Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	call_v	church_n	holy_a	2,804	5	4.7314	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53192	The doctrine of the Fourth Commandement, deformed by popery, reformed & restored to its primitive purity wherein is clearely proved by Scripture, arguments, and reasons, that the seventh day of the week, and not the first, viz. the day called Saturday (and not the day called Sunday) is the true Christian Sabbath ... / objections answered, and the truth cleared, by Gods unworthy servant, J.O.	Ockford, James.	1650 (1650)	Wing O128AA; ESTC R41358	35,090	80

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

affirm that Dr. Rivet one of the four Professours in Leyden doth affirm that the appointing of the Lords day for Gods publicke service was neither done by God himselfe nor by his Apostles but by the authority of the Church 18. Dr. Hylyn saith The Emperour Constantine was the first that made any law for the keeping of the Lords day see his History on the Sabbath part 2. chap. 3. sect 1. And again ibid. part 2. chap. 1. sect 3. speaking of Christ and of the Sabbath saith Neither did Christ nor his Apostles ordain another Sabbath instead of this as if they had intended onely to shift the day and to transferre this honour to another time their doctrine and their practice are directly contrary to so new a fancy It is true saith he in some tract of time the Church in honour to his Resurrection did set apart that day on which he rose to holy exercise but this on their own authority and without any warrant from above that we heare of 19. Muskulous in his Book of Common places fol. 66. thus saith We Christian men leaving the Jewes Sabbath doe keepe our holy rest upon the first day c. 20. Know also what the originall Actors or Authors of changing the Lords holy Sabbath to the first day of the week in the Remish Annotations on Apocalips chap. 1. verse 10. saith If the Church had authority and inspiration from God to make Sunday being a working day an everlasting holy day and the Saturday which was before a holy day now a common working day Why may not the same Church prescribe and appoint the other Feasts Easter Whitsuntide Christmas and the rest for the same warrant she had for the one that she had for the other c. I need not produce larger testimony to demonstrate who it was that abolished the Lords seventh day-Sabbath or who it was that instituted the first day of the week in its stead but that which is already said doth sufficiently declare who were the originall Authors of it and of all other superstitious holy dayes to the dishonour of God and the destruction of the world without Gods especiall and abundant mercy But blessed be God we have yet time to fly unto the Lord for mercy and to conforme our selves to the obedience of his will and let it be our comfort he is abundantly pardonfull Isa 55.6.7 James 1.21 To be short as it is well known the Church changed the Sabbath to the first day of the weeke so also it is known and acknowledged the Church hath power to change the day to some other day For Dr. Prideaux in his Book of the Sabbath page 34. affirmes that Calvin Bullinger Bucerius Brentius Chimnitius Vrsinus and others of the reformed Churches still affirmes the Church hath power to change the Lords day to some other day Yea happy shall the Church be that worshippeth God according to his Law and giveth him his due by placing on the seventh day the honour which God requireth to be performed on it which hath been taken from it this 1300. yeares for greatly hath God been dishonoured by mens consecrating the first day of the week to be a holy rest instead of the Sabbath seeing God never instituted it nor commanded it to be and therefore I say with Dr. Prideaux on the Sabbath page 22 sect 7. The institution of the Lords day out of the Scripture either expresly or by necessary consequence shew me he that can As I have disavowed That the honour due to God on the seventh day-Sabbath to be placed on the first day of the week called Sunday or Lords day or Sabbath as mens opinions leads them So I doe disavow the Title of the Lords day properly to belong to the first day of the week and therefore I say very improperly are the words of St. John Revel 1.10 applied to it for there is no such thing there manifested in the Text that the Apostle had any such meaning Yea I say there is no more reason that that Title should be given to the first day of the week the day of our Saviours Resurrection than to the day of his Birth Death or Ascension unlesse because it was anciently given to it or else because men will have something to credit that which they will have Honourable Ignatius calling it by the name of the Lords Day proves not that that Title is due to it by a Divine institution no more than his bringing in of Anthemes into the Church doth prove that it was of a Divine institution Socrat. Lib. 6 Chap. 8. Yea I say there is more reason to be given that St. John meant the seventh day of the week rather than the first because it was knowne by name the Lords day Isa 58.13 Exod. 20.11 But the first day of the week was never knowne by that name Yet I doe not say that St. John spake of that day neither but of the day of Christ or time of his Reign in Power and Glory or of the day or time of Judgment 2 Thes 2.2 2 Pet. 2.9 1 Cor 5.5 who being in the Spirit saw it in his Vision as if the day had been present What if the Roman Church hath and doth observe the first day of the week in remembrance of our Saviours Resurrection as they doe the Wednesday in remembrance that he was betrayed and the Friday in remembrance of his Passion Ought we therefore to follow their vain Idolatrous custome and tradition in these things Oh no we ought not for certainly God doth not require these things at our hands neither by Law nor Gospel If this which hath been said in this Subject will not satisfie men viz. that it is our duty to rest the seventh day to wit Saturday and worship God on it which is Gods Sabbath Exod. 20.9 10 11. As also that it is our duty to work the first day of the week called Sunday let it be proved either by Law or Gospel that it is our duty to work Saturday and to rest Sunday If this none can doe I affirme to the honour of God and the advancement of his Holy Law and for the beating off of all unrighteous and ungodly intrenching upon the Lords Holy Sabbaths and for the awaking of all those out of errour which would not willingly perish in it and to reduce all that love Gods Law to the due obedience of it I affirme that it is as great a sinne to observe the first day of the week in stead of the seventh as it is to worship an Image in stead of the true God For to doe the one is contrary to the Second Commandement of Gods Law and to doe the other is contrary to the fourth Commandement of the same Law It being so I desire my Brethren my Friends yea and all men to consider of this which condemneth Idolatry and yet justifieth themselves in a weekly trangression of the Lords seventh day-Sabbaths that they may cease to doe evill and learn