forswore his Lord and Master therein he bewraied it not Let good men therfore Holy be defended no further then their goodnesse and holinesse will extend and suffer them to be prosecuted and discouered in their erroures sinnes that they may reforme them I confesse they are my brethren so I acknowledge them but what then may not their erroures therfore be discouered and reproued Peter was Pauls brother did Paul therfore cloke Peters errour no Paul discouered it and reproued it to his face and that publikly before all men Gal. 2.11.14 shall the sinnes of the people be reproued and not the sinnes of Ministers shall Ministers haue a patent to sinne without reprofe our Sauiour reproued Peter saying get thee behind me Satan I hold sinne is lesse to be borne withall in a Minister then in a priuate person especially if it be both in their life and doctrine as that is for which I shall reproue them for when they not onely practise it but also erroniously teach it hereby they draw whole multitudes after them and therefore sinnefull errour would be snibed in them as a riuer would be stopped in the fountaine Perhapes thou wilt further say for them but what is it you haue against them it seemeth by these words that you haue some greate matter against them which we cannot beleeue since we know them to be men so Holy so lerned and euery way so qualified as we cannot say black is their eye c. Why amongst others these things I haue against them In generall I challeng them for their false and erroniouse doctrine where with all they haue now a long time deceiued and seduced the people of God wherein they still stifly persist he particulars whereof are these by their vngodly and abhominable reiecting of that most ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath by name commanded in the Morall Law 1. They are become companiones to those wicked Priests who were partiall in Gods Law Mal. 2.9 for they deny the Integrity perfection of the Law and teach it onely by halues by parceles and peeces and so make Gods Law a lame and defectiue Law 2. They deny God a parte of his holy worship and seruice prescribed in the first Table of the Decalogue and this they neglect and omit weekly 3. They haue vtterly abolished and by their doctrine nullified the whole 4th Commandement both roote and branch 4. They haue most shamefully abused the 4th Commandement by their most grosse false and erroniouse expositions of it so as I neuer saw any one portion of scripture more corruptly and falsly expounded by any Popish Iesuit Whereby they worthily deserue the Title to be called The corrupters of Gods Law 5. They doe shamefully abuse certaine Textes and portions of Scripture and that by setting Scriptures together by the eares for they wrest certaine Scriptures of the New Testament to the vnnecessary contradicting and ouerthrowing of things commanded in the Decalogue and 10 Commandements of the Old Testament 6. They haue and doe most vnschollarlike abuse the 4th Com. by applying it to the Lords day the which God directed properly vnto the Saturday or 7th day of the weeke 7. They teach and maintaine that the Lords day is the Sabbath day by Christ his institution and to this purpose they haue most vnlernedly dishonestly wrested and abused diuerse sondry portiones of sacred Scripture a thing which one day they must account to God for and hereby they haue shamefully abused many of the well affected people of the land nursing them vp in Superstition will worship and idolatry If I shall make these 7 things good against these 10 Ministers as in this booke I shall then I trust you will pardon me if now and then I let fale an harsh word or two against them and then I trust you will not blame me for taking vp the bucklers against them as Gods enemies in these cases I could not haue taken these things so euilly at the hands of any as of puritans nor of any puritans as of puritane Ministers for at their hands I looked for better As for them these 10 Ministers I require and charge them as they will answer it before the Tribunall of Almightie God at the generall day of Iudgement that they study the 4th Commandement better and other the Scriptures now in controuercy so that they may deliuer nothing to the people but the pure word of God in their exposition and that they forbeare these erroniouse doctrines in pulpit and in priuate yea and reuoke these their foule erroures making a mends to the people of God whom they haue wronged by acknowledging the same vnto them before either they or any of their people departe this present life it is no dallying with mens soules and Gods matters Or else let them answer this my booke and so honestly acquite themselues of these things I charge them withall it is but equall that I demaund that they should either confirme my booke or confute it some of them say they will giue their liues for the Lords day Sabbath I trust then they will giue their laboures which is lesse to defend it I doubt not but you shall heare them make many shiftes friuolouse excuses that they may not answer me as hitherto they haue done when moued to answer my former booke but this is but still to maintaine their credit among the people as if they could easily answer all but they will not wast their time forsooth Happily the combination of these 10 Ministers will agree euery man to preach an invectiue sermon or two euery man in his owne parish against this booke and so raise a greate cry against me picking partially some fewe things in my booke to cauill at as it is no hard matter for a Rhetoricean to delude the people with words and for a Sophister to beguile them with seeming arguments and answers but my request vnto them is that they would answer my booke and that punctually from point to point not snaching and catching here and there at things and that they would print it as I haue done and so they shall stand to what they say without alterationes and after minceings and extenuationes An Author may be much wronged and abused in pulpit as I haue bene alredy by M. Chappell reporting to the people things out of my former booke falsly which I neuer wrote there so confuting their owne phantasies in stead of my booke and the Author hath no remedy but patience To auoide the like I desire them to forbeare pulpit confutations and come to printed confutations that so they may be answered againe What remaineth Christian Reader but that in the last place I craue thy single eye and vnpartiall censure and that you carry a minde voide of all preiudice euill will either to the person or the cause whereabouts thou art redy to be imployed in reading Remember we are not to receiue the word of God with respect of
be accounted humble men because they doe imitate Christ Some obiect thus I but you doe not discreetly to publish this point whereby it comes to the peoples knowledge rather should a drope of blood haue gone from my heart then such a point as this vnto common people you should rather haue imparted it vnto Diuines in priuate and discussed it with them onely c. Hereto I answer this obiection of some Diuines it is no better then a faire flourish whereby vnder a c lour of discretion they would haue silenced and buried this Trueth euerlastingly For if they could haue tied me by the rules of this their discretion to haue made knowne this point onely vnto Ministeâ—s they then know waies enough how to smother it so as it should neuer haue come to light and so as the people poore soules should neuer haue heard of it Indeed I iudged it discretion first to make tender of it to Ministers before I printed to the viewe of common people and so I did for I sent my Notes a broad to sondry Diuines of the best ranke both nere and afarr off expecting their confutation or confirmation but I obtained neither In case they had answered me by way of confirmation then my resolution was to haue bene further counsailed by them as touching the publishing of it as whither by my selfe or rather by some more eminent able person of their choosing and touching the time when whither presently or rather hereafter and for the persones to whom whither generally vnto all or rather vnto some eminent persons of the Kingdome and the like But expecting longe their answeres which diuers of them promised though they performed not and waiting 10 or 12 monethes and finding nothing but delaies and foording me off still hereby I suspected that this their counsaile of discretion was but a dry morsell to stay my stomake withall for the present and nothing else but a fained thing deuised handsomly to make mee beleeue on the one side that that they meant seriously and faithfully to haue taken the matter into their consideration had not I bene so rash in publishing it which they neuer meant as all experience euen to this day sheweth for both my Notes then and my Booke since haue neuer bene answered by them by way of confutation nor approued of them by way of confirmation And on the other side to haue kept this Trueth secret from the peoples knowledge and this of the twaine indeed is that they chiefly aime at it is most grieuouse vnto them that common people should espie their errours as for their owne consciences many of them are large enough as I haue experience to my exceding greate sorrow of heart to brooke the superstitiouse and ignorant obseruation of the Lords day Sabbath and to neglect the worship of God in the 7th day Sabbath they could digest these things and set downe with them good quietly prouided no body might see this their blind ignorance halting with God but this is that which toucheth to the quicke with them that since my publication of this Trueth and discouery of their errour now they cannot halt in secret now common people see ther 's no grownds for the Lords day Sabbath now their parishoners others can answer their arguments and see their folly and leuâ—ty and how a long time they haue bene carried in a golding dreame Well when I saw that Ministers sleited Gods Trueth then I resolued to turne me and open my selfe vnto the people trusting to finde more fidelity sincerity among them if therfore it griueth them that the people know of it sooner then they would let them thank themselues for sleiting of it when tendered vnto them and for their attempts to smother it c. For some of them haue said vnto me when I haue moued them in it most ceriously what thinke you wee haue nothing else to doe but to listen to your toies Others obiect saying if I would haue wrote in controuercy I shold haue wrote against Papists as Bellarmine the like against a forraine enemy c. To whom I answer ther 's more neede to deale at home then a broad euery man flies vpon A Papist for the controuercy is made easy by the many helpes of our lerned writers because it is applauded at all hands so as a man may be a gainer by the controuercy But fewe or none will medle to redresse things at home for these are not onely hard difficult requiring much study greate labours considering none haue gone before to giue them light but also a man may easily foresee it hee shall be a loser by the bargaine wherby you may easily gather that homebred euiles are more perillouse and like to stick longe by vs without reformation now by how much the fewer will vndertake them by so much the better seruice he doth vnto God that will aduenture himselfe in them for this is that I aime at not to please men but him that hath called me and betrusted me with one of his Talents my chiefe desire now is that I may improue it not which way my selfe may best gaine credit wealth and preferment but that way whereby I may wine most glorie to my chiefe Lord and Master Let none thinke me so ignorant but that I know well enough which is the way to rise in the world were that the thing I short at and I know right well that whilst I am in this argument I am cleane out of that way but with Moses I haue a respect vnto the Recompense of reward Some of them obiect vnto me that by stiring in this point I shall incense the State and the Byshopes will molest me c. To whom I answer that 's the thing indeed would much please them that the Governement of the Kingdome would oppose mee so much they intimate by their much wondering that I am so long suffered in quiet c for since they cannot defend the phantasy of the Lords day Sabbath by the Scriptures and sword of the Spirit now they long for the aide of the sword of the Magistrate wondering it tarrieth so long erre it will aueng them but had I their cause in hand I would be ashamed to desire aide from the sword of the Magistrate when the word of God and sword of the Spirit refuseth to help first let them soundly answer confute my booke and then let them flie to the Magistrat and spare not I know well that things tending to changes and alterations are not pleasing vnto Statsmen vnlesse in case most weighty and of vrgent necessity of which kind I trust they will Iudge this to be after they haue once taken it into their graue and iudiciouse considerations The soundnesse and cleernesse of this my cause giueth me good hope that God will inlighten them with it so incline their hearts vnto mercy but if not since I verily beleeue and know it to be a Trueth and my duety not
say this were a plaine forfeiture of the bond and that the debitor his calling the time but a circumstance vvas but a pore shifte this vvere a silly plea before the Iudg of Assises to say the time my Lord it was but a circumstance c. well hovv euer men dare not dally thus before an earthly Iudge and with an earthly king yet men dare palter thus with the king of kings were a man summoned to appeare at a day apponinted but in an inferiour courte who durst sleight that day They are only Gods dayes and Gods times then that may besleighted this bewraies that God is not reuerenced as is a mortall king or Iudg men dare not sleight the precise day of appearance in the Courtes of men but men dare sleight the precise day of appearance before the Lord chiefe Iustice of heauen earth in the Courtes of his fanctuary nor are men so afraid to make a forfeiture of the bond of Gods fourth comm by neglect of the day as they are a fraid to forfeite abond of 10. or 20. to a man by neglect of the day Thus much for the time and day in generall we shall hereafter come to the particularity of the time to shew how more specially what day it is which God requireth SECT III. Hauing laied forth the seuerall partes of this Com. in the foregoing Section detected some of the errours of our time in abusing the sense meaning of the Spirit of God in this Com. it now remaineth that I come to the Exposition of the same and whereas the com is laid downe partly affirmatiuely and partly negatiuely we will in the former place speake of the affirmatiue parte the which is conteined in these words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke In this affirmatiue parte first we will speake of the word day secondly of these words Sabbath day thirdly of the Commandement in this word Remember c. For the word Day to giue an Exposition of it according to the minde of the holy ghost we must serch how the holy Ghost vseth this vvord in Scripture for this purpose see Genes 1.5 And God called the light day but no where hath he called the darknesse day wherefore the light only is the day in Gods accounte see also 1 Cor. 3.13 euery mans worke shal be made manifest for the day shall declare it Where by the word Day the holy Ghost meaneth the light see 1 Thes 5.8 But let vs who are of the day be sober Where by day is meant light as appeareth by the Opposition of the word night in the former verse se Joh. 11.9 are there not 12 howres in the day if any man walke in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light the day therefore is the time of light by Scriptures accompt wherefore by the word day in the fourth Com. I vnderstand the time of light and of light only A second querie may be to know how long this day is and when it beginneth and when it endeth For the beginning of it we are to giue it the largest extent as to begin early in the morning by day breake or day peepe euen whilst it is but a little light and much darknesse see Ioh. 20.1 and Mark 1.35 this last text is to be reade as Chemnitius well obserues thus In the morning whilst it was very much night c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so Beza readeth it also Now as the day beginneth with the least light appearing in the skie so we are to thinke it lasteth so long as there is any sunne light in the skie or vntill the day be quite off the skie thus much be spoken of the word day shewing 1. what is meant by it to wit the time of light 2. How long this day is to wit from the first approch of the sunne light vnto the last departure of its light The consideration of these twoo Points discouereth vnto vs a threefold errour of our times the one is of such as hould that the Sabbath day beginneth at midnight and lasteth to the next midnight the other is of those who hould the Sabbath day beginneth in the morning lasteth to the next morning the other of such as hould it beginneth on the Euening of Saturday night al which opinions in they hould as well a night as a day to be a parte of the sabbath day but these are all erroniouse because growndlesse for the word day in the com signifieth the time of light this is the frequent vse of the word in scriptures that the word day must signify darknesse as wel as light I thinke cannot be showne in the Scriptures Wherefore as to giue God lesse then the wholl tyme of light is to giue God not a day but a peece of a day so to giue God more then the wholl time of light it to giue God more then a wholl day and so more then God hath commanded But against this it may be said that there it a day naturall a day artificiall the one cōsisting of 24 howres the other of 12 howres now we must giue God the largest day of 24. hovvres But for this pointe how euer this distinction may haue its vse in ciuill affaires yet is it not founded in Scripture the Scriptures indeed mention a day of 12. howres Ioh. 11.9 but of a day of 24. hovvres I no where reade it is not safe therefore to expound the word day in the fourth Comm. of a day of 24 hovvres Further it may be said that by the word day we must vnderstand the night and darknesse also euen the wholl time of 24. howres for so it is taken Genes 1.5 And the euening and morning were the first day where the euening is put for the darknesse and the morning is put for the light and both these are called the first day Where to I answer that this exposition is growndlesse to say that the Euening is put for the night or darknesse for it cannot be shovvne in Scripture that any where the word Euening is put for the night or darknesse Herevnto assenteth Mr. Perkins in his cases of conscience at the end of the second booke Secondly I answer to giue such an exposition of the Text Genes 1.5 as maketh a confusion of things is not safe for to vnderstand by the Euening the darknesse and so making the vvord day to signify or comprize both light and darknesse is to make a vvofull confusion for so one and the same vvord shall signifie things quite contrary as vvel might one suppose hell to be signified vnder the vvord heauen as night vnder the vvord day God hath distinguished the light from the darknesse as in nature so by sondry proper names calling the light day and the darknesse he called night Genes 1.5 let not vs then confound them a better exposition of the vvord Euening is therefore to be sought for this end
be redy to reply say But Sir you giue too great liberty to our people you lay the reines vpon their necke you speake most profanly c. to whom I answer I know indeed that it is full sore against their wills that I haue discouered this secret vnto their people for they had rather haue ploded on in their old errour deceiuing the people still then this light should haue bene seene but for my part I had rather please God then please men Knovving that God cannot away with it that his Ministers shold teach for his Doctrines their owne inventiones Traditiones I Know well that they doe daily reuile me reproch me say all manner of euill against me falfly before their people that so my person being brought into contempt that which I speake against their new Sabbath may be contemned likewise but I desire them to forbeare such vnchristian cuning courses I desire them that they would no more backbite me slaunder me behind my backe vvhere I cannot come to ansvver for my selfe but this is a more faire course vvich I vvill propound vnto them if they thinke in deede in trueth that I haue giuen too greate libertie vnto their people haue done vvrong vnto their nevv Sabbath then let them put pen to paper confute this booke so they shall bevvray to the vvorld that they speake as they thinke vvhen they so bitterly inueigh against me against my booke euery silly creature can say t is an errour t is a foule errour t is an abominable errour t is a wicked booke an hundreth more but I would haue Ministers that are schollers leaue vvords fale to blovves let them confute the booke neither doe I exhorte them to this as a matter at their choise to doe it or not to doe it but I vrge it vpon them as a duetie both to man and to God it is their duetie in respect of men because they haue so confidently taught them that this day is the Sabbath day and that vpon payne of damnation they are bound to sanctify it in conscience of the 4th com vvherefore either they must acknovvledg that they haue bene in an errour labour so soone as they can to reforme it which is parte of amends an argument of an honest minde or else they must defend it that so their people may see that they play not fast loose with them that they teach them no more in the pulpit then they will be redy to defend by their pen if any oppose it I cannot see how they can defend themselues for honest men vnlesse they doe thus it is not enough for them to belch out now then some reprochfull words with a kinde of scorne and disdaine to vilifie the booke the Author of it euery foole can answer a booke so It is also their duetie in respect of God for they say that I am in a foule errour and that the Lords day is a constant Sabbath of Gods institution Well then and will they not defend Gods cause who should stand vp for God if Gods Ministers will not wherefore haue they both their liuings and their office of Ministrie but to manage Gods causes defend them against all oppositions vvill they thinke you giue their liues in defence of this Lords day as they tell their people they will who will not giue their labours to defend it when as Peter the Apostle did but by his example bring in Iudaisme into the Church of Antiochia Paul the Apostle withstood him to his face and reproued him before all men Gal. 2.11.14 If therefore I like Peter haue offended against the Lords day then they like Paul in zeale of Gods glorie should rise vp to confute me before all men else they cannot iustify themselues so farre as I can see to be faithfull in their places and to be followers of the Apostles As for the people me thinke they should neuer cease pressing of their Ministers by these the like arguments to the answer of this booke for the quieting of their consciences and for the cleering of the trueth in this point they should say vnto Archippus take heede vnto the ministerie that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it Col. 4.17 vnlesse they desire to liue in ignorance and errour and in doubt which is the trueth It is true it hath bene reported to me that some of these 10 Ministers haue bene thus moued by their people but they haue returned this answer Wee What wee shall vvee answer his vaine booke let some Cobler Tayler or Shomaker answer it c. and are not these loftie spirits who could forbeare to reproue them openly that knoweth them in an errour in a foule and grosse errour and after sufficient meanes of conuiction tendred vnto them both priuatly publikely and done also in all meeknesse and forbearance for all this they still persist carry it out in the height of pride scorning disdaining him that shall in loue respect vnto their persons admonish them as my former booke will witnesle for me So much be spoken touching the former question wherein you see that they cannot proue it that euery Lords day or Sunday was kept for a Sabbath in the Apostles dayes as now they are SECT III. I come now vnto the second maine question which is to know whither it can be proued that any one Lords day is a Sabbath day by Gods ordinance or not For I deny not only that euery Lords day is a Sabbath constantly and weeke by weeke but also I deny that there is so much as any one Lords day a Sabbath day For the better scaning of this point I will examine all their Scriptures all their reasons which they produce in this case First for their Scriptures I haue reade ouer many the workes and writings of the patrons of this Lords day to see their grownds for it but yet among all the textes of Scripture which they alleage I can no where find a Commandement for it alleaged by them out of any parte of the new Testament and this seemeth to me a straung thing if you demaund of them who is the Authour of this new Sabbath they will tell you Christ in the next place if you demaund of them where Christ left any commandement for it by himselfe or by his Apostles here they are at a non plus they can finde no com for it in all the new Testament no nor any exhortation to keepe it nor promise or threatening to those who keepe or profane it now this at the first entrance doth breede a shrewd suspition that this new Sabbath is but some forgery when there is neither commandement nor exhortation for it in the booke of God neither promise to them who keepe it nor threatening to them who profane it when the old Sabbath was set vp it was done by an expresse Commandement and can there a
doth ratify and confirme all the lawes of God written in the Tables of stone as they are rehearsed by the Minister without mutilating or curtailing of any of them they are no children of the Church therefore who deny my Major and thus I haue abundantly proued the point by humane Testimony and so I come to proue it also by Diuine Testimony But me thinke euer anone as I am writing that some body should wonder at me that I should spend so many words to proue a point so plaine as this that all Gods commandements are now to be obeyed why may they say it is a point we neuer till now heard doubted of we euer tooke it as an Article of our faith that all things commanded in the Morall Law did binde vs to the obedience thereof and is it now become a question amongst Diuines if this principle be doubted of now we shall scarce know what to doe in Religion what not to doe what to beleeue what not to beleeue but surely Sir you are mistaken ther 's no Minister that hath any feare of God before his eyes that will doubt of this point and for common people they are as farre from doubting of it as the heauens are from the earth Wherevnto I answer that when I seriously enter into the consideration of it it maketh my very heart to tremble within me to thinke that any man that professeth godlinesse should be so farre in loue with old errour as to deny so cleere a trueth as this neuerthelesse not onely Ministers but puritane Ministers goe about to doubt of and deny this trueth for by their distinctiones they will deny that all the commandements written in the Decalogue doe binde vs to obedience which if they did not deny I should saue this labour they must imbrace that most ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath day wherefore good Reader wonder not at me but rather wonder at such your Ministers who are become so vnfaithfull to God as that rather then they will confesse an old errour they will stifly deny a manifest trueth My first argument then of Diuine authority is this that euery thingonce commanded in the Morall Law standeth still vnrepealed is therefore still in force For these enemies to Gods Sabbaths they cannot proue that any one thing once commanded in the Decalogue was euer since reuoked abolished now whatsoeuer thing God hath once commanded in his 10 comman that thing is to staÌ„d euerlastingly vnlesse it can be showne that God hath reuoked reuersed it like as Statute Lawes in our Realme though made long since are neuerthelesse in force still vnlesse it can be showne that they haue bene repealed since by the same Authority that first inacted them For the further strengthening of which argument let these Scriptures be perpended What soeuer things are written aforetime are written for our lerning that we through patience comforte of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15.4 and againe For the whole Scripture is giueÌ„ by inspiratioÌ„ of God is proffitable to teach to convince to correct to instruct in righteousnesse c. 2. Tym. 3.16 In which two portiones of Scripture you see the Apostle doth ratify an vninersallity of things written in the old Testament and an Integrity and wholenesse of the Scriptures of the old Testament now if we shall not apply these ij textes to the maintenance of the Morall Law or 10 commandements to maintaine the vniuersallity of all things written in the 10 commandements and to maintaine the Integrity perfection wolenesse of the 10 commandements then wherevnto shall we apply them for what portion of Scripture is there besids this Law in all the old Testament whereof it cane besaid that all things therin written concerne our practise that that whole Scripture is proffitable to teach vs to convince vs to correct vs and to instruct vs What scriptures of the old Testament I say can be the adaequate Subiect or Obiect of these ij Scriptures but the morall Law My 2d argument to proue that all the 10 commandements and euery commandement therin doe bind vs still to the obedience of them is this that the Apostle S. Paul doth ratifie this Law in the new Testament saying Doe we then make the Law of none effect through faith God forbid yea wee establish the Law Rom. 3.31 Where you see the Apostle affirmeth that hee did establish the Law now the word Law in this text is not to be restrained to some partes of it onely but to be taken in the largest sense seeing thers nothing in the context to hinder it now this Law is knowne to containe 10 commandements Then he wrote vpon the Tables according to the first writing the tenne commandements Deut. 10.4 the which were numbered by God least the number thereof should be diminished by meÌ„ againe Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 Here againe all things written in the Law are ratified Furthermore S. Iames thus writeth whosoeuer shall kepe the whole Law yet faileth in one point hee is guilty of all Iam. 2.10 In which words S. Iames ratifieth all the Law or the whole Law so then S. Paul hath ratified the Law in its generality S. Iames in its Integrity yea S. Iames goeth further ratifieth all and euery parte pointe of the Law in as much as he would not haue vs faile in any one point of it as the text speaketh yet further see what our Sauiour Christ saith touching this matter whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least commandements teach men so he shall be caled the least in the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.19 Here then our Sauiour ratifieth that to the worlds end as you may see in the verse before v. 18. the very least thing commanded in the 10 commandements In all which Scriptures you haue seene 1. That the Law is still inforce 2. That all things written in this Law are still in force 3. That the wholl Law is still in force 4. That the very least thing commanded in the law is still in force what can be desired more My 3d argument to proue that euery commandement in the Decalogue doth bind vs to obedience is because God hath ioyned the commandements togeather now that which our Sauiour saith in an other case is true in this also Let no man put a sunder that which God hath coupled together Mat. 19.6 Now behold how God hath coupled all these 10 commandements together 1. They were câ—upled together when God spake them all together Then God spake all these words saying Exod. 20.1 2dly they were coupâ—ed together when God wrote them together in the Tables of stone Deut. 10.4 3dly they were coupled together by number Thus God Almighty coupled them when he teld vs that wrote Tenn coÌ„mandements Deut. 10.4 4thly Our Sauiour Christ coupled them together when he
then hee vvill haue an account of his vvholl Lavv not of peeces and percels of it as vve please Thus vve se vvhat the duety of Ministers is namely to teach the people to obserue the Lords seauenth day Sabbath which is one of the commandements though you make it the least and it is their duetie also if they vvill be freed of Christ his Cursse to obserue keepe the 7th day Sabbath before the people so leading them by liefe doctrine together but hovv sarre off is the practise of most Teachers from obseruing the minde vvill of Christ in steade of practising the 7th day Sabbath in their ovvne persones for example vnto others they could be content to persecute any that they se forward this way oh fearfull In stead of teaching the people this vvhich they count the least of Gods commandements vrging them to keepe euery iote and title of Gods Lavv so the Lords Sabbath day they teach openly publikly the quite contrary as namely that this least of Gods commandements it is abolished and that the Sabbath day commanded it is abolished thus this least of Gods commandements is trampled downe because it is a little one a ceremoniall one a circumstantiall one not the Law of Nations nor found novv in the hartes off all men falne corrupted as a Law of Nature and because commanded to the Iew and the like but vvhat soeuer be their shiftes suer Iam the Sabbath day is not lesse then one of the iotes and titles of Gods Law nor is it lesse then the least of Gods commandements wherefore vvho soeuer teacheth in opposition to this Sabbath day he bevvraieth himselfe to be no frend of Christs and that he regardeth not his mind and vvill in teaching and obseruing all euery of the Commandemets nay he proclaimeth him selfe in open pulpit to be a professed enemy to Christ our Sauiour and these his vvordes Mat. 5.18.19 and to the integrity vvholnesse as I may call it of Gods Lavv he had rather haue it lamed percelled out that so he might serue God by halues and by peece meale then to haue an indifferent respect vvith Dauid vnto all Gods Commandements Psal 119.6 rather then he vvould haue Gods Lavv intire compleate in the perfection of partes vnto a iote and title Is not it true of such Ministers werewith the Lord charged those corrupt Priests Mal. 2.9 to vvit that they were partiall in the Law are not these also in our time partiall in Gods Law when not with standing vvhat Christ hath said for the integrity of the Lavv yet these men wil reiect a parte of it and so become like those Priests partiall in Gods Lavv for a parte of Gods Lavv they vvill haue an other parte they vvill none of the dueties of rest and holinesse in the 4th com this parte of the 4th com they vvill haue but the other duetie of the Time this parte of the same 4th com they vvill none of Were these Ministers of the lovver ranke for zeale of the Number of those vvhich are not accounted so zelouse of Gods Lavves it vvere the lesse to be vvondred at but being puritant Ministers and such as vvould be displeased at him vvho should say to them they had not an indifferent respect vnto all Gods commandements vvith out exceptions that these I say should picke and choose take leaue become like those profane Priests partiall in Gods Law it is to be maruailed at Mistake me not good Reader it is not purity that I mislike in puritanes for of all men I honour no men more then such as are endeauour to be of pure harte holy liefe but this I hate in them to se their practise belye their doctrine professiō for they teach daily for vniversall obediēce to all Gods com without exceptions resernations but Loe they are found here halting one of the least as they say of Gods Commandements ratified by our Sauiour they neglect and contemne Others there be of the same ranke which be not so impudent as the former they preach teach not against the Lords Sabbaths therefore are not guilty of the Cursse of Christ for breaking this least Com. teaching men so yet are they enemies to this least Comm. for haueing heard of my former booke which I vvrote in defence of this least Com. and for the Lords Sabbath yea and after they haue seene it reade it ouer they spitt fyer at it cry out burne the booke t is a foule errour c. These men like Iames Iohn not knovving of vvhat Spirit they are vvould haue fyer come downe presently although they know not either how to proue their Lords day to be a Sabbath day nor yet hovv to disproue the Lords Sabbath day or to confute the booke yet they can cry burne the booke t is a foule errour c. Thus these are so farre from teaching this least com to the people as that they vse all their diligence to scare afright simple people vvith greate vvords that so they might still remaine caught in theire snares in blind ignorance if the Lawes of this Realme vvere fitted to these mens minds it should be vvoe to him that toucheth this Lords day Sabbath the Diana of our time but seing they doe it out of a good affection I shall vvith Paul make it mine hearts desire and prayer to God for them that they may repent for I beare them witnesse that they haue the Zeale of God but not according to knowledge They thinke it much that they cannot preuaile vvith the rude multitude for the keeping Holy of the Lords day Sabbath but that say they vvhat they can yet they will reuell riote profane it vvell the case is novv become their ovvne it shall be seene whither all that I haue said can preuaile vvith them for the sanctifying of the Lords Sabbaths on the 7th day suer I am I haue said shall say much more more soundly for the 7th day Sabbath to moue them to keepe it then euer they did or could say to profane persones for the keeping of the 8th day Sabbath if therfore synister affections preuaile so vvith them that they vvill not liften to mee no more then their profane hearers will to them let them tell me then what is the difference betvvixt them selues and their profane auditours An other sorte there are who are disobedient to Christs will by deniall of the integrity wholnesse perfection of Gods law in as much as they doe not onely refuse to teach the people this least of Gods commandements namely which is the proper day time of Gods worship seruice but if they finde that by the paines of any others more faithfull in this point then themselues any of their flocke are taught instructed in this way of the Lord more perfectly that they begin to see a further light into this Law of
appointed it neither will God or Christ euer reward it nay God may answer them thus who required this at your hands Isai 1.12 My third reason disswasiue is because God hath manifested his dislike of superstitiō in many passages of his Holy word see Deut. 12.32 Whatsoeuer I command you take heede you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom Here you see that God will haue nothing added to his worship seruice Thou shalt put nothing thereto saith the Text but now the Patrones of this Lords day haue put some thing thereto for they haue put the Lords day vnto the 4th Com. of God a most dangerouse presumptuouse attempt such as they can neuer answer before God nay they cannot iustifie it before men by good argument how then shall they be able to stand before God think they to add an other day to Gods Com. and iustifie it before God by such their friuolouse consequences as they vainly pretend to be necessary consequences let Ministers thinke of this that seriously too let thē doe it in time also In the New Testament God hath reucaled himselfe this way also If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Reuel 22.18 If Christ vvas so carefull that nothing be added to this parte of his will wrote by S. Iohn in his Reuelation no doubt he hath the same care of all partes of his will in the New Testament wherfore let our Ministers that are Patrones of our new Sabbath thinke of this Text also for when they say teach the people that Christ instituted appointed the Lords day which is false for Christ neuer instituted it as appeareth by my answer vnto all their arguments in so teaching the people they doe add vnto the New Testament they add vnto Christ his institutiones a day which Christ neuer instituted thus they haue added vnto Christ his ordinances of Baptisme the Lords Supper they hau added vnto these I say an other ordinance that is none of Christs which is the Lords day now let them heare their doome without repentance God shall add vnto them the plagues that are written in this booke of the Reuelation and one plague I sinde there written which is a plague of plagues it is hell fyer to haue a parte in the lake that burneth with fyer brimstone which is the second death Reuel 21.8 I know they sleite contemne mee think if they can so carry it with the people as they may but saue their credits with them a while they hope to quench mee for euer I being but one and such a vile one in their eyes wherefore I haue taken vnto me more helpe now I haue God on my side Christ on my side they shall defend me against these men and these men must know it now or shall will they nill they hereafter that they dispised not me but God Christ and that now they haue met t with their Master God will deale with them if they will be adding vnto God God will adde vnto them You haue an other Text also Numb 15.39 that ye may Remember all the Commandements of the Lord doe them that yee seeke not after your owne heart nor after your owne eyes after the which ye goe a whoring Where we see how God detesteth to haue mens deuices brought into his worship he calleth it a whorish tricke to hould the Lords day to be commanded by God or instituted by Christ when it cannot be proued it is to goe a whoring after their owne heart after their owne eyes An other Text you haue Mark 7.7.8 But they worship me in vaine teaching for doctrines the commandements of men for ye lay the commandement of God a parte obserue the Tradition of men a like Text you haue Isa 29.13.14.15 where a woe is denounced vpon the people whose feare towards God was taught by the precepts of men And their feare towards mee was taught by the precepts of men Whereas the former Text saith yee say the commandement of God aparte how true this is of these 10 Ministers forenamed who reiect as Iewish Ceremoniall the Lords Sabbath expresly commanded in the Morall Law let all men iudge for doe they not lay this Commandement of God a parte which inioyneth most directly the 7th day Sabbath this by the way but the words that belong vnto our purpose are these teaching for doctrines the commandements of men The Lords day Sabbath it is a doctrine taught frequently and bouldly but it is no commandement of Gods and therfore it must be onely a Commandement of men The next words for our present occation are these and obserue the Tradition of men That the Lords day is a Tradition of the Church not onely Papists auowch it but also diuerse of those Authores which I haue cited against the Lords day doe expresly affirme it that the Lords day is but a Tradition and all of them say that it is but an ordinance of men and a Commandement of man yea so much the wholl Church confessed in the dayes of K. Edward so then in kepeing it in preaching for it you keepe the Tradition of men preach for A Tradition of man And so also they that are afraide to transgresse the Lords day to worke in it this their feare toward God it is taught by the precepts of men for God hath left no precept for the Lords day the breach whereof we neede be afraide of Heare then the doome that belongeth vnto such needlesse religion all this their worship it is a vaine thing In vaine doe they worship mee c. Yea there belongeth a woe vnto such worship this is the reward of it woe vnto them c. Isa 29.15 The last Text that I will mention is Colo. 2.23 which things haue indeed a shewe of wisedome in voluntary Religion or in will-worship Iudge now good reader if I doe them any wronge to rekone the Lords day as a limme of this voluntary Religion as a branch of will-worship for if they cannot shew vs where God hath commaunded it then it is a voluntary thing and of mans owne will and therfore may be called a voluntary Religion a will-worship happely there may be in the eyes of such as haue bene nusled vp from the cradle in this superstitiouse practise a shewe of wisedome in it as the Text speaketh But if S. Paul may be iudge they are things of no value as he speaketh in the same Text. Wherefore since God hath in all these Textes of Scripture manifested his dislike of Superstition let this be enough to disswad euery man from the practise of it And that so much the rather because the vphoulding of this day is the iusling shouldering out of the Lords Sabbath day mentioned in the 4th Com. so as the words of our blessed Sauiour are true
Christ is the Lord both of the dead of the quicke Rom. 14.9 will it follow because he is Lord of the quicke that therefore he will destroy the quicke no all that will follow out of this text is no more but this that Christ sheweth vs how we may in a case of necessity vse some labour to plucke eares of corne the like to satisfy present hunger thus the Lord of a corne field will in a case of necessity permit his seruants to make a pathway thorough the midest of the corne but yet wold be exceedingly wroth with them if they should trample all the field ouer no necessity compelling them thereto and so dealt Christ the Lord of the Sabbath with his seruantes he gaue them leaue to make a path thorrow it as it were Lastly it cannot be that Christ did here at this time destroy the Sabbath day for it was not yet time for it for Christ destroyed abolished no ceremonies vntill his death vpon the Crosse Col. 2.14 if therfore the Sabbath day had bene a ceremony we cannot thinke that Christ would abolish it now whilst he liued so long before his death thus much for this text SECT VI. A second text is ij Cor. 5.17 old things are passed away behold all things are become new Hereunto I answer but briefly because I haue touched this text before wheras the text saith old things are passed away therfore they thinke the old Sabbath is passed away too if this be a good reason then may we further reason thus that because old things are abolished therefore all the 10 commandements are abolished too for they are old things but the Apostles of Christ haue taught vs better diuinity for they in the new Testament doe send vs to those old things in the old Testament saying what soeuer things were written aforetime were written for our lerning Rom. 15.4 and S. Iohn saith I write no new commandement vnto you but an old commandement c. 1 Ioh. 2.7 2. I answer this text is wrested because it is not vnderstod for the Apostle speaketh not here of old ordinances in the Church as of Sabbaths and the like but of old Adam the old man of old vngodly practises if any man be in Christ such old things are passed away from him abolished c. so here is nothing yet against the 7th day Sabbath SECT VII A third text against the time of the 7th day Sabbath is Iosh 10.13 wher it is said that the Sune abode in the midst of heauē hasted not to goe down of a whole day some Ministers make a great deale of title tatleing about this standing still of the Sune in Ioshua his time hereby they thinke that time is so confounded as now no man knowes precisely which is the 7th day because the 7th day cannot be knowne hence is plea enough for them to ouerthrow the Sabbath day because it cannot be knowne this argument is much pressed against me by M. Stinnet for one Herevnto I answer 1. by this reason then it seemeth that neither the Prophets nor the Church of God that liued after the standing still of the Sunne in Ioshua his time vntill Christ time did euer keepe or were bound to keepe the Sabbath day or to yeeld any obedience vnto the 4th com by this reason the Iewes neuer after the standing still of the Sunne kept or were bound to keep the passouer on the 14th day of the moneth nor their other feast dayes all forsooth because the standing still of the Sunne had made such an alteration of time that they knew not Saturday from Sunday any longer nor the 14th day of the moneth from the 13th or 15th dayes of the moneth are not these men worthily counted enemies to Gods Sabbaths and are they not very desirouse to ouerthrow them when they study for such simple stuffe as this is against them is not this to make a needlesse voluntary and vnnecessary opposition to Gods ordinance for what necessity is here in this text to moue a man to oppose God in his Sabbathes 2. I proue their grownd false whereon they build they suppose the 7th day cannot be knowne because of the standing still of the Sunne but I proue that long after the Sunns standing still the 7th day was knowne for after Christ his resurrection all the iiij Euangelists doe cale our Sunday the first day of the weeke if then Sunday be the first day in their account rekone onwards Saturday after it must be the 7th day so thē the standing still of the Sunne hindreth not from the knowledge which day is the 7th and which day is the first c. other answers I giue also in my former booke but these are enough too many for such idle arguments An other argument of like nature they vse and this is a fit place to answer it if it deserued answer it is this if all nations be bound to keepe the 7th day Sabbath as well as the Iew then in some countries they must keepe a Sabbath day halfe a yeere together for in some countrie there is halfe a yeere light or day together Herevnto I answer 1. if this argument be good against the Sabbath day then is it good also against the Lords day for how shall all nationes be bound to keepe the Lords day seing that then in some countrie they shall be bound to keep a Lords day halfe a yeere long c 2. I answer by like reason a man may thus conclud that the 5th com belongeth not vnto all men because some men are not bound vnto it as a King whose father mother is dead but what if the King who hath no superiour liuing be not bound to the 5th com shall none of his subiects therefore who haue parentes and superiours liuing be bound vnto the 5th com so what if some one country should not be bound to the Sabbath day because of the exceeding length and discommodiousnesse of their dayes shall not we other nations therefore be bound to the Sabbath day and 4th com who haue dayes of convenient length much like as the Iewes had in Canaan and no such incommodiousenesse In the 10th com it is said thou shall not couet thy neighbors asse now thowsands in our country haue no Asses will they therefore conclud that such men amongst vs whose neighbors haue Asses are not forbidden to Couet their neighbors Asse because this branch of the 10th com doth not reach vnto euery man Others obiect that we cannot keepe the Sabbath day because our Saturday begineth not iust at the some point of time when the Iewes Sabbath day begane in Canaan but by the like reason we may now say that we cannot celebrate the Lords Supper neither for we drink not iust the selfe same kind of wine which Christ drank at Ierusalem nor is it likly that we eate the selfe same kind of bread for we eate whitebread
be weighed where he saith thar if the religion of the Church of Rome shall frustrate but any one pointe of any one comman It doth thereby make frustrate the whole Law Now a double vse I may make of these words the one is that all Gods commandements are now to be obserued and obeyed because hee saith that not so much as any one point of any one commandement is to be frustrated further he addeth for confirmation thereof that the abolishing of any one point in the 10 commandements it is the abolishing of the whole Law also and so he hath confirmed my Major The other vse I make of these his words is by his Testimony to confute the madnesse of such Diuines as deny the Integrity and perfection of Gods Law therefore invent distinctiones whereby they may curtaile the law denying that whatsoeuer is commanded in the 10 com doth belong vnto our practise which is the absurdety confuted in the last point handled before this for the further confirmatiō whereof let it be obserued that Learned Perkines saith that that religion which frustrateth but any one point of any one cemmandemēt it doth thereby frustrate the whole law let these Diuines then see into what a snare they are falne by denying some on point in some one comman to wit the Lords 7th day Saturday Sabbath for hereby they pull vpon not themselues alone but vpon our Christian religiō also this guilt to wit that by so doeing it doth abolish the whole Law ioyne hands with corrupt nature And further hence it is that he hath put vpon the tope of those leaues in his booke this title A Papist cannot goe beyond a reprobate If then a Papist cannot goe beyond a reprobate if he frustrateth but one point of any one commandement then tell me how farre some Protestant Diuines can goe beyond reprobates who doe frustrat this ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath expresly commanded in the 10 commandements and that after sufficient meanes of light afforded them by my former booke I wish those tenn Ministers against whom especially I write to note this point happily they will sleite my iudgement but M. Perkins iudgement I know they reuerence and further if this be good Diuinity against Papists I trust it cannot be bade when applied to Protestantes these are not my collectiones you see they are made by a man of their owne side Vnto the Testimony of M. Perkines let me add the Testimony of Vrsinus who sheweth sondry differences betwixt the Doctrine of the true Church and the Doctrine of other Sectes Religiones one of the differences is this In Ecclesia lex Dei integra incorrupta retinetur aliae Religiones sectae legem Dei mutilant vel corrumpunt Vrsi Catechis Pag. 4. Jn the Church saith he the Law of God is preserved intirly and vncorrupted but other Sectes Religiones doe lame or corrupt the Law of God In which words as you see Vrsinus doth lay it downe as a propertie of the true Church to preserue Gods Law in its integrity and perfection as a marke of a false Church to lame detracte from Gods Law By which words hee plainly ratifieth all the 10 commandements with whatsoeuer is therein commanded Further if it be a marke of a false Church of Sectaries to lame Gods Law what reproch danger doe such Ministers bring our Church specially themselues into by denying that all the things commanded in the 10 commandements are in force binding vs to obedience doe they not what lieth in them labour to make our Church noe true Church themselues Sectaries Take also the Testimony of Polanus in his Syntag. Theolog. lib. 6. cap. 10 de lege Dei Pag. 353. who hauing to doe against Papists that say the 2d com against Images belonged onely vnto Iewes not vnto Christians as many Protestantes say of the 4th com touching the olde Sabbath hee proueth the contrary by this argument quia ad Christianos totus Decalogus pertinet because the whole Decalogue appertaineth vnto Christianes If this reason be good against Papists it cannot be bad with Protestants In the 4th place I will proue it from their owne mouthes for these which are such notoriouse enemies to the Lords Sabbaths they doe frequently in theire pulpites reproue the Adulterer the thiefe the falswitnesse bearer the Blashemer of Gods name the rest by the Lawof the 10 commandements saying these deedes are sinnes liable to condemnation and must be refrained c. Because they are forbidden in the Law of God which kind of arguing doth recessarily imply thus much that whatsoeuer thing is commanded or forbidden in the Law is in force still doth bind vs now to obedience the reason of this consequence is because there is one and the same reason for all for euery thing which there is for any one thing for if Gods writeing commanding any one thing in his Law be a sufficient reason to incline our hartes vnto the obedience thereof then the same reason will moue vs to the obedience of euery thing which is therein written because God hath as well written commanded euery thing therein as any thing and thus you see how it necessarily followeth from their owne mouthes that because they cale for obedience now vnto some things which God hath commanded in his Law because hee hath commanded them that therefore they must yeeld that all things in Gods Law must now be obeyed because hee hath commanded them all wherefore since they teach this vnto the people they must grant it me heere Thus you haue heard this trueth confirmed both by some particular persones of note also by the mouthes of all my aduersaries 5. I will proue it vnto you by the Testimony of our Church In the order for the Administration of the Lords Supper or holy communion set downe in the booke of Common prayer it is thus ordered by our Church Then shall the Minister rehearse distinctly all the tenn commandements the people kneeling shall after euery commandement aske God mercy for their transgression of the same againe after that all the 10 commandements be rehearsed by the Minister it is ordered that the people shall all conclude with this holy prayer Lord haue mercy vpon vs and write all these thy lawes in our hearts wee beseech thee In which holy ordinance of our Church we may obserue these things 1. that our Church maintaineth the Law of Gods 10 commandements as now in force because we are to aske God mercy for the transgression of them and because we desire God to write them in our heartes 2 obserue that our Church ratifieth not some onely of the 10 com but all of them euen euery commandement which was written in Tables of stone for the Minister must rehearse distinctly all the tenn commandement and the people are taught to pray to God to write all these lawes in their heartes Thus you see our Church
Apostles so that is said to be the whole intire perfect Law of God which hath all the partes and things commanded which at first belonged to it which lacketh none of all those precepts which at the making and diuulging of that Law God ioyned together If then we would know whither we haue the whole law of God intirly now or not we must haue recourse vnto the making first diuulging of this Law looke therefore into the twentyth Chapter of Exodus and there you shall see this whole and intire Law of God with all euery the members thereof as God made it when he first proclaimed it vnto his Church thus you see both what the wolnesse integrity of Gods Law is and where to find it whole and intire as God made it if any man shall diminish or deny any one particle commanded in this Law he must be said to mancle lame this Law the Law must be accounted but a lame mancled imperfect Law like as if a mā lacketh but a ioynte of his hand or a finger he is said to be a lame man and if a Bible wanteth but a leafe or a verse it is an imperfect Bible Now to apply this Jn the Decalogue God chargeth his people to Remember the Sabbath day and to sanctify the Sabbath day and to Rest on the 7th day now this day caled Sabbath day 7th day was our Saturday as all men know wherfore if any man will abolish this Saturday 7th day Sabbath as not commanded now to be remembred now to be sanctified and now to be rested on that man doth mancle lame the royall law of God for he withholdeth one branch of Gods Law which inioyneth the remembrance and sanctification of the Saturday 7th day Sabbath that man receiueth and obeyeth but some parceles peeces of Gods Law onely for he yeeldeth obedience but onely vnto some nyne or nyne an halfe of Gods tenn commandements for he leaueth out that peece and parte which concerneth the Saturday Sabbath and that man must deny Gods intire whole law to be intire whole vnto vs or to belong vnto vs in the integrity perfection thereof for if the Law belonged vnto vs in its integrity and perfection then the Saturday Sabbath which was once commanded in that Law so was a parte a peece of the Law it must now also be commanded in the Law and so belong vnto vs now Thus the consequence is proued good that whosoeuer abolisheth the old Sabbath day he mancleth Gods Law he yeeldeth obedience but vnto percels and peeces of it he denyeth that Gods Law belongeth vnto vs in its intigrity perfection For the Saturday Sabbath serueth to make vp Gods Law an intire an whole a perfect Law without it it is but a lame imperfect maimed defectiue Law like a lame man wanting an hand or a finger of his hand like an imperfect defectiue Bible lacking a Chapter or a verse of some Chapter I confesse that those tene Ministers Gods aduersaries and myne in this point goe aboute like botching Taylers or sowterly Coblers for I cannot more aptly and fitly resemble their action to make vp this breach againe by adding a peece of new cloth to fill vp the rent and so they suppose to auoide this blow and to make vp the Law againe an intire and perfect law now howeuer it is commendable to peece mend old garments yet it is altogether insufferable for any to play the botch er and cobler with Gods lawes the new peece wherewithall they would fill vp this rent make vp this breach it is the Lords day or first day of the weeke this day must now be thought firmely beleeued to be put into the old Law of the Decalogue then we shall haue 10 commandements againe wholly compleatly but as once it was vnlawfull to weare a garment of Linsey wolsey and to bring profane and common persones into the Temple so is it now to mingle humane institutiones with Diuine ordinances and to bring a day appointed by man into the Morall eternall and sacred Law of God for the Lords day hath no higher institution then the ordinance of the Church and will they peece and mend vp the Diuine Law of God with the peece of an humane ordinance but admit that the Lords day were of Diuine ordination yet is this peece too bigg or too little to stand in the breach of the 4th commandement as formerly I haue showne because it cannot agree to the 4th com besides to see the vnskilfulnesse of these peecers they confesse that this Lords day Sabbath is a new ordinance pertaining to the new Testament as are Baptisme the Lords Supper yet they will attempt to mende vp the breach of the old Law with a peece taken out of the new Testamēt thus the old law shall be partly old partly new partly Law partly Gospell a new kind of botching They saied indeed a Cobler should answer my booke and see now if they be not as good as their word is not this worke of theirs Coblers worke Hauing proued the Major I come vnto the Minor here I am to proue that no man may so wrest the Scriptures as thereby to mancle lame the Royall Law of God no man may receiue obey but some percels peeces of it onely that no man may deny the whole and intire Law of God to belong to vs wholly fully and in the integritie and perfection thereof me thinke none should deny this Minor if any will 1. He is guilty of doeing violence to the Law and of being partiall in Gods Lawes this was the sinne of those Priests laied to their charge by God who had polluted the Sanctuary done violence to the Law Zeph. 3.4 and againe yee haue not kept my waies but haue bene partiall in the Law Malach. 2.9 yea he must hold it Iewish Iudaisme in any that will be intire perfect in Gods Law that is that will haue an indifferent and vnpartiall respect vnto all the partes thereof for he that is intire and perfect in the Law will haue respect vnto Gods Sabbaths which they must count Iudaisme 2. I finde it in Polanus Syntag pag. 353. that Papists doe deny the second Commandement against worshiping of Jmages to be Morall and appertaine vnto Christianes to the like purpose I find in Willet on Exod. 20. pag. 342. 343. these passages The commandement say Papists of abolishing and destroying Images was ceremoniall therefore it concerneth not Christians now And againe The second praecept against the making of Images was onely temporall concerned the Iewes Thus Papists are partiall in the Law and deny its integrity now if we may deny the Integrity of the Law tell me why Papists may not doe so too 3. If any will deny this Minor by the iudgement of M. Perkins he denieth himselfe to be
regenerated see M. Perkins in his Commentary on the Galatians Chap. 5. v. 4. pag. 311. where treateing of the Law thus he writeth The Law it is wholly copulatiue all the partes of it are linked one to an other he that is bound to one Commandement is bound to all he that keepes one indeede keepes all he that breakes one in respect of the disposition of his heart is a breaker of all Iam. 2.10 he that makes no conscience to keepe some one commandement if occasion be offred will breake any Hence it followes that true regeneration is that which is a reformation chang according to the whole Law of God Iosias turned to God according to the whole Law Zacharie Elisabeth walked in all the Commandements of God Dauid saith he shall not be confounded when he hath respect vnto all the Commandements of God Here you see M. Perkins vrgeth it as a note of true regeneration that men be reformed according to the whole Law and exemplifies it by that of Iosias Zacharie Elizabeth the prophet Dauid if that regeneration then be a reformation according to the whole Law then is the whole Law still in force so men may not deny its Integrity wholnesse men may not mancle lame it vnlesse it grieueth them that the 10 Commandements should be all Morall To conclud we must either reassume and reedify Gods ancient Sabbaths or else we must reiect and demolish the integrity and perfection of Gods royall Law ARGVM XXII My 22th Argument in defence of the Sanctified hallowed Saturday Sabbath Genes 2.3 is that it must be Morall still in force partly because all Diuines with one accorde do hold and maintaine that one day in a weeke is Morall still in force by the 4th Com. and partly because there can be no day sanctified by the 4th Com. of all the 7 daies but Saturday only And thus I argue If one day in a weeke must be sanctified for a Sabbath by virtue of the 4th Commandement then Saturday Gods ancient sanctified and haâ—lowed 7th day Sabbath must be our weekly Sabbath day But one day in a weeke must be sanctified for a Sabbath day by virtue of the 4th Com. Therfore Saturday Gods ancient sanctified hallowed 7th day Sabbath must be our weekly Sabbath day First I will proâ—e the Minor namely that some one day in a weeke must now be kept for a Sabbath day by the 4th Com. then in the second place I will proue the Major namely that that one day must be our Saturday For the former I will proue it first by the Testimony of our Church in generall and then by the Testimony of many particular Diuines of nâ—te First then for our Church see the booke of Homilies Homilie the 8th of the place time of prayer pag. 138. where it is thus written As concerning the time which Almighty God hath appointed his people to assemble in together solemnely it doth appeare by the 4th Com. And t en a little beneath And therfore by this commandement wee ought to haue a time as one day in a weeke wherein we ought to rest giue our selues wholly to heauenly exercises And by and by againe Thus it may plainly appeare that Gods will Commandâ— was to haue a solemne time a standing day in the weeke wherein the people should come together and haue in remembrance his wonderfull benefites and to render him thankes for them Here our Church acknowledgeth teacheth that by the 4th Com. we ought to set a parte a time as one day in a weeke to haue a standing day in the weeke for the worship of God Bishop Babington in his exposition of the Commandements and on the 4th Com. Pâ—g 168. thus wriâ—eth To haue one day in the seauen to serue the Lord in that was Morall and remaineth still binding vs vnto it Doctour Willet in his Hexapla on Exodus and vpon the 4th Com. pag. 356. thus writeth This then may safely be affirmed that to keepe one day of seauen holy to the Lord is Morall not ceremoniall And agaâ—ne pag. 363. This Commandement as it is Morall continueth still namely that a certaine day should be set a parte for the publike seruice of God that as Chrysostome saith in circulo hebdomadis c in the compase of a weeke one whole day should be set a parte c. Hom. 10. in Genes-Musculus in his Common places on the 4th Comm. at the latter end saith thus Touching the Sabbath it stands with the Law of nature that we should some day giue our selues vnto holy exercises in this respect we must not shake off the sanctification of the Sabbath which is so farr deliuered vnto vs by the Law of nature that all people vniuersally haue their standing Holy daies consecrated for the doeing of holy things Peter Martyr in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Romanes Chapt. 14. v. 5. pag. 436. saith thus It pertaineth to the 10 Commandements that out of the whole weeke shold one day be consecrated to the worship of God Purchas in his pilgrimage pag 21. Some saith hee make question of the Sabbath Howbeit I must confesse that I see nothing in that Commandement of the Decalogue praescribed but is naturall morall that the obseruing of one day of seauen in euery weeke appeareth both by the first order estabilished in nature when God blessed Sanctified the 7th day and by necessity of a Sabbath as well before the Law in the daies of the Patriarkes as in the times of Dauid or Salomon by the generall consent of all that it is Morall to set a parte some time to the Lord c. Thus we see it abundantly proued that one day in a weeke is still in force by the 4th Com. I might be infinite well nigh in the profe of this point out of M. Perkins M. Dod many others yea what pulpit is there in the Kingdome of England which doth not on all occationes seale vnto this trueth by proclayming and publishing it vnto the people Hauing proued the Minor that one day of the weeke must be a Sabbath hy the 4th coÌ„ now J come vnto the Major to proue that this one day must be our Saturday or t' is that if one day in a weeke must be a Sabbath day by the 4th com then Saturday must be our weekly Sabbath day my reason of this point is because none other day of the weeke can be a Sabbath day by the 4th com besids our Saturday this I shall proue by sondry arguments taken from the 4th com we will fetch our first argument from the first word of the â—th com Remember That day and that day of the weeke onely must be Sabbath day by the 4th com the which this word RemeÌ„ber doth send vs vnto now this word hath reference vnto Saturday the old Sabbath day onely for the word Remember implies a thing foreknowne thus Peter is
it and corrupt it and shall we thinke the Gentiles Heathen that know not God haue retained all the Morall Law perfectly without forgetting any thing therein doe we thinke better of the Heathen Gentiles who haue liued since the giuing of the Law then of the people of God who liued before the Law if the light of nature in the people of God before the Law needed a better light to wit the Law of God to direct their Law and light of nature can the blind light in Heathen people since the Law giue a light vnto the Law if it cannot why then will we rather learne what is morall by the light of nature and lawes of nationes then by the light of lightes the Law of God Should we vrge the practise of any thing that is vn-naturall or which nature abhorreth then there might be some more â—uller for this distinction but since we vrge nothing vn-naturall nor any thing impossible nor any thing harmefull to a Church or State commoÌ„ wealth in this case what grownd should there be to draw vs to the Lawes light of nature suer I am though nature be ignorant of the Lords Sabbath yet enemy vnto it it cannot be for let nature be informed what manner a thing Gods Sabbath is and it will imbrace it for nature abhorreth to profane sacred things of which kind the Sabbath is and nature approueth of a day and this day as well as any other day for Gods worship and for mans refreshment in a rest from laboures why then should we reiect Gods Sabbath because blind nature is ignorant of it and not rather imbrace it because if nature be but taught it it cannot oppose it it will imbrace it I find it that this distinction is merely inuented for the very nonce to thwarte rase downe and roote out Gods ancient Sabbaths for I find nothing else prescribed in the morall Law which they doe reiect by this dinstinction but onely Gods Sabbaths now as well might they reiect the drinking of wine in Lords Supper as the Sabbath day in the 4th com for ther 's the same reason seing that the drinking of wine is not naturall to English men no more then the Sabbath is to Heathen people for wine is not the naturall fruite and liquor of our Country but Beere like as they say the 4th com belongeth vnto vs but as it is the Law of nature but not as it was giuen to the Iewes for so it was Iewish so might they say the institution of the Lords Supper belongeth vnto vs English men but as it is a law in our nature and not as it was giuen to the Iewes Christs Disciples to drinke Beere is naturall to vs but to drinke wine is Iewish for the Iewes vsed wine at their meales as we vse Beere 6. The Apostle Paul telleth vs of a Law written and of a Law of nature the one written in Tables of stone the other in the Tables of the heart the one giuen the Iewes the other to the Gentiles As manie as haue sinned without the Law shall perish with out the Law as manie as haue sinned in the Law shall be iudged by the Law Rom. 2.12.14 I would faine know where the difference lieth betwene these two Laws the Law of nature the written Law of God if vve vvill imbrace no more of Gods written Law then the Gentiles find written in their hearts yea vvhat then are we the better for hauing Gods vvritten Lavv among vs 2. Inasmuch as the Apostle saieth that as manie as haue sinned in the Law they must be iudged by the Law hence it follovveth that all vve Christians who imbrace the written Law we must stand or fall to this written Law and must be iudged by it an other day can we then vvith safety reiect this vvritten Lavv and take the vnvvritten Lavv for the rule of our Liues no surely vnlesse vve could thinke vve should liue by one Lavv be iudged by an other 7. If so much of the Lavv of God be Morall as is found among the Gentiles then is the Ceremoniall Lavv of Sacrifices a Morall Lavv for the Gentiles haue had their Sacrifices thus vve reade that Iupiters Priests brought Bules vvith garlands vnto the gates vvould haue Sacrificed vnto Paul and Barnabas Act. 14.13 Wherefore the light of nature in the Gentiles is no sufficient rule to distinguish Morales from Ceremoniales 8. This distinction is Antichristian for it is against Christ and his Apost es for they euer sent the Churches vnto the vvrittâ—n Law neuer to the vnvvritten Law Mat. 1.18.19 Rom. 3.31 Iam. 2.8.10 Paul saieth hee beleeued all things vvhich vvere written in the Lavv c Act. 24.14 And vvhatsoeuer things are written a fore time are written for our lerning Rom. 15.4 and cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things vvhich are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 and the vvhole Scripture is by inspiration to teach c. 2. Tim. 3.26 in all vvhich scriptures vve are sent vnto the vvritten Lavves the Lavves giuen to the Ievves not vâ—to the vnvvritten Lavves that vvere giuen to the Gentiles the Holy Ghost vvould that vve should borrovv light from the vvritten Lavvs giuen to the people of God but the Authors of this distinction vvill send vs to the vnwritten Laws vvhich are found among Heathen people and Infideles to borrovv ligâ—t from them It seemes then that vve shall borrovv light from darknesse Ye were once darknesse but are now light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 9. If no more of the Law shall bind vs then so much as is found out by the light of nature then Gods word shall not bind properliâ— by of it selfe but that it must borrow strength elswhere as from the Law light of nature or else it shall not bind nor be a Law this is to detract from the Dignity Authority of Gods word for a Minister must not now come with Thus saith the Lord but he must strengthen it with this so saith the Law of nature he must not say onely Thou shalt not steale not commit adultery for thus no man is bound vntill he add this And this the Law of nature 10. If so many of the precepts of the Law onely shall be in force with vs as are allowed of by the Law of nature then it shall follow that so many such qualified men among vs shall stand bound to the first Commandement onely as by the Law light of nature did acknowledge the true God and they are for number a few 3 or 4 in a Country Citty or Kingdome and for quality onely the most lerned and deepest schollers for such onely did acknowledge the true God among the Heathen The reason hereof is that if we must fetch direction from the Heathen to know which precepts we are bound vnto then by like reason must we fetch light from them also to know how many
account the sinne of Sabbath breaking heere no lesse heinouse fearefull then I accounted it there for it doth not follow that because there is a Dispensation from a commandement in a case of necessity that therefore the transgression of that commandement when there is no necessity is a light matter A Dispensation indeed maketh the breach of that commandement light for that time and to those persons vnto whom the Dispensation doth properly belong as the eating of the Sewbread in a case of necessity it was for that time light and vnto Dauid in hunger it was light but yet at other times and to such persons as were not in Dauids case at that time it had bene an heinouse and a fearefull sinne to haue eaten of that bread and thus it is with the Sabbath whilst there is a Dispensation in a case of necessity and to those persones vnto whom it doth belong it is light neuerthelesse out of this case of necessity and Dispensation to breake the Sabbath it is an heinouse and a fearefull sinne now in the exposition of the 4th commandement there we considered of the Sabbath day out of the case of necessity and so it is to be considered vnto all such as are enemies vnto it and to them it is an heinouse and fearefull sinne to profane it by working on it like as it had bene a greate sinne for Dauid himselfe to haue eateÌ„ the Shewbread out of the case of hunger but in the Dispensation there we consider of the Sabbath as in a case of necessity and so it is to be considered onely vnto such as make a conscience of it and are true friends vnto it and to these it is light for they may worke on the Sabbath as Dauid might eate the Shewbread in the case of hunger Wherefore to conclude when the breach of the Sabbath is to be esteemed light then it is to be considered as light onely vnto the true friends thereof but not vnto the enemies thereof let not them therefore take heart hereat as if God meant to fauour them for their Sabbath breaking is neuer a whit lessened or lightened from being vnto them an heinouse and a fearefull sinne by the Dispensation granted vnto others OBIECT VI. Sâ—me obiect thus by this Dispensation you haue answered confuted your selfe c others say you haue contradicted your selfe c. Herevnto I answer that these men speake as if they neither knew what a confutation or a contradiction meante for in the former parte of my booke where I disputed for the obseruation of the Sabbath there I considered the Sabbath absolutly and out of the case of necessity but in my Dispensation where I giue leaue to breake the Sabbath it is considered in the case of necessity like as if a man should first dispute in defence of the Shewbread that it ought not to be eaten by common persones that is out of the case of necessity and then he should againe dispute touching the Shewbread shewing that it may be eaten to wit in a case of necessity and hunger doth this man thinke you confute or confound himselfe or doth he contradict himselfe trow yee or rather doe not such as idlie so charg him bewray their weaknesse and ignorance that they know not what or where a contradiction is OBIECT VII Some obiect against vs and lay sorely to our charg Hypocrisy because our iudgement and our practise goe not together for we hold the 7th day to be the Sabbath day and yet keepe it not which must needs be no better theÌ„ Hypocrisy yea and these men being informed vpon what grownds we goe when and why we refraine the practise of the Sabbath yet so greate is their charity that nothing can please them but still it must needs be Hypocrisy And for the profe hereof the Hypocrisy of Peter is alleaged Gal. 2.12.13 And so we are condemned for Hypocrisy as Peter was For aÌ„swer hereto first we must know what Hypocrisy is Hypocrisy therefore in the common sense of the word is when a man doth make semblance shew to be that which in deede and in trueth he is not his outward appearance being one thing but his home and inward practise being an other In this sense our Sauiour denounceth a woe vnto the Scribes and Pharises caling them Hypocrits because they made cleane the outer side of the Cupp and Platter but within they were full of bribery and excesse and because they were like to whited Tombes which appeare beautifull outwardly but within they were full of dead mens bones and filthinesse and because outwardly they appeared righteouse to men but within were full of iniquity Mat. 23.25 c. Now this discription of Hypocrisy we are as free from it in this our practise as they are that taxe vs with it for where can they shew that we vse any of this Hypocriticall guile and dissimulation making a faire shew outwardly of that which we practise not indeed in trueth if indeed we did outwardly professe that we kept the Sabbath day in our families but when these men that so taxe vs come amongst vs they see no such matter then they might taxe vs for Hypocrisy but behold the quite contrary for we openly fairly and honestly professe it that in our iudgements we hold we are not bound vnto the present practise as the case standeth now according to this our open shew appearance and profession iust so is our practise at home for we keep not the Sabbath day but the Lords day let them taxe vs if they can where then is this Hypocriticall dissembling where is this guilfull dealing wherewithall they taxe vs so sorely before the people in their Pulpits can any men deale more fairly then we doe for our words and our deeds goe togeather It is a rule in Diuinity that if a brothers actiones may admit of a double sense the better sense is to be giuen but suer I am these men were farre from the practise of this rule of charity whilst so vncharitably they haue giuen the worser sense yea a false sense so farre off they are from charritable constructiones as they haue stretcht their wites vpon the Tainters to finde out as bade a censure as possiblie could be made to make vs to stinke befor the people odiouse to all that know vs. But they shall giue accomptes to God for such slaunders one day when we shall be blessed that haue bene so reuiled Mat. 5.11 Furthermore we cannot be censured with Hypocrisy if they looke but vpon our iudgements which we haue formerly reuealed to them for we openly professe it and so euer haue done that we thinke in our consciences that a Dispensation is good in our case and that we are not bound vnto the present practise dureing this case of necessity now suppose that this our iudgment were erroniouse and that there ought to be no Dispensation yet so long as we doe indeed thinke and beleeue that we may refraine the