Christs Nativity but it will pose them to prove that it was then known or so early taken notice of For those that dream of Easter-day above an hundred years after this this was in dispute when it should be kept Mr. Tilham and Mr. Brabourn both think and they do but think so that it was the seventh day but why should that be called the Lords day because he that day lay in the Grave think we God indeed in the Old Testament called it his Sabbath but was it ever so called in relation to Christ did Christ ever institute that Now why the first day of the week should be called the Lords day reason offers it self plentifully 1. In opposition to his suffering day of which he saith to his Persecutors This is your day and the power of darkness 2. It was the Day when he triumphed over Sin Death and Hell 3. It was the Day when he was with power manifested to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 4. In all probability it was the day he instituted for the Christian Sabbath and therefore called the Lords day as the Sacrament is called the Lords Supper because he instituted it 5. Finally take all the Ancients from Ignatius who lived nearest the Apostle downward they all understood by the Lords day the first day of the week and accordingly kept it holy unto the Lord. Now let all these be laid together and I beseech our Brethren laying aside alâ— partiality prejudice and saction seriously to consider whether they will not amounâ— to as good a proof as we have for many other things that the Lord Christ hath instituted the Lords day for the Christian Sabbath though it be not in the Gospel proclaimed in so many words And in good earnest I think those of our Brethren who will not judge it sufficient if their Consciences weigh all Gospel Truths in the same ballance will be in no small danger of being warped in other and those very weighty Truths of the Gospel from a perversion in which the good Lord keep them and us all for his mercy sake CHAP. VI. That the Seventh Day is repealed I Suppose I have said enough to justifie the discharge of the Old Sabbath The â—cense which the fourth Commandment gives us to labour six dayes in the week â—vinceth us under no Obligation to keep more than one Sabbath Now if the first day of the week as we have proved be the Sabbath to be sanctified reason tells us the Jewish Sabbath is discharged Though the Scripture no where saith to us you shall not keep the Passeover nor you shall not circumcise yet we understand our selves discharged of both by the substitution of two other Gospel Sacraments It is the Lord will according to the fourth Commandment we should not be under an obligation to keep two dayes in each week and it is the Lords will as we have proved wâ— should keep the first day of the week whaâ— need we any further witness But yet it be needfull I think it is not hard tâ— evince it 1. The Jewish Sabbath as I have already proved was never primarily requireâ— in the Morall Law but only by thoâ— ceremonial or temporary Laws given to thâ— Jews which all acknowledge determine by the death of Christ and the extinction of the Jewish Polity and fell of couâ— when that fell The Ordinance for tâ—â— particular day of the week was but an Oâ—dinance given to hold untill the time Reformation but to add yet a little morâ— it hath been told our Brethren and I heartly wish they would deliberate upon it Thâ— the Apostle Rom. 14.5 blameth the â—mans that amongst them One man esteemâ— one day above another Gal. 4.10 he blamâ— them that they observed dayes and month and times and years That the Apostle â—al 2.16 cautioneth the Christians That â— man should judge them as to meat or drink â— in respect of an Holy-day or a New-moon â— the Sabbath-day That these Texts are â— to be understood of the Lords day is â—dent 1. Because as we have proved the Apoâ—es themselves and the Christian Churches â—en observed it 2. Because the fourth Commandment â—d perpetually established 1. A Day 2. A â—venth Day to be sanctified Now the â—postles words must be interpreted so as â—t to lose us one of the ten Commandâ—ents 3. Because to interpret those Texts of all other Jewish Holy-dayes with an exâ—tion only to the weekly Sabbath seemâ— both an unreasonable interpretation too short for the terms of the Texts Vnreasonable it is an usual rule Vbi lex â— distinguit non est distinguendum we â—e no reason to distinguish where the rule â—es no distinction nor can any pretence reason be for limiting the sense in that â—â—oner but to reconcile the Apostles Preâ—t with the fourth Commandment which may quickly be without such a restriction according to what we have proved thâ— sense of it A Sabbath may remain though that Sabbath be abolished 2. It seems also too short The Apostle to the Galatians useth four terms Dayes Months Times Years Suppose by the years be meant thâ— yearly Feast of Atonement or the years â— Jubile by Moneths the New Moons bâ— Times their Feasts of the Passeover Pentecost c. still we want an interpretation for thâ— term Dayes which certainly must be understood of the Jewish seventh Dayes or Sabbaths returning every week 4. What Mr. Warren observes is also very considerable that all these Epistles werâ— wrote to Churches much leven'd with Judaism and under great temptations to it so that undoubtedly it was the Apostles intention by that term to declare the Christians freedom from the old Sabbath which also as it is plain from Deut. 5.15 haâ— something of a Type annexed unto it Buâ— enough hath been said to prove the olâ— Sabbath out of doors if not by repeal yeâ— by expiration as being a temporary Ordâ—nance and by the appointing of anothâ— Sabbath in the stead of it CHAP. VII To insist upon the old Sabbath is to Judaize and non-communion our selves to all Christian Churches in the World both in this and former Ages FRom what hath been said must needs follow that for us now to insist upon the old Sabbath hath a double guilt attending upon it 1. The first is Judaizing 2. The second is declining communion with all the Churches of Christ that are or ever were in the world Judaizing signifies a tenacious adhering to the Jewish Rites and Customs after that Christ hath established a New Heaven and a new Earth This was the Jews great sin It was one piece of our Lords errand into the world To change the customs which Moses delivered A Truth asserted by the first Christian Martyr and for it he was accused Acts 6.14 That this was one of those customs is plain if it were not commanded in the fourth Commandment which we have proved it was not Nor doth it hinder that it begun before Moses so did Sacrifices and Circumcision yet they were the
Customs of Moses and Circumcision is so called Acts 21.21 He was the first who wrote the Laws about them For any person to adhere to any Iewish custom after Christs death and resurrection is in effect to deny Christ to be come in the flesh Let me in the bowels of Christ beseech our Brethren to be serious in this thing I say again Whatsoever related to the Worship of God and fell not expresly under one of the ten Commandments and that primarily nor is established in the New Testament could be nothing else but a piece of Moses a Mosaical custom which Christ came on purpose to alter and to adhere still to them is to proclaim against Heaven I have no part in the Son of David Hence the Apostle tells the Galathians If they were circumcised Christ profited them nothing that is thinking themselves under an obligation to be circumcised and again he tells them he was afraid of them lest he had bestowed all his labour amongst them in vain preached the Gospel to them in vain why you observe dayes and months and times and years Gal. 4.11 that is Such Religious dayes as the Jews observed according to Moses I know many of our Brethren will tremble at the apprehension of this I believe many of them have said to the Lord Christ Thou at my portion and that their Souls in truth say None but Christ None but Christ and did they know it would not deny the Lord that bought them or by any action interpretatively deny his Authority to alter the customes of Moses I humbly beg of them that in tenderness to the Lord that bought them in love to their own Souls as I trust they fear every sin so they would fear their Souls sinning in this point of Judaizing which the Apostle as to other points layes so much stress upon both in his Epistle to the Romans and Galatians and Colossians and all along in every Epistle And in a further evidence of this let me beseech our Brethren in all seriousness to consider whither the poring upon this notion hath led others and let them who yet stand take heed lest they so fall There have not been many Leaders in this opinion known to the World in this latter Age. The first was John Thrask I never heard that he published any thing in Print in the Pulpit he did A man of so ordinary parts that it was some time before he could pass his examination to be made a Minister after this he preached this new Doctrine and was for it censured in the Star-chamber and recanted it and died obscurely at Lambeth But this is that which I desire may be noted he say our Historians equally preached up the obligation of the other Levitical rites The next was Theophilus Brabourn originally a Trader in Stockins after made a Minister and 1628. he published a book for the Jewish Sabbath a book to give it its due wherein a thousand times more is said for it and to answer arguments against his side than in all Books ever wrote before or since He hath been abundantly answered by divers though on differing Principles he lived till within these few years till he came to assert three Gods and grew to keep no Sabbath for on his seventh day he would ordinarily make Bargains take in interest Money let out more seal Writings c. Mr. Ockford was another what he was where or how he lived what he held more c. I cannot tell The next was Mr. Tilham who at Colchester in Essex made much stir about this point and wrote one or two Books He was reported before to have been a Papist sure I am his Books shew not the learning of an ordinary School-boy With him one Pooly a wild-headed Norfolk Preacher joyned he was a man of a rash giddy head and Principles Both these after went over Seas where I presume our Brethren know upon too good information they both were circumcised and to what else they ran I know not I speak not this God knows to upbraid or mock at our Brethren but by these examples to shew them the tendency of this opinion and practice whither it leadeth poor Christians This Tilhams Book though I think one of the weakest and absurdest ever wrote on the subject is what my Brethren in these parts glory in I know for a Teacher by a lively voice they had a person of much more worth than Brahourn Pooly or Tilham Mr. Rich. Breviter who I perswade my self is at rest with God he was a good Scholler and a person of a sober life and conscientious to his Principles and to whom the Name of Christ I think was truly precious how far he had drank in this opinion and to what degree he was perswaded of it I cannot tell Sure I am never so much as to print any discourse for it But I shall add no more upon this I am sure unpleasing subject 2. If our brethren would avoid this charge the next I am sure they cannot To observe the seventh day sabbath is to non-communion our selves from all Churches that ever were or are in the world I mean Gospel-Churches To say nothing of the time past Christian-Churches alwayes condemning them as Hereticks that kept that Sabbath upon which account the Ebionites were condemned I do not think unworthy of our brethrens sad thoughts That this day there is no considerable number of Christians under Heaven any where that keep the Sabbath they keep Our Brethren know that I am no great man for Traditions But certainly the custom and practice of the whole Church in all times and in all places not contradicted by any valuable number of persons of any perswasion is not to be despised by any but such as will arrogate to themselves more knowledge of the mind of God than all the world besides I must confess I doubt whether there be any one universal tradition except this nor is this purely such but my meaning is that there is no one thing as to which the practice of the whole Church in all ages is so on all sides confessed and out of doubt Now the strength of this lies here It is not reasonable to think that God should leave his whole Church in all times to such a mistake as to the solemn time of worship The general sense of the faithful is upon this account justly valuable in most controverted points I spare instances here they are abundantly given by Dr. Young Mr. Caudry and Mr. Warren Where the learned of our brethren may find them I professedly write to my neighbours who I know would be little edified by quotations in Greek and Latin To leave therefore the practice of the former times from the very Apostles times which is very significant at least together with what evidence we have in the holy writ 2. I say there is no present Churches of our brethrens mind or practice So as they plainly cast off communion with all Churches of Christ on
it should be in the performance of his more direct and solemn worship 2. As to the effect or fruit of worship that is the impression of it which it leaves or the soul for I shall here speak nothing as to our pleasing God by the acts of homage which we perform which is the effect of i◠in reference to God We are commanded to desire the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby and certainly there is no serious Christian that goes out to hear a Sermon but doth propound to himself the increase of the knowledge of God the increase of faith in God the increase of the fear o◠God the increase of love to God and other graces None goes to a Sacrament but propounds to himself for his end the meeting of God in the Ordinance and receiving som◠blessing from him either as to spiritual life comfort or strength Now I appeal to th◠reason of Christians whether in order 〈◊〉 this end they had not need spend all the Sabbath time after the performance of their solemn acts of worship meditating of what they have heard in the word what they have seen and heard and done in a Sacrament you know the parable of the sower The thorns which our Saviour expounds the cares of the world choaked the word The fowls of the air pickt up the seed which fell by the way side worldly thoughts worldly discourses worldly business immediately after hearing immediately after a Sacrament are like thorns choaking the word or Birds of the air picking up the seed So as if we had no other argument than this yet it were in this case not inconsiderable But Fifthly methinks it should something prevail with us to consider how much stress God laies upon it How many times doth he inculcate the precept with how many additional precepts doth he hedge it how severely doth he punish the violators how often is it mentioned as the very head of Religion yea as the whole of it I say first how often doth God inculcate it Exod. 16.23 which text argueth it given before the law promulged in Sinai Exod. 20. Exod. 31.14 Lev. 23.3 Deut. 5.14 Lev. 19.3 and in abundance of other texts With how many additional precepts did God hedge it which though some of them but temporary yet argued Gods eye on the observation of his Sabbath such as those for not stirring out of doors to gather Manna Not kindling the artificers fire How sharply did God himself order the punishment of that poor wretch that gathered sticks on that day in pursuance of which the writers of the Jewish antiquities tell us Sabbath-breakers were wont to be stoned to death as Idolaters Blasphemers false Prophets c. incestuous Persons Sodomites Buggerers burners of their children in sacrifice to Molech Witches cursers of Parents and such as were rebelious against Parents We read of none else stoned to death For I count inticers to idolatry accessaries to these under their principals The righteous God appointed the same punishment to the Sabbath-breaker as to the vilest and worst of men which letteth us see what magnitude this sin of the violation of the Sabbath hath in the Lords eye And if we look considerately we shall find that the sanctification of the Sabbath is by God looked upon as a duty of the first and highest sort It is made one of his moral and perpetual precepts it is ushered in with a word of remark◠Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day The observation of it in the Precept is more particularly directed Thou shalt do no manner of work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter nor thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor the Cattle within thy Gates It is joyned with the most natural necessary and momentous duties Lev. 19.3 Fear every man his Father and keep my Sabbaths It is mentioned in Scripture as the head of all Religion and therefore chosen out by God to express all Religion by and where the violation of all Religion is taxed it is ordinarily taxed under this notion of not keeping or profaning the Lords Sabbath Ezek. 20.13 16 21 24. ch 23.38 and supposing the Promises made to the strict observation of the Sabbath to be Synechdochicall and to be understood of such as keep close to and are strict in all pieces of instituted Worship yet Gods choosing of this part of Worship to express the whole by it is sufficient to let us know how much God ever laid upon the strict observation of the Sabbath as much as if God had told us that without it we do nothing in Religion It is worth the observing how cross men are to God in this thing tything mine and annis and cummin and making light of this far more weighty thing We read indeed under the Jewish Poedagogy of musick and singing and garments used in the worldly Sanctuary as the Apostle calls it but we no where read of any Promises made to these more external rites and little observances of bowing c. we see many men zealous for these things but oh how careless in this great thing not only violating the Precept but of so debaucht consciences as to teach men so to do which saith our Saviour is to make men least in the Kingdom of God Math. 5. But certainly Christians we should look as God doth and lay the stress of our practice where he layes it The Precept of the fourth Commandment is one thing the Argument is another who so saith the Precept or any thing in that is ceremonial leaves us but nine Commandments contrary to the faith of all the people of God from the very beginning of the world and they who will argue the Precept temporary because the argument had but a temporary obligation make a fair way to blot out the first Commandment because the Argument in the letter of it only concerned the Jews who were the only people God brought out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage I say in the letter of it I know we are also by Christ brought out of a spiritual Egypt out of a spiritual bondage and if we can thus blot out the first Commandment and the fourth and the Papists blot out the second which they do and interpret the third only to prohibit false swearing as some others have done we have fairly quitted the first Table and have nothing to get quit of but the second and we leave the whole world as a generation of Belial without any yoke at all 6. After this it may not be amiss for us to consider the Promises made to those that keep the Lords Sabbaths and the threatnings against the violaters of them The first I shall instance in shall be that Jerem. 17. from the 20. to the 24. v. their not observing the Sabbath according to the Command is made their great crime from the 24. v. is a Promise made to the better observation of it v. 27. a threatning denounced in case of neglect