On Works of Necessity & Mercy on the Sabbath

“For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice;”

Hos. 6:6

And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, ‘Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.’ When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.”

Acts 20:7-12

Subsection

Relations between the Tables of the Law

Order of Contents

Article 1
Quotes 2
Historical 1

What Constitutes Necessity 6+
Necessary Means to Attend Public Worship 15
Merciful & Necessary Works may take up the Whole Day 2
Time of Danger & Spreading Disease 5
Public Worship under Persecution 10+
Self-Care 3
Economics 3

Article

Bownd, Nicholas – pp. 213-62 of The True Doctrine of the Sabbath… (London, 1606) This is ch. 12, ‘Works of Necessity & Mercy on the Sabbath’, pp. 225-254 in the reprint by Naphtali & RHB (2015) Buy

Quotes

1600’s

William Ames

The Marrow of Theology tr. John D. Eusden (1623; Baker, 1997), bk. 2, ch. 15, ‘The Time of Worship’, section 43, p. 299

“43. There are, however, exceptions. First, all those works are permitted which are part of honorable conduct. At all times we ought to live and act honestly and decently, and especially on the day dedicated to divine worship. All things which look simply to this are clearly allowed.

Second, those things are permitted which are imposed upon us by special necessity, Matt. 12:11. We should eliminate all those things which men make or pretend to make necessary. But there are still those which in the providence of God are unexpected, necessary, and unavoidable, e.g., when a necessity allowed by the Scripture is present as a sufficient cause for doing ordinary work.

Third, all work is permitted which directly affects the worship and glory of God, Matt. 12:5; John 5:8,9. For such work which of its own nature is servile passes into the nature of a holy work and is not properly our work but God’s.”

1800’s

J.C. Ryle

“The Sabbath was made for man, for his benefit, not for his injury, for his advantage, not for his hurt. The interpretation of God’s law respecting the Sabbath was never intended to be strained so far as to interfere with charity, kindness, and the real needs of human nature. All such interpretations only defeat their own end. They require that which fallen man cannot perform, and thus bring the whole commandment into disrepute. Our Lord saw this clearly, and labored throughout His ministry to restore this precious part of God’s law to its just position.

The principle which our Lord lays down about Sabbath observance needs carefully fencing with cautions. The right to do works of necessity and mercy is fearfully abused in these latter days. Thousands of Christians appear to have trampled down the hedge, and burst the bounds entirely with respect to this holy day. They seem to forget that though our Lord repeatedly explains the requirements of the fourth commandment, He never struck it out of the law of God, or said that it was not binding on Christians at all.”

Historical

Scottish Reformation

Article

Todd, Margo – pp. 35-38 in ch. 1, ‘The Word & the People’ in The Culture of Protestantism in Early Modern Scotland (Yale University Press, 2002)

What Constitutes Necessity?

Order of Quotes & Articles

Bownd
Ames
Gillespie
Shepard
Durham
Turretin
Willard
Rutherford

Quotes

Nicholas Bownd

The Doctrine of the Sabbath Plainly Laid forth… (London, 1595),

pt. 1, pp. 106-7

“…generally concerning this matter, what things soever the time present does necessarily require to be done for our own furtherance, the commodity of our brethren, or the benefit or preservation of any of the creatures, which cannot be deferred unto another day without loss or hinderance, neither could any ways be provided for before: (For the occasion was but new offered) though they do no ways belong to any part of God’s service immediately: Nay I will say more, and but the truth: though they do keep us from it, or call us away when we be at it, yet they are permitted unto us, and we may lawfully do them, though they be never so painful and full of labor, without any offence against the law of the Sabbath, wherein notwithstanding bodily rest is so straitly required, as we have learned.

And therefore it is truly said, Opus corporale, a corporal labor pertaining to the preservation of a man’s own body, life or health, when it is necessary, breaks not the Sabbath… And this is that which is spoken in this chapter,*That if the sheep be now in the ditch, it must be presently holpen out, lest it miscarry.

pp. 110-11

…Even so here, the Spirit of God by sacrifice (as by one kind), meaning generally the whole worship of God, He would have us to offer it unto Him, as that in the mean season we neglect no occasion of showing mercy unto any of his creatures, which He offered unto us; but rather first of all to show mercy, and then to offer sacrifice. As He says in another place, “First be reconciled to they brother, and then come and offer thy gift (Matt. 5:22). For seeing that the whole service of God is ordained for this cause among many others, that we might be made more fit to help our brethren, and to show all duties of mercy unto them, all others must give place unto this, when necessity so requires. According to that which Master Gualter says: Omnia externa: “All outward things must gives place unto love, lest we lay a snare upon them”–quos necssitas inevitabilis alio vocat–“whom inevitably necessity calls another way:” or at whose hands the present necessity, that cannot be avoided, requires another thing. (Gualter, Mark 2, hom. 22…)

And that this is the true meaning of the law of resting, appears more clearly by that which Christ Jesus speaks of it in the gospel after [by] St. Mark: “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). That is, the day of rest was appointed for the benefit of man; and not only of him, but of all other creatures. And therefore it must be so observed as may be most beneficial unto them; and the rest in it must give place to them, and not they to it. So that it were against the meaning of the Lawgiver to abuse the rest unto the hurt of them; and that men should under the pretence of resting, withdraw all their labor from them, who by present necessity did call for it, and require it at our hands. But even as the king, because he is the greatest, when he comes in presence, all do give way unto him; so because to help others is greater than rest, and mercy greater than sacrifice, therefore these latter must always give place to the former. So that it need be we must not rest, but labor upon the Sabbath, to do good unto men, or to the cattle.”

pt. 2, p. 249

“And in the seventh chapter [Jn. 7:23], He defends this fact of his, saying, ‘If a man upon the Sabbath receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; be ye angry with Me, because I haue made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day?’

If the law of cir∣cumcision do bind men to minister and receive it upon the Sabbath, then much more does the law of love bind men to show mercy upon the Sabbath, seeing that it is appointed of God, not to hinder us from, but to further us in all his works, among which the relieving of them that be in necessity, is one of the chief and principal.

And as the Lord Jesus Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, so He observed it very carefully in this point, and being most full of compassion, did declare it abundantly, by taking all oportunity to succour them that were in misery, even upon the Sabbath, as the fittest time for it.”

William Ames

The Marrow of Theology tr. John D. Eusden (1623; Baker, 1997), bk. 2, ch. 15, ‘The Time of Worship’, section 43, p. 299

George Gillespie

A Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies (1637)

Pt. 1, ch. 3, ‘That the Ceremonies thus imposed & urged as things necessary, do bereave us of our Christian liberty, first, because our practice is adstricted’, p. 6. Gillespie is quoting Parker approvingly.

“‘David thought the feeding of his body was cause sufficient to break the law of the showbread. Christ thought the satisfying of the disciples’ hunger to be cause sufficient to break the ceremony of the Sabbath: He thought also that the healing of the lepers’ bodies was a just excuse to break the law that forbade the touching of them…’ says [Robert] Parker [d. 1614] (Of the Cross, ch. 5, section 11).“

pt. 4, ch. 3, ‘Whether there be anything indifferent in actu exercito [in the exercised act]’, p. 17 While Gillespie’s teaching here is not in the context of the Sabbath, it is very relevant.

“…as [John] Cameron notes, it is ordinary to call that necessary which is very profitable and expedient. Beside this (I say), we further maintain that in the use of things indifferent, that which we deliberate upon to do is never lawful to be done except it be also necessary, though not necessitate absoluta seu consequentis [by an absolute necessity, of the consequence], yet necessitate consequentiae seu ex supposition [by a necessity of the consequent, or from the supposition].

Paul’s circumcising of Timothy was lawful only because it was necessary, for he behooved by this means to win the goodwill of the people of Lystra who had once stoned him, otherwise he could not safely have preached the Gospel among them. Therefore he had done wrong if he had not circumcised Timothy, since the circumcising of him was according to the rules of the Word, and it was expedient to circumcise him and unexpedient to do otherwise.

And (because de paribus idem est judicium [from the parts, so is the judgment]) whensoever the use of any indifferent thing is according to the rules of the Word, that is, when it is profitable for God’s glory and man’s edification, and the doer is persuaded of so much, I say, putting this case, then (for so much as not only it may, but ought to be done) the use of it is not only lawful, but necessary: and (for so much as not only it needs not, but ought not to be omitted) the omission of it is not only unnecessary, but also unlawful.”

Thomas Shepard

The Sanctification of the Sabbath in The Works of Thomas Shepard… (Boston, 1853), pp. 258-59

“Hence also works of necessity, not only for preservation of life, but also for comfort and comeliness of life, are not unlawful; for it is a gross mistake to think that works only of absolute necessity are allowed only upon this day;

for to lead an ox to water, which in the strictest times was not disallowed of, is not of absolute necessity, for it may live more than a day without it; only it is necessary for the comfort of the life of the beast: how much more is allowed to the comfort of the life of man! The disciples possibly might have lived longer than the Sabbath without rubbing corn ears, and men may live on Sabbath days generally without warm meat, yea, they may fast perhaps all that day; yet it is not unlawful to eat such meat, because it is necessary for the comfort of life.

Hence also to put on comely garments, to wash hands and face, and many such thnigs as are necessary tor the comeliness as well as the comfort of life, are not unlawful now;

There is sometimes an inevitable necessity by God’s providence, and sometimes a contracted necessity through want of care and foresight: in this case the work may sometimes be done, provided that our neglect beforehand be repented of:”

James Durham

A Practical Exposition of the Ten Commandments… (d. 1658; London: 1675), 4th Commandment, Sanctification of the Sabbath, p. 277, 279-80

“Yet 2. we assert, That by this rest all sort of actions are not condemned, but only such as are inconsistent with the end and scope of this command; as by other Scriptures, and the practice of Christ and the Saints is clear: we conceive therefore these to be permitted:
…

5. Works of necessity, such as… much more preparing honestly sober allowance for the sustaining of the body, as the disciples plucked the ears of corn, Mt. 12, and the Jews, Ex. 16:23, dressed the manna on the Sabbath, though they were not to gather it, yet on the sixth day to bake and seethe a part, and to keep a part till the morrow, but not till the day following, and therefore they behoved to dress it also;

yea, Jesus Christ went Himself to a feast on the Sabbath, Lk. 14 (that He might take that opportunity by his spiritual discourse to edify the company as He did notably) which He would not have done had it been unlawful to dress any meat on the Sabbath, yet his carriage was such at that feast most remarkably, that it would be followed as a pattern by such as may be invited by others to eat with them, and shall be disposed to go on the Sabbath: And if this were the design of the inviters and invited, men’s eating together on that day would not readily prejudice the sanctification of it, as very often it does…

6. Works of comliness, tending to honest or decent walking, as putting on of clothes honestly, making the house clean from any uncleanness that may fall in it throughout the Sabbath, etc.

By all which believers have allowance, 1. for piety, 2. for charity, 3. for what is needful for their beasts, 4. what is needful and convenient, or comely for themselves; and more is not necessary: In these the Lord hath not streightned them, neither has He pinched and pinned them up to absolute necessity, but has left them to walk by Christian prudence (yet so as they may not exceed) for the disciples possibly might have endured that hunger, and not plucked the ears of corn, or beasts may live a day without water, and not be much the worse, or some sort of victuals may be provided to be set beside men on the Sabbath needing no dressing or preparing; yea, a man may live on little or nothing for one day: but the Lord has thought good not to straighten them, so as to make his day and worship a weariness and burden unto them, seeing He has made the Sabbath for man, to be refreshing to him, and not man for the Sabbath;

nor will He have their consciences to be festered with inextricable scruples: He leaves it to men on other days, how much to eat and drink by a Christian prudence (yet allows them not to exceed even on these) so here there is some latitude left to conscientious reason to walk by; for some may do something at one time, and not at another, yea, one man may take more pains in upholding his body than is called for from another who is stronger, so that it’s impossible to set particular rules which will agree to all, but men would look, 1 to their end, 2. to their need, 3. to what may conveniently attain the end.”

Francis Turretin

Institutes (P&R), vol. 2, 11th Topic, Q. 14, ‘The Lord’s Day…’, p. 98

“XXV. Here, nevertheless, are excepted [to the prohibition of servile work]:
…

(3) the works of common honesty, because as always, so on this day above others, we ought to carry ourselves and to act honestly and decorously;

(4) works of necessity, which are neither feigned nor designedly produced, but imposed upon us by providence (Lk. 14:5); not only absolute and simple, that may be called necessary only (which we can in no way be in want of), but modified and relative so that those things may be reckoned necessary not only which are required absolutely for the existence and support of life, but also those which conduce to our living better. Hence some great advantage and emolument accrues to us or our neighbor if they are done or some great disadvantage and loss if they are omitted. ‘The sabbath’ (as Christ testifies in Mk. 2:27) ‘was made for man and not man for the sabbath.’

XXVI. Therefore, we do not think that in this cessation believers are bound to Judaical precision which some (more scrupulous than is just) maintain was not revoked, so that it is lawful neither to kindle a fire, nor to cook food, nor to take up arms against an enemy, nor to prosecute a journey begun by land or sea, nor to refresh themselves with innocent relaxation of the mind and body, provided they are done out of the hours for divine worship, nor to have any diversion, however slight, to any things belonging to the advantages or emoluments of this life.

For although this opinion bears on its face a beautiful appearance of piety (and undoubtedly with good intention is proposed by pious men to procure the better sanctification of this day, usually so basely profaned), still it labors under grievous disadvantages; nor can it be retained without in this way bringing back into the church and imposing anew upon the shoulders of Christians an unbearable yoke (abastakton), repugnant to Christian liberty and the gentleness of Christ and opposed to the sweetness of the covenant of grace by agitating and tormenting the consciences of men through infinite scruples and inextricable difficulties (nearly driving to desperation).”

Samuel Willard

A Complete Body of Divinity… (Boston, 1726), Sermon 172, Q. 60, pp. 584-88

“1. Such [works] as are of ordinary necessity or convenience. For we are not to think the precept is here tied up to things absolutely necessary, as if nothing might be done but what the creature could not subsist without, but such things as are needful, for the comfortable serving of God.”

“4. Hence that the body may be fit to discharge these duties aright, there is something to be done for it on that Day. The body has a dependence on means for the maintaining of the vigor and activity of it whereby it may be fit to attend the service it is appointed to without tiring fainting or giving in: and it stands in need of this as well for Sabbath service, as for the business of this life; for we are to do these with our might, as well as the other: whatsoever is requisite for this, must be very proper for the Day…”

On Different Degrees of Moral Necessity

Article

Rutherford, Samuel – Appendix, ‘An Introduction to Scandal’, Question 6, ‘A Further Consideration of Things Not Necessary, and How They be Scandalous Objects’ in The Divine Right of Church Government… (1646), pp. 61-93

Rutherford’s 6 Distinctions, 2 Conclusions & 6 Rules

The Divine Right of Church Government… (1646), Appendix, ‘An Introduction to Scandal’, Question 6, ‘A Further Consideration of Things Not Necessary & How They be Scandalous Objects’, pp. 61-70, 79, 82-87

1st Distinction. Some things are necessary physically, as to eat flesh,and some things are necessary morally, either because of a law of nature or a positive or divine command.

2. The same way, some things are not necessary physically, and that either simply, as we may live simply without some rare meats that our land and soil does not afford; or in some respect only, as without such and such flesh forbidden by the law of God. Or things are not necessary morally or theologically, as to eat forbidden-meats before a weak Jew.

3. Some things physically necessary, as to eat fleshes being apt to nourish my body, may be morally or theologically not necessary, being stambling blocks to my weak brother.

4. Some things may be necessary in specie [in kind], and that morally, as to hear the Word, to pray. But, in individuo, clothed with such and such circumstances, may be not necessary, as to go to hear the Word when my brother’s house is on fire; that hearing is not necessary but may be scandalous; and the like we may say of praying in the streets [Mt. 6:2].

5. Some things may be necessary physically in private, as to eat for health some fleshes, which publicly before weak Jews, as the case was Rom. 14, is morally not necessary, but scandalous.

6. Some things are not necessary because of the mere positive will of God, as the temple of Baal, and therefore was to be destroyed, not for the abuse of it, for a house has always some necessary use to man now in the state of sin. And of this kind were the cattle of the Amalakites, which were as necessary of themselves for food and sacrifice as other cattle, and the Babylonish garment and wedge of gold, to which Achan’s slimy hands did cleave; and therefore they were not necessary, but to be abstained from by Saul and the Israelites because of the sole positive command of God.

Other things are not necessary, both because God forbids them and because of the scandal and sinful consequences that are possible to fall out, as for God’s people to marry with the idolatrous Canaanites was not necessary, both because God’s forbidden will made it not necessary morally, and also because they might draw away God’s people to serve their gods, which was a fearable and a very possible snare, though some idolatresses being married to the Jews might have been drawn from their idolatry and gained to the faith of the God of Israel.

* * *

1st Conclusion. Monuments or instruments of idolatry are of two sorts, either:

[1.] Such things as have no other use at all but to contribute sorne subservient influence in or unto idolatrous worship, and because these have all their warrant from a mere commandment of man, they are simply not necessary, as the graven image, the idols themselves, all positive observances in God’s worship destitute of any command of God; and the use of these in any case must be scandalous and so unlawful because…

[2.] But there be other things that are instruments of idolatry and subservient thereunto, in a common and physical influence, as a temple builded to the honor of a saint and for the adoring of images, and for the reading and opening the Word of God in the New and Old Testament, though in a corrupt way; these are not properly monuments of idolatry.

Now the house or Church, as such is no monument, nor useless instrument in worship, such as is a surplice, a human holy day, for it has, as such, being a thing of walls and timber, no other than that very same physical influence in worshipping either the true God or a saint, that it has in civil use, in our ordinary dwelling, to wit, to fence our bodies in religious, in natural, in civil actions from injuries of heaven, clouds, and sin. The adjuncts of the Church, as crucifixes, images, altars, ravels, mass-clothes and the like, are properly monuments and instruments of idolaty, because these are not necessary, as is the material house, nor have they any common and physical influence in the worship, as the temple has, yea all the necessity or influence that they have in the worship is only religious and human flowing from the will of men, without either necessity from our natural constitution of body, or any word of Scripture, and therefore they are to be removed upon this ground, because they are unnecessary snares to idolatry…

…An house for the worship of God is amongst the things that are necessary by way of disjunction in specie, not in individuo; that is, a house is necessary, in its physical use, to fence off our bodies, the injuries of sun, air and heaven, but not this house, for another house may serve the turn as conveniently.

2. As some things physically necessary must be abstained from when the unseasonable using of them is a stumbling block to our weak brother, in the case of the moral indifferency of the thing, as it was in the eating or not eating of meats once forbidden by God’s law, but then indifferent, Rom. 14:14; 1 Cor. 8:8…

So in the case of physical indifferency, but of moral and theological necessity, when an evangelic law of Christian liberty has passed a determination upon eating or not eating, then to abstain from eating upon a pretended fear of not offending a weak Jew, is actively to lay a sinful stumbling block before a weak Jew, and to harden him in Judaism, and here using of such meats, and the affirmative, to wit, to eat is lawful and necessary, the things being now morally necessary, not morally indifferent, where as before, the negative, to wit, not to eat was lawful and necessary.

…
There be two necessities of things: one natural, and first in that regard; another religious, and in that regard secondary. The former necessity does always stand, except God remove it by some posterior commandment.

* * *

1st Rule. Comparing a physical and merely natural necessity with a moral necessity, if we yield to the physical necessity and neglect the moral, we sin against God and may lay a stumbling block before others; as to eat such meats, where the loss is small, and the necessity of eating merely physical, and the eating be a scandal to the weak, we sin and give scandal: the case is clear, Rom. 14…

2. If we compare a greater moral necessity with a less moral necessity, the less necessity must yield to the greater: a necessity of mercy must yield to a necessity of sacrificing…

3. Where there is a physical necessity of the thing, yet not extreme, and a moral necessity of abstinence, we are to abstain. The Jews had a physical necessity of the Babylonish garments, but not so extreme, in point of perishing through cold, as David had of showbread in point of starving for famine; therefore Achan should have obeyed the moral necessity of not touching the accursed things and neglected the physical necessity, which if it had amounted to the degrees of necessity of mercy, rather than obeying a ceremonial command, such as was, ‘Touch not the accursed spoil’, Achan might, without sin or scandal to himself or others, have meddled with the spoil.

4. That which is necessary, in specie, ‘in the kind’, as to go to Church and hear the Word, to come to the house of God and worship, may be, in individuo, ‘in a particular exigence’ of providence, not morally necessary, but the contradicent thereof morally lawful. David does lawfully forbear to come to the Lord’s house, if he knew Saul may kill him by the way.

5. The things which we are to forbear only for necessity of scandal, and upon no other ground, these I may do in private if I know they cannot come to the notice of these who shall be scandalized, upon the ground of less physical necessity, as Rom. 14, believers, for their necessity-ordinary and for nourishment, might eat fleshes in private, though before a weak Jew they could not, because the sin is not in the act of eating, but wholly in the scandal and in the manner of the unseasonable doing of it.

But these things which are morally not-necessary, because the substance of the fact is against a law, we are to forbear, both in private, because they are against a law, and in public before others, for the scandal: as Achan sinned in taking the Babylonish garment, though in private, and his sin should have been more scandalous if he had done it publicly.

Now these we are upon no ordinary necessity to do, but such as may encroach upon the hazard of the loss of life, in which case an exigence of providence does stand for a command of non-murdering; had Saul and his army been reduced to a danger of starving in a wilderness and could have no food, except they should kill and eat the cattle of the Amalakites, conceive the Lord’s preferring of mercy before sacrifice should warrant them to eat of the Amalakites cattle…

for it [that the Lord loves mercy more than sacrifice] holds in affirmative commands only, and 2. so positive [law]s as there must be; yea there can be no sin eligible [to be done under this principle] by such and such a case, as Lot sinned in exposing his daughters to the lust of men, to redeem abstinence from sodomy. Hence it is clear: we may not do a less, nor counsel another to commit a less sin, to eschew a greater; as the Jesuites wickedly teach.

6. There is a principal obligation, a less principal, a least principal. Hence these three degrees issue from love: 1. God’s, 2. ourselves, 3. our neighbor.

The love of God is most principal and is the measure of the love of ourselves: the love of ourself is less principal than the love of God, and so the obligation less. I am to make away, life and all things, yea eternal glory as devided from holiness, and as it includes only happiness, rather ere I sin against God.

The obligation to care for my own salvation is more principal than my obligation to care for the salvation of my brother: for the love of myself is the measure and rule of the love of my neighbor. Now because the obligation of caring for the soul of my brother is only secondary, in compare of the obligation of caring for my own salvation, I am not to sin myself, or sinfully to omit anything that is commanded me in a positive precept, to prevent the sin of my brother.

7. The Jesuits and Popish doctors, as they are of a large conscience in many things, so in the doctrine of scandal, to extol obedience to men so high as we may do things in themselves not necessary, yea that has no necessity but from the will of commanders; and Formalists in this conspire with them, even though from this do flow the ruin of many souls: and though the sinful scandalizing and ruin of these souls flow from sinful corruption of either ignorance or frailty, or wilfulness or malice, yet the scandal ceases not to flow kindly from the pretended obedience to an unlawful command, for the thing commanded having no necessity but the will of man is unlawful…

8. The non-necessaries, or such things as need not be in the worship of God, which do bring scandal, must:

1. Be such as are neither necessary in specie, nor in individuo, ‘in kind’, or in specie or nature, or in their individuals and particulars, as the whole category of men’s devices, as:

1. Unwritten traditions—not necessary, not written.
2. Human mystical, symbolical signs and ceremonies—not necessary, not written.
3. Human holy days, crossing, kneeling to elements, altars, crossing, surplice, rochets, etc.—not necessary, not written.
4. This and this human holy day, this crossing—not necessary, not written.

2. These things are judged not necessary that are not necessary by way of disjunction, as surplice is not necessary by way of disjunction: for neither is surplice necessary, nor any other white or red habit [garment] that has some mystical religious signification like unto surplice. So kneeling to the elements is neither necessary, nor any the like religious honoring of them, by prostration before them, or kissing them.

But, the things of the [Westminster] Directory for the public worship, as many of them are necessary and have express warrant in the Word, as praying, preaching, sacraments, praising, etc. So 2. some things that are non-necessaries in the individual or particular words or things, yet are they not to be removed in their alternative necessity, either this or the like though some be thereby scandalized, because though they be not necessary simply, yet are they necessary by way of disjunction, as that the minister say either these or the like words, for words to that sense are necessary. So the order that the Directory prescribes in citing such and such acts of divine worship is necessary either this way, or a way as convenient not different from this, for some order of necessity there must be.

So the [Anglican] Litury or Service Book, whatever Joseph Hall say on the contrary (as it is little that he does or can say), though it should contain many things necessary in specie, ‘in the kind’, fit for the external public worshipping of God, yet because these words in individuo, in their particulars are not necessary, is to be removed, because though all the matter were good (as much of it is Popish) yet that book in its structure, frame, style, grammar, method and form is popish, and framed after the model of the Roman Missle… is scandalous, and a Directory in Scripture words is better, and [the Service Book] is therefore justly laid aside by the Revevent Assembly, and honourable Court of Parliament, because there is scandal in words, in style and language, in divine worship.

And these who will abstain from practicing of some things in the Directory for fear of scandalizing others, must give reasons from the Word that these things they forbear are neither necessary simply, nor by way of disjunction. Because as I conceive, things neither necessary in the same individuals, nor by way of disjunction, are such non-necessaries as are to be removed out of the worship of God for fear of scandal. And that any such non-necessaries can be found in the Directory, I do not see as yet.

Necessary Means, though involving Work, Commerce, etc. may be taken to Attend Public Worship

Intro

In the early 1900’s there was a dispute in Canada between the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland and one of their ministers (at the time), John Murray, who would become the esteemed professor at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, on whether public transportation might be used to get to the place of worship on the Lord’s Day, when no other means are available. The more specific ethical issue is whether we can work, or have others work for us, in order to attend public worship on the Lord’s Day.

Is this a breaking of the Sabbath which we ought to abstain from as a providential hindrance (as we ought not to sin that good may come of it, Rom. 6:1-2), or is the work justified as a necessary means for the higher good of worshipping the Lord publicly? The Free Presbyterians of Scotland argued the former; John Murray the latter.

We have found puritan material (below) supporting the view that means of work ought to be taken, if necessary, to attend public worship, and have found none to the contrary. We agree with this understanding and regard the Free Presbyterian position to be a serious misunderstanding of the Lord’s Day, as taught in Scripture, and of ethics generally.

Booklet

1900’s

Matheson, William – May Sabbath-Keeping Prevent Church-Going? [No] Ref (Chesley, Ontario: Matheson, 1936) This was also printed in Inverness, Scotland, Northern Counties Newspaper & Print. & Pub. Co., 1936 Ref.

Matheson (d. 1957) was a originally a Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland minister ministering in Ontario, Canada. He was disassociated with them when their synod ruled against public transportation on the Sabbath. Matheson continued working with congregations in Canada till his death.

The Presbyterian Reformed Church (denomination) was founded in 1965, significantly through a church (Chesley) which Matheson had worked with. See more at Wikipedia, ‘Presbyterian Reformed Church (North America)’.

Order of Quotes

Bownd
Widley
Bayly
Downame
Ames
Calderwood
Walker
Fenner
Hutcheson
Durham
Owen
Boston
Shaw

Quotes

1500’s

Nicholas Bownd

The Doctrine of the Sabbath Plainly Laid forth… (London, 1595), pt. 1, pp. 104-5

“Therefore we shall learn out of this Scripture what things may lawfully be done of us without the breach of the commandment of rest. First of all such bodily labors are permitted, as do immediately and directly concern the worship of God, and without the which He cannot be served of us according to his Word:

For this cause it was permitted unto the priests, nay they were commanded to slay beasts, and to prepare them for sacrifices, and offer them up according to the law, about the which they took so much the more pains upon that day than upon any other [day] of the week by how much the sacrifices were increased: for besides the daily sacrifices, morning and evening, there was a special sacrifice for the Sabbath, and all this being commanded in the law, our Savior Christ says [that] they in doing of it were blameless; therefore, whereas He says that the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath, He does not mean that they did so indeed: (For He affirms that they are blameless), but speaking according to the meaning of the Pharisees, who would condemn the fact of his disciples in gathering the ears of corn to satisfy their hunger, says, if every bodily labor be a breach of the Sabbath, then the priests in the temple brake it, but they are blameless in so doing; therefore they brake it not.

Thus we do grant that men may travail [put forth work] to the places of Gods worship, where the public assemblies and meetings of the Church be, because otherwise they cannot join with them in the communion of the Word, sacraments and prayer, and though they be far distant in situation of dwelling from the common place of meeting, yet it is permitted unto them to travail by land, or by water, on horseback, or on foot thereunto; nay they are commanded to do it, and they may not under the color of a long journey tarry at home idly taking their ease.

For even as the slaying of beasts is merely in its own nature a worldly and bodily labor, yet the temple which was sanctified did change the nature of it, and made it holy: so to travail and to ride, or go to and fro upon the Sabbath is altogether painful, and laborsome to the body, but to take this pains, to preach or to hear the word, makes it an holy work, and is warranted by the Scripture: as in this very place [Mt. 12:1-9], we see how our Savior Christ and his disciples travail from town to town to preach the Gospel, and take such pains that they are hungry and faint in the way.”

1600’s

George Widley

The Doctrine of the Sabbath… (London, 1604), bk. 2, ch. 2, pp. 91-92, 97 Widley (b. 1566 or 1567) was an English minister in Portsmouth, England.

“…if the work be necessarily required to the performance of the service of God, servile or not, it must be done. As circumcision on the eighth day, if it fell upon the Sabbath, it was to be done, Jn. 7:22. And the priests on the Sabbath killed the sacrifice and were blameless, Mt. 12:5. And in this respect the minister on the Sabbath is allowed to go to preach, as Christ did upon the Sabbath, Mt. 12, and the people are to go to hear.

An example whereof we have in the Shunamite, that went ordinarily upon the Sabbath and new moon to the prophet: For when she demanded leave of her husband to go to the prophet, ‘Why wilt thou go’ (says he) ‘seeing it is neither Sabbath nor new moone’: intimating thereby that upon those times she went to hear him. And in this regard was the Sabbath day’s journey allowed, Acts 1:12. And therefore whosoever shall break the rest of the Sabbath in this respect is blameless. For the Sabbath was made for man, that he might keep it holy unto the Lord.

Now, if it may so fall that the rest itself should any way be a let to the keeping of it holy, then the rest itself is to be broken: and they that so doe are blameless. For the end of the law in this respect is to be regarded and not the letter. For the Sabbath was made for man, that is, for the good of man; and not man for the Sabbath, that is for the rest. And this is the meaning of that place, Mk. 2:27, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.’
…

The conclusion then of this point is this: That no kind of ordinary or servile work may be done upon the Sabbath; neither in the house, nor in the city, nor in the fields, nor upon the seas, be they never so small, or never so meet, or never so glorious in show, except either God command it extraordinarily, or that the work tend directly to God’s worship: or be of necessity either for the preservation of life, or health, or goods; in which respects God has given us allowance upon the Sabbath to work, and not otherwise.”

Lewis Bayly

The Practice of Piety… (London: Hodgets, 1613), ‘Now of the third sort of duties after the holy Assembly,’ pp. 609-11

“To conclude, three sorts of works may lawfully be done on the Sabbath day:

1. Works of piety, which either directly concern the service of God, though they be performed by bodily labor: as under the Law, the priests did labour in killing and dressing the sacrifices, and burning them on the altar.

And Christians under the Gospel, when they travail far to the places of God’s Worship: it is but a Sabbath day’s journey, like to that of the Shunamite (2 Kings 4:22), who travailed from home to hear the prophet on the Sabbath day, because she had no teaching near her own dwelling. And the preacher, though he labors in the sweat of his brows, to the wearying of his body, yet he does but a Sabbath day’s work.

For the holy end sanctifies the work, as the temple did the gold, or the altar the gift thereon. Or else such bodily labor whereby the people of God are assembled to his worship, as the sounding of trumpets un∣der the Law, or the ringing of bells under the Gospel.”

John Downame

A Guide to Godliness or a Treatise of a Christian Life… (London: Kingstone, 1622), bk. 2, ch. 8, section 4, ‘Of the Sanctifying God’s Sabbath, and What Things are Required unto it’, p. 132

“For all kinds of bodily labors on the Lord’s day are unlawful, except they be referred to the sanctification of the Sabbath, as the means of it (Mt. 12:5), of which sort are the labors of the minister in the duties appertaining to his ministry, and of the people travailing to the places of God’s worship.”

William Ames

The Marrow of Theology tr. John D. Eusden (1623; Baker, 1997), bk. 2, ch. 15, ‘The Time of Worship’, section 43, p. 299

David Calderwood

A Re-Examination of the Five Articles enacted at Perth anno 1618... (1636), ‘Of the Sabbath’, pp. 186

“Works of piety, as to travel to the places of public worship; or charity, as to visit the sick, and of necessity, as to preserve the life of man and beast in danger, are lawful.”

George Walker

The Doctrine of the Sabbath… (Amsterdam, 1638), ch. 21, p. 152 Walker was a Westminster divine.

“A second sort of works allowed to be done on the Lord’s day are bodily works and labors which are so necessary for the fitting and enabling of Christians to sanctify that day, and for bringing them unto holy and public assemblies and places of prayer and of God’s worship and holy service, that without such working and laboring even on that day they neither can be so fit and able to serve God joyfully, and to worship Him with cheerful hearts, neither can they as the present case stands, come unto holy Sabbath assemblies to hear the Word, to pray and to worship in public.

As for example, in places of restraint and of trouble and persecution where public Sabbath assemblies of true Christians are not tolerated, but in Churches which are remote diverse miles, and in barren countries where the Churches are four or five miles distant from some houses and villages in the parish, men may lawfully travel on foot and ride on horses, or make their horses labor in drawing them to the Church in coaches…

Also the speech of the Shanamite to his wife, 2 Kings 4:23, does import, that for the solemn observation of the Sabbath they were wont to ride and travel to the prophets and to places where they might worship God and be instructed in the knowledge of his will and worship.”

William Fenner

The Spiritual Man’s Directory… (London, 1648), Q. 74, p. 37

“Fiftly, works though otherwise in themselves servile, requisite to God’s worship, as travelling to Church, Lk. 6:6, or riding diverse miles off to the prophets of God, if need be, 2 Kings 4:22-23… If any call this profaning God’s Sabboth, he must know it is blameless, Mt. 12:5.”

George Hutcheson

An Exposition of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to John (London: Smith, 1657), ch. 7, vv. 21-23, p. 135

“Some works, albeit they be not works of piety, yet are lawful, in so far us they are necessary means of, and have a tendency unto works of piety: So were they allowed a Sabbath day’s journey to go to their solemn meetings and worship, and the pains that men take in needful apparelling and refreshing of their bodies, and going to the public places of worship are no violation of the Sabbath, if they be done with a Sabbath day’s heart.”

James Durham

A Practical Exposition of the Ten Commandments… (d. 1658; London: 1675), 4th Commandment, Sanctification of the Sabbath, p. 277

“…we conceive therefore these to be permitted.

1. All duties of piety, as was sacrificing under the Old Testament, or preaching, hearing or going about the sacraments under the New Testament: In which sense, Mt. 12, our Lord says the priests profaned the Sabbath and were blameless, not that formally they prophaned the Sabbath, or did indeed break that command, but materially they wrought in killing beasts, etc. which had been unlawful, had it not been in the exercises of piety.

2. All things that have a tendency, as necessary helps and means to the performance of the former works of piety, are lawful, as going to the congregation to hear the Law, calling the assembly for worship by trumpets, or bells, or by a voice, journeying, going or riding to Church, etc. because the duties of the Sabbath cannot well be done without some of these, nor at all without others of them.

If it should be asked here, what that, which is called a Sabbaths day journey, Acts 1:12, was among the Jews? and whence it came, and what way may it be stinted or limited among Christians?

Answer: It was to them 2000 cubits… It arose to be reckoned so from these grounds: 1. From their expounding Ex. 16:29, ‘Let none go out of his place;’ thus, Let none go without the bounds of the city, which with its suburbs was 2000 cubits, or a mile about. 2. That the Tabernacle of the congregation was so far from the tents of these who pitched about it in the wilderness, Num. 2, as they supposed; and that the priests kept that distance from the people in entering with the ark into Jordan, Josh. 3:4, whence they gathered that a man might still go to the ark or place of worship, as it was then in these cases at a distance from them, and no further on the Sabbath day.

But we say whatever superstitiously or on custom they took up (for that is but their tradition) we cannot stint a Sabbath day’s journey to so many miles, fewer or more, but it must be as the man is in providence cast to reside further from, or nearer to the place where the ordinances are dispensed; for one may go many miles and not profane the Sabbath, if he cannot have the public ordinances nearer, whereas another may break the Sabbath by going but to his neighbor’s door, yea by walking in his own house, or to his door, if either it be done idly, or with respect to another ci∣vil or worldly end, which agrees not to that day; it is not here remoteness or nearness, but what sways us, and what is our end, that we are to try by.”

John Owen

Exercitation XL, ‘The Practical Observance of the Lord’s Day’ in Commentary on Hebrews (d. 1683), vol. 1 (of 4), p. 749

“3. Labour or pains for the enjoyment of the benefit and advantage of the solemn assemblies of the church, and in them of the appointed worship of God, is so far from entrenching on the rest of this day that it belongs unto its due observance. A mere bodily rest is no part of religious worship in itself; nor does it belong unto the sanctification of this day any farther than as it is a means for the due performance of the other duties belonging to it.

We have no bounds under the gospel for a Sabbath-day’s journey, provided it be for Sabbath ends. In brief, all pains or labour that our station and condition in this world, that our troubles which may befall us, or any thing else, make necessary, as that without which we cannot enjoy the solemn ends and uses of this holy day of rest, are no way inconsistent with the due observance of it. It may be the lot of one man to take so much pains and to travel so far for, and in the due celebration of the Lord’s day, as if another should do the like without his occasions and circumstances, it would be a profanation of it.”

1700’s

Thomas Boston

An Illustration of the Doctrines of the Christian Religion, ‘Of the Fourth Commandment’ in The Whole Works (†1732; Aberdeen: King, 1848), vol. 2, p. 195

“But here are excepted… (5.) Works having a necessary connection with and tendency to the worship of God, as travelling on the Lord’s day to sermons, 2 Kings 4:23.”

1800’s

Robert Shaw

An Exposition of the Confession of Faith… 4th ed. (London: Johnstone & Hunter, 1850), pp. 233-34

“4. Works of necessity and mercy are allowed on the Sabbath. By the former are meant works which could not have been done on the preceding day, and cannot be delayed till the day following… Under these heads are included such works as these: travelling to and from the house of God…”

History

Scottish Reformation

Article

Todd, Margo – p. 37 in ch. 1, ‘The Word & the People’ in The Culture of Protestantism in Early Modern Scotland (Yale University Press, 2002)

Works of Mercy & Necessity may take up the Whole Lord’s Day if Need be

Quote

Nicholas Bownd

The Doctrine of the Sabbath Plainly Laid forth… (London, 1595), pt. 2

p. 246

“…that we remember especially to put all things in practice which we have learned out of the Word, and that we begin upon that very day to do all duties of love unto men, and that we show mercy vnto them then especially.

Whereunto that we might be made the more fit, the whole worship of God, and the Sabbath itself is ordained, in so much that the Lord would have every whit of it to cease even upon the Sabbath, rather than mercy should not be showed to the full, or any duty of it neglected to our brethren, when both of them cannot be done together, as we have seen it before more at large.”

p. 250

“…therefore if men do, nay ought to loose the ox to the water, much more might He loose the daughter of God from her infirmity of soul and body. And He does not so much dispute what He might do, as show what everyone ought to do: For if it were a breach of the Sabbath to neglect any duty to the other creatures, than much more to withdraw our hand from our brethren, when they do stand in need of our help.”

In a Time of Danger & Spreading Disease

Order of Material

Quotes

Bownd
Twisse
Durham
Willard

Article

Walker

Quotes

Nicholas Bownd – The True Doctrine of the Sabbath… Buy (Naphtali & RHB, 2015), ch. 12, pp. 225-238. This may be read in full in the 1606 ed. on p. 213 ff.

12. Works of Necessity and Mercy on the Sabbath

And Whatsoever the Present Time Requires May be Done, Though not to God’s Service

…what things soever the time present necessarily requires to be done for our own furtherance, the commodity of our brethren, or the preservation of any of the creatures, which cannot be deferred unto another day without loss or hindrance, neither could any ways be provided before (for the occasion was but now offered),, though they do no ways belong to any part of God’s service immediately… though they do keep us from it, or call us away when we be at it, yet they are permitted unto us. We may lawfully do them, though they be never so painful and full of labor, without any offense against the law of the Sabbath, wherein notwithstanding bodily rest is so straitly [strictly] required, as we have learned. And therefore it is truly said, Opus corporale, “A corporal labor pertaining to the preservation of a man’s own body, life, or health, when it is necessary, breaks not the Sabbath (Thomas Aquinas, 2a 2ae quest. 123 [sic 122], art. 4). Where he brings in the example of Elijah in this case, fleeing for the space of many Sabbaths together from the persecution of Jezebel, as it is set down more at large in the first book of the Kings.

“That And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” (1 Kings 19:1-8 [from the KJV, not Bownd])

Where we see that in this long journey of forty continual days and nights, which he undertook at the commandment of God, and that also for the safeguard and preservation of his live [life], he did flee and took great pains in traveling divers Sabbath days together [and was not attending public worship]. Such is the great liberality and mercy of God towards us, that all men might be left without excuse before His judgment seat, [who] will not observe ‘this rest of the Sabbath’; which when He required of them never so exactly for their good, gives unto them notwithstanding so great liberty of working and traveling to encourage them thereunto… And this is that which is spoke in St. Matthew, That if the sheep be now in the ditch upon the Sabbath day, it must be presently helped out, lest it miscarry (Matt. 12:11).

An Example Hereof [of Battle]

Therefore that we might see the truth of this general rule in some few particulars, for our better edifying and instruction in godliness, though there may not be mustering and surveying of soldiers, training up of men in the feats of war ordinarily upon the Sabbath; yet if the enemy be now a coming, or be already in the camp, or has laid siege to the walls; then it is lawful with all force of men and munition of war, to meet with him, to fight against him, and to defend our country. And to have continual watch and ward [prisons] in arms for these purposes; the present necessity requires it. It cannot abide any delay. And herein also the same doctor of school divinity (as they call it) says truly: “It is lawful to make war for the preservation of the commonwealth, and defense of the faithful”–Si tamen necessitas hoc postulat [exposcat]: “If necessity do require it”–where he gives this reason: “for this were to tempt God, if any should in such an imminent necessity abstain from war.” Sed necessitate cessante: “But when this necessity does cease, it is not lawful to war.” (Thomas Aquinas, ibid. quest. 40, art. 4)

I will not say as he says, In diebus festis, “Upon the holy days,” but in diebus Dominicis, “upon the Lord’s Days.” For as Bede says, Necessitas excusat, “Necessity does excuse the fact:” where he alleges the example of the Maccabees, who did well upon that day in defending themselves by arms against their enemies, and they made a decree at that same time (as it is set down in that history) saying, “Whosoever shall come to make battle with us upon the Sabbath day, we will fight against him, that we dies not all, as our brethren were murdered in secret places” (1 Macc. 2:40,41; 9:44)

Daneau says, Licet pugnare: “It is lawful to fight upon the Sabbath day, if by any necessity we be urged thereunto;” and so gives a good reason of it, even taken from the end of the Sabbath, which is the benefit and good of man, saying” Quia sanctificatio: “Because the sanctification of the Sabbath does not hinder those things which are ordained for the safeguard of man, either in body, or soul.” (Daneau, Ethic. Christian., lib. 2, cap. 10) Where he brings in the example of Joshua (6:4), who with men armed did the commandment of God besiege and compass about Jericoh upon the Sabbath day. And Zanchius showing in what cases men may labor upon the Sabbath, says, Quando inevitablis necessitas: “When that necessity, which could not be avoided, requires it;” and further expounding himself, he adds, Ita ut non possis vel anteuertere: “So that neither you could prevent the time by doing it the day before, nor defer it until the day following.” To which purpose he alleges the example of the Israelites, who when Benhadad the king of Aram founght against Samaria, “They,” at the commandment of God, pitched against them seven days, and in the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel slew of the Aramites an hundred thousand footmen in one day” (1 Kings 20:29).

Thus in cases of necessity we see what liberty God has granted unto us. And this is also that which Jonathan the Captain of the Jews did allege for himself, “when Bacchides their enemy did twice of purpose set upon them on the Sabbath day” (1 Macc. [9]:34,43), hoping then to surprise them, when they should be occupied in God’s worship, “he did fight in their defense, because” (as he said) “it was a case of necessity, the danger was so present.” And this is that which has been practiced of all godly captains, as of Nehemiah (4:17,23), who in the building of the walls of Jerusalem after their return from the captivity, because their enemies did seek not only to hinder the building, but to pull it down, he cause them “not only to build with one hand, and to hold their weapons with another;” but also to keep watch and ward for the preservation of that which they had built, both day and night, “so that neither himself, nor his brethren, nor his servants, nor the men of the ward, which followed them, nor any of them did put off their clothes, save every one did put them off for washing.” And not only the laws of God, but even of men also, do give this privilege to labor upon the Sabbath in such times of necessity… Whereunto also in part may be referred that fact of Nehemiah, who “set his men to keep the gates of Jerusalem upon the Sabbath day,” that the merchants of Tyre and others might not bring in their wares into Jerusalem upon that day, as they had used to do in times past (Neh. 13:19).

Example 2 [of Sickness]

Again, if any person be dangerously sick, he ought to have all such comforts as are meet [suitable] for him, and therefore some must attend upon him, others run, or ride to the physician, apothecary, or chirurgian [surgeon], and all of them ought to travel or deal for him, when there is such need, and the disease be so great, that the longer it is deferred, the more shall the party be endangered, and the disease will grow more incurable. For this very example is brought by the above name[d] schoolman: Opus servile ad salutem alterius, non violat Sabbathum, “A bodily labor that is taken in hand for the health of another does not break the Sabbath,” et inde est, “and hereupon it is lawful to give physic unto all men upon the Sabbath day.” (Thomas Aquinas, secunda 2. quest. 123) and thus we read that our Savior Christ did heal many upon the Sabbath day (as it is set down by the evangelist): as “one that lay at the pool in Jerusalem and had been sick thirty-eight years. Jesus said unto him, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked. And the same day was the Sabbath (John 5:5). And also him that had a dried hand, to whom He said, “Stretch out thy hand, and he stretched it out, and it was made whole, as the other; and this was upon the Sabbath day (Matt. 12:13) for beforehand the Pharisees asked Him this question, “Is it sinful to heal upon the Sabbath day, that they might accuse Him.” And at another time, as St. Luke says:

“And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” (Luke 13:10[-13])

…

And thus by these and such like examples we wee, that whereas it has been said before that upon the Sabbath we may do necessary things, what kind of necessity is meant: not only that that is absolute, ad esse [to the being], as they say, even to the being and preservation of a man’s life, but ad bene esse [to the well being], to the preservation of his health, or recovering of it. For so Christ healed many upon the Sabbath, as we have seen, who might have lived until the next day, but not so comfortably, and so might for the want [lack] of health have been hindered from the cheerful service of God, for which the Sabbath was first ordained. And this is that which Tremellius observes in his notes upon the Syrian Paraphrase, that the rabbins, who were very strict in some cases to observe this commandment of the outward rest, even beyond the law, that yet they held this general principle, that Discrimen mortis pellit Sabbathum: “that the danger of death dispenses with the Sabbath,” which is a true position in divinity. (Tremellius, Matt. 12:5, Syriac…) And again upon these words of St. Mark, The Sabbath is made for man, and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27)… And Bede does not restrain it unto life only, but to health, when he says, Major [est] cura omni sanitati: “There is more care to be had of the life and health of a man, than of the Sabbath.” And his reason is this: “that we are so commanded to keep the Sabbath, that if there be any necessity, he shall be blameless that shall break it,” as our Savior Christ speaks in the gospel (Matt. 12:5). (Bede, lib. 1., Marc. 2…)

Example 3 [of Fire & Burglary]

And that I might not stand long in the particulars which are infinite, if there be any sudden eruption or breaking in of waters; if any casuality by fire upon men’s houses or goods; if any breaking into shops or houses by thieves, or such like; we ought so to meet with these present occasions, which by no wisdom could have been prevented at another time (for so they were now seen, nay they did but even now offer and show themselves), as may most serve for the benefit of men in preserving the creatures; which as they were made in the beginning, so are still to be preserved for his use. Neither can they decay without his great loss and hindrance; in so much that upon these occasions men may not only be absent from the church, but also if they were now in the midst of God’s service, they might safely depart from it; yea, sometimes unto the leaving of no one person in the church.
…

And further, that in such cases of danger we may go all out of the church, and break off the chiefest parts of God’s worship for a time, we have the example of the apostle Paul:

“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them… and continued his speech until midnight… And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.” (Acts 20:7[-11])

Where we see that upon the Lord’s Day, when this casualty fell out even in the midst of God’s worship, and a little before the sacrament, that the congregation was for a time dissolved, and Paul the preacher, and the rest of the people, the hearers, came forth to succor this man, and then returned to perform the rest of God’s service that remained.
…

Many Things of Necessity Must be Done to the Cattle on this Day

…
And Zanchius rendered this reason why the ox that is fallen into a ditch may be helped out upon the Sabbath: “Because it cannot be deferred until tomorrow, for then either the beast would die, or at the leastwise be a great deal worse.” (Zanchius, ibid.) And this is that which our Savior Christ means, when he says in the Gospel of Matthew, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice (Matt. 12:6 [sic 7]). In the which place He does not refuse sacrifices (for they were commanded by God), but He speaks in comparison, as though He had said, “The Lord had rather have mercy shown to men, than sacrifice offered to Himself.” So that comparing these duties, ‘mercy’ with ‘sacrifice’, He prefers the one before the other; and says He had rather have this than that, when both of them cannot be had together. But if when the one be performed, the other must needs be neglected, then would He have us leave the sacrifice, and show mercy in helping others.

Thus Mercy is Preferred Above Sacrifice

…Even so here, the Spirit of God by sacrifice (as by one kind), meaning generally the whole worship of God, He would have us to offer it unto Him, as that in the mean season we neglect no occasion of showing mercy unto any of his creatures, which He offered unto us; but rather first of all to show mercy, and then to offer sacrifice. As He says in another place, “First be reconciled to they brother, and then come and offer thy gift (Matt. 5:22). For seeing that the whole service of God is ordained for this cause among many others, that we might be made more fit to help our brethren, and to show all duties of mercy unto them, all others must give place unto this, when necessity so requires. According to that which Master Gualter says: Omnia externa: “All outward things must gives place unto love, lest we lay a snare upon them”–quos necssitas inevitabilis alio vocat–“whom inevitably necessity calls another way:” or at whose hands the present necessity, that cannot be avoided, requires another thing. (Gualter, Mark 2, hom. 22…)

And that this is the true meaning of the law of resting, appears more clearly by that which Christ Jesus speaks of it in the gospel after [by] St. Mark: “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). That is, the day of rest was appointed for the benefit of man; and not only of him, but of all other creatures. And therefore it must be so observed as may be most beneficial unto them; and the rest in it must give place to them, and not they to it. So that it were against the meaning of the Law-giver to abuse the rest unto the hurt of them; and that men should under the pretence of resting, withdraw all their labor from them, who by present necessity did call for it, and require it at our hands. But even as the King, because he is the greatest, when he comes in presence, all do give way unto him; so because to help others is greater than rest, and mercy greater than sacrifice, therefore these latter must always give place to the former. So that it need be we must not rest, but labor upon the Sabbath, to do good unto men, or to the cattle.

To Preserve God’s Creatures is a Work of the Sabbath

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Thus as we have seen the commandment of resting is so strait [strict] indeed, as it seemed best unto His wisdom, “who made all things for Himself” (Prov. 16:4); yet in giving it, He has had regard unto our good… And here the old proverb of the heathen is true: Necessitas non habet ferias: “Necessity as it is without laws, so without holy days.”…

And in this respect Mattahias and the rest of the Jews justly condemned the fact of their brethren, who for lack of defense suffered themselves, their wives and children, to the number of 1,000 souls, to be slain of their enemies upon the Sabbath day (1 Macc. 2:34). Concerning which fact of theirs, a learned man also says, Superstitio [potius] fuit ex ignorantia: “It was a superstition bred in them for want of true knowledge of the law of God.” (Petrus Ramus, Comment. de rellig., lib. 2. cap. 6…) Whereunto agrees Lyra, Sine dubio: “Doubtess this proceeded of a certain devotion joined with simplicity; for it was lawful for them upon the Sabbath day to defend themselves.” (Lyra, 1 Macc. 2:23…)… says of them as the apostle Paul did of others of their countrymen, “They had the zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2)…

But others that had not the like knowledge [as Mattahias] fell afterwards into the same neglect of defending themselves upon the Sabbath, and so perished. For Antiochus, after that he departed from Jerusalem with the spoil of the temple, left there Philip, of the county of Phyrgia, more cruel than himself, to vex the Jews; who defiled the temple, and would not suffer them to keep the Sabbaths. “Whereupon to avoid his cruelty, some of the Jews met together in dens and caves of the earth, that secretly there they might keep holy the seventh day. Who being bewrayed [revealed] unto Philip, were burnt, Quia relligio fuerat ipsis, because they made conscience to [did not] defend themselves then, for the honor” (as they call it) “of the most glorious day” (2 Macc. 6:11).
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Therefore let us acknowledge the bountifulness of God even there, where it might seem unto us that we are most of all restrained, and let us not “break His bands, and cast His cords from us” (Ps. 2:3), but use His freedom well that He has set us in. And seeing we have this liberty to do things of necessity, let us not venture upon them boldly, but first of all be sure that they be necessary, and therefore lawful.
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Objection

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…the Lord has put us in his room [stead] for the preservation of His creatures, and because He has cast the remedy upon us, for ministering to help, then may we use our liberty…
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…And then having shown that all men ought to come to the church upon the Sabbath day, he [Zanchy] thus concludes: Summa, etc, “This is the sum of all: we must always be present with others at the holy assemblies.”–Nisi inevitabilis necessitas impediat: “unless such a necessity hinders us, as cannot be avoided.” (Zanchius, ibid., col. 716)

William Twisse

Of the Morality of the Fourth Commandment as Still in Force to Bind Christians (1641), p. 241

“I do highly approve the distinction following of things commanded, and things permitted on the Lord’s Day, and the explication of each member; the object of the one, all actions advancing God’s service; the object of the other, such things as are no hindrance thereunto; As in the first place works of necessity; then works of charity; yet the permitting of these, is rightly to be understood; not so as if the works of necessity here mentioned, were in such sort permitted as left to a man’s liberty, whether he will perform them or no.

For undoubtedly we are bound as much as lies in our power, to quench a dangerous fire kindled in a town, on the Sabbath day, it being a work of mercy, necessarily required. For if to return a pledge ere the poor pawner of it went to his bed, in case it were his covering, were a work of mercy, how much more to save a man’s house from burning, how much more to save a whole town from being consumed, whereby many might be driven to lie without doors, void of all comfort to the body?

So to draw the ox out of the ditch, and to lead cattle to watering, I take it to be a work of mercy, as tending to the preservation of life in a dumb creature. In like sort the dressing [preparing] of meat for the health of man’s body, I take to be a work of mercy.

So that the performing of these in reference to the end whereto they tend, I take to be of necessary duty (as here they are called works of necessity) and consequently not permitted only, but commanded also in the general, though not in this [fourth] commandment; but in the Second Commandment of the Second Table only…”

James Durham

The Law Unsealed, or a Practical Exposition of the Ten Commandments... (Glasgow, 1676),

p. 134

“4. The manner of performing this worship of sanctifying the Lord’s Day in holy duties is required not only to be in public, nor only in secret, but [also] by the members of each family jointly, and apart from other families.

For 1. It [the 4th Commandment] cannot be understood to require worship only in public together, because:

1. There may be in some cases no access to public worship, and yet the command of sanctifying the Lord’s Day lies still on, and no doubt by families.

2. Waiting on public worship is but one piece of sanctifying the Lord’s Day, and that but in a part of it; therefore there must be some other thing included here.”

pp. 169-173

“We do then in this matter assert first, That there is a rest required here, which is extensive to a man’s words, thoughts, and actions, whereby many things lawful on other days become unlawful on this day.

Yet 2. we assert, That by this rest all sort of actions are not condemned, but only such as are in consistent with the end and scope of this command, as by other Scriptures, and the practice of Christ and the saints is clear: we conceive therefore these to be permitted:

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4. Good works, as Christ saith, Mt. 12:12. It’s lawful to do good or well on the Sabbath, such are giving of physic [medicine] (when it is necessary), bringing of physicians, saving a man’s life, and taking pains for it, etc. Luke 13 (these good works may be classed either with works of mercy before, or with works of necessity that follow, both being good works as they are works of mercy or of necessity);

5. Works of necessity, such as… flying on the Lord’s day from a destroying enemy, and in other warranted cases, Mt. 24, defending ourselves against unjust violence, etc.

6. Works of comliness, tending to honest or decent walking, as putting on of clothes honestly, making the house clean from any uncleanness [health damaging spill, infection, etc.] that may fall in it throughout the Sabbath, etc.

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In these the Lord hath not straightened them, neither hath He pinched and pinned them up to absolute necessity, but hath left them to walk by Christian prudence (yet so as they may not exceed) for the disciples possibly might have endured that hunger, and not plucked the ears of corn, or beasts may live a day without water, and not be much the worse, or some sort of victuals may be provided to be set beside men on the Sabbath needing no dressing or preparing; yea, a man may live on little or nothing for one day: but the Lord hath thought good not to straighten them, so as to make his day and worship a weariness and burden unto them, seeing he hath made the Sabbath for man, to be refreshing to him, and not man for the Sabbath; nor will He have their consciences to be fettered with inextricable scruples…

so here there is some latitude left to conscientious reason to walk by; for some may do something at one time, and not at another, yea, one man may take more pains in upholding his body than is called for from another who is stronger, so that its impossible to set particular rules which will agree to all, but men would look, 1. to their end, 2. to their need, 3. to what may conveniently attain the end.

Yet it is needful here to add some qualifications or caveats, lest folk indulge themselves too much, and exceed under the pretext of the former liberty, which the Lord hath condescended to leave men at,

1. That men would see that the necessity be real, that real sickness keepeth at home, that real hazard maketh them fly, or maketh them bide at home; that it be such a necessity as they cannot contrive a way conveniently to evite [avoid/shun] when it cometh, or could not foresee before it came.

2. Men would see that, that necessity be not brought on by themselves. If the thing might have been done at another, time that necessity will not excuse; though if the sin be taken with, and repented of, and Christ fled unto for the pardon of it, we may go about the doing that lawfully which sinfully we have necessitated ourselves unto; as suppose one had got warning to fly [flee] the day before, to bring such a physician, or to provide such drugs, etc., if he did it not, then he sinneth; yet when necessity cometh he may still do it, but not with a good conscience, till he first acknowledge the former fault of his neglect.

3. It would be adverted, if that thing may be done, as well another time, or may not without prejudice (that is considerable) be delayed till the next day; Thus taking or giving of physic on the Lord’s day, making ordinary civil visits, beginning voyages, etc. will not sustain and bear weight before God, when folk do them that day, to have their own work day free, and so put by the proper duties of the Lord’s day, for some things that may be done the day or days following…

4. Men would take heed that they have not a tickling complacency that such necessities fall on the Sabbath, and be not glad to have diversions from the proper duties of the day. They would go about such works with a sort of sadness, though yet with clearness and peace of conscience as to their lawfulness: Therefore Christ saith to his Disciples, Mt. 24:20, ‘pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day,’ because it would be heavy to God’s people to fly on that day, though it was lawful.
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8. We would beware of spending too much time in these things, but would endeavor timely and quickly to expede and dispatch them, and rightly to tryst [gather] them: Dressing of meat, and trimming, adorning, and busking [playing or singing in public for donations] of folks bodies will not be found a well spent part of the Sabbath, when it shutteth out other duties and getteth too much time, as it doth with many.

Samuel Willard

A Complete Body of Divinity… (Boston, 1726), Sermon 172, Q. 60, pp. 584-8

“1. That we are to spend the whole time in public and private exercises of God’s worship. 2. Except so much as it be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy. The former directs us to that which is the main work of the Day, the latter to that which is subordinate and occasional.

…we are therefore to keep it [the Day] holy, as we are enjoined in the body of the [4th] Command, which we observed, includes in it something positive.

2. The duties of worship to be attended by us on this Day, are either Natural or Instituted…

1. The duties of natural worship, are such as are suited to the nature of man, and flow from the great End he was made for, viz. actively to glorify God. And therefore the light of Nature directs men to practice them on all occasions, certainly then these are fitted for the Sabbath, according to the End and usefulness of it…

2. The duties of instituted worship. And under these are contained all the positive ordinances and sacred ceremonies of God’s appointment. In the days of the Law there were sacrifices appointed to be offered on these days… But all these are not out of doors under the Gospel, being to give place to a more spiritual worship, which is adapted thereunto. Nevertheless, there are appointments under the Gospel, which are positive, and these are either the way and manner, in which the duties of natural worship are to be attended, in the public assemblies, and the ministration of the Word, and preaching of it, which is also required on the Sabbath; or the dispensation of the sacraments of the Gospel, which we have before taken notice of, as belonging to the Sabbath.
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4. That this whole time is, as far as may be, to be employed in some or other of these exercises. That it cannot all of it be actually so attended, will be considered afterwards: Nevertheless because this is the principal and direct business of the Day, it is to have a very great regard had to it in all that we do. And here I shall only offer a few general rules:

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2. It is not necessary that all the duties of worship be solemnly attended on every Sabbath. Though there are none that belong to, and are proper for that day, yet there is no obligation lying upon us to go through them all every time the Sabbath recurs; but there is a prudence to be used by the people of God on this account, though still there are some which should be more constantly attended, and others more intermittedly. And here observe, that there are the duties of natural worship, which challenge the first place and more constant attendance, viz. prayer, and the dispensation of the Word of God, and holy meditation: whereas those which are ceremonial may have their particular times to be attended…

3. That the public and private duties of worship, ought so to be ordered, that they may help and not thrust out one the other. The whole Sabbath is not to be spent in public, nor yet in private ordinarily, except when the providence of God prevents the opportunity of public assemblies, which is wont [accustomed] to fall out in times of persecution… the seasons of public worship must be ordered for edification, which naturally requires that all are agreed in it, else there will be no avoiding of confusion.
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5. That whatsoever they do on that Day, ought to be with a suitable regard to the holiness of the time…

(2.) There is an exception made of so much time, as is to be taken up, in works of necessity and mercy: i.e. These may and must interrupt the other duties, so far as they do intervene. And for a right understanding of this, let these things be observed:

1. That the Sabbath was appointed for man’s good, and not for his harm. This is a general rule, but may be particularly accommodated with due caution. Our Savior makes use of it, in reflecting upon the unjust censures of the Pharisees cast upon his disciples, for gathering and eating ears of corn on the Sabbath Day, Mk. 2:27, “And He said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” It was indeed to advance man’s spiritual interest, in giving him opportunity to sequester himself for communion with God in the way of mediate worship, but was never intended to hurt any of his interests in this world.

2. That as there are duties of worship to be performed on our days, so there are duties of righteousness to be done on God’s Day. These duties, though they differ in the next object and end, the one belonging to the First, the other to the Second Table, yet they agree on the ultimate object and end, which is God and his glory; for this as well as that is to be done in obedience to Him; and when they are so done sincerely, we have communion with God in them: The one belongs to our duty to man, but it is in order of serving God, and so they do not necessarily thwart one the other… In like manner there are Second Table duties that may or ought to be done on Holy Time; and are either stated duties of the Day, or are occasionally called for by the circumstances: what these are will be presently considered.

3. In the doing of the duties of the Sabbath, we are to employ our body as well as our soul… Nor can God’s people hold visible communion one with another, without the using of their bodies in it: We are therefore commanded, 1 Cor. 6:20, “Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. And the reason for it is cogent, viz. Christ has redeemed the whole man; and indeed the body is necessarily the soul’s organ in the working of its imperate [commanded] acts in which all outward worship of God is to be performed by man; and therefore a pretense to a spiritual communion to exclude the other is Enthusiastical.

4. Hence that the body may be fit to discharge these duties aright, there is something to be done for it on that Day. The body has a dependence on means for the maintaining of the vigor and activity of it, whereby it may be fit to attend the service it is appointed to, without tiring, fainting or giving in: and it stands in need of this as well for Sabbath service, as for the business of this life; for we are to do these with our might, as well as the other: whatsoever is requisite for this, must be very proper for the Day…

5. And there are duties which we owe to our neighbor on the Sabbath, as well as at any other time. The duty of loving our neighbor as ourselves is an abiding duty, and uninterrupted: It is not only a Week Day duty, and to be omitted on the Sabbath; though that be to govern us in the right discharge of it: And he may, and very often does, stand in need of our affording it to him, not only for his soul, by counseling and instructing him in the things of God; but also in regard of his bodily and outward concerns, which are not in themselves the acts of worship, but of charity; but yet are not to be omitted, till this Day be over.

6. These duties are usually distributed into the works of necessity and mercy. It is true, the works of mercy here called for, are such as have a moral necessity on them, arising from the physical necessity of the subject, which makes it our duty, if we will not bring guilt of sin upon ourselves, to attend on: And the works of necessity here intended, may in a sense be called the works of mercy, because they succour the subject against that misery which they must otherwise undergo: But we look upon them under this distinct consideration. And then: (1.) Under the head of Necessity we rank two sorts, viz.

1. Such as are of Ordinary necessity or convenience. For we are not to think the Precept is here tied up to things absolutely necessary; as if nothing might be done, but what the creature could not subsist without, but such things as are needful, for the comfortable serving of God.
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2. Such as fall out Extraordinarily, or on special occasions, which put unavoidable necessity of intermitting the proper duties of the Day; and if we do not attend them, we shall be further exposed. And of this sort are:

(1.) To fight or fly from an invading enemy: if not to be aggressors on such a Day, yet to stand on their own defense, when assaulted. The law of self-preservation calls for it, and the thing itself puts by duties of worship, and if this were not a duty, but unlawful, we should by it become a prey to them that hate us. And as to flying, when oppressed on a Sabbath by a prevailing foe, against whom we cannot defend ourselves, our Savior supposes it lawful, though afflictive, in Mt. 24:20, ‘Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath Day.’

(2.) To quench fires that break forth, which otherwise would lay all waste before them. That is a sudden emergency, and was not to be seen before, and calls for speed and expedition, and the least hindrance will soon make all attempts too late, for miracles are not in this case to be expected. And hence any other thing of like importance, that falls out in the Day, and may not be delayed, comes within this verge.

(2.) Under the head of mercy, these things more especially do come;

(1.) To visit the sick. That is in itself a duty of Christians, appears in that it is referred to Pure Religion, James 1:27. And the reason of this is, because their necessity calls for it, and it is a work of mercy to do it, and to neglect it when needed is inhumane: and there are cases in which that will stand, Mt. 9:13, “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.”

(2.) For a physician in times of sickness, to visit his patients, and to administer to them. How often did our Savior do his cures on the Sabbath; and justified it against those that found fault with Him for it? And that by proving it a proper Sabbath business.

(3.) Of the same nature and reason is that of nurses, to tend sick persons, who must else perish. To which may be added the pulling of a beast out of a pit, that it occasionally falls into, which our Savior justifies the other by, in his defense of his healing men, from a commonly granted truth among the superstitious Jews themselves, Lk. 14:5.

(4.) The gathering of contributions in the Church assemblies, for the relief of the poor; which is a work of mercy for the needy: And for this reason the apostle appointed this to the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 16, beg. So that although the Sabbath itself comes under the precepts of the First Table, yet God hath seen meet to mix Second Table duties in the works that are to be done on it, as is evident.”

Article, on a Time of Danger & Necessity

George Walker – pp. 156-7 of The Doctrine of the Holy Weekly Sabbath… (London, 1641)

Walker was a Westminster divine. He does not here speak of spreading diseases and plagues, but he does speak of other great dangers which would apply to plagues, and which take persons away from the public worship ordinances, or may diminish them.

On Holding & Attending Public Worship under a High Risk of Severe Persecution

See also the quotes by Bownd and Durham above in the section on ‘In a Time of Danger & Spreading Disease’, as well as our webpages on Natural vs. Instituted Worship (as natural worship is more foundational than instituted worship) and On the Relations Between the 1st & 2nd Tables of the Law.

Bible Verses

Ex. 8:25-26 “And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, ‘Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.’ And Moses said, ‘It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?’

[The Egyptians worshipped goats and calves, and if the Israelites sacrificed them, even in Goshen, the Egyptians would have been up in arms. The verses assume the Israelites had not been making sacrifices to God while they were in Egypt for this reason, though they evidently had been having public prayer, Ex. 2:23; 14:10. As Moses was acting as a prophet in the larger context of this passage, this rational of Moses was evidently approved by the Lord for the circumstances.]

Westminster Confession of Faith 21.6

“…God is to be worshipped every where… so more solemnly in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or wilfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God, by his word or providence, calleth thereunto.[i]

[i] Isa. 56:6,7. Heb. 10:25. Prov. 1:20,21,24. Prov. 8:34. Acts 13:42. Luke 4:16. Acts 2:42.”

[Note that worshipping God in public assemblies is qualified by when “his word or providence, calleth thereunto.” The sin prohibtted is not declining from attending public assemblies simply, but only for the reasons of being careless, willfully neglectful or forsaking them, none of which apply when one is obeying the 6th Commandment under persecution, or in other circumstances of necessity.]

Article

Bullinger, Henry – Decades, vol. 1, 5th Commandment, pp. bot. 291-93

Deals with not publicly assembling where it cannot be had in a land of persecution.

Order of Quotes

Walker
Rutherford
Jeanes
Turretin
Howe
Willard
De Moor
Plumer

Quotes

George Walker

The Doctrine of the Sabbath… (Amsterdam, 1638), ch. 21, p. 152 Walker was a Westminster divine.

As for example, in places of restraint and of trouble and persecution where public Sabbath assemblies of true Christians are not tolerated…”

Samuel Rutherford

A Peaceable & Temperate Plea... (1642)

p. 47

“Objection [of the opponent]: Synods (says he) cannot be had ordinarily.

[Rutherford’s] Answer: So neither public preaching at some times; It follows not therefore that public preaching is not a mean[s] of edifying, because through accident, and iniquity of time the public preaching cannot be had.”

pp. 214-215

“[Rutherford’s] Answer: [William] Whittaker says indeed universal synods are not simply necessary ([On Scripture] Controversy 1, question 1, pp. 22-23); and [Matthew] Parker [an Anglican] says no more: they are not absolutely necessary, necessitate medii [by a necessity of means], but they are necessary, necessitate praecepti [by a necessity of precept], and conditionally, if some politic-union were amongst all national churches;

But hence it follows not that they are not Christ’s ordinances, because they are not this way necessary, necessitate medii; for then baptism and the Lord’s Supper, public preaching of the Word, perfect discipline were not Christ’s ordinances, because in time of persecution, or universal apostasy, many, yea even whole Churches may be saved without these.”

The Divine Right of Church Government (London, 1646)

p. 38

“…for Christ has given a commandment; ‘Take ye, Eat ye, Drink ye all of this’: Yet has He not tied us in the time of persecution to convene in public, and celebrate the Lord’s Supper; but the Church does not then change the Law, nor liberate us from obedience to a command given by God, but God liberates us Himself.”

Appendix, ‘An Introduction to the Doctrine of Scandal’

Question 6, pp. 81-82

“…in the doctrine of scandal, which is more intricate and obscure than every divine conceives, God places acts of providential necessity as emergent significations of his approving will, which are so to us in place of a divine commandment of God’s revealed will, and these providential acts of necessity do no less oblige us to moral obedience than any of the express written commandments of God. I clear it thus:

There is an express law, It is sin and unlawful for David, or any man, who is not one of the Lord’s priests, to eat showbread. But God comes in and puts David in such a posture of divine providence that if he eat not showbread, he shall be sinfully guilty of violating a higher moral law of God, who says, ‘I will have mercy and not sacrifice.’ Then David shall be cruel to his own life, and sin against the Sixth Commandment, ‘Thou shalt do no murder,’ if he eat not; for not to eat, when you are in a providential condition of starving, if you may have it, is to kill yourself, and this providential condition does no less oblige you to the moral obedience of the Sixth Command than if God in the letter of the Law should command you to eat.

This fact of David was not done by any extraordinary impulsion of the Spirit, but by a constant channel that providence ordinarily runs in, according to which I, or any professor [of Christianity] must be obliged to prefer a work of mercy to sacrifice, that is, by which we are to give obedience to the Sixth Command, which is not to kill; even as without extraordinary impulsion, I may absent myself from hearing the Word when I find going to Church may endanger my life, for non-obedience to affirmatives [affirmative commands] in a greater necessity is ordinary.
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4th Rule. That which is necessary, in specie, ‘in the kind’, as to go to Church and hear the Word, to come to the house of God and Worship, may be, in individuo, in a particular exigence of providence, not morally necessary, but the contradicent thereof morally lawful. David does lawfully forbear to come to the Lord’s house, if he knew Saul may kill him, by the way.”

A Survey of the Survey of that Sum of Church-Discipline Penned by Mr. Thomas Hooker... (1658), p. 96

“2. It is uncharitable and against the Word to teach [such as Thomas Hooker, an Independent seemed to teach] that when a church is dissolved, by no sin and scandal-visible, but by persecution or pestilence, that the dissolved members, though both real and visible converts, have no right to the ordinances…”

Henry Jeanes

The Want [Lack] of Church-Government [is] No Warrant for a Total Omission of the Lord’s Supper. Or a Brief & Scholastical Debate of that Question which has so Wonderfully Perplexed Many, Both Ministers & People: Whether or No the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper may (according to Presbyterial Principles) be Lawfully Administered [by a Minister] in an un-presbyterated church, that is, a church destitute of ruling elders. Wherein the affirmative is confirmed… (London, 1650), p. 17 Jeanes was an English presbyterian.

“…I shall desire you to consider the ground why such affirmative precepts, as command duties relating to others, do not bind to always. The duties that they command are principally to this end, that they do good to men for the curing of their evils, for the farthering of virtue in them. Wherefore when prudence shows that such actions will be fruitless in respect of the end, or contrariwise harmful, they are to be forborne.”

Francis Turretin

Institutes, vol. 2, 11th Topic, ‘The Law of God’, Question 6, ‘The Rules of Explanation and of Observance of the Decalogue’, Sections VII & XII, p. 37

“XII. Fourth [Rule of Obedience], as the precepts do not have an equal degree of importance and necessity, so neither is the obedience to be reckoned of the same order and value… The omission of a command is one thing; opposition to it another; forgetfulness, neglect and contempt are different. Neglect proceeds from the langor of slothfulness…”

John Howe

pp. 278-79 of ‘Some Consideration of a Preface to an Inquiry Concerning the Occasional Conformity of Dissenters, etc.’ in The Works of John Howe, vol. 5, Containing the Treatises: On Divine Prescience and the Trinity… (Religious Tract Society, 1863)

“Negative precepts oblige to every point of time. Affirmative do not so. He that is always under obligation to pray solemnly, is not obliged to be always solemnly at prayer. The worship of God is better than most actions of our lives; yet the saving of a town or house from fire, yea, plucking of a sheep or an ox out of a ditch, is sometimes to be preferred.

The most sacred, external act of duty becomes sin, when it excludes that which is more a duty at that time. How fatal, how totally destructive an error might it have proved, before, to the Jewish nation, always to have thought it unlawful to defend themselves on the Sabbath-Day! (as it was once said to have been; Plutarch, de Superst.)”

Samuel Willard

A Complete Body of Divinity… (Boston, 1726), Sermon 172, Q. 60, pp. 584-88

“4. That this whole time is, as far as may be, to be employed in some or other of these exercises. That it cannot all of it be actually so attended, will be considered afterwards:
…

3. …The whole Sabbath is not to be spent in public, nor yet in private ordinarily, except when the providence of God prevents the opportunity of public assemblies, which is wont [accustomed] to fall out in times of persecution…
…

2. Such as fall out extraordinarily, or on special occasions, which put unavoidable necessity of intermitting the proper duties of the Day; and if we do not attend them, we shall be further exposed. And of this sort are:

Bernardinus De Moor

Didactico-Elenctic Theology (Reformation to Reformation Translations, 2018), ch. 3, ‘Concerning Religion’, section 5, ‘The Acts of Religion’, p. 55

“All these acts are not able to be exercised at the same time: yet they ought not to be separated from each other in True Religion, since God requires both the one and the other: although the elicited and internal acts are primary, and the interal acts alone are generally able to be exercised at any time, even in a time of persecution…”

William Plumer

The Law of God as Contained in the Ten Commandments, Explained and Enforced (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publications, 1864), p. 35

“We are to do our duties as we have opportunity. We should always be in a right state of mind and heart to do what is required, if the occasion offers.”

On Self-Care & Upkeep as a Legitimate Reason for Missing Public Worship & Church Activities

Intro

While sacrifice in light of duty and spiritual benefit is an important part of the Christian life, yet there are times when self-care and upkeep (a degree of the 6th Commandment) is a legitimate reason to miss public worship. An ethos contrary to this, that public Church ordinances or activities always override self-care and upkeep, is not only unhealthy (especially long-term), but it may be inducive to cultic characteristics.

Sometimes this unhealthy pretense comes under the notion of the call to worship being “authoritative,” and therefore it is obliging upon all the church members, whatever their circumstances, to attend every church service authorized by the elders. Sometimes it comes under the notion of an evening Lord’s Day service being Biblically obligatory, though some congregants, perhaps with young children, may live a ways away.

WCF 21.6 may be quoted, saying that, “public assemblies… are not carelessly or wilfully to be neglected or forsaken…” However, attendance upon public assemblies in the Confessional teaching is immediately qualified by “when God, by his word or providence, calleth thereunto.” Providence may not be calling, and his Word is not contrary to the light of nature, Christian prudence or the general rules of the Word (WCF 1.6). Nor is missing worship services or activities for self-care and upkeep to “carelessly or willfully” neglect them, much less forsake them.

For material that shows what is being here taught is Scriptural, a right view of ethics, and is historically reformed, and that the Ordinances-above-Self-Care View is wrong, see the section above, ‘What Constitutes Necessity?’ See also the following sections and webpage:

Recreation on the Lord’s Day

‘Bodily Refreshment on the Lord’s Day’

Church Membership

One is Not Absolutely Obliged to Attend Mid-Week Services

Absenting Oneself or Leaving a Church due to Necessities of Providence

Infants & Young Children Need Not Attend Service Every Week Absolutely

On the Relations Between the 1st & 2nd Tables of the Law

“But if ye had known what this meaneth, ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,’ ye would not have condemned the guiltless.”

Mt. 12:7

Quotes

1600’s

John Ball

An Answer to Two Treatises of Mr. John Can, the Leader of the English Brownists in Amsterdam… (London: R.B., 1642), ch. 1, section 4, p. 52

“‘Such things’ (says Aaron) ‘have befallen me, and if I had eaten the sin-offering to day, should it have been good in the eyes of the Lord?’ [Lev. 10:19] In these words Aaron excuses himself, by reason of his sorrow, which made him unfit and unworthy to eat of those holy things. Dt. 12:7 & 26:14; Hos. 9:4.

The [Romanist] Doway divines, somewhat to the same purpose:

‘Natural grief of mind made Aaron both unwilling to eat, and less apt to complete all the ceremonies: so without sin he omitted that pertained to his own commodity, offering it unto God.’

The Geneva notes, ‘Moses bare with his infirmity, considering his great sorrow, but does not leave an example to forgive them that maliciously transgress the commandment of God.’…

The conclusions from this text of Scripture may be such as these, that oftentimes the letter of the Law gives place to great necessities…”

John Owen

A Discourse concerning Liturgies & their Imposition (London, 1662), ch. 10, ‘Other Considerations about the Imposition of Liturgies,’ p. 61

“…the great rule of Gospel administrations is that all things be done to edification. This is the main end of the ministry itself, in all the duties thereof, that are purely evangelical. For this end was the office of the ministry instituted, for this end are ministerial gifts dispensed, for this end were the sacraments appointed, and all Church assemblies, Church power, and whatever else belongs to Churches; it is all ordained for this end that the Body of Christ may be edified and increased with the increase of God, Eph. 4:7-15; Col. 2:19; Acts 9:31; Rom. 14:15, 19; 1 Cor. 10:23; ch. 14:3-5; 12:26; 2 Cor. 12:19; 1 Tim. 1:4.

The full and adaequate rule of all Church-order and duties is that all things be done to edification. It does not hence ensue that whatever men shall judge to conduce to edification, may be used by themselves or imposed on others in the worship of God. Christ Himself, the onely wise and competent Judge in such cases…”

On Necessary Works in the Economy

Quotes

1600’s

Westminster Minutes

John Lightfoot, Journal of the Proceedings of the Assembly of Divines… ed. John R. Pitman (London: 1824) in The Whole Works… vol. 13, p. 328 Nov. 13, 1644

“Mr. [Henry] Wilkinson, sen[ior]. put this query, how we should regulate iron works and glass works? but this was answered by the next proposition:

Second Proposition, ‘To abstain from all unnecessary labors, worldly sports, and recreations.'”

Thomas Shepard

The Sanctification of the Sabbath in The Works of Thomas Shepard… (Boston, 1853), p. 257

“Thesis 12… If any work be done for any worldly gain, profit or livelihood, to acquire and purchase the things of this life by (which is the principal end of week-day labor, Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:12), this is a servile work, all one with what the commandment calls ‘thy work’. Hence buying, selling, sowing, reaping, which are done for worldly gain, are unlawful on this day, being therefore servile works…

[Buying and selling not done for worldly gain would not then be a servile work or prohibited, if this might not be done before or after the Sabbath, per the following section.]

hence also such works as are done only for the preservation of the creatures… to keep fire in the iron mills, to sit at stern and guide the ship, and a thousand such like actions (being not done properly for worldly gain) are not unlawful; God Himself not ceasing from works of preservation…”

Article

1900’s

Schwertley, Brian – ‘The Sabbath & Modern Industrial Civilization:
A Critique of Gary North’s ‘The Economics of Sabbath Keeping” (1999) 6 pp.

“The central thesis of North’s critique is that there are certain industries that are crucial to [taking] dominion and the well-being of civilization that cannot be completely shut down on the sabbath. Therefore, if sabbatarians were to be consistent they would have to abandon modern culture with its comforts… we will see that North misunderstands sabbatarianism…” – p. 1

“If the smelter in a foundry takes several days to reach its proper temperature, then it cannot be shut down every Lord’s day without shutting down the whole steel industry. Thus, at least a minimal crew is needed to keep the operation running through Sunday. But the benefits of steel for mankind (e.g., safer cars and buildings, the need for steel for the military) render it a necessity (wooden sailing ships would not have fared well against Japanese destroyers in the battles of the Pacific).

Another example would be certain types of shipping. An oil tanker could not reach Japan from a port in Alaska in less than a week and thus would be in transit on the Sabbath (the shipping of oil is a necessity, since energy is needed for large populations to heat buildings and for generating electricity). God does not require people to deforest the countryside or freeze to death in order to keep the Sabbath. Power and electric utilities and telephone companies must maintain service on the Lord’s day. Hospitals, churches, homes, retirement communities and nursing homes need
heat and electricity to preserve life and minister to the sick…

The percentage of people working on the Lord’s day should be very small compared to those who work on a given week day. The vast majority of economic activities on the Sabbath in America are totally unnecessary and sinful (e.g., shopping malls, sporting events, restaurants, movie complexes, newspapers, retail outlets). Those industries which require sabbath labor should rotate staff…” – p. 3

” A decentralized form of energy consumption using wood or coal would ravage the environment (e.g., deforestation) and greatly increase air pollution and the diseases that accompany it. If a centralized form of energy production based on oil, natural
gas or nuclear power can save human life, protect the environment and provide energy to populations that otherwise would not have it, then is it not a necessity? The medical and environmental benefits alone render a central, dependable, clean source of energy a necessity. Christ said it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath, to save human life (Mt. 12:12; Lk. 6:9)…

A centralized power source would actually enable a Christian society to keep God’s sabbath better… Although a central power system requires a [skeleton] crew to man it on the Sabbath, it enables millions of people to rest and worship God in a healthy, clean environment…” – p. 5

Historical

Scottish Reformation

Todd, Margo – pp. 36-37 in The Culture of Protestantism in Early Modern Scotland (Yale University Press, 2002)

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation… Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains… But pray ye that your flight be not… on the sabbath day.”

Mt. 24:15-20

“At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?”

Mt. 12:1-5

“And it came to pass… on the sabbath day… behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?… And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?”

Lk. 14:1-5

Related Pages

The Lord’s Day

Historic Reformed Quotes on Social Distancing & the Adaptation of the Church in a Time of Spreading Disease

The Change of the Sabbath to the First Day of the Week

The Whole Lord’s Day is Sanctified

When Does the Lord’s Day Begin?

What Does Keeping the Lord’s Day Entail?

Recreations on the Lord’s Day?

One May Miss Services & Leave a Church due to Providence without Permission, & a Letter of Transfer is Not Necessary