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.

CAP. XXXI. Wherein is contained the conclusion of the whole, set∣ting downe a short delineation of both the opinions, and tenents, in these severall Questions.

FOR conclusion of the whole, it will not be a∣misse, to present the Reader with a summary of the doctrine on both sides; that so with one cast of his eye, he may be able to see both wherein they dissent, and which is more rationall in it selfe, and more suitable to the word of God. And here let the Reader take notice; first, of that, whicha 1.1 M^r Sprint hath well observed, that in the most materiall points we consentingly agree, though in certaine circumstan∣ces we differ, each one abounding in his severall fence; which makes it strange to me, that our Adversaries should so stick in these points, even against Authority it selfe; since we so consentingly agree in points mate∣riall. This I say being premised, not to take notice of e∣very thing, which might be collected out of the seve∣rall treatises hitherto extant; I conceiue, that the finest thread, in which these Sabbatharian positions can be spun, may be thus drawn. First, that God, having crea∣ted Adam in Paradise, revealed unto him the creation, with the order, and manner, and time thereof, within the compasse of six dayes. That the seventh therefore was the day of his rest, which he would haue obser∣ved as a Sabbath by him and his posterity. That this

day was most fit to be appointed; not only in regard of God, who then rested; but in regard of man also, who was on the seventh day to enter upon the domi∣on of the world, as the Master thereof; and what bet∣ter entrance, then with the service of his Creatour, in sanctifying the Sabbath day. That hence came all his time to be divided by weeks, the boundary whereof was, and that by diuine institution, the Sabbath, God having blessed the seventh day and hallowed it. That this hallowing the day, was the declaration of Gods will; not what himselfe meant to doe long after, but what he would haue men to doe from that time forth in all their generations. That thus it continued in the practice of the Patriarches, before, and after the flood; for else it had been impossible for the Israelites to haue known (as it is plaine they did by their gathering of Manna) which were the six dayes of the creation, and which the seuenth of Gods resting. For sure we are, the time was first divided into weeks; moneths, & yeares, being not knowne, till by long observation found out by the course of the Sunne, & Moone. That though in this manner the Sabbath was given Adam by positiue Law, yet easy it is to follow the footsteps of nature guiding us thereunto. For all men acknow∣ledge, even by naturall light, that some time is to be sett a-part for the publique worship; but being to seek of the proportion in speciall, and portion in particu∣lar, nature kindly reacheth forth her hand, guiding us to these also, assuming as followeth. That not only some time, but a sufficient proportion there of is ne∣cessarily

required, as to all other workes, so to this of the publique service. That reason teacheth, it is fit the Creature should waite the leasure of his Creatour in the designation of this sufficient proportion: the Crea∣ture being under his absolute power, and being no e∣quall carver to it selfe in things of this kind, and rea∣ping also greater comfort in any observance, for which it hath the warrant of its Creatour. That seeing the week was the originall partition of time, it must needs be more convenient to sett one day of the week a-part for the service of God, then one in a fortnight, or one in a month. That herein an uniformity ought to be observed by all man-kind throughout all generati∣ons; without which, there must needs follow a mani∣fest Schisme in the Church, rent in the State, and also in the world, if some in some places obserue one day Sabbath, others in other places another day. That there is no such ground of uniformity, as the word of God, to whom all men owe and professe there ready subjection; as for mens constitutions, though upon ne∣ver so good groundes, there are others as wise, & good as they, at least in their owne opinions, which will take liberty to vary from them. That therefore it is fit, God himselfe should shew us, not only the specifi∣cate proportion, but the particularity of that specifica∣tion. That in such designations as these, the will of God is made manifest unto us, sometimes by his words, sometimes by his works; so that if the Scrip∣ture were silent, as it is not, yet this is a generall dire∣ction, that the work of God done upon any day, is, and

ought to be the ground of its hallowing: If therefore we discerne one day to be preferred before another in some great and notable work, naturall reason teach∣eth, that day of all others to be chosen for our pub∣lique Sabbath. That thus stands the case both in re∣gard of the Iewish, and Christian Sabbath; God having marked out unto them their Sabbath by the work of creation, ours by the work of resurrection. That there needs no such recourse notwithstanding to the works of God, having so expresse a Text, as that of the se∣cond of Genesis; for the making good whereof against the fond Dreame of Anticipation, may be brought whole Iuries of Fathers and moderne Divines. And reason it selfe averreth it by an unanswerable Dilem∣ma; for that passage must be written either before the Law; and then God must reveale to Moses before hand what he meant to doe in the Mount, which is not probable: or after the law, and then what reason had Moses to speak there of in the story, since it was so fully declared in the Tables? That of those three things before spoken of, the time in generall, the pro∣portion in speciall, and taxation in particular, the first only is generally received for Moral; the other two are Positiue rather then Ceremoniall; for what need of Ceremonies in Paradise? That the specification of one in seven was ceremoniall only respectiuely to the rest of the seventh day, not of the seventh it selfe; for what ceremony can be found in the time indefinitely con∣sidered, which is one of seven? That the Iewes resting upon their seventh, did prefigure Christs rest in the

graue, (in which fence also it is abolished) but not our rest from sinne here, and from misery hereafter; for these were common to the Iewes together with the Christians. The rest therefore of the day, was partly Morall, partly Ceremoniall; but not that one in seven should be sanctified, for that this is simply Morall, we haue the full cry of the Schoole-men themselues. That the particular taxation of this one in seven more then of another was also Positiue, not Ceremoniall; for there is the same taxation of one in seven under the Gospell, and yet no Ceremony is put therein; nay God having as it were chalked it out unto us by his works, it may well be reputed Moral. As therefore God com∣manded the Iewes their day: so hath he also appointed us ours, even the first day of the week for our Christi∣an Sabbath; That herein the wisdome of God is most remarkable in his Law, saying not, Remember the Se∣venth day, but Remember the Sabbath day the day of Rest to sanctifie it. For by this meanes we also keep the fourth Commandement, in sanctifying the Lords day; For as the Jewes were tyed to the observation of the Sabbath, and had one of he seven preferred unto them: So we haue also our Sabbath, and one also of se∣ven prescribed us. That though we take not the Lords day as it is such a day of seven, from the Commande∣ment; yet the rest, and sanctification thereof, we justly deriue from thence. That undoubtedly the Gospell doth not allow a worse proportion of time for the worship of God, nor a worse manner of observing it, then the law did: and a greater doth not well stand

with our ordinary callings. That seeing the day of the Creatours rest is abolished, none of the seven can be more proper for a Christian mans observation, then the day, on which his Redeemer rested; whom the* 1.2 Scripture stiles Lord of the Sabbath; For God marked it out unto the Apostles, to whom the translation of the day appertained by the resurrection of Christ, a work no way inferiour to the Creation. This there∣fore is the day, which the Lord himselfe hath made, faith the Prophet, Psalme 118. ver. 4. That although there be no expresse proofe in Scripture, yet sufficient it is to proue an institution, from the continuate, un-inrer∣rupted practice of the Church, which cannot be casu∣all; and indeed nothing else can satisfie any, whose judgment, and conscience cannot be overawed by the ordinance of the Church. That therefore we must re∣member this to be our Christian Sabbath, (for so we may justly call it, though neither Scripture, nor Anti∣quity so stile it, because all acts of Parliament, and Proclamations of the State so entitle it) being I say our Sabbath, we are to sanctifie it in all points, as the Iewes did theirs, both for the time, which must be 24. houres: and for the rest, doing nothing, which may be an avocation from holy things. As for sports and pas∣times, howsoeuer the guilded titles of Christian liber∣ty, honest recreations, and the like be put upon them, yet it may justly be feared, least prophanesse and lux∣urie be thereby intended, and a wide gapp set open to all licentiousnesse. That all men know, how syncere so∣ever the mind of the Magistrate be, how greedily the

vulgar are set upon these sports, how incroaching up∣on liberty, how undiscreet in enjoying it, how impa∣tient of any restraint therein. On the other side, that the Saints delight in consecrating a Sabbath glori∣ously unto the Lord; so that when others, instead of refreshing, toyle themselues in May games, or Mor∣ricedaunces, or worse, finding perhaps their own plea∣sure therein; the Saints finde nothing so sweet, as the Lords statutes, nothing so ravishing as the refreshings of the holy Ghost, nothing so amiable as the Assem∣blies of their Brethren, being made thereby more painefull and conscionable in their severall callings the whole weeke after.

How these things, which seeme thus handsomely contrived, doe hang together like a rope of sand, consisting of some truths, more falsehoods, most un∣certainties; let the indifferent Reader judge. It is true, that God created Adam in Paradise; but not true, that the creation of the world was made knowne unto him by revelation; for then, to what pupose was his excel∣lent knowledge, in which he was created, (and which many preferre beyond that of Solomons) imparted unto him? That God commanded the first seventh day to be his Sabbath is very improbable; for what needed Adam a Sabbath in Paradise? And if he sinned the sixt day (as most conceiue) this was a bad prepa∣ration to the next dayes Sabbath, & such, as was like∣ly to disturb the whole work. If he stood the sixt day and sinned the seventh (long he stood not all agree) was the day of his fall, think you, the day of his Sab∣bath?

That he entred upon the dominion of the crea∣tures upon the seventh day, contradicts the very Text it selfe, which saith, they were delivered up unto him upon the sixt day; unlesse we like to interpret Moses by the figure Anticipation in that Chapter, which is so much condemned in the next. That time was first divided by weeks, afterward by months, which is the very pillar of all the rest; is as weakly, as confidently affirmed: For not to speak of the circle here used, the division of time into weeks being brought to proue the Sabbath to haue beene from the beginning: & the Sabbath being blest & sanctified from the beginning to proue this division of time by weeks; no such thing can be concluded from that Text; unlesse we grant, that all separated and sanctified daies (and such were all the Iewish Festivalls) are presently to be the divisi∣ons of time. On the other side, sure we are, that man in the beginning was put to Schoole unto the creature, and that the Sunne and Moone were purposely set in the Firmament to shew him times and seasons. Is it now probable, or can it stand with the intention of the Creator, that man should come by the divisions of times, otherwise, then by observing the Sunne, and Moone, especially since the Changes of the Moon doe so punctually lead us unto weeks? In the next place, it was wisely foreseene, that a positiue precept serues not our turne; and therefore we fetch about for a mo∣rality also therein, which cannot be without sundry suppositions. That nature tels us of time to be set a∣part for Gods worship, is most true; but that shee di∣rects

us to this in speciall, or that in particular, is falla∣ciously collected. For what if the creature be under the absolute power of the Creator, are therefore no Circumstantials left to the discretion of the Church in holy things? What though some particular per∣sons would unequally carue therein, as Prometheus did betweene himselfe and Iupiter; would the Church alwaies assisted by Gods spirit, think we, doe the like? So for the comfortable performance, which is preten∣ded, I would aske, which is more comfortable, when we haue some things voluntary, which may be a free gift▪ or when we are fettered in our performances, like flaues, more then sonnes? Lastly, that uniformity in publique actions cannot be observed, unlesse God in∣terpose his immediate authority, savours of some∣thing else, then Sabbatharian tenents. If those daies are alwaies holy, which are honoured with some no∣table work of God, I see no reason, why the day of our Saviours incarnation and hypostaticall union the most unsearchablea 1.3 and glorious work ad extra: or Friday, wherein was finished the work of our redemp∣tion, should not be a Sabbath, asb 1.4 Constantine made it. Surely, although all Sabbaths haue beene kept upon daies chalked out by Gods famous works, yet all daies thus chalked out haue not been forthwith Sab∣baths by divine institution. That the proportion of one in seven to be kept Sabbath cannot be ceremoni∣all; & that never any found any Ceremony therein, is utterly untrue. For, to omit others;c 1.5 Calvin hath long since observed, that it did not only historically teach

the Iewes the perfection of the works of nature, but mystically also the perfection of the works of grace; and that nothing should be wanting unto us in the per∣son of the promised Messias, the number of seven be∣ing the number of perfection. Alike solid is that, which followeth, that the Rest of the seventh day had relation unto Christs rest only in the Graue; but was not mystically referred unto the grace of the Gospell; which is contrary both to the Scripture, and to the streame of all Divines, Ancient and Moderne. And what if the Iews were partakers of the grace of Christ? yet were they led thereunto by the hand as children, in these and the like figures; and how doth this hang together, There is a taxation of one in seven under the Gospell, therefore that, which the Iewes had under Moses, could not be ceremoniall? That we under the Gospell keep the fourth Commandement is most true, understood in generall of the substance of the Commandement, for times of publique worship, but in nothing else. For thought it say, Remember the Sab∣bath day, not the seventh; yet immediatly it addeth, by way of exposition, the seventh is the Sabbath; and which it meaneth of the seventh, even the next after the creatiō. We must not then make God wise accor∣ding to our fancies, by making his word a Lesbian rule, broken asunder, and patched together at our own pleasures. But say, it speaks of a Sabbath in generall, how doth it speak of a seventh day-Sabbath in speci∣all under the Gospell, or of the Lords day in particu∣lar? This therefore must be helped with another

heap of superst••••ons. Christians, you say, must not giue a worse time unto the Lords service, then did the Iewes; must it therefore be just the same; that a better would proue a publique grievance, is a plausible put off; why might we not giue him every sixt day, if the whole Church should think it fit? would it not be all one upon the matter to Trades-men & Labourers? But the Lord hath marked out unto us his own day by his own resurrection. This is most true, and there∣fore the Church alwaies hath, and I doubt not but ever wil obserue it to the worlds end, though only by the Churches authority. But supposing it to be our Sabbath, must it not be kept for time and manner, as that of the Iewes was? If it be not the Iewish, why should we keep the Iewish time of just so many houres, with the Iewish manner of rest for such or such cessations? As for the rest, he that is a Teacher of prophanenesse, and an Abettour of licentiousnesse, an untempered morter-dauber, let him be accursed.

The other patterne of doctrine therefore in this point, is. That God created man in that high measure of knowledge, as made him little lower then the An∣gels.* 1.6 That man continued in this estate but a very short time, perhaps not many houres. That notwith∣standing his fall, a great part of his wisdome remai∣ned with him, especially his naturall knowledge of the creature, and the worlds creation. That God ad∣mitting fal'n man into the state of grace through re∣pentance, was pleased to converse with him (though not so familiarly, as otherwise he would haue done),

by apparitions, and revelations. That the light of na∣ture remaining, taught him, that this God must be publiquely worshipped. That he being not unminde∣full of his fall, and the curse, which thereby was brought upon him, death: and being instructed in the faith of the Messias to be slaine, hence God came to be publiquely worshipped by the sacrifices of slaine beasts. That the set time of this publique sacrificing is not mentioned in Scripture. That the place in the second of Genesis was written by Moses after the Law was given, and had relation thereunto. That nothing can be averred of the Patriarchs practice till Israels comming into the wildernesse, and the fall of Manna. That the Law delivered in the fourth precept is mo∣rall for substance, as that God must haue times for publique worship; Ceremoniall for circumstance in the rest, binding the Iewes only, & leading them part∣ly backward, to their state in Egypt, the fall of Man∣na: partly forward, to good things to come in Christ. That Christ therefore and the Gospell being exhibi∣ted, this circumstantiall Sabbath must cease; but expi∣red not quite untill the destruction of the Temple. That during this while, the Apostles kept the Iewish Sabbath, as they did other Ceremonies. That withall they kept in a manner the Lords day also for breaking of bread, though this was not alwaies done upon that day only. That whatsoever the Apostles did in the Churches by them planted, was not by Apostolicall authority, they being the Churches Pastors, as well as Christs Apostles. That the discipline of the Church

(of which the time and manner of publique Assem∣blies is not the least part) was established by them, as Pastors, not Apostles: and might afterward receiue such changes, as the state of succeeding times should require. That therefore the institution of the Lords day is by Ecclesiasticall authority; and that this is a sufficient tye of conscience to all such, as list not to be obstinately wilfull. That the Lords day thus establi∣shed must be observed, and set apart for Gods pub∣lique worship; and all meanes used for the supporting thereof. That those, that joyne not with the Congre∣gation therein, are guilty of prophanation. That what∣soever doth hinder this in any man (of which no ge∣nerall rule can be given) ought to be avoided by him; and that herein every mans experience can best in∣forme him. That such things, as are used only as di∣versions of the minde, and recreations of the body, are lawfull on this day, so they offend not in any other circumstance. That those, that are inclined, and inabled to private holy exercises performed without fraud, or sinister respect, doe that, which is most profitable and commendable, though not bound thereto by the Law of the Lords day. That all men should be watchfull over themselues to keep a spirituall Sabbath from the servile works of sinne throughout the whole course of this life having alwaies an eye to that Sabbath of Sabbaths, promised us in the kingdome of GOD our Father, and of his deare Sonne IESUS CHRIST, to whom be honour, and glory now and for ever more. Amen.

Notes

• a 1.1

  The obser∣vation of the Christian Sabbath. Pag 15.
• * 1.2

  Mark. 2.23.
• a 1.3

  Nunquam 'Deus adeò grande fecit miraculum in caelo, aut ter∣râ, sive resu∣scitando mer∣tuos, sive illu∣minando cae∣cos, & sic de aliis; sicut est miraculum hoc' unionis humanitatis addivinita∣tem. Gers. parte 4 â ser. de Nativitate
• b 1.4

  Euseb. lib. 4. c. 18.
• c 1.5

  Videri ergo possit Domi∣nus per diem septimum po∣pulo suo deli∣neasse sutu∣ram sui Sab∣bathi perfecti∣onem. Cal. de 4. prae. Sic eliam Cle¦mens Alexan∣drinus ex Ela∣tone. lib. 5. Stloma••.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 8.5.