in the Sabbath all their labour vvill be lost as I trust in God it will appeare at the last what they say against the 7th day Sabbath I reduce to two heades the former shall consist of textes of Scripture and artificiall arguments the latter of testimonies and authorities of men for their Textes of Scripture whereby they would proue the 7th day Sabbath is abolisht 1. The first text shall be that of Isai 66.23 from month to month or from new Moone to new Moone and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before me c. whence it is collected by them that the weekly 7th day Sabbath was a signe and that of the euerlasting Sabbath in Heauen and therfore the ceremoniall and temporary Hereto I answere 1. that this phrase of speech in this text is obscure and dark some to vs for vvhat shall be meante by these words from Month to Month whereof are these a signe now t is vnmeet that so plaine a text as is the 4th Com touching the Sabbath which is deliured in plaine and proper vvords should be contradicted and blotted out by an other text which is in Metaphoricale phrases of a doubtfull sense 2. if this Sabbath was a signe of heauen it is so farre from being a temporary ceremony as rather it is perpetuall Morall to last till Heauen comes as hath beene said before for the signe or shadowe is to last vntill the body a substance be comne or admit this Sabbath a signe both of the whole tyme of the Church of the New Testament on earth and also of the Church triumphant in heauen as some would why yet I hope the body of Heauen hath as much force to moralize the Sabbath as hath the body of the new Church on earth to ceremonialize and temporize it yea more by how much better but it is not worth our labour to spend more words about this text it hauing so little culler to any thing in it for their purpose 2. A 2d text to proue the Sabbath a ceremony and so abolisht is Numb 28.9.10 where it was commanded the Isralites to offer two lambes for for a sacrifice on the Sabbath day Hereto I answere 1. why should the sacrificing of two lambes on the Sabbath make the Sabbath a ceremony and abolisht any more then the sacrificing of one lambe euery day for a daily burnt offring Numb 28.4.6 make the working dayes of the weeke ceremoniall and abolisht 2. Hath not the Morall works in the Sabbath as Rest and Holinesse and remembrance of Gods Rest after creation as much and more power ouer the tyme and day wherein they were done to moralize and eternize the Sabbath as hath the sacrificing two lambes to ceremonize and temporize the Sabbath or if sacrifices could abolish the tyme of the Sabbath which was commanded why did they not also abolish the duties in the tyme as Rest and Holinesse 3. The Sabbath was a Sabbath in nature and institution before there was any sacrifices for it was in tyme of Adams innocency before the fall wherfore as the Apostle Gal. 3.17 reasoneth of the promise and of the Law that the Law could not disanulle the promise to Abraham which came 430. yeeres after the promise so say I Sacrifices cannot disanulle the Sabbath since the Sabbath was before any Sacrifices and since Sacrifices came after the Sabbath as therfore the Sabbath had a being before sacrifices and ceremonies so may it haue its being after all sacrifices and ceremonies be abolisht 3. A 3d Text is in Deuter. 5.15 where the Lord telleth the Israelites He brought them out of Egypte and therfore the Lord commanded them to keepe the Sabbath vvhence they would argue to this effect since that the Sabbath is an effect of or hath necessary dependance vpō their deliuerance out of Egypt it followeth if that deliuerance out of Egypt be but ceremoniall as a thing proper to the Iewe Then so is the Sabbath also I answere 1. The Sabbath may be said to be an effect or haue dependance of an other thing two wayes one as touching its obseruation the other as touching its institution now this deliuerance out of Egypt was not cause of the Sabbaths institution for the Sabbath was before they euer went downe into Egypt Genes 2.3 neither vvas or could the deliverance out of Egypt be the sole cause nor the cheife cause of the Sabbaths institution for Gods owne rest vpon that day Genes 2.3 was the cheife cause and next the Sabbath was made for man Mark. 2.27 that is for the ease and benifite of his body and for the good and edification of his soule in duties of holinesse But as touching the Sabbaths obseruation the deliuerance from Egypt might be a cause and was and ought to be a motiue to obedience in obseruance keeping the Sabbath day and so all blessings whatsoeuer should be motiues to obedience as Deut. 6.20.21.23.24 Deuter. 28.47.48 but vvhat if these blessings faile and God giue others in roome of them shall our obedience and obseruance faile and vanishe vvhat and if we Christians haue not that one particular blessing of deliuerance from Egypt which the Jewe had haue vve no many other blessings and deliuerance to moue vs to obedience as from that Armade in 88. from the Gunpowder plott and I know not how many more I conclude that since the deliuerance out of Egypt vvas not the cause of the Sabbaths institution but only of its after obseruation therfore though that deliuerance was ceremoniall yet was not the Sabbath ceremoniall 2. I answere if this motiue of Isralites deliuerance from Egypt because not belonging to vs Christians therfore shewes the Sabbath belongs not to vs neither Then may we by as good reason abolish not the Sabbath alone but the whole morall law also and then as vve vvill none of the Jewes Sabbath to be ours no more need vve vvill the Iewes God to be ours commanded in the first Com for the reason to induce to obedience and hauing the true God for their God was this I Law as therfore vvhen the Apostle saith Ephes 2.15 Christ abrogated the Law of Commandements vve vnderstand it only of the ceremoniall law of commandements not of the morall So vvhere here the Apostle takes away the difference of dayes I vnderstand him to abolish only ceremoniall dayes but not the Morall 7th day Sabbath I answere 3d. if all difference of all dayes be abolisht vvhy then keepe we the Lords day now for a Sabbath in a religiouse manner if you say you keep it not as a ceremony or type shaddow of Christ to come which was the reason of the Sabbaths abolition but in other respects as in remembrance of Christ alredy comne vvhy then by like reason may not the 7th day Sabbath be now kept by vs so be we lay aside that supposed typicall shaddowish respect vvhich it had of Christ to come and vve keeping it in other respects as in remembrance of
Tables of stone to notify its perpetuity they hauing no plaine and direct Text of Scripture necessarily abolishing it it can be nothing then but their bare vvilles and pleasures to haue it abolisht and this grownded vpon the custome of the church because shee hath abolisht it now a long tyme. They haue not thus done vvith it though for they haue also certain reasons argumēts more vvhich vve novv come to my minde against the tyme and day where by they would proue the Sabbath day abolisht The first is taken from Christ himselfe Say some men vvhy Christ himselfe abolished the Sabbath day and that euen in his owne tyme whilst he vvas vpon the earth for He gaue leaue to vvork vpon the Sabbath as to leade beastes to water to toile about lifting a beast out of a ditche yea himselfe made clay on the Sabbath to open the eyes of the blinde man in so much as the Pharises taxed him for a breaker of the Sabbath and for a godlesse man for it saying This man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day Ioh. 9.16.14 Hereto I answer 1. what matters it what those superstitious Pharises censured of Christ vvho were the blind leaders of the blinde and of enuy could not endure Christ should doe any thing but they would carpe and cauill at it if possiblie they could though here they would not endure Christ so much as to cure a blinde man on the Sabbath yet it appeareth it was but enuy but superstition in them for Christ approued his owne facte of healing on the Sabbath day by a common practise among the Jewes themselues at that day of the like saying what man among you if his sheepe fall on the Sabbath into a pitt doth not take it and lift it out Mat. 12.10.11 yea it appeareth the Pharises and Doctoures of the Law euen vnder the Law allowed other men though not Christ nor his Disciples to doe works of charity and necessity on the Sabbath as to lift a sheep out of the ditch and for the Priest to kill the Sacrifices on the Sabbath Matt. 12.5.11 I answere 2. let not vs attend to the Scribes and Pharises censures but hearken we to Christ the true expounder obseruer of the Law now he allowed workes of mercy and workes of necessity to be done on the Sabbath day as those instances afore mentioned doe proue but for any to suppose Christ meante hereby to abolish the Sabbath is a simple conceipte for Christ saith of the Morall Law vvhereof the Sabbath day is a branch He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Mat. 5.17 But suppose the Sabbath had beene a branch of the ceremoniall Law why yet t is absurde to think that Christ would abrogate any thing of it so long as he liued for the ceremoniall Law was equally in force with the Morall Law vntill Christs death So then these things did not argue any abolition of the Sabbath day then but rather giues vs to vnderstand how we Christians are to keepe the Lords Sabbath to the worlds end not in any superstitious strictnes as if vve might not on that day doe works of mercy and necessity but the contrary for if Christ allowed it to the Jewes euen before his death whilst no man doubtes but all Lawes morall ceremoniall were in force why should vve thinke but that he allowed as much libertie to Christians to the vvorlds end 2. A 2d reason is fetcht from that phrase Mat. 12.8 The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath day whence it is thought that since Christ is called the Lord of the Sabbath that therefore Christ may change the Sabbath day secondly that Christ as Lord of the day did abolish the day I answere first to the former Say I should graunt that Christ the Lord of the Sabbath may or might change the Sabbath what 's that to our question vve dispute not of what Christ may or might doe but what Christ did doe I answere to the latter that neither the context nor yet the phrase of Christ being Lord of the Sabbath will afforde any such matter see the absurdety of such collections from a like phrase Rom. 14.9 Christ died and rose againe that he might be Lord both of the deade and of the liuing can any hence collect that because Christ is called Lord of the liuing that therfore Christ might or did abolish or destroy the liuing 2. to suppose Christ here did abolish the Sabbath day as a ceremony is altogether growndlesse for both at this tyme when Christ spake these vvordes all ceremonies vvere in full force and also so they remained euer after vntill the day of his death and passion for not vntill then was the handwriting of ordinances taken out of the vvay Col. 2.14 nor vntill his death did Christ euer abolish any ordinance formerly in vse in the Iewish church To conclude no more can be gathered out of this text Mat 12.8 but the right vse of the Sabbath Christ freeing it from the superstitions of the Pharises who held that no worke might be done in no case vpon the Sabbath day but Christ shewed that in a case of necessity his Disciples might plucke and rubb a fewe eares of corne to satisfie present hunger Christ did beare them out in it allowing a dispensation in such a ease for as he vvas Lord of all the commandements as touching his Godhead so of the Sabbath day also and therfore he might dispense vvith that law and that day or rather he might therfore be betrusted to haue giuen the true sense and exposition of the commandement and to haue showne them the right vse of a Sabbath day as if he had thus said since I am Lord of the Sabbath doe not you Pharisies think that I vvill giue way no not to my Disciples to doe any vnlawfull facte on this day nor suffer them to prophane this sacred tyme for it is myne I am Lord of it if therfore their plucking eares of corne had bene blame worthy you should haue found me so farre from defending them as I vvould haue bene the first that would haue rebuked them for it but herein I see they haue done no more then I doe allowe them to doe the Lord of a corne field vvill allow his seruants to make a footpath through his corne in case of a necessity 3. A 3d reason is because all things are become new now in the Kingdome of Christ 2. Cor. 5.17 and therfore the ould Sabbath is abolished say they Where vnto I answere 1. if all things be become new now in Christs Kingdome I pray shew me then vvhere you haue a new commandement for the 8th day or first day of the weeke or for the Lords day in steade of the ould 4th commandement for the 7th day or Sabbath day and where the Israelites vvere commanded in the first comm to serue the true God only shew me vvhere now we are commanded to serue any
in the sequel of the chapter which Christ expoundeth be only Morall Lawes and not Ceremoniall Lawes why should it be thought here should be any Ceremoniall Lawes meant anddoe vve not vse to restraine generall words vnto the subiect matter of the text and context vvere it not a racking of the vvord Law Heb. 7.12 to vnderstand it of all Lawes Morall and Ceremoniall vvhere the subiect matter doth occasion vs to limite it to the Leuiticall Ceremoniall Law I cōfesse Mat. 5.17 there the word Prophetes added to the vvord Jewe thinke not I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophetes c. but I see no reason why the word Prophetes should haue any aime at the Ceremoniall Law more then the vvord Law in vers 18. for the Prophetes vvere exercised about the Morall Lavv in vrging and expounding it as Matth. 22.40 yea since we finde this phrase of The Law and Prophetes to be applied to the Morall and not to the Ceremoniall Law by Christ himselfe and that too in the same Sermon as Matth. 7.12 why should it be vrged any larger here 2. By Law here must not be meante the Law Ceremoniall but the Law Morall only for Christ saith he came not to destroy or loosen the Law but to fulfill it vvhich speech cannot be true of the Law Ceremoniall for he came both to destroy or loosen it as by his death and also to fulfill it as in his life and by his death 3. The tyme wherein Christ foretold the duration of this Law was but about a matter of two yeeres before his death at vvhich tyme euery iote and title of the Ceremoniall Lavv vvas to be vtterly destroyed novv would Christ foretell touching this Law that it should endure as long as the Heauens and the Earth when as with in two or three yeeres after it vvas to be abolished nay what likelihoode is there that Christ would conioyne the Morall the Ceremoniall Law together touching duration as if they vvere both equally and a like to last and to vanish together A 2d answere is that the duration of the Law here is but vntill Christs passion which they would ground from those vvords Mat. 5.18 Till all things be fulfilled to this I say 1. This thwarteth and crosseth Christs vvords in the precedent v. 17. I came not to destroy or loosen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law c. but if the Law had retained its force but till his death then Christ came to destroy or loosen the Law for it must be his death or nothing that altred the Law and vvhat vvas done by his death that he came to doe 2. This sense were to make Christ words senselesse as if in former parte of the verse he should vowe not one iote of the Law shall passe vntill heauen and earth passe that is not vntill this worlds end and instantly should adde vntill all things be fulfilled that is vntill a two or three yeeres hence 3. The Law is to last after Christs passiō as is plaine by that of Paul Ro. 3.31 wher be saith fayth doth not make the Law of none effect nor they the Apostles of Christ but they established the Law now this was after Christs passion and indeed the Law must be in force to this day to shew vs our fine and to bringe vs to Christ Gal. 3.24 further all things shall not be fulfilled vntill the mistery of God be fulfilled Reuel 20.7 and vntill Christi seconde coming Act. 3.21 and 1. Cor. 15.24.25.26.54 c. A 3d answere is that some iotes of the Law are passed and doe not bind vs now as the preface to the Commandements I am the Lord thy God that brought the out of the Land of Egypt and as the promise to the 5th Comm That thy dayes may be long in the land which the Law thy God giueth thee th one of these concerned Egypt the other Canaan and both concerned the Iewes but neither of them concernes vs Christians Ergo Here vnto I say 1. neither of these doe nor euer did binde any for these be but reasons and motiues to obedience of the Commandements they be no commandements since they command or forbid nothing only they be appartenances to the Commandements so the Law whereof Christ spake may stand still as a Law though these motiues faile for God can moue vs to obedience by other motiues Euangelicall as Rom. 12.1 and though these motiues vvere failed yet vvere no parte or iote of the Law failed or passed since these motiues were nor Law nor parte or iote of the Law Againe 2. it cannot be said that thes 2. motiues be failed to this day for looke to vvhome they did at first belonge to the same nation and people they doe at this day belonge that is to the people of the Iewes for the deliuerance out of Egypt is yet true of their people and ought still to be a motiue to them euen to the vvorlds end so then though that reason concerneth not vs yet is it not failed since it is in force as largly as euer to the Iewe vnto vs Christians it did neuer belonge for that other annexed to the 5th Com I see not but that may be generall to all nations 9. My 9th Argument is because the Sabbath day is a meanes to keepe in memory the miraculouse worke of the creation this argument is taken out of Exod. 31.16.17 and thus it may be framed That thing vvhich vvas a speciall meanes and helpe of Gods appointement to keepe in his church the memory of that memoriable and renoumed worke of his to wit the creation of this world That thinge and meanes ought now and for euer to be in vse in Gods Church But the 7th day Sabbath was that speciall meanes and help of Gods appointement to keep in his Church the memory of that memorable renoumed vvorke of his to wit the ereation of this warld Therfore the 7th day Sabbath ought now and for euer to be in vse in Gods Church For proofe of the Maior there is no man in our Church but freely confesseth that both now and for euer there ought to be an honourable admirable and thankfull remembrance of Gods workmanship in the creation of this world as well as was in the dayes of Moses and of ould if then it be granted that there ought now to be a memory kept thereof why should it not be granted also that that speciall help and meanes ordeined once of God for that end should now be in force and in vse 2. There was neuer any helpe or meanes once appointed to keep memory of the vvorlds creation which was afterwards abolisht and if none were abolished then euery one that once vvas remaineth still true it is some Sabbathes were abolished as in Col. 2.16.17 but we must know there vvere 2. sortes of Sabbathes there were Sabbathes vvhich were shadowes or signes of the Redemption the body whereof vvas Christ annuall yeerly Sabbaths these indeed be abolisht by this text
A Discourse vpon the SABBATH DAY Wherin are handled these particulares ensuinge 1. That the Lords day is not Sabbath day by divine institution 2. An exposition of the 4. Commandement so farr forth as may give light vnto the ensueinge discourse and particularly here it is showne at what time the Sabbath day should begine and end for the satisfaction of those who are doubtfull in this point 3. That the seaventh day Sabbath is not abolished 4. That the seaventh day Sabbath is now still in force 5. The Authors exhortation and reasones that neverthelesse there be not rente from our Church as touchinge practise WRITTEN BY THEOPHILUS BRABOURNE Remember the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8 The seauenth day is the Sabbath Exod. 20.10 Whatsoeuer thing I command you take heede you doe it thou shalt put nothing there to nor take ought there from Deut. 12.32 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Galat. 3.10 Printed the 23th of Decemb. Anno Dom. 1628. To the Godly and vvell-affected Reader vvhosoeuer KNOWEING dearly beloued and Christian Reader by experience in my selfe as well as otherwise that there is a propensity holy inclination in all who are truly Gods to haue a respect vnto all Gods Commandements without exceptions or reseruations I iudged this discourse of the Sabbath day which is one branch of Gods eternall Law could not be vnwelcome to thee Caleing to minde also the parable of our Saviour how seuerly He will deale with that seruant to whom he deliuered but one single Talent for his hideing it so as no profit came on it Math. 25-24 remembring also that Christ made it an essentiall marke of Peters loue vnto him To fecd his Lambes Ioh. 21.15 And that it is giuen in charge to all to exhorte one another to admonish one another to edifie one another 1. Th. 5.11.14 I durst not for feare nor could I for loue but make knovvn my minde in this pointe To see the Church and Spouse of Christ to lye in the weekly breach of the 4th Commandement by violating and prophaning of the Lords sacred tyme and Sabbath a sine of ignorance hether to I confesse and in meane tyme superstitiously sanctifying a day the first day of the weeke for a Sabbath which God nor Christ nor any of his Apostles euer commanded or appointed how could my spirit but be stirred within mee to shew vnto hir this errour and to declare vnto hir which day is that righte and true day which God requireth of hir and the Rather since God hath put it into hir hart wilingly to giue God a day for this last and honourable Parliament blessed be God for their zeale and Godly care hath enacted a Law for the better keeping holy of the Lords day I know for my good will loue I shall reape euill vvill and hatred and for this paynes I shall vndergoe most harsh bitter censures but blessed are ye said Christ when men speak euill of you falsely for my sake They will say as some allreedy doe say t is pride and singularity that setes me on vvorke To vvhom I ansvvere in Pauls vvords 1. Cor. 4. I knovv nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but if it be I beseech God pardone the syne but blesse this work Others and that more charitablie obiect the vnseasonablenesse of this motion because the Church of God is now vnder manifould afflictions and liable to subuersion by hir enemies where vnto I say the more neede shee shold dravv neere to hir God sticking closse to his Lawes the breach whereof he hath threatned with subversions and desolations Deut. 28. and Gods truthes may not waite attendance till men be at leisure to receiue them Others may thinke and say there are men more fit then I am for a matter of this weight c. To whom I answere by a free acknowledgement of this truth what multitudes are there in our Church euery ech one wherof farr surpasse mee for partes of nature and for learning and for outward dignities titles preferrments all which might well countenance and helpe forwards such a cause as this and were much to be desired I confesse Neither can I think but some of those haue long agone foreseene this truth either perfectly or at least a farr off as my selfe at first sawe it in my studies like as the blind man in the Gospell at first sawe men like trees but what 's the cause why they did not prosecute the matter till it came to perfection till they sawe men like men clearly was it not a slothfull feare to leese their labour and catch a shadow for a Substance as painfull Studentes must doe somtymes or for feare of the greatnesse of the labour or for feare of the losse of reputation dignities preferments liueings The Lords day is not Sabbath day by Divine institution BE pleased Christian Reader first of all to note that we now a dayes apply the name Sabbath to the Lords day Promiscuosly without difference the which is altogether without warrant of holy Scriptures since Scripture saith the seventh daye is the Sabbath Exod 20 10. And all the Euangelists call the Lords day the first day of the weeke Matth 28 1. So then there is as much difference twixt these two as is betweene the seventh and the first the last day of the weeke Saturday and the first day of the weeke Sunday Now thus to confounde two proper names of dayes is as if wee should call Sunday Saturday And I desire it rather to be noted because the ignorance of this point is of dangerous consequence amongst the commone people who when they heare the 4.th Com Remember the Sabbath day c. or those words Isa 58 and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate it glorious to the Lord c they think presently vpon our Lords day the first day of the weeke as if those texts commanded this day Whereas they point at Sabbath day the seventh and last day of the weeke Such a mistake in a lease or bonde might procure a forfeiture of them with man beware we then least by the like wee forfeite with God in the 4th Com In the next place let vs examine the authorities textes of Scripture which vsually are alleaged for profe that the Lords day is a Sabbath by Gods apointment wherein I will shewe the invalidity insufficiencey of thos textes by waye of answere to them 1. Let vs begine with the 4th Com Remember the Sabbath day c this precept is vrged vpon the Lords day that we should Sanctify it Here to I answere by denyall that this Commandement doth vrge the Lords day the reason of my denyall is 1 because the Com enioyneth a day whose proper name is Sabbath day like as Saturday with vs is a proper name of one of our weeke dayes But the Lords day is not Sabbath day for it is the daye after
yea remoued the building must fale if Apostles neighther left precept for the Lords daye no nor their owne practise vvhoe can imagine it shold be a Sabbath by Gods appointment I answere lastly vvhereas they builde vpon the practise of the Apostles preaching so as on all is because there is not in all the newe nor ould Testaments any commandement to set vp any other Sabbath then that 7th day from the creation no nor ought else that hath the force of a commandement as no practise of Christ nor his Apostles as haue beene showne afore nay we haue Gods apointement to the contrary that no day of the 6. can be Sabbath day for in the 6. dayes vve may labour Exod. 20.9 Sixe dayes shalt thou labour c. I answere 2. Be it that Saturday Sabbath being abrogated an other Sabbath must rise vp in its roome yet it followeth not that Sunday or the Lords day on first day of the vveeke must necessarily be the new day for there may be a Sabbath though none vpō the first day of the weeke if there be one kept vpon any of the 6. dayes Moneday Tewsday Wensday or Thursday c. But hereto it vvill be said though the newe Sabbath may be on any of the 6. dayes yet we ought to choose the first day of the weeke before all others because on it vve receiued a greater a greater blessing then one any other of the 6. dayes since on that day our Lord Christ rose from the dead and therfore it is caled the Lords day I answere 1. be it so that in choosinge a day vve ought to take that day which hath neere relation to the greatest blessing yet vvold we imitate God in instituting a Sabbath at Creation we shold not set a parte for a Sabbath that very day vvhereon vve receiued that blessing or whereon Christ performed it but the day after it so God hauing finished his vvorke of creation on the 6th day he then sanctifyed the day after the 7th day so it seemeth the beleeuing Iewes learned of God to set a parte the day after a deliuerance not the very day see Ester 9.17.18 vvhere the Iewes that conquered their enemies on the 13th day of the moneth they rested on the 14th day of the month and keept it a day of feasting and ioye and those Iewes that conquered on the 13th and 14th dayes they rested on the 15th daye But vve immitate neither God nor those Godly Iewes for vve rest vpon the very day where on we receiued that great blessing that is vpon the first day of the weeke wherein the Lord rose and we shold rest rather on the second day of the vveeke which is Moneday I answere 2. be it so that the Lords day were to be kept of vs aboue any other day in memory of the resurrection of our Lord yet it followeth not that vve shold count and keepe euery first day of the vveeke and one day in 7. for a Sabbath for this were Iewish as it is caled and to imitate God in the creation but we Christians haue an other patterne that is Christ the Lord and Redemer to imitate and that in respect of the worke of Redemption So as if we hold it best to sanctify the very day whereon Christ rose why then must we sanctifye euery third day for our new Sabbath and cale and counte euery third day since the first Lords day vvhereon Christ rose The Lords day let it fale vpon the first day of the weeke or on the 2th or 3th or 4th c. one any day of the weeke my reason is because the Scriptures telleth vs that our Lord Christ rose vpon the 3th daye as God rested on the 7th day so then Christ being crucified one good Friday and riseing againe one our Suneday it appeares he was but 3. dayes vpon the worke of redemption Now if vve Christians must imitate Christ in the worke of redemption as did the Iewes God in the worke of creation Then looke as God working 6. dayes and resting the 7th the Iewes also wrought 6. dayes and rested the 7th So as Christ was 3. dayes or 3. partes of 3. dayes in the worke of redemption and rested from the same sufferings on the third day In like manner shold we Christians in imitation of Christ worke 3. dayes or 3. partes of three dayes and rest on the third keeping it for a Sabbath So we shold not then keepe these we now call Lords dayes for our Sabbath but others nor keepe a Sabbath once in 7. dayes but on t once euery 3. dayes I answere now to the reason whereby they wold choose out the Lords day afore any other of the 6. dayes for a Sabbath because on that day we receiued the Lord from the dead the greatest worke and mercy that euer we receiued c. here vnto I answere if the greatest worke shall determine the day which it shall be Then in myn account as farr at yet I can see good Friday shold be our new Sabbath day for on that day Christ performed the greatest work of any other day let vs therefore compare these 3. dayes vvorkes on good Friday not to mention the the particulares of his grieueousse passion Christ vpon the crosse hanging there in our roomes bare that most intollerable and insupportable wrath of God which was due for the sins of all Gods elect from beginning to the end of the world vvhich wrath was so hote as caused him to vtter these words My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and then as hauing borne the vtmost of his fathers wrath for sins of his elect he yeelded vp his Spirit with these words It is finished Ioh. 19.30 as for the next day the 2d. day of his passion our Saturday and so also for the 3d. day of his passion our Sunday vntill he rose what cold he suffer his soule vvas in paradise his body in the graue dead and senselesse now judge vvhither of these 3. dayes had the greatest worke done in in which of them but Friday was the greatest passion or if you vvill compare Christs resurrection with his passion I trust it vvill be fond a greater vvorke for his Deity to supporte the Humanity vpon the crosse then to send his soule from heauen into his dead body in the graue to quicken and raise it vp But you will say on the 3d. day Christ rose with out which all the former had beene insufficient 1. Cor. 15.14 if Christ be not risen our preaching and your faith is in vaine c. and Christ died for our sines and rose againe for our justification Rom. 4.25 so that it is rather the day wherein all was perfectly finished then the day wherin the greatest worke was done that we shold keepe for our Sabbath where to I answere 1. Christ vpon the crosse on good Friday said then it is finished Ioh. 19.30 secōdly if you will stay for a day where in euery complement vvas fulfilled then must
you make your Sabbath on Ascentiō day being Thursday or rather you must tarry till the worlds end till Christ hath conquered sines death 1. Cor. 15.26.56 if therfore by reasons we shall institute Sabbathes it may be thought good Friday is the only day for our new Sabbath or else to tarry till this worlds end 4 A 4th maine reason of all is to this effect If the Iewes kept a Sabbath in memory of Gods Creation Then much more ought Christians keepe an other Sabbath in memory of Christs Redemption and the common reason hereof is because the worke of Redemption is a greater worke then the worke of Creation I answere 1. the reason is not the same and therfore it followeth not for the Iewes they did not set vp a Sabbath on their owne heads with out a precept for their direction only to commemorate the creation if they had it had beene no better then will worship but they stayed for a Commandement from the God of the creation to command them a Sabbath by his 4th Comm and to tell them which day of the 7. to keepe it was Gods Commandement principally that set them one worke to keep a Sabbath novv this which is the maine for the keeping of a Sabbath day is left on t in their argument as if Gods Comm were but a by thing and not necessarily presupposed in euery Sabbath wherfore let them put into their argument the main and principall thing mouing the Iewes to keepe the Sabbath that is Gods 4th Com and then I fault not their argument as novv I doe but I bide them proue likewise that we Christians haue such strong reasons to keep our Lords day a Sabbath as Jevves had for their day that is I require to shew me where Christ or his Apostles left vs an expresse Commandement to sanctify the Lords day as God did to the Iewes to sanctify the 7th day and then I say indeed If the Iewes kept the 7th day vve Christians ought keep the 8th day Or thus is greater then the worke of creation if it be greater the answere vvill be to the elect and to the redeemed it is greater vvell be it so but what is this to our question which is generall of all Christians that liue vvith in the pale of the Church affirming that if Iewes that is all Iewes kept a Sabbath for the creation then ought Christians that is all men vvith in the pale of the Church keep a Sabbath for redemption so the question being generall of all men with in the Church you bring a reason to enforce all these men to keepe a new Sabbath which reason is proper to some of these men only as if you wold thus argue all men are bound to keep the Lords day for a Sabbath because the Lord died for some of these men this arguing is much like absurde to this If the Iewes vnder King Ahashuerosh Ester 9.17 did solemnize a day euery yeere with feasting and ioye in memory of their deliuerance from Hamans conspiracy Then so ought Christians both English French Dutchmen and Spanyardes c. that is all Christians solemnize a day euery yeare with like feasting and ioye in memory of our deliuerance from Spanyardes in the yeare 88. or from Papistes powder treason on 5 th Nouember and here to may be added a like reason as that our deliuerance in 88. or on 5 th of Nouember vvas as great as that of the Iewes from Haman now vvho doth not see the vanity of this kinde of arguing yet just thus doe they argue to set vp the Lords day for a Sabbath as here t is argued from a particular deliuerance of some Christians as English men to all Christians as French Dutch and Spanyards vvhoe had no share in that deliuerance of 88. and 5th of Nouember just so doe they argue from a particular deliuerance of some Christians as Gods elect vnto all Christians both elect and reprobate beleeuers and vnbeleeuers what reason is it that such as haue no parte in Christ as a Redeemer shold weekely celebrate on whole day neglecting their proffit and callings in memory of Christ the Redeemer of right therfore only such a day shold be a Sabbath as bindes all and euery man one as well as an other and such is the 7th day Sabhath in memory of the creation for in the creation we all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers haue our share not so in the redemption I conclude therfore that though the worke of redemption be greater then the worke of creation and therfore doth require a Sabbath as well as the creation yet doth it not require so generall universall a Sabbath as did the work of creation all men are not bounde to the one as they are to the other Nor can I conceiue how any more men shold be bound to keep this Sabbath by this reason then only a fewe which doe actually beleeue in Christ an handfull of most free Agentes so as they eighther of thē produce effectes at their pleasure by Counsaile so as they be not tyed euer to produce the same effectes the one as doth the other that this is so will appeare euen in these pointes in question it pleased God to create the vvorld by action but it pleased Christ to redeeme the vvorld by passion 2. it pleased the Father to be 6. dayes in creation but it pleased the Sonne to be but 3. dayes in redemption 3. it pleased the Father to rest on the Sabbath day but it pleased the Sonne not to rest on the Lords day but to trauaile 15. miles to Emmaus and backe againe 4. it pleased God to leaue a commandement in wrighting to posterity to keepe the Sabbath day but it pleased not our Sauiour Christ to leaue any commandement for the keeping the Lords day if therfore God Christ be so variouse in their actions how will it follow that if God kept a Sabbath or instituted one in creation then Christ must necessarily institute an other like Sabbath at redemption 5 A 5th reason seemes to ground on the 4th Com thus The 4th Comm enioynes a 7th day for the Sabbath now our Lords day is a 7th day for we keepe it euery 7th day for a Sabbath I answere 1. the 4th Comm enioyneth such a 7th day for a Sabbath as is and vvas amongst the Jewes called by his proper name the Sabbath day also now our Lords day vvas called vvith them eighther the first day of the vveeke or the first day after the Sabbath so it can not be that 7th day there meante 2. if we call our Lords day the 7th day vve departe from all churches vvhich call it the 8th day or the first day of the vveeke as doe all the 4. Euangelistes in the Gospell 3. if you call the Lords day a 7th day I pray vvhere or at what day vvill you begin to reckone for your first day of the 7 you must begine at some renowmed day as at the first day of vvorlds
permitteth Apocrypha Scriptures to be reade sometymes in our congregations yet it permitteth them not to be vsed and alleaged as a sole ground to establishe any doctrine of our church and what I pray is our reason better then Apocrypha Scriptures that wee shuld leane more to tone then to other vvere it meete we should receiue doctrines into the church vvhich haue a binding power ouer the conscience tying the whole man to obedience of them vpon payne of damnation vvhich are framed and maintainede only by force of our reason wherfore to conclude let reasons be subseruient and handmaide to the Holy Scriptures and euer follow them neuer to goe before them nor to goe vvithout them and therfore since our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles be auouched to be the founders of our new Sabbath I pray in the first place shewe vs where euer Christ or any of his Apostles gaue any commandement for it or whereas you say collection for the poore preaching be markes of a Sabbath shew me your text of Scripture vvhere it is said that collections preaching be proper infallible markes of any Sabbath day or which is yet lesse let it be showne where euer they said or did any thing which necessarily and infallibly doth giue vs notice that it was but their minde that euer after the churches should euery weeke keepe the Lords day a Sabbath in conscience of the 4th Com and since God at creation gaue a commandement for that Sabbath vvhy should we not thinke Christ would a giuen a commandement too for this Sabbath if euer he had intended to haue had it kept as a Sabbath vvould God giue a commandement for his Sabbath and Christ leaue his Sabbath without a commandement and to be collected by feeble reason vvas our Sauiour so carefull to giue a commandement for the Lords Supper to be done in remembrance of him and did he forget thinke you to leaue a commandement for the Lords day to be kept in remembrance of him could it be possible a matter of so great importance as is a Sabbath and such a Sabbath as would make so much for his remembrance to the worlds ende should be passed ouer in deepe silence not only by Christ himselfe but also by his succeeding Apostles so as not only not to commande it but which yet is lesse not so much as mention it by the name of a Sabbath whoe that considereth of this would or could euer thinke that Christ did institute and appointe this Lords day for a Sabbath vvas not these those considerations which made Calvin vpon Col. 2.16 say it is not vnlawfull to labour worke on our Sabbathes thus in effecte hee was not this it also which moued zanchie vpon the 4th com Thesis 1. to say The Apostles left the Lords day at liberty and that we are not bounde to keepe it for a Sabbath by any bonde or tye of conscience thus hee To come yet nerer home to our owne diuines was it not hence that Perkins though a greate frend to the Lords day for Sabbath as Walaeus on the 4th com quoteth him thus Perkins ingenuously saith he confesseth that as touching Christs institution the argumentes he bringes for our Lords day they be not necessary but only probable ones c. and see Perk cases of conscience chapt 16. vvhere the holy man durst not speake to the conscience peremptorily as of a thing for certaine true but tremblingly as it were repeatinge his doubtfull speeches 3. or 4. tymes ouer in 6. or 8. lines wrighting as 1. In all likely hoode saith he 2. as I take it c. 3. now I suppose c. 4. for in these pointes stil we must goe by likely hoodes c. surely had there beene any sufficient grounds for our new Sabbath this holy man durst not haue concealed them no nor would he haue spake so doubtfully whoe in other pointes speakes peremptorily and confidently and was it not hence that Doctour Prideaux in his worke vpon the Sabbath saith where is there the least mention of surrogation of the Lords day in roome of the Sabbath pag. 140. Againe where saith he amongst the Euangelists or Apostles is there any distinct institution of the Lords day yea further where is the texte whence you will necessarily proue it vvhat should I reckone vp particular men is it not the doctrine of our churche very lately a booke came to my hands printed at Oxford in the yeere 1621. written by M. Broad touching the Sabbath where on the margent pag. 2. thus he wrighteth Christian people chose the first day of the weeke and made it their Sabbath saith the booke of Homilies By the doctrine then of our church saith M. Broad the obseruation of the Lords day is an Ecclesiasticall ordinance and not an Apostolicall precept againe pag. 21. It is not by any expresse command from Christ or his Apostles but by an ordinance of the church as is the doctrine of many great diuines and of our church in the booke of Homilies that we sanctify the Lords day rather then any other day of the weeke thus wrighteth M. Broade of the Lords day and of its institution as being in the judgement of our owne church not from God nor from Christ but from certaine Godly christian and well disposed people One obiection remaineth to be remoued which is That the Church of God hath kept this Lords day for a Sabbath many hundreds of yeeres and can it be thought Gods whole church should erre and that so long I answere t is true indeed we ought to hould a reuerent regard of the tenentes of our Mother the church so as not lightely nor rashely to receiue any opinions which blemishe hir practise Neuerthelesse this we must know also that the church whilst on earth is liable to miscariages through ignorance for as much as God doth not reueale his whole truth to hir at once but successiuely now on thing and then another as she is able to beare it as the tymes may permite and as it seemes good to his Godly pleasure doe we not see daily light is brought into the church and God reueales himselfe more and more and what doth this argue but what we cannot deny that is that before such light came we were in darkenes and error as touching those pointes yea we must grante the church may doth erre in some things vnles we will affirme that shee is growne to fulnesse of stature and perfection in knowledge so as nothing more can be added I verily perswade my selfe these very cōceipts that the true Church of God cannot erre in any maine thing is the very foundation of errour in those mindes where such conceipts rule for vvhoe would be so idle to spend labour and tyme to try all thinges and with the Bereanes to serch the Scriptures if alredy our curch hath tryed all and serched all to perfection so as they haue no vvayes erred more humble thoughts of our
God and for vvhose sake the Sabbath it selfe vvas made Mark 2.27 To conclude did not our blessed Sauiour in his tyme approue of fyer making on the Sabbath think you or at least of as great vvorks and so of that by like reason vvhen he vowchsafed his presence at a feast of the Iewes on the Sabbath Luk. 14.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 c vvhere were many guestes now at a feast and many guests could not but be a fyer to dresse meat or as great labour in dressing meat and tendance of the guests as is the bare kindling of a fyer 3 The 3d thing is that the Iewe might carry no burdenes on the Sabbath day Ierem. 17.21 Nehem 13.15 I answere 1. If this be a part of the rigorous precise and strict rest required only of the Jewe vvhy doe all diuines now a dayes presse this rigorousnes vpon Christians forbidding vs novv to carry burdnes on the Sabbath day if this vvas a ceremony and to ende with Christ then vve Christians may freely beare burdenes vpō backs of men or beasts or on cartes novv on our Lords day is not this goodly stuffe hereby you may haue a taste vvhat it is for vvorthy diuines to captiuate their judgments to yeeld to much confidence to the labours of our forefathers if of Note or to take points of diuinity by tradition vpon trust from others for had this learned man vsed his owne judgment in these points he had neuer ouershot himselfe so farr as to put downe such things as these so vndigested 2. In this text God forbad carrying of burdenes only as an vnnecessary seruile vvork but he forbade not carrying burdnes in case of necessity as a vvork of charity for Christ allowed the sicke man to carry his bed on the Sabbath day Ioh. 5.8.9.10 now vvhere then vvas God so rigorous and straight vnto the Jewe since he permitted them burthens bearing if and vvhen necessity so required and so we haue examined these 3. things aboue mentioned 4 A 4th Text I may add vvhich I haue often heard alleaged for the former purpose and t is vvritten Exod. 16.23 Bake that to day vvhich ye vvill bake and seeth that vvhich ye vvill seeth and all that vvhich remaineth lay it vp till the morning for you c. vvhere say they here the Iewes vvere commanded to dresse all their meate on the Friday the day before their Sabbath day and by consequence they were forbidden to dresse any on the Sabbath I answere 1. To this I oppose an other Text Exod. 12.16 vvhere the Lord forbade the Isralites to doe any work but with this exception Saue about that which euery man must eate that only may ye doe this text so playnly giuing leaue to dresse such and so much meate on the day as a man should eat vpon the day giues me to thinke no other text should forbid the same but hereto it will be said the Text Exod. 16.23 treats of the Morall Sabbath but your Text Exod. 12.16 treats of the holy dayes of the passeouer I answere t is true this text speaks of the first and of the 7th dayes of the feast of vnleauened bread only but this must also be noted that these festiuall dayes had their holy conuocations and assemblies and wherein they were forbidden to doe any work as the text shewes just as on the Sabbath dayes yea these festiuall dayes were also called Sabbath dayes and threatened with death also if they wrought on these dayes Leuit. 23.30.32 now if God as strictly bound the Iewe to rest on these festiuall Sabbaths which were annuall as on the morall Sabbath weekly then looke what libertie God gaue vpon one of these Sabbaths vve are to judge I suppose that God gaue the like libertie on the other Sabbath the cases being a like and the ceremoniall Sabbath being as strictly to be rested in from all manner of seruile works as vvas the morall Sabbath 2. I answere to the text directly This Text in my thinking is vvonderously mis-vnderstood they suppose that Moses lade the Isralites bake vpon Friday both the two Omers gathered on that day and then by these words all that remayneth lay vp c. they vnderstand all that remaineth of the 2. omers backt and vneaten so as that which remained vneaten was backed But first they erre in supposing Moses bad them bake on the day before the Sabbath both these two omers vvhich they had that day gathered where as Moses left it free to their choise to backe as the text faith vvhat they vvould more or lesse Bake that which ye vvill bake and seeth that which ye vvill seeth c. and so t is most likly they baked that day about one omer of the two they had gathered just as they did on the other 5. vvorking dayes they gathered euery day one world So then the Sabbath if it must last till heauen comes it must then last to euery particular saint and beleeuer so long as he liues on earth abides in the church militant and it must last to the church generally to this worlds end and if so then I trust the Sabbath is no ceremony temporary and abolisht long since I answere 2. Admit the Sabbath here were a type yet is not the Sabbath as men keepe it made a type of heauen but as God kept it at creation as v. 4. Now if only Gods keeping Sabbath rt creation was a type of heaueu what is this to make the Iewes keeping Sabbath any type of heauen for our question is of the Sabbath in reference to men I answere 3. Gods rest at the creation is not a type properly as hauing relation to Christ incarnate but a similitude only as shadowing out Heauen and such similitudes are not ceremonious and temporary but perpetuall and eternall for instance Heb. 4.10 He that is entred into his rest hath ceased from his workes as God did from his if then Gods rest because a similitude to be a ceremony and temporary then also is the perfection in God a temporary ceremony for t is made a similitude of our perfection Mat. 5.48 ye shall therfore be perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as your heauenly father is perfect see a like example Joh. 5 21. And these are the textes vvhich are vsually brought to make the Rest of the 4th Comm in parte eighther too strict and rigorous or else typicall and so ceremoniall and so the 4th Com it selfe to be partly a ceremony and all to this end the better to make way for the downe fale and vtter ruine of Gods 7th day Sabbath the vvhich by Gods Mercy they haue not yet attained but you see are frustrat of their purposes so I trust shall euer be hereafter And now I come to the tyme of the Sabbath the 7th day vvhich is the maine of all and against which they haue bent all their forces and if it fall so out they haue no better successe against this 7th day Sabbath then they haue had against the Rest
a prejudicate opinion arising in mindes of men from calling it the Iewes Sabbath day Touching which name were it vsed in a good or in an indifference sense I should say nothing but since I finde it so termed in a reprochfull sense to rescue it herefro I vvould faine know a reason why the Sabbath day commanded in the 4th Com should rather be called the Iewes Sabbath day then the Lord our God whom wee are commanded to worship in the first Com should be called the Iewes Lord God I can see no reason but that the one may be so called as well as the other Nor any reason but if we may call the Iewes God our God so vve may call the Iewish Sabbath day our Sabbath day and if vve doe not call it our Sabbath day because we keepe it not the faute is only in our selues wherfore to auoide all difference about the name let it not be called the Jewes Sabbath day nor the Christians Sabbath day as proper to eighther but let vs call it the Lords Sabbath day as common to Jewes and to Christians both and as appertaining vnto all nations vnto whome soeuer the 10. Comm doe appertaine This name you shall finde justify able by Moses in Exod. 20.10 where he calles it the Lord Gods Sabbath when he said The 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God 1. My first argument to proue the 7th day Sabbath is still in force is because the 8th day Sabbath or Lords day is not in force and thus it may be framed If our now Sabbath called the Lords day which is eighther on the 8th or on the first day of the week be not in force Then must the 7th day which is the day next foregoeing the Lords day be now in force But our now Sabbath called the Lords day which is on the 8th or first day of the vveeke is not in force Therfore the 7th day vvhich is next foregoeing the Lords day is now in force More briefly thus If the 8th day be not in force Then the 7th day is in force But the 8th day is not in force Ergo the 7th day is in force I proue the consequence to be good because eighther the 7th or the 8th day must be Sabbath the one of them for of all the seuen dayes in the weeke there is no scruple or question betwene them and me saue only about these two dayes so as one of these two dayes must be Sabbath by both our consents especially since we all hould it morall that one day in euery 7. must be a Sabbath which to deny were great impiety I proue the Minor that is That the 8th day or Lords day is not in force and this I proue because ther is neither precept nor practise neither of Christ nor of any of his Apostles in Scripture to put the Lords day in force and this taske I haue particularly and largely made good in the first parte of my Booke where I haue shown by way of answere That the Lords day is not a Sabbath day by Diuiue Institution 2. My 2d argument is because the 7th day Sabbath is not abolished and it may thus be framed That which is not abolished that is now in force But the 7th day Sabbath is not abolished Therfore the 7th day Sabbath is now in force I need not proue the Maior since t is plaine to euery eye for the Minor this I haue proued particularly and largly in the 3d parte of my booke where by way of answere I haue shewed That the 7th day Sabbath is not abolished 3. My 3d argument is because the 7th day Sabbath was neuer changed and it may thus be framed That which was neuer altred nor changed by Christ or by his Apostles That is still in force to this day But the 7th day Sabbath vvas neuer altred nor changed by Christ or by his Apostles Therfore the 7th day Sabbath is still in force to this day The Maior is cleere of it selfe since things once instituted by God in the ould Testament if euer they vvere altred it must be by Christ or his Apostles in the New Testament For the Minor note that the vvord change intimates two things th one is the abolishing of the ould thother is the bringing in of a new as Dauid 2. Sam. 12.20 he changed his apparell that is he left or laid of his mourning apparell and he put on other apparell now thus did neither Christ nor his Apostles change the Sabbath by abolishing it and by setting vp a new if they did change it it was by precept for by practise but not by precept for they as they did not blot For the truth of the Maior 1. the vvrighting of this Law in Tables of stone by God vvhat could it intimate vnto posterity if not this for one namly that those Lawes should be perpetuall else they might haue beene vvrote on paper or parchement or the like vanishing things 2. what reason can be rendered why God should put such an apparant difference twixt the 10. Com and the ceremoniall Law as that he would vvright the one vvith his owne finger but the other he vvould not but set Moses to vvright it the one he deliuered by his audible voice vnto the people the other was deliuered solely by the voice of Moses vvhat may be judged to be the reason hereof but that God did more esteeme of the one then the other and so vvould haue it more durable 3. This Maior is the common receiued truth at the hand of all Diuines witnes Doctour Ames in his Theologicall Thesis pag. 499. Haec enim regula est certissima inter optimos omnes Theologos recepta praecepta moralia a ceremonialibus in eorum traditione sic fuisse discriminata ut omnia sola moralia publice fuerint coram toto populo Israelis ex monte Sinai ipsius Dei Voce proclamata postea etiam proprio Dei quasi digito scripta rescripta idque in tabulis lapideis ad perpetuam immutabilem ipsorum durationem indicandam For this saith he is a most certaine rule and receiued by all best Diuines that the Morall Commandements vvere thus differenced in their deliuery from the ceremonials that all and only the Morals vvere proclaimed publikly before all the people of Israel from Mounte Sinay by the Voice of God himselfe after also were wrighten and againe written as it were by the singer of God and that in Tables of stone to declare their perpetuall and immutable continuance As for the Minor this you haue it in the 4th Comm and deliuered as a commandement in preceptiue and commanding termes Remember the Sabbath day c. In it thou shalt not doe any work c. now if you aske vvhich day we must remember the Lord in the same Com telleth vs it is the 7th day But the seauenth day is the Sabbath c. So the 7th Sabbath vvas commanded and so it most plaine Exod. 35.2 5. My 5th
if the Scribes and Pharises vvere superstitious in keeping the 4th Com and forbad vvorkes of charity to be done on the Sabbath vvere they not erroniouse too in expounding and obseruing other of the Commandements But sure I am our Sauiour Christ the true expounder of the Law he gaue leaue euen to the Iewes in his tyme before any Ceremonies were abolisht to doe vvorks of charity and works of necessity euen vpon the Sabbath day as to rubbe eares of corne to carry a bedd to lift a beast out of a ditch and the like yea doe not vve hold our selues now thus strictly tyed vpon the Lords day as not to doe any vvorks thereon saue works of necessity and charity I finde not that a beleeuing Iewe vvas any thing more strictly tyed then so For my parte I see no difference twixt the doctrine of our Church of Engeland touching keeping the Lords day for strictnesse and the doctrine of Moses and of Christ touching the keeping of the Sabbath day nor can I see how a beleeuing Iewe vvas more strictly tyed then a beleeuing Christian is in right account 3. Saith a 3d. Should vve embrace the Sabbath day then should vve be accused of nouelty and the neighbour Churches of Papists vvould vpbraide vs Here too I answere vvhat if man accuseth where God commendeth it vvas new doctrine that Paul brought to Berea but it vvas theire commendations that they receiued the word vvith all readinesse and serched the Scriptures daily to see vvhither those things vvere so or not it vvas not the newenesse of the Gospell nor the singularity of Paul the teacher that cold daunte them and for Papistes it is not the first tyme that they haue vpbraided vs for nouelty if they thinke it a matter of reproche to confesse vve know but in parte and that the best Church and purest may be more pure and growe nerer to God in knowledge and reformation daily let them scoffe on what Dauid vvill regard a Michal or Isaack an Ishmael what and if vve offend the Church of Papistes if vve may gaine the Church of the Iewes doe vve not vvright of speake of and pray for and hope for conversion of the Iewes and can there be a better vvay for their entrance into our Church then by remouing a way this great stumbling blocke that is our prophanation of the Lords Sabbath day said not the Iewes of Christ this man is not of God because he keept not the Sabbath day Ioh. 9.16 can the Jewes say any better of vs at this day who are not causelesly taxed as vvas Christ why these Christians may they say vvere their religion good they vvold neuer liue in so manifest a breache of the 4th Commandement vveekly as they doe prophaning the Lords Sabbathes 4. Saith a 4th This vvere to bringe an imputation vpon our Church that haue not seene this of 1600. yeeres c. I answere for 300. or 400. yeeres after Christ this Sabbath vvas kept and that by the purest Churches of the primitine tymes so the ouer sight vvas not aboue a matter of 1200 yeeres Againe at these tyme when the Lords Sabbath vvas abolisht by the Laodicean counsaile in the yeere 364. euen then the churches began to decline strangly and then began superstition popery to creep into the Church and by little little it ouerspreade the Christian world vntill about Luthers tyme all vvhich tyme our Church vvas couered in the Romish Church as corne in the chaffe and vve vvere as captiues in a forraine nation vvhere we vvere kept from knowledge of the Lawes of our Lawfull and rightfull soueraigne the Lord our God now vvhat imputation is it to our Church that the Romish Church did ouersee this and blott out the 4th Com as they had done the 2d Com Since Luthers tyme indeed by the mercy of God the chaffe hath beene fanned away yet haue we not had a setteled constant shine of the Sune of the Gospell but twixt tymes it hath beene elouded as in the raigne of Quene Mary c. and for this short breating tyme since Quene Elizabeth of blessed memory hath not our Church had worke enough to hould the ground which our forefathers wone for vs haue vve not beene in a continued warfare battailing vvith Romish doctrine both by penne and by preaching euen vntill now of late yeeres during vvhich conflict our church hath had scarce leisure to bethinke hir selfe of any further purification but now since God hath in some sorte giuen vs rest from our enemies labour vve to growe in grace both in knowledge and in obedience labour vve to perfect Holinesse daily more and more let vs rather imitate the more pure primitiue churchs from vvhom the Church of Roome is fled in practise of the Sabbath day then the corrupted Romish church from whom vve suckte this euill milke Neither is it to be thought a thing vnpossible for a Church of God ignorantly to lye in the breache of one branch of Gods Law for a season for did not the Church of God in Iosiah his tyme as much vvhen the booke of the Law of God it selfe had beene lost for I know not how long tyme 2. King 22. now to vvhom vvas this great sine of carelesnes in loosing the booke of Gods Law to be imputed vvas it not vnto the Idolatrous tymes and church vvhich vvent last before the Raigne of Iosiah so who is mostly to be blamed for our ignorance in this but the idolatry and superstition irreligion of former tymes which began at the Counsaill held at Laodicea Anno 364. for they first puft out this light There are two sortes of people to vvhom this discourse doth pertaine the Laitie and the Clergye as for the Laity God he knoweth they can doe no more then they can doe though of vviling minds that all should goe vvell and that God might haue this owne tymes and t is not a farr thing gaine to them whither they giue God the Saturday or the Sunday but since they want the Artes tounges those instruments of knowledge in this points they must be guided by their Ministers The Priests lippes must preserue knowledge and they must aske the Law of their mouths I say the lesser care of this matter pertaines to the people I doe not say no care for their is a spurre for them in Ezek. 33.6 and a president in those Noble men of Berea for serching the Scriptures and let them in Gods feare both priuately pray to God to direct their Ministers vvith Spirituall illumination and also let them often call vpon them to see to their Ministry shewing them the price of their soules is in their hands and if Ministers neglect the soules of people pay for it As for these of the Ministry these doe knowe this matter mostly conserueth them to knovv vvhither Saturday or Sunday or Sabbath day by Gods appointement And hereof it is that our Sauiour Christ hauing ratified the Law and euery iote and
is this That since the Ceremoniall Sabbaths whilst in force did binde as strictly as did the Morall Sabbath therfore there is the same reason and the regard of the Ceremoniall and of the Morall Sabbath for strictnes of obseruation and therfore it followeth by like reason as farre as man may judge that if a dispensatiō be granted in case of necessity for a change of that day so a dispensation likewise in like case is granted for a change of the Morall Sabbath so long as that necessity vnauoidably lasteth vnles groundlesly we should think God is more strict towards Christians about the Sabbath then he vvas towards Iewes about the Sabbath of the Passeouer One obiection more vvhat and if vve cannot haue publike assemblies in the congregatiō may are vve not bounde to keep the Sabbath as vve can priuately euery man in his owne familie I answere since God had ordeined the Sabbath to be kept vvith publike assemblies and with the helpe of Priestes or Ministers as hath beene showne therefore I judge it better to alter the day vntill the tyme of reformation that so we might enioy the publike assemblies and benefite of an able Minister on an other day then without these to keep the very selfe same day that this opinion is justifiable see the like practise of the good King Hezekiah fore mentioned 2. Chron. 30.1.2.3 vvho because the Priests were not prepared to keep the Passeouer in the first Month nor vvere the people publikely assembled together in the same month for these two causes the King with his Princes altered the day of the Passeouer to the second month If any shall obiect or doubt that I straine things to farre when I wold justifie the change of the Sabbath by the change of the Passeouer because these two are things of a different kinde c. and because the reasons mouing vs to change the Sabbath are not the same that God mentioned in the Law of the Passeouers change Numb 9.10 for satisfaction of the vveakest in this point I thus answer 1. to the latter touching the reasons of our change they be not the same indeed euery way yet if they be as they are as necessary to enforce a change as thes Numb 9.10 it is sufficient and for proofe hereof see it in the practise of King Hezekiah who changed the day of the Passeouer 2. Chron. 30.3 not vpon these very particular grounds which God specified in Numb 9.10 for God specified onely these two defilment by a dead corps and being in a farre iourney but Hezekiah by like reason gatheted that they might alter the day vpon other grounds also if as weightie as those first and namely vpon these 1. Because the Priests vvere not sanctified 2. because the people were not assembled so thes two differ both in the persons and also in the things as may be seen by cōparing thos two textes together Secondly I answere to the former and I justifie my arguing from the Passeouer to the Sabbath from the practise of our Sauiour who argued from Dauids eating the Shewbread to the Sabbath Math. 1.12.2.3 which were things farre more different then the Passeouer day the Sabbath day for both these are of day and tyme but thos were of bread and tyme Further by this practise of Christ I finde it lavvfull for vs to reason from a ceremoniall as the shewe breade was or by like reason from a ceremoniall as the Passeouer was to a morall as the Sabbath was concluding that the same exceptions and dispensations belonge to the morall Sabbath which God granted to the ceremoniall Law of Shewbread or to the Law of Passeouer if there be necessity in the one as vvas in the other For a conclusion let me stopp vp one gapp wher at I perceiue some will be redy to breek out saying since that we haue not now the very day vvhich God sanctified but an other day in its roome vve are not tied so strictly to keepe this day in the duties of Reste and Holinesse as we shold be if we had the righte day and therfore vve may take liberty c. where vnto I ansvvere hovv euer the right day is to be desired principally and before any other and all good meanes to be vsed for obtayning it yet vntill a tyme of reformation I hould this day ought as strictly to be Sanctified as that other suppose a debtor bound in a bond to pay 10li. on the seauenth day of March and his creditor seing him in a streight and necessity is vpon him so as he he cannot bring the mony iust vpon the day in mercy the creditor permitteth him to make payment on the next day after on the 8th day of March shall novv this vnthankfull debtor thus revvard his mercifull creditor saying since I carry not my 10li. vpon the right day of my bond being dispensed vvith all for the tyme why therfore I nede not be strict neighther in the some nor yet in the currantnesse of the mony I may take liberty and carry but 9li. 10s. therfore yea and I care not if also I put in some light gould and clipt siluer is this good dealing thinke you by the debtor towards his mercifull creditor Why apply this the case is thine if thou vvilt giue Godlesse dutie and seruice on this 8th day then on the 7th day yea farther consider of that text Num. 9.12 vvhere though the Lord had permitted that in a case of necessity the tyme and day might be changed for the Passeouer yet as touching the duties of the Passeouer to be by the Law performed in the tyme and in the first day God vvold abate none of them though vpon another day for so saith the text According to all the ordinances of the Passeouer they shall keepe it So may I say of this first day of the vveeke vntill a tyme of reformation and necessity be remoued According to all the ordinances of the Sabbath on the seauenth day shall yee keep it FINIS
the Sabbath day it is a proper name for an other of our weeke dayes that is for Sunday or for the first day of the weeke 2. Because the Com enioyneth the 7th day which is the last daye of the weeke but the Lords daye is the 8th daye or the first daye of the weeke by the accounte of all men And it is no lesse absurde to presse the 4th Com. which enioynes the 7th day for a Sabbath to the 8th daye or to the first daye then it had been for the Israelites out of that Com Levit 25.2.3.4 The 7th yeere shall be a Sabbath of rest vnto the Land c. to presse this Com vnto the 8th yeere or to the first yeere for the lands rest 3. Because the Com enioyneth that day which the Lord God himself rested on the which he blessed hallowed Exod 20 11. but our Lords daye is not the day God rested on nor did God in the creatione blesse sanctify hallowe our Lords daye or first daye of the weeke nay he wrought one it himselfe appointed it for a workeing daye to man when he saide 6. dayes shalt thou labour doe all thou hast to doe Exod 20 9. of which 6. dayes our Lords day is one the first But here vnto it will be replied true the 4th Com did once enioyne the 7th daye Sabbath but since the daye is altered changed by Christ his Apostles so that now the 4th Com is changed too bindes to the newe daye though not properly yet Analogically by waye of resemblance I answere the word Change betokeneth two thinges the one is an abolition or remoueing the ould the other is an assumption or takeing vp of a newe as 2. Sam. 12.20 David changed his apparell that is he put off his mourning attire and he put one other apparell now I deny that euer Christ or his Apostles did thus change the Sabbath day either by there precept or practise did the Apostles so preache one the Lords day as they ceased preaching one the Sabbath day the day before the Lords day can this be proued for this is a change properly is not the contrary manifest to wit that the Apostles did constantly preach one the Sabbath dayes see Act. 13.14.42.44 Act. 16.13 Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 if then they also preached one the Lords dayes too why this is no alteration or change though it is but an addition of a day and a settinge vp of another Sabbath daye a newe and so you may haue two Sabbathes in euery weeke if you will 2. I answere admit the Sabbath was changed into the Lords day yet may you not safely say the 4th Com was changed for so you say the 4th Comm was abolisht and a newe Comm erected the word change implying so much Nor can you saye the 4th Com being an ould Com bindes to a newe day long since erected how will this be proued specially since that it was not the manner of Scripture to establish newe thinges by od preceptes Baptisme that came in roome of Circumcision it stands not by force of the ould precept to Abraham Genes 17.10 Let euery man child among you be circumcised c. but by a newe precept Matth 28.19 goe teach all Nations baptizing them c. The Supper of the Lord come in roome of the Passeover it stands not by virtue of the ould Law Ex 12.3 c. but by a newe Law 1. Cor. 11.23 As well may we faine that the Law made by Queene Elizabeth to stint vsury at 10. in the 100. is that Law which now a dayes stintes vsury at 8. in the 100. as if Queen Elizabeths Lawes did add force to and did commande things enacted by King Charles many yeeres after as to imagine the 4th Comm enacted for the 7th day shold now binde to the 8th day which is longe since risen vp as is said I answere thirdly by deniall that the 4th Com doth binde to another daye then it mentioneth Analogically and by resemblance similitude by this deuise may we binde Christians to Baptize Children only one the 9th day and to eate the Lords Supper only vpon the 15th day of the month once a yeere and say we are bounde to thes dayes by the Lawes of Circumcision and Passeover which did properly binde to the 8th day and to the 14th day but now they binde vs Analogically to the 9th and 15th dayes 2. This deuise is matchlesse for of all the other 9. Com none doe binde to other things then thos mentioned in the Com analogically and by similitude nay in this 4th Com where we haue 3. things enioyned 1. the tyme the Sabbath 2. Holinesse 3. Rest it bindes not analogically to Holinesse or Rest but only to the day and tyme as they saye since all other partes and parcelles of the 10. Com be expounded properly why shold this one particle only the 7th day or the Sabbath day be expounded improperly and analogically Sure I am it is against the receiued rule in exposition of Scriptures to giue an improper sense where a proper may be had Yet furthermore others replye thus the 4th Com enioyneth a Sabbath day which signifies a Restinge day now our Lords day is a Sabbath day for so much as it is a restinge day and so the 4th Com enioyneth it and is firme for it I answere 1. by like reason you may thus expounde the name Iesus Heb 4 8. of Ihesus the Sauiour of the world which is meante of Iesus which is Ioshua that saued the Israelites from the Canaanites as if because Iesus signifies a Sauiour therfore whersoeuer ye finde a man that was a Sauiour you may thinke he was meante by the name Iesus though the context shewes it is meante of an other Iesus 2. True it is the word Sabbath signifieth a Reste but Synecdochically for that speciall Reste specified in the 4th Com to wite that Rest which is on the 7th day not that on the 8th daye for the 7th day is the Sabbath Exod 20 10. and this is the day that goes before the Lords day furthermore the Restinge day in the 4th Com is such a restinge day as is distinguished from all other dayes in the weeke by his proper name Sabbath day which with the Iewes was neuer taken to be the Lords day or first day of the weeke no more then Saturday with vs can be mise vnderstode to be Sunedaye wherfore to auoide this shifte it were to be wished that the Hebrew name Sabbath were translated into an English name as nere as might be though by a circumlocution rendringe day for day and call it Saturday-Reste Remember Saturday-reste to Keepe it holy c. Exod 20 8. And thus the simplest cold not mistake which is the day the Lord meante in his 4th Com Thus you see the 4th Com cannot be vnderstode to enforce the Sanctification of the Lords day 2. A second Text produced is Reu 1 10. I was rauished in the Spirit one
one answere that may serue for both those textes the 6th and the 7th wher to I haue last answered that is to the text Colos 2.16.17 and to the Text Exod. 31.13 say I should grante them out of these two Textes euen all which they desire to haue as namly that by Sabbathes in Colos 2.16 is meante the Morall Sabbath of the 4rd Com and that it was reckoned for a shadow of Christ to come too yea let it be granted them that the Sabbathes Exod. 31.13 were signes shadowes of Christ to come why yet it will not follow that these Morall Sabbaths of the 7th day be abolisht absolutly and altogether To this purpose note with me The 7th day Sabbath may be cōsidered absolutly or relatiuely and significatiuely for instance John the Baptist was a man there is his absolute nature againe he vvas the fore runner of Christ there is his office and relatiue nature vvhere by he pointed out Christ for to come after him now when Christ vvas already comne in Johns presence so as Iohn pointed to him saying Behold the Lambe of God now forth vvith Iohn lost his relatiue nature of being any longer Christs forerunner and to preach of Christ as to come because Christ was already comne Neuerthelesse Iohn lost not but still retayned his absolute nature of being a man for he vvas a man still after Christ comne as well as before An other instance an Iuye bushe hung vp at a vinteners house it is an Iuy bushe and also it is a signe of vvyne to sell in that house now take downe the bushe or pull downe the house vvhere the wyne vvas and then the bushe ceaseth to be a signe any longer yet it remaines to be an Iuy bushe still Iust so the Sabbath it hath an absolute nature as it is a Sabbath and it hath a relatiue and significatiue nature as it is a signe of Christ as they say now be it at Christs coming the body thing signified being comne and in presence the signe or shadow then is to vanish vvhy be it so let the relatiue and significatiue nature or quality of the Sabbath vanish as it vvas a signe of Christ vvhy yet it followeth not therfore the Sabbath as a Sabbath in its absolute nature should also vanish but you vvill diuerse respects if they kept it significatiuely vve morally Also Paul might abolish theirs as significatiue by Col. 2.16.17 and yet not medle vvith ours no more then he abolisht fasting by this text We may not make an Image to worship yet may vve make an Image for ornament and not violate the 2d Com so you see respects doe alter things not a litlle 2. The Rocke vvas made a signe of Christ 1. Corin. 10.4 They drancke of the Rocke that followed them which rocke was Christ now vvhen the Rocke ceased to be a signe of Christ yet it ceased not to be a Rocke still it lost but its significatiue nature onely by the coming of Christ and so the Sabbath lost but its significatiue nature neither but your arguing is as if once a thing be abrogate in its significatiue nature why so it must be also in its absolute nature vvhich you see is false 3. Holy dayes had a significatiue nature being shadowes of Christ to come Col. 2.16.17 now at Christs coming in this respect they were abolisht and yet to this day in other respects we retayne Holy dayes for we keepe Pentecost or whitsuntide now still to this day if therfore we may retayne a Jewish Feast day as Pentecost notwithstanding it had a significatiue nature and notwithstanding that Paul expressely forbad it Col. 2.16.17 why may we not by like reason retaine the Jewish 7th day Sabbath though it had beene significatiue and though Paul in that respect had forbad it Col. 2.16.17 if vve yeeld not this our owne practise in still keeping Pentecost day will condemne vs Moreouer you know all difference of dayes vvas taken away Rom. 14.5 and Gal. 4.10 namly as shadowes of Christ or as Heathenishe superstition Neuerthelesse to this day vve obserue difference of dayes in other respects in a morall regard for we keepe fast dayes solemnely and vve keepe the Lords day euery Sunday so as our owne practise telleth vs a day abolish in some one regard is not forth with therfore abolisht in all respects absolutly by those textes vvhich speake against them 4. Dauid a signe shadowe or type of Christ to come Ps 2. Ps 118.22.24 he had a relatiue or significatiue nature as he vvas a King so as his Kingly office vvas a type of Christs Kingly office vvhy yet vvhen Christ the body came all Kingly offices did not cease for we retaine them to this day The High Priest he was a type of Christ now that very High Priest who liued before and after and at Christs passion so soone as Christ had finisht all vpon the crosse that High Priest lost his typicall nature he was no longer High Priest or type of Christ yet he ceased not to be a man still or a Seruant of God and the like 5. Circumcision it was a signe Genes 17.11 Rom. 4.11 now those infants that were borne and circumcised a little before Christs passion the cuting of their foreskine vvas a signe of Christ to come vntill Christ had suffred vpon the crosse and no sooner had Christ suffred but their circumcision ceased to be any signe of Christ to come and yet for all that their circumcision ceased not then also for they remained euer after with the foreskine cut of yea and it is not to be passed by vvithout obseruation that though there was a meanes by the arte of chirurgry to draw on the foreskine againe and so to nullify and vncircumcise themselues yet Paul vvould not haue them take away their circumcision see 1. Cor. 7.18 if then it had beene necessary that at Christs passion all things that had formerly bene made signes should then haue bene abolished amongst christians vvhy then vvould not Paul haue giuen way to these christians newly called to haue gathered their vncircumcision or vndone their circumcision and taken away the scarre so you see the incision or scarre might and and did remaine though the signe annexed to it vvas abolished By all vvhich examples it is more then manifest that though they could proue the Sabbath day a signe or a shadowe yet it can not follow that therfore it must be vtterly and absolutly abolisht in all respects by those two textes Col. 2.16.17 Exod. 31.13 nor vvill it follow necessarily that ought in a Sabbath is abolisht saue its typicalnesse and significatiue nature only Thus you see all their textes fully as I trust answered so as they haue no ground in Gods Booke for abolishing of Gods Sabbath and to conclude I can but wonder vvhat should sett wise and religiouse men on worke thus to sharpen their vvittes against the Lords Sabbath it being a branch of that inviolable eternall Law of God wrote in
the hearte why may not the prophane man cauill against the Sabbath day because t is said In it thou shalt doe no worke what not any manner of worke vvhat not feede our children nor cut our owne meate this Commandement is Iewish Againe Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe vvho is able thus to doe vvherfore this Commandement pertained only to the seruitude of the Jewish nation saith the vncharitable person and againe Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours vvife nor any thing that is his that is thou shalt not haue the least desire to the least thing of the neighbours Oh saith the lawlesse Protestant these things are partly Morall partly Ceremoniall this same liuing so accuratly and so strictly pertained to the Iewes t is to vs a yoke nor we nor our fathers could beare c. if I say an exception be once made from this generall truth for you for the 7th day vvhy may not euery of these come in also with his exception too Yet farther since this is that generall truth vvhich all Ministers both in pulpit and in their bookes doe vphould vvhatsoeuer they say or vvright that it must be so and so because God had commanded it in the Morall Law vvhich particular flowes from this generall that whatsoeuer God hath commanded in his Morall Law 〈◊〉 now in force since I say they pay out such coyne to others why should they not be willing to be paid in the same coyne by others vvhy therfore should I be put to proue this principle and fundamentall truth vvhich in other cases themselues make no scruple of If so be that this be not sufficient that vvhatsoeuer is commanded in Gods Law the 10. Comm is now in force to bind vs our very principles shall become disputable and doubtfull If they shall answere by any distinction wher by they empaire the full force and virtue of any branch of this Law of God they offend against a plaine texte Deut. 12.32 whatsoeuer I command you you shall take nothing therefro yea they falsify Christs words and predication Mat. 5.18 vvho confirmed the Law and euery iote title in it to abide in such force as it was in when he preached that sermons in Mat. 5.18 thence forwards vnto the vvorlds end yea they side it vvith these Priestes Zepha 3.4 who wrested the Law or vvho did violence to the Law of Scripture vve haue but two parts left vs the one is the Law Morall the other is the Gospell now whosoeuer shall enfring or deny any iote or title of eighther of these portions of holy writt he is no freend to God 2. Neuerthelesse some thing may be said to proue that whatsoeuer God hath commanded in the 10. Commandements the same is now in force as 1. because all the 10. Commandements were all and euery one equally and a like deliuered by the same God by the same voice at the fame tyme and wrote vpon the same tables of stone therfore one should bind aswell as thother and one should last as long as any other they should haue the same duration in common reason 2. Our Sauiour Christ himselfe ratified the Morall Law and euery iote and title of it vnto the vvorlds end Matt. 5 17.18 which is to the full as much as can be desired I should proue 3. If some thing commanded in the Morall Law doth not binde now then are there not 10. Commandements for there is but 9. Commandements and an halfe or but 9. Commandements and three quarters or there abouts but sure I am tenne fully there is not for there wants the tyme of 7th day commanded in the 4th Comm if you except it now Moses telde Iewes and consequently vs that God wrote in the Tables tenne Commandements Deuter. 10.4 if therfore we haue not tenne commandements compleat then haue we Christians not the Law of God as it was deliuered at first intirely but defectiuely and maimedely and some peeces only of it 4. If that reasoning of S. Iames Iam. 2.10.11 be sound and good vvhere by he proueth that whosoeuer breaketh but one Law is guilty of all the other precepts by this reason because he that commanded one Law he commanded the other Lawes also Then so may I reason and proue whosoeuer shall violate the 7th day is guilty of all the other precepts by this reason because he that commanded vs to beepe the Sabbath day proue it from a like phrase in Scripture as in Genes 14.21.23 said Abraham to the King of Sodome I will not take so much as a threed or shoolatchet of thee c. and as in Matth. 5.26 said our Sauiour Christ thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast paid the vtmost farthing both vvhich phrases intimate thus much that if the debtor should not come out of prison till he had paid euery farching thē should he not come out till he had paid euery penny euery shilling and euery pownd if Abraham would not take a threed or shoolatchet of the King then would he not take of him raiment cattell siluer or gould thus you see it the manner of Scripture by mentioning and denying of the very least to intimate ther by a deniall of all any the whole and euery part and parcell of that thing wher to that least belonged a like phrase you haue Mat. 10.30 yea and the haires of your head are numbred c. if the haires vvere numbred may we reason then were the hands eyes eares the teeth and the fingers numbred also just so is my atguing aboue if euery title of the Law be in force then so also are thes letters words in force to wit the 7th day is the Sabbath so you see the consequence proued good and sound I proue the Minor to wit that euery title of the Law is in force to the worlds end by Mat. 5.18 where our Sauiour prophecied of the duratiō of the Law of euery iote and title of it to last to the worlds end saying Amen or verily Isay vnto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 donec vntill Heauen Earth passe one iote or one title of the Law shall not passe c. vvhere you see Christ did ratifie this prophecy by a vehement assueueration prefixed to it Amen or verily said he c. Farther note vvhat learned Chemnitius saith vpon this Text by way of exposition saith he Iote is a letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and a letter of the least value of all the rest in the Alphabet and title saith he is as a pricke to a letter or as a comma to a sentence so you see Christ did stablish for euer the very least things of moment in the law and thus is the minor made good Neuerthelesse against this Text many answeres are brought as 1. that by Law here is not only meant the Law Morall but also the Law ceremoniall Here vnto I say 1. that it is a growndlesse answere it hath no foundation in the Text or context for since all the Lawes
appointed of God to be a signe and remembrancer vnto vs that Jehouah the Holy God is that fountaine and authour of our sanctification and holinesse Well then since vve Christians haue as much need of helpes and meanes to minde vs of the authour of our sanctification as those Israelites had and God hath giuen vs no other helpes or meanes in the roome of those he gaue to the Israelites then it followeth that we now and the 7th day doe both notify but one tyme which is the last day of the weeke so them conioyned by God and also permiseously vsed Exo. 20.10 Leuit. 23.3 Exod. 31.15 there you haue them conioyned by way of apposition Gen. 2.3 Exod 20.11 Exod. 16.29 Luk. 13.14 here you haue them permiscously vsed the one for the other so as the name Sabbath and the tyme the 7th day cannot be separated 2 Whereas they deny me the accident of tyme the 7th day see it expressely commanded in so many words Exod. 16.29 Exod. 20.10 Exod. 23.12 Exod. 31.15 Exod. 35.2 and so you see not only the Sabbath is in force now but also the tyme and 7th day The other commone answere is that the 4th Com and so the Sabbath day are now in force indeed as touching the Morality of them but not as touching their speciall application vnto the Iewish state Here vnto I say it is but a fained thing to thinke that eighther the 4th Com or the Sabbath day were so commanded and appointed of God to the Iewe as if made peculiar and proper to their state and not common to all nations To this end perpende we the particulars of the 4th Comm to see if ought there be that might giue vs occasion to thinke it vvas applied to the Iewish nation exclusiuely or if all Nationes might not equally participate vvith them in this Commandement as vvell as in the other 9. Commandements In the Com ye haue these things enioyned 1. Remember the Sabbath 2. to rest in it 3. to keep it holy 4. a daye 5. the 7th day or last of 7.6 because God resteth on that day What is here now that is peculiar to the Iewe so as other nations cannot obserue the same Cannot we in England as well as they in Ierusalē 1. Remember the Sabbath 2. rest in it 3. keep it holy 4. a whole day 5. the 7th day and last of 7 6. in imitation of God because he rested on this day could no nation beside the Iewe obserue thes 6. things Perhaps it vvill be said The Sabbath and so the Comm was applied to the Iewish state because of that reason mouing them to obedience of it which is annexed to the Com Deut. 5.15 namely Gods bringing them out of Egypt Here vnto I say This motiue and reason may be said to be applied indeed to the Iewish state exclusiuely as not belonging to other nations and if they meane no more but thus that the 4th Com and so the Sabbath are not now in force as touching this speciall application only to the Iewish state because the Lord brought them out of Egypt that this reason should not now be properly pressed vpon vs Christians I am not against it nor doth it at all helpe them who goeth about to proue the Sabbath is in force now to vs with relation to that reason of Gods bringing Israel out of Egypt or to moue Christianes to obedience by that reason The 4th Com stands on two partes The one is Law commanding or forbidding some thing to be done this part only I vrge The other part is reason or motiue to enforce to obedience of the Law now this I vrge not nor neede I for it is no Law properly for it nor forbides nor commandes any thing Be it that the Law as touching the motiues be applied specially to the Iewish state yet the Law as touching all things commanded or forbidden in it is vniuersall to all nations Thus hauing proued the 7th day Sabbath is still in force to this day in next place I will shew you how this Sabbath hath beene practised and in vse in the Christian Church both in the dayes of the Apostles after Christ his resurrection and after also in the more primitiue churches for the practise of the Apostles I doe the rather produce it because the contrary side I see leane much vpō their practise labouring much though all in vaine as hath beene showne to proue the practise of the Apostles vpon the Lords day vvherfore since Apostles practise is vvith them of so great strength if I shall proue now that the Apostles practised the 7th day Sabbath I trust they will forth with yeeld that the 7th day Sabbath is now in force make no further question of the matter For this purpose looke Act. 13.14.15.16 Act. 13.42.44 Act. 16.13 here ye see 3. seuerall Sabbaths and in two seuerall places the Apostles preached vpon the Sabbath day and see Act. 17.2 Paul as his manner was vvēt in vnto them and three Sabbath dayes disputed with them by the Scriptures Here you see in an other place and Church three Sabbaths more kept by Paul and those that trauailed with him nor was this any extraordenary thing for the Text saith it vvas an vsuall thing for Paul so to doe Paul as his manner vvas c. and see Act. 18.4 here Paul in an other place and Church namely in the Church of Corinthe v. 1. disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabbath day so here was a constant practise Sabbath by Sabbath Euery Sabbath day saith the Text and thus I trust I haue more soundly proued that the Apostles kept the Sabbath day and that constantly and the same in soundery Churches then they haue proued that the Apostles kept the Lords day The keeping the Sabbath day was an Apostolicall practise but so was not the Lords day Let the indifferent reader judge now and let him choose to practise that day of the twaine vvhich he seeth most soundly and plainly proued before his eyes practised by the Apostles Against this be sondry answeres brought as 1. True Paul preached on the Sabbath day amongst the Sabbath day but they vndertooke indeed but neuer did nor euer will be able to proue the Apostles did constantly keep the Lords day so in this point of Apostles practise I haue the better of them since they can not proue Apostles constantly kept the Lords day amongst nor Iewes nor Gentiles no nor Iewes and Gentiles mixt Secondly I produce an other Text against theire answere shewing the Apostles preached amongst the Gentiles in which Text is not the least grownd for any such exception as to say there was a mixture of Iewes and Gentiles see Act. 16.12.13 here Paul and Timothie preached on the Sabbath day and note 1. that there was no thing constrayning them to preach rather on this then on any other day vnles it were the 4th Comm they had beene there as the Text saith certaine dayes and of all thes dayes the Sabbath
now there vvas also Sabbaths vvhich were signes of the creation vveekly Sabbaths euery 7th day now these vvhich were Sabbaths and signes of things past as was the creation these be no where abolished great is the difference twixt Sabbathes as signes of things to come and Sabbathes as signes of things past 3. It is of as great necessity if not of greater that vve now should haue all or any such speciall helpes and meanes to keepe in remembrance the vvorlds creation as had those Israelites in Moses tyme for vve are a people as forgetfull of Gods workes of wonder as were they yea and we be in greater danger of forgetting the vvorlds creation then those Israelites by how much vve liue longer after the creation then they did ould done things weare out of memory For proofe of the Minor to vvit that the Sabbath was an helpe to keep memory of the creation 1. All men grant it when they thus argue that the Lords day was instituded for the memory of the resurrection as was the Sabbath day for memory of the creation 2. I proue it from Exod. 31.16.17 where 2. thinges be to be marked 1. that the Sabbath is called a signe 2. whereof it is a signe and what is the thing signifyed For the latter the thing signifyed by the Sabbath considered as a signe is the creation of the vvorld in 6. dayes and Gods rest vpon the 7th day since euery signe must signifie some thing and this Text mentioneth nothing but the creation and againe where God giueth a signe he vseth to shew vvhereof it is a signe and here he mentioneth nothing but the creation therfore the creation is the thing signified and this truth may yet farther be showne by the very Text v. 17. for in 6. dayes c. vvhere note that the Hebrew vvord translated for may also be translated that as those skilfull in the tounge know well and finde sondry examples in Scripture yea the vvord for must be translated that to make good sense so then reade the Text thus that in 6. dayes c. and you haue good sense also you see it plaine that the Sabbath was a signe that in 6. dayes God created and rested and the creation vvas the thing signified by the signe The other thing to be considered in the text is that the Sabbath is called a signe and hence I thus argue If signes be helpes and meanes to bringe to minde or keep in memory the things where of they be signes then doth the Sabbath day helpe vs to minde and keep in memory the vvorlds creation but signes be helpes meanes to bringe to minde and to keep in memory the things whereof they be signes therfore the Sabbath day doth helpe vs to minde and to keepe in memory the worlds creation the consequence is good it proceeding from the genus to the species the Sabbath day being one kinde of signes and what belongeth to all signes appertaineth to euery or any signe I proue the Minor by an induction of particulares the raine-bowe in the cloudes Genes 4. it is called a signe or a token v. 13. and the Lord said He vvould looke vpon the bowe that he might remember the couenant which vvas the thing signifyed by the bovv v. 16. The Passeouer vvas a signe or token Exod. 12.13 vvhich when the Angell of the Lord saw then he remembred the couenant and spared them Circumcision Genes 17.11 it vvas a signe and token to put them in minde of Gods couenant made vvith Abraham c. and see Exod. 31.13 a text pregnant to the same purpose The Sacrament of the Lords Supper it is a signe and this signe is to be vsed in remembrance of the thing signified vvhich is Christ 1. Cor. 12.24 neither can any example be showne to the contrary for it is the very nature of a signe to bring to minde the thing signified I conclude as the Lords Supper is a signe of the work of redemption So the Sabbath is a signe of the work of creation 10. My 10th Argument is because the Sabbath day putteth vs in minde vvho it is that is our Sanctifier namely the Lord our God This argument is taken out of Exod. 31.13 and it may be thus framed That thing vvhich in the tyme of Moses vvas vsed as an helpe and meanes to put the children of Israel in minde vvho it vvas that sanctified them that meanes and helpe ought now and for euer to be in the Church to shew vs vvho is our Sanctifyer But the 7th day Sabbath was vsed in the tyme of Moses as an helpe and meanes to minde the children of Israel vvho it was that sanctifyed them Therfore the 7th day Sabbath ought now and for euer to be vsed in the Church as a meane helpe to shew vs vvho is our Sanctifyer For proofe of the Maior 1. vvhat reason can be rendered or instance giuen to the contrary to shew that our churchs and people should not now haue the same meanes and helpes to put vs in minde shew vnto vs vvho is the authour of our sanctification the which the children of Israel and Church of the Jewes had 2. No helpe or meanes once appointed of God to minde the Israelites vvho did sanctify them vvas ener yet abolished and if neuer abolished then must they remaine True it is Sabbathes ceremoniall and annuall which were signes of Christ and of justification such were abolished in Col. 2.16.17 but Sabbathes Morall and weekly vvhich vvere signes of God the Father and of sanctification such were neuer yet abolished besides the Sabbathes abolished in Col. 2.16 were such as were signes of things to come afterwards as of Christ but the Sabbathes Morall in Exod. 31.13 were signes of things present as of God presently sanctifying as you may see in the Textes 3. Wee now in these tymes haue as much neede of that help to put vs in minde of God our Sanctifyer as they had in former tymes for instance let a Christian pray feruently giue almes bountifully hate syne vnfainedly doe the duties of his calling conscionably preach powerfully and in a word liue holily and blamelesly in this euill vvorld vvhereby he out strippeth the men of this world and is as a light set vpon an hill is not this man in greate danger to be puffed vp vvith pride as vvere those Israelites Deut. 8.17 arrogating to themselues the glory of their aboundance forgetting God the author and is not this man in danger to vse his giftes as if he had not receiued them and to glorie in them as his owne 1. Cor. 4.7 surely vpon a serch we can not but confesse vvee Christians are as subiect to spirituall pride and as backward sluggish to giue vnto God the glory of his mercifull work of sanctifying vs as euer were the Israel of God now vvhat helpe could be better to foreward vs in this Diuine vvork of hallowing Gods name then to haue once in euery 7. dayes that 7th day