Selected quad for the lemma: day_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
day_n	commandment_n	lord_n	sabbath_n	21,390	5	9.4448	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88987	Christian liberty vindicated from grosse mistakes, occasioning so great divisions in England. Or, A tract, shewing what it is, and what it is not, the diversity of errours, a generall councell to be the meanes of beating them down, and how far forth conscience is to be born with, and the insolencie of the late remonstrants. Most earnestly recommended to the reading of the Right Honourable Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, and all those that through a mistake stand so stifly for the priviviledge [sic] of conscience at large, ... Whereunto is added an appendix of 17. questions, necessary to be discussed and be determined by the Assembly of Divines without delay, that every one may know what to hold and rest in, and the unnaturall divisions in the same body may cease. / By John Mayer, D.D. of Divinity.	Mayer, John, 1583-1664.	1646 (1646)	Wing M1421; Thomason E361_4; ESTC R201203	21,204	33

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY VINDICATED From grosse Mistakes occasioning so great Divisions in ENGLAND OR A Tract shewing what it is and what it is not the diversity of Errours a Generall Councell to be the meanes of beating them down and how far forth Conscience is to be born with and the insolencie of the late Remonstrants Most earnestly recommended to the reading of the Right Honourable Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament and all those that through a mistake stand so stifly for the priviviledge of conscience at large that they stop the course of Government establishing thus keeping a gap open to many great enormities to this day that taking better notice of the truth they may make no such stopage any more And whether some of them doe or no those Higher Powers may make a way by forcing within the Church which they cannot doe by perswasion Wherein God grant that all expedition may be used and good successe follow for his Mercies sake in Jesus Christ Amen Whereunto is added An Appendix of 17. Questions necessary to be discussed and be determined by the Assembly of Divines without delay that every one may know what to hold and rest in and the unnaturall divisions in the same body may cease By JOHN MAYER D. D. of Divinity LONDON Printed by Eliz. Pu●slow for Matthew Walbancke 1647. CHRISTIAN LIBERTY VINDICATED From grosse mistakes occasioning so great Divisions in England GAL. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made us free THere is no comfort to that of our Christian Libertie yet as out of the sweetest honey the Spider suckes Poyson so man out of this sweet comfort by turning it to an occasion of sinfull dissention to the corrupting of the soule For as it is now taken by some wee may say of it as August said of Drunkennesse Is not strife and contention by thee and are not wounds without cause by thee and are there not raylings blasphemies rednesse of the eyes dropsies plurisies and divers deaths So is not the disturbance of the peace of the Church by thee the dividing of Christs seamelesse coat by thee and by thee his beautifull Spouse the Church made full of wounds and blood So these as they who looke upon her have their affections alienated from her and their mouthes opened to blaspheme and speake evill of her To reforme this abuse then and to prevent the further increase of it give me leave to shew you what this libertie is First affirmatively and then negatively First It is a libertie purchased for all true beleevers by Christs most precious blood What Christian Liberty is from all the burthensome Rites and Ceremonies of the Law and from the servitude of our own lusts and of Satan and from everlasting death Here first I say it is a libertie purchased for all true beleevers by Christs most precious blood for we are redeemed not with corruptible things of gold and silver 1 Pet. 1.18 but with the precious blood of Christ by this word we here the faithfull being understood here and the word redeemed a freeing of us who before were in servitude and bands Secondly From all the burthensome Rites and Ceremonies of the Law Act. 15.1 From Ceremonies for so Peter calls them saying Why put yee a yoake upon the disciples neeks which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare our libertie herefrom is set forth Gal. 4.3 under the similitude of an heire atteining to full age before he was under tutors and governours but now he is free from this servile condition So we when we were children were in bondage under the rudiments of the world But When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Son to redeem them that were under the Law Now then wee are at libertie from dayes before commanded to be kept whether new Moones or the Pasch Pentecoast or feast of Tabernacles or dayes set apart yearely for Humiliation and Attonement-making because they were set up onely to shadow out things to come or as a meanes of commemorating things past which were the greatest blessings imparted to Gods people under the old Testament The anniversary attonement was a figure of Christs blood shed whereby we attaine forgivenesse of our sinnes and reconciliation with God when he entred with it into Heaven as the High Priest with the blood of a Goat into the Sanctum Sanctorum The Pascall Lamb was both a figure of the Lamb of God that takes away the sinne of the world and a commemoration of that great benefit of being freed from their Aegyptian bondage The feast of Pentecoast of Gods miraculous putting them in possession of the Land of Canaan and consequently of the Corne then ready to be reaped which they sowed not the feast of Tabernacles of their miraculous preservation forty yeares in the wildernesse when they dwelt in Tents that of blowing Trumpets and those of new Moones both to figure out the Evangelicall Trumpet the preaching of the Gospel which sounded in all Lands to the beating downe of strong holds to commemorate the miraculous overthrow of Jericho by the sound of Trumpets of Rams-hornes 2 Cor. 10.4 and for a signe of God remembring them when they were to fight with their enemies Touching the Sabbath of the seven h day from the Creation it was also figurative of the rest comming by Christ unto all true Christian soules and commemorative of Gods resting from all his workes of Creation and therefore is no more to be kept under the N. T. he being now come even Jesus who is the Author of spirituall rest and peace as Joshuah gave rest in Canaan and a greater worke and benefit being now to be commemorated viz. of our redemption and restitution into the state of grace from which we fell by the sinne of Adam Wherefore we are at libertie from keeping that day also yet not so at libertie but that we are tyed to another viz. the Lords Day according to the example and practice of the Apostles and of Christians since because the commandement of keeping the seventh day is morall and perpetuall not Ceremoniall as of other Sabbaths And Heb. 4 4.5 the Apostle proving two rests or Sabbaths at two times one under the Old Testament the other under the new and concluding ves 9. There remaineth therefore a rest unto the people of God plainly intimateth a Sabbath now to be kept even the day wherein Jesus entered into his rest by rising againe from thenceforth never to suffer or travell about to teach and to worke miracles any more and hitherto of dayes Now for other Ceremonies and first of meats from which Gods people were tyed by his precept as namely All uncleane beasts fowles and fishes for so much as this was done in figure it being hereby adnumbrated that there were two sorts of people in the world cleane and uncleane Jewes and Gentiles which should continue thus distinguished till God should be pleased through Christ to breake downe

Sanctuary as in Hezekiah his time 4. Whether all the Communicants ought not to sit about the Table and not be left to this disjunction either at it or neere to it for then in one Church they may sit still to have it carried to them to other seates about and in another sit at the Table which tends to division in Christs Churches that ought all to goe by one Rule 5. VVhether the Minister ought not to forbeare giving the Bread to the Communicants before that be hath said all the words of institution touching the same because it is in the Directory said after these words Take eate here he shall give them the bread and whether his giving it ought to be any other then moving the vessell wherein it is towards them that each one after other may take it himselfe and then move it to the next till it comes to the neather end because these things are not sufficiently expressed 6. VVhy upon a day of Thanksgiving an afternoones meeting it intimated contrary to Nehem. 8.10 12. as though all the rejoycing then must bee spirituall and none civill which also hath beene used commonly Judg. 21.19 21. Hosea 2.11 Either 9.19 c. 7. Whether the keeping of the feast of the Nativity of our Lord ought to be altogether sleighted as superstitious sith it is of greater Antiquity by far then any other holy-days intituled from the Saints and although not commanded by the Lord in expresse word yet it is by consequence and commended by the Saints doing the like in former ages as by Ester and Mordecai appointing the Feast of Purim to be kept that the remembrance of the Jewes deliverance by Ester might never be forgotten And by Judas Maccabeus the Feast of Dedication graced by Christs owne keeping of it Joh. 10. And for the Antiquity consult with Chrysostome J●r●my and Augustine who lived before Gregory the first who had this fault that he was very superstitious and therefore this day and the Resurrection and Pentecost being kept before all Popish superstition by the testimony of the foresaid worthies cannot be taxable hoc nomine but for superfluity and excesse of riot onely then used which as chaffe let be winnowed away but let the VVheat remaine 8. VVhether the disorder of some of this or that particular Congregation in going commonly from that whereof they are members upon the Lords day may be tollerated where there is a faithfull and painfull Pastour as conducing to their more edification because this is pleaded yet to doe so is apparently evill the discouraging and quenching of the spirit in one Minister of Christ and puffing up of another a ground of disorder laying in many who are glad of such a pretext to goe for other ends c. Et non faciendum est malum ut inde proveniat bonum 9. VVhether being uncovered for reverence to God and his Ordinance in men in●●●me of prophesying ought not to be commended to the people because S. Paul speakes of it as asha●● and dishonour to a man to doe so as in praying so in prophesying 10. Whether the children of beleeving Parents ought not to bee baptized and whether sprinkling sufficeth without dipping and what solid reasons of both these 11. Whether Sureties are not rather to be accepted then rejected for somuch as we say Abundans cautela non nocet and many poore children have fared the better for their God-fathers or Godmothers 12. Whether both in administring this Sacrament and that of the Lords Supper it were not better to have a prescribed form of prayer then to commit it to each Ministers present conception because so this service must needs be unequally performed and by some very deficiently 13. Whether private meetings for preaching may be tollerated where the publike place is open because Christians met not in corners of old but being inforced through persecution about this Ordinance and this seperating is a condemning of our Congregations as impure and Antichristian 14. Whether persons justified by faith in Christ thenceforth are not lyable to sin any more 15. Whether Christs descent into hell be to be reteined as an Article of our Faith because it was out of the Apostles Creed in the Latin Churches for 500. yeares 16. Whether there be not a Catholike Church 17. Whether the Articles of our Faith and Ten Commandements have not need to be recited in the Congregation every Lords day Touching all these great satisfaction may be given to thousands by their determinations and convincing reasons and so most probably our Church-tempest will turne into a calme but otherwise it will probably rage more and more FINIS

the spirit of giddines by which the Hereticke is lead Whereas they object Christs not bidding to punish Hereticks by death or other worldly mulcts or yet by Church censures this last is apparantly false for somuch as binding is in Church-censure and hereof it is said Whatsoever ye bind upon earth c. implying that as they should see cause they should bind and upon this ground S. Paul censured Hy●●●●●s and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. for denying the Resurrection delivering them to Satan and for his not bidding to inflict worldly punishments no more did hee upon Malefactors but contrariwise seemed to be against the punishing of the adulterous woman Joh. 8. and spake kindly to the Thiefe upon the Crosse c. if then an Argument may bee drawne from hence in favour of errour much more in favour of Malefaction But all men will count him absurd that shall argue thus Christ hath not bidden to punish Malefactors under the Gospel therefore they ought to be permitted and not punished But to put it out of doubt that such as are punishable by the Law are still punishable under the Gospel he sayes I came not to dissolve the Law but to fulfill it but how is it not dissolved if punishments set about it as walls to sence it be taken away whether they be of the Malefactour or wedded to their owne wills against determinations made according to God But shall a man be compelled to any thing against his conscience Object which it is Christs will that every one should be permitted to follow as S. Paul declares it I answer if this be received as a generall rule it will both follow Sol. that whosoever doth according to his conscience sinneth not neither ought he therefore to be proceeded against and then what sinner shall be counted a sinner or justly bee brought under censure Not the poore who steale from the rich for he thinkes in his conscience that being in want and the other man abounding he may take a little from him for his succour Nor the godly as they are taken to be who unreasonably oppresse such as they count wicked for they thinke i● their consciences the wicked are but as the Aegyptians whom the Israelnes robbed without scruple and that all things are theirs and that the wicked are usurpers Nor the Fornicator who hath no wife of his owne and therefore thinks it is no sinne to lye with a Maid especially if he intends to make her his wife afterwards Nor the Higher Powers exercising tyranny against those that will not submit to give unto them what they require for he thinks in his conscience forsomuch as every soule ought to bee subject to the Higher Powers and Samuel tells the people that this will bee the manner of the King he may be thus tyrannie all towards those that deny And so Ahab might thinke he did not ill in taking away Naboths life and Vineyard both who would not yeeld unto him his Vineyard Lastly that I be not too tedious in this straine a justified man may steale lye commit adultery drinke drunken and what not because he thinkes in his conscience it is no sinne in him and so a gap shal be opened to all abominations and he that seekes to stop it shall be a wicked intrencher upon the Christian Liberty and make that punishable which by divine Authority is commendable Seeing then to what exorbitancie such a tenet groweth to stand for the liberty of every conscience let us see if wee can find out what the liberty of conscience indeed is It is nothing else but a liberty in things indifferent which are neither commanded in the Word of God nor forbidden or if they be it is not yet manifest to my conscience that they are so to doe or not to doe them till that by a Generall Councell assembled the questions be determined and then they are no more indifferent but a conscience is to bee made by every Christian of submitting therevnto For first that the conscience spoken of Rom. 14. and permitted to each one to follow is conversant about indifferent things onely appeares because all his discourse there is about meates eating or not eating and keeping or not keeping dayes which being formerly commanded but now that command released yet not in the conscience of some who were not perswaded of it they refrained from uncleane meats still and kept still the Sabbaths and new Moones If therefore in his conclusion he should make conscience a mans guide in all other things also his conclusion should be larger then the premises which is against the Law of disputation It is therefore certainly in indifferent things onely that a man may and ought to follow his conscience and not in any of the cases before spoken of or the like for therein we have a more certaine rule viz. the Word written according to which every one ought to walke and if he doth not he is a transgressour and ought to be judged therefore whatsoever he thinks in his conscience touching the same According to this the Papists conscience will not beare him out in his Idolatry or exempt him from punishment nor the troublers of our Church peace by Sosinianisine Independencie Anabaptisme or Seperatisme some denying Christ to be God the Resurrection of the dead some the distinct Beings of soules after death the Unity of the God-head without distinction of persons and the Holy Scriptures not to be the Word of God Some againe standing for each particular Congregation to be absolute in it selfe and not to take Ordinances or Decrees about divine things from any Synod or Assembly whatsoever and to consist onely of holy persons gathered out of divers Congregations Some against the Baptizing of Infants for want of actuall faith and some denying all Congregations to be Churches wherein the wicked are mixed with the righteous For first the Papist goeth against the generall Rule of all consciences in his Idolatry Secondly the Sosinian raseth the foundation of the true Christian Faith Thirdly the Independants conscience is not conversant about indifferent things And the like may be said of Seperatists and Antinomians and Anabaptists For how ill doth it follow they whose consciences would not permit them to eate of some meates or told them that the appointed Feasts were still to be kept were tollerated to follow their owne consciences therefore they ought to be tollerated whose consciences are for wayes of their own which even themselves are not yet fully resolved upon or at the least refuse to declare which were never commanded or in the ancientest times walked in and which so farre forth as they are declared tend to the taking away of the meanes of unity in the Churches of England and consequently to endlesse contentions and confusion as is the case of the Independents Againe how ill doth it follow therefore they are to bee left to their owne consciences who judge others against the evidence of Scripture as no true Churches