly meet together eve∣ry day to serve in common, which neverthelesse he looks for as well as for a particular service, they must stint some ordinary day for that end, and in this stinting must not shew themselves inferiors to the Iewes, appointing lesse than one day among seven to Gods service. This is all that can be gathered from the foresaid reason, as it is ob∣ligatory for ever. For to dedicate to God precisely a seventh day, after we have bestowed sixe dayes upon our selves, it cannot be de∣nyed but that it is most just, yet it is not more just nor better propor∣tioned, nor more obligatory, of it selfe and in its own nature, speci∣ally to Christians, nay not so much, as to consecrate to God one of sixe, or of five, or of foure. For the moe we hallow to God, the more doe we that which is just, equitable, and well ordered, and the more doe wee performe our duty that wee are naturally bound unto towards him. If then God ordained in times past under the Law, that the day which he would have his people to dedicate un∣to him, should be particularly one of seven, it was not for any na∣turall justice which was more in that number, or for any pro∣portion which in it selfe was more convenient in that behalfe, then the appointment of any other number, but because it was his good pleasure to direct and rule for that season the time of his ser∣vice, and to impose no more than one day of seven upon a people

loaden already with many ceremonies. And therefore no particu∣lar justice being tied to this number of seven, more than to any o∣ther, this reason contained in the foresaid words of the fourth Com∣mandement, cannot be morall, nor consequently perpetuall, but on∣ly positive and for a short continuance, in that it commandeth to worke sixe dayes, and to rest the seventh day. It is morall only in the foundation and substance thereof, which is this, that if God giveth us liberty to bestow a number of dayes upon our owne af∣faires, it is reasonable, that there be one day appointed wherein we ought to serve him: We I say, that are Christians, and that as fre∣quently, nay much more than the Iewes did, which we accord wil∣lingly to be perpetuall: But with this restriction, that under the New Testament the choice of one day, amongst a number of other dayes, is not stinted of God, and that he bindeth us no more to one of seven, then to one of sixe, or of five.

3 Whereas they adde that as the labour of sixe dayes is not a thing ceremoniall, so neither should the rest on the seventh day be placed in that ranke. I answer, first, inferring from thence a contrary argu∣ment, that as to take paines in the workes of our temporall callings, considering the condition of this present life, is a thing just and ne∣cessary, and may be called moral, but to work of seven dayes six, hath not in it any speciall necessity, even so it is necessary, just, and morall to dedicate some time to Gods publike service, but that such a time should be precisely one of seven dayes, is by no meanes morall.

Secondly, that w^ch I say to be ceremonial in the 4. Cōmandement, is the Commandement it selfe, to wit, that which God expressely and purposely injoyneth to be kept, as belonging to his outward and publike service. Now he commandeth not any thing in it precisely, saving the observation and sanctification of the day of rest, by refrai∣ning from all temporall callings. And whereas it is said, Sixe dayes shalt thou labour, as that maketh no part of Gods service, no more doth it make a part of the Commandement (although God thereby warneth men, that they ought not to passe their dayes in idlenesse, but should apply themselves every day to the labour of an honest calling,) but is a permission put only by concession, and relatively to the Commandement in this sence: Thou art permitted to work six dayes, but on the 7^th. day thou shalt abstaine from all kind of work. Therefore it followeth not, that if these words put occasionally in

the Commandement doe not impart any ceremony, the Comman∣dement it selfe is not ceremoniall.

Thirdly, the Scripture in the labour of sixe dayes establisheth not unto us any ceremonie, as it doth in the rest of the seventh day, which it maketh as expressely as can be, a type of the heavenly rest, as we have cleerely seene before. And yet in relation to the heaven∣ly rest, figured by the rest of the seventh day, I may say, that the painefull labour of sixe dayes before the Sabbath, was a type and fi∣gure of these troubles and afflictions wherewith the faithfull are tossed to and fro during the ages of this life, before they come to the rest of the kingdome of heaven, and that so this labour also was ceremoniall.

6 They take their third argument from these words, The seventh day is the rest of the LORD thy God, that is, it is the day which God hath not only created and made, as the other dayes, but also hath put a part, to the end that it be applyed to his service. Whence it is often called, The day holy to the Lord, the rest of God, or Gods Sabbath, &c. Of this they inferre, seeing it is not lawfull to steale from God that which pertaineth unto him, nor to commit sacri∣ledge, by devouring that which is holy, Pro. 20. ver. 25. we must, if we will not incurre this crime, consecrate alwayes to God one of seven dayes.

7 But I answer first, that if this argument be of any value it shall prove, that it is the last of seven which all are bound to keepe al∣wayes, as the rest of God. For it is this particular seventh day which is understood in the words before alleadged, and which also was the Sabbath holy to the Lord.

Secondly, I say, that these words serve not at all to prove the morality and perpetuity of the Seventh day. In them it is truly said, that the seventh day is the Lords rest, to wit, because at that time he ordained it to the Iewes, to be observed by them in their ge∣nerations, and if the Iewes had not observed, but applyed it to their owne affaires, undoubtedly they had beene guilty of sacriledge; but doth it follow, that, because it is called the Lords Rest, in re∣gard of the ordinance whereby he injoyned the Iewes to keepe it, we also are obliged under the New Testament to sanctifie it? Doth he not also in the Old Testament, when he speaketh of the Leviti∣call, sacrifices, and offerings, &c. call them most frequently His

sacrifices, His offerings, and all the other Sabbaths of the Iewes, His Sabbaths, as well as the Sabbath of the seventh day? In a word, doth hee not claime all other things which hee comman∣ded to the Iewes concerning his service, as his owne? Shall we then conclude by the same reason, that seeing it is not lawfull to touch holy things, and God did claime all these things as belon∣ging unto him, we must yet dedicate and consecrate them unto him under the New Testament? Who seeth not the absurdity of this consequence, and by the same meanes of the consequence which is inferred of these words, The seventh day is Gods Rest? For as these things, which I have mentioned, did belong to God, but did oblige the Iewes only to observe them, it fareth even so with the Sabbath.

8 In the fourth place they urge also these words, In it thou shalt not doe any worke, thou, nor thy Sonne, nor thy Daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maide-servant, nor thine Oxe, nor thy Asse, nor any of thy Cattell, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: Where they observe, that God hath respect to the easing of servants and of cattell, to the intent, that when they have beene kept sixe dayes at worke, a seventh of relaxation be given them to rest, and as it were, to breath a little, and specially that the servants as well as their masters, may set themselves about Gods service, to learne and practise it. For which cause in the fifth Chapter of Deuteronomie this particularitie is added at the end of the 4^th. Commandement, That thy man-servant, and thy maide-servant may Rest as well as thou. The same is likewise to be found, Exodus 23. verse 12. All this is of perpetuall justice and equity. For God under the New Testament hath not stript and cast away the bowels of compassion, and forsaken the care of servants, and poore beasts. They take also in consideration, that the stranger is by name and specially obliged to keepe the Sabbath day, by refraining from all kinde of worke, from whence they inferre, that it was not a Iewish ceremony, but a mo∣rall point, because nothing is universall, binding strangers as well as Iewes, saving that which is morall, whereas the ceremonies were only for the Iewes, and as it were a middle wall of separation be∣tween them and all strangers, Eph. 2. ver. 14. And therefore, see∣ing the strangers which were Gentiles, were by Gods command bound to keepe the Sabbath day, as well as the Iewes, and when

they were in the Land of Canaan, were constrained unto it by the Magistrates, as may be seene in the 13. Chapter of Nehem. vers. 28. it followeth, that the observation of the seventh day of Sabbath is a morall point, and not simply ceremoniall.

9 I answer, that to give refreshment to servants and poore beasts after they have beene wearied with labour, and to be carefull that servants learne to serve God, and apply them to so holy a duty, as well as their Masters, is a thing naturally just and equitable, and that the words of the fourth Commandement, as farre as they have respect to that duty, doe denote a perpetuall morality, and therefore Christians ought to give a time of relaxation and rest from labour to their servants and beasts, instruct their servants in the feare of God, and be carefull that they serve him, both in their par∣ticular devotions at home, and publike abroad with the rest of the faithfull, in such times and places that are appointed for that service by the order of the Church, which if they doe not, they sin. But to set apart for the rest and easing of servants, and their imploy∣ment in Gods service one of seven daies, rather then one of another number, and to rest precisely on the seventh day, according to the words of the Commandement, The seventh day is the rest: In it thou shalt not doe any worke, that I say againe and againe, is a thing simply belonging to order and Church-governement, and bindeth not necessarily for ever.

As for the instance taken from the words whereby strangers are bound to keeke the Sabbath day, it is altogether vaine and frivolous. For there mention is made onely of strangers that were within the gates of the Iewes, that is, dwelling and sojourning among them. These strangers were either Proselytes converted to the religion of the Iewes, which were in effect obliged by religion to the observati∣on of the Sabbath, just as the Iewes themselves, because they were of the same religion that the Iewes were of, and by their conversion were become Iewes: Or they were strangers, Pagans and Infidels, sojourning in Iudea for divers temporall occasions, such as were those of whom mention is made in Nehem. Chap. 13. These indeed were constrained by the Magistrate to keepe, or rather not to violate the Sabbath publikely, as those were of whom mention is made in the foresaid Chapter of Nehemiah, not for their owne sake, but on∣ly in consideration of the Iewes, lest they should offend them, and

give them occasion to breake the Sabbath after their example. For the observation of the Sabbath did no more oblige them naturally, then the other observation of the Iewish religion. lust as in all poli∣tick regiment, which is well ordered, it is usuall to hinder those that are strangers to the religion professed in it, from giving any distur∣bance to the exercises of devotion, & namely in the solemnities and holy daies. To urge this point, is it not true, that among the Iewes, strangers were obliged to keep all other Sabbaths, new Moons, holy daies, solemnities after the same manner that they were constrained to keepe the Sabhath, that is, not to violate them publikely and with offence? Were they not forbidden as well as the Iewes to eate lea∣vened bread, during the seven daies of the Passeover, Exodus 12. verse 19. as also to eate blood, Levit. 17, vers. 10. 12, 13. Will any man upon this inferre, that the ordinances of all these Sabbaths, new Moones, Feasts, unleavened bread, abstinence from eating blood, were not ceremonies, but morall ordinances obliging for ever all men, and consequently all Christians under the new Testament? Sure this must be concluded by the same reasoning, the vanity whereof is by this sufficiently demonstrated and discredited.

10 Fifthly, they inforce their opinion with these words; For in sixe daies the LORD maae heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Whence they gather, that sith the creation must be in perpetuall remembrance, and God or∣dained to the Iewes the seventh day for a memoriall therof, and of his rest, all men ought to keepe it continually for the same end, and in that follow his example, which also hee proposeth in the words before mentioned, to the end, that as hee made his workes in sixe daies, and rested the seventh day, so likewise men following his ex∣ample, should give themselves to the workes of their calling, during the sixe daies of the weeke, and rest on the seventh day, that they may apply it to the consideration of the works of God; which they pretend to be no lesse obligatory towards Christians under the new Testament, then towards the Iewes under the old Testament, be∣cause wee cannot follow and imitate a better example then the example of God.

11 To this I answer, first, that it may be denyed that Gods end in the institution of the Sabbath day was, that it should be a memoriall of the creation of all his workes on sixe daies, and of his rest on the

seventh day. That is not said any where, but this onely is specified, that God sanctified the seventh day, because in it he rested from his workes after he had made them in sixe daies. Which sheweth on∣ly the occasion that God tooke to ordaine and establish the Sabbath day, but not the end of the institution thereof, which is declared un∣to us in the foresaid places of Exodus 31. vers. 13. and of Ezech. 20. vers. 12. where it is said, that God ordained it, to be a signe between him and the Israelites, that he was the Lord that did sanctifie them. This end of the said institution, as likewise the motive and occasion thereof, are coupled together in the 16. and 17. verses of the said 31. Chapter of Exodus, in these words; The children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetu∣all covenant: It is a signe betwene me and the children of Israel for ever. Whereof a signe? Certainly, that they may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie them, as it is written in the 13. verse. This is the end of the Institution of the Sabbath, which must be sup∣plyed from thence. After that it followeth: For in sixe daies the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. This is the occasion and motive of the said insti∣tution. There be some that would faine of this For make That, and joine the two members of the 17. verse, as if they were but one, af∣ter this manner; It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for ever, that in sixe daies the Lord made heaven and earth, to in∣ferre from thence, that the Sabbath was ordained expresly, to the end it might be a memoriall of the Creation; but although the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth That, as well as For, yet that in the foresaid verse it should rather signifie For, and that the said verse should have two distinct members, and each of them its owne particular sentence, it appeareth probably, both by the changing of the forme of speech that God useth, speaking of himselfe in the first person in the first member, It is a signe betweene mee and the children of Israel for ever, and in the third person in the second member, For in sixe daies the LORD made heaven and earth, whereas if it had beene the continuance of the same period without distinction, hee should have rather have said, It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel, that I have created in sixe daies, or that I am the Lord, who have created in sixe daies heaven and earth, &c. As also by the Hebrew accent, Athnach, which it put at the end of the first mem∣ber,

and is an accent denoting usually a pause and notable respirati∣on, and a distinction of a compleate sentence.

12 Secondly, to stand longer upon this first answer, although I should yeeld that the seventh day of Sabbath was instituted of God purposely to be a memoriall of the Creation, the argument is never∣thelesse inconsequent. For although things past should be in perpe∣tuall remembrance; It followeth not that the signes and memori∣alls of such things instituted under the old Testament, should be perpetuall: Nay, they ought not to be, if they have beene therewith types and figures relative to the Messias. God made a covenant with Abraham, and promised unto him to be God unto him, and to his seed after him, Gen. 17. vers. 7. which is a perpetuall benefit, and worthy to be remembred, by all his spirituall posterity, till the end of the world: Yet the signe and memoriall that hee gave him at that time, of this covenant, to wit, the Circumcision, was not to be perpetuall, and hath continued onely till the time of the new Testa∣ment. Likewise all the Sacraments under the old Testament have beene signes, and memorialls of perpetuall benefits, to wit, of justi∣fication, sanctification, &c. Notwithstanding they ought not to persist for ever, because they also were types. The same is the condi∣tion of the Sabbath. We may and ought to call to minde under the new Testament the benefit of the Creation, and of Gods rest after it, although we have no particular signe thereof, which by Gods ordinance is a signe of remembrance. In the Kingdome of heaven we shall celebrate eternally the remembrance of our Creation and Redemption without any signes. And I cannot see a cause, why un∣der the new Testament, we should burthen our selves with a signe, which God declareth to have beene ordained by him to the Iewes in their generations, as if without it we could not remember the thing signified unto them by it. Let us content our selves with the graci∣ons signes and memorialls, which Iesus Christ hath instituted and given us, of the worke of our Redemption fulfilled by him, of our justification, of our sanctification, &c. These are Baptisme and the Lords Supper, which being signes of a worke farre more excellent then the Creation, have caused the ancient memoriall of that other worke to cease, which notwithstanding we may and ought to record, having in nature continually many memorialls thereof be∣fore our eyes, to wit, the heavens, the earth, all the creatures,

which advertise us of their Author, and of the beginning of their existance: And in holy Scripture many documents which enter∣taine, and hold us most frequently in the consideration of this worke. Yea, the Sacraments also signifying unto us our Regenerati∣on and new Creation, draw us back consequently to the meditation of our first Creation. And we may in all places and times indiffe∣rently call to minde, and for it glorifie the Lord our God possessour of heauen and earth, although we be not tyed by the Law to any particular day. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be glory for ever, Rom. 11. 36.

13 The example of God, who made in sixe daies heaven and earth, and rested on the seventh day, is of no force to this purpose. For to say, without restriction, that Gods example is of necessity to be al∣waies followed, as being of it selfe and of its nature imitable, or ra∣ther that God in all his works proposeth himselfe as a paterne and president to follow, is a proposition too generall. God may be con∣sidered, either in regard of his attributes, or in regard of his actions. Of his attributes there be some, which wee ought to imitate, and they are in the Scripture laid downe unto us as examples of imitati∣on. Such are his goodnesse, his mercy, his love, his justice, as it is written; Be yee holy, for I am holy, Levit. 19. vers. 2. 1 Pet. 1. vers. 16. Be yee perfect and mercifull as your Father which is in heaven is perfect and mercifull, Matth. 6. vers. 48. Luk. 6. vers. 36. Let us love one another, for love is of God, for God is love, 1 Ioh. 4. verse. 7, 8. If yee know that he is righteous, yee know that every one that doth righteousnesse, is borne of him, 1 Ioh. 2. vers. 29. There be others, which, to speake properly, are not paterns of imitation, neither are we in any sort able to imitate them. Such are his Eter∣nity, the Infinity of his Essence, and Knowledge, his omnipoten∣cy, &c. which also we are nev•••• exhorted to imitate.

14 It is consequently even so of his actions, and of his fashion in working. Of them some flow immediatly from these first attributes of his holinesse, bounty, mercy, love, righteousnesse, &c. and are essentially actions charitable, mercifull, bountifull, righteous, &c. These of their nature, and of themselves are imitable, and that al∣waies. For example, God is bountifull, and doth good unto all, for∣giveth all those that have recourse to his mercy, giveth a convenient and sutable reward unto vertue, and a due punishment to vice, pro∣tecteth

those that are strengthlesse and oppressed, upholdeth those that are infirme and weake, &c. whereof hee hath given triall by divers experiences: From thence wee may conclude truely and soundly, that, by reason of the righteousnesse, holinesse, goodnesse, which are essentially imprinted in these actions, men ought to imi∣tate them in all times, to their power and abilitie, according to the calling wherein they are called, and the rules that he hath in his holy Word prescribed unto them.

There be other actions proceeding from these other attributes or proprieties of God: For example, from his omnipotency, Such as are his miraculous actions; God hath created the world of nothing, hath framed man of the dust of the earth, and doth a thousand more or such great wonders: These actions oblige us not to imitate Gods example in them; also God propoundeth them not unto us as ex∣amples to be followed, for we are not able to imitate them.

Likewise wee are not bound to immitate the actions and pro∣ceedings of God, which are grounded on his Will pure and simple, whereof, although God had the reasons in his owne brest, yet we cannot on our part, alledge any reason taken from an essentiall righ∣teousnesse inherent in them, but onely say for all reason, he hath done as it pleased him: As that he made the walls of Ierico to fall downe by seven blasts of seven trumpets of Rams-hornes, in seven severall daies, Iosh. 6. vers. 3. 4. 20. cured Naaman of his leprosie, sending him to Iordan to wash in it seven times, 2 King. 5. vers. 10. 14, &c.

15 Like in all things is unto this the course which God did observe in the Creation, making all his works in sixe daies, and resting on the seventh day. For no man can tell why he did so, saving onely, because he would; the thing it selfe not having in it any naturall equity, or evident morality. And therefore no kinde of obligation to doe the like can be naturally inferred from thence, I meane to observe sixe daies of worke, and one of rest. All these, and other semblable proceedings of God are not an example, and oblige not any man to imitate them, saving in case God be pleased to com∣mand them to doe so: as hee would, not through any necessity which was in the thing, and whereby he was bound to make such a Commandement, but because such was his good pleasure, com∣mand the Iewes to worke sixe daies, and rest the seventh day, who

also afterwards observed that precept, not through necessity of imi∣tation taken from the thing it selfe, nor that naturally it was empla∣ry unto them, but because it pleased God to command them so to doe: As also in the fourth Commandement this reason, that God in sixe dayes made and finished all his workes, and rested the seventh day, is not alleadged immediately for an example, and a cause of ob∣ligation to the Iewes to doe the like, but as an occasion that GOD tooke, according to his free will, to bind them by that Commande∣ment to this observation, which also in consequence of the said Commandement they practised. For it is said in expresse tearmes, In sixe dayes God made all his workes, and rested the seventh day, Therefore he blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, to wit, to be observed by the Iewes. And it was this blessing and hallowing, notified by Commandement, which obliged the Iewes to the obser∣vation of the seventh day, and not Gods course of proceeding im∣mediately. For undoubtedly this will be advowed, that if God had not declared his will by a Commandement, the Iewes had not thought themselves bound to this observation, and Gods procee∣ding alone had not beene obligatory unto them, nor had the force of a Law among them: Which sheweth, that in it there is no morality, no example binding the conscience necessarily and for ever.

16 This being so, it followeth not, that if God was pleased to give this ordinance to the Iewes by occasion of the order that he ob∣served in the Creation, he would also have it to continue among Christians, seeing it was not grounded in any morall thing, which should have life and vigor for ever, no more than so many other or∣dinances which he had given to that people upon good considerati∣ons, oblige not Christians, because the reasons were not morall And as these ordinances are changed and abolished, without any blame of variablenesse or of turning that God hath incurred on his part, even so that ordinance concerning the Sabbath might and ought to cease likewise. All the morality that can be gathered from Gods ex∣ample, is, that as God after he had made all his workes in the space of some dayes, rested on another day, so we should have some day wherein, leaving off our ordinary occupations, we may busie our selves about Gods service, But not that Gods example obligeth us to the same day of rest which God observed.

17 And indeed, the Christians in the observation of their day of rest doe not any more ground themselves upon Gods example in the Creation. For although they keepe sixe dayes of worke, and a se∣venth of rest, yet it is not the seventh day that God rested in, for they work on that day, and rest on the first day of the weeke, which God began in to make all his workes, and so they change Gods or∣der: Which sheweth, that this example of God is not obligatory of it selfe, and for ever. For if it were, we should be bound to keepe, not only one of seven, but the same seventh which God gave us example to rest in, there being no reason wherefore one and the same example of God should neither be obligatory for ever in one of its parts, to wit, in that hee observed sixe dayes of labour, and a seventh of rest, then in the other, to wit, in that hee im∣ployed the first sixe dayes of the weeke to worke in, and the last to rest in.

18 They get no advantage to say, that under the New Testament the alteration of the Sabbath day hath beene made from the last day of the weeke to the first, because IESUS CHRIST rising on this day rested from the worke of our redemption, which is greater and more excellent than the worke of Creation, seeing that by it, man, who was created in the flat mutable state of nature, and of a na∣turall grace, from which he fell away, and was also to remaine up∣on earth, is put in the supernaturall and immutable state of grace, to be received in heaven, to be admitted to the contemplation of God himselfe, and to live there in a light and purity, farre more per∣fect then that which he had in the first Creation: That also heaven and earth shall be renewed, and established in a state a great deale more beautifull and excellent then the state they were created in; Nay that the Angels themselves have thereby received many and great benefits: In a word, that in vertue of that worke, hath in part beene already made, and one day shall be made compleately a new Creation of all things, as Christ himselfe speaketh, Matth. 19. verse 28. And therefore it deserved well, that the day where∣in Christ, after he had finished it, did rest, should be consecrated by all those that pretend to have part in it, and to whom the benefit thereof is offered, if they reject it not by their owne fault, to be a day of rest under the New Testament, instead of the day which was observed under the Old Testament, in remembrance of Gods

resting from the workes of the Creation.

19 For I grant willingly this to be true: But with all I say, that the altering of the Sabbath day upon the occasion of Christs Re∣surrection, sheweth plainely, that the example of Gods procee∣ding in the Creation, and the observation of one of seven dayes, and of the last of seven founded thereupon under the Old Testa∣ment, was not morall. For if it had beene, no alteration, no chan∣ging could have beene made of that time, neither altogether, nor in part, for any occasion occurring and falling out sithence, because all morall things are perpetuall, have beene confirmed and ratified by Iesus Christ, and have not been casheered by him, nor by his Church. Now it is constant by the practise of all Christian Churches, that a change hath beene made, and in the beginning of that innovation the order of the observation of one of seven dayes was of necessity subject to be changed, and ceased to be obligatory. For when Chri∣stians began, or might have begun to omit the last day of the weeke, and to keepe the first, they might also then have neglected and vio∣lated the foresaid order of dedicating to GOD one day of seven, which neverthelesse is pretended to be morall, sith by the death of Iesus Christ all the Iewish ceremonies, and amongst them the an∣cient day of Sabbath, that is, the precise observation of the seventh, or the last day of the weeke, which is not denyed to have beene ce∣remoniall, being abrogated of right, in the weeke wherein hap∣ned the death of Christ, and on the Friday of that weeke, the Dis∣ciples were not obliged to observe the last day of that weeke, which was Saturday, or the Sabbath of the Iewes immediately follow∣ing, but they might have observed another in the weeke following: which being true, it followeth, that they might have overslipt all the seven dayes of the said weeke, without consecrating any of them to God: And in effect, in whatsoever time the Church be∣gun at first to overpasse the last day of the weeke, of necessity she passed a whole weeke, wherein there was no seventh day of Sab∣bath, which she could not have done lawfully, if to observe one day of seven were a morall point.

20 Furthermore, according to this maxime, which proposeth the necessity of the observation of one day in the weeke, yea, of a whole day, as of a pointmorall, sith none can institute such a day but God alone, this also of necessity must be layd as a fundamentall point of

our Religion, that our Lord Iesus Christ on the same day that he rose from death to life made this alteration of the last day into the first, and gave notice of it to his Disciples, who other wayes could not have acknowledged so soone the necessity of this changing. For if he did it not, seeing they were no more obliged to the Sab∣bath day of the Iewes which was abrogated by his death, they might have beene not only in the weeke wherein Christ died, but also in the weeke following wherein he rose againe, free from all obligation tying them to any Sabbath day, which the aforesaid maxime rejecteth, as unlawfull. Now what certainty or probabi∣lity is there, that Iesus Christ on the first day of his appearing to his Disciples gave them this ordinance? Further, although he had gi∣ven it, sith he appeared not unto them till the evening following the day, in the morning whereof he rose againe, they were, at least all that day preceding his first manifestation unto them, free from all bond tying them to the observation of any particular seventh day, and their obligation to the observation of a certaine day hath begun by the extremity of the day, to wit, at the same time when CHRIST appearing unto them injoyned them to heepe it, which difficulties I see not how those that hold the aforesaid maxime can well resolve.

21 They say, that when the first change was made, the Disciples kept two Sabbaths consecutively, to wit, the last of the weeke, to put an end to the order of the ancient Testament, and thereafter the first day of the weeke immediately following, to begin the new or∣der, which was to remaine for ever under the New Testament, and to keepe alwayes one day of seven.

But this saying is a pure imagination. For who hath told them that the Disciples did keepe that course? Besides, this giveth no sa∣tisfaction to the difficulties afore mentioned. For Iesus Christ being dead, and having by his death abrogated all the ceremonies of the Law, the last day of the weeke, at the same very instant that he gave up the Ghost ceased to be obligatory: And so, although Iesus Christ shewing himselfe to his Disciples on the first day of the weeke that he rose in, had ordained unto them expressely that day, and made them to sanctifie it in quality of a Sabbath day to persist afterwards till the end of the world, neverthelesse sith the day be∣fore, which was the Sabbath, had not obliged them to keep it, and if

they observed it, they did it not through any obligation binding them thereunto, because it was abolished, it followeth manifestly that the obligation to one day of seven was caused in one weeke at least, yea, in more then one, if he ordained not Sunday to be kept as soone as he shewed himselfe unto them after his resurrection: Nay, is casseered in them all, if he gave them no ordinance at all concer∣ning that or any other day, which is more probable, as we shall see more fully hereafter: Howsoever of this ariseth this conclusion, that the order of one of seven daies is not morall, sith it could suf∣fer, once at least, an interruption in the obligation, or binding power which it had.

22 I would againe faine know, sith Christs resurrection might, without inconvenience, cause the changing of the particular day, wherein the Sabbath was before observed, which was the last day of the weeke into another day, which was the first wherein it came to passe, why it might not likewise, without any inconvenience at all, give occasion to change the whole generall order of the observa∣tion of one day of seven, and deliver the Church from all obligation unto it, Sith, as we have already shewed, there is no greater necessi∣ty to observe one day of seven, then the last of seven? Sith also this resurrection of Christ, which was, as it were, his rest from the worke of our Redemption, cannot be said to have happened, as Gods rest from the worke of Creation, after sixe daies of labour, to ratifie thereby the observation of this number, but to reckon since the day wherein Christ began to be in agony in the garden, which was, to speake properly, the beginning of the worke of our Redemption, till the day that he rose out of the grave, which containeth the space of three or foure daies, wherein he suffered, died, was buried, came to passe after three or foure daies only of labour and of paine, where∣by he redemed us, why may it not, with as good reason, be a founda∣tion and powerfull motive, to change one day of seven into one of foure, sith Christ rose on the fourth day after the beginning of his passion, as well as the observation of the last day of the weeke into the first, in consequence of his resurrection on that first day? For there should be as little evill or danger in the one as in the other.

23 But here is the maine point of the matter. For as much as the order which God observed of sixe daies for his labour in the Crea∣tion, and of a seventh day for his rest, carrieth not with it any ne∣cessary

and naturall obligation to imitate it, and was not obligato∣ry under the old Testament, but because it pleased God to command and establish it by his Law, for that time onely, under the new Te∣stament there was no obligation to keepe it, and therefore the ne∣cessity of observing it, as of all other legall ceremonies, having come to an end, and being expired, the last day of seven hath wihout sinne, yea, with good reason been changed into the first that Christ rose in; the Church thinking it fit to do so, whereunto she was not moved by an opinion, that the consideration of Christs rising from the dead on that day was of it selfe obligatory. For why should the day of Christs resurrection of its nature oblige us to observe it, as a day holy and solemne, rather then the day of his nativity, or the day of his death whereby he said All was fulfilled, Ioh. 19. vers. 30. to wit, all that was requisite for the expiation of our sinnes, and redemption of the world, conformably to the ancient prophecies and figures of the Law, or the day of his ascension, which might as well and better be called the day of Christs rest, then the day of his resurrection? Sure the Church might have in any of those daies called to minde and ce∣lebrated the remembrance of the worke of our Redemption as well as in the day of the Resurrection, because all the actions of Christ have respect unto it. Nay, she might have as well changed the or∣der of one of seven into a day of another number, seeing the worke of Redemption was not tyed to the same number of daies was that the worke of Creation. But because there was no necessity in this, she thought it expedient to keepe this order of one day in the weeke observed by the Iewes, amongst whom the weeke had its beginning, and to change onely the particular seventh day of the Iewes into an∣other, to make a distinction between them and that servile people, as also to keepe a memoriall of Christs Resurrection. Of all this it appeareth evidently, that the reason taken from Gods example, as it is alledged out of the fourth Commandement, hath no force to prove that which it is produced for, and to shelter those that make a buckler of it.

24 Finally, they rely much upon these last words of the Comman∣dement; God hath blessd the Sabbath day, and hath sanctified it. Now, say they, if GOD hath ordained this seventh day to be ob∣served, and to be a meanes that procureth his blessing corporall and spirituall, temporall and eternall, upon those that keepe it, as these

words doe insinuate, have we not as great need of these blessings of GOD, as the Iewes? God will he not grant them to us as well as to them? Wherefore then shall we not keepe that which he hath ordained to be a meanes whereby he doth communicate them, or if we keepe them not, how can we promise to our selves, that he will grant them unto us? Which is, as if wee should promise to our selves the grace of God by the usage of the Sacraments which hee hath instituted as meanes thereof, changing the elements which he hath ordained in them. They say also, that if God had not ordained unto us who are Christians a Sabbath day, he had left us in a worse condition then the Iewes.

25 I answer, that verily we have as great need of Gods blessings, as the Iewes had, and that God promiseth them unto us as well as unto them: But it followeth not, that he should impart them unto us by the same outward meanes. God bestowed of old his blessings upon the Iewes, not onely by the observation of the seventh day of Sabbath, but also of their Sabbaths, solemne Feasts, Sacrifices, Offe∣rings, Sprinklings, and other legall ceremonies, and saith often, that he hath sanctified them, and would blesse them to their use. As then it followeth not, that we should keepe these things, and that they should be unto us meanes of Gods blessing: Likewise up∣on God saying, that he had blessed and sanctified the Sabbath day to the Iewes, doth it ensue, that we are still bound to keepe it. In∣deed, if the Iewes, to whom, under the old Testament, God had ex∣presly ordained the observation of the seventh day, to be unto them a meanes of the grant of his blessings, had neglected or rejected that day, and had of their owne fancie chosen another, they had depri∣ved themselves of the blessing of God, by rejecting a meanes of the communication thereof ordained by him. And if it were constant, that to us also God had ordained the seventh day, as it is constant that he hath ordained unto us the use of cercaine elements in the Sacraments, and that the fourth Commandement obligeth us, as it did the Iewes, the same danger were to be feared for us, in case we observed it not, but sith that is not, we have no cause to feare.

26 To come neerer unto them, I say, that the seventh day, in its nature, was not a holy day, nor a meanes of blessing, more then ano∣ther day, but onely in regard of the duties of religion and of godli∣nesse,

whereunto it was particularly destinated, and which were practised in it. Therefore when we shall practice religiously, and ac∣cording to the will of God under the new Testament, the duties of religion and Christian godlinesse, which Iesus Christ hath prescri∣bed unto us in the Gospel; they shall be unto us meanes of blessing, as were unto the Iewes their exercises, and whatsoever day the Church shall appoint ordinarily for that use, seeing Iesus Christ hath left unto her that liberty, and hath not made any particular determinati∣on thereupon, it shall be unto us, by reason of those holy duties, a blessed and holy day, as well as was unto the Iewes their seventh day, which God injoyned them to keepe.

27 It is against all reason to esteeme, that if God hath not ordained unto us a particular day, as he did to the Iewes, our condition shall be worse then theirs. For that is alike as if they should say, that Christians are in a worse condition then the Iewes, because God hath not appointed unto them a particular place whereunto he hath allotted the publike exercise of his service, as he did to the Iewes. It is true, that if Christians did not ordinarily meet together in one place and time, to serve GOD publikely, they should be farre infe∣riour to the Iewes, and should have farre lesse religion and devotion then they had. Whereas it is their great advantage above the Iewes, that God would not stint unto them any place, nor any time of their holy exercises, but would have the choice and setling of the one, and of the other to depend on their liberty, and left that to their zeale and wisedome, even as it is their great prerogative, that he hath made them free from all other legall ceremonies: which testifieth, that he hath loved them more, and would not use them rigidly as little children, or servants, but as children of a ripe age, and as a willing people.

28 So it hath beene shewed, that although the fourth Commande∣ment obligeth us alwaies to appoint an ordinary day for Gods ser∣vice, yet no solid thing can be gathered from the nature and words thereof, to prove the morality of a seventh day of Sabbath, farre lesse of Sunday, and a perpetuall obligation in Gods intention, to the observation thereof under the new Testament. And it is a most im∣pertinent argumentation, that because all the particularities of the fourth Commandement may be applyed unto us, as well as to the Iewes, and that we may now, as they of old, rest on the seventh

and last day of the weeke, as in it God rested, therefore we should doe it. For we may also observe all the holy daies and ceremonies which of old the Iewes observed, and find reasons to apply them un∣to us: For example, as they observed the new Moones, or the first daies of their moneths, to give thankes to God for his continuall government, and favorable intertainment, which his divine pro∣vidence had shewed to them, making, after the last moneth, a new moneth to come, and to pray him to perpetuate the grace towards them, as also that it might be unto them a figure of the future renu∣ing of the Church by the Messias. Also as they observed the feast of Pentecost, for a memoriall, as many doe esteeme, of the Law given on that day, or, which is more certaine, to give thanks to God for the cornes, which by his favour, they had reapt, and whereof they offered unto him two loaves of new and fine flower: Likewise, as they observed the feast of Tabernacles for a remembrance that they had beene pilgrims in the wildernesse, and had sojourned in Tents, during the time of their journey to the Land of Canaan, as also for a thanksgiving to God, for the gathering in of all the fruits of the Land: Even so might we observe all the same feasts, by an application of the reasons of their institution unto us. For God from moneth to moneth continueth his providence towards us, and hath granted us the renuing of the holy Ghost. The Law which he gave in Sina to the people of Israel, appertaineth to us in all the morality thereof, as well as unto them. It is his gift, that we ga∣ther in yeerely the cornes, and other productions of the ground for our nourishment, as they did. We are pilgrims, and strangers in this world, and we aspire to the heavenly Canaan &c. All these things might be capable to afford unto us subject and occasion to celebrate a thankfull and religious remembrance of them on solemne daies answerable to these of the Iewes. For although there were some particular reasons belonging only to the Iewes, and taken from cer∣taine circumstances, for which God ordained these feasts and others unto them, and though there was in them a figure of the good things to come by Iesus Christ, Hebr. 10. vers. 1. in which respects they cannot be observed by us (which also, by the confession of those against whom I dispute, is to be found in the Sabbath day) that is no let, but that the generall reasons, which are to be found in them, may be unto us a ground of observation, and that we may

practise and celebrate, as a memoriall or signe relative to the time past, or present, that which they practised as a figure relative to the time to come. And what they observed in a respect circumstanced after a fashion which was proper to them, that we may observe in another respect somewhat diversified, and fitted to our estate. Even as, although we observe not the Sabbath for some particular reasons, in regard whereof it is avouched that it was appropriated to the Iewes, yet many doe maintaine eagerly, that we ought to keepe it for some other generall reasons. Yea, sith almost all the Iewish ce∣remonies had some morall foundation, reason, or end, which con∣sidered in it selfe regardeth us, as well as them, that might be set abroach as a subject and occasion to observe them under the Gospell.

30 Yet for all that, it followeth not that God obligeth us to such an observation. Yea it should be contrary to the liberty and simpli∣city of the Gospel. Likewise whatsoever generall reasons may be considered, as capable in themselves, to be motives unto us, to ob∣serve the Sabbath, it followeth not that God hath prescribed and determined the observation thereof under the Gospel.

31 All these reasons which were motives to ordaine these ceremo∣nies, were not naturall essentiall, and necessary reasons of their in∣stitution, but depended simply on the will of God, who had the power to make them, and give value and authority to the said rea∣sons by the observation of these ceremonies for a certaine time only, and at another time without ceremonies, or by ceremonies of another kind: As he willeth us to give him thankes under the new Testament, for the continuation of his favourable providence over us, in the ordinary course of daies, of moneths, of the revenues of the earth; for giving us, not only the Law, but also the Gospell of grace, and for preparing for us the heavenly inheritance, after the few and evill daies of the pilgrimages of this life, all which things concerne us, and yet he bindeth us not to celebrate in remembrance of these his blessings, the ancient festivall daies, nor any other. Even so he will have us to celebrate the remembrance of our Crea∣tion, and after we have bestowed daies upon our owne businesses, to appoint also some for his publike service, and to assubject unto it our wives, our children, our servants, and all other persons depen∣ding of us: As likewise to give a sufficient time of rest to our ser∣vants

and beasts, after we have kept them at worke for us; which are the reasons of the fourth Commandement that concerne us also. And yet of them no inference can be made, that God will have us to observe one of seven, or the last of the seven dayes of the weeke, as in consideration of them he ordained the seventh day to the Iewes. For we may doe it as well on another day, ordained after another manner.

32 He had ordained the Sabbath, as all other ceremonies to be signes for that time, and not for the time of the New Testament, under which the world being, as it were, renewed, all things pertaining to the order and government of the Religion were also to bee made new. New Ministers, new Sacraments, &c. were to be established, as it is written, Esa. 65. verse 17. Agg. 2. verse 6. Heb. 8. ver. 13. Heb. 12. verse 26, 27. 2 Cor. 5. verse 17. And therefore it was convenient and sutable to this New estate, that there should be a new day of Gods service, different from the day which the Iewes observed under the Old Testament: But it was not necessary, that it should be one of seven, or that Christ Himselfe should have or∣dained it; which notwithstanding they indeavour to prove by di∣verse other passages and arguments gathered out of holy Scripture, pertaining directly to the New Testament, and obliging all Chri∣stians living under it, to keepe the Sabbath, as much as the Iewes were under the Old Testament, yea to keepe a certaine and set day of Sabbath, not by ecclesiasticall constitution, but by divine ordi∣nance, as they deeme.

CHAPTER Eight.

Answer to the Sixth Reason.

1. Ob. Isaiah hath prophesied, that under the New Testament, strangers and Eunuches, that is, Christians, shall keepe the Sabbath.

2. First Answer: The words of the Prophet may be understood of the state of the Church of the Iewes, after the captivity of Babylon.

3. Second Answer, In the Old Testament the service of the New Testament is set downe in tearmes taken from the service under the Law.

4. Which if they should be literally expounded, Christians should be bound to keepe all the ceremonies of the Law.

5. Wherefore, this and such like passages, are to be expounded spi∣ritually, of the spirituall service of the Christian Church.

6. Another objection of the gate, which Ezekiel saith, shall be ope∣ned on the Sabbath day.

7. First Answer, the words of Ezekiel must be expounded mysti∣cally.

8. Second Answer, nothing can bee inferred from thence, but that the Christian Church shall have solemne dayes for Gods service.

9. Third Answer, The Sabbath may be said to represent the rest of eternall life in heaven, and the sixe worke dayes, the tur∣moiles of this life.

1 THey say to this purpose, that the 56. Chapter of Isaiah is manifestly referred to the time of the New Testament, and that God declaring there, how he would not any more put a difference betweene the strangers and the Iewes, and how the Eunuchs, the barren, and those that want Children shall no more be a reproach, and shall not be excluded from the privileges of his house, as they were under the Old Testament, saith in plaine tearmes, that those whom he calleth Eunuches and sonnes of the stranger, shall keepe his Sabbaths, verse 4, 6. From whence they make this inference, that God would have the Sabbath to be kept by Christians under the New Testament, as well as by Iewes under the Old Testament.

2 To this I answer, that this argument hath little or no strength: For it is well knowne, that the Iewes doe referre it to the time that followed the captivity of Babylon.

3 But not to debate about this question, whether this prophesie is to be referred to the old, or to the New Testament, and to grant willingly that it is to be understood of the dayes of the New Testa∣ment, it is a thing notorious, that when God in the Old Testament speaketh by his Prophets of the service that should bee yeelded unto

him under the New Testament, he expresseth himselfe ordinarily, in termes taken from the fashions and formes used in his service under the Old Testament: so he saith, that under the New Testa∣ment he should have Altars every where, that in every place in∣cense should be offered unto his name, that from one new Moone to another all flesh should come to worship before him, &c. And in this same Chap. 56. ver. 7. he saith concerning these Eunuches, and the sonnes of the stranger which shall keepe his Sabbaths, that hee will bring them to his holy mountaine, and make them joyfull in his house of prayer, and that their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon his Altar.

4 If then of that which is said, that they shall keepe his Sab∣baths, they will inferre, that the Sabbath day is obligatory under the New Testament, as it was under the Ancient, by the same reason any may inferre, that the Temple of Ierusalem, the Altar and the sacrifices should remaine in use, namely seeing God in the fourth verse speaketh of his Sabbaths in the plurall number, and it is ma∣nifest, that besides the seventh ordinary day there was a great deale of other Sabbaths ordained of God to the Iewes, it may be as truly gathered, that under the New Testament the faithfull ought to keepe all the Sabbaths of the Iewes, and the same dayes of Sab∣baths that the Iewes did keepe, and particularly the same seventh day, to wit, the last: which should be a conclusion most absurd.

5 The truth is, that the Sabbath, according to the stile of the An∣cient Testament, was taken of old for all the outward service of God, and God using the same stile or manner of speech according to his custome, in this prophesie concerning the time of the New Testament, when hee saith, the Eunuches, and the sonnes of the stranger shall keepe the Sabbath, by the Sabbath denoteth all the outward and solemne service which was to be rendred to him in that time of the New Covenant; but joyned with the spirituall service, signified in the second verse by these other words; And keepeth his hands from doing evill: And consequently, he signifi∣eth, that that outward service should have its times ordained in the Church, even as the Sabbath day was of old the time appointed for his service. But that it was Gods intention to stint to the Church of the New Testament a seventh day, or any other particular day whatsoever for a Sabbath day, and that he hath not left the determi∣nation

thereof to the liberty of the Church, that shall never be pro∣ved by the aforesaid passage.

6 This answer may serve for a sufficient reply to the passage of the 46. Chapter of Ezekiel, where God continuing to represent unto the Prophet in a high and magnificent vision, and difficult to bee understood, of a most glorious and sumptuous Temple, the state of the Church under the New Testament, saith in the first, and third verses, that the gate of the inner Court shall be shut the sixe working dayes, but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and the people of the land shall worship at the entrance of this gate. From whence it is fancied, that a necessity of keeping the Sabbath under the New Testament may be inferred.

7 But it is evident, that in all this vision contained in the nine last Chapters of Ezekiel, the state of the Christian Church, and of the Evangelicall service, is designed in tearmes and phrases taken from the Temple and legall service, which must not be understood literally, but mystically, if we will not under the Gospell bring backe, not only the Sabbath, but also a great deale of other ceremo∣nies, which are mentioned in that vision; As for example, The New Moones, which in the aforesaid verses are joyned with the Sabbath. For it is said there, verse 1. that the gate shall bee opened on the Sabbath day, and in the day of the New Moone it shall be opened, and that the people of the Land shall worship at the entrie of this gate before the Lord on the Sabbaths, and in the New Moones, verse 3. Which must be understood spiritually of the truth figured by the Sabbaths and New Moones, and not properly of these things themselves, which were but figures, that is, not that the faithfull should celebrate Sabbaths and New Moones, but that they should rest from their workes of iniquity, to practise the workes of the spirit of Sanctification, and of Gods true spirituall service, and should be renewed and illuminated for ever by the Lord Iesus their true and only Saviour, and by him have alwayes free accesse and en∣trance to the throne of grace.

8 All that can be, at the most, inferred of the forealleadged pas∣sage, concerning the externall service of the Christian Church, is, that the New Testament shall have solemne dayes, wherein God shall be publikely served by all his people, but in no wise that they should be the same which were stinted under the Old Testament.

For so we should be bound to observe the dayes of New Moones, the last day of the weeke, and other holy dayes of the Iewes mentioned in the aforesaid place, and betokened in the plurall num∣ber by the name of Sabbaths.

9 Whereunto I adde, that it may be said, that the Sabbath day, and the day of the New Moone spoken of there, representeth the time of eternall life in heaven, where the faithful are in a perfect rest, and are new Creatures without any blemish of sin, or defect of righte∣ousnes: As the sixe work dayes, are a representation of the time of this present life, during which they travel, they rove, and trot up and downe upon earth, where so long as they sojourne, the Prophet sig∣nifieth, that the marvels of the glorious grace of God are alwayes shut unto them, but in heaven shal be opened unto them, by a full and unconceivable manifestation, and perfect fruition of that joy, which is in the face of God, and of those pleasures that are at his right hand for evermore, whereby they shall worship and serve God per∣fectly for ever and ever. Amen. This then is in meaning the same that wee read of in the 66. Chapter of Isaiah verse 23. where it is said, that in the new heavens and in the new earth, which God should make, from moneth to moneth, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh, (i. all the faithfull) should come to worship before him. Of which passage I have spoken before. Of all that hath beene said it is manifest, that all the passages of this kinde, which are to bee found in the Prophets, are not to any purpose, when they are produced to prove that which is debated about the Sabbath day.

CHAPTER Ninth.

1. Answer to the seventh Reason.

1. Ob. Iesus Christ is not come to abolish the Law, whereof the Sabbath is a part.

2. Answer, sometimes by the Law and the Prophets, are under∣stood the morall precepts only.

3. Sometimes the ceremoniall only.

4. In Christs words both are to be understood, but principally, the ceremoniall.

5. This is proved by the 18. verse.

6. Frivolous instance from Christs words, Heaven and earth shall not passe, &c.

7. The same is proved by the scope of Iesus-Christ, in the fore∣said words.

8. Falsity of a second instance, that the Lawes expounded in the rest of the Chapter are all morall.

9. Although it were true, it followeth not, that Christs words in the 17. verse should bee understood of the morall Law.

10. Christs words rightly understood favour not the morality of the Sabbath.

11. Third instance from the 19. verse.

12. First Answer, Christ in that verse speaketh of an annihila∣ting of the Commandements, and not of the abrogating of some of them.

13. Second Answer, by retorsion.

14. Third Answer: Christ speaketh of the whole Law of Moses, and not of the Decalogue only.

15. Fourth instance from Saint Iames words, Chapter 2. verse ten.

16. Uanity of this instance.

1 AS little to this purpose are the words of Christ in the fifth Chapter of Saint Matthew verse 17. I am not come to de∣stroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them. From which

words they make this conclusion, that seeing the Commandement of the Sabbath day is a Commandement of the Law confirmed from time to time by the Prophets, IESUS CHRIST hath not abo∣lished it. And therefore the obligation to keep the Sabbath day lieth upon us still, and shall dure to the worlds end.

2 To this allegation of Christs words I returne this answer, that indeed sometimes, to wit, when a morall matter is in hand, the Scripture by the Law and the Prophets, understandeth only the pre∣cepts of the Law and of the Prophets pertaining to this morality. As when in the twelfth verse of the seventh Chapter of Saint Matthew, Christ saith, All things whatsoever yee would that men should doe to you, doe yee even so to them: For this is the Law and the Prophets.

3 But sometimes also, when the speech is of the fulfilling of things foretold or figured of old, by the Law and the Prophets, are to be understood only the prophesies, and the typike ceremonies of the an∣cient Testament, as in S. Matthew 11. Chap. v. 13. S. Luke 24. verse 27. Acts 24. ver. 26. Acts 26. verse 22.

4 To apply this to the passage objected out of the fifth Chapter of Saint Matthew, I say, that in it by the Law and the Prophets are to be understood, not only the precepts concerning the morall duties of this life, but also the ceremonies of the Law, as may be clearely seene by these words of our Saviour that are generall, I am not come to destroy the Law, nor the Prophets, but to fulfill them. Now the ceremonies are a part of the Law of Moses, are called in the Scripture by the Name of the Law, and make a part of the Sermons of the Prophets, as well as the moralities: The conjunction of the Law and of the Prophets in a generall matter, such as this is, shew∣eth that by the Law we must understand all that is contained in the bookes of Moses, as by the Prophets all things contained in their bookes. Now of the bookes of Moses and of the Prophets the ceremonies make a notable portion.

5 I adde to this, that the predictions, types and promises are here as much, nay much more to be understood, then morall duties, as may be seene evidently by these words of our LORD in the 18. verse following, Uerily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth passe, one Iot, nor one title, one point, or one pricke of a letter, shall in no wise passe from the Law, till all be fulfilled. It is cer∣taine

that these words Iota, Title or pricke, are not to be in this sen∣tence taken properly, because letters, and titles or pricks of letters are not capable of accomplishment; but by them Christ understandeth the least things propounded in the Law. Having properly regard to all the things, whether great or small, figured by the ceremonies of the Law, and foretold and promised by Moses and the Prophets, whereof he confirmed by these words the future accomplishment. Neither can these words of the 18. verse be so fitly applyed to the morall Commandements, as to the ceremonies, promises, and pro∣phesies. This sense, The heaven and earth shall passe, rather then whatsoever hath beene figured, promised, and foretold by the Law and the Prophets, shall not be effected and fulfilled, being manifestly more sutable to the foresaid words, then this, The heaven and the earth shall rather passe, then the morall Commandements shall not be kept and executed.

6 The instance made upon these words, Till heaven and earth passe, &c. is vaine, when they conclude, that there Iesus Christ speaketh of things of the Law that were to continue in their being, and oblige all men to observe and keepe them till the worlds end, which is not true of the ceremonies which soone after expired by his death. For Iesus Christ doth in no wise say, that whatsoever is contained in the Law was to continue stable in force and vigour, and to be kept till heaven and earth passe: But his meaning in this kind of speech is the same that I have touched, to wit, that heaven and earth shall passe more easily, and rather, than the Law shall fall short of a full accomplishment, and the truth thereof shall faile to be ratified and exhibited in all the things contained therein, the impossibility of this being denoted by a comparison with that we have this explication in the 16. Chapter of S. Luke vers. 17. where Christs intention is thus expressed, It is easier for heaven and earth to passe then one title of the Law to faile: where also the Evange∣list sheweth, of what points of the Law Iesus Christ did purposely speake, to wit, of the types and prophesies. For in the sixteenth verse immediatly preceeding he had said, The Law and the Prophets untill Iohn, where we must understand the Verbe prophefied, which S. Matthew addeth in the eleventh Chapter and 13. verse, saying, For all the Prophets and the Law prophefied untill Iohn, that is, the ancient prophesies and figures, as having respect to Iesus Christ,

finished in the time of Iohn Baptist, not in him, but in Iesus Christ, who lived in the same time, and whom Iohn seeing comming unto him, shewed with his finger, saying, Behold the Lambe of God, which taketh away the sinne of the world, Ioh. 1. vers. 29. After then that Christ had said, the Law and Prophets prophesied untill Iohn, S. Luke addeth these words following, as spoken by Christ to that purpose, And it is easier for heaven and earth to passe, then one title of the Law to faile, where by one title are to be understood all the ceremonies, figures, and productions contained in the Law and in the Prophets.

7 Againe, the same is clearely seene by the intention and end of Iesus Christ in the passage that is in question, which is to shew, for the justification and clearing of himselfe, that although he urged above all the observation of the most weighty points of the Law, such as are the morall points, and blamed the Scribes and Pharisees for tying themselves principally to the ceremonies, as to Sacrifices, Purifications, Sabbaths, &c. which were of little importance in comparison with morall duties, and exhorted his Disciples to be carefull that their righteousnesse should exceed the righteousnesse of these Hypocrites, and for that cause, was by them accused as a De∣stroyer of the ceremonies commanded by the Law, and authorized by the Prophets, neverthelesse he was not come to destroy them, but to fulfill them.

8 The instance that they make, saying, that the Lawes which Iesus Christ expoundeth in the verses following of the fifth Chap∣ter of S. Matthew are all morall, is too weake. For they are not all such. In them there is something which hath expresse regard to the ceremonies, and a comparison of them with the moralities vers. 23. 24. And some other things which belong to the politike or judiciall Law, vers. 25. 31. 38.

9 But besides this, although they were all morall, that inforceth not by a necessary proofe, that in the seventeenth and eighteenth verses, Christ hath spoken of morall duties, or that the twentieth one, the twentieth two, and verses following have so strait a con∣nexion with the 17, and 18. verses which goe before, that they speake all of the same subject and matter. For how ordinary is it in the same sequele of a discourse to diversifie the particular subjects, and to passe from one to another? And indeed our Lord IESUS

CHRIST passeth most conveniently from the Ceremonies, which the Scribes & Pharisees accused him falsely to destroy, to the moralities, which they destroyed in effect: The tenor of his dis∣course being this, I am accused by the Scribes and Pharisees to de∣stroy the ceremonies and ordinances of the Law, because I blame the superstitious usage, and preferring of them to morall duties, which are of greater importance. But that is most false: For I destroy them not, but doe shew their true usage, and am come to exhibite the truth of them in my person, neither is there any of them, nor of the Prophesies that shall not be fulfilled in me. But this accusation may be truly laid in the dish of the Scribes and Pharisees; For they are the men which destroy the Law, yea, in things that in it are of grea∣test moment, debasing and disrespecting it, as if it were nothing in comparison of their traditions and ceremoniall observations. Therefore, I say unto you, that except your righteousnesse shall ex∣ceed theirs, yee shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven. For they make glosses upon the morall Commandements which pervert their true sense, and in so doing, teach men to breake them. This then being evident, that in the foresaid 18. verse mention is made of the Law, as much, nay much more as it containeth the ceremoniall ordinances, then the morall, the argument taken from it remaineth without force on the behalfe of those that alledge it, if they will not by the same meanes render us necessary keepers of all other ceremonies of the Law, as well as of the Sabbath day, which is not their intention.

10 Neither doth that follow of the saying of Iesus Christ. For it is most true, that he was not come to annihilate and destroy the ceremonies of the Law, either by his Doctrine or by his Actions: Not by his Doctrine by declaring them to be vaine, idle and frustra∣tory things: not by his Actions, by saying or doing any thing contra∣ry unto them, by casseering and abolishing them without fulfilling the truth of things figured by them. The verbe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 used by the Evangelist imports as much; for it signifieth often to overthrow, and destroy, and is here equivalent to the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 used by the Apostle in the same subject, and to the same intention, Rom. 3. vers. 31. saying, that through faith the Law is not made void, but established, where by the Law, he understandeth not onely the mo∣rall Commandements, but also the Ceremonies, figures, and prophe∣sies,

as appeareth by the 21. verse, where he speaketh of the righte∣ousnesse of faith witnessed by the Law, which belongeth to the whole Law given by Moses, yea, properly to the ceremoniall Law, which led men directly to Christ, which the morall Law did not, but by an oblique and indirect way; Christ, I say, was not come to destroy the Law of ceremonies, but to fulfill them, which he did both by teaching what was the end they tended unto, and by a reall exhibition in himselfe of the body of their shadowes, and of the truth of their figures, which was no impediment unto him, why he should not make them to cease, after he had fulfilled them: Nay, much otherwise, it was necessary hee should make them to cease, seeing they had no other end but to figure and represent him, which was not a destroying of them, but rather the true meanes whereby he made them to obtaine their perfection, making them to abut to their end, In which respect the Apostle in the tenth Chapter to the Romans, vers. 4. calleth Christ the end of the Law. Now the Sab∣bath day being a ceremoniall point of the Law injoyned in the 4th Commandement of the Decalogue, in that wherein it was ceremo∣niall, as hath beene shewed before, Iesus Christ ought not destroy it, but by fulfilling the truth that it figured, make it to cease and ex∣pire, as all other legall ceremonies. And therefore, although Iesus Christ in the foresaid passage had intended to speake onely of the Law of the ten Commandements, the objection taken from this place, should not be of any moment and consquence.

11 Of this that wee have said, ariseth an answer to the instance taken from the ninteenth verse following in the same Chapter: Whosoever therfore shall breake (or rather shall destroy) one of these least Commandements, and shall teach men so, hee shall bee called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven: Of which words, presuppo∣sing still that Iesus Christ in them intendeth to speake only of the Commandements contained expresly in the Decalogue, they in∣ferre, that seeing the Commandement of the Sabbath is one of them, Iesus Christ condemneth for ever the inobservation or trans∣gression, and on the other part, ordaineth and establisheth the obser∣vation thereof.

12 Wherevnto, granting unto them, for their greater advantage, that Iesus Christ in these words hath regard to the Commandements of the Decalogue only, I answer, that he speaketh of the dissolving,

annihilating, and overthrowing of these Commandements (For this the signification of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the originall) And condem∣neth all those that dare to doe it. But to abrogate the Sabbath day injoyned by the fourth Commandement, seeing it was a figure and type, and that by fulfilling in himselfe, and in his faithfull servants, the truth of the thing figured by the outward Sabbath, to free them from the necessity of the observation thereof, was not a dissolving and overthrowing of it, neither on his part, nor on theirs, but ra∣ther an effectuall ratification thereof, as in the same sence he hath not dissolved any of the legall figures, but hath fulfilled them all.

13 Secondly I say, that of necessity the broachers of this argument must advow, that Iesus Christ doth not blame in this place all in∣observation of the Sabbath, neither doth he establish precisely and absolutely the observation thereof for ever, according to all the tearmes, and the whole sence of the fourth Commandement. For it should from thence follow, that he blameth for ever and ever the inobservation, and commandeth for evermore the observation and sanctification of the last day of the weeke, by a legall service, in re∣membrance of the Creation of Gods workes in sixe dayes, and of his rest on the seventh, because the Commandement carrieth with it that necessity, to which is contrary the practise of the Christian Church. Therefore this limitation must be added, that Christ's in∣tention is, to forbid the transgression, and to command for ever the observation of the Commandement touching the Sabbath, and of all the rest, as farre as it may and ought to oblige us according to the tearmes of the Gospell. Now we have shewed, that it obligeth us not, as it ordaineth one day of seven, or a certaine seventh day, or a legall sanctification, but so farre only, as it commandeth, that Gods publike service be practised for ever, according as it shall be establi∣shed by him, and that an ordinary day be appointed for that purpose. And therefore Iesus Christ in this respect only, and no further, con∣demneth the transgression, and injoyneth the observation of the fourth Commandement.

14 Thirdly, Iesus Christ, in the place before alleadged, hath not re∣gard to the Decalogue only, but universally to all the Commande∣ments of God, whether morall or ceremoniall, contained in the Law and in the Prophets, which he had spoken of in the 17. verse, that is in all the bookes of the ancient Testament; and, to repulse

the false accusation that the Scribes and Pharisees laid to his charge, declareth, what was his minde concerning all these Commande∣ments, to wit, that there was not any one of them, nay not of those that are the least, or may by men be esteemed, that ought to re∣maine unprofitable, vaine, and without effect, and that the man, whatsoever he be, that either by teaching or by practise shall despise and reject any of them, shall be despised and rejected of God. That on his part he fulfilled them all, and extended and setled the accom∣plishment of them for ever, to wit, of those that are morall by obey∣ing them all in his owne person, and charging his Disciples with their perpetuall observation, and sanctifying them inwardly, that they may observe them: Of those that are ceremoniall, by perfor∣ming and exhibiting the truth of all things signified and figured by them, which truth he should make to have an eternall continuance and efficacy towards all that are his, although he was to make the use of the figures to cease, as the intention of God, and reason did require. But that the Pharisees were the men, who on their part made void the Commandements of GOD, both ceremoniall and morall: The ceremoniall, by adding unto them over and above a thousand superstitious observations: The morall, by corrupting them with false glosses and interpretations, and preferring unto them the traditions of men, which he layeth to their charge in di∣verse places, and namely in the verses following of this fifth Chap∣ter of Saint Matthew. Now according to this sence, which is true and naturall, it is evident, that they which alleadge this passage can inferre nothing of it for their purpose.

15 They pretend in vaine to fortifie and confirme it with the words of Saint Iames in the second Chapter and tenth verse, where the Apostle speaking of the Law of the Decalogue saith, that whoso∣ever shall keepe the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, hee is guilty of all, because the same God who hath injoyned one of the points, hath also injoyned all the rest. Whence they would inferre that the inobservation of the seventh day of Sabbath, which is a point of the Law, maketh a man guilty of the transgression of the whole Law, that therefore wee are obliged to the observation thereof.

For I answer in few words, that indeed Saint Iames saith, that to faile, or to commit a sinne against any Commandement of the

Law, maketh him that committeth it guilty of the universall transgression of the Law. But I deny the inobservation of the Sab∣bath, as it is commanded by the Law, to be under the New Testa∣ment, a sinne and a fault properly so called, because in so farre as it commandeth the Sabbath, it obligeth not any more: For it was for the Iewes, and not for us. And therefore, not to observe the Sab∣bath according to the tenor of the Law, is not a fault and a sinne in any point, as Saint Iames understandeth it. So if one should say, that he that hath kept the whole word of God, if he offend in one point thereof, should make himselfe guilty of all, that saying should be true according to the meaning of Saint Iames: But if any should inferre upon this, that not to observe still, under the Gos∣pell, all the legall ceremonies, because they make a part, and are points of the Word of God, is a trangression whereby a Christian is made guilty of all this word, and therefore he is bound to keepe them all, it should be an absurd illation; for not to keepe these ce∣remonies now, is not a fault nor sinne to us, because they oblige not any more. No man sinneth against a Law or word but in as much as it obligeth: But neither the word of God, as it commandeth the legall ceremonies, nor the decalogue, as it commandeth the Sab∣bath, is any more obligatory to us ward: wherefore we sinne not now, by not observing these points, and therefore we make not our ••••lves, in that behalfe, guilty of the Law and word of God, who is author of all the points of this Law, and of this word, but hath not given them all to all men, nor to continue in all times, but some of them only to some men, and to have vigor and being for a certaine time only.

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,* 1.9 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.

CHAPTER Eleven.

Answer to the Ninth Reason.

1. Ninth Reason, the Apostles kept the Sabbath.

2. First answer, they entred into the Synagogues of the Iewes on the Sabbath day, not for conscience sake, but for the commodi∣ty of the place, and time, to convert the Iewes.

3. Second answer, In this, and in the observation of other ceremo∣nies, they applyed themselves to the infirmity of the Iewes.

4. Passages alleadged, to prove that the Apostles absolutely and simply did keepe the Sabbath of the Iewes.

5. First Answer, Acts 13. ver. 42. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, may be interpre∣ted indifferently, people, folke.

6. Second answer, the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, may be inter∣preted of the weeke betweene.

7. If wee read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they signifie in a day betweene the Sab∣baths, this answer is not refuted by the 44. verse.

8. Third Answer: The 44. Uerse may be truly translated, not of the next Sabbath day, but of the next weeke.

9. Fourth Answer, in both verses the Sabbath being taken for the next Sabbath, they prove not that which is intended.

10. The passage alleadged, Acts 16. verse 12, 13. cannot be un∣derstood, but of those that were Iewes in Religion.

11. Whether they had a Synagogue or not, they met together out of the townes.

12. There they had a place appointed for prayer, &c. called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, an Oratory, or place of prayer.

15. Where Saint Paul and his fellowes joyned with them, to seeke to gaine them to Christ.

14. Why the Apostles, which taught sufficiently the abrogation

of the Sabbath, and of Holy dayes, did not preach against them, as they did against Circumcision and other ceremonies.

15. Answer to the last Reason concerning the Sabbaticall River.

1 IT is with as little shew, nay it is rather against themselves, that to prove a necessary and perpetuall obligation to keepe the Sab∣bath, some make use of that which is noted in diverse places of the Acts of the Apostles, as in the Chapter 13. verse 14, 43, 44. and 16. verse 13. and 17. verse 2. and 18. verse 4. and other where, that the Apostles, after the Ascension of Iesus Christ, kept the Sabbath, going to the Synagogues of the Iewes, and expounding the Scriptures there.

2 For this argument, if it were good for any thing, would prove, that under the New Testament the Iewish Sabbath day, to wit, the last of the week, is to be kept, because in the foresaid places mention is made of that day only.

But the going of the Apostles to the Synagogues on that day, came not from any obligation of the law, tying them to the Sabbath, nor from any religious respect to that day, as if it had beene still a necessary point of Gods service, but because it was the ordinary day of the congregations of the Iewes, whom they desired to convert, and it was expedient, for that end, that they should be present at such times and places that the Iewes did meet in, to wit, on the Sab∣bath day and in their Synagogues, as, for the same reason, they obser∣ved also the annuall feasts, and indeavoured to bee at Ierusalem on such dayes, as may be seene Acts 20. verse 16.

I adde, that they applyed themselves in this point, as in many other legall ceremonies, to the infirmitie of the Iewes, Acts. 15. v. * 1.10 29. Acts 16. verse 3. Acts 21. verse 24, 26. and 1 Cor. 9. ver. 20. to gaine them more easily to the faith, and to preserve them in it after their conversion. For it is certaine, that the faithfull Christi∣ans, converted from the Iewish Religion to the faith of Christ, kept still a great zeale for the ceremonies, as it is said in the Acts Chap. 21. verse 20. and consequently for the Sabbath day.

4 There be some who would have the Iewish Sabbath to be still kept in the Christian Church, and to prove that the Apostles did particularly and carefully observe the seventh day of the weeke without any occasion of condescent to the Religion and devotion

of the Iewes towards the Sabbath, doe alleadge the thirteenth Chapter of the Acts verse 42, 43, 44. where it is said, that when Paul and Barnabas were on the Sabbath day gone out of the Syna∣gogue of the Iewes, the Gentiles besought them that they would preach the word unto them the next Sabbath: which being granted unto them, the next Sabbath day, almost the whole City, wherein were comprised more Gentiles than Iewes, came together to heare the Word of God. They alleadge also the sixteenth Chapter of the Acts verse 13. where without any mention of Iewes, or of Synagogue, it is said, that Paul and Silas being in Philippi, a Towne of Macedonia, where they sojourned certaine dayes, on the Sabbath went out of the City, by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made, keeping the Sabbath amongst the Gentiles, with∣out any respect to the Iewes.

5 To this I may answer without great difficulty. And first to the passage in the Acts Chapter 13. verse 42. I might say, that this intreaty made to Paul and Barnabas to preach the next Sab∣bath day, is not by all the interpreters ascribed to the Gentiles, but to the Iewes, who before, as may be seene in the fifteenth verse, had intreated them to propound some word of exhortation. For the word Gentiles, in some Greeke editions, and in some versions, is not to be found: Besides this, some are of opinion, that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, may be taken, not for the Gentiles, as they are distingui∣shed from the Iewes, but indifferently for the multitude of people that was there present, in this sence, and the folke or people be∣sought Paul and Barnabas, which may be referred to the Iewes as well as to the Gentiles.

6 But not to stand upon that, I say Secondly, that the originall Text doth not shew manifestly, that the request made by the Gen∣tiles to Paul and Barnabas was, that they would preach unto them the next Sabbath day, for it may signifie in the intermedium of the Sabbath, that is, in any time betweene the Sabbath wherein they had presently preached to the Iewes, and the next Sabbath follow∣ing; For seeing the Sabbath was the day which the Iewes reserved for themselves, and which the Apostles imployed amongst them for their instruction, the Gentiles, belike, desired to take some other day for them, wherein, with more commoditie, they might heare the word. And verily, there is no likelihood that Gentiles, not as

yet instructed, neither in the Law, nor in the Gospell, would aske, of their owne head, the Sabbath day, rather than any other, and it is more likely, that they did aske any other commodious day be∣tweene the Sabbath of the Iewes, such as Paul and Barnabas should be pleased to appoint unto them, whiles they were not busied with teaching the Iewes. The words in the originall are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which many interpreters doe translate, not the next Sab∣bath day, as if the Gentiles had chused that day, but in the Sabbath or in the weeke betweene, that is, in any day betweene, till the next Sabbath.

7 And there are some which probably esteeme, that these words should be red 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 should bee taken for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifie cleerely, in any day whatsoever betweene the Sabbaths. This interpretation is not sufficiently refuted by the al∣legation of the 44. Verse, where it is clearely said, that the next Sabbath day came almost the whole City together to heare the Word of God. For it is not necessary, that this 44. Verse should declare the accomplishment of the request made by the Gentiles in the 42. Verse: It is rather likely, that the Apostles having already fulfilled it betweene the two Sabbaths, when the Sabbath day came, wherein the Iewes, according to their custome met together, and Paul, as his manner was, preached unto them, as we may see Acts 17. verse 2. and Acts 18. verse 4. the whole City being moved with curiosity, by the rumour spread abroad of the former sermons made both to Iewes and Gentiles, ranne together in a farre greater number than before, to heare the word.

Thirdly, seeing the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Sabbath, is sometimes ta∣ken * 1.11 both in the Old, and in the New Testament, not particularly for the Sabbath day, but for the weeke, as in Leviticus 23. verse 15. and 25. verse 8. in Saint Matthew 28. verse 1. in St. Luke 18. v. 12. wherefore may we not in the foresaid passages under∣stand, that the Gentiles, seeing it was the end of that weeke, intrea∣ted Paul and Barnabas to preach unto them the next weeke verse 42. and that they did so the next weeke, conformably to their de∣sire, ver. 44. without expression of the particular day of that week? So the sence shall be this, And the next weeke came almost the whole City, &c.

But although we should grant, that both in the request of the Gentiles, verse 42. and in the accomplishment thereof, verse 44. the Sabbath day must be understood, it followeth not, neither that the Gentiles ought to observe that day, nor that the Apostles had any regard unto it for Religion and conscience sake, but only that the Gentiles of whom mention is made in the 42. Verse, having beene present at the Sermon which Paul and Barnabas made to the Iewes on the Sabbath day, and not having a particular day or time appointed to them for the hearing of the word of the Gospell, be∣cause the Christian Religion was not as yet received nor established in their Towne, as the Iewish Religion was, having her Sabbaths and Synagogues free, which the Apostles resorted unto, intreated them, that they might heare them againe on another Sabbath day, and in the Synagogue of the Iewes, because it was a most fit time and place for them, by reason of the liberty that the Iewes injoyned for the exercises of their Religion, which Paul and Barnabas yeel∣ded unto, whereof the speech being spread abroad through the Towne, great multitudes trouped together on the next Sabbath, through curiosity, and ran to the Synagogue of the Iewes to heare them. So it was not any devotion, neither of the Gentiles, nor of the Apostles to the Sabbath, but the simple commodity, that moved them to make choice of it.

10 To the other passage cited out of the sixteenth Chapter of the Acts verse 12, 13. I say likewise, that Paul and Silas tooke oc∣casion to observe the Sabbath, because the Iewes met together for the exercise of their Religion on that day. For although it be not said, that those which resorted unto the place of prayer were Iewes, no more is it said, that they were Gentiles: But it may be gathered out of the Text, that they were Iewes, either by birth and of the same nation, or by Religion, and religious communion, because they were persons which ordinarily assembled together to call upon God on the Sabbath day verse 13. and who already served God, as a∣mongst others it is said of Lydia, verse 14. with whom the Apo∣stles made no bones to joyne themselves. Which cannot in any wise be taken of Gentiles Infidels, and of their devotions to their Idols, as is evident, nor also of the Gentiles converted to the Chri∣stian Religion, seeing Paul, Silas and Timothy were but new arri∣ved in that place, where the word of the Gospell had not beene as

yet preached, as appeareth by the nine and tenne Uerses. There∣fore of necessity they were Iewes of Religion dwelling in Phi∣lippi, and worshipping GOD according to the Law wherein they were instructed.

11 It imports not much, that no mention is made of a Synagogue where these persons came together, but only that they went out of the City, by a River side, where prayer was wont to be made. For it may be, they had no Synagogue, because they were but few, or wanted meanes to build a Synagogue, or because in that Towne, which was a Roman Colony, they were not suffered to build one, and therefore they assembled together neere the River in some secret place out of the way, not daring to meet openly in the Towne. Peradventure also they had a Synagogue, but, if that which is writ∣ten * 1.12 by some be true, that the manner of the Iewes was to meete, not only in their Synagogues in Townes, for the reading of the Law, but also out of Townes in the fields, for the exercise of prayer, even so these persons mentioned in the place aforesaid, went out of the Towne by the River side for that end, and that Paul and Silas made good use of that place and time of their holiest devotions, as most commodious to goe and to speake to them, because since their comming to the Towne, which was a few dayes before, undoubt∣edly they had not found the opportunity to speake unto them there nor elsewhere.

12 Yea, according to the exposition of some learned men, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may be taken in the thirteenth and sixteenth verse, for an house builded for the exercises of prayer, and other religious actions accustomed among the Iewes: As also it was an ordinary * 1.13 name, whereby were entitled these houses wherein the Iewes did flocke together to read, and to pray; we may, keeping the significati∣on of the word, call them Oratories, or houses of prayer, as the Temple is called, Esa. 56. verse 7.

13 So then it is evident, that this place of the Acts, as the former, is most conveniently expounded of the Iewes, and therefore that for their sake onely Saint Paul and his fellowes made choice of the Sabbath day to intertaine them with Religious and wholesome speeches of the Gospell; Neither shall any place be found, where the Apostles are said to have observed the Sabbath, but with re∣spect to the Iewes, to whom they applyed themselves, seeking fit

times, places, occasions to convert them, and not having any so fit as the Sabbath, which they behoved to keepe to come to their intent. For at another time they could not have assembled the Iewes so commodiously as they would, to preach unto them the Gospell publikely, and loosing the Sabbath day, they had lost the most favourable and advantageous commodities for the propagati∣on and setting forward of the Gospell. Whereunto they had a spe∣ciall regard, catching that opportunity above all others, namely see∣ing to observe the seventh day, or any other day, is in it selfe a thing indifferent under the Gospell, which hath onely abolished the type and ancient obligation to that day, leaving to the liberty of the Churche to serve God on any day or dayes whatsoever which are or shall be appointed by them.

14 Which is, to my opinion, the reason why they did not preach against the Sabbath day, nor also against the other holy dayes of the Iewes, so vehemently as they did against other ceremonies, namely against circumcision, Acts 15. v. 1. Acts 21. v. 21. Gal. 5. ver. 2. But condescended to the one farre more easily then to the other: Because there cannot bee under the New Testament any lawfull use of the circumcision, nor of other ceremonies like unto it, but very good use might bee made of the Sabbath day, and of other dayes, after the manner before specified. Yet they have not concealed the abrogation of the Sabbath and of the feasts, but have sufficiently spoken of it, as is manifest by the prooffes before propounded. And therefore, of the custome they had to keepe the Sabbath day, cannot bee inforced any obligation ty∣ing us to observe it, no more than other ceremonies, to which they conformed themselves for a time, because they did it onely to become as Iewes unto the Iewes, as the Apostle witnesseth 1 Cor. 9. verse 20. having otherwise both in their discourses and in their writings taught cleerely and fully the abrogation of all these things.

15 I scorne to ranke among the foresaid reasons, or to honour with the name of a reason that, which neverthelesse is by some set on foote, and inforced as a good reason, when they tell us of a certaine river in Palestina, which, according to the relation of some writers, ranne regularly with swiftnesse enough, and waters in a sufficient abundance in the sixe dayes of the weeke, and on the

Sabbath day vanishing away in his force left his channell empty and drie: Or on the contrary, as the thing is related by others, vanished away, or was dryed up all the sixe dayes before the Sabbath, and on the Sabbath dayes filled up his channell. Iosephus maketh mention of this river in this last fashion, in the seventh booke of the warres of the Iewes Chapter 24. and saith, that the Emperour Titus pas∣sing that way remarked it. Plineas also maketh mention of it, but in the first fashion, in the 31. booke of his naturall History, Chap∣ter 2. and some Rabbins likewise: whereupon some seeke to build pretty allegories, to prove the observation of the Sabbath on a Se∣venth day of the weeke.

But they take not heed, that in so arguing they imitate the Iewes, who upon the marvellous nature of this River called Sab∣baticall, seeke to inferre the perpetuity of their Sabbath day, wher∣in they are better grounded, then Christians, who from thence in∣ferre simply the perpetuity of a seventh day. For it was particular∣ly on the last of seven dayes, and not on any other day of the week, that this River rested, or flowed; and therefore we should be bound to observe the seventh and last day of the weeke, if the changings of this River could be a precedent to the matter in hand. But, if allegorizing were sound Divinity, a conclusion might be made flat contrary to the former upon the proprieties of this Sabbaticall Ri∣ver. For as Galatinus saith, in the 9 Chapter of the eleventh book of the secrets of the Catholike truth, the drying up of this River and the want of water in it on the Sabbath day, betokened that the Sabbath should be denyed, and loose all obligatory vertue under the New Testament. If it ranne on the Sabbath day, it could not bee a precedent of rest. For running is not resting. But whether it be true that such a River hath beene, or that it hath never beene, sith it is not now, and is no where found by the travellers that seeke it, the cessation and bringing of it to naught, teacheth, that the Sabbath hath ceased, and is abrogated.

And so having refuted all reasons that are put abroach for the morality and perpetuity of the Sabbath, I end here the second part of this Treatise.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Exod. 16. vers. 22, 13, 29, 30
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Zoth.
• * 1.3

  5
• * 1.4

  6
• * 1.5

  Esa. 51. verse 2. Esa. 58. v. 13 Ier. 17. v. 22 24. 27. Ezech. 20. v. 11, 12, 13
• * 1.6

  Mat. 22. ve. 37. 39. Luk. 10. ve. 27.
• * 1.7

  Mat. 22. v. 37, 38, 30, 40.
• * 1.8

  Mat. 18. v 20. Rom. 10. v. 14, 17 Eph. 4. v. 11. 12. 1 Cor. 11. v. 18, 20. Heb. 10. v. 24, 25.
• * 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.10

  3
• * 1.11

  8 Luk. 18. 12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I fast twice in the weeke. Act. 13. ver. 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. And the next weeke.
• * 1.12

  〈…〉〈…〉. 80.
• * 1.13

  Philo legat. ad Cerema. Iuvenall. Satyra 3. In quâ te qu••ro pros∣eucha.