persons nor yet to stop the eare and winke with the eye least we should see and vnderstand for so thou shalt both wrong thy selfe and thy Author Remember thou art now in the place of a Iudge for thou must reade the Controuercy of the Lords Sabbathes pleaded pro con betwixt these 10 Ministers and mee they against Gods Title and I for Gods Title they against Gods Sabbaths and I for them and betwixt them and mee thou must Iudge passe sentence now a Iudge must not be carried away with partiality and respect to persons nor suffer his minde to be prepossessed with an ill will to the cause before he heareth it these things are but equall and right which I craue of thee wherefore I trust I shall obtaine with thee This onely note that if thou wiâ—t suffer thy selfe to be swaied rather on the one side then on the other thou oughtest rather to take in with mee then with them for the Sabbath day it being an ancient ordinance of Gods a long time in vse in his Church therefore the cause and Title it is Gods and since I stand in defence of this Sabbath day therfore I stand in defence of Gods cause and Gods Title so side it with God but they setting themselues against Gods Sabbath set themselues not onely against me but also against Gods cause Gods Title wherfore iudge thou whither it were better for thee to take in with them or with mee against Gods cause Title or with Gods cause Title And so I commend thee to the grace of him who is able to build vs vp further in the knowledge and loue of his Trueth Thine in Christ Jesus THEOPHILUS BRABOURNE The Contentes of this Booke Chapt. I. This Chapter conteineth A defence of the Morall Law or 10 Commandements of Almightie God wherin for the defence of Gods Sabbathes it is proued that this Law is in force vnto Christianes and here Libertines Anabaptists Antinomians are confuted who deny that the Law of God consequently his Sabbaths doe belong vnto Christians and their obiectones to the contrary are answered Chapt. II. This Chapter conteineth an Exposition of the 4th Commandement together with a discouery of the manifould shamefull corruptiones abuses of this diuine Law by many Diuines of these times who doe wrest it mancle it corrupt it by their idle answers distinctions false glosses most absurd Expositiones from all which this Holy Law is vindicated by the Authour restored to its proper genuine ancient sense againe Here also it is made apparent that the whole 4th Commandement is abolisbed nullified by the common doctrine of these times Furthermore and by the way here it is showne how long a Sabbath day is as namely that it is but the time of Day light onely here is discouered the errour of such diuines as hold teach that the Sabbath day is to begine at midnight or in the Euening before or to last from morning to morning 2. By the way also here it is showne that there is no such preparation to the Sabbath to be made on the euening before by a cessation from the workes of our callings the like as some Ministers doe wright call for Lastly this Chapter is concluded with an Exhortation to the loue of Gods Law the Integrity perfection thereof Chapt. III. This Chapter conteineth A discouery of the vanity of all their Arguments brought for the maintenance of the Lords day to be a Sabbath day of their abuse of sondry Scriptures to that end This is handled in two questions the one shewing that it can neuer be proued that the Lords day was in the Apostles dayes constantly weekly obsâ—rued weeke by weeke as we now obserue it The other That it cannot be proued that so much as any one Lords day was euer kept in the Apostles dayes for a Sabbath day and that therfore it is no sinne against God but Lawfull for Husbandmen to make Hay in Hay seile to sow corne in wheat seile to reape corne in Haruest for all sortes of Tradsmen Taylers Shomakers Brewares Bakers Weauers and the rest to doe the ordenary workes of their callings as well vpon the Lords day as vpon any other day of the weeke Yet further here it is proued that the Lords day is but an indifferent thing that by the Testimony of the best writers some lerned Godly Martyrs the State and Church of England assembled in Parliament Here also the Lords day is discouered to be but A Popish Tradition so all Romish reliques are not yet remoued Finally it concludeth with an Admonition Dehortation from Superstition voluntary-religion will-worship Chapt. IV. This Chapter conteineth an Answer vnto all those Textes of Scripture reasons and arguments profanly impiously brought against the 7th day Sabbath commanded in the Morall Law It sheweth the absurdeties which the vndertakers against Gods Sabbath doe fale into And it wipeth off that slaunder of rigorousnesse of the Iewish Sabbath and sheweth that God required no more stricktnesse of Iewes then then the patrones of the Lords day doe require of Christians on the Lords day now Chapt. V. This Chapter conteineth sondry Substanciall Arguments prouing vndeniably that the 7th day Sabbath mentioned in the Morall Law is still in force ought to be to the worlds end This is proued both out of the Old Testament out of the New Testament also out of the ancient Records of the Church For 1. God Commanded it 2. Christ the Sonne of God ratified it 3. The Apostles after Christ practised it 4. The Primitiue Churchs religiously obserued it And in this last passage by the way it is showne 1. when the Lords day first sprang vp to be a sole Sabbath day and who were the founders thereof 2. When the Lords ancient Sabbath was first throwne downe who were the wicked Authors thereof Occationally in this Chapter the obseruation of the old Sabbath is freed from the uniust slaunder of being Iewish and Iudasme with the like Here also are confuted the vaine Euasions distinctions which are vsually framed against the ancient Sabbath day Lastly here is a discourse of the Antiquity of the Sabbath where it is proued that the Sabbath day it from the Creation so as ancient as the world Chapt. VI. This Chapter conteineth A dispensation shewing that Christians who desire the Ancient Sabbath are not necessarily bound in conscience to make A rent from our Church in their present obseruation of it but that they may waite for the opportunity of a publike Reformation by the Magistrate prouided they keepe the Lords day for the Sabbath day by way of a change in the meane season 2. It concludeth with an Exhortation to vse all possible lawfull meanes for a speedy publike generall Reformation amongst other Motiues therevnto these are touched that vntill A Reformation 1. The Decalogue is defaced of
an expresse commandement to the Iewes to keepe that Sabbath in memory of the Creation but there can be no commandement showne vs from Christ or his Apostles for vs to keepe the Lords day in remembrance of the redemption wherefore we are not bound vnto this new Sabbath as they were vnto the old Sabbath for there is not the like reason this sophistry euery man may see I come now to their reason they say the Redemption is greater then the vvorke of Creation Herevnto I answer to know vvhither it be greater or not vvould cost more labour then this their reason is worth vvherefore for argument sake I suppose it is greater but heere I demaund of them to whom it is greater Whither it be greater vnto all men or but vnto some men their answer vvill be that the vvorke of Redemption is greater vnto the elect vnto the redeemed and to those onely vvhich haue faith Well then the Redemption is neither greater nor great nor any thing at all to those vvhich are not elected not redeemed and vvhich liue dye vvithout faith of these ij sortes of people the elect are the fewer number the vnbeleeuers are the greater number Well then see how these things hange together the thing they must proue is that we Christians that is all we Christians euen euery one vvithin the pale of the Church that is baptised all these ought to keepe the Lords day for a Sabbath in memory of the redemption vvhen as the one halfe of these are not redeemed and their reason to bind all euery man thus to keepe a remembrance of this redemption is because the vvorke of redemption is greater vnto some onely of these men How absurd is this that euery man should be bound to keep a ioyfull memory of that thing which doth belong but vnto some of them onely as not to the one halfe of them this is as if they would vndertake to perswade not onely English men but also Dutch men French men to keepe a yeerly ioyfull remembrance vvith vs for our deliuerance from the Spanyard in 88 Why vvhat haue French Dutch to doe vvith our deliuerance in 88 this concerned not them it vvas not their deliuerance so vvhat haue such to doe to keepe a ioyfull remembrance euery Lords day for the redemption vvhen it belongeth not vnto them they being vnbeleeuers and such as loue not the Lord Iesus Wherefore they cannot presse this their new Sabbath of Lords day by this their reason vpon any but vpon such as they see by their fruits doe alredy beleeue such as doe not yet beleeue vvhich commonly are the greater number these are not tyed vnto the keeping of this Lords day behold vvhat a Sabbath they haue then to vvit such a one as onely the fewer number of the Church Parish are tied to keepe it as for the greater number of our Citties Townes Parishes these are not bound to keepe it this their reason therefore doth bewray the idlenesse of the cause for vve must haue such a Sabbath as the reason of it doth belong vnto all and to euery man none excepted and such is the Saturday Sabbath vvhich is to be kept in memory of the Creation now all euery man hath a benefit by the Creation and therefore all are bound to it none excepted but it is not so with the Sunday Sabbath for a fewe onely haue reason to keepe it Yet further to discouer the vanity of this argument since they vvill haue vs keepe a Sabbath in remembrance of the Redemption I demaund of them hovv often they vvould haue vs keepe a Sabbaah in memory of the Repemption once euery 7th day ofter or seldomer they vvill answer once euery 7th day vvhy say I that is Iewish and sauoureth of Iudaisme to obserue a 7th day this they haue learned from the Iewish Sabbath vvherefore since they doe so abhorre Iudaisme the 7th day Sabbath vvhy doe they imitate the Jewes herein and the 7th day Sabbath by choosing a 7th day the 7th day is in imitation of Gods rest on the 7th day and in memory of the Worlds creation finished at the 7th day but vve are Christians and as they say all things are become new old things are passed away vvell then vve must now imitate Christ the Redeemer as the Iewes did God the Creatour and we must fetch light from the vvorke of Redemption to know how often to keepe our new Sabbath as the Iewes did by Gods direction from the vvorke of Creation If then we must imitate Christ the Redeemer as did the Iewes God the Creatour then must we trauaile too fro vpon the Lords day for so did Christ himselfe 2. If we must fetch light hovv often to keepe our nevv Sabbath from the vvorke of redemption as the Iewes did from the worke of Creation then must we since all things are become new take vp a new account of time also vve must no longer regard a 7th day but now we must regard the third day for as God was sixe dayes in the worke of creation rested the 7th so Christ vvas three dayes in the worke of redemption rose rested the third day on good friday he suffred vpon the crosse on Saturday on a parte of the Lords day he lay in the graue so you see the vvorke of redemption cost Christ 3 dayes worke vvherefore if they vvill imitate Christ they must keepe euery third day for a Lords day for a new Sabbath so they shall keepe two Sabbathes in a weeke or thereabouts if they doe not thus they may talke vvhat they vvill that all things are become new that as the Iewes kept a Sabbath in imitation of God at the Creation so vve in imitation of Christ in the redemption but vvhere is their imitation of Christ doe they trauaile too fro follow their callings on the Lords day as Christ did doe they keepe euery third day a Lords day and Sabbath day as Christ rose vpon the third day no such matter Furthermore whereas they suppose that we haue as greate neede of a Sabbath to keepe a memory of the Redemption as the Iewes had of a Sabbath to keepe in memory the Creation I deny it for God had giuen the Jevves the Sabbath day and it alone to keepe in memory his Creation therfore it vvas necessary because they had no other helpes but for vs for the Redemption vve haue two Sacraments Baptisme the Lords Supper to keepe in memory the Redemption these are helps enough so as there is no necessity of a Sabbath day also for the same end Doe this in Remembrance of mee so hereby then the Redemption shall be kept in memory all though vve haue no Lords day Sabbath at all There is neede therfore to haue a Sabbath to keepe memory of the Creation when there is no neede to haue one to keepe memory of the Redemption They haue also an
haue we done and said much more in defence of the Lords Sabbaths thē they haue said or can say in defence of the Lords day who are patrones of it this Lords day Sabbath were it not the Diana and darling of our time supported by men of learning holinesse and zeale I would say of it that it is the most idle friuolouse thing that cane be invented for besids other defects in it they cannot proue a constant practise of it no nor that it was euer kept weeke by weeke two Lords daies together one after an other in any place nor at any time I can but wonder therefore that any man that hath but either learninge or honesty should after the consideration of these things preferre the Lords day aboue the Sabbath day or neglect the ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath day to imbrace this nouill Sabbath of the the Lords day I haue now finished my 12th last argument as touching the first branch of it wherin I haue proued that the Apostles of Christ did constantly keepe the Sabbath day after Christs resurrection now I am to procede and to proue vnto you the second branch of my Minor or second proposition which is That the primitiue Churches which liued after the daies of the Apostles kept the Sabbath day for 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ And this trueth I shall confirme vnto you by sondry Testimonies 1. I will begine with that which M. Perkins reporteth saying The obseruatiō of the Sabbath was neglected of those Churches which succeeded the Apostles but afterwards it was established by Christian Emperours his Author for it is Leo Anton Edict of Holy daies Perk. in his first volume vpon the 4th com pag. 48. by the word Sabbath M. Perkins vnderstandeth the Lords day Sabbath Now of this Lords day he saith according to his author that the Churches which succeded the Apostles they neglected it vntill it vvas established by Christian Emperours now these Churches were the primitiue Churches for they liued immediatly after the Apostles they liued in the neglect of the Lords day Sabbath for about 300 yeeres after the daies of the Apostles as is gatherable by this that he saith it was established by Christian Emperoures now the first Emperour that established the Lords day was Constantine the greate as saith Hosp Cap. 9. pag. 27. this Constantine liued aboute 300 yeers after the Apostles now for asmuch as these Churches liued about 300 yeeres without the Lords day Sabbath it followeth that they all that time kept the 7th day Sabbath vnlesse we shall vncharitably censure them to haue liued profanly without any Sabbath day all that while which were absurd to thinke many Churches kept both Sabbaths together to wit the Sabbath day and the Lords day as you shall see by and by now can it be thought that some of the Primitiue Churches should be so zealouse as to keepe two daies other some so key could as to keepe none at at all wherefore since these Churches kept not the Lords day therefore it must follow that they kept the Sabbath day thus you see it followeth that the Sabbath day was in vse in the primitiue times for about 300 yeeres after the Apostles so then as the Apostles kept the Sabbath day constantly after Christs resurrection so the primitiue Churches that succeded next after the Apostles they kept it for a matter of 300 yeeres longer 2. My next Testimony shall be out of the Centuries where it is thus recorded Romae conventus ecclesiasticos non fuisse in Sabbato quemadmodum in aliarum terrarum ecclesiis Centur iiij Cap. vj. pag. 477. de ritibus ecclesiae Romanae The summe whereof is this that There was no Ecclesiasticall or Church assemblies vpon the Sabbath day at Rome as there was in other Churches In which words there is an opposition made betwixt the Church of Rome an other Churches to wit Christian Churches aboute keeping of the Sabbath day now it is recorded that there was no Church meetings vpon the Sabbathday at Rome but yet there was Church assemblies vpon the Sabbath day in other Churches abrode in the world so then by this Record it is plaine that the most Churches kept the Sabbath day albeit Rome did not and it is no maruaile that Rome had learned of the Laodicean Counsaile to reiect the yoke of Gods 4th com with the first further ' this Testimony was of what was done in these Churches for 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ so then you see that the Sabbath day was obserued in the most Churches 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ so much for this second Testimony 3. My third Testimony shall be from an acte made by the Laodicean Counsaile in the yeere of Christ 364. Laodicenum Concilium celebratum circa annum 364 sanxit Non oportere Iudaizare Christianos in Sabbatho vacare sed potius operari in eadem die Dominicam praeponendo Sabbatho quod si inventi fuerint Sabbathum Judaeorum observantes anahemate ibidem feriuntur Hospin de origin Fest Chap. 9. pag. 27. The summe whereof is this The Laodicean Counsaile held about the yeere 364 made a Law that Christianes should not Judaize rest vpon the Sabbath day but rather worke vpon it that they should praeferre the Lords day aboue the Sabbath day And if so be any were found obseruing the Iewes Sabbath they should be excommanciated or accursed By this Law then it appeareth that the Sabbath day was in vse in those times for else this Law had bene made in vaine which forbad Christians to kepe the Sabbath day any more vpon paine of excommunication for gouernes doe not enact Lawes against nothing 2. Note that as the Sabbath day was in vse in those times so also it was in vse amōgft Christianes for this law as you see was bent against the practise of Christianes forbidding Christianes to keepe the Sabbath day whereby we see that in these times the Sabbath day was honoured among Christianes 3. Note that vnto this time Christianes did honour the Sabbath day with or aboue the Lords day this I gather from hence because this Counsaile ordeined that for time to come Christianes should preferre the Lords day before the Sabbath now they neded not to haue made a law to bind Christiās to preferre the Lords day before the Sabbath day if they had done so before the making of this law this is a remarkabl thing that in these times the Sabbath day was had in such honour with Christiās as it was as highly or rather more highly set by then the Lords day was 4. Note the time this Law was made 364. yeeres or there about after Christ whereby we see that the Sabbath day was in vse amongst Christianes for nere 400 yeeres after Christ A digression by the way shewing 1. the Invalidity of this Laodicean Counsaile Decree made against the Lords Sabbaths 2. The Originall of the Lords day Sabbath 3.
13.14.42.44 where mention is made how Paul vvent into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day to vvit the 7th day Sabbath at Antiochia and there preached Now sermon being ended the text saith that the Gentiles besought that they would preach these words to them the next Sabbath day accordingly it vvas so done v. 44. Now it is to be noted that these Gentiles vvere conuerted beleeuers as the text bewraieth v. 42.43 and it is to be noted also that this day being Saturday on which they thus desired Paul Barnabas to preach vnto them these words the next Sabbath day that the next day after their petition being Sunday or Lords day this was the Christian Sabbath day if any such they had and this was the proper Sabbath day for these beleeuing Gentiles if any such there vvas Wherefore 1. it seemeth that these beleeuing Gentiles vvere vtterly ignorant of any such new Sabbath for else they vvould haue desired Paul Barnabas to haue preached vnto them the next day not the next Sabbath day the next Lords day not the next Sabbath day for they being an hungry finding a sharpe appetit to Pauls doctrine vvould not haue fasted for it 7. or 8. dayes vntill the next Sabbath day but vvould rather haue bene fedde with it on the next morrow the day after it being the Lords day and appointed for sermons Sabbath day but in as much as they desired it not on the Lords day it argueth that these Christians knew not of any such new Sabbath as now vve know keepe on the Lords day 2. Seeing it was the vvisedome of the Apostles to acquaint the Churches vvith the new ordinances of Christ vpon the first opportunity as vve see they baptised those that vvere but newly conuerted Act. 2.41 Therefore we are to thinke that if these beleeuing Gentiles had neglected their duetie or had not formerly bene taught that the Lords day vvas their new Sabbath yet now Paul Barnabas if the one forgat it the other might minde it they had a most fit opportunity to reueale to these beleeuing Gentiles their new Sabbath day they might haue taken a fit occation to haue answered their suite thus vvhat doe you desire to heare the same doctrine againe the next Sabbath day Why you need not stay so long that 's 7 or 8 dayes hence and that 's Iudaisme the Iewish Sabbath day c. but to morrow that 's the Lords day that is your Sabbath day seeing you are Christians assemble your selues together therefore to morrow and then you shall heare the same words preached againe so the Apostles had sit occation to haue informed these Disciples at Antioch of their new Sabbath if there had beene any nay I cannot see how with discharge of their function they could haue omitted such an occation Besides as I said the Apostles might haue kept this Lords day heere if they vvould for nothing hindered forasmuch as these Gentiles were suiters vnto the Apostles to preach vnto them it was at the Apostles liberty to appoint the day and time vvhen and the sooner the rather if therfore here vvas fit opportunity also it was at the Apostles liberty to appoint the Lords day to preach in and to assemble the Church on that day and yet for all this did not appoint the Lords day vvho can thinke that the Apostles Paul and Barnabas esteemed the Lords day to be Sabbath day and hereby it appeareth also that Paul kept not this Lords day constantly at all times and in all places which is an argument that when Paul did preach on the Lords day as heere he did at Troas Act. 20.7 that he kept it not for a Sabbath day for then he vvould haue kept euery Lords day where euer he came as well as this one at Troas And this is my first answer 2. I answer whereas the Patrones of this new Sabbath take it for granted that Pauls Sermon and the Lords Supper were actions performed on the Lords day or first day of the weeke this I deny them this they must proue for it vvill be found that both the sermon and the Lords Supper were done in the night time which is no parte of the day and consequently that these actions were not done on the Lords day I confesse the Disciples mett on the Lords day or first day of the weeke but it followeth not thence that therfore Paul preached administred the Lords Supper on this first day vvherin they assembled that this is no paradox you shall see the Text giueth me light vnto this answer as for Pauls Sermon that this vvas performed in the night time after the Lords day vvas past see the Text which saith there were many lightes in an vpper chamber where they were assembled v. 8. Ergo it was in the night time that they vvere assembled againe the Text saith that Paul continued his preaching vnto midnight v. 7. Wherefore it is manifest that Pauls Sermon was in the night Further as for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it vvas in those dayes an euening or night vvorke see Mark 14.17.22 1 Cor. 11.21 and Paul did not celebrate the Lords Supper in all liklihood vntill midnight after his Sermon was finished see Act. 20.11 so both the Sermon and the Sacrament were performed in the night It is likly also that the Disciples here at Troas assembled not in the morning but in the latter end of the Lords day about the shutting in of the day for it is said in the Text that the Disciples came together to breake bread v. 7. that is to receiue the Lords Supper now forasmuch as the Lords Supper was an Euening or night worke in those dayes as hath bene proued it is to be thought that when the Disciples mett to eate the Lords Supper that they mett not in the morning or at breakfast time to eate their Supper but at Supper time and at Euening time at the end of the day Againe the text saieth Paul continued his preaching vntill midnight Now it is a most vnreasonable thing to imagine that Paul should begine his sermon in the morning about 8 of the clocke continue his preaching vntill midnight it was neuer heard that there should be a sermon made of sixtene howres long vvherefore it is the most likely that Paul might begine his sermon after Supper about 9 or 10 a clocke at night so held on till midnight There is no likely hood therefore that Paul preached in the day time much lesse that he begane in the morning vnlesse you vvill absurdly imagine that the Disciples mett at Breakefast time to goe to supper and also that Paul preached a sermon of 16. howres long vvhich no Auditor could beare vvith patience proffit Neither will that hinder this in that the text saith that the Disciples mett on the first day of the vveeke v. 7. for as a man may be said to pay a summe of mony on such a day though he
they say the Rest in the Sabbath day is a type of the reft in the Kingdome of Heauen Heb. 4. a signe of Christ Exod. 31.13 Col. 2.16 yet they hold the same Rest to be morall still in force why then may not the 7th day be abolished as a type and yet remaine as a sacred time for Gods worship as a time to exercise mercy in towards poore seruants by releasing them from their laboures wherein they haue bene spent the 6. daies before why I say may not the time remaine still as it is an helpe and a furtherance vnto those morall dueties of rest the worship of God it is to be wondered at to see men goe about to reiect abolish such things as were are in themselues and may be helpes furtherances of Morall dueties A 5th instance shall be the feast of Pentecost or Whit-Sunday which was a Iewish feast day or Sabbath day as you may read in Leuit. 23.15.16.21 it was also a signe or Shadow of Christ to come as you may see Col. 2.16.17 so it was abolished neuerthelesse we Christians doe keepe this feast day sanctify it as a Sabbath day once euery yeere for as Peter did preach vpon the day of Pentecost Act. 2.1.14 so doeth our Church vpon Whit-sunday onely we haue cast of that shaddowish respect which it had amongst the Iewes of being a signe of Christ to come wherefore by the constant practise of our Church it appeareth that a Iewish ceremoniall day may be retained in our Church so be the ceremonies of it be reiected if then pentecost a ceremoniall feast or Sabbath day may be retained in a Christiā Church why may not the 7th day Sabbath also be retained amongst vs yea if it could be proued a signe of Christ to come thus by this instance you see that a Sabbath day may remaine after its significatiue nature or quality be vanished Thus I haue finished my two generall answers the former shewing that the 7th day Sabbath is not spoken of in their text Exod. 31.13 but onely the yeerly Sabbaths the latter shewing that if the 7th day Sabbath were spokē of in their text Ex. 31.13 yet no more is abolished of this Sabbath but its significatiue typicall quality but the absolute nature of the Sabbath consisting of those 5 things foremētioned may still remaine to wit 1. rest 2. holy dueties 3. on the 7th day 4. because God rested on this 7th day sanctified it 5. because God commanded these thinges My third generall answer that I may defēd the morall Law with euery thing therin commanded vnto a iot and title and shune those foule and many absurdeties which my aduersaries rune into is this the Sabbath may be considered naturally orginally so I deny it was any signe for the signe was not put into the 4th com much lesse to its first institution Gen. 2.3 or it may be considered accidentally aduentitiously and so it became a signe after its institution as in Exod. 31.13 so as the signe was but accidentall and extrinsecall to the Sabbath it being added to it many hundreth yeeres after its prime institution and I know not how long after its promulgation on Mount Sinay in this latter sense I yeeld it abolished but in the former I deny it for as the Rocke after it lost its typicalnesse it still remained a Rocke so may the Sabbath after Christ had abolished its typicalnesse which was affixed to it it may still remaine a Sabbath as it was originally at its prime institution it may remaine still as a Sacred time for Gods worship as a fit time to refresh mā beast in spent with former 6 daies labour Thus much for answer vnto this their text Exod. 31.13 wherein we haue bene the larger because they stand so much vpon it as one of their strongest fortes and suerest houldes but how weake you see there remaineth now but one text more of theirs to answer and it is a maine and chiefe one also it followeth in this next section SECT XIX 15thly they fetch an other a maine argumēt against Gods 7th day Sabbath out of this text Col. 2.16.17 Let no man therefore cōdemne you in meate drinke or in respect of an Holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath daies which are a shaddow of things to come but the body is of Christ But before I come to shew you their arguments out of this text against the Sabbath let me first shew you how absurdly they behaue thēselues who would fetch arguments out of this text against Gods Sabbath The first absurdety is this that they doe voluntarily wilfully without any constraint set themselues in opposition to an ancient ordinance of Gods in his Church for this purpose it is to be obserued not onely that the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath was an ordinance of Gods and in high honour in his Church but also that it was one of the most ancient ordinances that euer God established in his Church for this Sabbath day it did not onely obtaine like priuiledges and honour equally with the residue of the Morales deliuered vpon Mount Sinay but also it pleased God to Sanctify this day at the very Creation of the world as we reade Genes 2.3 So God blessed the 7th day sanctified it God did sanctifie this day rested in it making him selfe our presidēt begining this holy Sabbath in his owne person now for any man to oppose any of Gods ordinances wilfully not compelled therevnto is an euill but to oppose so ancient an ordinance as is this Sabbath is a farre greater euill Baptisme and the Lords supper are ancient ordinances in the Church yet are they nothing so ancient as be the Lords Sabbaths whereby you see that these patrones of nouelty are enemies to antiquity I meane those who defend the Lords day for a Sabbath which is a nouill thing they are enemies to the Sabbath day which is a most ancient thing were it some nouelty or new vpstart point in religion which I speake for it were tollerable that they should oppose it but being so ancient an ordinance in Gods Church as that it is backed with the greatest antiquity here to oppose that causlesly is most absurd Were they compelled herevnto or constrained by the vrgeing necessity of some portion of Scripture in the new Testament or more specially were they compelled herevnto by this one text of Scripture Col. 2.16.17 or by any thing therein conteined they might be excused but seing this text as well as all others may be so expounded as it shall not any whit oppose this ancient Sabbath and ordinance of God and seing there is no collection or consequence that is thence deduced against this ordinance of Gods which necessarily must follow from this text therefore they are altogether vnexcusable that oppose it make it so odiouse before the people of God Wherefore their
to the Redemption but we speake of a Sabbath that was a signe of the Creation therefore the Sabbath we heere speake for it differeth from those Sabbaths which the Apostle abolished as farre as the Creation differeth from the Redemption this yet further appeareth in their text for it speaketh of a Shaddow of thinges to come so that those abolished Sabbaths had respect vnto things to come afterwards as vnto Christ but this Sabbath for which we plead it was a signe of things past done before as of the Creation so that this Sabbath differeth from those abolished Sabbaths as farre as things past doe differ from things to come so then it doth not appeare that any thing once made an helpe to keepe in memory the Creation was euer abolisâ—ed indeed it were contrary vnto all reason that it should for albeit that such signes should vanish as had respect vnto things future when once the substance was come in presence yet is it farre otherwise with such signes as had respect vnto things past for here the substance or thing signified should neuer be come any neerer then at first it was vnto the signe but rather farther off still so as the longer the signe lasted the more vse neede there would be of it so much for answer to this fond obiection I come now vnto the profe of the minor or second proposition to wit that the 7th day Sabbath was a speciall helpe meanes to preserue the memory of the Creation in the Church of God this I proue because the Sabbath day was made a signe of the Creation signes are helpes meanes to keepe memory of those things whereof they are signes here then my taske is to proue vnto you for the confirmation of my Minor these two propositiones the one that the Sabbath day was once a signe of the Creation the other that signes are helpes meanes to keepe memory of the things they signify For the former of these to wit that the Sabbath day was once a signe of the Creation This I proue first by the Testimony of all men and secondly by the Testimony of the Sriptures For the Testimony of men that the 7th day Sabbath is a signe this all of them grant when they alleage that text Exod. 31.13 against the Sabbath as an abolished signe further that this signe respected the Creation as the thing signified by it is found to be the iudgement of Diuines euery wherein their writings as might be showne if it were needfull yea this is plaine by the common arguments in euery mans mouth for when they would proue that the Lords day must be a Sabbath they thus argue if the Iewes kept a Sabbath in memory of the Creation then so ought we Christians to keepe a Sabbath in memory of the Redemption againe the Lords day was instituted say they in memory of the resurrection like as the Sabbath day was instituted for me mory of the Creation by which kind of reasoning they doe confesse it that the Sabbath day was instituted for the memory of the Creation So much for the Testimony of men next I come to proue it by diuine Testimony from the Scripture for this purpose see Ex. 31.17 where the Lord speakeing of our 6 daies labour of our 7th day Sabbath saith thus It is a signe betwene mee the children of Israel for euer for in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen the earth in the 7th day he ceased rested as if the Lord had thus said because I laboured in the 6 daies at the Creation rested on the 7th day therefore your 6 daies labour 7th daies rest is a signe betwene mee you of my 6 daies labour 7th daies rest thus the sense must be rendered if we take the words as they are translated but because this kind of sense making is difficult not so familiar vnto our vnderstandings by reason the thing signified by the signe is not expressed but collected therefore to make the sense of the text appeare more cleerly it is better to put the word that in the roome of the rationall partice for then the sense will be very familiar easy for so the thing signified by the signe shall be expressed in the text then the text should be read thus Jt is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for euer that in sixe daies the Lord made heauen earth in the 7th day he ceased rested Thus you see it plaine that as all men hold the 7th day Sabbath was kept in remembrance of the Creation so this text confirmeth it saying that it is a signe that God laboured 6 daies rested on the 7th day Now that this particle translated for may be translated that it appeareth 1. By the Septuagint which rendereth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be indifferently translated for or that according as may best fit the text 2. In sondry other textes our Translatores haue translated the same Hebrew word that rather then for as you may see Deut. 29.6 That yee may know that I am the Lord your God Thus I haue proued the one of the propositiones to wit that the 7th day Sabbath was a signe of the Creation The other proposition which I am to proue is that Signes are helpes and meanes to keepe in memory the things they signify and this is so plaine as I might spare the labour toproue it for it is the very nature propertie of a signe to be a meanes to bring to minde the thing fignified by it wherefore serues the picture of a mans absent frieÌ„d but to helpe to bring him to minde The raine bowe in the clowds it is called a signe or a token Genes 4.13 the Lord said he would looke vpon the bowe that he might remember the CoueaÌ„t which was the thing signified by the bowe v. 16. The passeouer was a signe or tokeÌ„ which when the Angell saw he remeÌ„bred the Couenant spared the Isralites Exod. 12.13 The Lords Supper it is a Sacramentall signe it is of this vse to be an helpe meanes to remember vs of the death of Christ 1. Cor. 11.24 you may reade the like also in Gen. 17.11 Exo. 31.13 by all which instances it is plaine that signes are helpes and meanes to bring to mind preserue in memory the thing absent signified by those signes Thus much for the Minor or second proposition also for my 7th argument whereby you haue seene it proued that the 7th day Sabbath must still be in force because it is a singular meanes to preserue in memory the myraculouse worke of Gods Creation ARGVM VIII My 8th argument to proue that the 7th day Sabbath is still in force is because God hath expresly commanded it in his morall Law thus it may be framed Whatsoeuer God hath expresly commanded to be done in his Morall Law or
The time when and the persones by whom the ancient Sabbath was first throwne downe First of the first that this Decree made against Gods Sabbaths is not to be regarded or esteemed shall thus appeare because it was an vngodly act decree for they made a Law directly against Gods Law for God said Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it but they decreed that no Christianes should obserue the Sabbath◠day to sanctify it and therefore this Counsaile was guilty of that brand of that wicked one Prophecied of by Daniel Who should speake words against the most high and thinke that he may change times Lawes Dan. 7.25 Now this Counsaile did here change times to wit sacred times sanctified of God the Sabbath day and decreed that this time should now be profaned men yea Christians should profane it by working on it further they changed this day for an other day to wit the Lords day casting downe sinfully the Sabbath day setting vp in its roome and preferring aboue it superstitiously the Lords day And as this decree against the Lords Sabbaths was vngodly in them so was it Schismaticall also for they now begane not onely to decline from ancient purity but also to rend Chureches and to diuide betwixt Church and Church Christianes Christianes for other Churches which liued about their time together with them kept that ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath as we haue proued already out of Perkines and out of the Centuries and as you may perceiue by those Testimonies which you shall see by by and other Christanes kept the Sabbath also euen among themselues as appeareth by their law inacted against Christians for keeping the Sabbath day thus it appeareth they rent themselues both from those other Churches liuing then with them and from Christianes then in their owne Church also You shall see by and by also how this Counsaile hath made a rent from the Churches whereof those famouse lights Athanasiius Ignatius were Bishopes which liued before this Counsaile therby you shall perceiue how they haue made a Schisme rent also from the most ancient and purest Churches that liued before them Neither is any man to wonder at this for if we consider what was Prophecied of this Church of Laodicea whereof this Counsaile hath its name we can expect no better from it for of all the 7 Churches which Iohn wrote vnto in his Reuelation this of Laodicea it was the worst and therefore saith Christ because thou art luke warme neither could nor hote it shall come to passe that I will spue thee out of my mouth Reuel 3.16 Christ here forteld them that it should come to passe that he would spue them out of his mouth as most loathsome vnto him and thinke you that they did not well deserue it at this time when they begane to make a Schisme rent from other the Churches of Christ and to change Gods time and to enact lawes against Gods Law considering therefore what an vnzealouse Church Christ foretould this Laodicean Church should be it therefore is not to be regarded what they decreed against Gods Sabbaths Yet further if we shall note the time wherein this Counsaile liued and made this decree their decree will grow more suspitiouse and lesse to be regarded for it was 364 yeeres after Christ about which time begane the Mysterie of iniquity to worke for the purity of the primitiue Churches begane to decline and be Ecclipsed then superstition popery begane to insinuate it selfe and creepe into the Churches for those pure Churches of the primitiue times are compared to a riuer the which the further off it runneth from the spring heade the more filth it gathereth so it was with these Churches for as you may reade in Perkins his Demonstration of the probleme about the 300 and 400 yeeres after Christ then begane Images to creepe into Churches The Crosse to be adored Invocation of Saints prayers for the dead Pilgrimage Purgatory Single life of Ministers Monkery Monasticall profession c. Till at last they had corrupted the second commandement by Images Crucisixes and the breaden god now what maruaile that they had also corrupted the 4th com and abolished the Lords Sabbaths when those times had corrupted the second commandement wherefore their decree made neere 400 yeers after Christ is to be suspected because then was the time of the Churches declining and faleing away from their former purity A second thing to be obserued by the way from the decree of this Counsaile is to note the Originall and first vpspringing of our new Sabbath caled the Lords day as a sole Sabbath and generally receiued The pite out of which it was digged is the Laodicean Counsaile the Antiquity that can be alleaged for it it is no higher thë 364 yeeres after Christ for 1. vntill about the time of this counsaile since hitherto this Lords day was neuer generally receiued in the Christian Churches for the Churches whereof Perkins speaketh wich liued immediatly after the apostles they neglected the Lords day for a matter of 300 yeers vntill Christian Emperours established it it is true that Constantine enacted a Law for the generallobseruatiō of the Lords day which was 300 yeeres after Christ and so a matter of 64 yeeres before this Counsaile but in Constantines time the Lords day was not kept as a sole Sabbath for the Sabbath day was then kept also as by by we shall proue by Athanasius who liued in Constantines time 2. Vntill the time of this Counsaile and since the Lords day was neuer receiued and kept for a sole Sabbath as now it is for before the time of this Counsaile the Sabbath day and the Lords day were both kept together in many Chuches as you shall see by those Testimonies which by by I shall produce out of Socrates and from Jgnatius but now at the time of this Counsaile begane the Sabbath day to be reiected and also the Lords day to be set vp as the sole Sabbath without any other and now the Lords day must forsooth be preferred before the Sabbath day and so you see the first Originall of our Lords day Sabbath to be a sole Sabbath was this Counsaile of Laodicea The third and last thing to be obserued is that here we take knowledge of the persones by whom the Lords Sabbaths were first throwne downe and of the time when they were first throwne downe The persōes that did commit this horriblefact they were that lukewarme people of the Church of Laodicea none others durst attempt to change Gods times to make a sacred time become a profane time but these the time when it was in that declined time to wit 364 yeeres after Christ the former times which were the more pure times they durst not lay violent hands of Gods ordinance thus we see when by whom Gods Sacred Sabbaths were rooted out of the Church Thus my digression finished I returne
plaine termes for Christianes to keepe the Sabbath day but see how this famouse Athanasius godly Bishop foreseeing this mischeife meeteth with the priuy obiectiones of some in his time who were alredy infected with this leauen saying not as if we were infected with Iudaisme The iudgement therfore of this Godly Bishop was that a Christian Church might sanctify the Sabbath day without any tainte or tincture of Iudaisme I wish all Ministers now would learne to know of Athanasius that to keepe Gods Sabbath it is no Iudaisme but how is it to be lamented to see the most diuines rather to follow that Schismaticall decree of the counsaile of Laodicea caling the keeping of Gods Sabbath Judaisme then to follow that famouse Athanasius who defendeth it that the keeping of the Sabbath day is no Iudaisme Further it is to be noted that the Christian Churches in the time of Athanasius kept the Sabbath day and that this was about 300 yeeres after Christ so that the Sabbath day was in vse with Christianes for 300 yeeres after Christ Now the first 300 yeeres after Christ are accounted for the most pure times the freest from corruptiones and the after times were lesse puer abateing of their purity daily as the Church grew elder now forasmuch as the Sabbath day was honourable amongst Christianes and religiously obserued in the most puer times this is much to be regarded for what if the Sabbath day begane to be trampled vpon and counted for Iudaisme 60 or 100 yeeres after these puer times what 's that to vs for if we follow any we will choose rather to imitate the more puer Churches I trust so then those that were lesse puer now the more puer Churches as you haue seene it abundantly proued they kept the Sabbath day To conclude so long as the Churches retained their best purity so long the Lords Sabbaths were in vse honour but when the Churches begane to decline and fale away as to set vp Images to adore the Crosse to pray to Saints to pray for the deade to beleeue a purgatory and the like then they begane to esteeme the Lords Sabbath Iudaisme that so they might forsake them and set vp dayes of their owne invention but my trust in God is that as he hath caused a reformation of the abuses of the second commandement which crept into the Church in those times so the same God will find a time to reforme the abuses of the 4th com also which crept in then too but remaine to this day vnreformed 8. My eight last Testimony shall be that of Ignatius who liued about an 100 yeeres after Christ Let not vs saith hee keepe the Sabbath day in a Iewish manner pleasing our selues with a rest or idlenesse for he that will not labour let him not eate c But let euery one of vs keepe the Sabbath day Spiritually reioyceing in the meditation of the lawe not in a remisnesse or idlenesse of the body but in an admiration of the workemanship of God not reioyceing in daunceings and vnciuill Showtinges c. And after the Sabbath day let euery one that loueth Christ celebrate the Lords day beinge the quene of dayes c. Ignat. in his Epistle to the Magnesianes In this exhortation of Ignatius we may note 1. That hee speaking both of the Sabbath day and also of the Lords day doth insinuate a plaine difference betwixt them as touching their estimation for the Lords day he counteth as the queene of daies and so leaueth a place for the Sabbath day to be in account as the King of dayes yea speaking of the Sabbath day he vseth the word Sabbathizare but speaking of the Lords day he vseth the word celebrare 2. We may note that hee speaking of the Sabbath day doth consider it doublie first as the Iewes in those dayes did vse it or abouse it rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reioyceing in idlenesse or slothfulnesse as hee speaketh And secondly as Christianes ought to vse it for the former we may note by Ignatius his words that the Iewes in his dayes did keepe the Sabbath day indeed but yet they kept it profanly as a feast of Bacchus with idlenesse with daunceings with showteing and the like now this kind of Sabbath keeping Ignatius did abhorre saying it is better for the Iewes to labour on the Sabbath day then thus to keepe it for he that will not worke saith hee let him not eate which words are to be referred vnto the Iewes not vnto the Christianes to whom he wrote vnlesse they would ioyne with these profane Iewes in reuelling and roioting on the Sabbath day by which manner of speaking Ignatius alludeth vnto a like forme of speech vsed by God himselfe in a like case saying I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabbaths c. My soule hateth them c. Isa 1.3 Now God did not simply hate their Sabbaths since he had commanded them but he hated their irreligiouse hypocriticale obseruation of the Sabbaths and so Ignatius did not meane simply that the Iewes should worke vpon the Sabbath day or else they should not eate but comparatiuly and respectiuly as if he had thus said rather then men should keepe the Sabbath as doe the Iewes in reuelling sporting idlenesse let them be forced to labour worke in it by denying them foode for it is better to worke on the Sabbath day according to that commandement which inioyneth labour 2. Thes 3.10 then to rest according to that commandement Exod. 20.10 when a man dothit onely to please the flesh and not to further him in the worship of God it is better to keepe no Sabbath then to keepe it onely in a carnall manner honest labour is better on the Sabbath then carnall slouthfull reuelling rest Now this kind of profane carnall keeping of Gods Sabbath is that which Ignatius doth admonish Christians of and doth dehorte them from saying Let not vs keepe the Sabbath as doe the Iewes or in a Iewish manner c. In the next place Ignatius speaketh of the Sabbath as Christianes ought to keepe it that is not profanly and carnally but religiously and Spiritually But let euery one of vs saith hee keepe the Sabbath Spiritually and then he proceedeth to mention the dueties of the Sabbath particularly the one whereof is to reioyce in the meditation and Diuine contemplation of the Law of God reioyceing in the meditation of the Law the other is to make an holy admiration of the Creation of the world of the prouidence of God in the gouernance of the same c. In an admiration of the workmanship of God Now vnto this Holy Spirituall religiouse obseruation of the Sabbath day did Ignatius exhorte those Christians vnto whom he wrote saying But let euery one of vs keepe the Sabbath day c. In which exhortation you see that Ignatius did not onely permit the keeping of the Sabbath day among Christianes but he goeth
further then so for he falleth to a plaine right downe exhortation and perswasion of Christians to keepe the Sabbath day Let euery one of vs saith hee keepe the Sabbath day What cā bemore plaine had Ignatius esteemed the obseruatiō of the Sabbath day an abolished ceremony as many thinke now a daies or Iudaisme as those of the Laodicean Counsaile thought it who liued 200 yeeres after Ignatius and as many of vs now a dayes iudge it to be he would neuer haue exhorted and perswaded Christianes to the obseruation of it Thus you see that so long as the Church was in its greatest purity and perfection so long it retained in honour the Lords Sabbaths for Ignatius liuing so neere vnto the time of the Apostles he liued in the most flourishing estate of the Church for purity and euen in these so pure times was the Sabbath day in honour vse so continued vntill the Church begane to decline which was 200 yeeres after this time about which time they begane to corrupt the second Command what maruaile if they then also made hauocke of the 4th commandement too but this I say so longe as the primitiue Churches remained in their greatest purity so longe Christians retained the Lords Sabbaths in honour vse thus much for the second branch of my Minor so hitherto we haue proued these two things the former that the Apostles of Christ did constantly obserue the Sabbath day in their time the other that the most pure primitiue Churches which followed the Apostles kept the Sabbath so long as they kept their purity which was 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ now I am come to the third last branch of my Minor The 3d branch of my Minor or second proposition which I am to proue is That our Church doth daily pray to God to incline our heartes to keepe this Sabbath day I shall not neede to goe farre for the proofe of this point for our daily prayers to God euery Sunday or Lords day in the Congregation will confirme it for the Minister as it is ordered by our Church in the booke of Common prayer rehearseth to the whole Assembly the 10. Commandements of Almightie God among the rest hee repeateth the 4th Com. saying Remember the Sahbath day to keepe it holy c. But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke c. for the Lord rested the 7th day and therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Now as soone as this Commandement touching the 7th day Sabbath is rehearsed in the audience of the people It is by our Church ordered that the whole Congregation shall herevnto subioyne this deuout prayer Lord haue mercie on vs and incline our heartes to keepe this lawe And thus you see that our Church doth ratify the Sabbath day by praying daily to God to incline our heartes to keepe it But happily some may say our Church doth not intende by this hir prayer to ratify the 7th day Sabbath which is the Iewes Sabbath Herevnto I reply that by this hir prayer she must be vnderstod to pray to God to incline our hearts either to the keeping of the 7th day Sabbath or to the keeping of the Lords day Sabbath now strongly I am perswaded that the Reuerend Bishopes of our Church will not say that the 4th com doth command vs to keepe the Lords day therefore when we pray to God to incline our heartes to the keeping of the 4th com we cannot vnderstand our prayer to be meant of the Lords day for it is not the day caled Lords day which the 4th Com. inioyneth but it is the day called Sabbath day as you see in the Commandement and it is not the Lords day which the Minister pronounceth in reading the 4th com but it is the Sabbath day which he speaketh of neither is it the 8th day or first day of the weeke which the 4th com speaketh of but it is the 7th day and last day of the weeke which the commandement mentioneth neither is it the 8th day or first day of the weeke or Lords day where in God rested at the Creation but it is the 7th day wherein God rested as the Commandement saith neither is it the Lords day which the commandemēt saith God blessed and hallowed but it is the day caled Sabbath day which God blessed and hallowed as the 4th commandement speaketh wherefore when the Minister saith Remember to Sanctify the Sabbath day if then we shall pray thus Lord incline our hearts to keepe the Lords day doe we not so make answer as sometimes deafe men doe who when a man caleth for a knife they bring him the sheath when the Minister telleth the people which day is the Sabbath day saying But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord if then we shall pray thus Lord incline our heartes to keepe the 8th day are we not then like those that come to Church when the Sermon is done that goe to sell comodities the day after the fayer yea were not this to bable with God and to profane this Holy ordinance of prayer when the prayers of the Church cane be taken but ij waies it is a very absurd thing vncharitable for any man to expound them in the worser sense which is a false and absurd sense wherefore since the Lords day cannot be meāt in our publike prayer therefore the Sabbath day must be meante for there is none other but one of these two that can be imagined and thus I haue proued the 3d branch of my Minor to wit that our Church doth pray to God daily to incline our heartes to keepe the Sabbath day so these 3 points are proued 1. That the Apostles kept the Sabbath day 2. That the primitiue Churches after them kept it 3. That our Church daily praieth to God to keepe it wherefore if the constant practise of the Apostles the religiouse practise of the most ancient and primi tiue Churches after the Apostles the daily prayers of our Church will any thing auaile with vs then must we sanctify the 7th day Saturday Sabbath ARGUM. XIII I had thought to haue added no more by way of profe for confirmation of the Sabbath day but further serch hath ministred vnto me more arguments these they are which follow My 13th Argument for confirmation of the 7th Sabbath is because we must imitate God who kept the 7th day Sabbath and thus I frame it Whosoeuer must imitate God in his keeping of the 7th day Sabbath they must keepe the Saturday 7th day Sabbath But we must imitate God in his keeping of tho 7th day Sabbath Therefore wee must keepe the Saturday 7th day Sabbath For the Maior it is cleere for since God kept the Saturday 7th day Sabbath if we must imitate him then must we keepe the same day in order when i◠comes and so doeing
because wee may together with Antinomiās Libertines Anabaptists as well abolish all the Morall Law by the Scriptures as with them abolish the Saturday Sabbath and thus I argue If wee may together with Libertines Antinomians Anabaptists abolish by the Scriptures the Saturday Sabbath as a Jewish Ceremony Then may wee with them also abolish by the Scriptures the wholl Law of God euen all the tenn commandements as Jewish Ceremonies But neither wee may nor yet may those lawlesse Christians of Libertines Antinomians Anabaptists abolish by the Scriptures the wholl Law of Gods tenn commandements as Iewish ceremonies Therefore wee may not together with Libertines Antinomians Anabaptists those lawlesse Christians abolish by the Scrïptures the Saturday Sabbath as a Iewish Ceremony For profe of the consequence it is well knowne that those Lawlesse Christians of Libertines Antinomians Anabaptistes doe reiect the Santification of all Sabbaths not but that they keepe the Lords day as a Sabbath together with those Protestant Churches amonge whom they liue but they keepe it onely as an ordinance of the Magistrate and as in obedience to their gouerners yet so too as in case they could doe any common seruile worke on the Lords day without offence to any they would and doe professe it that they would but to keepe any Sabbath as a Diuine institution and as an ordinance of Gods and by virtue of the 4th commandement this they doe reiect as Iewish and Ceremoniall and for their warrant among other textes of Scripture as wee doe so doe they alleage Exod. 31.13 Colos 2.16.17 against the Saturday Sabbath shewing that it is abolished as a signe and shaddow c. Thus they bring Scripture against the old Sabbath as well as wee the same Scriptures that we bring so then wee are iustly ranked with Libertines Antinomians and Anabaptists for abolishing by the Scriptures the ancient Sabbath day Now J procede to proue the Major for as for the Minor it needeth no profe if wee may by these Scriptures Exod. 31.13 Colos 2.16.17 Together with these Sectaries abolish the Saturday Sabbath which is one thing commanded in the morall Law then may we together with them also by these Scriptures Eph. 2.15 Heb. 7.12 Heb. 10.1 Col. 2.14 Abolish the wholl Morall Law all things commanded therein the reason hereof is plaine and manifest for these Sectaries doe bring Scripture against the wholl Law of God as well as against that one parte thereof which commandeth the Saturday Sabbath now if we will shake hands with them in the one why not in the other also if we will ioyne with them in vrging pressing these textes Exod. 31.13 Colos 2.16.17 Against the 7th day Sabbath which is one branch of the Law why then should we not by the same reason ioyne with them also in vrging pressing these other textes Eph. 2.15.7.12 Heb. 10.1 Col. 2.14 Against the wholl Law euery branch thereof and so abolish it too ther 's the same equity for both let vs not therefore abolish Gods Sabbath day vnlesse we minde to turne Anabaptists and Antinomians and abolish the wholl Law also Happily it will be thought ther is not so good reason to abolish the wholl Law by these Scriptures which these Sectaries doe alleage against it as there is in those other Scriptures which they alleage against the Saturday Sabbath But for this matter I shall make it appeare that as these Sectaries haue as little cause to vrge these textes against the wholl Morall Law as they or wee haue to alleage those textes against the old Sabbath day so they haue as good cause as strong reasons to alleage these textes against the wholl Law as they and we haue to alleage those textes against the old Sabbath day for this purpose let vs compare the textes on either partes First for the textes brought against the Sabbath day Exod. 31.13 Colos 2.16.17 Here say they wee the Sabbath in the Morall Law is made a signe a shaddow now all signes Shaddowes are abolished at Christs coming hee being the substance of those shaddowes 2. In the text Col. 2.16.17 Say they and wee here we haue the very thing in question expressy mentioned namly Sabbaths and Sabbaths too in the plurall number so all Sabbaths both weekly annuall in the Morall Law and in the Ceremoniall Law are abolished Now on the other parte for the textes brought against the wholl lawsee Heb. 10 1. for the Law hauing a shadow of good things to come c. Where the things commanded by the Law are called a shadow hence I thus reason if the Sabbath commanded in the Morall Law be abolished because Sabbaths commanded in a Law are a shadow Col. 2.16.17 Then are all things commanded in the Morall Law abolished and consequently the Law also because things commanded in a Law are a shadow Heb. 10.1 Is not there as good reason for the one as for the other come we to the other textes also see Eph. 2.15 Col. 2.14 Heb. 7.12 Where it is said there is a chang of the Law that the handwriting of ordinances is put out that the Law of commandements is abrograted In which texts it is affirmed that the law is abolished here then may they say in like manner in these textes we haue the thing in question expresly mentioned namly the Law by Law in Scripture is somtimes meant both the Morall Ceremoniall Law Mal. 2.7 And so the wholl Law is abolished both Morall and Ceremoniall well then hence I thus reason if the Sabbath in the Morall Law be abolished by Col. 2.17 Because there is mention of Sabbaths abolished then must not the Morall Law be abolished also by Eph. 2.15 Col. 2.14 Heb. 7.12 Because here is mention made of the law abolished is there not the same reason in both for if you will extend the word Sabbaths which is onely vnderstod of the Sabbaths in the Ceremoniall Law vnto the Sabbath inioyned in the Morall Law why may not they extend the word Law which is onely vnderstode of the Ceremoniall Law vnto the Morall Law whereas you alleage that in Col. 2.16.17 There is mention of Sabbaths in the plurall number and therefore all kinds of Sabbaths weekly and anniuersary must be abolished why may not they and you with them argue also and say that in Eph. 2.15 and in Col. 2.14 There is mention of ordinances commandements in the plurall number and therefore are all Gods ordinances and all Gods commandements whither in the Morall Law or in the Ceremoniall abolished Thus you see then there is as good reason for vs to ioyne with Antinomians and Anabaptistes in casting away the Morall Law as to ioyne with them in casting away the Sabbath day commanded in the Morall Law we may as well cast away by the Scriptures misapplied euen all Gods commandements and all Gods ordinances as Gods Sabbath day we may as well turne Anabaptists in
its Integrity 2. The 4th Com. is but a Cipher 3. An holy prayer of our Church is frustrate 4. A gate is set open to Anabaptistry 5. The worship of God will languish decay 6. An old Tradition is kept in the place where the old Sabbath should stand 7. Men liue in the weekly sinne of Sabbath breaking 8. God is denied a parte of his worship Yea corruptly worshiped 9. Idolatry is committed by thowsand thowsands in the Kingdome And these are the Contentes of this booke A Defence of the Morall LAW CHAP. I. SECT I. THE scope and principall drift of this Treatise Christian Reader is the defence of the Lords Sabbathes to wit his ancient Sabbathes the Saturday seuenth dayes Sabbathes the which are expresly enioyned vs in the fourth Com. in these wordes Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it c. But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord c. Exod. 20.8.10 Against this ancient and most sacred ordinance of Gods I find two professed enemies against whom I must bend my forces the one are they who deny the Law of God the Morall Law or 10 Commandements to belong vnto Christians and so consequently they deny Gods Sabbathes also commanded in the Law and these are our Anabaptistes and our late sprung vp Antinomianes the other are they who deny the Integrity and perfection of the Law they embrace the Law of God indeed but not the whole law and these are both Protestantes and Papistes for these reiect that ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath day properly so called and expresly commanded in the morall law counting it for a ceremony and abolished by reiection whereof they reiect some thing commanded in the Law and so consequently they are partiall in the law and doe deny it in its integrity and perfection vrge an Anabaptist or Antinomian to the obseruation of the Sabbath day and he will answere you that the law is abolished at the comming of Christ as all those legall Ceremonies were vrge a Protestant or a Papist to sanctify the Sabbath day and your answere shall be that this part of the law touching the Sabbath day is a ceremonie and abolished at the coming of Christ thus Anabaptistes and Antinomians renounce the whole law Protestants and Papists renounce the wholenesse of the law the one would haue no law the other would haue no perfect law Against both these this booke is penned The partes of this booke are sixe diuided into so many Chapters also The first parte or chapter is in defense of the Morall Law and consequently of Gods Sabbathes against Anabaptistes and Antinomianes The other fiue partes or Chapters are in defense of the integrity and perfection of the Law and consequently of Gods Sabbathes against Protestantes and Papistes for this purpose the second parte or Chapter giueth the true sense and Exposition of the fourth Command and vindicateth it from the common and corrupt glosses and expositions of it The third Chapter sheweth the weaknesse and insufficiency of all those Scriptures and arguments which are vsually produced to proue the Lords day to be a Sabbath day The fourth Chapter sheweth the insufficiency and feeblenesse of all those Scriptures and arguments which are vsually alleaged against the Lords Sabbath of the seuenth day or Saturday to make it an abolished ceremony The fifth Chapter conteineth sondry forcible and vndeniable arguments and Scriptures prouing the morallity and perpetuity of the ancient Sabbath day The sixte and last Chapter conteineth a Dispensation for a season touching the present practise and obseruation of the seuenth day Sabbath together with an Exhortation to a speedy reformation Thus you see my taske what it is my aduersaries who they are and the partes of this Booke One thing more would be premised for so much as we shall often haue occasion to vse these two words Morall and Ceremoniall it is sit that I here shew in what sense I vnderstand them 1. I would vse these words but for distinction sake for whereas there are two sortes of Sabbathes the wekly Sabbath and the yeerly Sabbathes the Sabbath which God wrote and the Sabbathes which Moses wrote the Sabbath which God spake and the Sabbathes which Moses spake the Sabbath written in the Morall law Exod. 20.8 and the Sabbathes written in the Ceremoniall law Levit. 23.32 c. for the distinguishing of these two sortes of Sabbathes one from the other I doe vse these two words calling the weekly Sabbath recorded in the Morall law the Morall Sabbath and the yeerly Sabbathes recorded in the Ceremoniall law the Ceremoniall Sabbathes these Sabbathes were also distinguished in respect of time the Morall Sabbath was first deliuered Exod. 20.8 yea Gen. 2.2.3 the ceremoniall Sabbathes were afterwards deliuered Levit. 23.32 c. neither did these ceremoniall Sabbathes euer come within the pale of the Morall law or were written in the Tables of stone 2. I see not but that I may call the weekly Sabbath the Morall Sabbath properly for 1. the seuenth day or weekly Sabbath it conserneth practise and manners which is signified by the word Morall 2. Since God spake all those words Exod. 20.1 why should not euery thing he spake be called morall as well as any thing he spake and since the Sabbath day or seuenth day is a thing that is expresly commanded in the Morall law and which may I say which may be retained in the Church with great profit why should it be denied the name of morall 3. Giue me a reason why the seuenth day Sabbath should not be called a Morall as well as the doctrine of the Trinity in the first Com or as the doctrine of originall sinne or lust Rom. 7.7 in the tenth Comm 4. Since the dueties of the Sabbath to wit Rest and Holy exercises are accounted Morall why should not the time or seuenth day also be accounted morall for the time is a furtherance vnto these morall dueties now that which furthereth a morall should me thinke be also called a morall 5. Herevnto agreeth Doctour Ames in his Theologicall Thesis pag. 499. and also affirmeth it to be the iudgement of the best diuines saying It is receiued by all best diuines that the Morales were differenced from the Ceremoniales by this that all and onely the Morales were wrote by God in the Tables of stones c. The Saturday and weekly Sabbath then must needs be termed a morall Sabbath In a word why should this be strange for as there is a ceremoniall law and a morall law why may there not be likewise ceremoniall Sabbathes and morall Sabbathes and since God placed the seuenth day Sabbath in the morall law among the morales why should it not be termed morall and called the morall Sabbath The morall Sabbathes together with whatsoeuer else is commanded in the morall law I doe defend the Ceremoniall Sabbathes with all other Ceremonies I doe reiect It is the Decalogue and nothing else which I defend and this I stand to maintaine in
albeit the Court knovveth not hovv he is able to make good proue his information yet it being a matter probable seeing it is the Kings cause both the Iudge and all the Iustices euen the whole Court doe countenance the cause yea so farre forth take in vvith it as that if it be possible so as no iniustice be done nor any Lavv of the Realme thereby violated he that informeth for the King shall haue the day rather then a priuate subiect and good reason for it Well in the case of the Lords Sabbaths I informe for the King of kings the King of heauen earth it is novv the parte of all Gods Ministers both superiour as Bishops inferiour as common Preachers to take in with this cause of Gods Sabbaths as Gods cause their Lord King to countenance it to their vtmost yea so farre forth to backe it take part vvith it as Gods Sabbaths may haue the day if no law of God nor text in Scripture be thereby violated as I dare pawne my life for it there shall not If Ministers in the Church both superiours and inferiours doe not thus honour God before the people by giuing his cause the preeminence the Magistrates of the common weale shall rise vp in iudgement against them condemne them I come now to the last vse of the point Is it so that thou louest the lavv of God then take vp a daily lamentation for the lamenesse imperfection of Gods lavv for the vveekly violation of Gods 4th com and for the profanation of Gods Sabbaths if we haue not Gods Law in its integrity and perfection as we haue not if vve vvant his Sabbath therein commanded then haue vve but a lame imperfect lavv and if the Saturday be Gods Sabbath as I haue shovvne it is and shall further proue hereafter then is the 4th com vveekly broken and Gods Sabbaths weekly profaned As Dauid hath bene our President shevving vs hovv vve should loue Gods law so let him be our President to shevv vs hovv vve should mourne for the violation transgression of Gods Lavv Mine eyes gush out saieth he with riuers of waters because they keepe not thy Law Psal 119.136 And againe I saw the transgressours was grieued because they kept not thy word Psal 119.158 It is a property then of a Godly man to mourne and to grieue to see Gods Lavvs transgressed and the reason of that his sorrow griefe is because he loueth Gods Law as Dauid did Oh then that all sorts of people would bevvray their loue to Gods Lavv by their sorrow of heart to see it transgressed weekly in the profanation of Gods Sabbaths Againe doest thou indeed loue the Lavv of God how canst thou but take it to heart to see this holy and Diuine Lavv of thy God so mangled defaced so lame imperfect as in these dayes it is in all Christian Churches It is and euer hath bene a speciall fauour of God to betrust any Nation or people vvith his word and Oracles as we may see it in Rom. 3.1.2 What is the preferment of the Iew c. much enery way for chiefly because vnto them were of credit committed the Oracles of God Where the Apostle counteth it a preferment of the Iew and the chiefe preferment to haue the word of God committed vnto their custodie and it is reported of them that they haue bene euer very faithfull in keeping the letter of the text vncorrupted Among all Nations and people it hath pleased Almightie God to preferr this our English Nation with this chiefe preferment and to be trust vs with the custodie of his word and Oracles those 10 Commandements wrote with his owne finger our Church is now become the receptacle and House of God wherin he hath laid vp his word for its conseruation it is the grownd and pillar to supporte and beare vp this trueth as Paul caleth it 1. Tim. 3.15 hath God thus in speciall fauour to our Nation preferred vs aboue many Nations and that vvith his chiefe preferment to betrust vs vvith the custody of his Law and Oracles and shall we proue so vnfaithfull to him as to take care but of some peeces of these Oracles onely What Nation saith Moses is so greate that hath ordinances Lawes so righteouse as all this Law which I set before you this day Deut. 4.8 hath God betrusted vs with a righteouse Law and with a Law so righteouse as no Nation vnder heauen but such as know God and such as haue the very same hath the like to it Yea not onely are some peeces of this Law so righteouse but all the whole Law is of the same nature so saith Moses so righteouse as all this Law is which I set before you this day and shall not we preserue then all this Law the whole Law intirly in its perfection we should blush for shame to doe otherwise we should lament mourne to see it otherwise T is true we keepe these Oracles intirly in the letter so doe Papistes but vvhat 's the letter when we weaken diminish and abolish the binding force of it for vve say this parte of Gods Oracles But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke doth not bind vs Christians In it that is in it 7th day thou shalt not vvorke saith God I but this prohibition bindeth not novv say some Ministers no vvhat doe vve vvith Lavves if they bind vs not as good take avvay the sense of the vvords of the Lavv and so it shall be senslesse as to take away the binding of the Law wherby it is made forcelesse the binding povver of a Lavv is the life and soule of the Law take avvay then its binding povver it is but a deadlieflesse Lavv it is but a Cipher or a blanke and so the Church shall be but like the Lottery pot vvhich houldeth some blankes among the prises suppose vve should say of the other 9 Oracles that vve preserue the letter of them intirly but herevnto vve should add this that they binde not vs Christians now vvhat bauocke should we thus make of the Morall Lavv it is all one therfore to reiect the Lavv as to reiect its binding power vvherby it bindeth vs. We haue alredy shovvne hovv this Lavv of God is mangled and defaced oh that all people vvould bevvaile this oh that the King vvould take it to heart so did the good King Josiah vvhen the Lavv had bene lost for a time he rent his cloathes 2. King 22.11 oh that the Bishops of the Land would take it to heart so did Elie the Priest vvhen he heard that the Arke of God vvas taken from them 1. Sam. 4.17.18 he died for grief of heart vvhy the Lords Sabbaths vvere his hallovved times as the Arke his holy place Oh that the people of the land vvould take it to heart so did the people in Nehemiahs time for saith
day is argument sufficient to convince any man to proue that the Lords day must be a Sabbath day so strong they are in conceipt so weake in argument and thus they argue why this day which we keepe it is called in the Scriptures by S. Iohn the Lords day is it not well what would you haue more then is not this enough for any reasonable man I answer if it be called the Lords day then the Lords day let it be still for me I goe not about to giue it any other name albeit it may be questioned but this is that I say that S. John did not call this day Sabbath day did he if hee had called it Sabbath day as he called it Lords day then would I beleeue it had bene a Sabbath day but now I beleeue that it is but a Lords day not a Sabbath day because S. Iohn called it but Lords day not Sabbath day Their last vpshot vvhich is a note that they are at non plus is to quaeries in steade of proofes as thus I but vvhy thinke you this day was called Lords day rather then any other there was something in it extraordenary doubtlesse c. I answer t is true something in it there vvas something extraordenary too as namely it was called Lords day because on it Christ rose from the dead so he did not vpon any other day But if any thing they will haue more then this let them shew vs vvhat it is proue it when they haue done but let them leaue this idle begging of questiones of vs the which is a most frequent thing with them Thus you see what poore hould they haue for this new Sabbath from this text Reuel 1.10 full little did S. Iohn thinke when he wrote this Reuelation mentioned the Lords day in it that euer Christians after him would haue so abused this name to the seting vp of a new Sabbath vpon it To conclud since they will be so confident as to collect a necessary institution from a bare nomination I desire them first to proue it that this name Lords day vvas of diuine imposition there is cause to doubt there are many names in scripture that are not diuinly imposed as Mars streete Purim Mathew c. so may this be too and the rather considering that this name Lords day was vnknowne in the Church for many yeeres after Christ for all the 4 Euangelists named it by the old name the first day of the weeke onely and so did S. Paul Act. 20.7 it might therfore be so named first by the Church afterwards by S. Iohn in his Reuelations now if this name might be humane then may the institution vse of it be humane also SECT XIII Thus you haue seene their Scriptures what pittifull worke they haue made with them the feeblenesse insufficiency whereof being singly considered of well viewed they full well seeing though loath to confesse it now they haue a new deuise that 's this albeit say they or some of them that these Scriptures cannot proue the Lords day a Sabbath singlie a lone considered yet put them all together they vvill proue it Quae non prosunt singula multa juvant Hereunto I answer it is well that at last they are forced to confesse it that none of their Scriptures can proue the point alone by themselues singly by yeelding this they haue fairly yeelded their cause for I desire of them to shew me in one argument framed out of all these textes together how they can proue the Lords day a Sabbath any better then they could out of them all singlie and alone considered one after an other the vvhich can not be done For it is vvith these textes singlie and together as it is vvith a single cipher and a multitude of ciphers if a single cipher standeth for nothing then add to it an hundreth more ciphers they increase not the number the totall summe of them will be nothing still an 100 ciphers cānot make one single vnity And so it is vvith these Textes if euery one of them singlie and alone haue no force of prouing the Lords day a Sabbath then add them all together if there vvere an hundreth more of them and all of them shall proue nothing arguments doe not chang their nature being a multitude from that they vvere single vvee esteeme not of arguments by number but by vveight many probabilities cannot make one infallibility When a Chapman is to buy of a Merchant many particular things of one kinde packed together the Chapman least he be deceiued will take them asunder viewe them singlie one by one but if the merchant dares not suffer him to looke vpon them trye them euery one singly but will enforce him to take them in the grosse in the lumpe whithout a particular sight the Chapman needeth none other argument then this to perswade him that there is packing as they calle it that this Merchant is about to play the crafty merchant as they say vvith him so it is heere if now their textes must be no longer viewed scanned seuerally singlie one by one but we must haue them thrust vpon vs in the lumpe all ioyned to gether vvho can but suspect iugling and double dealing vvas it euer knowne that such deuices vvere vsed but all this is still to hold such as they haue once taken in fetters of blindnesse superstition these cannot say as Paul said that they haue renounced the hidden things of dishonestie not walking in craftines nor handling the word of God deceitfully 2. Cor. 4.2 If to refuse a single triall of euery text they bring particularly by it selfe be not out of some hidden dishonestie craftinesse handling the word of God deceitfully I cannot tell what is And thus much be spoken in answer vnto all their Scriptures both out of the old new Testaments in all which you see they cannot proue vnto vs so much as one Lords day kept for a Sabbath no not in all the Scriptures In the next place we are to come vnto their reasones if their Scriptures cannot proue the point I trust their reasones consequences shall doe as little vnlesse their reasons be growne more potent then the Scriptures are SECT XIIII Amongst all their reasones for the Lords day Sabbath this is one that it is the fitest day for a Sabbath therfore it must be a Sabbath that it is of all other dayes the fitest this they proue because Christ rose on it and Paul preached on it and collectiones for the poore were made on it c. Hereunto I answer 1. by demaunding of them in whose account this fitnesse is to be allowed of in Gods account or in mans account if they say in mans account what hath man to doe in valuing making choise of dayes for Gods worship God neuer left it vnto man to make choise of his
Sabbaths for man to take vpon him this office it is but an vsurpation If they say in Gods account then I answer as for the 6. dayes they are vnsit for a Sabbath in Gods account because God appointed them for labouring dayes Sixe dayes shalt thou labour c. Exod. 20.9 wherefore if we may take that day for a Sabbath which God esteemeth fitest then must we haue the Saturday Sabbath for that God esteemed this the fitest day of all others it appeareth in that he gaue a com for the sanctifying of this day aboue all others God commanded this day he neuer commanded any day besids this day But hereunto they will thus reply but we meane it of the 6 dayes only that day of the 6 begining at Sunday for the first of the 6 which is the fitest that day must be Sabbath day for as for the 7th day we hould that to be abolished I answer admit for argument sake that the 7th day Sabbath is abolished which is more then euer they shall proue let vs take them in their meaning of the 6 dayes yet it followeth not for this their arguing is but a sley begging of the question that by taking that in their argument for granted which they should first haue proued to wit that some one of the 6 dayes must be a Sabbath and then this being proued in the next place they may consider which of the 6 dayes is the fitest for the Sabbath and that in Gods account for things may be fit for an vse in mans account which God neuer ordeined to that vse This their arguing is like in absurdety vnto this a man hath 7 sonnes concerning these thus one may argue the eldest sonne is a Lawyer because he is the fitest of all the rest the eldest sonne is a Phisitian because he is the fitest for a Phisitian and yet for all this fitnesse he is neither Lawyer nor Phisitian the eldest sonne is fitest for a gentleman yet he may be a beggar Saul of all men present was fitest to offer sacrifice yet God neuer ordeined him to offer sacrifice so the Lords day may in a sense be said to be the fitest for a Sabbath and yet God neuer ordeined it for a Sabbath but these are idle things first therefore let them handle their argument prouing that Christ hath ordeined any one or some one of the 6 dayes and then let them proue it shewing that the Lords day is fitest when a man goeth into a glouers shopp he must not vse such logicke as this this paire of glones is sitest for mee therfore they are mine he must first know if the glouer will parte whith them so or not for there must be something else besides fitnesse or else you must goe whith out them so first let them shew vs that Christ will haue one of the 6 dayes and then let them shew which of the 6. hee will haue In the meane space I will disproue them and shew that none of the 6 dayes are fit for a Sabbath for 1. God with ut any repeale bath giuen a com that these 6 dayâ—s wee should labour Exod. 20.9 and therefore these 6 dayes are not fit any of them for a Sabbath 2dly I will shevv that of all the 6 dayes the Lords day is not fit for a Sabbath and that because Christ and his Disciples vvith his approbation trauailed on this day at least 15 miles vvhich vve knovv of as hath bene proued out of Luk. 24.13.15.33.36 the vvhich hee vvould neuer haue done if hee had iudged it fit for a Sabbath day 3dly S. Paul did voluntarily omit the keeping of the Lords day vvhen he might haue kept it vvith those Christians at Antioch for but a vvord speaking as hath bene shovvne out of Act. 13.14.42.43.44 vvhich Paul vvould not haue omitted if he had iudged this Lords day fitest for a Sabbath Wherefore none of the 6 dayes are fit in Gods account for a Sabbath no not the Lords day it selfe they must therefore bring some other better argument then this of fitnesse to proue the Lords day a Sabbath of all our Lambes those vvhich are spotlesse are fitest for a sacrifice yet no man must novv Sacrifice them 2. I ansvver to their reason vvhere by this argument is proued they proue the Lords day to be fitest for a Sabbath day because certaine famouse vvorkes vvere done theron as 1. Christ rose on it 2. appeared on it 3. the holy Ghost descended on it 4. Peter preached converted 3000. Baptised them on it 5. Paul preached on it 6. there vvas collections on it and this reason is very plausible with common people But I deny that these things doe fit a day for a Sabbath day in Gods account as for mans account I regard not what he accountes or thinks fit in matters necessary to be obserued vpon paine of damnation in matters of Gods worship I desire them to shew vs how they come to know Gods minde in this point hath God at any time reuealed it that such actiones as are forementioned should fit the dayes wherin they were done for Sabbathes or hath the Church of God at any time found out Sabbathes or made choise of Sabbathes by such and the like actiones or hath God left it to the liberty and vvisedome of men to choose him out his Sabbathes by such like actiones if none of these can be shovvne how dare they be so presumptuous to affirme that such actiones doe fit the dayes vvherin they were done for Sabbathes mans reason is a more blind thing in the dueties of the first Table then in the dueties of the second Table now the point of a Sabbath is a matter of the first Table dare men be so audaciously bould then vvith their reason consequences heere yea such poore reasones and friuolouse consequences it stands not vvith the feare of God and reuerence of Gods Majestie to be so bould vvith God I vvish therfore that men especially Ministers vvould make lesse vse of their reason consequences and more vse of the Scriptures and conscience Further I answer that if men will be directed by examples in the Scripture for the erection choosing of dayes for publike solemnities they shall find that such famouse actions haue not caused those very dayes vvherein they vvere done to be holy dayes but God and the Church haue made choise of the next dayes after Thus God ended his vvorke of Creation on the 6th day now he sanctified the 7th day which is the day after the Church Ester 9. did likewise for those Iewes who had deliuerance from Hamans conspiracy on the 13th day of the moneth they kept the 14th day of the moneth the day after a day of feasting ioye v. 17. those Iewes who had deliuerance on the 14th day of the moneth they solemnised the 15th day of the moneth the day after v. 18. wherefore if they would follow the Church of
the King our Soâ—eraigne Lord with the assent of the Lords Spirituall Temporall the Commons in this present Parliament assembled that all the daies hereafter mentioned shall be kept holie daies c. That is to say all Sundaies in the yeere c. S. Mathew S. Mark S. Iohn Baptist S. Peter S. Iames c. Then a prouiso is added Prouided alwaies it is enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid that it shall be lawfull to euery Husbandman labourer fisher man to all euery other person or persones vpon the holie daies aforesaid in Haruest or at any other times in the yeere when necessitie shall require to labour ride fish or work any kind of work at their free wills plesures any thing in this Act to the contrarie in any wise notwithstanding These things are remarkable in this Statute 1. That our Sunday or Lords day was by these Law-makers rekoned to be of no higher nor other authority then are the other holy dayes of the Apostles as S. Mathews S. Marks S. Iohns dayes and the rest 2. That the Sunday or Lords day is ordained by the Church and State for a Sabbath day or holy day that it is at their liberty to doe in this matter as they shall iudg most convenient 3. A most remarkable thing in this Statute for our purpose is that the Lords Spirituall and Temporall with the Commons and so consequently the Church of England were cleere of iudgment openly in this Act professed it that our Sunday or Lords-day-Sabbath is not of Diuine institution for they declared it whilst they said it is not to be thought that there is any certaine time or definit number of daies prescribed in the holy Scriptures so then there is no Scripture for the Lords day Againe But that the apointment both of the time and also of the number of daies is left by the Authoritie of Gods word to the libertie of Christs Church to the Rulers thereof to be determined so then ther 's no Diuine institution for the Lords day SECT XXII Hauing finished my answer touching the Lords day Sabbath for a conclusion of this Chapter I purpose to spend a few words in this Section by way of Admonition dehortation from Superstition voluntary religion will-worship the which as I direct it vnto all men whome it may concerne so in a speciall sorte I apply it vnto such patrones of the Lords day Sabbath as haue alredy made head against my former booke with greate zeale haue scandalized it among the people so occationed this booke by name Mr. Hutchinson Mr. Benton Mr. Furnace Mr. Gallard Mr. Yates Mr. Chappell Mr. Grenewod Mr. Stinnet Mr. Iohnson Mr. Ward These men obstinatly persisting in their erroniouse false doctrine after sufficient meanes of conviction ought to take these things into consideration First touching the Admonition by the whole discourse touching the Lords day already finished thou maiest see Christian reader that there is no footeing or grownd in the word of God to make the Lords day a Sabbath wherefore I doe hereby admonish both Ministers and people and desire them to take knowledge of it henceforth that this their zealouse sanctifying of the Lords day in conscience of the 4th com of Christ his institution it is no better before God with wisemen then Superstition and needlesse religion for when men will doe that in Gods seruice in obedience vnto God the which hee hath no where commanded them what is this but a needlesse religion and superstition when men cannot shew Gods will for that they doe then it must follow that it is of their owne willes so their religion in that point is a voluntary-religion and a will-worship Let me not be mistaken the Lords day may be considered as an ordinance of God or as an ordinance of man as it is ignorantly conceiued to be an ordinance of God in this sense only I speake against it but as it is an ordinance of man that is as it is commanded by the Magistrate so at his will and plesure to continue it or discontinue it in this regard I haue nothing against it so much for the Admonition I come now vnto the Debortation my first reason disswasiue is because we hate Superstition will-worship in others how doe we beare against our aduersaries the Papistes because of their superstitiouse Traditiones and Religion of will-worship and can we see an errour in them and cannot we see the same errour in our selues had we bene wise for our selues we might haue seene this errour long agone for they haue often admonished vs in their writings against vs telling vs that our Lords day is but a Tradition from the fathers and a Tradition of the Church herein giue the deuill his right as they say they haue spoken most truly albeit we haue giuen deafe care vnto them laboured to shifte it of and will we condemne them for will-worship superstition practise the same our selues well heare what S. Paul saith therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoeuer thou art that condemnest for in that that thou condemnest an other thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that condemnest doest the same thinges Rom. 2.1 Many Ministers thinke them selues farr enough of from superstition will-worship whilst in the pulpit they can cry out against the superstition of Papists when as indeed and in trueth themselues are euen then very Papistes in this point greate patrones and maintainers of superstition will worship wherefore let them reforme themselues or else let them be silent touching Papistes you haue seene it proued by good Authority that the Lords day is but a Tradition of the Church shall we retaine Popish Traditiones will these Ministers be still patrones and supporters of vnwritten Traditiones I would hope better of them My second reason disswasiue is because we shall all leese our labour in the Sanctification of the Lords day vve shall labour in vaine For if we like seruants will be doeing of such vvorkes as our Maister neuer appointed vs doe vve thinke our Maister vvill thanke vs yea reward vs for them you haue heard that God neuer commanded vs to sanctify the Lords day by the 4th Com. that Christ neuer appointed it in the New Testament if therefore we will be hallowing of the Lords day thinke you that God will reward you for it or that Christ vvill thanke you for it many men that are honestly disposed of ingenuouse minds being misled by some Ministers they leese some yeeres their Hay in the field some yeers their corne in the field all of conscience thinking it a duety for them so to doe rather then to labour on the Lords day many others keepe the Lords day very strictly both priuatly publikly erroniously misperswaded that that text Isa 58.13 inioyneth theÌ„ so to doe but is not all this Labour in vaine God neuer commanded it Christ neuer
rigorousnesse he that can invent how to make this Rest the most rigorouse he is the best expositer And hence comes that vaine distinction of the Iewish Rest as if for sooth the 4th com conteined two kinds ef Rest in it A Iewish Rest A Christian Rest but the vanity hereof will appeare by by when you shall haue seene the vanity of their arguments to proue this rigorouse Iewish Rest Now let me shewe you their arguments in order and first I will lay downe 3 arguments vsed by a worthy Diuine and late writer to proue this rest rigorouse whose name I spare for honour sake the first whereof is this that the Iewe might not on the Sabbath goe forth or take a iourny any whither for any busines of his owne Exod. 16.29 this saith hee was temporary and doth not concerne these times of the newe Testament Hereunto I answer that this text Exod. 16.29 forbad the Iew to trauaile on the Sabbath indeede but by the context it doth appeare that here the Lord forbad trauailing friuolouslie when there was no neede to trauaile for in as much as on the 6th day God gaue them Manna enough for ij dayes the 6th the 7th so rained downe none on the 7th day therefore he forbad them to goe forth on the 7th day or Sabbath day this was the iourney which God forbad namly an vnnecessary iourny for why should they goe abroad to seeke Manna on a day wherein there was none in the field and why should they seeke for it on the 7th day when God gaue them enough on the 6th day both for it and for the 7th day also now I pray shew me where is that rigorouse strictnesse of the Iewish rest for which end this text is brought is that to be esteemed a rigorouse rest when men are forbidden to trauaile on the Sabbath day when they haue no neede at all to trauaile when their iourney is friuolouse to no purpose if this be a Iewish strictnesse we Christians vse it and vrge it at this day for we permit not to trauaile on the Lords day vpon euery sleity occation And doe they not want matter thinke you against Gods Sabbathes when they are forced to racke vp such poore stuffe as this is against them SECT III. An other reason hee vseth taken out of Exod. 35.3 where the Iew is forbiddē to kindle a fier on the Sabbath day yee shall kindle no fier throughout your habitationes on the Sabbath day and herein saith hee stood the rigorousnesse of the Iewish rest Herevnto I answer that this text if vnderstod generally it is set vpon the tainter hoockes and stretched beyond measure yee haue a text to wit the 4th com saying in it thou shalt not doe any worke this text the same diuines can vnderstand it expound it with a due limitation to wit of common ordenary and seruile workes why then by like reason can they not add the same limitation in the same case to this text also Exod. 35.3 and so vnderstand it thus thou shalt kindle no fier that is to doe ordenary common seruile workes withall like as common Bakers and Brewares doe by making it parte of their trade thus workes of necessity and charity to be done on the Sabbath shall be no more forbidden in this text Exod. 35.3 then they are in the 4th com Exod 20.10 to kindle a fier as Bakers doe is a seruile worke but otherwise it is a worke of mercy when but to warme one and the like Also it might haue a speciall reference vnto the building of the Tabernacle Exod. 35.3.4.5 whereof there was no such necessary hast as that they should kindle fiers on the Sabbath to worke about it For vs to thinke that God who allowed a beast to be led to the water on the Sabbath and allowed the Iewes to lift a beast out of the ditch on the Sabbath to plucke and rubb eares of corne on the Sabbath wold forbid them to kindle a fier on the Sabbath to dresse a morsell of warme meate for their dinner and to warme them selues in cold winters weather when they came from Church that so they might be the more fresh and liuely to serue God againe in the afternone ther 's no shew of reason in it would God haue mercy shewed to a beast on the Sabbath and none of a man that is made after his Image what likelihod is there of this Further our Sauiour saith the Sabbath was made for man Mar. 2.27 so to expound this text Exod. 35.3 therefore as if a man might not no not in a case of necessity kindle a fier in the time of froft and snow to warme himselfe and the like is to make the Sabbath not for man but against man and to make man for the Sabbath contrary to the words of our Sauiour Againe our Sauiour Christ was present at a ffeast on the Sabbath day Luk. 14.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 c. now at a feast there is commonly a fier to dresse meate for the guestes there is attendance to be giuen by seruants and the like now Christ by his presence at this feast allowed of fier kindling of others as great workes as the kindling of a fier is wherby it appeareth that this text is wrested when it is vnderstod so rigorously as if God had forbad his people to kindle a fier in any case thus you see that it is but a slaunder brought vp vpon the Iewish Rest to say it was rigorouse but such slaunders are frequent to loath men of Gods Sabbath SECT IV. A third reason hee fetcheth out of Ierem. 17 21. and Nehem. 13.15 take heede to your selues and beare no burden in the Sabbath day here saith hee the Iewes might beare no burdens on the Sabbath Herevnto I answer briefly that these texts as any man may see by the context speake onely of burthens bearing in an ordenary common case as a seruile worke but that all bearing of burdens was forbidden to the Iewes is false for Christ him selfe commanded the sicke man to carry his bedd on the Sabbath day Ioh. 5.8.9.10 seeing therefore that God did not forbid a man to carry a burden on the Sabbath day in his necessity where is there any grownd then here for any man to say the Ieweish Rest was strict and rigorouse I neuer yet could see but that God allowed the Jewes as much liberty on the Sabbath day as he alloweth Christianes and as much liberty as Ministers grant vnto Christians on the Lords day therefore it is but a meere slaunder to say the Iewish Rest was rigorouse the distinction betwixt the Iewish rest and the Christian Rest is a distinction without a difference for all workes of mercy and workes of necessity might be done by the Iewes on the Sabbath day as well as by vs Christianes now Loe these deuices wise men haue to defeate God of his Sabbaths SECT V. A fourth text I will
then what doe we with the old Testament it seemeth then that not onely the old Sabbath is abolished but also the whole old Testament is abolished also now it standeth for a cipher if this arguing be good why did S. Paul send vs to the old Testament saying whatsoeuer is written a fore time is written for our lerning Rom. 15.4 2. If you will acknowledge no more of the morall Law then what is particularly repeated in the new Testamēt then what will become of the 10th com where is it repeated in euery branch thereof particularly in all the new Testament I know it is found writtē Thou shalt not lust but to come to particulars where is it written thou shalt not lust after or couet thy neighbours house thy neigbours wife his man seruant maide oxe asse or any thing that is thy neigbours you may as well therfore conclude against sondry things cōmanded in the 10th com as agaimst the Sabbath commanded in the 4th com for neither of them are repeated in the new Testament particularly in an expresse commandement 3. I will shew you how the 4th com is repeated in the new Testament generally consequently the Sabbath is there vrged also in a generall manner see Mat. 5.18 where Christ prophecieth of the lasting of the Morall Law and of euery iot title of it to the worlds end now in these words is the 4th com and the 10th com euery commandement yea euery iot title of euery commandement conteined the like may be proued by Rom. 3.31 Iam. 2.10 It is to be obserued that of all the 10. commandements there was the least need nay there was no neede to repeate the 4th cō nor to vrge the obseruation of the Sabbath day in particular for in the daies of Christ his Apostles both Iewes Gentiles were very zealouse for the obseruation of the Sabbath day for the Iewes they were more strict for the keeping of the Sabbath if I may so say then Christ him selfe was for Christ would allow the plucking and rubbing eares of corne on the Sabbath day to carry a bedd and the like but the Iewes could not endure it what hote contentions did the Iewes moue against Christ his Disciples for doeing some petty workes on the Sabbath day yea vpon a time they would haue slaine our Sauiour for healing of a sicke man vpon the Sabbath day Ioh. 5.16 what neede then was there that Christ or his Apostles should repeate the 4th com to the Iewes or vrge them to keepe the Sabbath day since they were so hote for it alredy it was enough that the 4th com the obseruation of the Sabbath day should be spoken of onely in some generall termes as you haue it Mat. 5.18 Ia. 2.10 And for the Gentiles there was no need to presse them neither for they coming into the Inheritance of the Iewes ioyning in communion with the beleeuing Iewes did redely imbrace the very ceremonies of the Iewes as circumcision the like how much more then did they imbrace the Morals with the Iewes as the Sabbath day as you may see Act. 13.42.44 Act. 16.13 looke therfore wherin the Iewes were very zealouse it is to be thought that the beleeuing Gentiles were zealouse also therefore was it needlesse that the Sabbath day or 4th com of all the commandements should be vrged pressed in the new Testament Neuerthelesse somthing we find touching the Sabbath in particular in the new Testament as Mat. 24.20 Pray saith our Sauiour that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath day In which words Christ alloweth a conscience to be made of the Sabbath day for aboue 40. yeers after his death 2. we find that it was the constant practise of the Apostles after Christ his ascention to obserue and keepe the Sabbath day see for this purpose Act. 13.14.42.44 Act. 16.13 Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 that the Apostles did here keepe the Sabbath with the Iewes to beare with their weaknesse is a weakenesse in any to thinke so they cā neuer proue it I am suer when the Apostles yeelded obbediēce vnto Magistrates which was commanded in the 5th com worshiped God which was cōmāded in the first Table may any absurdly growndlesly say they did these things to beare with the weaknesse of the Iewes and why then should any say when the Apostles performed the things commanded in the 4th com that they did this for the weaknesse of the Iewes where as some say the Apostles kept not the Sabbath in cōscience of the 4th com they hauing no grownd for what they say may as well say when they worshiped the true God obeyed the Magistrate that they did not these in conscience of the first 5th cōmandements 3 In the new Testament and after the death of Christ and abolition of ceremonies we find the Sabbath day kept in cōscience of the 4th com the Holy Ghost commending it by rekoning it among ranking it with other commendable actiones saying they rested the Sabbath day according to the commandement Luk. 23.56 SECT XV. 11. They fetch an argument from Deut. 5.15 where the 4th com is repeated and at the end of it there is added as a reason these words For remember that thou wast a seruant in the Land of Egypt that the Lord thy God brought the out thence by a mightie hand Therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to obserue the Sabbath day Hence they argue to this effect that because the Sabbath doth depend vpon the deliuerance out of Egypt therefore since the deliuerance out of Egypt belongeth not vnto vs no more doth the Sabbath day this text M. Chappell vrged Herevnto I answer it is true indede that therfore God commanded the Iewes in this place to obserue the Sabbath day because he brought them out of the Land of bondage but if hence men may gather that we Christians are not bound vnto the Sabbath day as M. Chappell did then 1. it followeth that we now haue no Sabbath day by the 4th com and so the 4th com is vselesse as a cipher or abolished for this reason of Gods deliuerance of the Iewes out of Egypt it is added not to any parte of the 4th com onely but vnto all the 4th com wholly now in the 4th com the aduersaries of Gods trueth doe distinguish betwixt the time of the 7th day and the dueties of holinesse and Rest now the time is that which they would faine trample downe as for the duetie of an holy Rest this they would haue still morall but if this their argument be good then haue they hereby at once ouerthrowne not onely the time but also the dueties of holinesse Rest in the time and so quite nullified the 4th com the reason hereof is plaine for that argumēt of Gods deliuerance of Israel out of Egypt which they bring to abolish one parte of the com to wit the time it doth also
doubtfull then when the matter is in our choise which day of the weeke to take it is the surest and safest to make choise of that day whereof there is some doubt whither it be abolished or not we haue showne it is certaine that the 7th day is not abolished but suppose there were some doubt of it as it cannot be but doubted of by the stifiest Anti Sabbatharians since that some place is lest for doubting be it that we doubt neuer so litle of it yet it is better and safer to keepe it then to keepe any other day of the weeke to neglect the 7th day being once Commanded of God and it cannot be cleerly proued that euer God countermanded it here vpon some scruple at least must remaine in mens consciences touching it and therefore it is fitest to keepe the 7th day so shall we make suer worke that God shal haue nothing against vs out of his 4th coÌ„ but doeing otherwise we shall laye in perpetuall doubts feares that we liue in the transgression of the 4th com So much be spoken for this point the which I haue insisted vpon not so much hereby to proue that the 7th day must be the Sabbath for that I shall doe after the next section by solid arguments but chiefly to this end to stay satisfie the minds of carnall men with carnall reasones with Testemonies and the like for some men there are I feare me that could wish in their hearts that there were no Sabbaths at all of such an ignoble and base Spirit they are all their minde is for worke worke vncessantly it is meete therfore that it should be declared vnto such men that it is not onely necessary to haue a Sabbath in religiouse diuine respects but also in carnall respectes as for necessity of nature and the like and that otherwise all Churches would condemne vs for not onely the primitiue Churches but also all Christians euery where of euery Sect doe set a parte one day in 7 for Gods worship yea our owne Church would rise vp in iudgment and condemne such conceipts by hit contrary and daily practise SECT II. I come now to giue answer vnto many friuolouse obiectiones which are daily raised against the Lords Sabbath which being done I shall haue a cleere way opened for me to proue that the Lords Sabbath day is still in force these rubbes being taken out of the way first OBIECT I. One obiection they haue against the Lords Sabbath day and it is this what shall we keepe the Sabbath day the 7th day the Saturday Sabbath why that is the Iewes Sabbath day Herevnto I answer my desire it not to striue aboute names were the Lords Sabbath day called the Jewes Sabbath day in none other nor worse sense then that it might likewise be called the Christians Sabbath day I should say nothing to the contrary but finding it so called reprochfully I desire to rescue it from vnder the feete of contempt I desire therefore of such men as so cale it reprochfully to giue me 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 we are commanded to Haue in the first com should be called the Iewes Lord God for my parte I can see no reason but that the one may be so called reprochfully as well as the other nor any thing can I see to the contrary but that we may as well cale the Sabbath day which the Iewes Sanctified our Sabbath day also as to cale the Lord God whom the Iewes worshipped our Lord God But to take of vniust scandall let not men nickname the Lords Sabbaths but rather in an holy reuerence of God let vs cale them as God himselfe calleth them that is the Lord Gods Sabbaths for thus the Lord himselfe named them in his 4th com when he said The 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God So then it is Gods Sabbath not the Iewes Sabbath it is the Sabbath of the Lord and not the Sabbath of the Iewes The Lord telleth vs by his Prophet Isaiah that we should cale the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable Isa 58.13 So then we should vse the name of the Sabbath honourably but loe how men will vse it reprochfully caling it Iewish and the Iewes Sabbath in scorne and contempt Yet further the Sabbath was ordeined from the Creation Genes 2.3 Now at the Creation there was no difference of Iew Gentile how then can the Sabbath be called the Iewes Sabbath it may be therfore the Gentiles Sabbath as well as the Iewes Sabbath so much for this name or nickname OBIECT II. An other obiection is this oh but this were to bringe into the Church such strictnesse as is intollerable for if we admit of the Iewes Sabbath day then must we not so much as kindle a fyer on the Sabbath day nor doe any worke at all how needfull soeuer it be Herevnto I answer that this is but an euill reporte and a slaunder brought vp against the Lords Sabbaths by those who are professed enemies vnto them and delight to bring them into disgrace with the people for we haue formerly showne that the Lord neuer forbad the Iewes to kindle a fyer in a case of necessity on the Sabbath but onely for the doeing of such workes as might be done the day before or tarry vntill the day after we haue showne how Christ himselfe was present at a feast on the Sabbath day where in all likelihod was a fyer kindled to make prouision for the guests or as greate workes done in attendance to the guests by the seruants as is the kindling of a fyer which may be done in an instant and without almost any labour yea our Sauiour allowed in his time of all necessary workes and workes of mercy to be done vpon the Sabbath day as to plucke and rubb eares of corne to lift a beast out of the ditch or to leade a beast vnto the water and the like In a word there was no more strictnesse required of the Iewes in keeping of the Sabbath day then is at this present required by Diuines in keeping of our Lords day so this obiection is but a slaunder OBIECT III. An other obiection is that it is a thing impossible to be reformed since the Sabbath day hath bene out of vse so many hundâ—eth yeeres and since the Lords day hath bene in vse so longe Wherevnto J answer impossible say you what impossibility is there in it the impossibility and all the difficulty is onely in the minds of men in that they are not willing with it for the Commonwealth should not loose euery man a penny by the change of the day for it is all one to them whither they keepe Saturday for their Sabbath or Sunday all the difficulty in the matter is as farre as I can see to possesse the minds of our Gouerners with this
10 commandements that is still in force But to sanctify the 7th day Sabbath God hath expresly commanded it to be done in his Morall Law or 10 commandements Therefore to sanctifie the 7th day Sabbath is still in force Here I will begine with the minor or second proposition prouing that first because it will be soonest done the point then I am to proue is that God hath commanded the sanctification of the 7th day Sabbath in his morall Law or 10 com here first I will proue that the Lord hath commanded the sanctification of the Sabbath day 2dly that this Sabbath day is the 7th day for the former see Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy or to sanctifie it where you see an expresse commandement giuen to Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it or keepe it holy so the former point is proued The next point to be proued is that this Sabbath day it was the 7th last day of the weeke which is our Saturday this I shall proue first by humane Testimony 2dly by Diuine Testimony for humane Testimony 1. the Iewes wheresoeuer they liue they kepe the 7th last day of the weeke our Saturday for this Sabbath day here commanded as it is well knowne 2. All Christians both Protestants Papists confesse that the 7th last day of the weeke our Saturday was the Sabbath day commanded in the 4th com which point I haue incisted more largly vpon in the Exposition of the 4th com I shall proue the same also by Diuine Testimony and that before the Law at the giuing of the Law after the giuing of the Law 1. Before the giuing of the Law see Exod 16.26 Sixe dayes shall yee gather it but in the 7th day is the Sabbath in it there shall be none So here you see before the Law was giuen by Sabbath day was vnderstod the 7th day 2. At the giuing of the Law see Exod. 20 10. But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord. So here at the giuing of the Law was vnderstod by Sabbath day the 7th last day of the weeke 3. After the giuing of the Law see Exod. 23.12 Sixe daies thou shalt doe thy worke and in the 7th day thou shalt Rest. And see Exod. 31.15 Sixe daies shall men worke but in the 7th day is the Sabbath of the holy Rest. See also Exod. 34.2 Sixe daies thou shalt worke in the 7th day thou shalt Rest both in earing time in haruest see also Leuit. 23.3 Sixe daies shall worke be done but in the 7th day shall be the Sabbath of Rest And so it continued in the Church vntill Christs time as you may see Luk. 13.14 yea after Christs death as you may see Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.1.2 thus you haue seene it proued that by the word Sabbath in the 4th com God and the Church of God vnderstod the 7th last day of the weeke so you haue seene it proued that God commanded the sanctification of the 7th day Sabbath in his morall Law Now I come to the Major or first proposition the profe of this will cost me longer time then the former not but that it is as cleere as the former but that men of peruerse minds haue wilfully bent their wites lerning against it as they haue done against the former but t is no matter trueth shall preuaile God assisting it the point then that I am to proue is this that whatsoeuer God hath commanded in the Morall Law or 10 commandements it is still in force or now to be obserued and obeyed if they deny this Major then I require them to giue me an instance to the contrary let them shew me where God hath commanded any thing to be done in the 10 commandements which is abolished not in force now remembring that they bring not the thing in question for their instance 2. Happily they will answer by lymitation distinguishing and so deny some parte of this Major for example sometime they distinguish of the substance of the commandements of the Accidentes granting those denying these by substance they vnderstand that which they please to make morall in the Decalogue as the Rest in the 4th com the holy actiones of prayer reading preaching Gods word by Accident they vnderstand that which they please to make ceremoniall in the Decalogue as the time of Gods worship to wit the 7th day but this is a foolish distinction and so much the more vile in that it is made against God for hath not God as well commanded the Accident time as the substance and Rest is it not necessary to obey God in one commandemēt as well as in an other for the one is as well commanded as the other did they distinguish betweene things commanded things not commanded it were tollerable but they distinguish of things all of them commanded as betwene great commandements and little commandements the one they cale substances the other Accidents now the greater commandementes which they cale substances these they will imbrace but as for the lesser commandements which they please to cale Accidents these they will reiect deny so then Gods greater commandementes they will obey but as for his lesser commandements these they will not obey that because they are little and light in their esteeme but our Sauiour Christ hath taught them an other lesson saying whosoeuer shall breake one of these least commandements he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.19 Let them cale them Accidentes if they will yet since they are commandements they are not lesse then the least commandements of which our Sauiour speaketh That no distinction is to be receiued whereby any thing inioyned in the 10 commandements is denyed I thus further proue it 1. this is a position so cleere as the Sunne that All Gods 10 commandements doe bind vs to obedience of them are still in force now if it be lawfull for any man barely to deny this trueth saying by way of answer that some of his commandements doe not bind vs to obedience then euery priuate mans bare deniall shall be as authenticall as this cleere trueth and orthodox position which is most absurd for thus a froward aduersary may put a man to bring a light cleerer then the Sunne that is hee may put him to proue whither any of Gods commandementes doe binde vs now or not for example a Minister reproueth an adulterer from the 7th commandement thus he frameth his argument against him All the 10 commandements doe bind vs c. But the 7th com is one of the 10 commandements c. Shall it be lawfull for this vncleane person to deny the Major in some parte of it by a distinction put the Minister to proue that All the 10 commandements doe bind vs what an impiouse and vngodly answer were this why this is our case for in my
Major I affirme that all the 10 commandements doe bind vs to obedience they make this vngodly answer by a distinction that all of them doe not bind vs will put me to proue that they doe bind vs. If this answer be lawfull why may not Papists deny that the 2d com bindeth vs or that it is still in force saying the 2d com touching Images it is Iewish concerned the Iewes onely and that it forbad onely Iewish Images that it concerneth not Christians Christian Images why may not Anabaptistes and Libertines our new sprung vp Eatonistes deny the whole Law euen all the 10 commandementes that vpon plausible pretenses also Furthermore such distinctiones are Blasphemouse therefore to be reiected for to deny that any thing commanded by God in his 10 com both bind vs to obedience is to deny that Gods will should be obeied by vs to reiect his Soueraignty gouernance as much as if we should say we will not that God shall Raigne ouer vs. is it not Blasphemy when the Creatour shall say doe this the creature shall answer He will not thus doe they who by distinctions will reiect any one thing commanded in the 10 commandements Further such answers as by distinctions deny any one thing commanded in the 10. commandements doe plainly bewray the Authoures thereof to be professed enemies to the Integrity perfection of God Lawe and would that God should be serued but by halues by peecemeale and therefore their such distinctiones are vnsound to be reiected by all men fearing God louing the Lawes of God Such answers are to be reiected and men are solely to rest contented with this that it is commanded in the Morall Law without demaunding any other proofes my reason hereof is because neither better proofes nor of higher authority can be possibly produced for the profe of any doctrine in Diuinity for vvhat better proofe can any man bring or any Christian man expect then Gods commandements amongst all Gods commandements then his 10 Morall commandements there is no Scripture of higher Authority then the Morall Lavv. The 10 Commandements the Creede and the Lords prayer these of all other Scriptures are holden as principles of our Christian Religion now how absurd a thing it is for any to deny principles in any Arte let all men iudge that haue any skill in Artes A man may as vvell be permitted by a distinction to deny that euery one of the 6 petitiones of the Lords prayer doe belong vnto vs or that some of the Articles of our faith doe belong vnto vs vpon some plausible reasones forged as by a distinction to deny that whatsoeuer is commanded in the 10 commandements doth belong vnto vs. Thus I haue proued that it is vnsufferable in A Christian Church that any man should vse a distinction or deniall against this Orthodox most cleere trueth that all things commanded in Gods 10 commandements are in force doe binde vs to obedience for this cause I neede not procede any further for the proofe of this Major orthodox trueth for if it be so cleere vndeniable a trueth as no man may deny it then I may very well spare the proofe of it Neuerthelesse for the truethes sake for its further confirmation I will proue it vnto you by many and sondry arguments but by the way one thing first I would should be taken into consideration which is this that Diuines and all others who are enemies vnto this most auncient ordinance of Gods Sabbath they are driuen to shrowd themselues from the force of this my 8th Argument by this abominable vngodly answer saying that all Gods commandements doe not binde vs to obedience or that some of the 10 commandements doe not bind vs to the obedience of them nay they must hold if they abolish the 7th day Sabbath that it is a sinne for vs to yeeld obedience vnto all the 10. commandements that it is Iudaisme I desire that all men would take speciall notice of this absurdety that so they may see what rockes these are forced to rune vpon who deny the Lords Sabbaths Should common people make such answers they deserued but a common censure but if Ministers yea Puritane Ministers shall make such vngodly answers what censure are they worthy of I haue greate reason to vrge this point because if they grant me this trueth to wit that all Gods commandementes doe binde vs to obedience the which no man fearing God can deny then of necessity they must grant me that the old Sabbath is still in force because it is one of Gods commandements An other thing I desire should be taken into consideration is that such as deny any thing in my Major by any distinctiō that so they may deny Gods 7th day Sabbath they rune into these other absurdeties 1. they hereby doe deface Gods royall Law making it a Morall-ceremoniall Law an euerlasting-temporary Law a very Monstre 2. They draw vs to Anabaptistry prophanesse that so we should haue none of Gods Sabbaths 3. They make an auncient holy prayer of our Church a mere babling with God to wit that prayer added to the 4th com in the Congregation 4. As the Sabbath is Gods ordinance so the Decalogue is Gods Law now were men professed enemies to God then if they should doe what in them is to abolish his Sabbaths to reiect as much of his Law as possibly they could denise it were but sutable to their profession but that wee who are professed friēds to God to his Law that wee I say should reiect desire to reiect as much of Gods Law as possibly by any wite we can deuise this is abhominable so I come to make profe of the point That all Gods commandements are now to be obserued and obeied I proue it by Testimony humane Diuine for humane Testimony the first shall be that of Reuerent Perkines who writing against our common aduersary the Papist he vndertaketh to proue that the religion of the Church of Rome agreeth to the corruption of mans nature amongst many other arguments he sheweth how that Papists doe repeale make of none effect all the 10 commandements of the Morall-Law and to this purpose he begineth on this wise The morall Law conteining perfect righteousnesse is flat opposite to mans corrupt nature therefore whatsoeuer religion shall repeale and make of none effect the commandements of the Morall Law the same religion must needs ioyne hands with the corruption of mās nature stand for themaintenance of it This doth the Religion of the Church of Rome it may beit doth not plainly repeale them yet in effect it doth and if it shall frustrate but any one point of any one commandement yea the whole Law thereby is made vaine Perkines in his first volume pag. 400. vnder the title A papist cannot goe beyond a reprobate I desire that these his words may
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
Law for whereas our Sauiour ratifieth the very least of the commandements in v. 19. expoundeth the 6th Com. to forbid rash anger calleing a mans brother foole v. 22. and expoundeth the 7th Com. to forbid a lustfull looke ver 28. and the 3d Com. to forbid swearing by the creature v. 34.36 and the 2d table to command loue to our enemies v. 44. a man may at once cut off all these from binding vs if he will but suppose that these enlargments of the Law being so strict rigorouse were Iewish and pertaine not vnto Christians for the better auoiding of them he may answer that Christ ratified the Law thus expounded but vntill his death passion were not this a goodly answer 2. It is false which they say that all things were fulfilled at Christ his passion It is true indeed that Christ vpon the Crosse said it is finished Ioh. 19.30 that is his death passion was finished but yet all things were not finished for the Resurrection was behind Wherefore the truer sense is by these words till all things be fulfilled to vnderstand euen all things whatsoeuer Christ was to doe for his Church and all things which were any way prophecied of him or of his Church militant as this for one Christ tarrieth now at the right hand of God vntill his enemies be made his footestoole Hebr. 10.12.13 This one thing is not yet fulfilled see 1 Cor. 15.25 an other thing is that the heauens must containe Christ vntill the time that all things be restored Act. 3.21 this other thing is not yet fulfilled to wit Christ his second comeing and the restauration of all things A third thing is that the Church shall sing A triumphant song ouer death the graue sinne 1 Cor. 15.55.56 this thing is not yet fulfilled neither now since all these things shall not be fulfilled vntill the worlds end therfore the Law is to last vnto the worlds end for it must last vntill all things be fulfilled Yet further the same is euident and apparent in the Text it selfe for our Sauiour saith that the Law shall last vntill heauen earth perish or passe away that is vntill the end of the world for then shall the heauens the earth passe away and be dissolued as saith S. Peter the heauens shall passe away with a noise the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp c. 2. Pet. 3.10 so long therfore as the heauens the earth last so long shall the Law euery iot and title of it last the same is ratifyed by S. Luk saying It is more easy that heauen earth should passe away then that one title of the Law should fall Luk. 16.17 Lastly suppose we that in this text there were no Prophecy at all touching the duration continuance of the Law yet forasmuch as we imbrace this Sermon which Christ preached vpon the Mount as concerning vs our times we must therefore imbrace this parte of his Sermon wherein he preached and taught that the Law with the least commandement thereof yea euery branch of this Law vnto a iot title must goe together for Christ did not onely presse the Law vpon his Disciples but also euery title of it wherefore by the same right that we imbrace the other partes passages of Christs Sermon by the same right we must imbrace also the Law euery iot and title of the Law this Diuine Sermon of Christ it is iij Chapters long it begane Mat. 5.1.4 It lasted vnto Mat. 8.1 If you may reiect some partes of this Sermon as not belonging vnto vs then may you reiect all the Sermon if you imbrace some partes then must you imbrace all thus you see their answer is vaine in goeing about to confine the duration of the Law vnto the time of Christs liuing vpon the earth or vnto his death and Passion onely 3. A third answer is that not euery iot title of the Law is now in force for there be some things in the Law that be not in force as in the preface to the commandements I am the Lord thy God that brought the out of the Land of Egypt this deliuerance out of Egypt belongeth not vnto vs Christians for we neuer were in bondagein Egypt also the reason annexed vnto the 5th com that thy dayes may be longe in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee this Land was Canaan therefore the promise of this Land cannot belong vnto vs Christians Herevnto I answer that the Apostle doth apply this promise vnto Christianes that liued not in Canaan as you may reade Eph. 6.1.2.3 neither doth the Lord say that thy dayes may be long in the Land of Canaan but generally thus that thy dayes may be long in the Land which God shall giue thee that is any Land into which God should bring them wherefore the promise to the 5th com is not to be restrained vnto Canaan onely but may belong vnto any Land And as for the preface touching the deliuerance out of Egypt this belongeth to this day vnto those people vnto whome it did at any time belong that is vnto the Israelites Furthermore I giue one answer seruing vnto both these which is this admit that there be some titles of the Law that doe not belong vnto vs as these two reasones annexed to the Law yet they cannot shew any titles of the Law that doe not belong vnto vs which are partes of the Law for we must distinguish betwixt the law the appurtenāces belonging to the law the law is that parte of the Decalogue which command or forbiddeth something the appurtenances of this Law are the preface to the Law the motiues or reasones to perswade to the obedience of this Law these are not deliuered in commanding or forbiddeing termes now I stand to defend by my argument nothing more in the Law then what is Law expresly commanded or forbidden neither doe I expound Christs words Mat. 5.18 Any larger then so howbeit Iiudge that Christ his words ought to be extended not onely vnto the Law but also to the appurtenances of the Law if possiblie they may where necessity absurdety doe not hinder To conclud since my argument speaketh onely of such iotes in the Law as are Law deliuered in commanding or forbidding termes their obiection is impertinent besids the matter in question to bring exceptiones of such iotes as are no law nor parte of Law bur onely appendixes to the Law for all the appurtenances belonging to the Law might possiblie be of no force yet the law it selfe may stand safely still like as a mans apparell may be worne out or burned yet his body may be safe still For a conclusion let me add one thing in generall which maketh against all their 3 answers which is this All Orthodox and sound Diuines when they haue
some other of the Apostles did so it is sufficient to bind vs to doe the like why then should we not be followers of them in this case also keeping that day for our Sabbath which they kept constantly kept also As for the other 2 branches of my Major they cannot be denied vnlesse men dare censure those purest and primitiue Churches which liued next after the Apostles as if they should liue in an errour of practise 300 or 400 yeeres together I should rather suspect our owne times then their times Nor vnlesse men would make frustrate an holy praier of our Church And so much for the Major I come now to the profe of the Minor or second proposition this consisteth of 3 branches which I will proue in order one after an other the first branch is this that the Apostles did constantly keepe the Sabbath day after Christs death for this purpose see Act. 13.14 But when they were departed from Perga they came to Antioch of Pisidia went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day c. Here you see the Sabbath day in vse and on this day Paul preached a Sermon to the congregation assembled as you may reade in the following partes of the Chapter Againe see Act. 13.42.44 And when they were come out of the Synagogue of the Iewes the Gentiles besought that they would preach those words to them the next Sabbath day and the next Sabbath day came almost the whole Citty together to heare the word of God Loe here againe was an other sermō preached vpon the Sabbath day and further note the constancy of keeping the Sabbath day for here were two Sabbath dayes together kept the one immediatly following after the other this is signifind by those words the next Sabbath day Againe see Act. 16.13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the Citty besids a riuer where they were wont to pray and we sate downe and spake vnto the women which were come together Loe here at an other time and in an other place or Citty the Sabbath day was kept also and further it is to be noted that on this Sabbath day was Lydia converted shee hir houshold Baptized Againe see Act. 17.2 And Paul as his manner was went in vnto them and three Sabbath daies Disputed with them by the Scriptures c. Loe here at an other time in an other place or Citty the Sabbath day was kept note also the constancy of their keeping the Sabbath that three Sabbath dayes together were here kept as the text speaketh note also that i◠was no rare and seldome thing for the Sabbath to be thus kept but that it was in the Apostles times a most ordenary constant thing so to doe and this is signified vnto vs by those words And Paul as his manner was So it was a custome with S. Paul to keepe the Sabbath day euermore wheresoeuer he came Againe see Act. 18.4 And he Disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabbath day exhorted the Iewes the Grecians Loe here againe at an other time and in an other place or Citty the Sabbath day was kept note the constācy of the keping the Sabbath day for in this citty Paul kept euery Sabbath day so saith the text euery Sabbath day not a Sabbath day once in a quarter of a yeere but euery Sabbath in a yeere What can be more plainly proued then this point is that the Sabbath day was kept yea and constantly kept in the dayes of the Apostles Furthermore it shall not be amisse to shew also by whom the Sabbath was kept and here I shall proue vnto you that this obseruation of the Sabbath day it was an Apostolicall practise and therefore the more to be regarded for this purpose let vs looke backe vnto the texts fore alleaged see Act. 13.13.14 Now when Paul and they that were with him c. Where you see that the Apostle Paul kept the Sabbath day and also other Christianes that accompanied him in his voyage namly those who were with Paul as the text speaketh Againe see Act. 13.43.44.46 Where mention is made of Barnabas the Apostle who ioyned himselfe with Paul those other Christianes in the obseruation of the Sabbath day Againe see Act. 16.1.3.13.19.20 Where is mention made of Timotheus of Silas both which ioyned with Paul in the sanctification of the Sabbath day Thus you haue seene that the Sabbath day was obserued after Christs resurrection by the Apostles Paul Barnabas by Timotheus Silas and by other Christians that accompanied Paul in his voyage wherefore we may safely cale the obseruation of the old Sabbath day an Apostolicall Christian practise for it was obserued by the Apostles of Christ and by such as were Preachers of the Gospell of Christ and therefore the obseruation of the old Sabbath hath Authority sufficient to backe it by those that published and preached the Gospell of Christ vnder the new Testament Thus you haue seene it proued that the Sabbath day was kept and constantly kept after Christs death resurrection 2. That it was kept by the Apostles themselues and by such as published and preached the Gospell 3 It shall not be amisse to shew you how vniuersallie the Sabbath was kept for it was kept in diuerse and sondry places as at Antiochia Act. 13.14.42 And at Philippi Act. 16 12.13 and at Thessalonica Act. 17.1.2 And at Corinth Act. 18.1.4 So you see the Sabbath day was kept in these 4 Christian Churches to wit in the Church at Antioch at Philippi at Thessalonica and at Corinth all these we know of Albeit we haue sufficiently proued both the Major and also the first branch of the Minor yet all is not done in this argument which some that are very scrupulouse require for say some it is true indeede that the Apostles kept the Sabbath after Christs resurrection but it was amongst the Jewes and in the Iewish Synagogues but proue vnto vs that euer the Apostles kept the Sabbath among the Gentiles But herevnto I reply This distinction of keeping the Sabbath among Iewes but not among Gentiles is fond and vaine for these men make doubtes differences where the Apostles made none as I shall proue vnto you for the Apostles kept the Sabbath day among both Iewes Gentiles ioyned in one congregation togeather see Act. 18.4 And he disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabbath day exhorted the Iewes and the Grecianes Here you see the Sabbath was kept both with Iewes Gentiles for the Grecianes were no Iewes but Gentiles see also Act. 17.2.4 And some of them beleeued ioyned in company with Paul Silas also of the Grecianes that feared God a greate multitude Here you see a multitude of Grecianes or Gentiles were present with the Iewes in the same congregation when Paul Silas kept the Sabbath day as in v. 2. so then the Apostles made no difference in keeping the Sabbath day betwixt Iewes
whence I came 4. My fourth Testimony shall be the words of M. Perkins and Doctour Prideanx M. Brerewood For M. Perkins he moueth a question to know who changed the Iewes Sabbath And then his answer is this It is commonly thought saith hee that the Iews Sabbath was changed into this Lords day by Christian Emperours long after the Ascention of Christ Perk. in his Exposition vpon the first Chapter of the Reuelation and verse the 10th In which words M. Perkins doth deliuer though not his owne yet the common opinion and iudgment of others now the common opinion is saith hee that the Iewes Sabbath was changed long after Christ his Ascention and that by Christian Emperours so then it is the common opinion that the Sabbath day lasted in the Churches a long time after Christ his Ascention euen 300. yeers For Doctour Prideaux saieth he in his worke vpon the Sabbath pag 140 Annon Sabbathum Iudaeorum oum Iudaeis sine scrupulo murmure obseruarunt Apostoli caetus in Sabbatho coactos libentissime instituerunt Annon insequens Ecclesia tam Sabbathum hoc quam diem Dominicum per aliquot annorum decursum sacris conventibus distinauit Notiora sunt ista quam vt probatione indigeant The summe whereof is this did not the Apostles saith hee obserue the Iewes Sabbath with the Iewes without the least scruple making did they not most willingly appoint assemblies on the Sabbath day and did not the Church which followed them appoint both the Sabbath day the Lords day for holy assemblies for diverse yeeres these things are so well knowne that they need not to be proued By whose Testimony you see that the Churches which followed the Apostles they obserued and kept the Sabbath day for diuerse yeeres this is so plaine by History that it needeth not any quotations or profe For M. Brerewood Professor in Gresham College in London in his Treatise of the Sabbath day against M Bysield pag. 77. thus writeth And little doe you know saith hee of the ancient condition of the Church if you know it not that the ancient Sabbath did remaine was obserned together with the Lords day by the Christians of the Easterne Church aboue 300 yeers after Christs death c. And againe The Sabbath of the 7th day was religiously obserued in the East Church 300 yeeres more after our Sauiours passion That Church being a greate parte of Christendome Thus by the iudgement of those who are well seene into the Histories of the Church it is a plaine case that the Sabbath day was religiously obserued and that by Chrïstians for more then 300 yeeres after Christ 5. My fifth Testimony shall be that recorded by Zanchie out of Sozomen the summe whereof is this That those of Constantinople almost all others haue Ecclesiasticall Assemblies to heare Gods word on the Sabbath day on the Lords day Zanchie vpon the 4th com Thes 1. Here you see that not onely at Constantinople they kept the Sabbath day but also almost in all other Churches the Sabbath was kept 6. My sixth Testimony shall be out of Socrates the summe whereof is this Assemblies were wonte to be in the Churches euery weeke vpon the Sabbath day vpon the Lords day Socrat. Chap. 8. lib. 6. againe At Cesarea Cappadocia in Ciprio vpon the Sabbath day vpon the Lords day the Presbiters Bishopes did euermore interpret expound the Sciptures Socrat. Cap. 21. lib. 6. here you see a weekly obseruation of the Sabbath day a constant practise of Presbiters and Bishopes to expound the holy Scriptures vpon the Sabbath day But before I proceed any further it shall not be amisse to answer a doubt that may rise in the minds of some that reade these Antiquities may they say what did the primitiue Churches keepe two Sabbath daies euery weeke for it seemeth so because they kept both the Sabbath day and the Lords day For answer hereto we must know that howbeit they kept two daies yet it is not to be thought that they kept them both for Sabbath daies resting from labour all day long according to the 4th com for 1. This were more then euer God required in his morall Law to rest two daies in Seauen 2. Jgnatius put a difference betwixt the Sabbath day and the Lords day as betwene the King and the Quene for he caled as you shall see by by the Lords day the quene of daies hereby intimating that the Sabbath day whereof he spake also in that place was the King of daies 3. The Christianes against whom the Laodicean Counsaile enacted that law forespoken of they honoured the Sabbath day aboue the Lords day as there we shewed 4. Many Churches of Christianes they kept not the Lords day at all for 300 yeeres together as we haue showne out of Perkines 5. In Cōstantines time he gaue leaue for men to goe to plough and other workes of husbandry on the Lords day as else where we haue showne by all which it is more then manifest that the primitiue Curches though they kept the Lords day yet they kept it not for a Sabbath day or like the Sabbath day but rather much like as we now keepe a common Holy day or a lecture day wherin we come to Church heare the word of God but we keepe not the whole day in a rest from laboures in conscience of the 4th com thus you see albeit they kept two daies in a weeke yet but one onely was kept for their Sabbath the other was kept lightly and partially they kept these two daies in a weeke then much like as we now kepe the Lords day and some light Holy day or the Lords day a Eecture day when they fall both in one weeke 7. My seauēth Testimony shall be that of Athanasius who liued about the time of Constantine 300. yeeres after Christ who in his Homilie de Semente saith thus Wee assemble together in the Sabbath day not as if we were infected with Iudaisme but therefore wee meete together in the Sabbath day that we may worship Iesus the Lord of the Sabbath Centur. iiij Cap. vj. pag 410. In which words we see what was the practise of the Christian Curches in the daies of Athanasius for then they kept the Sabbath day as we see here Furthermore it is worth our obseruation to consider that Athanasius doth not onely barely auowch it that they then kept the Sabbath day but moreouer he doth Iustify defend their keeping of it for whereas some might obiect vnto him saying but doe your Churches keepe the Sabbath day still why that is Iudaisme c. of this mind was the Laodicean counsaile that liued not long after Athanasius and it seemeth that this slaunderouse opinion of the Sabbath was creeping into the Church in the daies of Athanasius growne to ripenesse within a matter of 60. yeeres after him for now the Laodicean counsaile durst cale it Iudaisme in
whither it will stand with a good conscience for any man to abolish any parte of Gods worship vvhen he needes not vvhen there is no necessity by any thing in those textes to doe it I leaue it to all men to iudg of I come to the Minor here I am to proue that to sanctify the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath is a parte of the vvorship of God this I proue first in generall for it is a generall receiued trueth that all the things command in the first Table of the Decalogue are the partes of Gods vvorship yea they are Gods immdiate vvorship as Polanus in his Syntag. pag. 558. saith if then the first Table of the Decalogue commandeth the vvorship of God the sanctification of the Saturday and 7th day Sabbath must needes be a parte of the worship of God because it is commanded with the other partes of Gods worship in the first Table of the Decalogue 2. I proue it particularly and that by the Testimony of two worthy Diuines the one is Vrsinus in his Catech. on the 4th command pag. 637. where speaking of the old Sabbath day he expresly saith of it that it was tyed to the 7th day and that the obseruation thereof was necessary and it was the worship of God thus hee The other is M. Perkines in his cases of conscience pag. 108. where he expresly affirmeth that the Iewes Sabbath was both the time of Gods worship also a parte of Gods worship Thus I haue made good the Minor to wit that the Saturday 7th day Sabbath was commanded of God as a parte of his worship By the way it is to be noted that albeit men sleit this ordinance of Gods ancient Sabbath caling it but a circumstance of time and the like yet you see it cleerly proued that it is such a circumstance as is not to be sleited for it is a parte of Gods worship I conclude the Saturday Sabbath must be morall and still in vse because it is a parte of Gods worship and because if any deny it they are enemies to Gods intire and wholl worship and seruice for they doe diminish it and detracte from it they pare of from it clype it as Traitoures doe the Kings Coine making it lighter and lesser then his Maiestie coined it for ARGVM XVIII My 18th argument for the maintenance of the ancient Sabbath day is that it must be Morall and still in vse because it was obserued by Christians with the approbation of the holy Ghost after the death of Christ and abolition of all Ceremonies And thus I argue The obseruation of that thing by Christianes after the death of Christ and abolition of all Ceremonies which the Holy Ghost recordeth to posterity by way of approbation and commendation that is no ceremony but morall and still in force But the obseruation of the old Sabbath day was celebrated by Christians after the death of Christ and abolition of all Ceremonies and was recorded by the holy Ghost to all posterity by way of approbation commendation Therefore the obseruation of the old Sabbath day is no ceremony but a morall still in force For the Major there can be no doubt of it for since that all Ceremonies had their period and last date at Christs death vpon the Crosse it cannot be thought that the holy Ghost would giue the least commendation or approbation of any Ceremony practised after the death of Christ at which time all Ceremonies had their end vnlesse we should thinke the holy Ghost would build vp againe what Christ had throwne downe it cannot be thought the Holy Ghost would giue any approbation of a Ceremony vnto posterity and the Christian Churches succeding wherefore the obseruation of Chistians commended by the holy Ghost after the death of Christ and all Ceremonies must be iudged a Morall I come to the Minor the trueth of which I proue out of Luk. 23.56 And they returned and prepared odoures and ointments and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandement Jn which text we may note these particulers for the profe of our point 1. that the parties who rested this Sabbath day they were Christians namely Christian women as Mary Magdalen Ioanna Mary the mother of Iames and other women with them as the text speaketh Luk. 24.10 2dly we may note that this Sabbath day was sanctified after the death of Christ for Christ suffered the day before it 3dly it was sanctified after the abolition of all Ceremonies for all Ceremonies ended vpon Christs Crosse as we reade in Colos 2.14 So that an end was put vnto all Ceremonies on the day before this Sabbath was sanctified 4thly the sanctification of this Sabbath day was recorded by the Holy Ghost vnto all succeding Churches as we find it and reade it in this text at this day Yea which is remarkable these women preferred the Sabbath day before the embalming of the sacred body of our Lord Iesus for considering those hote countries it had bene very needfull to haue embalmed the dead body before it had bene 3 dayes dead yet as needfull as it was they neglected it preferring the sanctification of the Sabbath before it this zeale of these holy women hath the holy Ghost recorded vnto posterity 5thly that the holy Ghost recorded this by way of approbation and commendation of their fact appeareth hereby 1. because he doth ranke it together with other remarkable and commendable facts for he recordeth it with that commendable fact of Joseph of Arimathea who begged the body of Iesus of Pilate tooke it downe from the Crosse wrapped it in a linnen cloth and laid it in a new Tombe Luk. 23.50 c. And with that laudable facte of those women who obserued the place where they laid the body of Christ prepared odoures ointments and on the first day of the weeke erly in the morning they went vnto the Sepulchre to embalme the body of Christ Luk. 23.55.56 Luk. 24.1 now together with these laudable actiones is rekoned vp also the religiouse sanctification of the Sabbath day by those religiouse women 2. Had their obseruation of this Sabbath day bene any thing but morall or any thing lesse then laudable doubtlesse the holy Ghost would haue passed by this point and huried it in silence as God did the body of Moses Deut. 34.6 In a place vnknowne lest succeding Churches should hence take occation to honour sanctify it 3. The Holy Ghost commendeth in these women their obseruation of the Sabbath day most remarkablie in this that he doth not relate it barely thus they rested the Sabbath day but he further added the rule they did it by that which warranted their action which was that they did it according to the commandement that is the 4th commandement And rested the Sabbath day according to the commandement Had this their fact bene the obseruation of a ceremony a matter indifferent at that time so not deseruing
it shall we haue no Law now against working on the Sabbath day 4. If these words But the 7th day is the Sabbath be not morall but abolished then this absurdety followeth that we are not tied by the 4th com to giue God a Sabbath once a weeke or one in 7 daies but it is enough if God hath a Sabbath once a moneth once a yeere one in 7 daies or one in 700 daies for in what parte of the commandement will you find on what day in 700 you shall keepe your first Sabbath if you abolish those words But the 7th day is the Sabbath c. were it not for these words might you not begine your first Sabbath at the 700th day as well as at the 7th day 5. If no more of the 4th com be morall but these words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it then is the commandement Sixe daies thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe Exod. 20.9 a bolished also now I maruaile what offence these words are vnto any that this command must be rased out too were these wordes typicall or ceremoniall at any time that they must be also abolished is it Judaisme too to obserue this commandement yet further take away the latter parte and words of the 4th com and then 1. you abolish the cause grownd of the Sabbath institution noted in these words And rested the 7th day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Exo 20.11 Genes 2.2.3 now it is very absurd to retaine the Sabbath and to reiect the grownd cause of its Institution 2. You abolish also that Matchlesse example and perswasiue president reason which God gaue vs taken from his owne example to moue vs to keepe the Sabbath Exod. 20.11 what is Gods example now become Jewish and to treade in his steppes Iudaifme may not Christians be followers of God as deere children as well as Iewes 3. You blot out the memory of the Creatiō in remembrance of which Myracle the 7th day Sabbath was solemnized Exod. 31.17 6. I alleage the Testimony of M. Perkins against him for of all the other words in the cō M. Perkins did iudge these words to be morall see his Comentary on the Galatians Chap. 4. v. 9. pag. 286. Jt may be saith he the first words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it and these words In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke are spoken of the Iewes Sabbath But the words sixe daies thou shalt labour c. And the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God are morall and containe a perpetuall trueth And againe see M. Perkins in his Cases of Conscience pag. 106. D. vpon these words for in sixe daies c. where he thus writeth The second reason is taken from Gods example That which the Lord himselfe hath done in persō the same must mā doe But the Lord himselfe rested the 7th day Therefore man must doe the same This reason made by God to the creature must stand in force till he reuerse it which yet he hath not done Thus M. Perkins doth expresly affirme it that this reason annexed to the 4th commandement is still in force In a word I might be infinite in alleaging Authores this way for what writer but holdeth these latter words of the Com. to be still in force as appeareth in that in theire Expositions on the 4th com they vnderstand by these words the 7th day is the Sabbath one day of 7 to be meant to be morall but M. Greenwod will be contrary to all Authores rather then God shall haue his Sabbaths againe 7. If onely those first words of the commandement Remember the Sabbath day be morall then is the 4th com vtterly abolished for they alleage these texts Exod. 31.15.16 Col. 2.16 where is mention made expresly of the Sabbath day for the abolishing of the Sabbath day in the 4th com as a signe and shaddow wherefore since by these textes they abolish the Remembrance of the Sabbath day mentioned in the begining of the 4th commandement it must nedes follow that those words in the begininge of the com Remember the Sabbath day are abolished and so if no other words be morall in the 4th com but those then are none at all morall but all abolished Now whereas some say all but the first words of the com are Application it is more likely that they are Explication now they will not reiect J trust the Explication of the commandement 2. to say they are application it doth imply that the words Sabbath day in the begining of the commandement are certaine generall words which may be applied vnto any day and so the latter parte of the commandement should apply them to the 7th day but their foundation is sandy for they cannot shew where at any time these words in the 4th commandement Sabbath day were taken generally or for any other day then Saturday the 7th day 3. Since that these words Sabbath day at the begining of the commandemēt these the 7th day is the Sabbath towards the end of the commandement are promiscuously vsed in Scripture the one for the other as hath bene proued it is absurd to suppose the one of these to be the Application of the other 4. Since that we are commanded to sanctifie the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8 and probibited to worke on the 7th day Exod. 20.10 It is absurd to say that this latter is an Application of the former is it not rather an Addition and that of one parte of the commandement to an other 5. If the after partes of the commandement be but Application and belonge not to vs why then doe all Diuines out of these after partes of the commandement determine that one day in 7 is morall And whereas some say that all the latter words of the com are appurtenāces to the com I reply if they be but such appurrenāces as may safely be seuered from the com then 1. we haue no neede now as those Iewes had of Gods insample reason mentioned in the 4th commandement Exod. 20.11 to moue vs to sanctifie the Sabbath day 2. Then need we not giue God a Sabbath once in 7 daies or once in 700 daies c. 3. Then doe we abolish Gods expresse prohibition of doeing seruile workes on the Sabbuth day Exod. 20.10 fourthly then why haue Diuines and Expositers affirmed that one day of 7 is morall out of these words the 7th day is the Sabbath 5. that these words the 7th day is the Sabbath are no appurtenances but of higher nature I haue proued in my 5th argument in defence of the Lords Sabbaths where I proued that these words are a parte of the 4th com and so cannot be seuered from the commandement as appurtenances may be To conclude there is a Tradition among vs that these words the 7th day is the Sabbath c. in it thou shalt doe no worke is but Application and Appurtenances
side the passeouer was not onely commanded to be eâ—ten but also the time when namely on the 14th day oft he moneth now here this time to doe it on the 14th day was a necessarie circumstance not to be butted at and sleited but to be stood for as for an ordinance of Gods the omission whereof had bene a sinne so it is in this question of the Sabbath not onely thes dueties of rest and religiouse exercises are commanded but also the time day is as well commanded Rememember the Sabbath day c But the 7th day is the Sabbath in it thou shalt not worke c here the circumstance of time is not left to mans liberty as an indifferent thing but is commanded so is a necessary thing because commanded therfore we must stand for it be strict about it The time and day commanded in the 4th Comm. is like the time and day of payment specified in a Bond now euery man accounteth the day in a Bond or Bill a necessary circumstance not to be sleited I might add hereunto an other euasion of like moment why say some the time it is but an accident c. Well this time vvas a parte of Gods vvorship as Diuines confesse saying the old Sabbath day it was vvhilst it stood not onely the time of Gods worship but also a parte of Gods worship I it is a circumstance of like dignity with that circumstance of place to vvit the Temple vvhiles it stood and therfore no more to be sleited then may a parte of Gods vvorship or then might the Temple vvhilst it stood Yea it is no accident for it is a parte a parte of the 4th Com. for the time is as vvell câ—mmanded as those other dueties of rest and Holy exercises But suppose it vvere an accident let it be a circumstance vvhat else you vvill vvhither I pray tend all these extenuations and diminutiones since the time and day is no lesse commanded then those other dueties of rest and Holy exercises vvhat meane they but this namely that because it is a thing of the lest moment therefore they care not for it therfore they sleit it neglect it as if they vvould yeeld obedience to Gods greater Commandements but none to his lesser to the more vveightie matters but none to the lesse weightie matters is not this to be partiall in Gods Lavv is this to haue respect vnto all Gods Commandements me think a matter of the least moment that can be dâ—uâ—sed such as vvas the eating of an apple at the Creation vvhen it comes attended vvith the broad Seale of Gods Command annexed to it it should be honourably reuerently entertained hovv much more this most ancient Sacred ordinance of Gods Sabbath vvhich is an instrument of so greate good proffit to the Church of God vvhich is a parte of Gods vvorship vvhich bringech so much glorie to God bevvare of sleiting this Sacred time for it is an ordinance and a most ancient ordinance of Gods yea it is a parte of Gods vvorship To conclude forasmuch as God did euer put as much difference betvvixt his Sabbath day all other dayes in the vveeke as betvvene hir that is a mans vvife all other vvomen a man therfore vnder colourable pretences may as vvell leaue his vvife take some other woman as leaue Gods 7th day Sabbath and take an other day as well may a man dally with the 7th com liue in adultery as with the 4th com and liue in Sabbath-breaking he that lyes with an other mans wife may as well say he keepes the law of wedloke as he that keepes the Lords day say he keepes the 4th com so much for this euasion VII An other euasion let a man alleage the 4th com for the sanctification of the Sabbath day and this shall be one of your answers wee are we Christians bound to the Iewes Sabbath day no no the commandement for the Sabbath day was deliuered to the Iewes But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke by thou here is meant the Iewe thou Iewe shalt doe no worke in it c. If this be a good answer to me against Gods Sabbath then can it not be bad If I pay them in their owne coine when these men presse the sanctification of the Lords day and that from the 4th com I answer them as they mee wee what are we Christians bound by the 4th com to the keeping of the Lords day no no the 4th commandement was giuen to the Iewe thou that is thou Iewe c. 2. It is true indeed the Sabbath day was commanded to the Iewe vpon Mount Sinay neither were any English men there that J read of but if therefore we English men may reiect Gods Sabbath because the Sabbath was not commanded vnto English men but vnto Iewes then by the same right may we reiect not onely the Sabbath of the Iewes but also all the 10 commandements of the Iewes euen the whole morall Law for it was all the Iewes in this sense all of it being commanded vnto the Iewes Yea we may goe further for vpon the same reason we may reiect that diuine Sermon of our Sauiour Christ which he preached on the Mounte Mat. 5.1 c. and also we may reiect the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes and the Epistle of S. Iames for to whom was Christs Sermon preached but vnto Iewes and vnto whom were these two Epistles wrote but vnto Iewes there were no English men in those quarters that euer I read on 3. The Passeouer it was first commanded vnto the Iew thou Iew c. Exod. 12. but for all that the Gentiles such of them as turned vnto God obserued it also see Exod. 12.48 Yea albeit there was somthing in the Passeouer which was peculiar vnto the Iewe and belonged not vnto the Gentile at all as the celebration of it as a token that God spared the first borne of the Isralites neuerthelesse they obserued it there can be therefore no absurdety in it for vs to keepe the Sabbath though it had bene giuen to the Iewe onely 2. admit the Sabbath as deliuered on Mount Sinay had bene giuen to the Iewe onely yet forasmuch as the Sabbath is a branch of the morall Law hence it followeth that it was from the Creation and so vnto all people Iewe and Gentile for there was then no difference of Iewe and Gentile And so much for this euasion VIII An other euasion I meete with which is this that the time indeede commanded in the 4th com quod ad genus attinet is morall perpetuall that is that some time or day in generall be allotted for Gods worship is by the 4th com morall but not that speciall day which the Iewes kept thus Chemnitius in his Loc. Theolog. de quarto praecepto pag. 56. with whom accordeth others of greatest note also
is not aboue one day older this ordinance it is well nigh as ancient as the world it selfe So much for the Antiquity of the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath CHAPT VI. THis Chapter conteineth a Dispensation touching the present practise shewing that a Christian is not necessarily bound in conscience to make a rente from our Church in his present practise but that he may waite for the fitnesse of season opportunity and the publike reformation of the Magistrate And then it concludeth with an Exhortation to vse all possible and lawfull meanes for a publike generall Reformation A Dispensation touching the present practise SECT I. WHen I had founde out by diligent study Christian Reader that this most ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath is still in force in the next place I gaue my selfe seriously to thinke of the practise of it whither to fale to present practise or to waite some more fit season When I thought of a present practise then these inconveniences presented themselues 1. If we fale vpon the present practise then the Magistrate will be offended because we make a schisme and rente in the Church 2. Our Christian brethren will be offēded because we diuid separate from their fellowship both of these will take it the worse when they thinke of our rashnesse inconsideracy that we will forsake the practise fellowship of the Church before we haue giuen them time sufficient to consider of the matter as we our selues haue had whereby we should haue waited for their approbation in iudgement reformation together with vs in practise and herevpon may arise greate diuisiones of heart much hartburning betwixt brethren who should liue in amity godly loue 3. As in the two former we should doe that which would be euill to our brethren so also should we doe that which would proue euill vnto our selues that in a double respect 1. in regard of our bodies 2. in respect of our soules for the former we liue not as they doe in some parte of the world who are at liberty to practise what they will in matter of conscience but we liue vnder an established gouernment where we cannot transgresse the lawes thereof without perill to our persones goods For the latter if we enter vpon a present practise of the Sabbath then we rune into this spirituall inconuenience that we shall pine our soules for want of that spirituall food which we were wont to inioy vpon the Lords day which is needfull vpon the Sabbath day for the lawes of our kingdome will not permit priuat conuēticles or that a minister should preach in priuate therfore we cannot haue the benefite of an able Ministry to helpe vs in the sinctification of the Sabbath to feede our soules with the bread of life these are the inconveniences which attend vpon the present practise But when I thought of a delay and to waite some more fit season for the practise then this euill presented it selfe that by the neglect of a present practise we fale into sinne and transgression of the 4th commandement by prophanation of the Sabbath day we should be guilty thereof vntill that sit season of reformation cometh so whither soeuer I turned me I saw my selfe in a straite for the former inconveniences would be auoided but this latter of necessity must be shuned VVhilst I was at a stand it pleased God to cause me thinke of a dispensation the which after J had seriously considered of I resolued that the word of God would beare a dispensation in this case so it should come to passe that we should shune the inconveniencies on the one side the sinne on the other so we might walke on comfortablie without offence either to God or to man or iniury to our selues Let vs now therefore addresse our selues vnto this Dispensation touching which first we will handle this question in generall whither a man is bound in conscience to conforme his practise at all times without dispensation or exception to the doeing of that which the word of God saieth must be done hee knoweth must be done or noe 2. we will handle this question in particular whither the Sabbath day may not be neglected in a case of necessity for a season vntill the time of reformation by those who are verily perswaded that it is still in force if in case they giue God for it an other day in the meane space as the Lords day by way of change And first of the former of these two questiones SECT II. In this section I shall proue vnto you that by sondry iustifiable examples that a man is not bound at all times without dispensation exception to the doeing of that thing which the word of God saieth must be done and hee knoweth must be done For this purpose note that God hath giuen vs a morall Law touching wedlocke to wit the 7th commandement Thou shalt not commit adultery now our Sauiour saith that whosoeuer marrieth a diuorced woman committeth adultery the woman committeth adultery also in case shee was diuorced for any thing besids hir adultery Mat. 5.32 Neuerthelesse for the hardnesse of the Iewes heartes in a case of necessity to auoid cruelty towards their wiues or the like Mat. 19.8 a marriage was permitted to with the diuorced woman as you may reade Deut. 24.2.3.4 Where the Lord by Moses speaking of the diuorced womans second marriage speaketh not of it by way of prohibition but by way of a permission and it were strang if the woman being an innocent party should be denyed that remedy of marriage for the hardnesse of hir husbands heart for his default onely Here then we see is a dispensation in a case of necessity The consideration of this may be of vse to stopp the mouths of such as cry out saying what a dispensation from a Morall Law if the Sabbath be a morall then there can be no dispensation but loe here they see the contrary the 7th commandement is a Morall yet there was a dispensation touching it for Moses permitted that for the hardnesse of the lewes hearts which from the begining was not so which our Sauiour accounted to be adultery so against the 7th commandement but we shall touch this point further by by in answering to an obiection A second instance shall be that of Dauid it was a law of God that whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Genes 9 6. Now Dauid being king Ioab murthered two Captaines 1 King 2.5 here it was the duety of Dauid to haue executed vengeāce for he was Gods minister to take vengeance R. 13.14 Neuerthelesse Dauid finding Ioab too strong for him ij Sam. 3.27.39 Omitted the execution of Ioab gaue it in charg to his sonne Salomon to doe it after his death 1 King 2.6 Here Dauid knew well that it was his office to haue put Ioab to death he was willing so to