ordinance of the Christian Sabbaoth Therefore it is according to the will and ordinaunce of God The proposition is grounded on 1. Cor. 10. 11. 15. 14. 32. Mat. 13. 11. Dan. 12. 3. Psal 107. 43. Io. 5. 20. Io. 7. 17. The assumption is confirmed on the euidence and truth of such effectes in all the godly of all places and times since the Apostles to our times And the serious and iudiciall Considerer shall obserue them both Ministers and people among us in this Land to go no further to be the most religious zealous conscionable and faithfull Christians and most of all profiting and growing in all grace and knowledge that with conscience delight and diligence doe effectually sanctify the Lords day 2. Again That ordinance tending to Gods publicke seruice and glory and mans instruction and building vp in godlinesse and is grounded on Gods word the which is disliked disputed against cauilled at withstood broken and profaned by the most carnall vngodly irreligious corrupt and vaine persons must needs be most agreeing to the wisdome will of God Such is the ordinaunce of the holy obseruation of the Lords day Therefore it is most agreeing to the wisdome and will of God The Maior or first proposition is grounded on 1. Cor. 1. 18. and 2. 14. and 3. 19. Mat. 13. 11. Io. 3. 3. Rom. 8. 5. 7. The assumption or Minor is grounded on Psa 92. 1. 2. 6. and confirmed by experience For he that shall vnpartially obserue this truth shall finde that the Sabbaoth euery where is onely disliked withstood disgraced disputed against rayled at scorned profaned by the most profane carnal couetous Atheists libertines men of no conscience holiness◠or truth in them and such as eyther liue in vnlawfull callings or vnlawfully in their honest callings such as fidlers stage-players beare and bull-baiters gamesters drunkards vsurers papists families of loue theeues vagrantrogues wearers oppressors coseners Epicures and voluptuous liuers 3. Againe That doctrine practise and perswasion the vvhich is grounded in the Scripture and is most agreeable to godlines peace of a good conscience and fits a Christian best to appeare with security of hart ioy before the iudgemēt seate of Christ that doctrine perswasiō must needs be more agreeable to Gods wil then contrary such is the doctrine practise and perswasiō of keeping holy the Christiā Sabbaoth or Lords day therfore the keeping holy of the lords day togither with the doctrine and perswasion of the same is most agreeable to the will of God 4. And last of all that doctrine practise and perswasion differing from the practise of the Apostles and all Apostolicall Churches and teachers yea from the doctrine practise of the Church wherin they liue the which is most agreeable to the will of man the wisdome of the fleshe the manners of the wicked the state of ignorance and sinne and of an euill conscience the hindrance of the Gospell the the breach of all good Discipline and order in the Church and the very high way to Atheisme carnall liberty and all impious licentiousnesse and confusion and so by consequence procuring and increasing the wrath and iudgement of God or euen but tending therunto or any part therof is impious and vngodly Such is the iudgement and practise of the deniers or disgracers or opposite disputers or omitters or profaneners of the Lords day and of those also that teach a liberty of breaking or omitting of the Lords day Therfore such iudgement practise or perswasion is impious wicked And so much of the second Quaestion 66 The third Quaestion and the last concerning this Controuersie of the Christian Sabbaoth is this VVhether the Church of GOD might haue chosen at the first another day or hath yet authority or Christian libertie to abrogate or alter the Lords day into any other certaine or vncertaine day or whether it be not of necessity to be obserued to the end of the World 67 This Quaestion because it dependeth on the former therfore the affirmation and proofe of the former prooueth also the negation of the former part hereof and the affirmation of the later the which I therfore will the more briefely handle as a point sufficiently confirmed 68 The first Reason The Church hath no Christian liberty to alter any day the which hath absolute Commaundement in the Word The Christian Sabbaoth or Lords day hath absolute Commaundement in the Word as alreadie hath been proued Therefore the Church hath no Christian liberty to alter the Lords day into any other 69 The second Reason The Church could neuer alter any part of the Morall law or of the lawe of Nature nor cannot alter the morall ordinances and constitutions of the inspired Apostles The obseruation or keeping holy of one day of euery seauen is of the Morall lawe and law of Nature and besides the keeping holy of the first day of the weeke is a constitution and commaundement of the inspired Apostles Therefore the Church coulde not nor cannot alter the keeping holy of one day of seauen vnto God nor the keeping holy of the first day of the weeke to Christ 70 The third Reason whatsoeuer Christ ascribeth as his owne and proper to himselfe no Church or Christian ought or may ascribe vnto themselues But Christ ascribeth as proper to himselfe that he is the Lord of the Sabbaoth Therefore no church or person may ascribe the Sabbaoth of Christ to himselfe and so by consequence may not profane nor alter the Lords day into any other 71 The fourth Reason By whatsoeuer onely power the Iewish Sabbaoth was abrogated the Christian Sabbaoth instituted by the same power and none other can it be abrogated againe But by the only power of Christ his Consummatum est or sacrifice was the Iewish Sabbaoth abrogated and by vertue of his resurrection the Lords day originally instituted and by Apostolicall power and authority the one relinquished and the other practiced Therefore by the only power of Christ and his Apostles and by none other can the Lords day be abolished againe 72 The fift Reason If there cannot come so long as the world lasteth so great a cause of changing the Lords day as the Apostles had of ordaining it Then the Church cannot abolish the Lords day to the end of the world But so great cause of abolishing the Lords day the Church can neuer haue as the Apostles had of ordayning namely the resurrection and rest of Christ Therefore the Church cannot abolish the Lords day to the end of the world 73 The sixth and last Reason If the Church haue no farther aucthority then by the word of God either in generall or speciall to appoint or alter any thing established then the Church can neuer alter the Lords day nor appoint any other in the steade thereof But the former is true and therefore also the later For there is no shadowe of authority or ground eyther generall or speciall in the word touching the alteratiō of
to common ciuility and euen to ciuill policies A doctrine conforming vs to the Commandement of God yea euen to his blessed and holy Image A doctrine bringing much glory vnto God and benefit to man knowledge to the ignorant sense vnto the hardned direction to the willing discipline to the irregular conscience to the obstinate comfort to the conscienced and bringing none inconuenience in the world A doctrine that addeth face fashion growth and firmitude vnto a Church strength and comely order to a Common-wealth giuing propagation vnto the Gospell helpe and vigor to the lawes ease honor and obedience vnto the Gouernors vnity and quiet to the people and lastly certaine happinesse and blessing to them all For the which doctrine whosoeuer argues pleadeth for GOD for his glory for his worship for his Commaundement and will for his Word his Sacraments and inuocation for the Lawe for the Gospell for Moses and the Prophets for CHRIST and his Apostles for the vpholding and flourishing estate of the Church and Common-wealth of Schooles and Vniuersities and of the faithfull Ministrie of Christ In a word they pleade for the wearied bodies rest for the euill conscience quiet for the sound practise of godlinesse and mercy in a certaine settled and constant order And so by consequence for heauen it selfe The contrary iudgement worketh contrary effectes For it depriueth GOD of his honour the Church of Religion the Common wealth of order the body of rest the soule of instruction the life of direction the word of attendance the ministery of reuerence and drawes along a world of inconueniences and mischiefes besides For it plainely breedeth slouth and scandall in the Ministry neglect meere contempt of Ministry in the people confirming blindnesse and superstition in the ignorant quenching the zeale of the more forward strengthening the hands of the more wicked and giuing liberty to them that are too apt to take it of profaning of the Sabbaoth day of God It hinders the course of the Gospell depriueth of the meanes of godlinesse it defaceth the beauty cuts in two the very sinews of the Church enlarging Sathans horrid kingdome and power of darknes by giuing strength to Athisme Papisme and carnall gospelling Abolishing the Vniuersities by ineuitable consequence and shaking the frame and fabricke yea poysoning vp the vitall powers of the very Common-wealth And in a word drawing on confusion irreligion Barbarisme Gods curse and vtter desolation on them all Wherefore the truth of this doctrine of the Christian Sabbaoth being cleere it followeth that all aduersarie iudgements to it are condemned whether they bee Swinckefeldians that wil haue no ministry or Familists and their fellow Anabaptists that wil haue no Sabbaoth or Iewes that insist vpon the Legall Sabbaoth or Papists that hold the Sabbaoth sanctified by their impious Masse and other Antichristian Idolatries and will-worships or Libertines that giue themselues others liberty to labour on the Sabbaoth or to profane it by vaine sports games recreations feastinges dauncings Maypoles Church-ales stage-playes and the like more then heathenish vanities or whatsoeuer may be called the will or wayes of man or whatsoeuer tendeth to profane or hinder the effectuall sanctifying of the Christian Sabbaoth whose seuerall obliquities being opposite to al sound iudgements and Christian practise sufficiently manifest the falshood of themselues and mutually confute each other being compared with the truth of God It remaineth that thou bee exhorted O Christian peruset of this truth of God vnto the conscionable carefull practise of the Christian Sabbaoth Consider vvith thy selfe the reasons that haue been alleaged and let the euidence of them cause thee to captiuate thy thoughts vnto them And know that if among them all but one bee true it is enough one is too much for a Christian man to depraue or cauell at who beleeueth a Iudgement day to come I doubt not but a man might more easily perswade the multitude to any extreamity then to the right and so to break the Sabbaoth then to keep it holy corrupted doctrines are familiar to corrupted nature And it is not hard to perswade vnto that liberty which all men pleade for and pursue Nay more it is not possible for any man to teach that liberty which the most part wil not far exceede in practise So vnseasonable are the doctrines of letting slacke the reines of godlinesse vnto this head strong and vnruly age of ours and so vnsound against the which all sound and learned iudgements and godly Churches peâ—sons practise are oppositely set And therfore if the Apostles and all faithfull teachers and seruants of God haue walked in this path before wherin they passed through and from this world without either outwarde inconuenience or inwarde wound of conscience but with much spirituall profit and sensible increase of knowledge and of grace and with continuall finall and vnspeakeable peace and comfort who will not hazard the imitation of their practise for the gayning of like benefite Or who that hath not set his conscience and common sense to sale will leaue the certaine way of all the Saints and seeke a newe found way which no man euer went to gaine the blessings they enioyed For did they enioy so great benefits by sanctifying this day and doest thou think to get them by profaning it My iudgement is he that will haue a way of his owne finding it were fit hee enioyed a heauen of his owne making But O Christian Reader if euer thou wilt sanctifie thine euerlasting Sabbaoth in heauen Learne then effectually to sanctifie it vpon earth according to the Commaundement and wil of God which if the more wilfull will not do who walke in the wide way of the greater part of men yet Christ shall not want to sanctifie a day vnto himselfe It shall be done in despight of them without them and they shall melt away in leauing of the truth they sawe and winked at And albeit the Pharisees do still despise the counsell of God against themselues and some peruerse ones will be euer carping and corroding of this truth yet Wisedome will be iustified of all her children GAL. 6. 16. As many as walke according to this rule peace shall be vpon them and mercy and vpon the Israell of God The Practise of the Christian Sabbaoth according to the WORD THe Practise of the Christian Sabbaoth standeth eyther in 1. Praeparation to it 2. SanctificatioÌ„ of it I. Praeparation is a fitting of our selues before hand to perform the duties of the Sabbaoth according to Gods wil vvhich dutie the Church of God among the Iewes did most carefully vse and practise the day before the Sabbaoth Mark 15. 42. Luk. 23. 54. A duty needefull in respect of 1. The glorious praesence of God in whose sight we are and before whom we are more specially to praesent our selues the next day Esa 1. 12. Habac. 1. 13. 2. In respect of the holinesse and purity that is required of vs in vsing the sacred ordinaunces
Propositions TENDING TO PROOVE THE NEcessarie vse of the Christian Sabbaoth or Lords Day And that it is commaunded vnto vs in Gods WORD WHERE VNTO IS added the Practice of that sacred Day framed after the rules of the same WORD By IOHN SPRINT an vnvvorthie Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ at Thornebery in Gloucester shire ET VSQUE AD NVBES VERITAS TVA P. S. Imprinted at London by H. L. for Thomas Man 〈…〉 The Summe of all in one Syllogisme That the Lords daie or Christian Sabbaoth is The Lords Day necessarily to bee obserued by all Christians to the end of the World WHatsoeuer dayes obseruation was in the Newe Testament Sanctified by sanctified and set apart to an holy vse 1 Christs resurrection First by Christ his triumphant resurrectioÌ„ 2 Christs first apparition Then by his first appearing to his gathered Apostles Disciples fiue times on that same day 3 Christs second apparition Next hy his second appearing to his gathered Apostles 4 Holy Ghost apparition Fourthly by his sending of the Holy-Ghost to his Apostles gathered againe and blessing of their doctrine by conuersion of soules 5 Command ordinance of postles Fiftly by Apostolicall Commaund Constitution to be obserued by Christian Churches 6 Christs commandement Sixtly by Christs Commaund not to be profaned of anie faithfull Christian 7 Practice of postles Seuenthly by Apostles solemne practice of preaching ministring the Sacraments in the Christian Congregation and meditation of the Scripture 8 Title giuen the Holy-Ghost Eightly by the holy-Ghosts induing it with a notable peculiar title of the Lords day 9 Practice of and the most pâ— Churches By Apostolicall primitiue and all later reformed Churches general and continual practice from thence vnto our times 10 Iudgemeâ—â— the most so 〈◊〉 all godly lâ—â—ned By the iudgement of the spirituall most godly learned Teachers and Writers of the former and later ages 11 Effectes Gods blessinâ— By the witnesse of Gods generall and continuall blessing of the practice therof with peace of conscience ioy of the Holy-Ghost and sensible increase of knowledge and grace in all sincere Christians that with soundnesse prefesse the Gospell euery where 12 Dislike and â—â—â—anation by â—e wicked and â—â—sound And last of all by the dislike and opposition of the onely most wicked of life ignorant of mind or otherwise vnsound in iudgement and doctrine The Obseruation of that Day is most necessary and doth tie the Conscience to the end of the World But such is the Obseruation of the Lords day or first day of the weeke and so confirmed in euery point Therefore The holy Obseruation of the Lords day or first day of the week is most necessarie and doth tye the conscience to the end of the World The Proposition confirmed For the first member Look Section 56 55. For the second third fourth seuenth and ninth Look Sect 61. For the fift and sixt Looke Sect 58 59. For the eight Looke Sect. 55 54 59 60 64. For the tenth eleuenth and twelfth Looke Sect 65. Proofes of the Assumption in the seuerall members The 1. There is no question of this point but that Christ rose on the first day of the weeke The 2. That Christ appeared 5 times on that first day of the weeke which was the day of his resurrection and of the Christian Sabbaoth first to Mary Magdalen Mark 16 9. Io. 20. 14 15 16 17 18. Secondly to the woman Mat. 28 9 10 11. Thirdly to the two Disciples Luk. 24. 18. Mar. 1â— 13. Fourthly to Peter Luk. 24 33. 34. with 1. Cor. 15 5. Fiftly to the eleuen Mark 16. 14 Excepting Thomas Io. 20. 24. Wherein our Sauiour dooth comfort instruct authorise and ordaine the Ministers of the Newe Testament and giues them power to preach and administer the Sacraments Discipline Io. 20. 22. 23. with Mar. 16. 15. 16. Mat. 28. 16 17 18 19 20. This was performed in the night partly by Christs appointment Matth. 28. 16. Partly for feare of the Iewes not daring to assemble by day Io. 20. 19. The day notwithstanding sanctified by Christs fiue fold appearing and the Disciples holy meditation conference of and with Christ The 3. That CHRIST appeared the second time on that day seuen-night Conâ—â—â—â—ing comforting instructing reproouing appeareth Io. 20. 26 27 28 29. Where it is sayd after eight dayes including and counting the day of Christs resurrection for one of the eight which is that day seuen-night as if he should say the eight day after by an Hebraisme The like speech in Luk. 2. 21. 1. 59. Leu. 12. 3. Thus Caluin Beza Piscator Rollock take it and so do the very Papists Ferus Iansenius Emmanuel Sa. vpon these places The 4. That the Apostles met vpon this very day the first day of the weeke on the morning Act. 2. 15 appeares because they met on the day of Pentecost Act. 2. 1. with Leu. 23. 15. 16 called the feast of weekes Exod. 34. 22. Which was the morrow after the Sabbaoth Leu. 23. 16. 15. This also the computation of Weekes betweene the feast of Easter and Whitsontide dooth prooue For it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if one should say the fiftieth day Act. 2. 1. because fiftie full dayes or seauen weekes are to passe betweene the feast of Easter or Passeouer the day after which Christ rose and the feast of Whitsontide or of weeks Leuit. 23. 15. 16. Exod. 34. 22. on which day the Apostles now met For this truth look the iudgement of Augustine de tempore ser 251. Nazianzen apud BaroniuÌ„ Leo Ep. 81. Concil Constantinopol 6 Caluine Beza Piscator with the Papists Bellarmine de cultu sanctoruÌ„ lib. 3. cap. 11. See Emmanuel Sa. annot in Act. 2. 1. Baronius Tom. 1. ex Nazianzen The 5. Look for the confirmation thereof Sect. 58. 59. The 6. Look for this Sect 64. The 7. Look for this also Sect. 60. 61. The 8. Look for this Sect. 59. 55. 54. 60. 64. The 9. For this look Sect. 15. 20. 63. 62. The 10. Is prooued Sect. 15. 20. 34. 52. The 11. and 12. Is confirmed by palpable experience and apprehended by him that eyther hath an eye or winketh not Look for these Sect. 65. and the fowre last Sections also To the Christian Reader MAny matters Christian Reader called into question at this day are offered to the viewe of the World and not a fewe of them very friuolous and vnprofitable but there are also matters which doubtlesse cannot bee denied to bee of singular importance for the furtheraunce of our most holy faith and true Religion And amongst the waightiest of these there is almost none of greater vse nor of more necessity to be vnderstood nor being vnderstood to bee more carefully obserued then this which hereafter ensueth touching the nature and quality of the Lords day commonly called Sunday or the
Christian Sabbaoth Concerning which there are diuerse who not by reason of any difficulty in this controuersie but being led with the variable conceit of their owne vnsettled minds do think diuersly and many such there are who doe speake and wright thereof so loosely yea so profanely that if their opinions were imbraced among men there could nothing but Atheisme and irreligious behauiour growe vp thereby and abound Sundry of these points this Treatise following doth with great diligence lay open vnto thy consideration and withall setteth downe plentifully a true and right resolution of this matter Namely that the first Day of the weeke called Sunday as before sayd is in a peculiar regard the Lords day and sanctified to the performing of the solemne worship of GOD vpon the grounds of Gods Morall or perpetuall lawe in the fourth Commaundement of the Decalogue And by the speciall will of Christ establishing it through his Apostles practice doctrine to the same purpose instead of the Iewes Sabbaoth Which Assertion certainly if it were well receiued and belieued would make very effectually to the great increase of godlinesse and to the cutting downe of much sinne and impiety which euen by meanes of the ignorance and neglect hereof doth euery where ouerflowe The Lord in his good time will dispell the errors and vanities of vngodly men and wil aduance in greater bewtie the kingdome of his sonne Christ by dissoluing the works of Satan and treading vnder foote all his malice In the meane while it behooueth the seruants of God to be vigilant and nothing slacke in shewing forth the wisdome of Serpents aswell as the simplicitie of Doues That they being wise in the truth may cause the same to shine among others in these euill dayes and yet withall in their innocencie may find fauour not with God alone but also with men Reade trie and holde faste that which is good and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things Farewel PROPOSITIONS tending to prooue the necessarie obseruation of the Lords day or Christian Sabbaoth 1. IN handling of this Question of the Christian Sabbaoth I purpose to speak in order of three things First of the state of the controuersy Secondly of the arguments and reasons for the truth And last of all the answere of obiections 2 There be two different iudgements concerning the Sabbaoth the one in extreamity the other in the meane 3 The iudgements or rather the opinions standing in extreamity are extreamly opposite and contrary and they are holden by men of such quality as are otherwise branded with the note of infamous heresie 4 The one extreame is of them who holde that there ought to be no Sabbaoth or difference of dayes nor anie certaine time or day appointed for rest and publique meetings for Gods seruice but to leaue it as a matter meerely freâ— for euery one 5 They alleage for themselues 1. That the fourth Commaundement â—anchius de oper redempt li. 1. ca. 19. fol. 608. Vrsinus Cathech â—art 3. ad quaest 103. fol. â—79 Rogers diâ—play of â—he Family of loue â—n a confession of one of that sect § â—0 is meerely ceremoniall 2. The Christian liberty whereby we may where and when we list worship serue God And as we are freed from the circumstance of place Io. 4. 21. 23. So are we also say they freed from the circumstance of time of seruing God 3. They alleage Scriptures as Colossians 2. 16. Galathians 4. 10. Romans 14. 6. Matthew 12. 8. 6 The Authors of this loose opinion are the Family of Lone sayth Rogers and the Anabaptists sayth Vrsinus 7 These men sayth Zanchius abutuntur Scripturis abuse Zanch. vbi supra fol. 608. 611. Vrsin vbi supra the Scriptures and conclude from them that which cannot be concluded Whom he confutes as also doth Vrsinus 8 But to passe by this irregular sect and salt vvhich hath lost his sauour I say with him Iniquum est impium aut nullos esse Zanch. Ibid. fol. â—12 aut qui sunt contemnere It is impious and vngodly either to haue no certaine dayes of Gods publicke seruice or to contemne those that are appointed and established So teach sayth he the Scriptures the Fathers and godly Teachers of our later age and so doth the auncient receiued and approoued custome and practise in all Churches of all places and nations confirme 9 The other extreamity of opinion is of those who hold that the Iewish Sabbaoth of the 7. day in the week from the creation is neuer to be abolished being no lesse necessary for vs to obserue now then it was euer for the Iewes 10 They alleage reasons drawne 1. From the praecedence of the Sabbaoth before the lawe and before the fall the Lawes of which nature are immutable 2. From the perpetuity of the Morall lawe 3. and from the large extent therof appertayning to all 4. From the perpetuity of the couenant Exod. 31. 17. 5. and of the cause of the lawe which maketh it perpetuall which is the memoriall and meditation of the workes of God which belonges vnto the Christians as well as to the Iewes 11 These reasons in themselues are good but being misapplyed to the establishment of the Iewish ceremoniall Sabbaoth which was a shaddowe of things to come and is abolished Conatus eorum tanquam pestilentissimus sayth Musculus Muscul Loc. câ—m part 1. fo 14â— est retundendus their indeuours as beeing most pestilent are by all meanes to bee suppressed Both because sayth hee they obscure the glory of our Sauiour by reiecting the Lords day and bringing Christians as much as in them lyes vnder the yoke and slauery of the Mosay call lawe againe 12 The Authors of this vnchristian opinion are either Iewes as a Vrsin Cath. in praecept 4. ad quaest 103. fol. 7â—7 76â— Vrsinus sayth or Ebion and Cherinthus as b Jrenaeuâ— l. 1. c 2â— Irenaeus and c Epiphan heres 3â— Epiphanius witnesse or Sabbatary Christians as d Muscul loc part 1. fol. 145. 146. 14â— Musculus e Beza Thes Geneuens c. â—9 §. 15 Beza say or Anabaptists as f Grysaldus Perusâ—â— Haereâ—â—cor nâ—minibus Titulâ— Sabbâ—tarij Grysaldus Perusinus a Papist doth report and are confuted by Musculus Vrsinus and g Bellar Tom â— li. 3. de cultu sanâ—â— cap. 10 Bellarmine 13 The iudgement standing in the meane is of such Churches and persons from the Apostles age to ours as withall professing the truth and soundnesse of the Christian faith haue in all times places without interruption question or gainesaying kept holy and established the Lords day being the first day of the weeke from the Iewes Sabbaoth 14 And these are eyther primitiue or later wherein by the way wee will consider of the middle or neuter sort betweene the primitiue and later namely the Papists and their iudgement 15 The auncient primitiue and orthodoxe Fathers both Greeks and Latines doe with one mouth certifie vs of these
93 Baronius Tom. 1 in anno 53. 97. In the former yeare they say the 1. Epistle to the Corinths was written in the later the Apocalyps the distance of which time is aboue 40. yeares learned iudge to Iohn the inspired Penner of the Reuelation his Testimony and mention of that day 6. Then down into the Ocean of the Fathers and Councels witnessing thereof in their seuerall succeeding ages Greekes and Latines Ignatius Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Origen Tertullian Basil Athanasius Chrysostome Hierome Ambrose Augustine and the rest before cyted Thesis 15. Togither with the Papists testimonies for their times vnto the practise of the times wherein vve liue From vvhence I argue thus That custome tending to Gods publicke worship hauing ground and warrant of Scripture which was begun ordeined and practised at the first by Christs inspired Apostles and was neuer interrupted or intentionally profaned to this howre by any orthodoxal Church or person but alway confirmed and established by Christian Magistrates and practised by all true Churches and Christians in all ages from the Apostles times to ours the obseruation therof must needes tie the conscience for vvith what conscience may any Church or person break it and the questioning or breaking of it now must needs proue a strange vnheard nouelty head-strong singularity proceeding from a priuate spirit But the former is true of the Christian Sabbaoth Thereforce the later also must needs be true 62 The ninth argument is drawen from the circumstance and vniuersality of place and custome of the true Churches of Christ in all places It being practised at first at Ierusalem and Troas 2. Then at Corinth and Galathia 3. Then in Pathmos and al Asia the lesse as is most probable 4. Then in the Grecian Churches as appeareth by the Greek Fathers 5. Then in the Latine Churches as appeareth by the Latine Fathers 6. And last of all in all reformed later Churches both of Lutherane and Orthodoxall iudgement And no true Christian Church can be named that euer brake off the custome of this day receaued at the first from the Apostles The force of this argument stands in this The Vnity of custome grounded on Gods word obserued by Apostolicall primitiue orthodoxall reformed later Churches in matter tending to Gods publicke seruice doth tye the conscience The sanctifying of the first day of the weeke is confirmed by such vnity of custome Therfore the sanctifying of the 1. day of the week doth ty the coÌ„science The Maior or former proposition is proued 1. Cor. 1â— 16. and 14. 33. The Minor or assumption is already proued Neither let any man obiect these reasons to be Popish which are drawen from custome coÌ„tinuance of time vniuersality of place For such reasons are most forcible that haue ground of Scripture which the Papists haue not as neither haue they coÌ„tinuance of time or vniuersality of place if ye take away their cracking facing out the matter And the Fathers rightly thus fight against the sundrie Haeritiques of their times vvith these verie arguments 63 The tenth Argument is grounded on 2. Tim. 4. 2. Where Timothy is commanded to preach the word in season and out of season the which praecept is perpetuall and appliable to all ministers of the new Testament to the end of the world as that is Matt. 28. 19. 20. And that Minister that so teacheth not in and out of season directly sinneth as breaking that commandement of Christ and this of the Apostle and incurreth that woe which the same Apostle denounceth on himselfe if hee neglecteth this duty 1. Cor. 9. 16. Now what is meant in this for the Minister or publicke person to teach in season but only to teach in the season appointed by Christ and his Apostles namely on the publicke day of the Churches and Apostles practise and customable meeting which being prooued to haue been vsuall on that day as also the auncient Syriacke translation doth plainly confirm by adding these words vnto the narration of their commoÌ„ publicke meeting for receiung of the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11. 20. When ye therefore are gathered together in die Domini nostri On our Lords day It followeth of necessity the Minister by teaching must keepe the Lords day holy and so by consequence the people also by publicke and solemne hearing For there is no publicke teaching can be presupposed without publicke hearing no more then obedience is presupposed without commaund 64 The eleuenth Reason is concluded from the words of Matth. 24. 20. The which I can by no meanes ouerslip For that I cannot be perswaded that Iesus Christ our blessed Sauiour and the wisedome of the Father did speake in iest when as he expresly seriously commanded his hearers disciples the Iews and those the â—lect and sanctified for they only haue the gift of inuocatioÌ„ to pray That their flight might not be on the Sabbaoth day Speaking of the time of sacking and euersion of Hierusalem Now if it had bin Ceremoniall and abolished they needed not haue prayed but haue taken flight on that day aswel as any other without any scruple of conscience at all Yea it had beene a sinne for godly Christian Iewes to haue made a needlesle conscience of a ceremony fortie yeares after the abolishing especially the Apostles doctrine of auoyding the obseruation of Iewish daies comming betweene Gal. 4. 10. 11. Coloss 2. 16. 17. And last of al it might seem vain in Iesus Christ and a mockery of his elect which were a blasphemy to say to command them to pray against the breaking of a Sabbaoth day if it were abrogated long before both quo ad genus speciem that is both in respect of the speciall day the which the Iewes obserued and also in respect of the morall of the fourth Commandement that is an holy obseruation of a seauenth day vnto God Now the speciall day which the Iewe obserued was ceremoniall and doubtlesse abrogated Col. 2. 16. 17. But the genus or morall of the fourth Commaundement vndoubtedly was not abolished For Iohn the writer of the Reuelation euen after the sacking ouerthrow of Hierusalem brings in the solemn mention of the Christian Sabbaoth vnder the title of the Lords day as a commoÌ„ name receiued generally so tearmed by the Church by a note of excellence as peculiarly dedicated to the honour and seruice of God in Christ 65 The twelfth Reason Is drawne from the effectes of the wisedome of the flesh and spirit and thus is framed 1. That ordinance tending to Gods publike worship and glory and mans instruction and building vp in godlinesse and knowledge The which is grouÌ„ded on Gods holy word and practise of the holy and inspired Apostles The vvhich is liked of approued of and gladly practised with great spirituall comfort and profit by the most godly vertuous zealous and sincere godly learned writers Teachers and Professors of Gods truth must needes be according to the vvill and ordinaunce of God Such is the