Christianismus primitivus, or, The ancient Christian religion, in its nature, certainty, excellency, and beauty, (internal and external) particularly considered, asserted, and vindicated from the many abuses which have invaded that sacred profession, by humane innovation, or pretended revelation comprehending likewise the general duties of mankind, in their respective relations : and particularly the obedience of all Christians to magistrates, and the necessity of Christian-moderation about things dispensible in matters of religion : with divers cases of conscience discussed and resolved / by Thomas Grantham ...

SECT. II. Containing Seven Reasons or Arguments, why Christians are not bound to observe the Seventh-day Sabbath.

The first Reason.

Because nothing which is really Moral is impossible. But upon due consideration it will be found impossible for the whole Universe, i. e. all Mankind (with their Cattel) to observe one certain point of time to rest from labour, &c. because the bounds of their Habita∣tions have made the time so far various, as the time of mid-night is the time of mid-day in their respective Regions where they live: so that unavoidably, one part of the world will be found in the dead of the Night, asleep on their Beds, when the other in the heat of the day, are in devotion to the Lord.

* 1.1 But that which makes this matter the more considerable, is the great diversity of time which happens to those, who live in the far Southern and Northern parts of the world, a day in these places be∣ing as long as many of ours: so that to enjoyn a Sabbath-solemnity in those places, would prove a strange undertaking, and would not answer the Morality of the fourth Command, which undoubtedly requires a sufficient time of rest for Man and Beast, and that his Name may be sanctified by all Men in the celebration of his Or∣dinances.

To this Reason it hath been Answered.

If the Inhabitants of these remote places do observe the Seventh-day consisting of Evening and Morning, it will answer the intent of God in the fourth Precept, as to the letter of it.

To which I reply, Then it is clear, that it was not God's intent to bind all men to one point of time in Sabbath-solemnities, which I desire may be well observed, and how the precise point of time, the Seventh-day, can then be Moral, I cannot conceive.

Secondly, Let it be observed, that it will follow from this Answer, that these remote Inhabitants may lawfully work for many of our Sabbath-day-evenings; for six days of theirs, counting from Evening to Morning, will contain a good part of six of our weeks, all which time they keeping no Sabbath, will badly answer the intent of God in the fourth Precept; and their Servants and Cattel would soon com∣plain against them.

The Second Reason.

Precepts which are purely Moral give not place to Precepts Ce∣remonial, but when two such Laws come in Competition, that which is Ceremonial gives place to that which is Moral: Go ye and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice.

But it is evident that the Seventh-days-sabbath frequently gave place to Ceremonial Laws, John 7. 22. 23 — Ye on the Sabbath-day circumcise a Man, &c. that the Law of Moses should not be broken. Here the Law of Circumcision takes place in point of observation before the Sabbath; for, Circumcision did not only prevent the Circumcisers from resting, but the Circumcised were especially incapacitated to Sabbathize, and thus the Law of the Sabbath was broken (if I may so speak, as doubtless I may) by the interposition of a Ceremo∣nial Law.

To this instance we will joyn another, Matt. 12. 5, 6, 7. where it is plainly said, That the Sabbath was profaned, or broken; and that in the Temple at Jerusalem, and yet the profaners thereof were blame∣less, because their prophanation lay in the observation of certain Ceremonies of Moses's Law, as killing, and dressing of Beasts and Sheep, to, be offered for Sacrifices on that day; and not only for the Sabbath-day, which was done continually, but also for the year∣ly Sabbaths or Festivities if they fell on the Sabbath-day, as they often did; in which cases there was (as I take it) seven times as much labour in killing and dressing Beasts for Sacrifices on such solemni∣ties, as on the weekly Sabbath. See Num. 28, 29 Chapters.

It is in any-wise to be seriously considered, how clearly our Savi∣our doth rank the Sabbath with Laws Ceremonial, seeing all the instances which he brings to vindicate his Disciples; are instances out of the Ceremonial Law. For, when his Disciples were found fault with, for rubbing the ears of Corn, &c. on the Sabbath-day, Christ defends them by alledging David, who in a like hungry con∣dition, broke the Ceremonial Law of Shew-bread; and the Argument seems to conclude thus; If David being hungry, might without blame do contrary to the Ceremonial Law of Shew-bread, then my Disci∣ples beingal so hungry; may without blame do contrary to the Cere∣monial Law of the Sabbath. And certainly, if the Argument lie not here, a worse thing will follow: for then our Saviour brought an in∣stance very unsuitable, and such as will be dangerous, as will be dis∣cerned if it be considered, that it is no reasoning from God's dispen∣sing

with a ceremonial Law, to his dispensing with a moral Law: for then one may reason thus: God dispensed with David breaking his Law concerning Shew-bread in a case of necessity, therefore he will dispense with another in worshiping a false God, if he be necessitated, which God forbid.

So then, it is plain, that our Saviour compared the Sabbath with the Law ceremonial, which is yet more evident by the next instance of the Priests prophaning the Sabbath, (to which I have spoken) as also from the conclusion he makes upon the whole matter, in these words, Go ye and learn what this meaneth, I will have Mercy and not Sacri∣fice; where it is evident the word Mercy, hath relation to Moral Duty, and is appli'd to the Disciples preservation from hunger; and the word Sacrifice, hath relation to the Ceremonial Law, and is applied to the Sabbath-day.

The third Reason.

All Commands purely Moral, are indispensible in cases of Necessi∣ty: it is better to die for hunger, than to deny the true God to ob∣tain meat to preserve Life; yea, he that should so save his life, should lose it; Nor may I commit Murther, Adultery, or bear false Witness against my Neighbour, to preserve my own life, for I know no ne∣cessity that can make my so doing in any-wise dispensible.

But behold, the Sabbath-day is such in its observation, as it hath been frequently dispensed with in very low cases of Necessity, inso∣much, that the saving the life of a Beast, is preferred before its obser∣vation, as to the point of time, the Seventh-day; and then much more in cases of necessity which concern the life of a Man: insomuch, that I conceive, there was never yet a Sabbath-day but it was broken, and that by lawful cases of necessity; I say, Lawful cases, (considering the cases still by the Moral Law) notwithstanding the Law of the Sabbath (in the Ceremony thereof) to the contrary.

No man that reads the Scriptures, can lightly be ignorant, how much our Saviour insisteth upon cases of Necessity, as sufficient An∣swers to those, whoever carped at his doings on the Sabbath-day; whose Conclusion was, that he was not of God, because he kept not the Sabbath. And certainly, if we consider the Fourth Precept, ac∣cording to the letter of that Law, our Saviour both did, and com∣manded to be done, some things utterly inconsistent with the Sabba∣tical observation of the Seventh-day; as appears by comparing, Jer. 17. 22. with John 5. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. John 9. 14. Hence it is plain, that our Saviour went further than cases of necessity in the non-observation of the Sabbath, sith there was no necessity for the Lame to carry his Bed on the Sabbath-day; nor yet for our Saviour to make Clay on the Sabbath, sith he frequently wrought Cures by the words of his lips, and could have done it on the Sabbath, as well as at other times. I conceive therefore it was his Pleasure to do thus on the Sabbath-days, that he might hereby give some intimati∣on

of the abrogation of the Sabbath, as he did the like concerning other Ceremonial Observations: for Example, his eating with Publicans and Sinners; as also, his taking persons off from their esteem of the sanctity of one place above another: thereby fore-shewing that he would take away the Sanctity which had been ascribed to the Jew∣ish Nation above the Gentiles, and to Jerusalem above Samaria; * 1.2 and then why not the same kind of Sanctity ascribed to one day above another? I say, the same kind of Sanctity; for certainly, the Seventh-day hath no real Sanctity in it above any other day, no more than the Jewish Nation had above any other Nations, or the City Jeru∣salem above Samaria; the holiness in all these being only Ceremo∣nial. Of this Reason S. J. takes no notice: therefore I proceed to the next.

The fourth Reason.

Thus saith the Lord to the Christian Church, * 1.3 Let no man judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy-day, or the new Moons, or of the Sabbath-days: which are a shadow of good things to come, but the body is of Christ. From these words it appears, that, not only the holy-days, yearly to be observed by the Jews (which are confest on all hands to be Ceremonial) but also the * 1.4 Sabbath-days themselves were with the rest to pass away, as a shadow, when Christ the Body was come: which will yet more fully appear by Hebr. 4. from the 3d. vers. to the 12. where it is evident, that the Seventh-day-sabbath is reckoned among other legal Types: for here Israels Rest in Canaan, and the Seventh-days Rest are both made Typical of our entring into Rest by Faith in Christ; wherefore let all that are entred into Rest by Faith in him, take heed how they stand upon this Sabbatical shadow, lest they know not how to avoid other things, which (though Le∣gal shadows) will claim a place with it.

The fifth Reason.

The Seventh-day-Sabbath was a sign of their Sanctification to whom it was given, therefore of a Ceremonial nature, and not gi∣ven to all men. Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. Thus saith the Lord, speak thou also to the Children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you, throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord that do sanctifie you. Hence it appears, that as other holy (or if I may so speak) Sacramental Constitutions are peculiar to the Church, and not delivered to all men; even so the Sabbath was peculiar to the Church of the Jews [as for the strangers among them, &c. their resting was no more a Sabbathizing, than the rest of the Cattel, and so not to be accounted a divine so∣lemnization of the Sabbath] for how could it be a sign that the Lord did Sanctifie the World in general, who had no part in such privi∣ledges, they being without God, without hope, and strangers and ali∣ens from the Covenants of Promises, Ephes. 2. 12.

Again, from this form of speech, It shall be a sign, or it is a sign. It appears, that the Sabbath is Ceremonial, because such Laws as are Moral and imprinted in the heart of man, are no where called signs, that I know of, but this kind of speech (when used with respect to Laws) is appropriate to such as were temporary, and ordained upon some special occasion, for the Church as such, and hence Circumci∣sion is called a sign or token of the Covenant, Rom. 4. Gen. 17.

Now let us consider wherein the Sabbath was a sign, that so we may the better perceive to whom it was given. First then, it was a sign of Israels cleansing from Sin, to which, Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. do well agree, shewing that the Sabbath was a sign that Israel might know that the Lord did Sanctifie them. Here it is plainly of a Sacra∣mental use and appropriate to the Church; it is a sign between me and you, i. e. between me as your God, and you as my Church.

Secondly, The Sabbath was a sign of remembrance, that Israel should remember they were once bondmen in Aegypt, where conve∣nient rest was denied them, and that now they should let their ser∣vants rest as well as themselves, Deut. 5. 15.

Thirdly, It was a sign that the true Sabbathizing, is to take up our Rest by faith in Christ, Heb. 4. As for the thousand years Rest at Christ's second coming, and eternal Rest in Heaven, of which some would have the Sabbath to be a sign or Type, I will not insist upon them, because I have not yet met with clear Texts to satisfie me therein. But admit the Sabbath for a sign in all these respects, yet will it not prejudice, but rather strengthen us, in saying, the Seventh-days-Sabbath was Ceremonial, and particular, in respect of the per∣sons to whom it was given.

For first, The Sabbath could not be a sign to all men, or the World universally, that They were sanctified, because in the time of the Law the whole World, except the Jewish Nation, was counted un∣clean, that is to say, unsanctified.

Secondly, Neither could the Sabbath be a sign (literally, or spi∣ritually) to the whole World, of their deliverance out of Aegyptian Bondage, for literally the whole World was never in Aegypt, and spiritually they are not yet delivered from the bondage thereof, 1 John 5. 19.

Thirdly, The Sabbath could not be a sign to the whole World of their entring into Rest by Faith in Christ; because, as such they are, and ever were in unbelief.

Fourthly, Neither could the Sabbath be a sign to the whole World, in either of the two last respects, sith as such, they have no part in the first Resurrection, nor yet in the eternal Inheritance of the Saints in Light. From these considerations it may appear, that the Sab∣bath was never given as a sign to all Men, and thence I conclude, it was never given to all Men. For the more ready discerning the meaning of this Ground or Reason, I will digest it into this Syllo∣gism.

Those to whom the Sabbath was given, to them 'twas a sign of their present Sanctification. But it was no sign of the present Sanctification of the whole World. Therefore it was never given to the whole World; therefore of no moral consideration: therefore Ceremonial.

The Sixth Reason.

The Festivals of the Jews, were Ceremonial, and therefore the Se∣venth-day-Sabbath was Ceremonial.

Thus saith the Lord, The Feasts of the Lord which ye shall proclaim to be holy Convocations, even these are my Feasts: Six dayes shall work be done, but the seventh-day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy Convocation, ye shall do no work therein; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings — The fourteenth day of the first Month is the Lords Passeover, and on the fifteenth day of the same Month is the feast of the unleavened-bread — In the first day ye shall have an holy Convocation, &c.

We learn from these Scriptures, that as the Passeover, so the Se∣venth-day-Sabbath was a Feast unto the Jews, and equally called the Feast of the Lord, and therefore reasonably to be concluded, to be one and the same Ceremonial Consideration, and by consequence to va∣nish, or terminate with them.

If this be denied, let us see what will follow; we must then hold that some of the Jewish Feasts were Moral and perpetual; and so obligatory to such as had not the Law, as well as to those that had it: Or else, that the Sabbath was delivered as a Feast to the Jews, but not so to the rest of Mankind; but the first of these can never be proved (as I conceive) and if the latter be accepted, it must be proved, which I take to be a very difficult undertaking: and if it could be proved, it will confirm what we have said (at least in part) because it will evince the Seventh-day-Sabbath to be Ceremonial, to that part of Mankind to whom it was delivered as a Feast. And here it may well be enquired, from what ground men do now pretend to keep the Seventh-day-Sabbath according to the Law of Moses, and yet keep it not as a Feast of the Lord in all their dwellings? And because we see here the Seventh-day-Sabbath reckoned with the Ceremonial Feasts of the Jews, it will not be impertinent here to add a parallel between the Seventh-day-Sabbath, and the yearly Sabbath, as also the Sabbath of years, that so we may the better discern it to be of a Ceremonial consideration.

To begin with the Institution; Most certain it is, that no mention is made in the Book of God, of the observations of any of these Sabbaths, neither weekly, nor annual, &c. until the Seed of Abraham became a Nati∣on, to whom the Law of all the Sabbaths was given by Moses; neither is the Seventh-day-Sabbath the first in observation, for the Passeover

(in which were Sabbaths of rest) was in use before it, and the rest followed * 1.5 it.

The second Parallel is in the time of the continuance of these Sabbaths, the Seventh-day-sabbath having nothing in that respect above the rest, as will be seen by the Scriptures following.

• For the continuance of the weekly Sabbath, see Exod. 31. 16.
• For the continuance of the Pascal Sabbath, see Exod. 12. 14.
• For the continuance of Penticost Sabbath, see Lev. 23. 21.
• For the continuance of the Expiation Sabbath, see Lev. 23. 31.
• For the continuance of the Feast of Tabernacles Sabbath, see Lev. 23. 41.

The Third parallel is in the Service of these Sabbaths, and that I have shewed already, wherein it appears, that the Services of the annual Sabbaths was not only greater than those of the weekly, but to be done as exactly; yea, though they fell upon the Seventh-day; Numb. 28, 29 Chap.

The Fourth Parallel is, of forbearing Labour, which was as strict∣ly to be observed on the yearly, as on the weekly Sabbaths, Exod. 31. 14. compared with Lev. 23. 30.

The Fifth Parallel, of the time to begin to keep the Sabbath, which is supposed to be the Evening before; but in this, the annual Sab∣baths are not only equal to the weekly, but indeed the pattern; for of one of them only it is said, From Even to Even shall you sanctifie your Sabbath, Lev. 23. 32.

The Sixth Parallel is of the Penalties, which was death, and was as well the penalty for breach of the yearly Sabbaths, as for breach of the Seventh-day-Sabbath Lev. 23. 30. * 1.6 And although it be not exprest, that the Magistrate must execute the penalty for breach of the yearly Sabbath, yet it may be gathered, that he must do it. See and compare these Scriptures, Exod. 30. 28. * 1.7 and Exod. 31. 14. * 1.8 And this may serve as an answer to some, when they bid us shew that the penalty of death was ever to be inflicted upon the breakers of any Law, but the Moral Law. Nor is this the only instance; for the holy Perfume might not be imitated under pain of Death, Exod. 30. 28. Neither might Man or Beast so much as touch the Holy Mount, but be punished by stoning, or by being thrust through with a Dart, Exod. 19. 23. compared with 12, and 13 verses of the same Chapter.

The Seventh and Last Parrallel shall be of the Sabbath of years; in which we may observe, that at the giving thereof to Israel, the Lord gave them the bread of three years, the year before the Sabba∣tical

year, as he gave them the bread of two daies, before the Sab∣bath-day.

Now let it be considered, what solid Reason there remains for the continuation of the Seventh-day Sabbath, more than for the yearly Sabbaths, and Sabbath of Years, sith there is no more express Prohibi∣tion of the one, than the other, in the Scriptures, (except in Col. 2. 16. where in truth, the Seventh-day Sabbath is rather more expresly pro∣hibited than the rest) and seeing we do as constantly enjoy the time of first-Fruits, in gathering, &c. as the Jews did, wherein they held holy Sabbatisms, to rejoyce before the Lord, for all the good things wherewith he blessed them; it might very justly be enquired of some, why they observe not these solemnities, together with the Seventh-day?

The Seventh Reason.

The Observation of the Seventh-day Sabbath, according to the Law of Moses, cannot stand without the Execution of the Penalty of Death upon such as break it. Were it not so, it should not be the Religious Observation of the day which is in it self a thing tollera∣ble, and about which Christians need not judge one another; I say, were it only this, it should not offend me. But now, these which stand for the observation of the Seventh-day, according to the Law of Moses, do also stand for the penalty of Death, to be inflicted up∣on such as they judge wilful breakers thereof; * 1.9 confessing even in their Printed Books, that the reason why they do not execute that Penalty, is, Because they are no Magistrates; So then, it seems such Men want but opportunity; and doubtless, by how much Men are the more zealous, by so much they would drive the more furiously.

Finally, I offer it to the consideration of sober Men, whether it would be Gospel-like, for Believers in Christ to compel their Families to celebrate the Sabbath, such of them especially as are of Faith and Religion contradistinct to them in that Point? and yet behold, this must they do (according to Moses) for the Law of the Sabbath re∣quires the Master of the House to order his Children and Servants in point of Sabbatizing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  I speak not here of the ut∣most South and North, but the most re∣mote habita∣ble parts of the World.
• * 1.2

  John. 4.
• * 1.3

  Col. 2. 16.
• * 1.4

  It is a poor shift to except against the supplement (days) in Col. 2 16. sith in o∣ther Texts, the like supple∣ments are al∣lowed: but if the supple∣ment were o∣mitted, yet the word Sab∣bath, is com∣prehensive e∣nough.
• * 1.5

  As for that passage Gen. 2. which some conceive to enforce the institution of the Seventh-day-Sabbath from the beginning: and others conceive it to speak of the Sabbath only by a prolepsis, or anticipation; I shall omit at this time, being satisfied first, that if it were even then instituted (which I do not grant) yet would it not necessarily bind all the World to the perpetual solem∣nity of the seventh-day of every week; nor in the least infer the time to be of a Moral consideration; seeing the Almighty was at liberty to give either a positive, or Ceremonial Law at that time, which yet might note∣qually extend to all persons, in all times and places, as indeed he seems to have done in the Law concerning; the forbidden fruit. But secondly, I am satisfied that those who take that mention of the Sabbath Gen. 2. by a prolepsis are not without considerable grounds for so doing, the Scriptures in many other cases necessarily re∣quiring, it as might be shewed, were it my business to prosecute the Argument.
• * 1.6

  Note that these words in the Text [that soul shall be cut off from his peo∣ple,] is meant of the Magi∣strates exe∣cuting the Law for breach of the Seventh-day-Sabbath, and then why not in the other cases also?
• * 1.7

  Note that these words in the Text [that soul shall be cut off from his peo∣ple,] is meant of the Magi∣strates exe∣cuting the Law for breach of the Seventh-day-Sabbath, and then why not in the other cases also?
• * 1.8

  Note that these words in the Text [that soul shall be cut off from his peo∣ple,] is meant of the Magi∣strates exe∣cuting the Law for breach of the Seventh-day-Sabbath, and then why not in the other cases also?
• * 1.9

  Stennet against Russel.