Seven questions of the sabbath briefly disputed, after the manner of the schooles. Wherein such cases, and scruples, as are incident to this subject, are cleared, and resolved, by Gilbert Ironside B.D.

CHAP. XV. The Arguments against the day naturall are proposed.

THe negative Tenent hath also its Reasons.

First; our Resting day must be proportio∣nable to our working day; for they are rela∣tives, and all relatives have their mutuall Respects in all things, in which they are Relatives. Certaine therefore it is, that God requires for himselfe such a day of Rest, as he doth proportion unto us for our own imployments: But our working daies are Artifi∣ciall, not naturall. Man goeth forth unto his labour till the evening; (q 1.1 saith the Prophet) &* 1.2 there are twelve houres of the day (saith our Saviour)* 1.3 night cometh, wherein no man worketh. Therefore &c.

[Ob.] May not a man then work by night in his lawfull calling?

[Resp.] Yes doubtlesse, if he offend not against the rules of mercy to himselfe, or others; or if there intervene not some other irregularity in his working; and upon this caution also he may lawfully spend the Lords night in holy exercises. But our question is not, what some men may doe, but what all men must doe under paine of sinne.

[Ob.] But doth not then the rule hold, that those who sit up late at night about their own workes on week daies, should proportionably watch about holy things at night on the Lords day?

[Resp.] This no way agreeth with the intention of the Lawgiver, which in commanding the Sabbath had a twofold intention: the one his own publique worship, and the spirituall good of mankind; the other the cor∣porall refreshing, and reviving the bodies of his ser∣vants, and of all that belonges unto them. I would now gladly know what refreshing the body of a man hath by the Sabbath, if he must labour about holy things not only all day, but most part of the night al∣so. But I think no sober minded man will say, it is a sinne to goe to bed sooner upon this night, then upon others; or if any doe, few I presume will believe him therein.

Secondly, if the Christian Holyday were to consist of a certaine determinate number of houres; either the new Testament, which alone speaks of this day: or the Church of Christ, who alone observes it, would have directed us, where to begin those houres, and where to end them. For the Iewes were expresly so directed: but neither the new Testament, nor the Church of Christ hath given any such directions.

If any say, we need no such new information in this point, having already the same, which the Iewes had in the fourth Commandement; we shall I hope give him satisfaction in the answere to the first Ar∣gument of the precedent chapter, which it doth con∣cerne.

Thirdly, if a Lords night be to be sanctifyed, as well as the day, this night, and all the parts thereof must differ from other nights, by some speciall appro∣priation

to the Lord, as the day differs from other daies; But how can this be, unlesse we rest not at all that night in our beds, or serve God by dreames and visions? Which to affirme were notoriously absurd.

[Ob.] If any man demand, how did the Iewes then keep their Sabbath from evening to evening.

[Sol.] I answere, that the reason is not the same, for the very corporall rest of the Iewes, was simply and of it selfe a Sabbath daies duty; so that it was as unlawfull for them not to Rest in their beds that night, as to work about their callings that day; which I think no man will affirme of Christians under the Gospell.

Fourthly, there is no morall law in nature, nor posi∣tive law in Scripture, but is in it selfe possible to all men in all parts of the world in regard of the thing commanded. But a naturall day-Sabbath, as it is made to consist of a day and a night, is absolutely impos∣sible for some men in some parts of the world, in re∣gard of the thing commanded: in some parts there be∣ing nothing but day, and in other places nothing but night for a long space together. This is so apparent as needs no proofe: Therefore &c.

[Ob.] It is objected, that the Iewes also by this rule might have been (as we say) perplext, had they at any time travailed towards either of the Poles.

Vnto which I answere,

[Sol.] First that the Iewes were in a manner confined un∣to the land of Canaan, except in cases of necessity; for the blessing and promise was annexed thereunto, be∣ing therefore stiled the Lords Land. Commerce in∣deed

they had with other nations, which proved their ruin; but for any voyages they made, or Colonies they deduced, we read none. Solomon, it is true, sent a navy unto Ophyr, which is Peru, as most conceive; or as Iosephus, some place in the East Indies: Iehosaphat at∣tempted the like, but his ships were broken at Ezion, Geber.* 1.4 For though Solomons navy found prosperous successe, intending therein the glory of Gods house: yet Iehosaphat having no such warrantable grounds failed in his expectation. Some think that the Iewes travelled, and t••••ded into that part of the Indies, which at this day we call New-England; for there they finde a harbour, which the natives call Nahum-Keik, the harbour of him that comforts, or of him that repents. It's usuall in this language to have con∣trary significations: But let it be granted, that they meet with some Hebrew words in that tongue; what nation is there, in whose language you may not make the like observation. Say also that the Iewes travai∣led into the East, and west Indies for Gold and Spi∣ces. I think it easy to shew, that those parts of the world, in which are either continuall day or night, were not known untill after Christ, and the destructi∣on of Hierusalem. In a word, had the Iewes at any time travailed into such places, where they could not have kept their Sabbath from evening to evening, it had been sinne unto them; For when a man shall, by any voluntary action of his own, cast himselfe into an utter impossibility of fulfilling any positive pre∣cept of the law of God, it becomes evill unto him,

though otherwise it be both lawfull, and commenda∣ble. The case therefore is not the same with the Iewes, and us in this point, they being precisely bound both to places, and houses, from both which Christ hath set us free. The objection is of no weight.

Fiftly to make the night part of the Lords day to be observed by the Church of Christ, is contrary to the ground of the institution thereof, which is the Resurrection of Christ. For Christ rose not in the night, but early in the morning, and being risen, his Resurrection hath no night. But how can the night remember us of that, which hath no night? If we keep the night before, we solemnize not Christs re∣surrection, for he was not as yet risen; if the night af∣ter, we seeme to be enemies of his resurrection, as if the Sunne of righteousnesse were set the second time, whereasr 1.5 Christ being risen, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him.

If any man say, he keepeth not the night, as a part of the Lords day, the memoriall of Christ Resurrecti∣on; but as a part of his Sabbath in the fourth Com∣mandement; He seemeth expresly to forsake Christ, and to cleave to Moses, and being weary of being a Christian, defires to turne Iew.

Sixtly, A night Sabbath is contrary to the end of the Institution under the Gospell, which was Gods publique worship in the congregation, for other use thereof we find not in holy Scripture. If any man ob∣ject, collections to be made for the poore, private prayers, and christian exercises &c. we shall, God

willing, speak thereof also in its place. But night as∣semblies for the publique worship (except in time of persecution) are contrary to the Apostles Rule,* 1.6 let all things be done decently and in order. Experience in former ages hath made it manifest, what abuses were practised under such pretences.

[Ob.] If any man say, that the publique was appointed for the day, and the private for the night.

[Sol.] First there is no such rule in Scripture.

Secondly the Church hath no such custome.

Thirdly, private night-conventicles are as little, nay farre lesse to be trusted, then publique meetings in the night.

Lastly the practice of the primitive Church was utterly without any set number of houres; and there was much variety in their observation; sometime they began their publique worship on Saturday after sup∣per, as in Syria, and Aegypt. Some-time they began their Lords day about thes 1.7 dawning, the time; as they conceived, of Christs Resurrection: others also be∣gan upon satturday noon, and held on untill Sunday morning. At this day our Sabbatharians are devided in this point; some affirming from evening to even∣ing; others from morning to morning; others from midnight to midnight; so that their position of a twenty-foure houres Sabbath can be no better, then a snare to weak Consciences, there being no certainty, wherein to fasten.

Notes

• q 1.1

  Psal. 104.3.
• * 1.2

  Ioh. 11.9.
• * 1.3

  Ioh. 9.4.
• * 1.4

  1. Kings 22, 48.
• r 1.5

  Rom. 6 9.
• * 1.6

  1. Cor. 14.40.
• s 1.7

  Tempus pub∣lici conventûs fuit Antelu∣••anum. Con. Antis. cap. 11.