Keimåelia 'ekklåesiastika, The historical and miscellaneous tracts of the Reverend and learned Peter Heylyn, D.D. now collected into one volume ... : and an account of the life of the author, never before published : with an exact table to the whole.

A PREFACE To them, who being themselves mistaken, have misguided others in these new Doctrines of the Sabbath.

NOT out of any humour or desire of being in action, or that I love to have my hands in any of those publick quarrels, wherewith our peace hath been disturbed; but that Posterity might not say we have been wanting, for our parts, to your information, and the direction of Gods People in the ways of truth, have I adventured on this Story. A Story which shall represent unto you the constant practice of Gods Church in the present business, from the Creation to these days; that so you may the better see how you are gone astray from the paths of Truth, and tendries of Antiquity, and from the present judgment of all Men and Churches. The Arguments whereto you trust, and upon seem∣ing strength whereof you have been emboldned to press these Sabbatarian Doctrins upon the Consciences of poor people, I purpose not to meddle with in this Discourse, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. They have been elsewhere throughly canvassed, and all those seeming strengths beat down, by which you were your selves misguided; and by the which you have since wrought on the affections of unlearned men, or such at least that judged not of them by their weight, but by their numbers. But where you give it out as in matter of fact, how that the Sabbath was ordained by God in Paradise, and kept accordingly by all the Patriarchs before Moses time; or otherwise ingraft by Nature in the soul of man, and so in use also amongst the Gen∣tiles: In that, I have adventured to let men see that you are very much mistaken, and tell us things directly contrary unto truth of Story. Next, where it is the ground-work of all your building, that the Commandment of the Sabbath is Moral, Natural, and Perpetual, as punctually to be observed as any other of the first or second Table: I doubt not but it will appear by this following History, that it was never so esteemed of by the Jews themselves; no not when as the observation of the same was most severely pressed upon them by the Law and Pro∣phets, nor when the day was made most burdensome unto them by the Scribes and Pharisees. Lastly, whereas you make the Lords day to be an institution of our Saviour Christ, confirmed by the continual usage of the holy Apostles, and both by him and them imposed as a perpetual Ordinance on the Christian Church, making your selves believe, that so it was observed in the times before, as you have taught us to observe it in these latter days: I have made manifest to the world that there is no such matter to be found at all, either in any writings of the A∣postles, or monument of true Antiquity, or in the practice of the middle or the present Churches. What said I, of the present Churches? So I said indeed, and doubt not but it will appear so in this following Story: The present Churches, all of them both Greek and Latin, together with the Protestants of what name soever, being far different, both in their Doctrine and their practice from these new conceptions. And here I cannot chuse but note, that whereas those who first did set on foot these Doctrines, in all their other practices to subvert this Church, did bear themselves continually on the Authority of Calvin, and the example of those Churches which came most near unto the Plat-form of Geneva: In these their Sabbath-speculations, they had not only none to follow, but they found Calvin and Geneva, and those other Churches directly contrary unto them. However in all other matters they cryed up Calvin and his Writings,* 1.1 making his Books the very Canon, to which both Discipline and Doctrine was to be confirmed; yet hic magister non tenetur, here by his leave they would forsake him, and leave him fairly to himself, that they themselves might have the glory of a new invention.

For you my Brethren, and beloved in our Lord and Saviour, as I do willingly believe that you have entertain'd these Tenets upon mis-persuasion, not out of any ill intentions to the Church your Mother; and that it is an errour in your judgments only, not of your affections: So upon that belief have I spared no pains, as much as in me is, to remove that errour, and rectifie what is amiss in your opinion. I hope you are not of those men, Quos non persuadebis, etiamsi persuaseris, who either hate to be reformed, or have so far espoused a quarrel, that neither truth nor reason can divorce them from it. Nor would I gladly you should be of their resolutions,

Qui volunt id verum esse quod credunt, nolunt id credere quod verum est; who are more apt to think all true which themselves believe, than be persuaded to believe such things as are true indeed. In confidence whereof, as I was first induced to compose this History; so in continuance of those hopes, I have presumed to address it to you, to tender it to your perusal, and to submit it to your censure: That if you are not better furnished, you may learn from hence that you have trusted more unto other men than you had just reason. It is my chief en∣de avour, as it is my prayer, that possibly I may behold Jerusalem in prosperity, all my life long. Nor doubt I by the grace of God, to reduce some of you at the least, to such conformity with the practice of the Catholick Church; that even your hands may also labour in the ad∣vancement and promotion of that full prosperity, which I so desire. This that I may the better do, I shall present you, as I said, with the true story of the Sabbath, and therein lay before your eyes both what the Doctrine was, and what the practice of all former times; and how it stands in both respects with all Gods Churches at this present. First, for the Sabbath, I shall shew you that it was not instituted by the Lord in Paradise, nor naturally imprinted in the soul of man, nor ever kept by any of the Antient Fathers before Moses time: And this not ge∣nerally said, and no more but so; but proved particularly and successively in a continued descent of times and men. Next, that being given unto the Jews by Moses, it was not so observed or reckoned of as any of the moral precepts, but sometimes kept, and sometimes not, according as mens private businesses, or the necessities of the state might give way unto it; and finally was for ever abrogated, with the other Ceremonies, at the destruction of the Temple. As for the Gentiles all this while, it shall hereby appear that they took no more notice of it, (except a little at the latter end of the Jewish State) than to deride both it, and all them that kept it. Then for the Lords day, that it was not instituted by our Saviour Christ, commanded by the Apostles, or ordained first by any other Authority than the voluntary Consecration of it by the Church to religious uses; and being Consecrated to those uses, was not advanced to that esteem which it now enjoys, but liesurely and by degrees, partly by the Edicts of secular Princes, partly by Canons of particular Councils, and finally by the Decretals of several Popes, and Orders of inferiour Prelates; and being so advanced, is subject still, as many Protestant Do∣ctors say, to the Authority of the Church to be retained or changed as the Church thinks fit. Finally, that in all Ages heretofore, and in all Churches at this present, it neither was nor is esteemed of as a Sabbath day; nor reckoned of so near a kin to the former Sabbath, but that at all such leisure times as were not destinate by the Church to Gods publick service; men might apply their minds, and bestow their thoughts either about their businesses or upon their pleasures, such as are lawful in themselves, and not prohibited by those powers, under which they lived. Which shewed and manifestly proved unto you, I doubt not but those Paper-walls which have been raised heretofore to defend these Doctrines, how sair soever they may seem to the outward eye, and whatsoever colours have been laid upon them, will in the end appear unto you to be but Paper-walls indeed; some beaten down by the report only of those many Canons which have successively been mounted in the Church of God, either to fortifie the Lords day, which it self did institute, or cast down those Jewish fancies which some had laboured to restore. Such passages as occurred concerning England, I purposely have deferred till the two last Chapters, that you may look upon the actions of our Ancestors with a clearer eye, both those who lived at the first planting of Religion; and those who had so great an hand in the reforming of the same. And yet not look upon them only, but by comparing your new Doctrines with those which were delivered in the former times; your severe practice, with the innocent liberty which they used amongst them: You may the better see your errours, and what strange Incense you have offered in the Church of God. A way in which I have the rather made choice to walk, that by the practice of the Church in general, you may the better judge of those Texts of Scrip∣ture which seem to you to speak in the behalf of that new Divinity which you have preached unto the People; and by the practice of this Church particularly, it may with greater ease be shewed you, that you did never suck these Doctrines from your Mothers Breasts.

It is an observation and a rule in Law, that custom is the best interpreter of a doubtful statute, and we are lesson'd thereupon, to cast our eyes in all such questionable matters unto the practice of the state in the self-same case. Si de interpretatione legis quaeritur, imprimis inspiciendnm est, quo jure civitas retro in hujusmodi casibus usa fuit: Consuetudo enim optima interpretatio legis est.* 1.2 If you submit unto this rule, and stand unto the Plea which you oft have made, I verily persuade my self that you will quickly find your errour; and that withal you will discover how to abet a new and dangerous Doctrine, you have deserted the whole practice of the Christian Church, which for the space of 1600 years hath been embraced and followed by all godly men. These are the hopes which we project unto our selves. The cause of this our undertaking was your Information; and the chief end we aim at is your Reforma∣tion.

Your selves my Brethren, and your good, if I may procure it, are the occasion and the recompence of these poor endeavours; Pretiumque & causa laboris, in the Poets language.

Nor would I you should think it any blemish to your reputation, should you desert a cause which with so vehement affections you have first mainteined; or that the world would censure you of too deep a folly, should you retract what you have either taught or written in the times before. Rather the world and all good men shall praise both your integrity and ingenuity, in that you think it no disparagement to yield the better unto truth, whensoever you find it. Being men conceive it not impossible, but that you may be in an errour; and having erred, think it your greatest Victory that you are conquered by the truth; which being mighty will prevail, and either here or elsewhere, enforce all of us to confess the great powers thereof. S. Austin and the Cardinal, two as great Clerks as almost any in their times, have herein shewed the way unto you, one in his Retractations, the other in his Recognitions; nor did it ever turn unto their dis∣grace. Therefore abandoning all such fond conceits, as enemies unto the truth, which I trust you seek, and above all things wish to find; let me beseech you to possess your souls with desire of knowledge, and that you would not shut your eyes against the tendry of those truths, which either here or elsewhere are presented to you for your information. Which that you may the bet∣ter do, I do adjure you in the name, and for the sake of Jesus Christ, to lay aside all prejudice which possibly you may be possessed withal, either in reference to the Argument, or unto the Author; and to peruse this following Story with as much singleness of heart, and desire of truth, and invocation of Gods Spirit to find out the same, as was by me used in the writing of it. It is your welfare which I aim at, as before was said; your restitution to your functions, and recon∣ciliation to the Church, from which you are at point of falling; that we with you, and you with us, laying aside those jealousies and distrusts which commonly attend on divided minds, may joyn our hearts and hands together for the advancement of Gods honour, and the Churches peace. And God even our own God shall give us his blessing.

For others which shall read this Story, whether by you misguided or yet left emire, I do desire them to take notice that there is none so much a stranger to good Arts and Learning, whom in this case and kind of writing I dare not trust with the full cognizance of the cause herein re∣lated. In points of Law, when as the matter seems to be above the wit of common persons, or otherwise is so involved and intricate, that there hath been no Precedent thereof in former times; it is put off to a demurrer, and argued by my Lords the Judges, with their best maturity of delibe∣ration. But in a matter of fact we put our selves upon an ordinary Jury, not doubting if the evidence prove fair, the Witnesses of faith unquestioned, and the Records without suspition of im∣posture, but they will do their Conscience, and find for Plaintiff or Defendant, as the cause appears. So in the business now in hand, that part thereof which consists most of Argument and strength of Disputation, in the examining of those reasons which Pro or Con have been alledged, are by me left to be discussed, and weighed by them, who either by their place are called, or by their Learning are inabled to so great a business. But for the point of practice, which is matter of fact, how long it was before the Sabbath was commanded, and how it was observed, being once commanded; how the Lords day hath stood in the Christian Church, by what Authority first instituted, in what kind regarded; these things are offered to the judgment and considera∣tion of the meanest Reader. No man that is to be returned on the present Jury, but may be able to give up his Verdict, touching the title now in question, unless he come with passion, and so will not hear, or else with prejudice, and so will not value the evidence which is produced for his information. For my part, I shall deal ingenuously, as the cause requires, as of sworn counsel to the truth, not using any of the mysteries or arts of pleading, but as the holy Fathers of the Church, the learned Writers of all Ages, the most renowned Divines of these latter times, and finally as the publick Monuments and Records of most Nations christned have furnished me in this enquiry. What these or any of them have herein either said or done, or otherwise left upon the Register for our direction, I shall lay down in order in their several times; either the times in which they lived, or whereof they writ: that so we may the better see the whole suc∣cession both of the doctrine and the practice of Gods Church in the present business. And this with all integrity and sincere proceeding, not making use of any Author who hath been probably suspected of fraud or forgery, nor dealing otherwise in this search than as becomes a man who aims at nothing more than Gods publick service, and the conducting of Gods People in the ways of truth. This is the sum of what I had to say in this present Preface; beseeching God, the God of truth, yea the truth it self, to give us a right understanding, and a good will to do thereafter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hooker in his Preface.
• * 1.2

  De legib. & longa consuet.