Question 103

1 How manifold the sabboth is.
2 The causes for which the sabboth was instituted.
3 How the sabboth is sanctified, or kept holy.
4 How the sabboth is broken or prophaned.
5 How the sabboth belongeth vnto vs.

1 HOW MANIFOLD THE SABBOTH IS

The sabboth signifieth a quietnesse, or rest, or ceasing from labours. 1. Because god rested on that daie, namely, from making any new or moe kindes of creatures, though not from preseruing of the same which he had made, or from continuing the generation of the singulars of euery kind. 2. Because the sabboth is an image of the spiritual rest to come. 3. Because wee also and our families, and our cattel are to rest and cease from our woorkes on that daie; not from al woorkes, but from houshold and ciuil works, and from others of the like kind, that god may then shew and exercise in vs his works. And this concerning the name of the sabboth.

Furthermore, the sabboth is of two sorts: Internal, and external. The Jnternal, or Moral or spiritual, is the studie of the knowledge of God and his works, of auoiding sinnes and of worshipping God by confession and obedience. To be short; The spiritual sabboth, or spiritual rest is a ceasing from sinnes, and an exercising of the workes of God. This sabboth, although it bee continuall & perpetual with the godly, yet is it begun in them in this life, and is called the sabboth, both because this is that true rest from labours & miseries, and the consecration of vs to gods worship, and also because it was in times past signified by the ceremonial sabboth. And this spritual Sabboth shall be perfectly & perpetuallie continued in the life to come, wherein is a perpetual worshipping & magnifieng of God, al those labours being left and surceased, wherein wee are now busied and occupied. The external or ceremonial sabboth is a certaine time ordained and instituted by god in the church, dedicated to a ceasing from workes and labours, and giuen to the ministerie of gods word, & to the administration of the sacraments, or to the external publick worship of god. This ceremonial sabboth was necessary, in the old Testament, to be the seuenth day, & that on that day (as also on other holy daies) the Leuitical ceremonies should be obserued. This selfesame ceremoniall sabboth is a thing Indifferent in the Newe Testament.

This Externall sabboth is also of two sortes: Immediate, and Mediate. Immediate is that which was immediatelie instituted by god himselfe: & this was diuersly takē in the old Testament. Namely, 1. It signified daies, as euery seuenth day which was in a more peculiar sense called the sabboth, both in respect of Gods rest from the creation of the worlde, and in respect of that rest which was commanded the people of God to bee kept on that day. It signified also other festiual daies wherein the people were to rest, as on the seuenth day. So it is the first day of the Paschal feast called the sabboth, Leuit. 23 and in the same place the feast of Trumpets is called a sabboth; likewise, the feast of Tabernacles. 2 It signified also the whole seuen daies, or, the whole weeke was called, by the name of the chiefe day, the sabboth. Matth 28. Now in the end of the sabboth, when the first daie of the sabboth, that is, of the weeke, began to dawne. 3. It was taken for euerie seuenth yeare, wherein the Iewes were commaunded to intermit the tillage of their fieldes. The commaundement is giuen them, in Leuit. 25 4 26.35. And hereof also the whole seuen yeares were called sabbothes. Leuit. 25.8. Thou shalt number seuen sabbothes of yeares vnto thee, euen seuen times seuen yeares. The Mediate externall Sabboth is that, which God dooth mediatelie constitute by his church, such as is in the New Testament the first day of the weeke, to wit sundaie, or rather The Lords daie, which was instituted for the seuenth day, or sabboth day, in respect of Christs resurrection.

2 The causes for which the sabboth daie was instituted

The final causes or endes for which the sabboth daie was instituted are these. 1. The publique seruice and worship of god in the church, exercise of praiers, confession & obedience, in which consisteth the study of the knowledge of GOD, of good woorkes, and thankfulnes. God will, and therefore doth hee especially ordaine the sabboth, that hee bee worshipped and inuocated of vs in this life, not only priuately, but also by the publique voice of the Church. 2. The mainteinance and preseruation of the ministerie of the church, which is an office and function instituted by God to teach and instruct the Church concerning God and his will, out of the word of God deliuered by the Prophets and Apostles, and to administer the sacramentes according to Gods holy institution. This is not the least end, for which the sabboth was ordained. For this ordinaunce and publique preaching of the doctrine being ioined with praier and thankes-giuing, and with the vse of holy rites, is a publique exercise stirring and cherishing faith and repentaunce. 3. It was instituted, that it might be in the old testament a type signifieng the spirituall and euerlasting sabboth. Ezech. 20.12. Moreouer J gaue them also my sabbothes to bee a signe betweene mee and them, that they might know that J am the Lord, that sanctifie them. 4. It was instituted for a circumstaunce of the seuenth daie, that namely the seuenth day might aduertise mē of the creatiō of the world, of the ordering and menaging of things to be done, and of that meditation which they are to vse in considering gods workes which hee in sixe daies created and accomplished. 5. That on that daie the works of charitie, bountifulnesse, and liberalitie should be exercised. 6. For the bodilie rest both of men and beastes, but of beastes in respect of man. 7. That men should prouoke one another by their example to godlinesse and to the praising and honouring of god. Ps. 22.22. J wil declare thy Name vnto my brethren; in the middest of the congregation wil I praise thee. 8. That the church maie be seen and heard among men, and be discerned frō the other blasphemous & idolatrous multitude of men, and that they maie ioine themselues thereto, who are as yet separated from it. So was in the old Testament also the sabboth a marke distinguishing the people of Israel from all other nations.

3 How the sabboth is sanctified or kept holy

The works which are to be done on the sabboth daie, or the partes of the sanctifieng of the sabboth day are comprehended in the word Sanctifieng, which parts we will briefly expound.

The partes then of the sanctifieng of the sabboth are, 1. Rightly and truly to teach and instruct the church concerning god, and his wil. The teaching which is here commanded is of another kinde from that, which was mentioned in the third commaundement. For there it belongeth to euery priuate person to teach: heere the function of teaching is enioined as proper vnto certaine persons, and that vnto such persons as beeing furnished from aboue with necessary giftes are lawfully called by the church vnto this function; and vnto them is it enioined in this commandement, that they propound and deliuer found doctrin to al men, both in publick assemblies, and in priuate instruction.

2 Rightlie to administer the sacraments according to Gods diuine institution. This likewise must bee perfourmed by the ministers of the Church lawfullie called to discharge this function. And as the doctrine, so also this administration of the sacraments is not tied to certaine daies, but it sufficeth if the administration be publique, and be done by the ministers, (who beare a publique person, and represent in the ministery the person of god himself talking with men) and if also in the assemblies of the Church those thinges be done by thē, which god hath tied & annexed vnto the ministers. So circūcision was administred on any day, which fel out to be the eighth frō the Infants natiuity. So Baptism also may be administred at anie time, Act. 8. & 10. But the administration of the sacraments ought chieflie to be exercised on the Sabboth daie. Therefore, Num. 28. & 29. besides daylie sacrifices there are certain sacrifices appointed, which were to be perfourmed on the Sabboth & on festiual daies. Furdermore this administratiō must be in publike assemblies. For so Christ also instituted his supper (as which amongst other ends, must be also a bōd of church assemblies) to be administred in the assembly of the church, bee it great or be it small. Mat. 26. Drinke ye all of this. Vnto the right administration also of the sacraments belongeth the excluding and debarring of those, whom God hath commaunded to be excluded from them. Like as it was not lawful for those that were aliens from the Country and religion of the Iewes, neither for any of the vncircumcised to eate of the Paschal Lamb, Exo. 12. So neither ought the church to admit vnto the Lords supper those that are not baptised, or those that are baptised, but yet are aliens in their Doctrine and manners from Christianity. 1. Cor. 10 & 11.

3 Diligentlie and dailie to frequent the publique assemblies of the Church, and there attentiuelie to giue eare vnto the Heauenlie Doctrine plainlie opened and deliuered, and diligentlie to meditate after thereon, and examine it; but especially to spend those daies, which are deputed vnto the ministery & seruice of God, in reading, meditation, and in discoursing of diuine matters. These things are made manifest by the nature and necessary dependancie of Correlatiues. For if god will haue some to be teachers, hee will also haue some to be hearers and learners of this Doctrine. And the study of learning is not without priuate Meditation. Therefore haue the men of Beraea their commendation, Acts. 17.11. Thus they receiued the word with all readinesse, and searched the Scriptures dailie, whether those things were so. But vnto them especially is the study of knowing the Doctrine of god enioyned, who either serue or hereafter are to serue and minister vnto the Church. 1. Tim. 4.13. Giue attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine. And 1. Tim. 3. and 2. Tim. 2. Paul will haue the minister of the Church to be fit and able to instruct, and to refute the aduersaries.

4 To vse the sacraments according to gods Jnstitution. So god commaunded the Passeouer to be celebrated in a solemne assemblie of the people, and vnto other holy daies and sabbothes he assigned certaine sacrifices. And in like manner god will that, as his Doctrine should bee heard, so also the right and lawfull vse of his sacraments should bee seene and behold in the publicke meetings and assemblies of the Church: because god will haue both these to bee markes whereby his Church may be knowen & discerned from other sects and peoples. Againe, as the woord, so also the sacraments are an instrument or exercise to stirre and maintaine in vs faith and godlinesse. They are also a publicke profession of our faith and thankefulnesse towardes God, and a part of Gods publicke worship in the Church. Therfore the vse of them is most agreeable and fit for the Sabboth day.

5 Publicke Jnuocation of God, whereby we ioine our confession, thankes-giuing, praiers, & desires with the Church. For god will be inuocated not only priuately by euery one, but also publickely by the whole Church, for his owne glory, & our comfort, that so we may the lesse doubt that God will hear vs, seeing he hath promised to heare, not onely vs, but also others, and the whole Church praying for vs together with vs. For therefore hath God annexed a speciall promise vnto publicke prayers. Mat. 18.19. If two of you shall agree on earth vpon anie thing, whatsoeuer they shal desire, it shal be giuen them of my Father which is in Heauen. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the middest of them. And giuing of thankes, and praise vnto God, is promised vnto God as a speciall woorship, Ps. 22. Jn the middst of the congregation will I praise thee: And the same is commanded, 1. Cor. 14. When thou blessest with the spirite, how shal he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned, say Amen, at thy giuing of thankes, seeing he knoweth not what thou saiest? And, 1. Tim. 2. I exhort, that first of al supplications, praiers, intercessions, and giuing of thankes be made for all men. Now whereas Christ else where commandeth that when a man praieth,¹ he enter into his chamber, & when he hath shut his doore, pray vnto his Father which is in secret: he by these words doth not condemne and forbid publicke praiers, but hypocrisie and ostentation, and fained godlinesse: which the woordes testifie that goe before. When thou praiest, be not as the Hypocrits. Now hypocrisie is a faigning and an ostentation or shew of Godlinesse. We are here furder to obserue, that in this commandement is prescribed the publicke inuocation of the Church, but that which was in the former commaundement prescribed, is the priuate inuocatiō, which concerneth euery particular man.

6 To bestowe almes, that is, to performe the duties of loue and charity, thereby to sanctifie the Sabboth, in shewing our obedience, which wee yeelde vnto the Doctrine. Hither appertaineth the sermon of Christ concerning the sabboth, wherein he declareth against the Jewes whether it be lawfull to doe good on the sabboth daie. And whereas God will haue this Sabboth to be kept all our life time, yet will he haue examples and testimonies thereof to bee shewed especially on the externall or ceremoniall Sabboth day, that is, at those times which are allotted to the teaching and learning of Gods worde. For if neither at that time any man shewe his desire of obaying God, when Gods Doctrine soundeth in his eares, and when God willeth vs, surceasing & omitting all other cares, to meditate on Godlinesse & amendment of life; he giueth a token that he will farre lesse doe it at an other time. Therefore hath it beene alwaies the custome in the Church, to bestowe almes on the Sabboth day, and to performe the workes of charity towardes those that are in want. Nehem 8.10. Send part vnto them, for whom none is prepared, for this daie is holie vnto our Lord.

7 The honour of the ministerie of the Church, or our obedience towardes the whole ministerie in life, and manners; and this is the morall Sabboth. Nowe that obedience towardes the ministery comprehendeth many things, First, reuerence, that is, an acknowledging of Gods order and will in the ordeining and maintaining of the Ministery, and in the gathering of his Church by it: that is, a declaration both in woords and deeds of this our acknowledgement & iudgement of the Ministery. 1. Cor. 4.7. Let a man so thinke of vs, as of the Ministers of christ, and disposers of the secrets of God, Secondly, loue, whereby wee gladly both frequent diuine assemblies, and heare & learn the Doctrine of the church, and wish well vnto the faithfull Ministers of the Church, not onely in respect of that duty of charity which we owe, but also in respect of the ministerie, which they discharge. Psal. 84. How amiable are thy Tabernacles? My soule longeth, yea & fainteth for the courts of the Lord. Thirdly, obedience in those thinges which are belonging vnto the Ministerie. Hither belong the workes of loue towards God and our neighbour, euen the whole life of a Christian, which is that spirituall or morall Sabboth. For to hold and celebrate that spiritual Sabboth, is, in the direction and ordering of our life to obey the voice of God, speaking by the ministerie of the Church. For God will therefore haue the true doctrine to be learned of vs, that we may obey it, Jam. 1. Bee yee doers of the woord, and not hearers onelie, deceiuing your owne selues. Fourthly, Thankefulnesse, that is, such duties as tend to the preseruation and mainteinance of the ministery, Ministers, and Schooles. For if God will haue ministers to be in his church, he will also that euery one according to his ability helpe forwarde and furder the maintenance of the Ministerie, & Schooles of learning, & doe his endeuor that the ministers, teachers, & school-masters be honestlie prouided for. Hither appertain Moses Lawes of the first-born, of first-fruits, of tithes, & such like offerings, which were alotted to the Priests & Leuites by way of stipend, whereby they might sustaine their owne life & their houshould, that so they might wholly bee employed in the ministerie. And albeit the circumstances of these lawes are abolished, yet the generall remaineth for euer; because God wil haue his ministerie to bee maintained to the end of the world. Fiftly & lastly, Lenitie and moderation in bearing with such infirmities of the ministers, as doe not enormously or manifestly corrupt or hinder the ministery, & hurt the church by offence. 1. Tim. 5.19. Against an Elder receiue none accusation, but vnder two or three witnesses. Seeing then this is the sanctifieng & keeping holy of the Sabboth, it followeth that those works must needs be contrary to these, whereby the Sabboth is broken & prophaned.

6 How the sabboth is broken or prophaned

The sabboth is prophaned when either it is not at al sanctified, or is not sanctified aright, but such works are done as hinder the ministerie, or are contrarie vnto those woorks which belong to the sanctifieng of the sabboth, and were euen nowe rehearsed. Wherefore the parts of the profaning of the sabboth shal be those, which are opposed vnto the parts of sanctifieng of the sabboth. We wil shortly propound them on this wise.

1 Vnto the deliuering and teaching of the doctrine, is opposed the omitting, or neglect of teaching; As also a corrupting or maiming of the doctrine, or a fitting of it vnto the opinions, affections, lusts, or commodities of the Magistrates or others. 2. Corint. 2.17. For we are not as manie which make merchaundize of the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we of Christ.

2 Vnto the right & due administration of the Sacraments, is opposed an omitting or neglect in the Church of exhortation to the receiuing of the sacraments: as also a corrupt and vnlawful administration of the sacramentes, when somewhat is either taken from, or added to the ceremonies instituted of God, or is altered & chaunged in them, or when some are excluded from the Sacramentes, which should be admitted, or are admitted, which should by Gods ordinance be driuen from them, or when the people is not instructed concerning the right and lawfull vse of them.

3 Vnto the studie of learning the doctrine, is repugnaunt, 1. A contempt and neglect of the doctrine; that is, either not to afford our presence in sacred assemblies, when there is no iust cause to hinder vs, and to busie our selues in such works on the sabboth day, as might haue been differred; or not to giue eare and attendaunce to Sermons and the preaching of Gods woorde, or not to meditate, consider and examine the doctrine of the Church. 2. Curiositie, which is a desire & study of knowing those things which God hath not reueiled, vnnecessary, strange, and vaine.

4 Vnto the right vse of the sacramentes is contrarie, the omitting and contempt thereof: as also a profaning of them, when they are not receiued as God hath commaunded, neither by them for whom they were ordained. Likewise also contrary thereto is all superstitious vsing of them, when as saluation and the grace of God is tied to the obseruation of the rites and ceremonies, or when they are vsed to such ends as God hath not appointed.

5 Vnto publike praiers is opposed the neglect of them, & an hypocritical presence at them, without anie attention and inward deuotion: Likewise such reading or praieng as serueth not for any edifieng of the Church. 1. Cor. 14.16. When thou blessest with the spirit, how shal he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned, saie Amen, at thy giuing of thankes? For he knoweth not what thou saiest. For thou verily giuest thanks wel; but the other is not edified.

6 To the bestowing of Almes, is repugnant a neglect of the works of charitie: as when wee doe not according to our power succour the poore that stand in need of our help.

7 To the honour of the ministerie of the church is opposed the contempt of the ministerie: as when either the ministerie of the Church is abolished or committed to men vnworthy and vnable, or is denied to be the means & instrument which God will vse for the gathering of his Church: likewise when the ministers are reproched, when their doctrin is heard and not obeyed in the ordering of our life, when the works of charity are neglected, when necessary mainteinaunce is not allowed the Ministers, when the defence and protection of them, and other duties of thankefulnesse are not perfourmed towardes them, when the mainteinance of Schooles and studies and learning is neglected, when the tolerable defectes of the Ministers are not borne with, and when for such the ministery suffereth reproch and contumely. In like maner also is it against the vse of the whole ministerie, not onely when some one priuately neglecteth or omitteth the vse of the ministerie, but also when one by his commandement and persuasion, or example, or by some other hinderance, calleth away his children, family, or any other from the vse of the ministery.

5 How the sabboth belongeth vnto vs

The seuenth day was euen from the beginning of the world designed by God to signifie, that men should after the example of God himselfe rest from their labours, & 〈…〉 from sinnes And afterwards in Moses Lawe this commandement was againe repeated, and then withal was the ceremony of ceasing from labour on the seuenth day ordayned, to be a sacrament, that is, a signe and token of that signifieng, whereby god signified himselfe to bee the sanctifier of his church, that is, to pardon her al her sins & offences, to receiue her into fauour, to endue & rule her with his holy spirite, for the beginning of newe and euerlasting life in her in this life, which afterwardes should be accomplished & perfected for & by the Messias promised to the fathers. And this is the reason; why the ceremonial sabboth of the seuenth day is now to be abolished; namely, because it was typical admonishing the people of their own duty towards god, & of gods benefits towards them, which was to be performed by christ: for which selfesame cause also al the other sacramentes & sacrifices, & ceremonies made before & after the Lawe, were abolished by the comming of Christ, by whom that was fulfilled which they signified.

But although the ceremonial sabboth is abrogated and disanulled in the new testament; yet the moral sabboth continueth stil, and belongeth vnto vs, and euen the verie generall of the ceremoniall sabboth belongeth vnto vs, and dooth still remaine, which is, that some time is to be alotted for the ministerie of the Church. For we must euer haue some day, wherein the word of god may be taught in the Church, and the Sacramentes administred. But neuerthelesse we are not restrained or tied, to haue either saturday, or wednesday, or any other certaine day, & therefore the sabboth doth not belong vnto vs ceremonially in special and particular, albeit it dooth belong vn- vs, & so to al men, & euer continueth both morallie & ceremonially in general.

Obiections against the abrogating of the ceremonial sabboth

The Decalogue is a perpetual Law: The commaundement of the sabboth is a part of the Decalogue: therefore it is a perpetuall Law, and not to be abolished. Aunswere. The Decalogue is a perpetual Law; as it is a Moral Law. But the additions, or circumstances and limitations of the Morall preceptes, annexed by way of signification, were to be kept vntil the comming of the Messias.

2. The commaundments of the Dacalogue belong vnto vs. This is a commaundement of the Decalogue. Therefore it belongeth vnto vs. Aunswere. The commandements of the Decalogue which are Morall belong vnto vs. But this commandement is in part ceremonial, & so as it is ceremonial, it belongeth not vnto vs, albeit the general belong vnto vs. The reasons, why the ceremoniall Lawe belongeth not vnto vs, are especially these. 1. One part of this Law of sanctifieng the sabboth is ceremonial. 2. Paul saith Coloss. 2.16. Let no man condemne you in respect of an holie daie. 3. The Apostles themselues did change the sabboth. 4. From the end or purpose of the Law. It was a type of thinges that were to bee fulfilled by Christ, namely of sanctification; and euery type must giue place to the thing thereby signified. Likewise it was a seuering or distinguishing of the Iewes from other nations: but this seuering and distinction was taken away by christ.

3 The Lord saith of the sabboth daie: Jt is a signe betweene mee and the children of Jsrael for euer, and an euerlasting couenaunt. Aunswere. 1. The ceremonial sabboth was perpetuall vntil Christes comming, who is the end of ceremonies. 2. The sabboth is eternal, as concerning the thing signified, which is a ceasing from sins, and a rest in God: for in this sense are all the types of the old testament eternal; euen the kingdome of Dauid also; which yet was to be ouerthrown before the comming of the Messias.

4 We grant the Mosaicall ceremonies to be changeable; yet it followeth not thereof, that the Lawes which were made before Moses time are changeable, in the number whereof also is the keeping of the Sabboth daie. Aunswere. The ceremonies, which were ordained by God before Moses, are also changeable; because they were types of the benefites of the Messias to come, and therefore are by his comming abolished, as circumcision which was giuen vnto Abraham, as also the sacrifices which were prescribed vnto our first Parents.

5 The lawes which were giuen of God before the fall, are not types of the benefites of the Messias, and binde all mankind for euer: for then was not giuen as yet the promise of the Messias, and there was one and the same condition of all mankind: But the Sabboth of the seuenth daie was ordained by God, assoone as the creation of the world was finished, before the fall of mankinde. Therefore it is vniuersal and perpetual. Aunswere. The Maior proposition is true concerning the morall lawe, the notions whereof were imprinted in mans minde at the first creation: but it is not true, as touching the ceremonie or obseruing of the seuenth day, as which after the fall was made a type of the benefites of the Messias in the Mosaicall lawe, & therfore in like maner as other ceremonies which were either then, or before instituted, it became subiect to mutation & change by the comming of the Messias. For god would not haue the shadowes of thinges to continue or remaine, the thinges themselues being once come and exhibited. Wherefore albeit we graunt that the exercises of diuine woorship were to haue beene kept on the seuenth day according to the commaundement & prescript of the Decalogue, as well if men had neuer sinned, as nowe after they sinned: yet notwithstanding seeing god hath enrolled this ceremonie amongest the shadowes of the Messias to come, he hath, by this new law enacted by Moses, made it changeable together with other ceremonies.

6 The cause of a law beeing perpetual doth make the lawe it selfe also perpetual. The memorie and celebration of the creation, and the meditation on the works of God is a perpetual cause of the Sabboth. Therefore the Sabboth is perpetual. Aunswere. A law is made perpetuall or vnchaungeable by reason of an vnchangeable cause, that is, if that cause it & doe necessarily or perpetually require this lawe as an effect or meane: but not, if at other times, that ende may bee there come vnto by other meanes, or if the Law-giuer may as wel obtaine the same ende by another Law. In like maner, seeing also, this Lawe of sanctifieng the Sabboth of the seuenth day being repealed & abolished, we may neuertheles godlily & holily by other means meditate on gods works, it foloweth not that this law of the ceremonial Sabboth is perpetual, although the memorie & celebration of Gods creation & workes ought to be perpetual; and therefore hath the Church by common consent according to Christian libertie well chaunged this ceremonie of obseruing the seuenth day being taken away by Christ, & hath substituted in the place of the seuenth day the first day of the weeke; yet so, that there is obserued no difference of daies, which is vtterly forbid in the Church, seeing one day is not holier than another: Wherefore also great difference is there betweene the Christian obseruing of the Lords day, and the Jewish obseruing of the seuenth daie. For, 1 It was not lawfull for the Jewes to change the saboth, or to omit it, as being a part of ceremoniall woorship. The christian church retaining still her libertie alotteth the first day vnto the Ministerie, without adioyning any opinion of necessitie, or woorship. 2 The olde ceremoniall Sabboth was a type of things to be fulfilled in the new Testament by christs but in the new Testament that signification ceaseth, and there is had regard onlie of order and comelinesse, without which there could be either no ministerie, or at at least-wise no well ordered ministerie in the church.

Footnotes

1. Mat. 6.6. ↩