d. Pec. Mer. Remiss li. 1. ca. 16. Et li. 2. ca. 4. A seventh Passage of Brother B. All were the true bred Children of the Church of England c. who maintained Brother B. his dictats concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day witnesse Master Cartwright Master Fenne Old Master Gilby Master Snape Master Lord Master Dâ—d Mr. Cleaver Mr. Oxenbridge Master Sheere-wood Master Iohnson Master Nutter c. An eighth Passage of Brother B. The fourth Commandement is simply and intirely morall binding Vs Christians to observe the lord's-Lord's-Day The reason is because the Law of the fourth Commandement according to the proper and literall sence thereof was given to the Iewes only for keeping holy the Saturday and not to the Gentiles for the observation of Sunday A ninth Passage of Brother B. The Holy Apostles presently and immediately after Christ's Ascension taught and commanded all Christians to observe the Lord's-Day weekely and to renounce the Old Sabbath The reason because Saint Paul some twenty yeares after Christ's Ascension a Chytr in Cronol Anno Christi quinquagessimo quinto venit Paulus in Troadem inde in Macedoniam commanded the Corinthians to give Almes upon the first day of the weeke 1 Cor. 16.2 and Saint Iohn many yeares after that stiled Sunday by the name of the Lord's Day A Tenth Passage of Brother B. The first day of every weeke throughout the whole yeare is the Sabbath day of the 4th Commandement because our Saviour began to rest from some of his Redemptive actions upon the latter part of Good-Friday and because he rested in his grave the whole Sabbath day before his Resurrection and because hee rested as much upon Munday Tuesday and upon other dayes following as â—e did upon Sunday An Eleventh Passage of Brother B. To give Christian people any liberty to doe any manner of worke or to use any bodily exercise or pastime upon any part of the Sunday is to imitate the Pope in dispensing against God's morall Law Proved because brother B. is able to produce no Divine or Evangelicall Law recorded in holy Scripture which prohibiteth all bodily exercise and sober and honest recreation upon some part of that day A Twelfth Passage of Brother B. It is unlawfull to use any sober and honest recreation to wit such as is neither vicious in quality or circumstance upon any part of the lord's-Lord's-day because all profane ungodly obscene and lascivious pastime is prohibited upon that day and upon all other dayes throughout the yeare as if one should say it is not lawfull to eat or drink upon Sunday because surfeâ—ting and drunkennesse are unlawfull upon that day and upon all other dayes A Thirteenth Passage of Brother B. The Bishops of the Church of England have not power to instruct the inferiour Clergie in matters of Religion because they have not received miraculous grace Ex opere operato Proved because brother B. by his mother wit without ordinary grace or morall honesty supposeth himselfe qualified like an Apostle to correct and instruct all men both simple and learned in the most profound Questions of Theologie A Fourteenth Passage of H. B. It is a grosse Solecisme in Divinity Law and Gospell reconciled pag. 52. to admit an Institution to be Apostolicall and yet to deny it to be of Divine Authority and consequently to make it temporary and mutable Proved because Episcopall Authority was of Apostolicall institution c Iren. lib. 3. ca. 3. Fundantes igitur instruentes beati Apostoli Ecclesiam Lino EpiscopatuÌ„ administrandae Ecclesiae tradiderunt Succedit autem ei Anacletê° post euÌ„ tertio loco ab Apostolis EpiscopatuÌ„ sortitur Clemens Polycarpus in Asia in ea quae est Smyrnis Ecclesia constitutê° Episcopus ab Apostolis Tertul. c. Haer. cap. 32. Hier. Catalog in Clement Ignatio Polycarpo c. neverthelesse according to Br. B. the same is not Divine but the Prelats of the Church of England who exercise such Authority are Veines of the Pope and the maintainers thereof are guided by a Papall spirit Dialog pag. 3. A Fifteenth Passage of H. B. The fourth Commandement being a part of the Law written in Adam's heart needed not any expresse Commandement more than the rest d Ib. pag. 42. Proved because it was made knowne by Divine Revelation only and not by a naturall impression that God created Heaven and Earth in six dayes and rested the seventh and if the observation of the Sabbath was commanded Adam the same was the Saturday Sabbath of every weeke and not the Sunday and God Almighty himselfe appointed the first day of the Weeke to be one of the six working dayes A Sixteenth Passage of H. B. Ib. pag. 45. The seventh Day being an inseparable Circumstance of the substance of the fourth Commandement cannot be separated from the Sabbath The Reason because Christians were taught by the Apostles to make the first day of the week their weekly Festivall and not the seventh day A Seventeenth Passage of H. B. To rest from all labour Ib. pag. 47. is of the very Essence of the Sabbath The Reason because our Saviour maintained that some labour which was not of absolute necessity might lawfully be used upon the Sabbath-day An Eighteenth Passage of H. B. Who can deny the keeping of the Sabbath to be morall Ib. pag. 41. but he must withall proclaime open enmity to God's worship and Man's salvation The reason because the Apostles taught Christians to observe the Lord's-day being not the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement but a new Holy day grounded upon the Resurrection of Christ A Nineteenth Passage of H. B. The Commandement of the Sabbath is morall and so no lesse perpetuall than all the rest Ib. pag. 38. The reason because it was a shadow of good things to come and it was abrogated by the Apostles and changed into another day The last remarkable Observation concerning Br. B. It is lawfull when a man cannot otherwise solve an Objection to passe by both the Premisses of an Argument propounded in due forme and to deny the Conclusion for example No Law which is mutable in respect of the proper materiall Object is a Law of Nature But the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue was mutable in respect of the proper materiall Object Ergo the Law of the fourth Commandement was not a Precept of the Law of Nature Againe no morall action is unlawfull unlesse it be prohibited by some Divine Law expresse or virtuall or by some humane or Ecclesiasticall Law But bodily exercise or Recreation not being vicious in quality or circumstance if it bee used upon some part of the Holy day is prohibited by no Divine Law expresse or virtuall nor by any humane or Ecclesiasticall Law Ergo some bodily exercise or Recreation not being vicious in quality or circumstance may be permitted and used upon some part of the Holy day This Doctor indocilis when hee meeteth with any such Arguments will not be so
fuit imperatum quam id ab Imperatoribus Christianis nequis à rerum sanctarum meditatione abstraheretur neque ita praecise sancitum est It seemes therefore that the Homily hath not most clearely and fully declared all things necessary to be knowne touching this question Againe the Homily saith Whatsoever is found in the fourth Commandement appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing most godly most just and needfull for the setting forth of God's glory it ought to be retained of all good Christians Our of the former words it may be collected that nothing in the fourth Commandement is simply morall and of the Law of Nature but that which is most godly most just and necessary for the setting forth of Gods glory And if this be the sence of the Homily as no doubt it is then the fourth Commandement is not in force according to the letter but only according to the equity and Analogie thereof Lastly the Homily saith God hath given expresse charge to all men that upon the Sabbath Day which is now our Sunday they should cease from all weekely and worke-day labour and God doth command the observation of this Holy day and we must be carefull to keep the Sabbath day which is the Sunday Out of the former passage these questions arise 1. What the Homily intendeth in saying God hath given expresse charge c. and God hath commanded c. Whether God hath immediately by any Divine Law expressely commanded the Observation of Sunday and in what Texts of Scripture this Law and Commandement touching Sunday is to be found Or whether the meaning of the Homily is not that God hath thus commanded Christians by a mediate or ministeriall Law and precept of his Church It may beâ— questioned likewise in what sence the Homily stileth the Sunday the Sabbath day whether in a proper and literall sence according to the stile of the old Law or in a mysticall and analogicall sence as Christ is called our Passeover 1 Cor. 5.7 Now from the precedent observations it is consequent that the Doctrine of the Church of England is not most clearly or so plainly and expressely set forth in the Homily as this Objector pretendeth when he saith pag. 13. The words of the Homily as you have heard and every one may plainely see are so expresse cleare and full that they cannot possibly admit the least ambiguity Reasons to the contrary 1. Evidens censeri solet illud quod ita sufficienter movet intellectum ut in libera hominis potestate non sit dissentire a Aqu. Sum. Greg. Valent. Et alij Scholast Doctores Aug. c. Crescon Gram. li. 3. Ipsa sententia loquatur cujus verba sic fulgerit ut si eam veliâ— abscondere quarumlibet tenebrarum latebras suo nimio splendoâ—e perruâ—peâ—â—t That onely is to be reputed cleare and evident which in such sort affecteth the understanding that it is not in the free power of an intelligent Person to dissent from it But this definition of cleare and evident cannot bee applyed to the words of the Homily for the reasons before delivered 2. According to Tertullian b Tertul. d. Resur Carnis ca. 33. Sententiae et definitiones quarum est aperta natura aliter quam sonant non sapiunt Sentences and Definitions which are cleare and evident cannot be expounded otherwise than as the words sound But the words of the Homily concerning the Sabbath which this Objector produceth doe neither force the understanding of every intelligent Reader to yeeld assent to Br. B. his Exposition and unlesse wee expound them otherwise than the words seeme to sound we shall fall into many absurdities Ergo. It is false which the Objector delivereth to wit The words of the Homily are so expresse cleare and plainely delivered as that they cannot admit the least Question or Ambiguity B. The Homily of the time and place of prayer part first sheweth That our Lord's Day is grounded upon the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue in these words Whatsoever is contained in the Commandement appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing most godly most just and needefull for the setting forth of Gods glory it ought to be retained and kept of all good Christian people and therefore by this Commandement we ought to have a time as one day in the weeke wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawfull and needfull workes For like as it appeareth by this Commandement that no man in the sixe dayes ought to be slothfull or idle but diligently to labour in that state wherein God hath set him even so GOD hath given expresse charge to all men that upon the Sabbath day which is now our Sunday they should cease from all weekely and worke day labour to the intent that like as God Himselfe wrought sixe dayes and rested the Seventh and blessed and sanctified and consecrated it to quietnesse and rest from labour even so God's obedient People should use the Sunday holily and rest from their common and daily businesse and also give themselves wholly to heavenly excercises of God's true Religion and Service So that God doth not onely command the Observation of this Holy Day but also by his own example doth stir and provoke us to the diligent keeping of the same Good natural children wil not only becom obedient to the Commandement of their Parents but also have a diligent eye to their doings and gladly follow the same So if we will bee the children of our Heavenly Father wee must be carefull to keepe the Christian Sabbath Day which is the Sunday not only for that it is God's expresse Commandement but also to declare our selves to bee loving children in following the example of our Gracious Lord and Father Againe thus it may plainely appeare that God's will and Commandement was to have a solemne time and standing day in the week wherein the People should come together and have in remembrance his wonderfull benefits and to render Him thankes for them as appertaineth to loving kind and obedient People This example and Commandement of God the godly Christian people began to follow immediately after the Ascension of our Lord Christ c. So the Homily and much more whence we plainely observe these conclusions 1 That all Christians ought and are bound in conscience of the fourth Commandement to keep the Lord's-day holily 2 That by the force of the fourth Commandement one day in seven is perpetually to be kept holy 3 That the keeping of the Lord's-day is grounded upon and commanded in the fourth Commandement and so is not of humane institution 4 That the Lord's-day is and may bee called our Christian Sabbath-day therefore it is not Iewish to call it so 5 That this Day is wholly to be spent in holy rest and duties of sanctification and therefore no part of it to be spent in vaine pleasures and prophane pastimes Now the Author of the Treatise doth overthrow all these conclusions for
page 23. his words are This Position to wit that the fourth Commandement is properly and perpetually morall and is for quality and obligation equall to the other nine Commandements which for many yeares hath raigned in Pamphlets Pulpits and Conventicles and is entertained as an Oracle by all such as either openly professe or doe leane towards the disciplinarian faction is destitute of truth These are his words which comparing with the words of the Homily of our Church already cited are found quite contrary For the Homily saith That the fourth Commandement is a Law of Nature and ought to be retained and kept of all good Christians in as much as it commandeth one day of the Weeke for rest and God hath given an expresse charge to all Men that the sabbath-Sabbath-day which is our Sunday should be spent wholly in heavenly exercises of God's true Religion and Service Answ The Summe of the former accusation is That the Bishop in his Treatise overthrowes the Doctrine of the Church of England in the point of the Sabbath For his Doctrine is repugnant to the Homily c. which teacheth that the fourth Commandement is of the Law of Nature c. and that all Christians ought to keep it holily and one day in seven is perpetually to be kept holy the keeping of the Lord's-day is commanded by the 4th Commandement The Lord's-day may be called the Christian Sabbath-day Lastly the Lord's-day ought wholly to be spent in holy rest and duties of sanctification Now the Bishop saith the Objector hath opposed all these positions for he hath affirmed in his Treatise of the Sabbath that the fourth Commandement is not properly intirely and perpetually morall like as are the other nine and he hath permitted some bodily exercise and recreation to wit such as is honest and sober upon the Sunday and hee denies that in a legall sense the Lord's-day is to be called the Sabbath-day To the former the Bishops answer is that the Objector hath snatched some words of the Homily but he hath not duly observed the true sense and meaning thereof Athanas Orat. 1. c. Arrian Verba quidem profert veram tamen inde sentontiam sufferatur Tertul. ad Praxean Malo te ad seâ—â—um â—â—i quâ— ad sonum vocabuli exerceas For first the Homily doth not affirme that the fourth Commandement is purely intirely and properly morall and of the Law of Nature like as are the other nine But that whatsoever is found in the Commandement appertaining to the Law of Nature being most godly most just and needfull to the setting forth of Gods glory ought to be retained Now if nothing else in the fourth Commandement is of the Law of Nature but only that which is most just godly and needfull to the setting forth of Gods glory then the Homily maketh not the letter of that Commandement of the Law of nature but the intent and meaning thereof is That the fourth Commandement in respect of the naturall equity b Al. Hal 3. â— 32. m. 5 ar 1. Hoc praecepto praecipitur tempus vacationis aliquoâ— secundum hoc est morale legis naturae hoc secundum indâ—terminationeÌ„ hoc modo secundâ— indeterminationem praecipitur Dominica dies tempore gratiae which is that the Rulers of the Church must appoint necessary convenient and sufficient time for Divine Worship and for religious offices is morall and of the Law of Nature And if the Objector will straine the words of the Homily to a further sense let him well consider into what absurdities and contradictions he will be forced to plunge himselfe For if this Commandement be intirely purely and properly Morall a H. B. Gosp and Law recon p. 38. The CoÌ„mandement of the Sabbath is morall and so no lesse perpetuall then all the rest for if none of the rest of the CoÌ„mandements be abolished then neither the fourth Pag. 42. 49. The Law of the Sabbath was imprinted in Adams heart by the Law of Nature and of the Law of Nature like as the other nine Then it must have all the essentiall characters of the Law of Nature and of Precepts purely and entirely morall But it wanteth all these as is proved by demonstrative arguments in the Bishops book pag. 26. untill pag. 37. and pag. 172. Neverthelesse that I may more fully discover the ignorance and presumption of this Dialogist I shall propound an argument against him which he will hardly be able to solve to wit The Law of Nature was made knowne to all mankinde b Isidor Etimol l. 5. ca. 4. Ius naturale commune est omniuÌ„ nationum eo quod ubique instinctu naturae non constitutioneâ— aliqua habetur by the Common light of naturall reason The same is immutable unchangeable c Decret Dist 5. Naturale jus ab exordio rationalis naturae nec mutatur tempore sed immutabile permanet Aug. Confess l. 2. c. 4. Lex scripta in cordibus hominum quam nec ipsa quidem delet iniquitas eternall indispensable But the fourth Commandement concerning the Sabbath was not imprinted naturally or made knowne to all mankinde by the common light of naturall reason but it was made knowne only and wholly by divine and supernaturall revelation Also the fourth Commandement was changeable and mutable for the Sabbath of that Commandement which was Saturday according to the Objectors owne Tenet was changed into Sunday And lastly it admitted sundry dispensations pag. 34. 67. Now the premises being indubitate Verities The conclusion is firme to wit That the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue is no precept of the Law of Nature d Theod. in Ezek. 20.12 Illud non moechaberis non furtum facies alia cum his conjuncta alios quoque homines naturae lex edocuit At Sabbati observandi non natura magistra sed latio legis Walaeus Alii Synops purior Theolog. disp 21. n. 20. Sabbati praeceptum non est à naturae necessitate ut reliqua praecepta quae menti insita per se cognita sunt sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex voluntaria Dei institutione D. bound d. Sab. l. 1. p. 11. Indeed this Law was given in the beginning not so much by the light of Nature as the rest of the Commandements were but by expresse word For though this be the Law of Nature that some dayes should be separated to Gods worship yet that it should he every seventh day that the LORD himselfe set downe neither is it purely intirely and properly morall like the other nine but meerely positive in respect of any one particular day of the Weeke specified in the same The Bishop desires to receive some reasonable answer from Br. B. to this and to other the like arguments delivered in his Treatise of the Sabbath for if he shall according to his rude manner barke and blatter against his adversaries Positions and dissemble his arguments it is apparent that he maintaines a forlorne and
prate and not to prove that Christians under the Gospell have received an expresse Commandement from God for the Observation of a certaine particular day in every weeke In such manner as they have received the Commandements touching the non-adoration of Images and giving the Cup in the Eucharist But untill hee performe this which will bee impossible hee declareth himselfe a Rude Accuser and withall a foolish and babling disputer B. A second reason why it is not left in the power of the Church to Prescribe what time men please is Because it is God's prerogative as a Master to appoint his owne worship and service So the time a The time commanded in the fourth Commandement is Saturday the Old Legall Sabbath wherein hee will bee served This God Himselfe commandeth in the fourth Commandement Now as the King will not take it well that any meddle with his prerogative and arrogate that to himselfe which is the King 's right So God is justly offended when men presume to assume to themselves that power which is proper and peculiar to God alone b God is wel pleased when the Church assumeth such ministeriall power as he hath granted If any will take upon him to coine money by counterfeiting the King's stamp and name his act is Treason How then shall they escape who presume to coine what time they please for God's solemne worship though they set the counterfeit stamp of God upon it Now the Sabbath Day is of the Lord 's owne making c The Sabbath day of the fourth Commandement was of God's owne immediate making and if this day is the Lord's day Then Th. Brab is in the right and stamping and therefore called the Lord's Day Answ There is no colour of truth in this second reason 1 The Author of it dealeth falsely For the Bishop maintaineth not that it is in the Churches power to appoint what time men please for Divine Worship But hee saith the contrary to wit The Church must appoint such a measure and proportion of time for God's worship and for Religious Offices as is convenient competent and every way sufficient But hee that teacheth this leaveth it not in the power and liberty of the Church to prescribe what time men please Because such time as men please to appoint may be inconvenient incompetent and insufficient for so great and holy a worke 2 The argument it selfe is of no force For although all power of constituting time for his owne worship bee eminently and originally in God himselfe as likewise is the teaching of all supernaturall truth Matth. 23.8 Yet there is given to the Pastors of the Church a derivative delegate and ministeriall power both to teach God's people and likewise to appoint set fixed and convenient dayes and times and places for religious worship pag. 187. Where the great Lord and Master himselfe hath by his owne expresse or immediate Law ordained a particular day or time for his owne worship It is not lawfull for man to alter the same and therefore the Iewes in the Old Law might not change their Sabbath into another day But the Church by ministeriall and delegate power may adde and increase the number of Religious holy dayes if it be necessary or expedient for the peoples edification For in the very time of the Old Law when many festivall dayes were ordained by God's speciall mandate the Iewish Church notwithstanding upon speciall occasions appointed some new Holy Dayes Hest 9. 17. 1 Machab. 4.56 and our blessed Saviour Himselfe honoured one of these feasts with his owne presence Ioh. 10.22 But now in the time of the N. Test the Church of Christ must of necessity have power to ordain set times and festivall dayes for Divine worship and the spirituall edification of People because such dayes and times are necessary to the ends aforesaid and the Lord Himselfe by no expresse particular mandate of Holy Scripture hath commanded them 3 The Objector's similitudes borrowed from Royall Prerogative and coining or stamping monies are nothing worth for although no Subject may lawfully usurpe the Kings's authority or prerogative yet a Subject may receive power from the King's authority and Prerogative to do many things which otherwise were unlawfull for him to doe As appeareth in Iudges who from the King's prerogative in sundry cases have power of life and death In privy Counsellors c. So likewise the Pastors of the Christian Church by a Ministeriall power given them by Christ exercise authority many wayes in ordering times and places and many other actions and circumstances which concerne God's worship Also It is very lawfull for subjects to Coine and stampe monies when the King being supreme Lord granteth them licence and authority It is Treason in such only as presume to doe it without license and because it is a thing prohibited by Lawes and Royall Authority And so it fareth with the Governours in the Christian Church If they presume to appoint any thing which God hath prohibited they are Delinquents But if in their Ecclesiasticall Precepts they exceed not the power given them by Christ they doe well and they ought to be obeyed 4 This Mangie Objection which the Dialogue-dropper hugs in his bosome and when he blatters it out of his wooden deske he is applauded with the loud Hem of his seduced Auditory is borrowed from Old Thomas Cartwright who in his dayes poysoned many credulous people with such Scabby Similitudes and with some other such like popular insinuations pag. 95. B. A third Reason why it is not left in Man's power to institute the solemne day of God's worship his Sabbath Day or to appoint him what proportion of time they please is Because an indefinite time must either binde to all moments of time as a debt when the day of payment is not expressely dated is liable to payment every moment Or else it bindes to no time at all a The natural equity of God's positive Law requires convenient and sufficient time The precept of the Church determines the day or time in speciall Now tâ—is being performed the dâ—y and time for the solemne worship of God is made definite and certaine For if the Law of God binde Vs not to an expresse determinate time or day consecrate to his service Then the not allowing of him a set time or day is no sin at all For what God's Law commands not therein man is not bound And where no set Law is of a set time or day there is no transgression if a set time or day be not observed So as by this reason If the Law of the 4th Commandement prescribe no set sacred time or day for rest and sanctification it is a meere Nullity For to say there is a naturall equity in it for some sufficient and convenient time and yet no man can define what this sufficient and convenient time is nay all the heads and wits in the world put together are not able to determine it it is as
cap. 37. De nullo ante ipsius finem pronunciari potest quod in electorum gloria sit futurus ut perseverantem humilitatem utilis metus servet qui star videat ne cadat Conclus It is evident by the former Positions of S. Augustine that his constant and expresse Tenet in his Confutation of the Pelagians was That some persons really justified might afterwards bee overcome by temptations and fall away from saving and justificant grace And therefore H. B. is mendacious in accusing the Appealer of Popery and Pelagian Heresie for we trust he will not honour the Papals so much as to make S. Augustine one of theirs And that cannot in any charitable construction be a Pelagian Heresie which S. Augustine the grand Adversary of those Hereticks in his Answers and Confutations constantly maintained against them B. Yea instead of recantation I my self have heard him in open Court speake against both justification that a Man might be justified to day and damned to morrow and against election of some to eternall life and against the sanctification of the Sabbath saying I say there is no sanctification of the Sabbath but Rest Rest only And therefore cease to wonder that this man should be so fearelesse either privily to undermine or apertly to oppugne the expresse Doctrines of our Church Answ 1. It was the Tenet of S. Augustine a Aug. d. Prad Sanct. cap. 14. and of the faithfull in his dayes that if a just person forsake his righteousnes in qua diu vixit wherin hee hath lived long and shall depart this life in wickednesse in qua non unum annum sed unum diem duxerit wherin hee continued not one yeare but one day in poenas iniquis debitas hinc iturum hee shall passe from hence into eternall punishment due to the wicked Huic perspicuae veritati saith Saint Augustine quis fidelium contradicit what faithfull Christian contradicts this evident or perspicuous verity Now if the former doctrine was maintained for Catholike and Orthodoxall in Saint Augustine's daies then he who saith a man may be justified to day and be in perill of damnation the next day b D. Overall Confer Hampt Court p 41. Whosoever though before justified did commit any grievous sinne as Adultery Murder Treason and the like did become ipso facto subject to God's wrath guilty of damnation or were in state of damnation quo ad praesentem justitiam untill they did repent Against which doctrine he said some had opposed teaching That all such persons as were once truely justified although after they fell into never so grievous sinnes yet remained still just 〈◊〉 in the state of justification before they actually repented of these sinnes Yea and although they never repented of them through forgetfulnesse or sudden death yet th y should be saved w thout Repentāce hath delivered nothing savoring of Pelagianisme or repugnant to sound Doctrine in the Article of Iustification 2 Br. B. is false in saying he hath heard his Adversary in open Court speake against God's Election for the Bishop firmely believeth That God hath freely without any merit of their owne in his meere bounty and love for the merit of Christ elected all those to eternall life which shall be glorified in the world to come 3 The Bishop truly affirmed pag. 143. That the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue according to the literall sence thereof enjoyned not such spirituall and Evangelicall duties as Theop. Br. mentioned in his Objection to wit preaching of Christ crucified and raysed from the dead Prayer to God the Father in the name of Christ receiving Baptisme and the Holy Eucharist But he maintaineth that the equity of the fourth Commandement together with the Evangelicall Law requireth not only rest from secular labour and negotiation but also the performance of spirituall and evangelicall duties upon the lord's-Lord's-Day and upon other Holy dayes and times devoted by the Church to the service of Christ pag. 143. A. The Adversary in his Booke doth much except against and cannot endure that the Lord's-Day should be called the Sabbath Day And I remember one passage in it wherein he bequarrelleth H. B. for saying that the ancient Fathers did ever and usually call it the Sabbath Day B. Concerning that I have spoken with H. B. and hee saith he will answer and make good what he hath said against his Adversary And howsoever those words indeed ever and usually might give Advantage to the Adversary to carpe yet being rightly understood they may passe currant enough for by ever usually hee meant that all the ancient Fathers although they distinguish betweene the Lord's-Day and the Iewes Sabbath Day yet they ever took and observed the Lord's-Day instead of the Old Sabbath and ever used it for the Rest day or Sabbath of Christians Answ 1. The Bishop's words pag. 201. are I have diligently searched into Antiquity and observed in the Fathers their formes of speech when they treate of the Lord's-Day and I finde it farre differing from the usuall language of the Fathers to stile the Lord's-Day the Sabbath Day And they by the name Sabbath either understand the Old Legall Sabbath taken away by Christ Or the mysticall and spirituall Sabbath which was tiped and represented by the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement 2 In the former passage the Bishop speaketh not of moderne writers neither hath he denied that any of these especially here in England have stiled the lord's-Lord's-Day by the name of Sabbath or Christian Sabbath for his assertion was onely concerning the Ancient Fathers a Igna. ad Magnes post Sabbatū omnis Christi amator dominicam celebret diem c. Orig. in Exod hom 7. In nostra dominica semper pluit Manna in Sabbato nō pluit Clemens Apost Constit li. 7. ca. 24. Sabbatū Dominicum festos dies agite quod ille quidem dies recordatio sit fabricationis mundi hic vero Resurrectionis Athanas Epist ad Marcel Si psallere vis in Sabbato habes Psalm 91. Vis gratias agere in dominico habes psal 23. Ambros d. sacram lib. 4. cap. 6. Greg Nyssen orat d. castigat August Epist 86. Hilar. Prolog in Psalm Socrat. hist Eccl. lib. 6. cap. 8. Tripertit hist lib. 1. cap. 9. And therefore Br. B. fighteth with his owne shadow when he produceth moderne authorities to confirme that which concerneth not the point in question 3 The Bishop pag. 205. makes cleare ostension that H. B. had falsified three places of Saint Augustine And to prove himselfe an impudent Prevaricator he had foisted in these words Hoc est Dominicum into Saint Augustine's very text Contra Adimant Manich. Cap. 15. 4 This Br. B. for his last refuge propoundeth a miserable and ridiculous argument to wit The Fathers observed the Lord's-Day in stead of the Old Sabbath Ergo they ever and usually called the same the Sabbath Day This argument may be paralleld with one like unto it The ancient Fathers observed
the Sacrament of Baptisme instead of Circumcision Ergo the Ancient Fathers did ever usually stile the Sacrament of Baptisme by the name of Circumcision B. Saint Augustine d. temp Ser. 251. affirmeth That the Holy Doctors of the Church have decreed to transferre all the glory of the Iudaicall Sabbath or Sabbatisme unto the lord's-Lord's-Day c. We must observe the same from evening to evening c. that being sequestred from Rurall workes and from all businesse we may be vacant only for the worship of God Thus we duly sanctifie the Sabbath of the Lord c. You see hee speaketh this not as his owne particular opinion but as it was the Tenet of the whole Catholike Church so as the whole ancient Catholike Church did not only observe but call the Lord's-Day the Sabbath c. Answ 1 This Sermon seemeth to be none of Saint Augustine's as appeareth by the stile Nolite in Ecclesia verbosari In Ecclesia garriunt verbosantur Cogunt Presbyterum ut abbreviat Missam 2 The Author of this Sermon requireth the same Vacancie and sanctity upon the Birth dayes of Saâ—nts as he doth upon the Lord's-Day b Idcirco fratres mei non sit vobis molestum in Dominicis diebus in natalitiis SaÌ„ctorum divino studere cultui 3 He affirmeth that the Holy Doctors of the Church translated the glory of the Iudaicall Sabbath upon the Lord's-Day c Ideo Sancti Doctores Ecclesiae decreverunt omnem gloriaÌ„ Iudaici Sabbatismi in illam transferre c. And therefore he could not without contradiction ground the Observation of the Lord's-Day upon the letter or expresse words of the fourth Commandement 4 He makes the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement and the Lord's-Day two distinct and diverse dayes of the week and when he saith sic quoque rite sanctificamus Sabbatum Domini c. He useth the word Sabbath in a mysticall and analogicall sence and not in a Legall or literall signification 5 It is an untruth that Saint Augustine d Aug. ad Ascllic Epist. 200. Cum quisque isto modo fuerit verus germanusque Christianus utrum etiam Iudaeus aut Israelita dicendus sit merito quaeritur Quod quidem si non in carne sed spiritu hoc esse intelligitur non debet ipsuÌ„ nomen sibi imponere sed spiritali intelligentia retinere ne propter ambiguitatem vocabuli quam non discernit quotidiana locutio illud profiteri videatur quod est inimicum nomini Christiano Non debemus consuetudinem sermonis humani inepta loquacitate confundere c. inepta insolentia si dici potest imperita scientia makes it the common stile of the Catholike Church to call the Lord's-Day the Sabbath for he was so far either himselfe from stiling the Lord's-Day the Sabbath in a proper or ordinary course of speaking or from approving this forme of speech in others that hee holdeth it inept and insolent to give Iudaicall names and Appellations to Persons or things which are Christian or Evangelicall and hee gives a reason hereof because by such ambiguous formes of speaking a Christian might seeme to professe that which is repugnant to true Christianity B. Hilary Prolog in Psal Though in the seventh day of the week both the name and observance of the Sabbath be established yet we on the eighth day which also is the first doe enioy the festivitie of the perfect Sabbath Answ The Question is not Whether the Ancient Fathers have at any time stiled the Lord's-day a Sabbath in a mysticall and spirituall sense that is a day wherein Christian people ought to abstaine from sin For in this sense they have stiled every day of the Weeke b Clem. Alex. strom l. 5. c. â— Qui perfectus est ratione operibus cogitationibus perpetuo haerens verbo Deo naturali nostro Domino semper agit dies Domini nunquam non habet DominicuÌ„ Tert. c. Iud. c. 4. Vnde intelligimus magis Sabbatizare nos ab omni opere servili semper debere non tantuÌ„ septimo quoque die sed per omne tempus Chrys in Mat. ho. 40. Quid Sabbato opus est illi qui per totaÌ„ vitam agit solennitatem qui peccatorum immunis virtutes observat colit wherein Christians rest from sin a Sabbath pag. 203 204. But whether the Fathers did ever and usually name the Lord's-day the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement in a proper and literall sense The Bishop hath proved the Negative with so many pregnant testimonies of the Fathers pag. 202. that no reasonable person can take any just exception A. Dr. Wh. denies that Christ upon the day of his Resurrection rested from the work of Redemption B. I conferred with H. B. about this because it much concernes him to quit this Question seeing on Christ's resting on that day he grounds the Sabbatisme of it as agreeable to the fourth Commandement And in my judgement if he can evince and cleare it it will prove unanswerable And he tels me that he hath in two severall Treatises in Latine a Maintaining your own principles that the fourth CoÌ„mandement is purely simply morall and of the Law of Nature it will be impossible for you either in English or in Latine to solve Theoph. Brab his Objections against Theophilus Brab fully cleared it and removed all Objections and Cavillations that either Theophilus Brabourne or Francis White have or can bring to the contrary and he purposeth to do the like to D. Wh. And he made it very cleare to me that Christ's rest from the worke of Redemption from sinne on the Crosse and from death in the Grave which was a branch of that worke began not till his Resurrection as for his Ascension that was into the place of rest but his Resurrection was into the state of rest The Bishop's words are Christ was in action on that day but the word labour is of Br. B. his owne coining As for D. Wh. his Objection with Theophilus Brabourne That Christ laboured on that day H. B. shewes it to be absurd and ridiculous seeing Christ arose with a body glorified and impassible So as his actions that day could not bee called a labour that thereby the new Sabbath should bee broken Answ 1. Our Saviour began his Rest from those workes of Redemption by which he made paiment of a price by his bloud for our sins c Liturg. diddest give thine only Son IESVS CHRIST to suffer death upon the Crosse for our redemption who made there by his owne oblation of himselfe once offered a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice oblation satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world c. Ordering of Priests after hee had made perfect our redemption by his death c. upon the latter part of Goodfriday immediately upon his saying Consummatum est and giving up the ghost Iohn 19.30 Heb. 10.14 Then he continued in his Grave and Bed of rest the
sabbath-Sabbath-day following upon the Sunday he began his operations of Application of the fruit and benefit of his Passion and he did no more rest or cease from those actions upon Sunday than he did forty dayes after 2 Christ rested as fully upon the Munday Tuesday and upon every day following the day of his Resurrection from all his afflictive and satisfactory Passions as he did upon the Sunday If therefore it were granted that Christ began his Rest upon Sunday it must be confessed that he continued his Rest and Cessation from Redemptive actions every day after and so the Sunday was not the only day or time of his Rest And if it shall be further objected that even as notwithstanding the Lord God ceased and rested from the worke of prime Creation on every day of the weeke following as much as he did on the first Sabbath yet the seventh day was made the Sabbath because the Lord on that day began his Rest Therefore because Christ began his rest upon Sunday the same must bee the Christian Sabbath of the fourth Commandement Our answer is that God's resting or ceasing from the worke of Creation did not ordaine the Seventh day of the Week to be the Sabbath day a Walaeus d. Sab. c. 7. Deus in creatione rerum quievit die septimo sed nisi Deus hanc suam quietem in exemplum adduxisset et praecepto confirmasset nunquam ecclesia Vet. Testamenti ad ejus hebdomadalem observationeni fuisset divinitus obligata Quemadmodu etiam de die Paschatis Pentecostes qui Dei singularibus beneficiis sunt consecrati judicandum est eos noÌ„ nisi propter Dei accedens mandatum in veteri Testamento necessario fuisse observandos for it was God's expresse Commandement and Law which did this and his Rest was onely a Motive and that meerely in his owne good pleasure of sanctifying that particular Day But now concerning the Lord's-day we finde no such expresse and particular divine Law or Commandement in holy Scripture and therefore Christ's resting from all his Penall sufferings upon the day of his Resurrection cannot make that day of the weeke a particular Sabbath-day of divine institution unlesse some such expresse divine Law as the Iewes received for their Sabbath can be produced But if the Objector will obstinately contend that the Resurrection of Christ in it selfe containeth a Mandatory Law to observe the Lord's-day let him first deliver a true definition of a Law and then prove that the said definition belongs to the Resurrection of Christ A Law say the Iurists is a Precept of a Superiour being in authority containing a Rule or Measure of things to be done or not to be done But neither this nor any other true definition of a Law b Aquin. 1.2 q. 90. ar 4. Lex nihil aliud est quam quaedaÌ„ rationis ordinatio ad bonum commune ab eo qui curam communitatis habet ordinata Salas d. leg Lex est quod Rex vel Respublica jubet verbo vel scripto ab eo qui curam communitatis habet premulgata or of a Commandement agrees to the Resurrection of Christ Therefore the Resurrection of Christ may be a motive or cause impulsive inducing the Church to make a Law but it is not of it selfe any formall Law And if our Saviour's Resurrection hath the force of a Law to ordaine the day on which hee rose to be the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement We can observe no reason why the day of his Ascension b Walaeus d. Sabb. pa. 158. Quod affertur Christum eo die resurrexisse ac proinde eundem ad cultum suum Resurrectione sua coÌ„secrasse necessariuÌ„ argumentum non habet Quia Christus diem Iovis suo in coelos ascensu consecravit nec propterea tamen sequitur eum singulis septimanis in memoriam ascensus ejus esse observandum Nam licet haec Christi resurrectio argumentum praebuerit Ecclesiae Apostolicae ut hunc diem caeteris ad habendos conventus praeferret Non tamen sequitur Christum hoc suo facto eundem diem in eum sinem instituisse on which he entred into his eternall Rest should not likewise have the force of a Law to ordaine Thursday to be a Christian Sabbath because if our Saviour's beginning to rest shall make a Sabbath certainly the perfecting of his Rest should much more do the like 3 This Objector falsifieth the Bishop's words foisting in the word Labour instead of the word Action and then he brayes in his rude tone absurd and ridiculous But every reasonable Creature knowes there may be action without labour as appeareth in the actions of God Almighty c Aug. d. Civ â—â— lib. 12. cap. 17 NoÌ„ itaque in ejus vacatione cogitetur ignavia desidia inertia sicut nec in ejus opere labor conatus industria Novit quiescens agere agens quiese ere and in the actions of the blessed Angels and of the glorified Saints in Heaven And therefore bold B. is a false brother in corrupting and perverting the Bishop's forme of words and the Bishop's assertion is most true That our Saviour having finished all sorrow and labour upon his Passion-day He was in action upon his Resurrection day and he was in Action likewise forty dayes after B. Lest neither the Church of England in her publike Doctrine nor the pious workes of her grave and learned Sons may perhaps satisfie the Adversarie's importunity yet I hope the writings of his more pious and no lesse learned Brother D. Iohn White and those also both republished and vindicated by Fran. White from the Iesuites Calumnies White dyed black c. will a little qualifie him How D. Iohn White doth not only call the Lord's-day the Sabbath-day as once Sect. 38. 1. and twice Sect. 43. digress 46. 6. But he also condemnes all profane sports and recreations on that day and among the rest Dancing for one And for this he alleageth the example of the Papists as the most notorious Sabbath-breakers in this kinde A. Doth he so Sir This seemes strange to me that so great a Clerk as Fran. White should so far forget himselfe as not to remember what his Brother hath writ Surely if it be so it will be a cooling-Card and no small disgrace to his Lp. when so worthy and reverend a Brother shal be brought as a witnesse against him But I pray you for my better satisfaction relate to me the very passages and words of D. Iohn White B. I will in digress 46. the Title whereof is Naming certaine points of the Popish religion which directly tend to the maintenance of open sinne and liberty of life now among many foule and profane practises as he cals them this he notes for one namely the profanation of the Sabbath in these words That they hold it lawfull on the Sabbath-day to follow Suits Travell Hunt Dance keep Faires and such like This is that hath made Papists the
Theft as the Novell Sabbatizers preach pag. 235. for Christian people to use some intermission from religious and spirituall actions and likewise some recreation upon some part of the Lord's-day and they are not obliged during the whole day which according to the Sabbatarian Tenet containeth 24. houres to forbeare to speake any words or think any thoughts or to performe any workes or actions which concerne either pleasure or profit read pag. 249. because it is morally impossible for them with comfort and ordinary diligence to continue 24. houres together in spirituall and religious exercises and meditations 2 The Law of Christ condemneth all profane libertinisme but why doth Br. Asotus stile such recreation as neither is vicious in forme quality or circumstance by the name of profane liberty And other recreation than this the Bishop maintaineth not either upon Sunday or upon any other day pag. 229. 3 The Bishop intreateth Br. B. to resolve him whether it is not a Doctrine of Libertinisme to animate Christian people in disobedience of lawfull Authority to teach them it is a branch of their Christian liberty to be their owne guides in point of Religion to deprave or to neglect the Common Service and other Duties enjoyned by the precepts of the true Church whereof they are members to maligne Ecclesiasticall Governours and to proclaime them Veines of the Pope and to be of a Papall Spirit if they presume to instruct the inferiour Clergie in point of Religion To bequarrell godly and learned persons who comply not with the new Sect in their fanaticall asseverations and to censure and controle all things which are not sutable to their owne groundlesse and sencelesse traditions Now in good earnest you Br. B. many judicious men are of minde that the fomenting of these humours in Christian people by Doctrine or example is a more proper act of profane libertinisme than such bodily exercise and recreation as the Lawes of our Kingdome and State have permitted B. I observe a very improper and so an untrue speech where hee saith if they should upon Puritan Principles restraine them wholly from all repast Who I pray you doth restraine the people from all repast on the Lord's-Day Or is prophane sport a repast to feede the rude Vulgar it seemeth so and liberty to youth is as their meate and drinke Answ It appeareth by the Law of the Sabbath Exod. 23.12 That one end and use thereof was the refreshing of the people upon the seventh day after six dayes toile and labour And the old Sabbath and other Festivals were Dies Laetitiae dayes of mirth and rejoycing and sober and honest recreation upon some part of the old Sabbath was prohibited by no Divine Law pag. 237. Now if in the time of the Gospell Christian people upon Principles borrowed out of the Talmud and the Rule of Pharisaicall Tradition should be surcharged with such rigid Ordinances as are imposed by Novell Sabbatarians pag. 235 236. 249 250. and he wholly restrained from all recreation upon any part of the Holy-day One end of the Holy-day should be destroyed and Christian people must be deprived of that liberty which God and nature have granted and from hence it will be consequent that the Holy-day instead of a day of Refreshing shall become a day of Oppressing people with an heavier burden than in right ought to be laid upon them and this would make the Holy-day more unwelcome than the plough-day and besides it might engender in peoples mindes a distast of their present Religion and manner of serving of God pag. 266. This passage highly displeaseth the Dialogue-broacher but instead of solid answer and confutation First he carpeth at the forme of speech affirming that it is improper but wherein he declareth not then he saith it is untrue this likewise is easily said but impossible to be proved After this he equivocates saying Who I pray you do restraine the people from all repast on the lord's-Lord's-day that is who restraineth people from eating and drinking on the lord's-Lord's-day And lastly he declineth the true state of the Question for whereas his owne Tenet is Vniversall to wit that all civill recreation is unlawfull upon the Sunday in his disputation hee opposeth some kindes of bodily exercises and recreations which seeme to him to be lascivious profane and really vicious in their proper forme and quality B. Pag. 266. He saith some Recreations not prohibited by our Lawes our religious Governours allow upon Holy-dayes And Pag. 232. Civill recreation not prohibited in termes neither yet by any necessary consequence from the Law cannot bee simply unlawfull And pag. 231. No just Law Divine Ecclesiasticall or Civill doth totally prohibit the same To this I reply that those sports fore-specified are prohibited by Law both Divine Ecclesiasticall and Civill 1. By Divine Law as Rom. 13.13 Gal. 5.21 1 Pet. 4.3 c. 2. By Ecclesiasticall Lawes and Councels c. 3. By just Civill Lawes c. Answ 1 It is an infallible verity and confessed by the Dialogue-forger himselfe that nothing can bee vicious or sinfull unlesse it bee prohibited expressely or virtually by some just Law c Aug. d. pec mer. remis l. 2. c. 12. Neque peccatum erit si non divinitus jubeatur ut non sit Br. B. Dialog p. 11. A sin it cannot bee but as a breach of one of God's holy Commandements for where there is no Law there is no transgression Divine or Humane But sober and honest repast recreation or pastime upon some part of the Holy-day is prohibited by no Divine Law nor by any Ecclesiasticall or Civill Law of our State and Church Therefore sober and honest recreation c. upon some part of our Holydayes is not vicious sinfull or unlawfull Now the Objector in his reply declineth as his manner is the true state of the Question and inveigheth against certaine particular Exercises and Recreations excepted against by some learned Divines and which have beene prohibited by publike authority in foraigne Nations But the Bishop in his Treatise proceeded no further concerning recreations than is before expressed to wit that such are neither vicious in forme quality or circumstance may lawfully be used upon some part of the Holy day if they shall be permitted by lawfull authority And the maine reason of his forbearance was because in the first part of his Treatise he undertooke to deliver no other Doctrine concerning the old Sabbath or the Lord's-day but such only as seemed to him both to be Orthodoxall and also Catholike and therefore he declined the Question concerning Pastimes and recreations in their particular leaving the same to a publike determination of the Church and State by reason there now is and in former times hath beene diversity of opinion among godly men concerning the quality of such particulars And if Br. B. esteemeth those bodily exercises and recreations to be profane and vicious which his gracious Majestie in a royall Edict permitteth his Subjects with sundry
AN EXAMINATION AND CONFVTATION of a Lawlesse Pamphlet INTITVLED A briefe Answer to a late Treatise of the SABBATH-DAY Digested Dialogue-wise betweene two Divines A and B. By Dr. FR. WHITE L. Bishop of ELY â— COR. 13. We can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth Hieronymuâ— de Luciferianis dicit Facilius eos vinci posse quam persuaderi LONDON Printed by Richard Badger and are to be sold in S. Pauls Church-yard 1637. TO THE CHRISTIAN AND IVDICIOVS READER THe Reason and Occasion inducing my Superiours to imploy mee in a service of the Church for penning and publishing a Treatise of the Sabbath and of the Lord's-day is delivered in my Epistle Dedicatory to the Lord's Grace of Canterbury And my intention in performing thereof was to deliver and maintaine the Orthodoxall Doctrine of the Primitive Church and the Doctrine of the Church of England authorised by the Lawes and Statutes of our Kingdome against the Sabbatarian Error of one Theophilus Brabourne and because this Errant had grounded the most of his Arguments upon certaine Principles borrowed from some Moderne Teachers of our owne Nation I was compelled to examine and confute the same This service being with much Care and Diligence performed by me I expected some thankes for convicting and converting that Errant and for preventing the farther spreading and infection of his Error But at least I presumed to have obtained a charitable Construction of such Passages in my Treatise as were subservient to a farther discovery of Verity and that if any had found cause of dissenting from me they would in a charitable and peaceable manner have propounded their Exceptions It hath now so fallen out that contrary both to my desert and expectation A certaine clamorous and audacious Scripturient a Person of a very weak judgement but yet exceeding confident and arrogant hath vented a Lawlesse and unlicensed Pamphlet digested Dialogue-wise c. wherein he Proclaimeth with open mouth that my Treatise of the Sabbath overthroweth the publike Doctrine of the Church of England touching that Question Now the whole matter and frame of his Dialogue is so rude and indigested and the Author thereof is so notorious for his ignorance envy and presumption that it rather merits execration than confutation and many Persons of worth and quality have perswaded me rather to contemne than to confute either the worke or the workeman But when I consider the cause it selfe and the humour of factious people who are alwaies ready to conceive their owne fancies to be irrefragable Verities if they passe in publike without just reproofe I conceive it can be no indiscretion in Me or dishonour for Me to appeare in defence of Veritie against falsitie and iniquitie how base and unworthy soever the Author is with whom I shall contest Now all which I shall desire of the judicious Reader is first that he take into consideration the maine accusation of the Dialogist which is That in my Treatise of the Sabbath I have overthrowne the publike Doctrine of the CHURCH of ENGLAND touching this Question Secondly that he will duely and impartially consider and examine in the ballance of true judgement the Adversaries Exceptions and Objections against my Arguments and Positions and my Answere and confutation of the same Concerning the maine accusation of the Objector before mentioned the Reader may easily discerne the falsity and iniquitie of it for the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the Sunday and other Holy dayes is in plaine and expresse termes delivered in the Statute of Quinto and Sexto of King EDWARD the sixt cap. 3. in manner following Neither is it to be thought that there is any certaine time or number of dayes prescribed in holy Scripture but that the appointment both of the time and also of the number of the dayes is left by the authoritie of God's Word to the libertie of CHRIST'S Church to be determined and assigned orderly in every Countrey by the discretion of the Rulers and Ministers thereof as they shal judge most expedient to the setting forth of God's glorie and the edification of their people Be it therefore enacted by the King our Sovereigne Lord with the assent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled by the authority of the same that all the dayes hereafter mentioned shall bee kept and commanded to be kept holy dayes and none other that is to say All Sundayes in the yeere The dayes of the Feasts of the Circumcision of our Lord IESUS CHRIST of the Epiphanie of the Purification of the blessed Virgine of S. Matthias the Apostle c. And that none other day shall be kept holy day or to abstaine from lawfull bodily labour The former Statute being repealed Anno primo Mariae cap. 2. was revived An. prim R. IACOBI cap. 25. and is at this day in force as appeareth by the booke of Statutes pag. 894. and by the judgement of the Reverend Iudges and Masters in our Lawes A Second passage which I desire the judicious Reader to observe is That the Doctrine concerning the Sabbath day and the Lord's day maintained in my Treatise agreeth exactly with the unanimous Tenet of the Orthodoxall Catholike Church of ancient times and the same agreeth likewise with the Tenet both of all the Schoole Doctours ancient and moderne and also with the Tenet of the best learned and most religious Divines of the reformed Churches beyond Sea And lastly the same is agreeable to the Tenet of the Holy Martyrs of our owne Church Bishop Cranmer Iohn Frith William Tindall D. Barnes c. And the other opinion That the fourth Commandement is a Precept of the Law of Nature and purely and intirely Morall And that the observation of the Lord's Day is expresly commanded by that Precept of the Decalogue is a novell Position repugnant to all or most Orthodoxall Divines who have instructed Christian people in the wayes of godlinesse in former or moderne times Every one of the former passages is so fully prooved and confirmed in my Treatise of the Sabbath that no just exception can be taken against my proceeding in handling this Question and therefore the boldnesse and impudency of this blattering Dialogist is detestable when he affirmeth that my Treatise of the Sabbath overthroweth the Doctrine of the Church of England Lastly all the Reward which I desire to reape for my travell in this or in any other service of the Church is that the Truth which I have faithfully delivered may bee maintained and my integrity be protected against gracelesse impudent and irreverent Calumniators such as the Author of the Dialogue hath proclaimed himselfe to be in this and in some other of his lewd and lawlesse Pamphlets For although this Dialogue penner hath concealed his name yet Ex ungue Leonem the world may easily conjecture who the Creature is by his foule paw The Scope of his writing in his Pamphlets is to magnifie his owne Zeale piety
unto pag. 267. Thesis 7â— The Sanctification of one particular day in seven is neither any principle of the Law of nature nor yet an immediate Conclusion of the same neither is the same commanded by any written Evangelicall divine Law neverthelesse the same is consonant to the Equity of the 4th Commandement of the Decalogue and besides The religious observatâ—on of one day in seven is a convenient time for GOD'S publique and solemne worship and the Christian Church in al ages since the Apostles hath deputed one weekely seventh-Seventh-day to the fore-said end And therefore it is a thing just and reasonable to continue the same observation pag. 91. Thesis 8. There is no expresse Commandement written in the New Testament concerning the religious observation of the Sunday of every weeke rather than of any other convenient day or time Neverthelesse because the Christian Church ever since the Apostles age hath beene accustomed to observe this weekely-day and it is a received Tradition that the holy Apostles themselves were the authors of this observation and also the maine reason upon which this observation was first grounded to wit the Resurrection of CHRIST upon the day called the LORD'S-day is a just and weighty motive to induce Christian people to observe this day in the honour of CHRIST and to testifie their rejoycing and thankefulnesse for the benefit of our SAVIOUR'S Resurrection Therefore it is not expedient decent or agreeable to equity and good reason to alter the long continued observation of this day into any other new day or time pag. 152. Jncipit PROLOGUS A. BRother you are happily met B. And you Brother also A. I would I might spend an houre or two with you in private conference in a point wherein I have of late been not a little perplexed B. Why what is the matter Brother A. Have you not seene a late Treatise of the Sabbath-day published by an eminent Antistes in this Church B. Yes I have both seene and perused it A. I pray you what thinke you of it B. I thinke it is a very dangerous Booke A. What meane you by that B. I mean dangerous to the Authour if it were well examined before competent judges A. How so I pray you B. Because it overthrowes the Doctrine of the Church of England in the point of the Sabbath A. Pardon me that seemes to mee impossible B. Why A. Because he saith expresly in the very title page of his hooke That it containeth a defence of the Orthodoxall Doctrine of the Church of England against Sabbatarian Novelty And therefore I am confident he will looke to make that good B. Be not too confident you know the Proverb Fronti rara fides The foulest causes may have the fairest pretences Answ The substance of the precedent interlocutory babble is The Bishops Booke is a dangerous booke and that to himselfe if it were examined before Competent judges for contrary to the title of the booke it overthrowes the Doctrine of the Church of England in the point of the Sabbath Our answer to this accusation is 1. that if we will rightly understand the quality of it we must first of all define who are Competent judges Now the holy Scripture The Law of reason and all prudent men require these properties following to the Constitution of Competent judges 1. Lawfull authority 2. Sufficient learning and knowledge 3. Feare of God 4. Wisedome 5. Integrity and love of Verity 2 The Bishops Treatise of the Sabbath hath already beene examined by judges qualified in manner aforesaid Namely by the two most Reverend Arch-Bishops by many Reverend Bishops by the Honourable Court of High Commission by many Reverend and learned Deanes by many Doctors and Professors of Theologie by some of the learned Readers in Divinity of both Vniversities by Noble and Prudent Statesmen by eminent Professors of both Laws civill and temporall and the Kings Majesty himselfe the Bishops Soveraigne Lord and Master hath graciously accepted it and if these before named shall not be esteemed competent judges Our desire is to be enformed by our Brother B. who in our Church or Kingdome are competent judges but especially let him resolve us who shall be those competent Iudges to whose sentence hee will submit the examination of his owne unlicensed pamphlets 3 The Bishop hath not onely affirmed in the title page of his Treatise that it containeth a Defence of the Orthodoxall Doctrine of the Church of England c. but he likewise hath confirmed the same by arguments and testimonies irrefragable Therefore Brother B. his proverbiall sentence Frontirara fides is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it admitteth an exception to wit credit ought at all times to bee given to the Frontispice of every booke which confirmeth that which is contained in the same by weightie and effectuall arguments Now the conclusion from the Premises is The Bishops Booke can prove no dangerous Book either to himselfe or to any other if it were duely examined by lawfull and competent Iudges A. That is true you say But yet I cannot be perswaded that so great a Personage would so farre overshoot as to give that advantage to those whom he makes his adversaries Nay you know his Booke is dedicated to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by whose direction and that according to his sacred Majesty his command he was set upon this work both for the preventing of mischiefe as himselfe saith in his Epistle Dedicatory to the said Arch-Bishop and to settle the Kings good Subjects who have long time beene distracted about Sabbatarian questions Now if he maintaine not but as you say overthrow the Doctrine of the Church of England he will have small thankes from his sacred Majesty for his paines who is the Defender of the Faith of the Church of England and hath often solemnly protested Declaration about the Dissolving of the ParliameÌ„t And Declaration before the 39. Articles and that in his publike Declarations â—n print that he will never suffer therein the least innovation And what thankes then can heâ— expect from the Bp. trow you And instead of preventing he will pull on greater mischiefs And in stead of setling the Kings good Subjects he will fill their minds with greater distractions And therfore Brother in so saying you lay a heavy charge upon him It is dangerous so to charge a Person of that Dignity and Esteeme in the world Take heede therefore what you say You know also that he is a great Scholer deeply learned a Reverend Father of the Church so as his judgment is taken almost for an Oracle Answ The summe of the former discourse is That the Bishop can expect small thankes from the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to whom his Booke is dedicated or from his Majesty who will suffer no innovation in Religion if he being of note for learning and a Bishop of the Church hath in stead of setling the mindes of the Kings loving Subjects distracted or led them into error To this
be free when her pious Sons are so traduced and reproached and that for defending those very doctrines which by her means they sucked from the breasts of both the Testaments A. That must needs follow I confesse Answ In the former declamatory passage these particulars following are to be observed 1 The hypocrisie a August Serm. in Mont. l. 2. c. 3. Qui vult videri quod non est hypocrita est Id. in Psalm 103. Parie dealbatus hypocrisis simulatio paries dealbatus foris tectorium intus lutum Id d. civ D. lib. 2. Malignitas Daemonum nisi alicubi se transfiguret in AngeluÌ„ Lucis non implet negotium deceptionis of this Declamitant who professeth himselfe an obedient Son to his deare and reverend Mother the Church of England wheras in the precedent Section he most contemptuously disgraceth Episcopal Authority ordain'd by the holy Apostles and established in the Ch. of England ever since the reformation accounting the Prelates if they exercise that power of judicature which the Church of England approveth as being descended from Primitive and Apostolicall Ordination Vâ—ines of the Pope And more than so This Dialogue-broacher b Reade this Auth rs Treatise intituled Christs coÌ„fession and complaint pag. 30. anâ— pag. 59. In wh ch he condemneth Episcopall government saying It is prohibited by Christ Luc. 22.24 1 Pet. 5.3 Mat. 20.25 2 Tim. 2.3 4. And he applyes S. Pauls Text Col. 2.20 to the Ceremonies of the Church pag. 60. They look to little but the silencing of such as stumble at their Ceremonies and Hierarchie To defend the injunctions of men and their unprofitable Hieraâ—chie Plea Such kinde of Ministers are not wanting to helpe forward the re-erecting of the Romish Baal in our Land had they but a yong Manasses to restore the Altars and Groves which good King Ezekiah his Father had pulled downe in other Pamphlets declares himselfe to be an adversary to the Ecclesiasticall policy Rites Ceremonies and Canons of our present Church and scarce any professed Schismatick of later dayes hath intreated conformable persons of good quality with more despitefull abuses than this hypocrite who stileth himselfe an obedient Sonne of his Mother the Church hath done 2 This Dialogist falsely accuseth his Adversary in laying to his charge that he hath stigmatized all such as dissent from him in the Question of the Sabbath Venomous Serpents noisome Tares pestilent Weeds and uncleane Beasts for it is apparent ex Pagina secunda of the Epistle Dedicatory that those termes are applyed to notorious Hereticks malicious Schismaticks prophane Hypocrites and proud disturbers of the peace and unity of the Church c Hieron apolog c. Ruff. Tu nimium suspitiosus querulus qui dicta in Haereticos ad tuam refers contumeliam The Bishops words are This being the condition of the Church militant it cannot be otherwise but that in all ages there shall be found among those which professe Christ not only such as are vertuous and sound in faith but also men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the faith Venomous Serpents noisome Tares pestilent Weeds d Idem c. Luciferian Non solum in Ecclesia morantur oves nec mundae tantuÌ„ aves volitant sed frumentum in agro seritur inter nitentia culta Lappaeque tribuli steriles dominantur avenae and uncleane beasts Our Saviours owne prediction was There shall arise false Prophets c. S. Paul Oportet Haereses esse c. 3 Another branch of Br. B. his Declamation is The Bishop in his booke brandeth those whose opinions he impugneth with the odious name of Novell Sabbatarians Our answer is 1. The Bishop in his Treatise brandeth not all such as dissent from him in his Tenet of the Sab. c. with that name neither brandeth he any therewith because they teach Christian people to observe the lord's-Lord's-day religiously and to spend the same in the performance of holy and spirituall duties so far as is necessary for their godly edification and in such manner as the Canon and Precept of the Christian Church hath enjoyned for he holdeth this to be a necessary duty obliging al good Christians 2 He giveth this Title and Name very justly to all those who proudly and peremptorily maintaine the maine Principles and Positions upon which Sabbatarian Hereticks in ancient and in moderne times have grounded their errour touching the necessary observation of the old legall Sabbath The Reader shall finde these Principles and Positions peremptorily taught for divine truth by those Teachers whose opinions the Bishop impugneth layed downe in his Treatise Page 20. c. The observation of the Seventh day and also the precise resting from worldly affaires is morall neither is there any thing in the fourth Commandement that might intimate it to be Ceremoniall The 4th Commandement can be no more partly morall partly Ceremoniall than the same living creature can be partly a Man and partly a beast The fourth Commandement is part of the Law of Nattre and thus part of the Image of God and is no more capable of a Ceremony than God himselfe The fourth commandement in every part thereof as it is contained in the Decalogue is morall and of the Law of Nature The Decalogue being the same with the Law of Nature is one and the same for ever it followeth necessarily that the Sabbath being a part of that Decalogue is to remain for ever The observation of the seventh day is of the Law of Nature it was established before Christ was promised and therefore it is not ceremoniall but of the Law of nature and perpetuall The Summe and substance of the former Positions is The fourth Commandement of the Decalogue is purely intirely and totally morall it is a Precept of the Law of Nature and of the same quality both for morality and perpetuity with other Commandements of the Law of Nature neither was there any thing Ceremoniall in it Now the judicious Reader will presently observe that the Sabbatarian Heresie concerning the perpetuall observation of the old Legall Sab. is a necessary and undeniable Conclusion issuing out of the former Positions For every Law or Precept purely intirely and totally morall is perpetuall and unchangeable the same must be intirely observed and if nothing positive or Ceremoniall be found therein then no branch or member thereof can cease or be omitted But the keeping holy of the Seventh day Sabbath namely Saturday was a maine part of the fourth Commandement for it was the Subject or materiall Object of that Commandement literally expressely and positively specified and commanded by God Almighty in the Decalogue Therefore from the Premises it will be consequent that the Seventh day Sabbath being Saturday must be kept holy untill the end of the world The first Proposition is confirmed in manner following The prime speciall and expresse materiall Object of every Law is a substantiall part of that Law and it is of the same kinde and
quality with the Law it selfe and therefore if the Law be intirely and naturally morall then the expresse and speciall object of the same is of the same quality For example in the fifth Commandement of the Decalogue Honour thy father and thy mother c. Naturall Parents are the prime speciall and expresse Object of that Law therefore although other Objects may be added as honour the King give honour to Presbyters that rule well honour Masters c. Yet naturall Father and Mother being named expressed and specified in the Commandement remaine indelible because they are the prime Object thereof In like manner if the fourth Commandement were naturall and intirely morall like unto the fifth then the particular day expressed and described therein namely Saturday must be observed although the Apostles and Christian Church might adde the Lord's-day and some other Festivals for the enlarging of the service of Christ 4 The Bishop also in his Treatise 235. c. 249. c. hath observed certaine desperate passages in those mens Sermons and Tractats whom he stileth Novell Sabbatarians to wit To doe any servile worke or businesse upon the Lord's-day is as great a sinne as to kill a man or to commit adultery To throw a Bowle on the Sabbath-day is as great a sinne as to kill a man And to make a Feast or Wedding-dinner on the Lord's day is as great a sin as for a father to take a knife and cut his childes throat To ring more Bels than one upon the Lord's-day to call the People to Church is as great a sin as to commit murder In Harvest time though the Corne be in danger yet better were it for us that it should rot on the ground than for us by carrying it in with the breach of the Sabbath to treasure up unto ourselves wrath c. It is not lawfull for people to go out of their houses to walke in the fields These former Dictats are borrowed from the old Pharisees and the moderne Authors who have revived and maintained them comply herein with Sabbatarian Hereticks Thus to satisfie my judicious Reader I have delivered the reasons inducing me to stile certaine new Scripturients and Predicants whose opinions I impugned Novell Sabbatarians and if Br. B. and his Allies are offended and hold this Title odious let them right themselves not by raging and thrusting out rayling and libelling Pamphlets marching up and downe in blew Iackets but by renouncing and recanting those scandalous Positions which are apt to impoyson Christian People with Iudaical and Sabbatarian heresie 5 Those persons which the Bishop intended when he used that terme of Novell Sabbatizers were so far from being the true bred children of the Church of England that they were either in heart or in open profession adheres to the Presbyterian Policy and they sucked not their Doctrine of the Sabbath from the breasts of both the Testaments but partly from the corrupt Fountaines of Ancient Heretickes and partly out of the broken Cesternes of their owne private fancies B. The Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the Sabbath is most clearely a If Br. Asotuâ— had said clearely and left out the word most he had said more than he could have made good and fully set forth in the Booke of Homilies which Booke the 35. Article to which all we Ministers doe subscribe doth commend as containing A godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times and therefore judged to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understood of the People Answ The Homily setteth forth the Doctrine of the Church of England if the words and sentences thereof be rightly expounded to wit according to the rule of the Scripture the common vote and consentient testimony of the Orthodoxall Catholike Church of Christ in all ages and the precedent and subsequent Lawes Statutes and Canons of the kingdome and Church of England But if the words and sentences thereof be not rightly expounded b Tertul. d. Prascript ca. 17. Tantum veritati obstrepit adulter sensus quantum corruptor stilus according to the foresaid rules but according to mens private interpretation then the same may bee a meanes to lead people into error for so it fareth sometimes even with holy Scripture it selfe c Hieron Com. in Eph. 1. Interpretatione perversa ex Evangelio Domini sit Evangelium hominis quod pejus est Diaboli Id. c. Lucifer Nec sibi blandiantur si de scripturarsi capitulis videntur sibi affirmare quod dicunt cuÌ„ diabolus de scripturis aliqua sit locutus scripturae non in logendo consistunt sed in intelligeÌ„do 2 Some passages in the Homily are ambiguous Therefore the doctrine of the Church of England is not most clearely set forth in the same The Antecedent is proved by these Instances The Homily saith As for the time which Almighty God hath appointed his people to assemble together solemnly it doth appeare by the fourth Commandement of God Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Vpon which day it is plaine in the Acts of the Apostles ca. 13. the people accustomably resorted together and heard diligently the Law and the Prophets read among them In this passage the Homily might seeme to those who maintaine the Saturday Sabbath to make that day a weekly festivall because the Apostles upon that day even after Christs Ascension entred into Synagogues and did there performe Christian religious offices Act. 13.14 44. and Chap. 17.2 It followeth in the Homily God doth not binde Christians so straightly to observe the utter Ceremonies of the Sabbath in forbearing of work and labour in time of great necessity In this passage the Homily hath not clearely and explicitely declared 1. How farre forth the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement was Ceremoniall 2. What kinde of worke and labour in particular Christians may lawfully use upon the Holy day Br. B. pag. 22. Will admit no work or labour upon the Sunday but such only as is of absolute necessity as in time of Scar-fire invasion of enemies c. But the Ancient Imperiall lawes permitted sundry workes of lesse necessity than the former upon the Sunday pag. 219. and grave Divines as Calvin Bucer Beza c. approve the same a Walaeus de Sab. pag. 1â—9 Non audemus improbare quod post concilium Arelatense Constantinus in suis constitutionibus tempore pluvio aut alio necessitatis casu permittit ut messes aut vindemiae etiam die Dominico colligantur Quia si ad famis propriae solatium licuit Discipulis sabbato aristas vellere Cur non liceat in tali casu â—d pulsionem praeventionem famis communis terram coÌ„serere messem aut vindeâ—iam salvare Bez. in Cantic Ho. 30. Vt autem Christiani eo die a suis quotidianis laboribus abstinerent praeter id temporis quod in caetu ponebatur Id neque illis Apostolicis temporibus mandatum neque prius
it 2 It is granted that the fourth Commandement is expresse for a certaine day for a particular day Namely for Saturday But if it be expresse for Saturday and for that Individuall day only Then it is not expresse for Sunday and the observation of Sunday must either be grounded upon the naturall equity of the fourth Commandement or else it cannot be grounded upon that Commandement at all 3 Brother B. saith in this passage of his Dialogue The fourth Commandement is expresse for a certaine day But in another of his treatises hee delivereth the contrary to wit The Commandement saith not Remember the Seventh day to sanctifie it but Remember the Sabbath whatsoever it be to sanctifie it Now a certaine day is definite and a Sabbath day whatsoever it be is indefinite Therefore if the fourth Commandement enjoyneth a Sabbath Day whatsoever it be it commandeth a day indefinite and not a particular and certaine day 4 If the fourth Commandement is expresse for the Lord's-Day then it either nameth this day in particular or it describeth the same by some Characters by which it is distinguished from other dayes But the Commandement neither nameth the Lord's Day in particular nor yet describeth it by any speciall Characters but on the contrary it both nameth the Seventh day and describeth it by a speciall Character whereby it is distinguished from other dayes to wit by God's resting from his grand worke of prime Creation Therefore the fourth Commandement is not expresse for the keeping holy of the Lord's-day but if wee will have the day expressely commanded we must observe the Old Sabbath Day according to Theoph. Brabourne's Tenet 5 Whereas the Objector saith the Commandement must determine the particular time and day in Individuo because otherwise if the same be lef◠indetermined man should forget God and himselfe and allow no time at all for God's service The answer is there can be no just reason for people to forget God and to allow no time at all for his service if a sufficient and convenient time be indefinitely commanded by the Law of Nature and a definite and particular day and time be appointed by the Pastors of the Church For the precepts of the Church being godly and holy and subservient to God's glory and being grounded upon Apostolicall example oblige Christian people to their particular duty in observing time and place and many other circumstances concerning God's service and Christians are obliged to observe all such godly precepts when the same are meanes to execute God's generall Law which is Let all things in the Church be done decently and in good order and to edification c. pag. 99. B. It is a Law of nature that every Lord and Master should have the power in himselfe to appoint not only the kinde of service but the time when it should be performed of his servants As Alexander d. Ales a Alex. Hal. part 3. quaest 32. saith upon the fourth Commandement The time of this Rest it is not in Man's power to determine but God's Answ The chiefe Lord and Master of the family hath the supreme authority to determine the time and circumstances of his owne service But hee may delegate subordinate power to his Steward or other Officers to performe the same In the Old Law God Almighty prescribed the particular day and place of his publike worship to wit the Saturday of every weeke c. and the Tabernacle c. But in the Evangelicall Law he hath not expressely or literally appointed either a particular day or a particular place But Christian Kings being nursing Fathers and the Bishops being Pastors and Governours in the Church and Stewards of this great Lord by a delegate and ministeriall power may lawfully performe this pag. 187. I desire the judicious Reader to consider that the former Objection is a pestilent drug borrowed from Schismatickes and from Separatists pag. 95. and if the same bee admitted it takes away all power from the Kings Majesty and from the Church to appoint any set place for God's publike service or to ordaine any holy dayes or festivall solemnities or to determine the houres of the day for peoples resorting to Church and their continuance at the Church Lastly it denies the Churches power of composing any externall forme or Liturgy for God's publike and solemne worship B. Againe the Adversary acknowledgeth an equity in the fourth Commandement What equity If as it bound the ancient people of God to one day in the weeke it doe not also binde the Christian People to keep one day in the Weeke And if it be the equity of the fourth Commandement to prescribe one day in seven then they are very unjust that deny the keeping of the Lord's-Day to be grounded upon the equity of the fourth Commandement It were well if they would stand to equity But this doth our Adversary flye from for he saith in the next words The particular forme and circumstances of resting are prescribed unto us by the precepts of the Church our spirituall actions according to that which is maine and substantiall in them are taught by the Evangelicall Law Their modification and limitation in respect of rituall and externall forme and in regard of place duration gesture habit and other externall circumstances are prescribed by the Law of the Church So He. Thus you see how hee limits the prescription of circumstances which comprehend time and place persons and duration when and how long God shall bee served unto the prescription of the Law of the Church which he expresseth more fully pag. 270. saying It was in the free election of the Church to appoint what day or dayes or times she thought good or found convenient for religious duties a P. Martyr in Genes 2. Quod hic dies magis quam ille eligatur ad Dei cultum liberū fuit ecclesiae per Christum ut id consuleret quod magis ex re judicaret Bulling Cō in Apoc. 1.10 Sponte vero Ecclesiae receperuntillam diem non legimus eam ullibi praeceptam Hospin de Orig. Fest ca. 8. Et si ex hijs constet Dominicum diem jam tum Apostolorum temporibus Iudaici Sabbathi loco fuisse solennem non invenitur tamē vel Apostolos vel alios lege aliqua aut praecepto observationē ejus instituisse sed illam fuisse liberam c. In primitiva Ecclesia ipsius quoque Dominicae diei observatio nulla certa lege praecepta sed libera fuerit c. For the Evangelicall Law hath not determined any certaine day or time And those actions or circumstances which are not determined by divine precept are permitted to the liberty and authority of the Church to be determined and appointed So He. But cleare it is that the Church of England disclaimeth all such power a Reade the words of the Statute recited in the Preface to the Reader and it will be evident that Br. B. is a deceiver but ascribes all authority
of prescribing a time and day of holy rest unto the Lord of the Sabbath who hath expressed his will and pleasure herein in his Law of the fourth Commandement as our Homily saith Answ The Bishop acknowledgeth a morall equity in the fourth Commandement for the observation of necessary sufficient and convenient times dayes houres c. For Gods publike worship and the performance of spirituall and Religious of fices And for ought this Objector hath said or can say to the contrary more than this cannot bee proved out of the Law of the fourth Commandement or by any necessary illation from any sentence of the Commandement Or from any principle of the Law of Nature b Lorea 1. 2. de leg Disp 8. Legis naturae alia sunt prima principia practica per se nota alia sunt conclusiones ex principiis deductae coÌ„clusiones autem aliae universaliores proximiores primis principiis aliae quae à primis principiis magis distant sunt specialiores de particularibus objectis For the Principle of naturall Law is God is duly and religiously to be worshipped but unlesse convenient and sufficient time be appointed God Almighty cannot bee duly and religiously worshipped Therefore a necessary convenient and sufficient time must bee appointed c Alex. Hal. 3. q. 32. m. 2. De ratione benè ordinata est quod cum semper non possumus vacare Deo propter temporales corporales necessitates quod aliquaÌ„do vacemus oportet igitur habere tempus aliquod determinatuÌ„ either expressely by God Himselfe or by such as he hath ordained to bee his Stewards and Officers in the Church for Divine worship 2 The fourth Commandement enjoyned the Iewes to keepe holy the seventh day being our Saturday but from hence we cannot conclude by necessary inference that the fourth Commandement enjoyneth Christians to keep holy the Sunday being the first day of the weeke For the speciall and proper materiall object of every Law is a substantiall part of that Law but if the substantiall part of any Law be changed and taken away a new Subject or materiall Object is no part of the old Law but another law must be ordained for the seâ—ling of that new Subject and materiall object in the place of the former 3 Whereas the Objector pretendeth that the Church of England disclaimeth all power of setling the particular time of God's publike worship how then commeth it to passe that this Church commandeth the solemne observation of Easter Whitsuntide Christmasse and of many other Holy-dayes to be dayes and times for the religious service of God and Christ A. But the Homily seemes to favour his opinion saying godly Christian people began to chuse them a standing day of the weeke c. and therefore it seemes to be at the Churches choyce B. Our choyce doth not necessarily imply a power of institution we are said to chuse life and truth before death and error are we therefore the Authors of them Againe our choyce herein is according to God's Commandement Thirdly the Homily saith expressely that those godly Christian people did in their choyce follow the example and Commandement of God Now what example c The Example of God specified in the fourth CoÌ„mandement was his own resting ceasing upon the olde Sabbath Day from the worke of prime Creation and not our Saviour his resting from the work of Resurrection upon the first day of the weeke had they but Christ's rising and resting that day after the example of God's resting the seventh day And for Commandement they had both the fourth Commandement and an Apostolicall Precept 1 Cor. 16. d No generall commandemâ—t common to all Christians for the weekely observation of Sunday is delivered in these two Texts of holy Scripture And that place in the Revelation appropriating this Day as holy to the Lord and so ratified by God himselfe And who were they which taught those godly Christian people to keep that day viz. The Apostles And therefore we must put a vast difference betweene the unerring Apostles and the succeeding Churches so as the Homily is cleare against him Answ The Objector saith The Churches choice doth not necessarily imply a power of institution c. It is answered making choyce many times implyes a free election and institution both in Scripture Deut. 26.2 1 Sam. 17.8 and in Ecclesiasticall and Humane Authors and that it is thus to be understood in the Homily is proved in manner following The sense of the Homily is according to the authorized Doctrine of the Church of England But the authorized Doctrine of the Church of England is That the appointment both of the time and number of dayes is left by the authority of Gods Word to the liberty of the Church to be assigned orderly by the discretion of the Rulers and Ministers thereof as they shall judge most expedient to the true setting forth of Gods glory and the edification of the people Ergo the Churches choyce according to the Homily is a free election of a convenient day and of other convenient and sufficient time for the service of God and the edification of Christian people 2 There is a great difference betweene a Precept and an Example The Homily saith that godly Christians to wit by imitation of God's example observed a seventh day but it affirmeth not that they did this by an expresse Commandement of any Divine Law Also godly Christians made the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue a motive to induce them to make one day of seven a weekly Holy day but that which is only a motive or a reason inducing and perswading to performe an action is not an expresse imperative or formall Law The sense therefore of the Homily is That Christians made choyce of a weekely standing day by the rule of the equity of the fourth Commandement and not by any expresse or formall Divine Law c Walaeus d. Sab. â— 7. Nec Christus nec ipsi Apostoli ex praescripto Christi de observatione hujus diei ulluÌ„ expressum mandatum quemadmodum de aliis pietatis officiis reliquerunt Non videtur autem ullo modo verisimile Si Christus nos ad observationem ullius diei ut partem cultus voluisset astringere fuisse fucurum ut id nullo praecepto indicasset Bulling Apoc. 2. Non legimus eam ullibi praecepâ—am Hospinian d. seâ— cap. 8. Non invenitur Apostolos aut alios lege aliqua aut praecepto observationem ejus instituisse 3 Our Saviour's Resurrection upon one Sunday in the yeare cannot of it selfe unlesse some precept were added be a Law to enjoyne Christians to observe every Sunday of the Weeke throughout the whole yeare reade pag. 302. 4 The fourth Commandement is directly and in plaine termes for Saturday pag. 182 183. and therefore if that Commandement is still in force according to the literall sense then the Christian Church is obliged to observe the old legall
most notorious Sabbath-breakers that live And Sect. 38. n. 1. He saith Let it be observed if all disorders bee not most in those parts among Vs where the people is most Pope-holy c. And for mine own part having spent much of my time among them this I have found that in all excesse of sinne Papists have beene the Ring-leaders in riotous Companies in drunken meetings in seditious assemblies and practises in prophaning the Sabbath in quarrels and brawles in Stage-Playes Greenes Ales and al Heathenish customes c. Thus this reverend Divine Candore notabilis ipso whom all the Iesuiticall smoak out of the bottomlesse pit cannot besmeare or besmudge or dye blacke with all their black mouth'd obloquies A. Surely these are very pregnant passages And it makes me tremble to thinke and amazeth me How one White is so contrary to another As also how the Libertinisme dispensed with now a dayes on the Sabbath tendeth to bring Vs Protestants to be like to the Papists in their prophane times in taking up their Heathenish savage and barbarous manners and customes Answ This rude Dialogist hath a Palsie in his braine which causeth him to tremble For the matter it selfe affoordeth no occasion of any such passion For there is not any contradiction between the two brethren in their Doctrine For the one brother called the Lord's-Day the Sabbath in a mysticall sence And the other brother saith it is not the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement in a literall and proper sence One brother condemneth Papists for using prophane ungodly savage and heathenish pastimes upon the Lord's-Day The other Brother maintaineth that some kinde of pastime and recreation namely such as is not Vicious either in forme or quality or in Circumstance may be lawfully used upon the Lords-Day But the Objector as his manner is wasteth many words but avoydeth and declineth the true state of the question B. Me thinkes the very reading of the fourth Commandement every Lord's-Day might stop his mouth saving that he hath found out many inventions to elude the nature and property of this Commandement as pag. 158. 159. c. which I hope H. B. will meete withall Answ It was one of Theoph. Brabourn's arguments ad hominem to prove that we are to observe the literall Sabbath of the fourth Commandement because this Commandement is read in the Church every holy day and after the reading thereof we beseech God to incline our hearts to keepe that Law For that Commandement enjoyned the observation of the seventh day Sabbath to wit the same Sabbath which the Old Testamen established and the Iewes observed Now this argument being popular and plausible The Bishop is perswaded he did good service in solving the same upon true grounds And because this Objector is not able holding his own Principles to give any solution or satisfactory answere to it He should not like the Dogge in the manger have barked against others and done nothing himselfe B. The twentieth Injunction of Queene Elizabeth He also perverteth whiles he confoundeth the Lord's-Day with other Holy dayes which the Injunction doth clearly distinguish for that liberty which it dispenseth with touching worke in Harvest time is not spoken of the lord's-Lord's-Day or Holy day as is there called and set alone by it selfe but of Holy and festivall dayes only of humane institution A. I thanke you for this observation Answ In which words doth the Injunction clearely distinguish the Sunday from the other Holy dayes in respect of labour in Harvest bold Br. B. cease to prate and out-face and prove what you say otherwise none will credit you but Goslings of your owne brooding 1 The Queenes Injunction speaketh in generall of all holy dayes in the yeare and it setteth down no difference betweene Sunday and the other Holy dayes concerning working in Harvest 2. Queene Elizabeths Injunction was taken Verbatim out of an Injunction of the same quality of King Edward the sixth which was grounded upon the Statute Quinto Sexto of Edward the sixth Now in this Statute 1 The Sunday is made one of the ordinary Holy dayes of the yeare All the dayes hereafter mentioned shall bee kept and commanded to bee kept Holy dayes and none other that is to say all Sundayes in the yeare the dayes of the feast of Circumcision Epiphany c. 2 In this Statute no special priviledge for abstinence from necessary labour is given it more than the rest Statute Edward sixt provided alwayes and it is enacted by the authority aforesaid it shall be lawfull to every husbandman labourer fisherman c. upon the Holy dayes aforesaid in harvest or at any other time of the yeare when necessity shall require to labour ride fish or worke any kinde of worke at their free wills and pleasure any thing in this act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding 3 In our present Liturgie the Sunday is ranked among the other Holy dayes in these words These to bee observed for Holy dayes and none other That is to say all Sundayes in the yeare the dayes of the feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Iesus Christ of the Epiphanie of the Purification of the blessed Virgin c. 4 The Homily formerly cited by the Objector granteth liberty to people to exercise some labour on the Sunday in time of great necessity and Queene Elizabeth's Injunction agreeing with ancient Imperiall Lawes a Cod. Iustinian li. 3. Tit. 12. §. 3. Constant A. Elpidio Omnes Iudices urbanaeque plebes cunctarum artium officia venerabili die solis quiescant Ruri tamen positi agrorū culturae libere libēterque inserviant quoniam frequēter evenit ut non aptius alio die frumenta sulcis aut vineae scrobibus mandentur ne occasione momenti pereat commoditas caelesti provisione concessa specifieth one kinde of bodily labour to wit working in harvest Therefore the Homily by labour understands not only bodily workes of absolute necessity such as are mentioned by the Objector to wit about scare-fires and invasion of enemies but all labour in generall which is of urgent necessity and which was not in those times prohibited by Civill or Ecclesiasticall Law A. I am occasioned to aske your judgement of those passages of his touching Recreations on that day in which argument he hath spent many leaves B. But without any good fruit And as his discourses are hereupon large so they require a large refutation which I hope H. B. will performe He distinguisheth Recreations into two sorts 1. Honest and Lawfull 2. Vicious and unlawfull c. I note his pitifull enterferings by equivocations contradictions b Let the Iudicious Reader examine by what Arguments this blūdering beast confirmes his rude accusation and the artifice of his purest naturall wit in spinning a curious webbe of so fine a thred as wherwith though he may thinke to cover himselfe yet it is pervious and penetrable to every eye Answ Whosoever shall reade the Treatise with impartiall judgement
cautions limitations and provisoes a 1. None to bee permitted which were prohibited by any former Lawes or by any Canons of the Church 2. None to be used but after the end of all Divine Service and afternoone Sermons 3. The said recreations are prohibited to all persons both Recusants and Conforme in Religion who are not present in the Church at the Service of God 4. Every person must resort to his own parish Church and be there present at Divine Service 5. Each Parish by it selfe to use the said recreations after Divine Service and no Meetings Assemblies or concourse of people ouâ— of their own Parish on the Lord's-day let him in his Disputation and Objections proceed humbly and modestly as becommeth a loyall Subject addressing himselfe to his Soveraine and propound weighty arguments sufficient to convince those who are of contrary judgment but in the mean time let him abstaine from scandalous abusive passages against his Majesty and likewise gainst other persons who being Subjects and perswaded that it is their duty to be obedient to Royall Authority unlesse such things be commanded as are Aperte contra Deum that is in very deed and not in some mens opinion only repugnant to the Law of Christ b Promptuar Iuris tr 9. cap. 5. n. 68. In dubio semper praesumitur pro justitia legis donec non expresse appareat pro contrario sic in dubio tenentur subditi obedire Bernard d. praecept dispens cap. 12. Quicquid vice Dei praecipit homo quod non non sit tamen certum displicere Deo haud secus omnino accipiendum est quam si praecipiat Deus Ib. Ipsum quem pro Deo habemus tanquam Deum in hiis quae aperte non sunt contra Deum audite debemus B. Edition second of his Dialog pag. 28. Enough to settle me and every good subject of his Majesty in this beliefe that the Declaration for sports and the urging of it to be none of his Majesties act but a meere plot of some Popish Priests and Prelates to eate out and tread downe Religion and to Vsher in Popery Atheisme and prophanenesse into the Church Answ If Lucifer himselfe should preach or write that wicked and lying fiend could hardly utter any thing more false seditious or scandalous than is contained in the former passage 1 His sacred Majesty now is and hath ever been so gracious and Religious as that his princely care and desire is to have his Subjects under him to leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty and therefore it is farre from him to be guided or over-ruled by Popish Priests and Prelates in any matters of Religion 2 If his Majesties declaration shall be duely examined it tendeth to the repressing of Popery for no subjects are thereby permitted to use any sports or pastimes upon the Holy day but such onely as shall duely frequent the Church and bee present boâ—h at Divine service and at the Sermon 3. The Royall edict granteth no liberty to any subjects though conforme in Religion to use any sports or pastimes upon the Sunday formerly prohibited by the Lawes of the kingdome nor yet untill all the Religious offices of the day shall be finished and duely performed and therfore it can be no meanes to usher in Atheisme and profanenesse into the Church 4 Such manner of Preaching and Writing as this venomous Dogmatist useth in his fiery Sermons and in this and in some other of his unlicensed Pamphlets are very apt and ready meanes to impoison his Auditors and factious Disciples with disloiall thoughts against his Majesties government and with desperate intentions against his subordinate Ministers and consequently to usher in rebellion and sedition into the Church and State A. I remember the Bishop of Elye's maine argument as I understand and apprehend to prove his recreations to be lawfull on the Lord's-Day is because honest and necessary labour is lawfull on that day Answ The Bishop's maine argument to prove some pastime and recreation upon the Lord's-day to wit such as is not vicious in quality or circumstance to be lawfull and which is used after such time as the religious offices of the day are performed is because such recreation is not prohibited by any Divine Law naturall or positive nor by any necessary inference from the same B. But as I conceive the Parallell doth no way hold as will appeare clearely by these particulars 1 Honest labour is necessary on that day in respect of necessity only it being unlawfull if not necessary and may bee deferred but there is no necessity of sports and pastimes unlesse in some instant dangerous infirmity of the body and some moderate recreation be prescribed by the Physitian 2 Honest necessary labour is lawfull in the foresaid sense on any part of the Lord's-Day even in time of Divine Service and Sermons But so are not sports and pastimes by the Bishops owne confession 3 Labours absolutely honest and necessary as to quench fires to make up Sea breaches to defend the assaults of enemies attending persons dangerously sicke are lawfull all the day long and for many successive Lord's-Dayes together but sports and recreations may not bee used all the Lord's-Day long nor on every part of the day nor many dayes together Answ 1. It is false that no labour may bee used upon the Lord's-Day but such only as is of absolute necessity For then it must have beene unlawfull for the sicke of the Palsie and the lame man at the poole of Bethesda after they were healed to have carryed their beds upon the Sabbath day Mark 2.11 Ioh. 5.9 10. for this was not a worke of absolute necessity but such as might have been deferred untill the evening of the Sabbath or untill the next morning 2 The Netherland Divines handling this question speak as followeth Non audemus improbare quod post Arelatense Concilium Constantinus in suis constitutionibus tempore pluvio aut alio necessitatis casu permittit ut messes vindemiae etiam Die Dominico collìgantur We dare not disallow that which after the Councell of Arles Constantine the great in his Imperiall constitutions permitted people in rainie weather and in other cases of necessity namely in the time of Harvest and Vintage to gather in their Corne and Wine upon the Lord's-Day B. But againe admit that sports and pastime and recreations are not expressely inhibited within the letter of the Law by these generall words no manner of work but only by consequence yet it followeth not that honest labour is more unlawfull than honest Recreations as they are termed For the Bishop and Fathers generally conclude that rest from sinne is the chiefe thing commanded and sinne it selfe the principall thing prohibited in the fourth Commandement yet neither of them is commanded or prohibited within the words of this Precept Therefore sports and pastimes by the same reason may bee more prohibited by it on the Sabbath than labour
though not expressed For prophane Atheisme is more unlawfull at least more hainous than the worshipping of false Gods yet this last only is expressed in the very letter of the Law So Perjury is more hainous than meere taking the Name of God in vaine in ordinary discourse and common swearing Sodomie Incest and Buggery more odious sinnes than Adultery or Fornication though the other bee only within the intention of the Law and by way of consequence prohibited by the 1. 3. and 7th Commandements the latter by the expresse letter and words thereof Answ That which is directly formally expressely literally or by a necessary and immediate inference prohibited by any Law is ordinarily more unlawfull than those things which by a remote probable inference only are concluded to be repugnant to the Law The sins mentioned by the Objector Atheisme Perjury Buggery c. are not only prohibited by necessary inference and by the intention of the speciall precepts of the Decalogue but also by the Law of nature and by other expresse Negative Precepts delivered in the Old and New Testament But whereas corporall labour was expressely and in literall termes prohibited the Iewes upon the Legal Sabbath-day Honest and sober Recreation upon some part of the Lord's-Day in such manner as the Bishop maintaineth the same is prohibited neither by the expresse words of the 4th Commandement nor by any formall and necessary illation from the words and sentences of that Commandement nor yet by the Law of nature nor by any negative precepts of the Old or New Testament Therefore if bodily labour expressely and literally prohibited by the fourth Commandement was notwithstanding that prohibition in many cases lawfull among the Iewes Then honest and sober recreation such as is neither vicious in quality nor in circâ—mstances being neither expressely nor virtually prohibited or condemned by any Divine Law naturall positive or Evangelicall must be held to bee lawfull untill the Opposers thereof shall bee able to make it evident by demonstrative reasons that the same is repugnant to some divine Law according to all or some of those formes which are before expressed A. There remaineth yet one thing to be cleared and that is about the judgement of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas which the Opposite Author pleadeth to be all for him B. It 's true and I cannot but smile when I thinke of it That they which make no bones even in open Court to vilifie the prime pillars of those Churches yea and to nullifie the Churches themselves as if they were no true Churches as having no lawful Ministers because in Prelates to put them in orders should notwithstanding daigne to grace them so much as to call them in and to account them competent witnesses in the cause But a bad cause a How can that be esteemed a bad cause which is confirmed by the common and consentâ—eâ— testimony of the most godly learned Divines both Aâ—elent and moderne is glad of any Patron or Advocate to plead for it though the Clyent have openly stigmatized him for a Rascall But what stead will the reformed Divines stand him in Certainly in the point of sports and Recreations they will utterly faile him yea and disclaime him too In the point of the Institution of the Lord's-Day indeed and the Obligation of it to Christians a great part is for him though the better part b Br. B. Should have named some of those which he accounteth the better part for he is so precipitate and impudent in his affirmations that judicious persons can give no credit to his own bare word is for Vs this is confessed of Vs. Answ The Bishop in his Treatise hath made cleare ostension that his Tenet concerning the Sabbath and Lord's-Day is consonant 1. To the Vnanimous sentence of Primitive Antiquity 2. To the Doctrine of the Church of England testified and authorized by statute Law 3. To the common Vote of the best learned Doctors of the reformed Churches c The Augustane and Helvetian CoÌ„fessions Melancton Calvin Bucer Bullinger Peter Martyr Musculus Beza Zanchius Chemnitius Visinus Brentius Hospinian Hemmingius Pareus Herbrandus Marbachius Zepperâ— Battus Wolaeus Rivetus Poliander Gomorus Thysius Gualter Pâ—scator Zegedinus Steckelius Isenmánus alii beyond the Seas The former Remonstrance hath produced two effects 1. I hath givâ—n 〈◊〉 all wound to Br. B. and to his Assistants by declaring that they are solitary and singular in their Sabbatarian Tenet 2. It hath yeelded full satisfaction to all judicious honest and godly Readers concerning this question But the Dialogue-Barker perceiving his cause to be desperate in his obstinacy neverthelesse spurneth against the prickes and proceedeth rudely and wildely in manner following 1 He introduceth his interlocutory Assistant one Br. A. who scratcheth his fellow Mule a Mutuû muli scabunt dictum ubi improbi illaudati se vicissim mirantur praedicaÌ„t and prateth in manner following You have so fully cleared this point about Recreation from all the Subterfuges of him that hath so moyled himselfe to make something of nothing c. But wherein hath Br. B. cleared the point c Hee hath alleadged some Decrees of Foraine States and Churches which nothing concerne the Bishop's Tenet for they doe not so much as intimate that all bodily exercise and Recreation and namely such as is neither vicious in quality nor in circumstance nor yet prohibited by the present state wherein people live is simply unlawfull or morally evill upon some part of the Holy day 2 Br. B. Himselfe to manifest his gravity saith I cannot but smile c. But besides his merriment the ridiculous man uttereth no word or sentence savouring of truth or sounding to reason For 1 Vpon the matter he confesseth that the positions of the Sunday Sabbatarians here in England are singular and different from the common sentence of other Churches for otherwise to what purpose serveth his speech pag. 6. The Church of England to wit Br. B. himselfe and his owne Sabbatarian Allies is more cleare and sound in the point of the Sabbath than any Church in the world for it is as cleere as the Noone-day that the Orthodoxall part of the Church of England accordeth with the Primitive Fathers and with the Schoole Doctors and with the best learned in the Reformed Churches and renounceth the temerarious Doctrine of H. B. and of other Novell Teachers concerning the Sabbath 2 Whereas this Objector denies us the suffrage of Reformed Churches pretending that some amongst us have vilified their prime Pillars c. Our Answer is That this man doth not alwayes write or preach Gospell a Hâ—â—â—on ad Iulian Diacon Mendacia faciunt ut nec vera dicentibê° credatur for quite contrary to his report we reverence and much respect all learned and godly Divines in what Church soever they live or teach yea although in some Theologicall Questions wee take liberty upon just reason to dissent from them But
England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's day is the same which the Fathers of the Primitive Church received from the holy Apostles and which they taught Christian people in ancient time pag. 13. But the Bishop in his Treatise maintaineth the same Doctrine which the Primitive Fathers received from the Holy Apostles and which they taught Christian people in ancient time Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day 3 The present Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day is the same which is commonly maintained by all Reformed Churches in Christendome But the Bishop in his Treatise consenteth with all the Reformed Churches in their common Doctrine of the old Sabbath and of the Lord's-day pag. 271. Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day 4 That the Homilies appointed to be read in the Church of England must not alwayes bee expounded according to the sound of words but according to the Line and Rule of holy Scripture is the Tenet of H. B. in his Plea to an Appeale pag. 14. The Bishop in his Treatise hath expounded the Homily of the Time and Place of prayer appointed to be read in the Church of England according to the Line and Rule of Holy Scripture and according to this sense and exposition nothing is delivered in the Homily repugnant to the Bishop's doctrine concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in the Homily of the time and place of prayer Brother B. in his Dialogue hath these remarkable Passages following 1 The Tenet of the Dialogist is That the 4th Commandement of the Decalogue delivered in this forme of words Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath-day c. The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. The Lord rested the seventh day c. commandeth in expresse termes the religious observation of the lord's-Lord's-day and the same is a commandement of the Law of Nature Now from hence it is consequent 1. That Saturday and Sunday being two distinct and severall dayes of the Weeke if the Commandement be naturall and expresse for the one it cannot be naturall and expresse for the other unlesse the one day were named expressed or described in the same as well as the other 2 That the Iewes were obliged to the religious observation of the Saturday by the Law of the fourth Commandement which was Positive in respect of that day and Christians are bound to keepe holy the Sunday by the very same Commandement as by the Law of Nature Now all judicious men confesse that the 4th Commandement concerning keeping holy the saturday was a Positive Law Therefore we desire Br. B. to cleare this contradiction to wit how it is possible that the Law of the fourth Commandement concerning Saturday being Positive The same Law according to his Tenet commanding Sunday can be Naturall Againe let this bould Bayard resolve Vs how the observation of the Lord's-day can be said to be expressely commanded in the fourth Precept of the Decalogue when Saturday only and no other day is expressed either by the words of that Precept or is concluded from the words or sentences thereof by any formall or necessary illation Lastly let him resolve Vs how we may rightly conclude from the expresse words of the fourth Commandement that Sunday is to be kepr holy by that Law For if this man will argue rightly hee must proceed in this or the like manner The fourth Commandement literally and expressely enjoyneth the Observation of Saturday and the Precept concerning Saturday is Legally Positive Therefore Christians must observe Sunday by vertue of such a Law as was Legally Positive for keeping of Saturday Gentle Br. B. licke over your Calfe once again and please not your selfe nor abuse your Reader with such absurd Bulls and contradictions a Chrysost in 1. Corinth Ho. 38. Nihil est errore magis imbecillum suis ipsis alis implicatur nec oppugnatione aliunde opus habet transfigit ipse se A second Passage of Brother B. Vnlesse the keeping the first Day of the weeke for Sabbath bee commanded H. B. Dialog manuscript cited in tâ—e Bishop's Treatise of the Sabbath pag. 89. the Divine Authority of it will not appeare saith Br. B. for only God's Commandement bindeth the Conscience But no Divine Commandement is expressely delivered in the Old or New Testament concerning the Religious Observation of the Lord's-Day Therefore if Br. B. his first proposition is true and if hee bee not able to produce some Divine Commandement out of the Scripture for the Religious Observation of the Lord's-Day he must if he adhere to his owne principles be compelled to grant Theoph. Brabourne that the observation of the Lord's-Day is an act of superstition and will-worship A third Passage of Brother B. H. B. Dialog pag. 15. 16. It were not wise to set a Ceremony in the midd st of morall precepts It is a principle in God there can be no ceremony but all must bee eternall and so in his Image which is the Law of nature and so in the Decalogue There can be no Ceremony at all in the Law of the fourth Commandement because Saint Paul reckoned the Sabbath Day among the Ceremonies of the Old Law Colos 2.16 And all the Primitive Fathers ranked the Sabbath and Circumcision in the number of Legall Ceremonies A fourth Passage of Brother B. The Primitive Fathers did ever and usually stile the Lord's-day the Sabbath day of the 4th Commandement in a proper and literall sence The reason because sometimes but yet very seldome They named it Sabbatum in a mysticall and analogicall sence that is an Holy day on which Christian people must have a speciall care to abstaine from sin A fift Passage of Brother B. Because the Lord's-Day succeeded and came in place of the Old Sabbath Therefore the Observation thereof is commanded by the particular Law of the Old Sabbath As if one should say Baptisme succeeded and came in place of Circumcision Ergo it is commanded Christians by the Old Law of Circumcision A sixt Passage of Brother B. The Bishop's of England may not use the Testimony of Divines of reformed Churches because they dissent from them in some Theologicall questions As if one should argue Protestants may not use Saint Augustine's testimony against Pontificians or Pelagians because they have refused his Tenet concerning the absolute damnation of Infants departing this life before they were baptized a Aug. Epist 106. Parvulos non baptizâ—tos vitam habere non posse ac per hoc quamlibet tolerabilius omnibus qui etiam propria peccata committunt tamen aeterna morte mulctari Id.