permitteth Apocrypha Scriptures to be reade sometymes in our congregations yet it permitteth them not to be vsed and alleaged as a sole ground to establishe any doctrine of our church and what I pray is our reason better then Apocrypha Scriptures that wee shuld leane more to tone then to other vvere it meete we should receiue doctrines into the church vvhich haue a binding power ouer the conscience tying the whole man to obedience of them vpon payne of damnation vvhich are framed and maintainede only by force of our reason wherfore to conclude let reasons be subseruient and handmaide to the Holy Scriptures and euer follow them neuer to goe before them nor to goe vvithout them and therfore since our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles be auouched to be the founders of our new Sabbath I pray in the first place shewe vs where euer Christ or any of his Apostles gaue any commandement for it or whereas you say collection for the poore preaching be markes of a Sabbath shew me your text of Scripture vvhere it is said that collections preaching be proper infallible markes of any Sabbath day or which is yet lesse let it be showne where euer they said or did any thing which necessarily and infallibly doth giue vs notice that it was but their minde that euer after the churches should euery weeke keepe the Lords day a Sabbath in conscience of the 4th Com and since God at creation gaue a commandement for that Sabbath vvhy should we not thinke Christ would a giuen a commandement too for this Sabbath if euer he had intended to haue had it kept as a Sabbath vvould God giue a commandement for his Sabbath and Christ leaue his Sabbath without a commandement and to be collected by feeble reason vvas our Sauiour so carefull to giue a commandement for the Lords Supper to be done in remembrance of him and did he forget thinke you to leaue a commandement for the Lords day to be kept in remembrance of him could it be possible a matter of so great importance as is a Sabbath and such a Sabbath as would make so much for his remembrance to the worlds ende should be passed ouer in deepe silence not only by Christ himselfe but also by his succeeding Apostles so as not only not to commande it but which yet is lesse not so much as mention it by the name of a Sabbath whoe that considereth of this would or could euer thinke that Christ did institute and appointe this Lords day for a Sabbath vvas not these those considerations which made Calvin vpon Col. 2.16 say it is not vnlawfull to labour worke on our Sabbathes thus in effecte hee was not this it also which moued zanchie vpon the 4th com Thesis 1. to say The Apostles left the Lords day at liberty and that we are not bounde to keepe it for a Sabbath by any bonde or tye of conscience thus hee To come yet nerer home to our owne diuines was it not hence that Perkins though a greate frend to the Lords day for Sabbath as Walaeus on the 4th com quoteth him thus Perkins ingenuously saith he confesseth that as touching Christs institution the argumentes he bringes for our Lords day they be not necessary but only probable ones c. and see Perk cases of conscience chapt 16. vvhere the holy man durst not speake to the conscience peremptorily as of a thing for certaine true but tremblingly as it were repeatinge his doubtfull speeches 3. or 4. tymes ouer in 6. or 8. lines wrighting as 1. In all likely hoode saith he 2. as I take it c. 3. now I suppose c. 4. for in these pointes stil we must goe by likely hoodes c. surely had there beene any sufficient grounds for our new Sabbath this holy man durst not haue concealed them no nor would he haue spake so doubtfully whoe in other pointes speakes peremptorily and confidently and was it not hence that Doctour Prideaux in his worke vpon the Sabbath saith where is there the least mention of surrogation of the Lords day in roome of the Sabbath pag. 140. Againe where saith he amongst the Euangelists or Apostles is there any distinct institution of the Lords day yea further where is the texte whence you will necessarily proue it vvhat should I reckone vp particular men is it not the doctrine of our churche very lately a booke came to my hands printed at Oxford in the yeere 1621. written by M. Broad touching the Sabbath where on the margent pag. 2. thus he wrighteth Christian people chose the first day of the weeke and made it their Sabbath saith the booke of Homilies By the doctrine then of our church saith M. Broad the obseruation of the Lords day is an Ecclesiasticall ordinance and not an Apostolicall precept againe pag. 21. It is not by any expresse command from Christ or his Apostles but by an ordinance of the church as is the doctrine of many great diuines and of our church in the booke of Homilies that we sanctify the Lords day rather then any other day of the weeke thus wrighteth M. Broade of the Lords day and of its institution as being in the judgement of our owne church not from God nor from Christ but from certaine Godly christian and well disposed people One obiection remaineth to be remoued which is That the Church of God hath kept this Lords day for a Sabbath many hundreds of yeeres and can it be thought Gods whole church should erre and that so long I answere t is true indeed we ought to hould a reuerent regard of the tenentes of our Mother the church so as not lightely nor rashely to receiue any opinions which blemishe hir practise Neuerthelesse this we must know also that the church whilst on earth is liable to miscariages through ignorance for as much as God doth not reueale his whole truth to hir at once but successiuely now on thing and then another as she is able to beare it as the tymes may permite and as it seemes good to his Godly pleasure doe we not see daily light is brought into the church and God reueales himselfe more and more and what doth this argue but what we cannot deny that is that before such light came we were in darkenes and error as touching those pointes yea we must grante the church may doth erre in some things vnles we will affirme that shee is growne to fulnesse of stature and perfection in knowledge so as nothing more can be added I verily perswade my selfe these very cōceipts that the true Church of God cannot erre in any maine thing is the very foundation of errour in those mindes where such conceipts rule for vvhoe would be so idle to spend labour and tyme to try all thinges and with the Bereanes to serch the Scriptures if alredy our curch hath tryed all and serched all to perfection so as they haue no vvayes erred more humble thoughts of our
because I heare the most so sleighting this sacred tyme as but a circumstance c. and as a thing not required of it selfe and by it selfe as are the duties in this tyme Holinesse and Rest but only for an other things sake as for the Holinesse sake that is to be performed in this tyme and so as if the Holinesse be performed it skilleth not so much for the tyme. For my parte therfore I cannot see but the tyme of the 7th day is more excellent then be the duties of Holinesse and Rest in the tyme if these duties be not considered absolutly and in relation to God but respectiuly as subseruient to the tyme. Holinesse consider of it only as a dutie of first Table in this branch of praising and lauding God in an acknowledgment of his power and wisedome and goodnesse c. so reflecting Gods holy workes and attributes vpon himselfe now consider as the Heauens declare the glory of God Ps 19.1 So thinke on that 7th day as the Prophet Dauid speakes of dayes in generall v. 2. Day vnto day vttereth the same too or Day after Day as Aynsworth obserueth so then if dayes doe vtter the glory of God and shew forth his handy vvorkes reflecting vnto God and declaring the same to men then doubtlesse the 7th day Sabbath hath a kinde of secret speech vnto and praise of God by reflection vnto God and declaration vnto man the whole worke of creation done vpon the 6. dayes before shewing forth these Attributes of Gods wisedome power and goodnesse manifested in those dayes and surely this day doth more compleatly in its kinde reflect and giue God the full glory of his worke of creation then can any man vvho because he knowes things by halues can speake of them but by peeces well ther is some thing in this though I vvill not be curious nor stand vpon it 2. As for Holinesse as prayer prayses and the like I consider of it absolutly or relatiuly Absolutly without reference to any speciall tyme as a parte of Gods worship and seruice and so I graunt it may be greater then the 7th day tyme relatiuly as t is employed to the 7th day to honour it withall and thus it is not so great nor excellent I explaine my selfe by this simile a sonne hath a booke of his deceased father for his fathers sake he is so in loue with the booke as he will put vpon it siluer ot goulden claspes silkin strings double gild it other cost to the double or treble value of the book if now you demaunde whither the booke or the cost be the more excellent why sure the cost is the greater in it selfe considered and not as made seruiceable to the booke but the booke is the greater and more excellent in that for the bookes sake he begildeth it and puts on all that cost So as this Sonne gildeth and bewtifieth the booke because it was his fathers just so the Lord God blessed and sanctified the 7th day because that in it he had rested Genes 2.3 Exod. 20.11 The reason then mouing God to adorne and bewtify the 7th day so with Holines and Rest was because God had once rested on that day so as the 7th day was not set apart for holinesse sake but holinesse at this tyme was appointed for the 7th dayes sake Euen as Angles are ministering Spirites for our sakes and so are inferiour to men in some respects that is as they be attendants to vs yet further to this end see the 4th Comm where in the first place the Sabbath is commanded Remember the Sabbath day and as the cheif thing aimed at it is twice mentioned vvhereas Holines is but once named yea doth not the very order of the words and manner of vttering them importe the same like as if one should say to his seruant remember such a booke that you saue it and lay it vp carefully or that you gilde it and bewtifye it with the finest gould c. would not a man think by these words that all the seruants care and diligence and cost about the booke were for the booke and lesse than the booke in worth and excellency why iust in such frame of words the Lord deliured the 4th Comm Remember the Sabbath day that you sanctify it the which sanctifying the day is the adorning and the bewtifying of it I conclude if any man of better judgement think that so much is not to be attributed to the day and tyme as these my words importe yet I thinke these things considered he vvill judge there is much more in the tyme that by Gods ordinance then is commonly thought on and so as euery sleightie probable argument and curiouse distinction should not force a man to abolish this sacred Day and prophane this tyme me thinks we should sticke more closse to Gods Commandements than so God hath left vs but 10. Com and they be the rule of our life a light to our feet and lanthorne to our paths and that according whereto we shall be adiudged at that last day Mat. 25.34.35 Iam. 2.12 how should we contend for the maintenance of this truth which was once giuen vnto vs not suffering any of these 10. lightes to be extinguisht no nor any one of thē to be eclipsed in least degree nor enduring that any one linke be broken from this chain no nor so much as the least peece or percell from any of the linkes but that we mainteine them in the full weight and measure that euer they had not so much as the day or tyme once altred or changed remembring Deut. 12.32 vvhatsoeuer I command you c. thou shalt put Nothing there to nor take any thing there from and Galat. 3.10 Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law And so I haue done with exposition of this 4th Comm. The 7th day Sabbath is not abolished THat vvith the more culler of truth they might abolish the Sabbath day many haue taken in hand out of a sincere affection to their knowledge as I verily perswade my selfe yeelding too much confidence to antiquity and trust to the labours of our worthy forefathers in this point to make one of Gods tenne and morall Commandements namly the 4th to be partly Morall partly Ceremoniall a thing at first hearing very strange that of 10. only one should so farre differ in kinde from its fellowes when all vvere equally and a like deliuered by the immediate and audible voice of God and written all a like together by the finger of God in Tables of stone vvhich no ceremony vvas Nay vvhich is worce yet that not one whole commandement is said to be ceremoniall but only one peece of that one commandement is a ceremony as if one of the linkes of this chaine vvere partly gould partly lead whereas all the rest were pure gould what were this but to suppose our God to plough in his field with an oxe and
one answere that may serue for both those textes the 6th and the 7th wher to I haue last answered that is to the text Colos 2.16.17 and to the Text Exod. 31.13 say I should grante them out of these two Textes euen all which they desire to haue as namly that by Sabbathes in Colos 2.16 is meante the Morall Sabbath of the 4rd Com and that it was reckoned for a shadow of Christ to come too yea let it be granted them that the Sabbathes Exod. 31.13 were signes shadowes of Christ to come why yet it will not follow that these Morall Sabbaths of the 7th day be abolisht absolutly and altogether To this purpose note with me The 7th day Sabbath may be cōsidered absolutly or relatiuely and significatiuely for instance John the Baptist was a man there is his absolute nature againe he vvas the fore runner of Christ there is his office and relatiue nature vvhere by he pointed out Christ for to come after him now when Christ vvas already comne in Johns presence so as Iohn pointed to him saying Behold the Lambe of God now forth vvith Iohn lost his relatiue nature of being any longer Christs forerunner and to preach of Christ as to come because Christ was already comne Neuerthelesse Iohn lost not but still retayned his absolute nature of being a man for he vvas a man still after Christ comne as well as before An other instance an Iuye bushe hung vp at a vinteners house it is an Iuy bushe and also it is a signe of vvyne to sell in that house now take downe the bushe or pull downe the house vvhere the wyne vvas and then the bushe ceaseth to be a signe any longer yet it remaines to be an Iuy bushe still Iust so the Sabbath it hath an absolute nature as it is a Sabbath and it hath a relatiue and significatiue nature as it is a signe of Christ as they say now be it at Christs coming the body thing signified being comne and in presence the signe or shadow then is to vanish vvhy be it so let the relatiue and significatiue nature or quality of the Sabbath vanish as it vvas a signe of Christ vvhy yet it followeth not therfore the Sabbath as a Sabbath in its absolute nature should also vanish but you vvill diuerse respects if they kept it significatiuely vve morally Also Paul might abolish theirs as significatiue by Col. 2.16.17 and yet not medle vvith ours no more then he abolisht fasting by this text We may not make an Image to worship yet may vve make an Image for ornament and not violate the 2d Com so you see respects doe alter things not a litlle 2. The Rocke vvas made a signe of Christ 1. Corin. 10.4 They drancke of the Rocke that followed them which rocke was Christ now vvhen the Rocke ceased to be a signe of Christ yet it ceased not to be a Rocke still it lost but its significatiue nature onely by the coming of Christ and so the Sabbath lost but its significatiue nature neither but your arguing is as if once a thing be abrogate in its significatiue nature why so it must be also in its absolute nature vvhich you see is false 3. Holy dayes had a significatiue nature being shadowes of Christ to come Col. 2.16.17 now at Christs coming in this respect they were abolisht and yet to this day in other respects we retayne Holy dayes for we keepe Pentecost or whitsuntide now still to this day if therfore we may retayne a Jewish Feast day as Pentecost notwithstanding it had a significatiue nature and notwithstanding that Paul expressely forbad it Col. 2.16.17 why may we not by like reason retaine the Jewish 7th day Sabbath though it had beene significatiue and though Paul in that respect had forbad it Col. 2.16.17 if vve yeeld not this our owne practise in still keeping Pentecost day will condemne vs Moreouer you know all difference of dayes vvas taken away Rom. 14.5 and Gal. 4.10 namly as shadowes of Christ or as Heathenishe superstition Neuerthelesse to this day vve obserue difference of dayes in other respects in a morall regard for we keepe fast dayes solemnely and vve keepe the Lords day euery Sunday so as our owne practise telleth vs a day abolish in some one regard is not forth with therfore abolisht in all respects absolutly by those textes vvhich speake against them 4. Dauid a signe shadowe or type of Christ to come Ps 2. Ps 118.22.24 he had a relatiue or significatiue nature as he vvas a King so as his Kingly office vvas a type of Christs Kingly office vvhy yet vvhen Christ the body came all Kingly offices did not cease for we retaine them to this day The High Priest he was a type of Christ now that very High Priest who liued before and after and at Christs passion so soone as Christ had finisht all vpon the crosse that High Priest lost his typicall nature he was no longer High Priest or type of Christ yet he ceased not to be a man still or a Seruant of God and the like 5. Circumcision it was a signe Genes 17.11 Rom. 4.11 now those infants that were borne and circumcised a little before Christs passion the cuting of their foreskine vvas a signe of Christ to come vntill Christ had suffred vpon the crosse and no sooner had Christ suffred but their circumcision ceased to be any signe of Christ to come and yet for all that their circumcision ceased not then also for they remained euer after with the foreskine cut of yea and it is not to be passed by vvithout obseruation that though there was a meanes by the arte of chirurgry to draw on the foreskine againe and so to nullify and vncircumcise themselues yet Paul vvould not haue them take away their circumcision see 1. Cor. 7.18 if then it had beene necessary that at Christs passion all things that had formerly bene made signes should then haue bene abolished amongst christians vvhy then vvould not Paul haue giuen way to these christians newly called to haue gathered their vncircumcision or vndone their circumcision and taken away the scarre so you see the incision or scarre might and and did remaine though the signe annexed to it vvas abolished By all vvhich examples it is more then manifest that though they could proue the Sabbath day a signe or a shadowe yet it can not follow that therfore it must be vtterly and absolutly abolisht in all respects by those two textes Col. 2.16.17 Exod. 31.13 nor vvill it follow necessarily that ought in a Sabbath is abolisht saue its typicalnesse and significatiue nature only Thus you see all their textes fully as I trust answered so as they haue no ground in Gods Booke for abolishing of Gods Sabbath and to conclude I can but wonder vvhat should sett wise and religiouse men on worke thus to sharpen their vvittes against the Lords Sabbath it being a branch of that inviolable eternall Law of God wrote in
a prejudicate opinion arising in mindes of men from calling it the Iewes Sabbath day Touching which name were it vsed in a good or in an indifference sense I should say nothing but since I finde it so termed in a reprochfull sense to rescue it herefro I vvould faine know a reason why the Sabbath day commanded in the 4th Com should rather be called the Iewes Sabbath day then the Lord our God whom wee are commanded to worship in the first Com should be called the Iewes Lord God I can see no reason but that the one may be so called as well as the other Nor any reason but if we may call the Iewes God our God so vve may call the Iewish Sabbath day our Sabbath day and if vve doe not call it our Sabbath day because we keepe it not the faute is only in our selues wherfore to auoide all difference about the name let it not be called the Jewes Sabbath day nor the Christians Sabbath day as proper to eighther but let vs call it the Lords Sabbath day as common to Jewes and to Christians both and as appertaining vnto all nations vnto whome soeuer the 10. Comm doe appertaine This name you shall finde justify able by Moses in Exod. 20.10 where he calles it the Lord Gods Sabbath when he said The 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God 1. My first argument to proue the 7th day Sabbath is still in force is because the 8th day Sabbath or Lords day is not in force and thus it may be framed If our now Sabbath called the Lords day which is eighther on the 8th or on the first day of the week be not in force Then must the 7th day which is the day next foregoeing the Lords day be now in force But our now Sabbath called the Lords day which is on the 8th or first day of the vveeke is not in force Therfore the 7th day vvhich is next foregoeing the Lords day is now in force More briefly thus If the 8th day be not in force Then the 7th day is in force But the 8th day is not in force Ergo the 7th day is in force I proue the consequence to be good because eighther the 7th or the 8th day must be Sabbath the one of them for of all the seuen dayes in the weeke there is no scruple or question betwene them and me saue only about these two dayes so as one of these two dayes must be Sabbath by both our consents especially since we all hould it morall that one day in euery 7. must be a Sabbath which to deny were great impiety I proue the Minor that is That the 8th day or Lords day is not in force and this I proue because ther is neither precept nor practise neither of Christ nor of any of his Apostles in Scripture to put the Lords day in force and this taske I haue particularly and largely made good in the first parte of my Booke where I haue shown by way of answere That the Lords day is not a Sabbath day by Diuiue Institution 2. My 2d argument is because the 7th day Sabbath is not abolished and it may thus be framed That which is not abolished that is now in force But the 7th day Sabbath is not abolished Therfore the 7th day Sabbath is now in force I need not proue the Maior since t is plaine to euery eye for the Minor this I haue proued particularly and largly in the 3d parte of my booke where by way of answere I haue shewed That the 7th day Sabbath is not abolished 3. My 3d argument is because the 7th day Sabbath was neuer changed and it may thus be framed That which was neuer altred nor changed by Christ or by his Apostles That is still in force to this day But the 7th day Sabbath vvas neuer altred nor changed by Christ or by his Apostles Therfore the 7th day Sabbath is still in force to this day The Maior is cleere of it selfe since things once instituted by God in the ould Testament if euer they vvere altred it must be by Christ or his Apostles in the New Testament For the Minor note that the vvord change intimates two things th one is the abolishing of the ould thother is the bringing in of a new as Dauid 2. Sam. 12.20 he changed his apparell that is he left or laid of his mourning apparell and he put on other apparell now thus did neither Christ nor his Apostles change the Sabbath by abolishing it and by setting vp a new if they did change it it was by precept for by practise but not by precept for they as they did not blot For the truth of the Maior 1. the vvrighting of this Law in Tables of stone by God vvhat could it intimate vnto posterity if not this for one namly that those Lawes should be perpetuall else they might haue beene vvrote on paper or parchement or the like vanishing things 2. what reason can be rendered why God should put such an apparant difference twixt the 10. Com and the ceremoniall Law as that he would vvright the one vvith his owne finger but the other he vvould not but set Moses to vvright it the one he deliuered by his audible voice vnto the people the other was deliuered solely by the voice of Moses vvhat may be judged to be the reason hereof but that God did more esteeme of the one then the other and so vvould haue it more durable 3. This Maior is the common receiued truth at the hand of all Diuines witnes Doctour Ames in his Theologicall Thesis pag. 499. Haec enim regula est certissima inter optimos omnes Theologos recepta praecepta moralia a ceremonialibus in eorum traditione sic fuisse discriminata ut omnia sola moralia publice fuerint coram toto populo Israelis ex monte Sinai ipsius Dei Voce proclamata postea etiam proprio Dei quasi digito scripta rescripta idque in tabulis lapideis ad perpetuam immutabilem ipsorum durationem indicandam For this saith he is a most certaine rule and receiued by all best Diuines that the Morall Commandements vvere thus differenced in their deliuery from the ceremonials that all and only the Morals vvere proclaimed publikly before all the people of Israel from Mounte Sinay by the Voice of God himselfe after also were wrighten and againe written as it were by the singer of God and that in Tables of stone to declare their perpetuall and immutable continuance As for the Minor this you haue it in the 4th Comm and deliuered as a commandement in preceptiue and commanding termes Remember the Sabbath day c. In it thou shalt not doe any work c. now if you aske vvhich day we must remember the Lord in the same Com telleth vs it is the 7th day But the seauenth day is the Sabbath c. So the 7th Sabbath vvas commanded and so it most plaine Exod. 35.2 5. My 5th
Argument is because there can be no day for a Sabbath vveekly and ordenarily but the 7th day and it may thus be framed If no day of the 7. can be Sabbath vveekly but the 7th day Then must the 7th day now be Sabbath day But no day of the 7. can be Sabbath weekly but the 7th day Therfore must the 7th day now be Sabbath day the consequence is cleere of it selfe and needs no proofe to him that howlds there ought to be a Sabbath as we all doe The Minor I thus proue because God without repeale or exception hath commanded vs or at least permitted and freely giuen vs leaue to labour and vvorke and doe all that we haue to doe in those 6. dayes whichgoe next before the Sabbath or 7th day Exod. 20.9.11 sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke for in sixe dayes the Lord made Heauen Earth c. so then we may worke vpon the Lords day or any other of the sixe dayes and that by Gods authority by his Morall Law neither may it be thought that this branch of the 4th Comm is repealed for the 6. dayes for labour were neuer made typicall and ceremoniall these were neuer shadowes of Chtist yea the Lords day it selfe vvas neuer excepted for Christ himselfe after his resurrection did both trauaile vpon the first day of the 6. namly the Lords day a matter of 15. myles and also approued of the like facte in the two disciples by his iournying together with them to Emmaus that day Luk. 24.13 as hath beene more largly declared in the former parte of this booke now looke what Christ did the like we may doe safely follow me as I follow Christ 1. Cor. 11.1 said Paul so then Christs example is our pattorne and president so as we may worke still vpon the first day of the weeke or on the Lords day if then we may work vpon any of the 6. dayes then are we not tyed to keep any of those dayes a Sabbath in resting from vvorke If any shall thinke we now keepe the 7th day and that day which followeth these dayes labour to him I say that our Lords day vvhich we keepe is the 8th day or first day in the vveeke by Diuine accounte and the 6. dayes labour spoken of in 4th Com are those 6. dayes vvhich goe next before our Saturday for those are the dayes we are to imitate God by working in them since we all confesse Saturday was the 7th day and that day whereon God rested after his 6. dayes work and since vve confesse those were the dayes the Jewes till and at Christs death did labour in 6. My 6th Argument is because God must haue one day in euery 7. dayes from the creation to the vvorlds end and it may be thus framed If God must haue one day in euery 7. dayes for a Sabbath Then must he haue Saturday the 7th day for a Sabbath and not Sunday the first day of the vveeke But God must haue one day in euery 7. dayes for a Sabbath Therfore must God haue Saturday the 7th day for a Sabbath and not Sunday the first day of the vveeke For the Minor it is confessed of all and it may be proued by the 4th Comm vvhere the Lord said Remember the Sabbath that is euery Sabbath Againe The 7th day is the Sabbath that is euery 7th day is the Sabbath like as Thou shalt not kill that is euery thou Loue thy neighbour that is euery neighbour c. For the Maior I proue its consequence Saturday the 7th day it being the last day of that vveeke if you omitte it making a change for you say that day is changed and if so then it is omitted by just consequence giue God Sunday the first day of the next vveeke for it then it is plaine God hath not a Sabbath in euery vveeke or 7. dayes for the wanted one Sabbath in that vveeke wherin the change vvas made from Saturday to Sunday now this lacke and want of a Sabbath in that vveeke can no wayes be supplied but by returning backe to giue God Saturday the 7th day againe So then if God must haue one day in euery 7 you must giue him Saturday which is the last of 7. vvithout any change to the day after or else you both deny that in practise vvhich euery man houldes in judgement to wit that God must haue one day in euery 7. and also liue in the breach of the 4th Com vvhich enioyneth euery 7th day neither vvill it serue your turne to say this change vvas made by others many 100. yeeres a gone for so long as you vphould their day and change you treade in their steppes and justify their facte and are accessary to it 7. My 7th argument is because God had expresly commanded vs the 7th day Sabbath in his Morall Law it may be thus framed Whatsoeuer God hath commanded in this Morall Law that is now in force But the 7th day Sabbath God hath commanded in his Morall Law Therefore the 7th day Sabbath is now in force For the Minor see it expresly proued Exod. 20.8.10 Exod. 23.12 Exod. 31.14.15 Exod. 35.2 Exod. 16.29 Leuit. 23.3 vvhere both the Sabbath day is commanded and likewise the 7th day is commanded equally and if any shall answere a 7th day is commanded but not the 7th day I referre him to my exposition vpon the 4th Comm and vnto the 2d thing ther in vvhere I haue sufficiently proued that God pointed at one singular vvell knowne day from all others and left vs not at rouers to take any day For the Maior namely that vvhatsoeuer God hath commanded in his Morall Law that is now in force this Maxime is so Orthodoxe as it should trouble the conscience of any man once to heare it questioned fearing men hereby goe about to serue God by halues and by peeces to take and to leaue out vvhat they lost not hauing respect vnto all Gods Commandements the very naming and mention that a thing is commanded and that in the 10. Commandements it beares downe all contradiction Hereby vve controule the Atheist the Papist the vaine swearer the Sabbath breaker the disobedient childe the murtherer adulterer theife false witnes bearer and the couetuouse person but now if any begin to question this truth and once to make one breache the flood of iniquity vvill flowe in amaine and if any exception be giuen vvay too for the 7th day commanded vnder what pretense soeuer why other sinners and prophane persons will and may be looke for the like and so the vvhole Law shall be of no force to binde vs now vvhy may not the Papist cauile against 2d Com and say that I indeed it forbad Images to the Jewes but not to Christians vvhy may not the Atheist cauill at first Command Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart Matt. 22.37 I sayes he this belongs not to vs for t is impossible so intirely to loue God as with all
In sondry places in diuerse churches not at one place or two but at more 3. that vvhere they abode diuerse dayes they chose the Sabbath day not the Lords day to teache and to preache in as Act. 16.12.13 Act. 13.42.44 Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 4. They kept Sabbath with both Jewes and Gentiles together sometyme with you see the duties of a Sabbath meditation in Gods Law vvith ioy and delight and admiration of the workes of God There be I confesse that would haue all this vnderstood of the Lords day but Ignatius speakes both of the Sabbath also of the Lords day distinctly in the same Text for the very next words are thus And after the Sabbath let the Lords day be celebrated c. Athanasius in his Homilie de semente saith thus We assemble together in the Sabbath day not as if vve were sicke of Iudaizme but therefore we meete on the Sabbath that we may vvorship Iesus the Lord of the Sabbath vvhere ye see Athanasius not only auowching that they of this tyme kept the Sabbath but also he defendeth theire keeping of it from superstition or Iudaizme but our tymes are now of a contrary minde thinking and saying if we should keepe the Sabbath day we should play the Iewes and be infected with Judaizme Socrates in his History chap 8. booke 6th saith Assemblies were vvonte to be in the Churches euery weeke vpon the Sabbath vpon the Lords day Zanchie ypon the 4th Com Thes 1. saith out of Sozomen That thos of Constantinople almost all others haue Ecclesiasticall assemblies to heare Gods Word on the Sabbath day and on the Lords day Doctour Prideaux on the Sabbath saith The Churches after Christ kept both the Sabbath the Lords day for diuerse yeeres with holy assemblies and this thing is so manifest saith he as it needeth no proofe c. In a word is it not plaine the Sabbath was in vse in the Church vntill the yeere of Christ 364. at vvhat tyme the Laodicean counsaile enacted a Law against it and for the Lords day Hosp de Orig. Fest cap. 9. pag. 27. but how vniustifiable this their acte was may appeare in that they enacted a Law against Gods Law and were guilty of that brande in Dan. 7.25 of vnlawfull changing of Tymes and the Law yea how full of suspition this their facte was may appeare in this that Church of Laodicea it was the worst of all the 7. churches that S. Iohn wrote vnto in his Reuelations yea and in that this change was not made till the yeere 364. t is of small accounte since the elder the church grewe the more corrupt it grewe for 364. yeeres after Christ crept into the church superstition and so dayly thence forwards popery by degrees But how soeuer it is plaine that the Sabbath day was in vse in the church at that tyme in which they enacted a Lavv against it or else they made a Law against nothing Here it shall not be amisse to adde the testimony of two or three of our owne Diuines auowching the morality of the 7th day Sabbath I could produce many but two or three for all strengthen my selfe and vvronge not them 3. Doctour Prideaux vpon the Sabbath lately comne forth pag. 140. saith Where did Christ abrogate the Sabbath vvhere is there any mention of setting the Lords day in the roome of it well Christ ascendeth he left his Apostles preachers and did not they vvithout any scruple obserue the Sabbath of the Iewes wich the Iewes did not they institute most freely assemblies in the Sabbath day did not the succeding churches the like c And now let me propounded vnto your choise these two dayes The Sabbath day on Saturday or the Lords day on Suneday and keepe whither of the twaine you shall in conscience finde the more safe If you keepe the Lords day but prophane the Sabbath day you vvalke in great danger and perill to say the last of transgressing one of Gods eternall inviolable Laws the 4th Com but on the other side if you keep the Sabbath day though you prophane the Lords day you are out of all guneshot and danger for so you transgresse no Law at all since Christ nor his Apostles did euer leaue any Law for it 1. To conclude let me take away two or three obiections and so an end Say some what a doe is here about a day is God so strict for a day so be he hath the duties it matters not so much for the tyme To whom I answere and make not you as much a doe too as you can for the Lords day the 8th day else why may not Mooneday or Tewsday or some other day be kept in memory of Christs Resurrection as well as Sunday the first day of the vveeke and doe not our diuines of best ranke lay it downe as their judgement that the Church the whole Church cannot now alter the Lords day to any other it seemes then in your owne judgement that tyme and day how light a circumstance soeuer you make it when you dispute about the 7th day in the 4th Com yet it is a matter of vveight and moment when you argue for the Lords day for vvhich yet you haue no Com 2. Thinke you it a light matter the which God hath beene pleased to stampe his Commandement vpon Exod. 35.2 The 7th day shall be vnto you the Holy Sabbath c. Will you sleight Gods Commandements admite the tyme and 7th day be as thing little profitable to God as was the fruite of the tree of knowledge of good euill in Paradise dareth any man hazard with God as Adam did The lesse the thing is vvith the more ease vve may shew our obedience and the greater our sine if disobedient 3. We dare not forfighte a bonde with man vpon such shiftes saying whē t is paiable on 7th day of Ianuary oh my neighbour regardeth not so much the day so I carry him the full some though it be the day after t is due nor durst those faithfull Israelites so sleight Gods tymes as to circumcise on the 9th day to call Passeouer on the 15th day vvhen God hath commanded CIrcumcision on the 8th day and the Passeouer on the 14th day 2. Saith an other this vvere to bringe into the Church Iudaizme againe and that strict rigorous obseruation of the Sabbath vvhich they vsed Here to I answere Athanasius afore cited said They kept the Sabbath day in their tymes and yet he saith they were not infected with Judaizme Further Iudaizme is when obedience is yeelded to a Law Ceremoniall but he that keepes the Sabbath day doth it in obedience to a Law Morall And as touching the rigorous strictenesse of the Iewish Rest or Sabbath it is not better than an euill reporte brought vp vpon the Lords Sabbath to loathe men of it vvhat and if men erroniously thinke the Iewes vvere more strictly tyed then indeed they vvere that is their errour and what and
Gods Rest on the same day after the vvork of creation and as it is a day for the benefit of both our bodies for rest and our soules for holinesse Thus none of those former textes you see can proue that the 7th day Sabbath vvas euer ceremoniall or yet abolisht but yet they haue two textes more behinde vvherein they put great confidence and especially in the former of the two and if they faile in these two as I trust in God they shall then are they quite gone and for euer to hould their peace for speaking more against the Lord Gods Sabbath 6. The 6th text is that Colos 2.16.17 let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath dayes vvhich are a shaddow of things to come but the body is of Christ Loe say they here you haue Sabbath dayes forbidden the very point in question they are counted a shaddaw of Christ and therfore abolisht I answere 1. as there is two Lavves a morall Lavv consisting of 10. Comm all vvritten by the finger of God vpon Tables of stone and a ceremoniall Law vvritten by Moses and deliuered to the people so are there Sabbaths morall that is such as God engraued vpon the Tables of stone vvith other 9. preceptes and there are Sabbaths ceremoniall that is such as you finde no mention of in the Decalogue but such as you finde recorded by Moses dispersed here there in the 5. bookes of Moses specially in Leuit. 23.4 c. to the end of the chapter Novv as vvhen you reade Heb. 7.12 Ephes 2.15 If the priesthode be changed then must there be a change of the lavv you vvill not here permite any man to iumble confusedly together the lavv morall and Law ceremoniall and say both these lawes are here changed but you vvill distinguish of Lawes granting them the ceremoniall Law to be meante here but not the morall so doe I in answere to this text Col. 2.16 distinguish of Sabbaths granting them here is meante only ceremoniall Sabbaths denying that here is meante the Morall Sabbath of 7th day That this distinction is good and that by Sabbaths here is meant only ceremoniall Sabbaths doe beare witnesse to me euen vvorthy diuines of their owne side as Greenham in his vvorke vpon the Sabbath day and Perkins in his cases of conscience booke 2. chapt 16. Sect. 3. and Dod vpon the 4th Comm pag. 133. and Elton vpon the Colossians 2.16 and Ames in his Thesis touching the Sabbath 2. That here is meante only ceremoniall Sabbaths is plaine by the context and that by two reasons the former in that these Sabbathes are ranked vvith other things all vvhich be ceremonies as meates and drinkes and new Moones and holy dayes so that all other things in this text vvhich the Apostle abolisheth being ceremonies it giues vs cause to thinke the Sabbaths placed and ioyned vvith them be only ceremoniall Sabbaths as M. Dod vvell obserueth vpon the 4th Com the latter reason is for that this 16th verse is as you may see by the vvord of inference Therfore a conclusion vvhose premise you haue in the 14th verse and here the Apostles discourse is on this wise If the hand wrighting of ordinances which is the Law that commanded meates drinkes and Holy dayes new Moones Sabbath dayes be put out and taken away Then let no man condemne you in meates and drinkes in Holy dayes new Moones or Sabbaths dayes But the handwrighting of ordinances is put out and taken away Therfore let no man condemne you in meates and drinkes in Holy dayes new Moones or Sabbath dayes The minor you haue v. 14. the conclusion in v. 16. Now for asmuch as it is a rule vvith Logicians that there should not be more in the conclusion then vvas in the premisses Hence it followeth that if by the vvord Sabbathes in v. 16. you vvill vnderstand the morall Sabbath of the 7th day then by handvvrighting of ordinances in v. 14. you must vnderstand at least that parte of the Morall Law vvhich is the 4th Com the vvhich commanded that Sabbath The vvhich if you doe then you rune vpon this absurdety that you make the Apostle to abolish in this text a branch of morall Law as the vvhole or at least a parte of the 4th Com and so wheras the Lord wrote vpon the Table tenne commandements Deut. 10.4 you make by this interpretation but nyne commandements or at most but nyne and an halfe or but nyne and three quarters or there abouts for tenne compleate there is not I am sure Against my distinction they say by Sabbaths in this text of necessity must morall Sabbaths be meante because vnder the name of Holy dayes is comprised all ceremoniall Sabbathes so that then the word Sabbaths must meane the morall Sabbath whereto I answere that I vvill lay you out for euery word its proper day it signifies and yet the morall Sabbath excepted 1. by nevv Moones is meante only the first day of month Numb 28.11 2. Holy day is in the originall feast day or a feaste or in parte of a feaste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now the Lord had commanded the Jewes a feast of 7. dayes Leuit. 23.34.39 of vvhich feast the first day and also the last day were Sabbaths now the dayes goeing betwene the first and last day these vvere the parte of a feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these the Apostle aimed at by holy day and then 3d. and lastly by Sabbaths are meante those annuall Sabbaths vvhich vvere on the first and last day of the Feast of 7. dayes now least ye think this distinction and application but a conceipte see Leuit. 23.37.38 where the Lord himselfe distinguisheth twixt Feastes and Sabbathes vvhen he said These are the Feastes c. besides the Sabbathes c. Or if by Holy day or Feast you vvill vnderstand all these 7. dayes with the first and last dayes which were Sabbathes then by the vvord Sabbathes in Col. 2.16 may be vnderstood these Sabbathes Leuit. 23.24.32 which were feastes but of one single day a peece and eighther of them called Sabbathes and these vvere the Sabbathes vvhich Paul abolished so you see there is no necessity by Sabbathes to vnderstand the Morall Sabbath at all I answere 2. to the text Col. 2.16 that hereby vve ought not to vnderstand the Morall Sabbath as if that were abolisht for this vvere to set Paul against Christ the seruant against his Lord for Christ established the morall Law and euery iott and title of it to the vvorlds end Math. 5.18 now the 7th day Sabbath vvas not lesse than a iott or title of the Law and did Christ please to ratifie it to the vvorlds end and shall vve make Paul with in a fewe yeeres after to abolish it vvhat necessety is there of such large vnderstanding of the vvord Sabbathes is there any besides mens pleasures so to haue it that they might throw downe the
A Discourse vpon the SABBATH DAY Wherin are handled these particulares ensuinge 1. That the Lords day is not Sabbath day by divine institution 2. An exposition of the 4. Commandement so farr forth as may give light vnto the ensueinge discourse and particularly here it is showne at what time the Sabbath day should begine and end for the satisfaction of those who are doubtfull in this point 3. That the seaventh day Sabbath is not abolished 4. That the seaventh day Sabbath is now still in force 5. The Authors exhortation and reasones that neverthelesse there be not rente from our Church as touchinge practise WRITTEN BY THEOPHILUS BRABOURNE Remember the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8 The seauenth day is the Sabbath Exod. 20.10 Whatsoeuer thing I command you take heede you doe it thou shalt put nothing there to nor take ought there from Deut. 12.32 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Galat. 3.10 Printed the 23th of Decemb. Anno Dom. 1628. To the Godly and vvell-affected Reader vvhosoeuer KNOWEING dearly beloued and Christian Reader by experience in my selfe as well as otherwise that there is a propensity holy inclination in all who are truly Gods to haue a respect vnto all Gods Commandements without exceptions or reseruations I iudged this discourse of the Sabbath day which is one branch of Gods eternall Law could not be vnwelcome to thee Caleing to minde also the parable of our Saviour how seuerly He will deale with that seruant to whom he deliuered but one single Talent for his hideing it so as no profit came on it Math. 25-24 remembring also that Christ made it an essentiall marke of Peters loue vnto him To fecd his Lambes Ioh. 21.15 And that it is giuen in charge to all to exhorte one another to admonish one another to edifie one another 1. Th. 5.11.14 I durst not for feare nor could I for loue but make knovvn my minde in this pointe To see the Church and Spouse of Christ to lye in the weekly breach of the 4th Commandement by violating and prophaning of the Lords sacred tyme and Sabbath a sine of ignorance hether to I confesse and in meane tyme superstitiously sanctifying a day the first day of the weeke for a Sabbath which God nor Christ nor any of his Apostles euer commanded or appointed how could my spirit but be stirred within mee to shew vnto hir this errour and to declare vnto hir which day is that righte and true day which God requireth of hir and the Rather since God hath put it into hir hart wilingly to giue God a day for this last and honourable Parliament blessed be God for their zeale and Godly care hath enacted a Law for the better keeping holy of the Lords day I know for my good will loue I shall reape euill vvill and hatred and for this paynes I shall vndergoe most harsh bitter censures but blessed are ye said Christ when men speak euill of you falsely for my sake They will say as some allreedy doe say t is pride and singularity that setes me on vvorke To vvhom I ansvvere in Pauls vvords 1. Cor. 4. I knovv nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but if it be I beseech God pardone the syne but blesse this work Others and that more charitablie obiect the vnseasonablenesse of this motion because the Church of God is now vnder manifould afflictions and liable to subuersion by hir enemies where vnto I say the more neede shee shold dravv neere to hir God sticking closse to his Lawes the breach whereof he hath threatned with subversions and desolations Deut. 28. and Gods truthes may not waite attendance till men be at leisure to receiue them Others may thinke and say there are men more fit then I am for a matter of this weight c. To whom I answere by a free acknowledgement of this truth what multitudes are there in our Church euery ech one wherof farr surpasse mee for partes of nature and for learning and for outward dignities titles preferrments all which might well countenance and helpe forwards such a cause as this and were much to be desired I confesse Neither can I think but some of those haue long agone foreseene this truth either perfectly or at least a farr off as my selfe at first sawe it in my studies like as the blind man in the Gospell at first sawe men like trees but what 's the cause why they did not prosecute the matter till it came to perfection till they sawe men like men clearly was it not a slothfull feare to leese their labour and catch a shadow for a Substance as painfull Studentes must doe somtymes or for feare of the greatnesse of the labour or for feare of the losse of reputation dignities preferments liueings The Lords day is not Sabbath day by Divine institution BE pleased Christian Reader first of all to note that we now a dayes apply the name Sabbath to the Lords day Promiscuosly without difference the which is altogether without warrant of holy Scriptures since Scripture saith the seventh daye is the Sabbath Exod 20 10. And all the Euangelists call the Lords day the first day of the weeke Matth 28 1. So then there is as much difference twixt these two as is betweene the seventh and the first the last day of the weeke Saturday and the first day of the weeke Sunday Now thus to confounde two proper names of dayes is as if wee should call Sunday Saturday And I desire it rather to be noted because the ignorance of this point is of dangerous consequence amongst the commone people who when they heare the 4.th Com Remember the Sabbath day c. or those words Isa 58 and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate it glorious to the Lord c they think presently vpon our Lords day the first day of the weeke as if those texts commanded this day Whereas they point at Sabbath day the seventh and last day of the weeke Such a mistake in a lease or bonde might procure a forfeiture of them with man beware we then least by the like wee forfeite with God in the 4th Com In the next place let vs examine the authorities textes of Scripture which vsually are alleaged for profe that the Lords day is a Sabbath by Gods apointment wherein I will shewe the invalidity insufficiencey of thos textes by waye of answere to them 1. Let vs begine with the 4th Com Remember the Sabbath day c this precept is vrged vpon the Lords day that we should Sanctify it Here to I answere by denyall that this Commandement doth vrge the Lords day the reason of my denyall is 1 because the Com enioyneth a day whose proper name is Sabbath day like as Saturday with vs is a proper name of one of our weeke dayes But the Lords day is not Sabbath day for it is the daye after
note that we may call the Lords day or first day of the weeke and other common Holy dayes Resting dayes but we must know with all that thus to call and to name them is meerly humane and of our owne deuise for God neuer named or called the Lords day nor common holy dayes Resteing dayes if therfore we will call dayes as God calleth them then must vve call only the 7th day Sabbath day or Resting day for said God Exod. 20.10 The 7th day is the Sabbath or Resting day I answere 2. Sabbath day may be vsed in reference to the 4th Com or not in any reference vnto it if it be vsed not in reference to the 4th Comm I am not against it for so may we call Christmas day when t is one a weeke day Sabbath day and so may we call dayes of publike thanksgiuing and reioycing Sabbath dayes as coronation dayes Gunpowder Treason dayes c. but if vve call any day Sabbath day religiously in relation to the 4th Comm as in that sense we call our Lords day Sabbath day then know it cannot be called Sabbath day for that this name Sabbath day in reference to 4th Com it must haue these properties 1. it must be set vpon its proper day our Saturday the which is named by God Sabbath day or Resting day 2. it must be the 7th day from the creation or last day of the vveeke 3. it must be the day which God blessed and sanctified Genes 2.3 Exod. 20.11 now none of these thinges agree to our Lords day 5. The next point to be treated one is the vvord Day Remember the Sabbath day now as before vve haue heard of the Sabbath day vvhich it is for order and place as vvhither the first or 2d c. or 7th or 8th day so now vve are to heare of the duration and length of that Sabbath day A day is commonly diuided into a day naturall of 24. howres or artificiall of 12. howres but I must craue leaue to departe from this distinction though a common receiued one because how euer it may haue its vse in ciuill affaires yet is it not Canonicall and Diuine and therfore not to be a rule in expounding the word Day in Scripture that I may not seeme sleightily to deny a common distinction note the reasons moueing me here too are 1. Because it is no vvhere founde in Scripture that they had any day of 24. howres a day of 12. howres I reade of I confesse but I neuer reade of a day of 24. howres it is not safe therfore by Day in 4th Com to interpret it of a day of 24. howres 2. By a day naturall of 24. howres vve vnderstand both the light and the darknesse the day and the night vvhich fale within compasse of these 24. howres novv I pray what a woefull confusion and jumbling of things together is here vvhat is this but to put light for darkenesse vvhen ye call the night or darknesse Day may you not as vvell put darknesse for light and call the day or light Nighte may vve not as vvell comprize Hell vnder the vvord Heauen as darkenes vnder the vvord Day vnles it be Ironically I thinke this is matchlesse But hereto it will be said doth not Scripture thus Genes 1.5 So the Euening and the morning vvere the first day by Euening here is meante the night and by morning the day or light and both these made vp the first day I answere the Euening doth no vvhere in Scripture betoken the night or darkenesse and that I am not singular in this see Perkins cases of conscience at end of 2d booke but by Euening vve are to vnderstand the afternoone as vve in this land doe saying Good euene to you Sir if once it be past noone that euening is takē for the afternoone and tyme of perfect light and before Sune set appeares by the phrase of euening sacrifice which was celebrated about 3. or 4. a clocke in after noone see these textes Ex. 29.38.39 Deu. 23.11 losh 8.29 Ezra 9.4.5 Iere. 6.4 Deut. 16.6 so then according to Scriptures sense by Euening I vnderstand the afternoone and by morning the forenoone and thus the Euening that is the afternoone and the Morning that is the forenoone made the first day Genes 1.5 Hauing thus giuen my reasons why I reiect a day naturall of 24. howres consisting of day and night both In next place I am to shewe vvhat I meane by Day in 4th Com By Day I vnderstand the tyme of light only namly all that space of tyme and light from day peepe or day breake in the morning vntill day be quite off the skye at night that by Day is meante the light see Gene. 1.5 God vvhoe know best to name things called the Light Day see 1. Thes 5.5.8 1. Cor. 3.13 and that the day begines euen vvhilst it is but a little light and much darke see Ioh. 20.1 and see Mark. 1.35 this last text is to be reade as Chemnitius vvell obserues thus In the morning vvhilst it vvas very much night c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so Beza reades it too of dayes I may say there are 2. kindes according to Scripture 1. a naturall day and this is from first aproche of light vpon our horizon before Sune rise vnto the last departure of light after Sune sett from off our horizon 2. is an artificiall day and this consistes of 12. howres Joh. 11.9 are there not 12. howres in the day the naturall day is variable now longer as in Sommer novv shorter as in Winter The artificiall day is constantly of the same lenght 12. howres long I conclude by Day in 4th Com I rather thinke the the naturall day to be meante then the artificiall day for it is the safest to giue God the longer of the two that is the day from day breake to last shutting in of the day so long as is any light in the skye Here a case of conscience would be discussed that is if our Sabbath be but from day breake to shutting vp of day hovv shall vve doe in depth of vvinter at vvhat tyme vve haue not 12. howres of day light novv your opinion vvas euen novv that it is the safest to giue God the longer of the two dayes rather the naturall than the artificiall but in depth of vvinter the artificiall day of 12. howres is the longer day I ansvvere 1. though for that tyme the artificiall day be longer than the naturall day yet it is so but for a little vvhile during the depth of the winter only vvhich tyme excepted all the yeere after the naturall day is the longer and so these 2. dayes compared together in all tymes vve giue God the longer day vvhen vve giue him the naturall day 2. For so much as it is not likely that God would haue vs measure him his day by two diuers metevvands that is by the day naturall at one tyme of the yeere and by the day artificiall
the hearte why may not the prophane man cauill against the Sabbath day because t is said In it thou shalt doe no worke what not any manner of worke vvhat not feede our children nor cut our owne meate this Commandement is Iewish Againe Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe vvho is able thus to doe vvherfore this Commandement pertained only to the seruitude of the Jewish nation saith the vncharitable person and againe Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours vvife nor any thing that is his that is thou shalt not haue the least desire to the least thing of the neighbours Oh saith the lawlesse Protestant these things are partly Morall partly Ceremoniall this same liuing so accuratly and so strictly pertained to the Iewes t is to vs a yoke nor we nor our fathers could beare c. if I say an exception be once made from this generall truth for you for the 7th day vvhy may not euery of these come in also with his exception too Yet farther since this is that generall truth vvhich all Ministers both in pulpit and in their bookes doe vphould vvhatsoeuer they say or vvright that it must be so and so because God had commanded it in the Morall Law vvhich particular flowes from this generall that whatsoeuer God hath commanded in his Morall Law 〈◊〉 now in force since I say they pay out such coyne to others why should they not be willing to be paid in the same coyne by others vvhy therfore should I be put to proue this principle and fundamentall truth vvhich in other cases themselues make no scruple of If so be that this be not sufficient that vvhatsoeuer is commanded in Gods Law the 10. Comm is now in force to bind vs our very principles shall become disputable and doubtfull If they shall answere by any distinction wher by they empaire the full force and virtue of any branch of this Law of God they offend against a plaine texte Deut. 12.32 whatsoeuer I command you you shall take nothing therefro yea they falsify Christs words and predication Mat. 5.18 vvho confirmed the Law and euery iote title in it to abide in such force as it was in when he preached that sermons in Mat. 5.18 thence forwards vnto the vvorlds end yea they side it vvith these Priestes Zepha 3.4 who wrested the Law or vvho did violence to the Law of Scripture vve haue but two parts left vs the one is the Law Morall the other is the Gospell now whosoeuer shall enfring or deny any iote or title of eighther of these portions of holy writt he is no freend to God 2. Neuerthelesse some thing may be said to proue that whatsoeuer God hath commanded in the 10. Commandements the same is now in force as 1. because all the 10. Commandements were all and euery one equally and a like deliuered by the same God by the same voice at the fame tyme and wrote vpon the same tables of stone therfore one should bind aswell as thother and one should last as long as any other they should haue the same duration in common reason 2. Our Sauiour Christ himselfe ratified the Morall Law and euery iote and title of it vnto the vvorlds end Matt. 5 17.18 which is to the full as much as can be desired I should proue 3. If some thing commanded in the Morall Law doth not binde now then are there not 10. Commandements for there is but 9. Commandements and an halfe or but 9. Commandements and three quarters or there abouts but sure I am tenne fully there is not for there wants the tyme of 7th day commanded in the 4th Comm if you except it now Moses telde Iewes and consequently vs that God wrote in the Tables tenne Commandements Deuter. 10.4 if therfore we haue not tenne commandements compleat then haue we Christians not the Law of God as it was deliuered at first intirely but defectiuely and maimedely and some peeces only of it 4. If that reasoning of S. Iames Iam. 2.10.11 be sound and good vvhere by he proueth that whosoeuer breaketh but one Law is guilty of all the other precepts by this reason because he that commanded one Law he commanded the other Lawes also Then so may I reason and proue whosoeuer shall violate the 7th day is guilty of all the other precepts by this reason because he that commanded vs to beepe the Sabbath day proue it from a like phrase in Scripture as in Genes 14.21.23 said Abraham to the King of Sodome I will not take so much as a threed or shoolatchet of thee c. and as in Matth. 5.26 said our Sauiour Christ thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast paid the vtmost farthing both vvhich phrases intimate thus much that if the debtor should not come out of prison till he had paid euery farching thē should he not come out till he had paid euery penny euery shilling and euery pownd if Abraham would not take a threed or shoolatchet of the King then would he not take of him raiment cattell siluer or gould thus you see it the manner of Scripture by mentioning and denying of the very least to intimate ther by a deniall of all any the whole and euery part and parcell of that thing wher to that least belonged a like phrase you haue Mat. 10.30 yea and the haires of your head are numbred c. if the haires vvere numbred may we reason then were the hands eyes eares the teeth and the fingers numbred also just so is my atguing aboue if euery title of the Law be in force then so also are thes letters words in force to wit the 7th day is the Sabbath so you see the consequence proued good and sound I proue the Minor to wit that euery title of the Law is in force to the worlds end by Mat. 5.18 where our Sauiour prophecied of the duratiō of the Law of euery iote and title of it to last to the worlds end saying Amen or verily Isay vnto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 donec vntill Heauen Earth passe one iote or one title of the Law shall not passe c. vvhere you see Christ did ratifie this prophecy by a vehement assueueration prefixed to it Amen or verily said he c. Farther note vvhat learned Chemnitius saith vpon this Text by way of exposition saith he Iote is a letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and a letter of the least value of all the rest in the Alphabet and title saith he is as a pricke to a letter or as a comma to a sentence so you see Christ did stablish for euer the very least things of moment in the law and thus is the minor made good Neuerthelesse against this Text many answeres are brought as 1. that by Law here is not only meant the Law Morall but also the Law ceremoniall Here vnto I say 1. that it is a growndlesse answere it hath no foundation in the Text or context for since all the Lawes