to exempt our selves from the duties of the 1 2 and 3. Commandements because the expresse words are not laid down by our Saviour in the Gospel then errour it is for any to exempt themselves from the duties of the fourth Commandement although the duty of it is not in expresse words laid downe in the Gospel Yea a truth it is Whosoever keepeth the whole Law and faileth in one point is guilty of all CHAP. IV. Of the Antiquity and Morality of the seventh day-Sabbath which is the day to be observed and not a seventh day instead of it THe seventh day Sabbath whereof I treat which was made for man Mark 2.27 and given to man Exod. 16.29 was blessed and sanctified the first seventh day of the worlds Creation Gen. 2.2 3. Exod. 20.8 9 10 11. was obeyed and disobeyed before the Law was given on Mount Sinai Exod. 16.27 28 30. Which Precept being repeated on the Mount with the other nine Precepts it had a memorandum annexed it in regard of a former neglect to it as also the more to incite the Jewes and us Gentiles to a diligent observation thereof for time to come This seventh day God instituted and commanded to be a selected or peculiar time for his publique worship Leuit. 23.3 Acts 15.21 This Sabbath our Saviour unviolably kept and spent in the administration of the Word Luke 4.16 31. Mark 6.2 and in other holy exercises of piety and charity glorifying his Father by Miracles Mat. 12.9 10 11 12 13. Iohn 5.8 9. This Sabbath our Saviours Disciples observed after his death to Gods honour and their ever laudable memoriall For it is recorded of them Luke 23.56 That they rested the seventh day according to the Commandement Yea it evidently apeareth that the Apostles and Disciples Gentiles as well as Jewes constantly spent the seventh day-Sabbaths in holy and religious exercise For this see Acts 13.14 15 16. vers 27 42 43 44. chap 16.13 14. chap. 17.2 3. chap. 24.14 * The like instance cannot be shewne in the new Testament that either the Apostles or Disciples did thus constantly assemble together on the first day of the week Yea some Christian Churches observed it for more then the space 400. yeares after Christ of this Socrates informes us lib. 6. chap. 8. Yea albeit the Church of Rome was one of the first Churches or rather the first which discerted the seventh day-Sabbath yet they kept it a certain space of time after the decease of the Apostles For Justin Martyr living in Rome about the yeare 150. saith Apologie second pro The manner was on the Sabbath day when the people were gathered together to have the Scriptures read in the publique congregation in the time of publique prayer the space of a whole hower as Dr. Whitguift hath it in his Booke against Cartwright pag. 578. Yea I finde by Socrates Eccle. hist lib. 5. cap. 21. that for the space of 200. yeares almost all Christian Churches throughout the whole world did keep every Sabbath-day after other whereon they did administer the misteries of our Saviour or Sacraments except Rome and Alexandria who of an old tradition did not use it c. Which holy Sabbath ought to have been spent in holy exercise to this time yea and for ever Exod. 31.17 Isay 66.23 That the seventh day-Sabbath ought to have been kept and spent in the worship and service of God Severall men of note doth confesse the truth thereof although their practice answered not with it no nor their words at some times neither And therefore I looke upon their Expressions as justifying the truth against themselves First I will beginne with Mr Beza in his margent on Deut. 5. vers 13. who saith Since God permitteth six dayes to our laboures that we ought willingly to dedicate the seventh to serve him wholly Secondly Mr. Perkins on Gal. 4. vers 10. saith Six dayes thou shalt labour and the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God is morall and containeth a perpetuall truth Thirdly Doctor Whitguift against Cartwright page 553. saith Six dayes shalt thou labour c. The meaning of which words is this That seeing God hath admitted us six dayes to doe our own work in we ought the seventh day to serve him c. Fourthly Muskulus in his Book of common Places fol. 60. speaking of the seventh day-Sabbath saith Secondly he apppointed the day so that it should not be at his peoples liberty Six dayes saith he thou shalt doe all thy worke but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God So he doth especially note the dayes to worke and he doth expresse that day in which the Sabbath should be hallowed c. Six dayes are appointed thee in which thou mayest work all things touching thy selfe and thy own affaires but the seventh day is not so for that day is a great while agoe determined and hallowed by God himselfe unto rest and therefore that day shall not serve for thy workes but thou shalt hallow him to the Lord thy God Fifthly Dr. Willet on the fourth Commandement question 13 pag. 360. saith God is said to rest both that his rest might be a monument of the Creation perfected and that God by his example might induce us in like manner to rest upon his Sabbaths Sixtly Dod and Clever on the Commandements speaking of the duty of the seventh day-Sabbath in pag. 118. saith The third reason is taken from Gods Example c. As if he should have said If thou wilt follow Example then follow the Example of the best What Example can there be better than God himself who when he made the World rested on the seventh day Therefore from his Example learne thou that on the seventh day thou give thy selfe to the duties of sanctification c. See pag. 119. Seventhly Bayly in Pract. Piety page 255. saith To sanctifie the Sabbath on the seventh day is not a ceremoniall Law abrogated but the Morall and Perpetuall Law perfected So that saith he the same perpetuall Commandement which bound the Jewes to keepe the Sabbath on the seventh day to celebrate the Worlds Creation binds Christians to solemnize the Sabbath on the seventh day And in page 257. Therefore God planted this Commandement in the middest of the two Tables because the keeping of it is the best help in keeping all the rest The conscionable keeping of the Sabbath is the Mother of all Religion c. And in pag. 259. saith It is one of the Commandements which God spake with his own mouth and twice wrote with his owne fingers in Tables of stone to signifie their Authority and perpetuity All that God wrote were Morall and perpetuall Commandements and they are reckoned ten in number If this were now an abrogated Ceremony then there were but nine Commandements And in pag. 287. thus The Ceremoniall Law was injoyned to the Jewes only and not to the Gentiles But this Commandement of the Holy Sabbath as Matrimony was instituted of
the Apostle reasoned against those Corinthians which denied the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 13.14 15 16 17 18. CHAP. II. Manifesteth 12 Absurdities which doe follow upon the Doctrine or Assertion that the Fourth Commandement or any part thereof is abrogated which are not suitable with Godlinesse or with the holinesse truth or integrity of the Decalogue THe First Absurditie which doth follow on the Doctrine that the Fourth Commandement is abrogated or part thereof is to affirme consequently that there are but 9 Commandements in the morall Law which expresly speaketh to us in requiring duties of us contrary to Exod 20. Deut. 4.13 Secondly It is to affirme that Gods Law of the ten Commandements are not perpetually morall the fourth standeth as a Cifer Thirdly All the duties commanded in the decalogue appertaineth not to us Fourthly God never intended that we should walke in the obedience thereof Fiftly Jesus Christ nor his Apostles never taught us so to doe nor never ratified any such thing for us to observe contrary to Mat. 5.18 Rom. 3.31 Sixtly It is no rule of righteous walking for us Seventhly It is not for us the way to walke in to obtain Justification by Jesus Christ Eightly It hath not a correspondency with the Gospel Ninthly It taught the Jewes to worke six dayes successively from the Creation and to rest the seventh after Gods example which thing we ought not to doe contrary to Exod. 20.11 Tenthly He that followeth the literall expression of the decalogue or morrall law erreth Eleventhly For any to say we are not to observe the seventh day Sabbath because the duty thereof is abrogated It is to affirme that Gods law is changed contrary to Psal 111.7 8. Twelfly Those which affirme the seventh day-Sabbath was to be kept before our Saviours Death and Resurrection and is not to be observed since by Christians doe thereby avouch that Gods Testimonies his Law his Covenant is Yea and Nay contrary to the nature of Gods Law and many texts of Scripture See Psal 119.138 142 152. Psal 89.2 Luke 16.17 2 Cor. 1.20 If these and the like assertions may not be admitted for truth but rejected for errour by all men professing Christianity and the feare of God then all men professing Christianity and the feare of God are for ever to confesse that the fourth Commandement and every jot and title thereof is morall and remaineth in force and bindeth all men as unchangeably to the observation of the seventh day-Sabbaths since our Saviours Ascension as ever it did any men before his Ascension In which regard I professe in the feare or God I doe not see but that it is as great a sinne to doe contrary to the literall expression of the fourth Commandement as it is to doe contrary to the literall expression of either the first second or third Commandements of the divine Law except necessity hinder it for sure it is Whosoever keepeth the whole Law and faileth in one point is guilty of all James 2.10 If this will not be assented unto I desire to know of him that will oppose me whether our Saviour in Mat. 5.18 did ratifie the Decalogue or Law of ten Commandements to remain till all things be fulfilled yea or nay If nay what Law was it that he ratified If yea then he ratified the fourth Commandement to remaine for Instructions to Godlinesse in the literall expressions thereof as unchangeable as to any other expressions of that law If any will deny it let him shew how our Saviour did ratifie the whole Law yea every jot and title of it and did not ratifie the fourth Commandement which is a tenth part of that law which consisteth of more then 80. words And if our Saviour ratified the fourth Commandement I desire to know why it ought not to be as conscionably observed as any of the other nine Commandements but if any say it was repealed again by Christ let him shew how he could doe it and not diminish any thing from the morall Law As also when he did it and what are his words of repealing it and then also prove it was no part of the Law which the Apostles established Rom. 3.31 As also that we may omit the duty of the seventh day Sabbath and not fall under the transgression of the Law spoken of by Saint James Chap. 2. v. 10. CHAP. III. Containeth 10. Reasons demonstrating that the fourth Commandement is morall and not ceremoniall Secondly Objections answered THe first Reason is why the duty of the seventh dayes rest is morall and not ceremoniall is because it differeth in its nature from a Ceremoniall precept A Ceremoniall precept or precepts was given of God and used of men to set forth some good thing to be wrought or brought by Jesus Christ after mans fall and the promise of the Messias Heb. 9. chap. 10. But the seventh day-Sabbath was made by Christ the Word of God John 1.2 3. before there was any need or use of any Ceremonie Gen 1.2 3. Ergo the fourth Commandement is morall Secondly That the seventh dayes rest is morall doth appeare from the Ground or Reason wherefore God gave to man the holy Sabbath expressed by Moses Ezod 31.17 chap. 20.11 The grounds or reasons being morall and perpetuall whereon the duty was founded it argueth the perpetuity of the day it selfe Thirdly That the duty of observing the seventh dayes rest is morall doth appeare from a further use of the day for Gods publique worship to be performed on it Levit. 23.3 Psal 92. Acts 13.14 15 42. Chap. 15.21 Luke 4.16 31. Mark 6.2 Acts 16.13 The usefulnesse of pious duties requireth a usefull and perpetuall day and no day so fit as that day which God instituted blessed and sanctified for that end Ergo the seventh dayes rest is morall Fourthly That the duty of the seventh dayes rest is morall doth appeare by that the wilfull transgressours of it were to be put to death by the hand of the Magistrate as those were which wilfully transgressed any of the other three Precepts of the first Table Exod. 31.15 Numb 15.32 35 36. But the transgressours of Ceremoniall precepts God himselfe punished them Numb 16.32 35. 2 Sam. 6.6 7. Ergo the fourth Commandement is morall Fiftly The fourth Commandement was given with the other nine Precepts with Power Majesty and Terror Exod. 19. There was never a Ceremoniall precept given after that manner Ergo the fourth Commandement is morall Sixtly The fourth Commandement was written in a table of stone put into the Arke Deut. 10.5 But there was no Ceremoniall precept written in a table of stone nor put into the Arke 1 King 8.9 Ergo the duty of the seventh days rest is Morall and not Ceremoniall The truth of this is also affirmed by Dr. Bayly in the practice of Piety Pag. 159. and by Mr. Bisco in his glorious Mistery page 60. Seventhly God himselfe kept the seventh day Sabbath Gen. 2.1 Exod. 20.11 Can it be shewn that ever God
Rom. 3.20 Errour it is to the Jewes or any else that expect to receive Righteousnesse by or for their obedience thereto But I presse men to the obedience of it because men cannot be saved without obedience to it in some measure through faith Matth. 5.19 Chap. 19.17 1 Cor. 7.19 But I doe beleeve in my heart and confesse with my mouth that justification to salvation is freely bestowed on the Beleever wholy undeserved It is not of workes but by Grace through Faith that men are saved and not of our selves it is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 2 Tim. 1.9 The Gospel published by Jesus Christ brought not a new way of Righteousnesse and Salvation into the World which was not spoken of or taught before in the Law and Prophets John 5.46 47. Acts 26.22 * See Beza in his Margent on Mat. 5.17 But it is a fuller manifestation of that which was contained in the Law and Prophets so that our conformitie to the Decalogue is not destructive or prejudiciall to our obedience to the Gospel but highly advanceth it For the Law is not against the Promise of God Gal. 3.21 Neither is the Gospel contrary to the Law for the preaching of faith doth establish it Rom. 3.31 Yea such is the Vnion betweene the Law and the Gospel that the same words which Moses used to command obedience to God by the Law in the time of the Law Deut. 6.5 the same words our Saviour useth in the Gospel to command obedience to God according to the Law Mat. 22 37. Yea such Union and communion there is between the Law and the Gospel that as Moses sendeth us to be instructed by Christ Deut. 18.15 Acts 3.22 Even so Jesus Christ sendeth us to be instructed by Moses John 5.39.46.47 Luke 16.29.31 Mat. 7.12 It being so it followeth that seeing by the Law meâ—â—re commanded to keepe a holy rest and to abstaine from servile work on the seventh day the Gospel doth not say nay Thou shalt keep a holy rest and abstaine from servile work on the first day of the week Oh no there is no such word therefore sure it is the selfe same Law which commanded men to keep a holy rest on the seventh day in the time of the Law the selfe same Law requireth us to keepe a holy rest on the seventh day in the time of the Gospel Therefore Remember to keepe holy the Sabbath day the day called Saturday the seventh and last day of the weeke for that is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God which he commandeth thee to consecrate to his Service in worshipping him on it in spirit and truth as the Gospel requireth of thee and neglect it not As the Word of God doth manifest the seventh and last day of the weeke to be the Sabbath So doth both Ancient and Moderne Writers confesse it so to be Yea Doctor Hylyn doth affirm in his History of the Sabbath par 2. chap. 2. pag. 62. that when ever for a thousand yeares and upward we meet with Sabbatum in any Writer of what name soever must be understood of no other day then the Saturday And Doctor White on the Sabbath pag. 202. saith when the Ancient Fathers distinguish and give proper names to the particular dayes of the weeke they alwayes stile the Saturday Sabbatum to wit the Sabbath c. That the Saturday the last day of the week is the Sabbath day the truth thereof is confessed by all Judicature Courts in England for when they write on the Saturday the last day of the weeke they stile it diâ—s Sabbathi to wit the Sabbath day At the end of which Sabbath the first day of the week beginneth Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.1 2 which is the day commonly called Sunday which is highly extolled although there is no word of God which commandeth the observation of it as now it is Sure it is we know no other name in Scripture for the seventh day but the Sabbath day neither know we any other name for Sunday but the first day of the week for this see Luke 24.1 John 20.1 Object If it be objected that the seventh day-Sabbath was given to the Jewes only and not to the Gentiles in that the Jewes were charged with the keeping of it in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypts bondage Deut. 5.15 which the Gentiles were not Ergo I answer It is true they were delivered out of Aegypts bondage through the great mercy of God unto them and thereon were enjoyned to keep the Sabbath as a motive to stir them up to a more devout observation thereof But was it so given to the Jewes that the obedience thereof doth not appertain to us Oh no! there is no Scripture that so saith neither doth it follow that we owe no obedience to it because they were enjoyned to keepe it in remembrance of their deliverance 〈◊〉 of Egypt because then it would follow we are not enjoyned to the obedience of the other nine Commandements neither For on the same ground or consideration they were enjoyned to keep the seventh day-Sabbath upon the same ground they were enjoyned to keep the other 9 Commandements also for this see Exod. 20.2 3. c. Deut. 5.6 chap. 7.8 9 10 11. It being so it followeth If we may not omit our duty to the 9. Commandements of the morall Law we ought not to the fourth Commandement neither Again If men will exempt themselves from the duty of the seventh day-Sabbath because it was given to the Jewes then on the same ground they may exempt themselves from all duties taught by our Saviour on the Mount Mat. 5. chap. 6 chap. 7. and also from all duties taught in the Epistle to the Hebrewes and also from all duties taught by by Saint James in his Epistle on the same ground Now if it be errour to exempt our selves from these and many other heavenly Instructions because they were given to the Jewes then it is errour to exempt our selves from the duty of the fourth Commandement because it was given to the Jewes Object If it be further objected the duty of the seventh day-Sabbath belongeth not to us because our Saviour hath not commanded it to be observed in the Gospel I answer It is an ignorant Cavill against the duty commanded in the fourth Commandement because our Saviour doth as absolutely require obedience of us to the duty of the seventh day-Sabbath inclusively in Mat. 22.37 38.39 as he doth to the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10. Commandements of the morall Law Again If it be a sufficient plea to exempt our selves from the duty of the fourth Commandement because it is not expresly repeated by our Saviour in the Gospel then upon the same consideration we may as well exempt our selves from the duties taught by the 1 2 and 3 Commandements of the same Law for neither of those precepts are in expresse words laid down by our Saviour in the Gospel therefore I say If it be an errour
Iohn 12.26 1 Iohn 2.6 5. The Apostle Paul kept it and other Christians Acts 13.14 15 16 37 42 43 44 chap. 16.13 14. chap. 17.2 and we are to imitate them 2 Cor. 11.1 Phil. 3.17 Heb. 6.12 Blessed is the man that doth this and the sonne of man which layeth hold on it and keepeth the Sabbath from polluting of it Isay 56.3 4 5 6. CHAP. V. Severall Authors produced which affirme the Church changed the Sabbath and why they did it 2. Three Reasons given to manifest when it was done 3. Answers given to severall texts of Scripture urged to prove the first day of the weeke to be of a divine Institution 4. Four Reasons given to manifest it is not of a divine Institution EVident it is that in some tract of time after the death of the Apostles the Romish Church layd aside the duty of the seventh day-Sabbath and observed the first day of the weeke instead of it Of this Socrates gives us notice lib. 5. chap. 21. Where speaking of Customes he saith Though in manner all Christian Churches throughout the whole world doe celebrate and receive the holy misteries every Sabbath day after other Yet the people inhabiting Alexandria and Rome of an old tradition doth not use it The Aegyptians adjoyning to Alexandria together with the Inhabitants of Thebaes use to celebrate on the Sunday c. 2. Mr. Brabourn in the defence of the Sabbath against the ten Ministers page 481 declares out of the Centuries Centure 4. chap. 6. page 477. layeth it down thus There was no Ecclesiasticall or Church Assemblies at Rome as there was at other Churches c. 3. Iustin Martyr living in Rome in the yeare 150. Apol. 2. saith Vpon the Sunday all of us assemble in the Congregation c. See Dr. Hylyn on the Sabbath part 2 chap. 2 sect 6. 4. Athenasius saith The observation of the Lords day was taken up by a voluntary usage in the Church as Dr. Hylyn in his history on the Sabbath declareth part 2. chap 1. Sect. 3. page 8. 5. Mr. Perkins on Gal 4. verse 10. speaking of the superstition of the popish Church in observation of holy dayes saith First besides the Lords day they appointed many other Sabbaths c 6. Mr. Calvin in his Institutions lib. 2. chap 8. sect 33. saith The old Fathers not without choyce of their owne put in place of the Sabbath the day we call Sunday c. And a little after exhorteth us to follow the order by the Church apointed c. 7. Bullenger in his Book of godly Sermons page 140. saith They of the Primitive Church did change the Sabbath day least peradventure they should have seemed to imitate the Jewes and still to have retained their orders and ceremonie and made their assemblies and holy meetings on the first day of Sabbaths to wit the first day of the weeke called Sunday 8. John Frith Declare Bapt. page 96 saith Our Fathers which were in the beginning of the Church did abrogate the Sabbath to the intent that Christians might have an example of Christian Liberty and that they might know that neither the keeping of the Sabbath nor any other day is necessary That a day should be reserved in that the people might come together to heare the Word of God they ordained instead of the Sabbath which was Saturdy the next day following and although they might have kept Saturday with the Jewes as a thing indifferent yet did they much better to over set the day to a perpetuall memory that we are free and not bound to any day but that we may doe any worke to the pleasure of God and the profit of our Neighbour c. See Dr. White on the Sabbath page 5. 9. Mr. Tindals answer to Dr. Moore chap. 25. thus saith We be Lords over the Sabbath and may change it to munday or any other day as we see need or may make every tenth day holy day if we see cause why we may make two every weeke if it were expedient and one not enough to teach the people Neither was there any cause to change it from the Saturday then to put difference between us and the Jewes least we should become servants to the day after their superstition As Dr. White hath it Ibid. page 5. 10. Vrsinus on the Catti part 3. page 989. saith The Apostolicall Church to distinguish its selfe from the Jewish Synagogue c. Hath on good reason made choyce of the first day c. 11. Dr. Willet in his Comment on Exod. chap. 20. page 360. saith The Apostolique Church changed the holy day of rest from the seventh day to the first which is the Lords day in remembrance of our redemption by Christ 12. Dr. White on the Sabbath page 109. thus saith Although the Sunday or Lords day in the time of the Law was an ordinary working-day yet in the time under the Gospel the same is an holy day by a perpetuall Ordinance of the Catholique Church And in pag. 212 he saith It is apparent that Christian people made the Lords day of every week an ordinary Holy-day c. See also Dr. Prideaux on the Sabbath pag. 24. Sect. 6. I hasten and shall take further occasion to manifest by larger Testimonies that the first day of the weeke is not of a Divine Institution but an Ordinance of the Church But first I will briefly describe the time when it was done as near as I can I confesse I have not met with any Author which hath pointed out the time except Mr. Brabourne who in defence of the Sabbath pag. 485. speaking of the Counsell held at Laodicea Anno 364. he saith now the Sabbath began to be rejected and the Lords day to be set up as the sole Sabbath without any other Now saith he the Lords day must forsooth be preferred above the Sabbath c. Mr. Perkins in his Exposition on the Revelation Chap. 1. vers 10. moveth a question to know who changed the Jewish Sabbath and then his answer is thus It is commonly thought saith he the Jewish Sabbath was changed into the Lords day by Christian Emperours long after the Ascension of Christ c. I doe not much dissent from these mens apprehensions for there is much truth no doubt in both their expressions yet I am not fully of of their opinions for indeed I conceive it was first contrived yea and concluded on inclusively though not expressed in the first Nicen Counsell Anno 326. or thereabout and my Reasons are three The first Reason is because before that Counsell there was not any Law which commanded Christians to keep the first day of the week in performance of Religious worship neither before that time were Christians commanded to forbear labour on the Lords day But this was done by the Emperour Constantine his Edict after the Counsell was dissolved Eusebius in the life of Constant Lib. 4. Chap. 18.19 The second Reason is because after that Counsell was dissolved Constantine sent
God in the state of innocency when there was but one estate of men therefore enjoyneth the Gentiles aswell as the Jewes So that all Magistrates all House-holders were commanded to constraine all strangers as well as their own subjects and familie to observe the Holy Sabbath c. I will forbeare to produce further Testimony of men the Word or Law of God is sufficient to teach the godly minded their duty therefore obey it and keep holy the Sabbath day to wit the seventh day and not a seventh day as many men doe thinke that if they keepe a seventh day they performe that duty which God requireth of them by the Morall Law although they keep not the 7th day successively from the Creation a great mistake For surely as God hath not given men liberty to worship in what they please neither hath God given them liberty to omit their duty of the seventh dayes rest and worship when they please but they are to doe that when he hath appointed and commanded it which indeed is the seventh day called Saturday the last day of the week which day God blessed and sanctified for men to performe publique worship on it as hath been shewn Errour therefore it is to say we obey Gods Law if we keep one day in seven if it be not the seventh day commanded in the Law Againe no man can account the first day of the week to be a seventh day unlesse men will presumptuously crosse the order of Gods appointment and overslip the first day of the worlds Creation and what warrant is there in Gods Word for mortall men so to doe let all rationall men judge Unlesse men doe so they cannot by any account conclude that the first day of the week is or can be a seventh day and therefore in observing it for a Sabbath they stand not firme to their own Principle by keeping one day in 7. seeing it is the 8. day in relation to the Creation and therefore it cannot properly be said to be one day in seven If men will refuse to keep their Sabbath on the seventh day which day God hath appointed and commanded by his holy Law and will keep one day in seven according to Gods placeing the dayes in the week and stand firm to their own Principle then they are to keep the sixth day of the week called Friday as Turkes doe or else some day or other before it if the day be left to their owne choise The Errour of this opinion may also thus appeare God commanded the Israelites to Circumcise their male children on the eighth day Gen 17.12 Had they obeyed Gods Law and performed their duty had they overslipt the first day and circumcised the ninth and accounted it for the eighth if necessity forced them not thereto certainely they had not neither could they properly have said they Circumcised one day in eight nor the eighth day Even so it now standeth with mens observation of the first day of the week for the seventh day which indeed in order from the Creation is the eight and therefore they which observe it keep one day after seven and not one day in seven The like instance I will give concerning the command of God given to the Israelites for their Eating of the Passeover on the fourteenth day of the first Month Exod. 12. Had they eaten it the fifteenth day whether had they obeyed Gods Law where necessity hindreth not certainly they had not Even so it standeth with mens observing the first day in stead of the seventh or Sunday in stead of Saturday Let wise men take this into their consideration for indeed men doe deceive themselves to thinke they obey Gods Law if they keep one day in seven accounting it the equitie of the fourth Commandement which thing indeed is not in observing the first day of the week which according to godly order is the eighth day and therefore mens practise in this particular hath neither sound nor sence for to be the equitie of the fourth Commandement If men will keep a Sabbath or day of rest according to the Equitie of the fourth Commandement then they are to keep it on the seventh day which God commandeth Exod. 20.8 9 10 11. for that indeed is the equitie of the fourth Commandement and not keeping a day of rest either before or after the seventh day for men so to doe is meer will-worship a thing forbidden by the Apostle Colos 2.20 21 22 23. Againe we shall never finde in any of the Evangelists or Apostles writings that ever the Law of the Sabbath was repealed or that ever it should be transferred to the first day of the week or that ever the first day of the week was a Sabbath or should be observed in stead of the Sabbath by Christians Well saith Dr. Prideaux in this point in the Doctrine of the Sabbath pag. 24. sec 6. Our Saviour saith he oft times disputed with the Pharisees of the * Sabbath day and many times explained the meaning of that Commandement But where is there any of the least suspition of his abrogating it Where any mention that the Lords day was instituted in the place thereof Well saith he Christ ascended up on high and left behind him his Apostles and what did they did they not keep the Jewish Sabbath without noise or scruple and gladly teach the people congregated on the Sabbath dayes * Mat. 12. Mark 2. Luke 6. Joon 5. Answerable unto this Dr White saith On the Sabbath the Apostles and likewise many successions of the Apostles for many ages at least 300. yeares kept holy the Saterday of every week in some Churches Yea Socrates lib. 6 cap. 8. declareth That some Christians after 400 yeares observed the Sabbath weekly with the first day of the weeke Mr Perkins saith on Gal. 4.10 Some men both godly and learned are of an opinion that the first day of the week was appointed by the Apostles for order sake c. It seemes saith he a truth more probable that every seventh day of the weeke must be set a part in holy rest unto God for this is the substance of the fourth Commandement c. That the seventh day-Sabbath is to be observed in the time of the Gospel as it was in the time of the Law I will briefly give five Reasons The first is because it was given to man in his Innocency Gen. 2.2 3. and therein to all the world to wit to the Gentiles as well as to the Jewes this truth is confessed by Mr. Ainsworth in his Annotations Exod. 31.17 As also by Baily in the Practice of Piety pag. 258 259. And also by Dod on the fourth Commandement pag. 125 127. 2. Because it is commanded by a divine and positive law Exod 20. 3. Because God rested on the seventh day and blessed and sanctified it for us to rest after his example Exod. 20.11 Ephes 5.1 4. Our Saviour kept the Sabbath Luke 4.16 31. Mark 6.2 and we are to imitate him