of workes a man is iustified and not of faith only Iamâ— 2.21.24 But wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without workes is dead Iam. 2.20 The lavv vvhich S. Iames vrgeth here it is the morall lavv as is plaine by his instances in the seuenth and eigth commandements v. 11. and by laying done the summe of the second Table in v. 8. Moreouer that this lavv is vrged vpon beleeuers is plaine by these reasons 1. Because the Apostle stileth them Brethren to vvhom he spake v. 1. yea and his beloued Brethren v. 5. secondly S. Iames vrgeth the lavv vpon such as shall be iustified by faith for he affirmeth and that by the example of Abraham that a man that hath faith he must also haue vvorkes for his iustification Yee see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faith only By vvorkes here the Apostle meaneth the vvorkes of the lavv and of that lavv before spoken of in the former parte of the chapter v. 8.11 now choose vvhat sense of this text to fly vnto you please either of Protestants or Papistes both or either of them vvill make strongly for vs and against Anabaptists vvho deny the lavv for if such as haue faith must also bring vvorkes vvith them vnto iustification be they as causes or as signes and fruites of iustification either vvayes the beleeuer is bound to doe the vvorkes of the lavv for vvorkes are as vvell required of him vnto iustification as faith is so saith S. Iames finally since the faith that hath not vvorkes to vvit the vvorkes of the lavv v. 8.11 is a dead faith hence it followeth that the beleeuer is bound to the obseruation of the lavv and to doe the vvorkes of the lavv or else his faith his Anabaptisticall faith vvill proue but a dead faith as many therefore as renounce the lavv and the vvorkes of the lavv and vvill liue by faith only S. Iames counteth those mens faith but a deade faith 7. And that thou hast knowne the holy Scriptures of a child which are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through the faith which is in Christ Iesus for the whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reprofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 In these vvords the Apostle declareth vnto Timothie the vse of the Scriptures of the old Testament and in speciall that some of them are fit to reproue and to correct c. novv of all the Scriptures in the old Testament vvhich doe reproue correct instruct are they not the lavves of God both affirmatiue and negatiue and of all Gods lavves in the old Testament vvhich are either morall or ceremoniall noue can thinke S. Paul sent Timothie vnto the ceremonial lavv it must therefore be the morall lavv vvhich Paul doth here commend vnto Timothie In the last place that this lavv belongeth vnto beleeuers is plaine enough it being made by Paul a direction vnto Timothie vnlesse you vvill suppose Timothie no beleeuer 8. Speake not euill one of an other Brethren he thath speaketh euill of his brother or he that condemneth his brother speaketh euill of the law and condemneth the law and if thou condemnest the law thou art no obseruer of the law but a iudge Jam. 4.11 In these words the Apostle S. Iames reproueth the sinnes against the ninth comm to wit slanderouse speeches this sinne he dissvvadeth from by these reasons 1. He that speaketh euill of his brother he speaketh euill of the Law of God and he that condemneth his brother he condemneth the Law of God 2. Hence follovveth an other mischiefe to wit that if a man condemneth the law then hee is no obseruer of the law but is become a iudge vvhere vve see the Apostle counteth it as a mischiefe and a vice for a man to be no obseruer of the law of this vice are our Antinomians guilty for they will be no obseruers or doers of the law and here we haue the very word in question betvvixt vs rarified to wit the word obserue and obseruation for we vrge the law vnto obseruation 9. Thus I reason against them they that hold and say that the morall lavv is abolished they must hold this absurd and wicked opinion that no parte of the Old Testament is now in force but that it is wholly abolished in all the partes thereof vnto beleeuers the reason hereof is 1. because all the lawes and precepts in the old Testament and all the directions to leade a godly liefe from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Malachie are referred to one of these lawes the Morall Iudicall or Ceremoniall if then they reiect the morall law much more will they reiect the Iudicall and Ceremoniall lawes and if they reiect the morall law then will they reiect all the expositions and branches thereof deliuered by the Prophets and so they reiect the whole old Testament the law and the Prophets for they reiect all the three lawes the Morall Iudiciall and Ceremoniall with all their appurtenances 2. So much they do imply by saying they are not vnder Moses but vnder Christ not to be gouerned by the law but by the Gospell and the like Now that it is a most absurd and wicked opinion to hold that all the partes of the old Testament are abolished and no rule of our liues shall appeare by this that the Apostles doe euery where send vs for direction into the old Testament see these places Rom. 14.11 Rom. 15.4 1. Cor. 9.8.9.10 1. Cor. 10.11 1. Cor. 14.21 Heb. 13.5 Iam. 2.8.10 Iam. 5.10.11 1. Pet. 1.16 1. Pet. 3.5.6 10. An other absurdety let me adde to shew the vanity of their destinction holding the law to belong vnto and to bind such as are yet vnregenerated and want faith but not to belong vnto nor to binde such as are regenerated and haue faith this distinction is very absurd for it produceth greate confusion and disorder in the Church and no lesse inconvenience in the family for if it be so that beleeuers are not bound to the obseruance of the law then when the Sabbath day cometh these men are not bound to sanctify it it being a parte of that law from which they are freed but others that doe not yet beleeue they are bound to keepe the Sabbath day it being enioyned in that lavv vnto vvhich they are still bound suppose we then the master and the mistris of the family be beleeuers the children and the seruants as yet vnbeleeuers why then the master and the mistris may goe to their workes priuate or publike the seruants and children must then goe to the Church what disorder will this be to haue families thus rent and diuided some goeing to church other some of the same body going to worke yea what a poore Sabbath thinke you will be kept by the inferiours when
forswore his Lord and Master therein he bewraied it not Let good men therfore Holy be defended no further then their goodnesse and holinesse will extend and suffer them to be prosecuted and discouered in their erroures sinnes that they may reforme them I confesse they are my brethren so I acknowledge them but what then may not their erroures therfore be discouered and reproued Peter was Pauls brother did Paul therfore cloke Peters errour no Paul discouered it and reproued it to his face and that publikly before all men Gal. 2.11.14 shall the sinnes of the people be reproued and not the sinnes of Ministers shall Ministers haue a patent to sinne without reprofe our Sauiour reproued Peter saying get thee behind me Satan I hold sinne is lesse to be borne withall in a Minister then in a priuate person especially if it be both in their life and doctrine as that is for which I shall reproue them for when they not onely practise it but also erroniously teach it hereby they draw whole multitudes after them and therefore sinnefull errour would be snibed in them as a riuer would be stopped in the fountaine Perhapes thou wilt further say for them but what is it you haue against them it seemeth by these words that you haue some greate matter against them which we cannot beleeue since we know them to be men so Holy so lerned and euery way so qualified as we cannot say black is their eye c. Why amongst others these things I haue against them In generall I challeng them for their false and erroniouse doctrine where with all they haue now a long time deceiued and seduced the people of God wherein they still stifly persist he particulars whereof are these by their vngodly and abhominable reiecting of that most ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath by name commanded in the Morall Law 1. They are become companiones to those wicked Priests who were partiall in Gods Law Mal. 2.9 for they deny the Integrity perfection of the Law and teach it onely by halues by parceles and peeces and so make Gods Law a lame and defectiue Law 2. They deny God a parte of his holy worship and seruice prescribed in the first Table of the Decalogue and this they neglect and omit weekly 3. They haue vtterly abolished and by their doctrine nullified the whole 4th Commandement both roote and branch 4. They haue most shamefully abused the 4th Commandement by their most grosse false and erroniouse expositions of it so as I neuer saw any one portion of scripture more corruptly and falsly expounded by any Popish Iesuit Whereby they worthily deserue the Title to be called The corrupters of Gods Law 5. They doe shamefully abuse certaine Textes and portions of Scripture and that by setting Scriptures together by the eares for they wrest certaine Scriptures of the New Testament to the vnnecessary contradicting and ouerthrowing of things commanded in the Decalogue and 10 Commandements of the Old Testament 6. They haue and doe most vnschollarlike abuse the 4th Com. by applying it to the Lords day the which God directed properly vnto the Saturday or 7th day of the weeke 7. They teach and maintaine that the Lords day is the Sabbath day by Christ his institution and to this purpose they haue most vnlernedly dishonestly wrested and abused diuerse sondry portiones of sacred Scripture a thing which one day they must account to God for and hereby they haue shamefully abused many of the well affected people of the land nursing them vp in Superstition will worship and idolatry If I shall make these 7 things good against these 10 Ministers as in this booke I shall then I trust you will pardon me if now and then I let fale an harsh word or two against them and then I trust you will not blame me for taking vp the bucklers against them as Gods enemies in these cases I could not haue taken these things so euilly at the hands of any as of puritans nor of any puritans as of puritane Ministers for at their hands I looked for better As for them these 10 Ministers I require and charge them as they will answer it before the Tribunall of Almightie God at the generall day of Iudgement that they study the 4th Commandement better and other the Scriptures now in controuercy so that they may deliuer nothing to the people but the pure word of God in their exposition and that they forbeare these erroniouse doctrines in pulpit and in priuate yea and reuoke these their foule erroures making a mends to the people of God whom they haue wronged by acknowledging the same vnto them before either they or any of their people departe this present life it is no dallying with mens soules and Gods matters Or else let them answer this my booke and so honestly acquite themselues of these things I charge them withall it is but equall that I demaund that they should either confirme my booke or confute it some of them say they will giue their liues for the Lords day Sabbath I trust then they will giue their laboures which is lesse to defend it I doubt not but you shall heare them make many shiftes friuolouse excuses that they may not answer me as hitherto they haue done when moued to answer my former booke but this is but still to maintaine their credit among the people as if they could easily answer all but they will not wast their time forsooth Happily the combination of these 10 Ministers will agree euery man to preach an invectiue sermon or two euery man in his owne parish against this booke and so raise a greate cry against me picking partially some fewe things in my booke to cauill at as it is no hard matter for a Rhetoricean to delude the people with words and for a Sophister to beguile them with seeming arguments and answers but my request vnto them is that they would answer my booke and that punctually from point to point not snaching and catching here and there at things and that they would print it as I haue done and so they shall stand to what they say without alterationes and after minceings and extenuationes An Author may be much wronged and abused in pulpit as I haue bene alredy by M. Chappell reporting to the people things out of my former booke falsly which I neuer wrote there so confuting their owne phantasies in stead of my booke and the Author hath no remedy but patience To auoide the like I desire them to forbeare pulpit confutations and come to printed confutations that so they may be answered againe What remaineth Christian Reader but that in the last place I craue thy single eye and vnpartiall censure and that you carry a minde voide of all preiudice euill will either to the person or the cause whereabouts thou art redy to be imployed in reading Remember we are not to receiue the word of God with respect of
for the desire to thy iudgements v. 20. Giuâ— me vnderstanding that I may learne thy commandements v. 37. J am thy seruant grant me vnderstanding that I may know thy Testimonies v. 125. By comparisons he setteth forth his loue vnto Gods law I haue had as great delite in the way of thy Testimonies as in all riches v. 14. The Law of thy mouth is better vnto mee then thousands of gold and silner v. 72. Thy Testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the â—oy of my heart v. 111. Therefore loue I thy commandements about gold yea aboue most fine gold v. 127. In a word the law of God it is the Churches inheritance possession Moses commanded vs a law for an inheritance of the Congregation of Iakob Deuter. 33. â— hence it was that Dauid had taken vnto him he law as his inheritance for euer Psâ— 119.111 hence no doubt it is that our Church hath taken this law also vnto hâ—r as hir inheâ—itance for euer causing it to be read publikly in the Congregation in most solemne manner the Assembly all vpon their knees praying to God to incline their hearts to keepe this Law Here be arguments and reasons enough without further amplification to moue euery Godly heart to loue the law of God for it is a royall law a righteouse law a light for our comfortable direction a law most louely oh how loue I thy law a law to be desired Mine heart breaketh for desire of thy iudgements It is better then thousands of gold and siluer it is an inheritance and the inheritance of the Church What neede of more As there is no Christian Church in the world which inioyeth this Law of God intirly in its perfection So is there no member of our Church that I know who inioyeth this Lavv in its integrity in his iudgment practise both albeit it were much to bewished it being the Inheritance of the Church wherin euery member may challeng his share I diuide our Church Congregations therfore in to two sortes purposing to make application of this doctrine vnto them both the one sorte that the fewest by infinite numbers are such as are informed in their iudgments inlightened in this Law of God in the integrity perfection of the partes therof The other sorte those the most remaine yet it darknesse ignorance of this their Inheritance the Law of God in its perfection Touching the former sorte is it so that thou louest his Law of God then let this thy loue to it appeare that by harty firuent prayers vnto Almightie God daily that he vvould be pleased to infuse the light of this knowledge in to the minds haerts of all men that it would please God to incline the heart of our soueraigne Lord King together with all the greate gouerners in Church Common weale to embrace this Law of God in its integrity perfection that so a reformaiion being made we may inioy the Lords Sabbath in practise as well as in iudgment To this end two things are required of thee who arte already inlightened doest loue this Lavv of God in the perfection thereof the one is that thou further disperse the knowledge thereof as farre forth as thy place calling will peremit vnto thy frends acquaintance thus did Dauid Teach me thy Statutes saith he then he addeth these words with my lipps haue I declared all the iudgments of thy mouth Ps 119.12.13 and againe I will speake of thy Testimones before Kings will not be a shamed Ps 119.46 Hereto accordeth S. Paul wherefore exhorte one an other edify one an other euen as you doe 1. Thes 5.12 and Exhorte one an other daily while it is called to day Heb. 3.13 he that loueth the Law must not onely loue it in the knowledge of it but also in the practise of it hovv shall he attaine the practise of it vnlese it be made knowne vnto all that so a generall reformation may be The other thing required of thee is that in loue to Gods Law thou beest redy in thy place to defend it the integrity perfection of it against all gainsayers as the Apostle Iude saith contend for the maintenance of the faith which was once giuen vnto the Saints Iud. 3. so should we contend for the maintenance of the integrity and perfection of the Law which vvas once giuen vnto the Saints and Church of God This is that vvhich God laied to the charge of his Church long since that No man contendeth for the trueth Isai 59.4 bevvare it be not laid to our charge also Moses had many brethren the Hebrewes yet vvould he not suffer any one of them to suffer vvrong of the Egyptianes but rose vp in their defence and defended them so one after an other that at last he vvas forced to flie for his ovvne liefe Exod. 2.11.15 so vve brethren if vve loue this Lavv of God it vvill Kindle in vs an holy zeale of Gods glory indignation against the enemies of Gods trueth so as vve shall rise vp to defend rescve any one and euery one of Gods commandements against those that would be shredding pareing some thing or other avvay from the same Dauid saith Gods testimonies they were the ioy of his harte and againe oh how lou I thy Law thinke vve that Dauid could vvith patience haue seene this Lavv vvhich he so loued mangled and hacked and so defaced as vve novv are forced to behould it I come novv to the other sorte of people in our Church they are those vvho be yet in darknesse ignorance vvho albeit they know much of this Lavv of God yea the most of it yet are ignerant of it in its integrity perfection for they are ignorant of Gods 7th day Sabbath conteined in his 4th com and so they knovv not all the Lavv they are not acquainted vvith the vvhole Lavv and vvill of God for number these are the most and therfore the case is the more lamentable yea and by so much also the more lamentable yet in that they are not fully instructed in a matter vvhich neerly concerneth them for this they must take speciall notice of to vvit that by this Lavv vve shall be iudged at that dreadfull day of iudgment as many as haue sinned in the Law shall hr iudged by Law Rom. 2.12 and againe so speake yee and so doe yee as they that shall beiudged by the Law of libertie Iam. 2.12 Now it is a fearefull thing for a man to be ignorant of any one parte ar percell of that Lavv vvhereby he shall be adiudged it concernes euery man therfore to study this Lavv and to take in information of it of all the partes of it that vvith speed But you may say hovv shall this exhortation to loue the Lavv of God in its perfection concerne such as you say are ignorant of the
Christ vpon the Lords day farre vnlike to the example of God on the 7th day and therefore we may follow the example of Christ and be as vnlike on the Lords day to the example of God on the 7th day as Christ was Against this some Ministers obiect thus that happily the new Sabbath was not yet knovvne the Church being in hir infancy and Christ being newly risen from the dead things were not yet established in the Church c. Herevnto I answer 1. if this new Sabbath was not knowne vpon this first Lords day why then they graunt me what I would haue which is that the Lords day was not constantly weekly kept in the dayes of Christ his Apostles as now they vrge vs to keepe it euery where and so they ouerthrow their owne doctrine 2. This obiection maketh the matter worse then it was before for now they will to maintaine their errour cast blame vpon Christ for if this nevv Sabbath was not knowne to the Church no not this chiefe principall Lords day whose fault was it but Christs in that hee being their Pastour had not taught it them yet no not when it was more then time that they had knowne it that so they might haue kept it The Lords day being instituted by Christ to be kept for a Sabbath day in remembrance of our Redemption as our new Sabbatharians imagine it could not but make as much for the Memory of Christ his death as the Lords Supper did of which Christ saied doe this in remembrance of mee now can any man thinke that Christ could passe ouer the doctrine of this a point of such consequence that in so seasonable a time vvhithout some neglect if there had bene any such thing to be taught them they cannot plead that Christ could not conveniently come at his Disciples erly enough in the morning to haue minded them of it for he rose very erly c. neither wanted he meanes to haue sent them vvord of it for he sent them word by Mary Magdalene that they should goe downe into Galile and there they should see him Mat. 28.1.10 hee might as easily haue sent them vvord also that it was his will that they should keepe that present day for a Sabbath if euer he had intended any such matter 3. I answer that this obiection spoiles all for if through infancy of the Church and the like as some infant-like-men imagine this first Lords day was not instituted for a Sabbath whither I maruaile then vvill they rune for an institution for there is not any mention in the Scriptures of any word of institution nor of any practise or example of Christ or of any of the Apostles about their sanctifying any Lords day after this first Lords day vntill Pentecost day Act. 2. vvhich was 6 or 7 vveekes after this first Lords day so here then is a greater errour for not onely the first Lords day vvas omitted for a Sabbath but also there is no footing for any Lords day kept like a Sabbath for 6 or 7 weekes together after Christs resurrection Thus the further vve serch in to this point the more vaine it doth appeare in so much as it irketh me to blot so much paper as I haue done and must doe to answer to such an idle argument as is the Lords day Sabbath it vexeth me to see men of such able partes for lerning naturall endovvments and so renoumed for sanctity thus to befoole themselues in the defence of such a friuolouse tenet as is this Lords day Sabbath But it fareth with them as I thinke like men that haue had wrong possession a long time when the true owner comes to claime his right yet since they haue possest it so long they will invent somthing to defend it still they vvill find trickes quilites and quirkes in the Lavv to hould possession still against the true ovvner so it is here the Lords day hath thrust out the Lords Sabbath day from possession novv this many yeeres and since it is done the Lords day hath hath had the possession long some culler must be set on the matter somthing must be invented to maintaine possession still though neuer so vvrongfull though neuer so to the shame of the defenders of it But for all this they are redy to reply thus but vvhat is the matter that this Lords day is so often repeated in the Nevv Testament aboue any other day of the vveeke and vvhy vvere such notable vvorkes still done vpon that day as Christ rose then and appeared to his Disciples the Holy Ghost descended Act. 2. Peter preacht and converted thovvsands Paul preacht on that day and here vvas a Collection for the poore on that day S. John receiued a Reuelation vpon the same day now all this cannot but point at something c. Where vnto I ansvver t is true all these doe point at some thing but vvhat is the thing vvhich they point vnto they should tell vs vvhat thing they point vnto not say onely they point at something I doubt not but they point at something but vvithall I beleeue they point at nothing for their purpose to helpe to proue the constant vveekly practise of the Lords day for a Sabbath if they did they vvould not be ashamed to say what they point vnto in particular turning it off thus in generall termes all these point at something In the night time Ioseph had a reuelation concerning Christ Mat. 1.20 Mat. 2.13.14 In the night Christ came vnto his Disciples vvalking myraculously on the Sea Mat. 14.25 In the night time Christ vvas betraied Mark 14.27 In the night time vvas brought by the Angel to the Shepheards those most ioyfull tydinges of a Sauiour borne into the vvorld Luk. 2.8 In the night Paul Silas sung Psalmes vnto God Act. 16.25 In the night Paul preached at Troas raised vp Eutychus falne dovvne dead Act. 20.7.8.9 Novv all these you may say pointed at something indeed true it is But tell vs proue it vnto vs what is that somthing they will not say we must hence learne to keepe Popish Vigiles or holy nightes I trust 2. Whereas they speake of the often repetition of the Lords day in the Nevv Testament the Sabbath day is oftener repeated then it t is true the 4 Euangelists doe euery one of them mention it but all that is but as if it vvere once mentioned onely for the Euangelists doe but mention one the same thing albeit it be 4 times repeated by them all that there are more Sabbath dayes spake of then Lords dayes see these textes Act. 13.14.42.44 Act. 16.13 Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 Thirdly vvhereas they make some greate matter of it because there vvere so many notable vvorkes done vpō this Lords day this point is much in their mouthes J ansvver 1. the day vvheron notable vvorkes vvere done is vsually put dovvne in Scripture for the more certainty sake novv to
be redy to reply say But Sir you giue too great liberty to our people you lay the reines vpon their necke you speake most profanly c. to whom I answer I know indeed that it is full sore against their wills that I haue discouered this secret vnto their people for they had rather haue ploded on in their old errour deceiuing the people still then this light should haue bene seene but for my part I had rather please God then please men Knovving that God cannot away with it that his Ministers shold teach for his Doctrines their owne inventiones Traditiones I Know well that they doe daily reuile me reproch me say all manner of euill against me falfly before their people that so my person being brought into contempt that which I speake against their new Sabbath may be contemned likewise but I desire them to forbeare such vnchristian cuning courses I desire them that they would no more backbite me slaunder me behind my backe vvhere I cannot come to ansvver for my selfe but this is a more faire course vvich I vvill propound vnto them if they thinke in deede in trueth that I haue giuen too greate libertie vnto their people haue done vvrong vnto their nevv Sabbath then let them put pen to paper confute this booke so they shall bevvray to the vvorld that they speake as they thinke vvhen they so bitterly inueigh against me against my booke euery silly creature can say t is an errour t is a foule errour t is an abominable errour t is a wicked booke an hundreth more but I would haue Ministers that are schollers leaue vvords fale to blovves let them confute the booke neither doe I exhorte them to this as a matter at their choise to doe it or not to doe it but I vrge it vpon them as a duetie both to man and to God it is their duetie in respect of men because they haue so confidently taught them that this day is the Sabbath day and that vpon payne of damnation they are bound to sanctify it in conscience of the 4th com vvherefore either they must acknovvledg that they haue bene in an errour labour so soone as they can to reforme it which is parte of amends an argument of an honest minde or else they must defend it that so their people may see that they play not fast loose with them that they teach them no more in the pulpit then they will be redy to defend by their pen if any oppose it I cannot see how they can defend themselues for honest men vnlesse they doe thus it is not enough for them to belch out now then some reprochfull words with a kinde of scorne and disdaine to vilifie the booke the Author of it euery foole can answer a booke so It is also their duetie in respect of God for they say that I am in a foule errour and that the Lords day is a constant Sabbath of Gods institution Well then and will they not defend Gods cause who should stand vp for God if Gods Ministers will not wherefore haue they both their liuings and their office of Ministrie but to manage Gods causes defend them against all oppositions vvill they thinke you giue their liues in defence of this Lords day as they tell their people they will who will not giue their labours to defend it when as Peter the Apostle did but by his example bring in Iudaisme into the Church of Antiochia Paul the Apostle withstood him to his face and reproued him before all men Gal. 2.11.14 If therefore I like Peter haue offended against the Lords day then they like Paul in zeale of Gods glorie should rise vp to confute me before all men else they cannot iustify themselues so farre as I can see to be faithfull in their places and to be followers of the Apostles As for the people me thinke they should neuer cease pressing of their Ministers by these the like arguments to the answer of this booke for the quieting of their consciences and for the cleering of the trueth in this point they should say vnto Archippus take heede vnto the ministerie that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it Col. 4.17 vnlesse they desire to liue in ignorance and errour and in doubt which is the trueth It is true it hath bene reported to me that some of these 10 Ministers haue bene thus moued by their people but they haue returned this answer Wee What wee shall vvee answer his vaine booke let some Cobler Tayler or Shomaker answer it c. and are not these loftie spirits who could forbeare to reproue them openly that knoweth them in an errour in a foule and grosse errour and after sufficient meanes of conuiction tendred vnto them both priuatly publikely and done also in all meeknesse and forbearance for all this they still persist carry it out in the height of pride scorning disdaining him that shall in loue respect vnto their persons admonish them as my former booke will witnesle for me So much be spoken touching the former question wherein you see that they cannot proue it that euery Lords day or Sunday was kept for a Sabbath in the Apostles dayes as now they are SECT III. I come now vnto the second maine question which is to know whither it can be proued that any one Lords day is a Sabbath day by Gods ordinance or not For I deny not only that euery Lords day is a Sabbath constantly and weeke by weeke but also I deny that there is so much as any one Lords day a Sabbath day For the better scaning of this point I will examine all their Scriptures all their reasons which they produce in this case First for their Scriptures I haue reade ouer many the workes and writings of the patrons of this Lords day to see their grownds for it but yet among all the textes of Scripture which they alleage I can no where find a Commandement for it alleaged by them out of any parte of the new Testament and this seemeth to me a straung thing if you demaund of them who is the Authour of this new Sabbath they will tell you Christ in the next place if you demaund of them where Christ left any commandement for it by himselfe or by his Apostles here they are at a non plus they can finde no com for it in all the new Testament no nor any exhortation to keepe it nor promise or threatening to those who keepe or profane it now this at the first entrance doth breede a shrewd suspition that this new Sabbath is but some forgery when there is neither commandement nor exhortation for it in the booke of God neither promise to them who keepe it nor threatening to them who profane it when the old Sabbath was set vp it was done by an expresse Commandement and can there a
appointed it neither will God or Christ euer reward it nay God may answer them thus who required this at your hands Isai 1.12 My third reason disswasiue is because God hath manifested his dislike of superstitiō in many passages of his Holy word see Deut. 12.32 Whatsoeuer I command you take heede you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom Here you see that God will haue nothing added to his worship seruice Thou shalt put nothing thereto saith the Text but now the Patrones of this Lords day haue put some thing thereto for they haue put the Lords day vnto the 4th Com. of God a most dangerouse presumptuouse attempt such as they can neuer answer before God nay they cannot iustifie it before men by good argument how then shall they be able to stand before God think they to add an other day to Gods Com. and iustifie it before God by such their friuolouse consequences as they vainly pretend to be necessary consequences let Ministers thinke of this that seriously too let thē doe it in time also In the New Testament God hath reucaled himselfe this way also If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Reuel 22.18 If Christ vvas so carefull that nothing be added to this parte of his will wrote by S. Iohn in his Reuelation no doubt he hath the same care of all partes of his will in the New Testament wherfore let our Ministers that are Patrones of our new Sabbath thinke of this Text also for when they say teach the people that Christ instituted appointed the Lords day which is false for Christ neuer instituted it as appeareth by my answer vnto all their arguments in so teaching the people they doe add vnto the New Testament they add vnto Christ his institutiones a day which Christ neuer instituted thus they haue added vnto Christ his ordinances of Baptisme the Lords Supper they hau added vnto these I say an other ordinance that is none of Christs which is the Lords day now let them heare their doome without repentance God shall add vnto them the plagues that are written in this booke of the Reuelation and one plague I sinde there written which is a plague of plagues it is hell fyer to haue a parte in the lake that burneth with fyer brimstone which is the second death Reuel 21.8 I know they sleite contemne mee think if they can so carry it with the people as they may but saue their credits with them a while they hope to quench mee for euer I being but one and such a vile one in their eyes wherefore I haue taken vnto me more helpe now I haue God on my side Christ on my side they shall defend me against these men and these men must know it now or shall will they nill they hereafter that they dispised not me but God Christ and that now they haue met t with their Master God will deale with them if they will be adding vnto God God will adde vnto them You haue an other Text also Numb 15.39 that ye may Remember all the Commandements of the Lord doe them that yee seeke not after your owne heart nor after your owne eyes after the which ye goe a whoring Where we see how God detesteth to haue mens deuices brought into his worship he calleth it a whorish tricke to hould the Lords day to be commanded by God or instituted by Christ when it cannot be proued it is to goe a whoring after their owne heart after their owne eyes An other Text you haue Mark 7.7.8 But they worship me in vaine teaching for doctrines the commandements of men for ye lay the commandement of God a parte obserue the Tradition of men a like Text you haue Isa 29.13.14.15 where a woe is denounced vpon the people whose feare towards God was taught by the precepts of men And their feare towards mee was taught by the precepts of men Whereas the former Text saith yee say the commandement of God aparte how true this is of these 10 Ministers forenamed who reiect as Iewish Ceremoniall the Lords Sabbath expresly commanded in the Morall Law let all men iudge for doe they not lay this Commandement of God a parte which inioyneth most directly the 7th day Sabbath this by the way but the words that belong vnto our purpose are these teaching for doctrines the commandements of men The Lords day Sabbath it is a doctrine taught frequently and bouldly but it is no commandement of Gods and therfore it must be onely a Commandement of men The next words for our present occation are these and obserue the Tradition of men That the Lords day is a Tradition of the Church not onely Papists auowch it but also diuerse of those Authores which I haue cited against the Lords day doe expresly affirme it that the Lords day is but a Tradition and all of them say that it is but an ordinance of men and a Commandement of man yea so much the wholl Church confessed in the dayes of K. Edward so then in kepeing it in preaching for it you keepe the Tradition of men preach for A Tradition of man And so also they that are afraide to transgresse the Lords day to worke in it this their feare toward God it is taught by the precepts of men for God hath left no precept for the Lords day the breach whereof we neede be afraide of Heare then the doome that belongeth vnto such needlesse religion all this their worship it is a vaine thing In vaine doe they worship mee c. Yea there belongeth a woe vnto such worship this is the reward of it woe vnto them c. Isa 29.15 The last Text that I will mention is Colo. 2.23 which things haue indeed a shewe of wisedome in voluntary Religion or in will-worship Iudge now good reader if I doe them any wronge to rekone the Lords day as a limme of this voluntary Religion as a branch of will-worship for if they cannot shew vs where God hath commaunded it then it is a voluntary thing and of mans owne will and therfore may be called a voluntary Religion a will-worship happely there may be in the eyes of such as haue bene nusled vp from the cradle in this superstitiouse practise a shewe of wisedome in it as the Text speaketh But if S. Paul may be iudge they are things of no value as he speaketh in the same Text. Wherefore since God hath in all these Textes of Scripture manifested his dislike of Superstition let this be enough to disswad euery man from the practise of it And that so much the rather because the vphoulding of this day is the iusling shouldering out of the Lords Sabbath day mentioned in the 4th Com. so as the words of our blessed Sauiour are true
for it is a signe betwene me you in your generationes that ye may know that I the Lord doe sāctifie you This text M. Chappell vrgeth so doth euery man now because they put no smale confidence in this text for the abolishing of the Lords Sabbaths I must therefore take the more paines in answering it for they haue no more but this text an other if they faile in these two textes as they haue done in all the former then haue they no culler or cloke left them for maintaining the abolishing of this ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbaths then this fearefull sinne of a weekely transgression of the 4th com violation of the Lords Sabbaths will lay heauy vpon the consciences of the patrones of the Lords day for these are they who doe teach stifly that the 7th day Sabbath is abolished and doe warrant the people that they may with a safe conscience violate the Saturday Sabbath and behold these are their grownds for it which we haue already answered and are in answering But before I come to lay downe their arguments out of this text and my answers I will in the first place shew how they are cōdemned by their owne Authores who doe apply this text to the Sabbath in the 4th com and would make it a signe so abolished then I will shew also how absurd they are to make attempt to proue any thing out of this text against the Lords Sabbaths It is well knowne I might here alleage the Testimonies of many both godly lerned who writing on the doctrine of the Sabbath day in the 4th com haue defended it against this texte of Exod. 31.13 shewing that it is not so a signe as it can be therefore a ceremony abolished of which number is M. Greenham on the Sabbath M. Richard Byfield pag. 88.99 of late come forth Doctour Bownde Doctour Ames others cited in the first Section of this Chapter with diuerse others whose words names I spare as well knowne vnto such as are seene into this controuercy for nothing seemed more absurd vnto them then to thinke God should put a ceremoniall signe and shaddow into the body of the 4th com and heart of the Morall Law all which writers doe condemne those who would make the Sabbath day a signe so abolished by this texte Exod. 31.13 For matter of absurdety 1. it appeareth in this that by bringing this text Exod. 31. against the morall and weekly Sabbath commanded in the morall Law hereby they picke quarrels with God his ordinances for this text doth not say that because the Sabbath is a signe therby you shall know it for certaine that it shall be abolished no but because the Sabbath is here caled a signe therefore hence they will needs collect that it must be abolished for furtherance of this wicked collection all their wites invention are set on worke partly so to expound this text as it may not be vnderstod of the yeerly Sabbaths by no meanes least so the morall weekly Sabbath should be preserued from ruine and destruction therfore they will expound it of this morall and weekly Sabbath that so it may be abolished its light extinguished partly how to proue all signes to be abolished the like and this is done to this euill end also that so they may bring the Sabbath of the Lord within the compasse of an abolished signe and so quite rase it out of the morall Law and roote it out of the Church thus you see how they seeke out for and study to find matter against Gods ordinance and all this needlesly and causlesly saue that they beare a grudge against the Lords Sabbaths and would haue them prophaned for what other reason can they render of this their fact suer I am this text Exod. 31. doth not compell them to say any thing against the 7th day Sabbaths for they are faint to vse their best witts to inuent something in it that may make against Gods Sabbath and is not this then to picke a quarrell with Gods ordinance S. Paul saith Loue thinketh no euill 1. Cor. 13.5 suer I am these men thinke no good for did they loue Gods Sabbaths and Gods commandements for themselues vnlesse some spirit of slumber for the present hath possessed them they could not but shew their loue to Gods 4th com as well as to the rest of the commandements manifest their loue also in time of triall by thinking good and that which might make for the preseruation of Gods Sabbaths 4th com intirly rather then by thinking euill of them to doe some act against them how can men think worse of any thing then to labour its abolition ruine and destruction yea that too when they need not so doe hauing no cause mouing them therevnto saue a corrupted mind this is a malitiouse wicked spirit that will study the ouerthrow of an ancient ordinance of God yea an ordinance as ancient as any in the Church of God what soeuer and labour to vndermine it causlesly I wish M. Chappel his other 9. confederate Ministers would thinke of this point at the latter end after I had handled the 4th com I gaue sondry effectuall reasones to moue vs to the loue of Gods Law is this the loue that men beare to it to seeke out how which way they may ouerthrow for euer some parte of it And what will be the issue of all this why euen this hereby Gods Morall Law shall become a morall-ceremoniall Law Gods Law shall be maimed denied its integrity perfection yea a godly prayer of our Church shall become a babling before God those most ancient Churches which liued next the Apostles are therfore accounted the most pure Churches shall be condemned in that they religiously obserued this Sabbath day A second absurdety that these men who are partiall in Gods Law doe fale into by sharpening their wites to fetch an argument out of this text Exod. 31.13 against the 7th day Sabbath is this that hereby they doe contradict them selues most foulely for they teach maintaine that the Rest in the 4th com is morall perpetuall yet for all that they will bring an argument out of this text which doth plainly ouethrow this Rest as well as any thing else for the Hebrew word Sabbath signifieth Rest now then if the Sabbath here mentioned Exod. 31.13 be a signe and so abolished so must also the Rest signified by the word Sabbath be a signe also abolished too and yet for all this will they haue this Rest morall perpetuall will they haue this Sabbath or Rest both morall and ceremoniall what a grosse contradiction is this Yet further it is to be noted that whereas the cōtrouercy betwixt vs is about the time day onely for they would abolish the 7th day this text which they bring doth not so much as mētion the
attinet be morall and perpetuall but not quod ad Speciem attinet then this absurdety followeth that we shall haue a genus without a Species 9. If the time in the 4th com be morall quod ad genus attinet then must also the Speciall Sabbaths conteined in the genus be also morall for the genus cannot be without its Species the proper Species to the genus of the 4th com are the weekly 7th day or Saturday Sabbaths and thus this distinction will proue a good argument for the morallity of the old Sabbath day and so much for this distinction IX An other euasion we meete withall and it is this let a man alleage the 4th com for the Lords Sabbath and one answer shall be to this effect That the Law belongeth vnto vs Christiās but as it is the law of nature or so farre forth as it agreeth with the Law of Nationes and light of Nature c. now this is an answer of greate esteeme for they foresee it that the Gētiles haue not by the light of nature found out and obserued the Saturday Sabbath of all other things in the morall Law For confutation of this if no more could be said against it but that the authores thereof are partiall in Gods Law Mal. 2.9 and haue not an indifferent respect vnto all Gods commandements Psa 119.6 this were enough for since we imbrace Gods Law it is shamefull to professe it by haules and peeces thus these doe who imbracing all other things commanded in the morall Law doe neuerthelesse by this distinction reiect that parte thereof which commandeth Gods Sabbath 2. If they will receiue no more of the Decalogue then agreeth to the Law of nature then these absurdeties will follow 1. That they must reiect the doctrine of the Trinity in vnity for this is not found in the Law of nature or Nationes 2. They must reiect the 10th com for S. Paul could not find lust to be a sinne by the Lawes and light of nature but by the Law of God I had not saith he knowne lust except the Law had said thou shalt not lust Rom. 7.7 they must renownce the doctrine of originall sinne for the Gentiles could not find it out by their light so then they may aswell reiect the first and the 10th commandements as reiect the Sabbath of the Lord. 3. This distinction is blaphemouse for it quite raseth out one of the 10 morall Lawes to wit the 4th com for the Law of nature teacheth no more but that some time be allotted for Gods seruice not respecting that 7th day which God hallowed at the Creation Genes 2.3 and expresly commanded Exod. 20.8 now sometime is alloted for Gods worship on fridaies and wednesdaies on Lecture daies and all this may be and is without the 4th com and thus the 4th commandement is rased out Yea further some time or other for Gods worship is necessarily implied in the second Com. where Gods worship is inioyned for if God must haue a worship of necessity he must haue some time alloted for it if therefore they will haue no more of the morall Law then agreeth to the Law of nature they must most wickedly blott out Gods 4th com as a superfluouse and needlesse Law for all that the Law of nature caleth for it is found in the 2th com and that which is in the 4th com it is besids or more then the Law of nature requireth thus by flying ro the Law of nature they haue reiected the Law of God 4. If the Law of God must be ruled by the Law of nature so as rather the Law of nature must teach vs what is morall and appertaineth to our obedience then the Law of God then this blasphemy followeth that the Law of nature is a more perfect rule for Christians to walke by then the Law of God and then also these absurdeties follow 1. That it was needlesse for God at the first to commit his Law vnto writing Exod. 20.1 for the Iewes had the light of nature to direct them why would God giue them an imperfect rule when they had already that which was more perfect 2. If the Law of nature can direct vs Christians and better too then the Law of God then what neede haue we now of the Law at all 3. If the Law of God be not sufficient for our direction without the Law of nature to correct it why are we sent by all Diuines vnto the Law of God for direction of our liues they should add this limitation so saith the Lord Ex. 20. ◠c. according to the Law of nature 4. If the Law of nature be the supreme for direct on let vs no longer studie diuinity out of the Law of God but rather out of the writings of the Heathen Whither it be fiter for vs to subiect Gods Law vnto the Law of nature for tryall or bring the Law of nature to be tried by the law of God I leaue it to the consideration of all mē to cōoclud whither the Law of God giuen to his people the Jewes is to be preferred aboue the Lawes of nationes let Moses determine it What nation saith he is so great that hath ordinances Lawes so righteousse as all this law which I set before you this day Deut. 4.8 Did not Moses here preferre the law of God aboue the lawes light of nature Againe He sheweth his word vnto Iakob his Statutes his Iudgements vnto Israell he hath not dealt sowith euery Nation neighther haue they knowne his Iudgements Psal 147.19.20 And shall this law then giuen to Israell be snibbed pared cheked by the Lawes of Nationes light of nature the Prophet saith the Nations haue not knowne Gods Iudgements that is his Lawes shall they be our guides and instructers to teach vs what is morall shall blind men iudge of cullers for vs shall we to the ignorant to get knowledge why may we not flie to the Pope to determine for vs whither the 2d com be morall or not since he is a Christian as well as flie to the Nationes to tell vs whither the 4th commandement be morall or not since they be heathen 5. It is the iudgement of Diuines that the reason of the writing of the law on Mount Sinay was because this Law being a Law from the Creation the law of nature begane then to be obliterated and blotted out of mens mindes and therefore God wrote it now in Tables of stone which before was written in the Table of mens heartes well and is it so that the light of nature waxed dime as the world waxed old to amend which God it mercy wrote his law in the Tables of stone for a perpetuall helpe of memory preseruation from corruption will wee now forsake this law and betake vs to the dime light of nature for direction were the people of God before the giuing of the Law in danger to forget
indeed that Reformation must begine at the head His Maiestie the Reuerend Bishopes and ParliameÌ„t are they that cane doe this greate worke Neuerthelesse priuate persones and single persones may be helpers The Master builder layes the stone but inferiour persones hewe the stone and single persones carry stone to the building His Maiestie and ParliameÌ„t enacteth Lawes yet often and againe those Lawes take their originall in the Country from priuate persones and single persones who foreseeing the necessity of such Lawes acquainting their brethren therewith they rune from man to man till at length they come to the King himselfe All therefore I desire thee as a priuate person to doe is but this first pray to God instantly and constantly to make knowne this doctrine of his Sabbath to all persones and so in time vnto his Maiestie and other Reformers vnder him and that God would incline both His and all mens hearts vnto a publike and generall Reformation Secondly vse all meanes possible within the compasse of thy caleing that may any waies tend vnto a reformation to this end after thou hast well studied the pointe then speake of it freely as occation serueth vnto all whom it doth concerne let the Lords Sabbaths haue thy good word let them haue thy countenance and all possible furtherance that so the light of this trueth may be conveighed from man to man vntill it be spread all ouer the Kingdome vntill it hath reached vnto the Pallace of the King and Parliament house When the Lords Tabernacle was to be made euery one of a wiling heart brought something therevnto some brought gold siluer some blew silke skarlet some oyle for the light some rammes skines and badgers skinnes so euery one would haue an hand in that gloriouse and sacred worke Now the Lords Sabbaths are to be reedified let euery one bring something therevnto and if they cannot afford gold and siluer yet let them bring something a skine or two or a little oyle for the light a man cannot afford God and his cause lesse then his good word and countenance and his good word may proue as oyle for the light for it may procure much light this is all which I desire of priuate persones and thus they may serue very vsefully for the Lords building as hewers of stone for the building or as bearers of stone to the Master builders or as oyle for the light and this is all I desire of single persones who say I am but one c. why one may light a Candle which may giue light vnto twenty and one may kindle a fyer that may warme a greate many and so much for common persones Further we must know this Exhortation concerneth not onely common persons but it reacheth vnto the very chiefe it belongeth vnto Laiety and Clergy both it concerneth common Ministers neerly but it concerneth the Byshopes and Fathers of the Church more neerly it concerneth the Commons of the land neerly but it concerneth the Gentrie and Nobilitie more neerly and his Maiestie most neerly for by how much God hath aduanced any in Authority aboue others by so much this Reformation more neerly concerneth them or him and in case they neglect it the greater account they shall haue to render vnto God at that day The 4th com it was as hath been showne most principally giuen vnto Superiours c. And Nehemiah reproued the Nobles and Rulers of the land for the peoples profanation of the Lords Sabbaths Nehem. 13.17 Let the Commons speake for a reformation let the Magistrats make reformation and so I come vnto the Motiues I. In the first place we will consider of the greatnesse and so of the difficulty of this reformation that so many men may be moued to put too their helpe Since the daies of the Apostles I cannot call to minde that euer the Church of God made any reformation comparable to this of the Lords Sabbaths vnlesse it were that one remarkable reformation touching the second commandement begune by that worthy instrument of Gods glorie Martine Luther if the euill eye of the inviouse man will giue me leaue to say so The greatnesse whereof may appeare 1. Because it concerneth all men without exception for there is no man liuing in the Church but the obseruation of the Sabbath concerneth him and that in a speciall sorte 2. It will be the greater because it hath layne buried now aboute twelue hundreth yeeres euen since that wicked and Schismaticall decree of the Counsaile of Laodicea Anno 364 which rente the Churches a sunder one from an other the younger from the more ancient and pure Churches as touching the obseruation of the Lords Sabbaths Now an old sore is not easily cured the myracle of Christ was the greater vpon Lazarus because he raised him from the dead when he had bene so long buried that he stank againe the Lords Sabbaths haue bene now so long dead and buried that they stinke againe in mens nostriles through their want of a true Sente the reuiuing and raising of them vp againe therefore will be a worke of greate difficulty 3. It will be the greater because it is like to meete with mighty and greate oppositiones for what greate worke was euer attempted that had not as greate oppositiones when the Wales of Ierusalem were builded what oppositiones and when the Temple was reedified what oppâ—sitions and no doubt but at the reedifying and raising vp againe of the Lords Sabbaths there will be no smale oppositiones Now greate workes and difficult workes as they stand in neede of the helpe of greate men so they neede the helpe of many men to one Captaine or Generall there are hundreths and thowsands of common soldiers it is needfull therefore that euery priuate man should put to his hand and his voyce for the reedifying of the Lords Sabbaths and by how much the more difficult by so much the more neede there is of a generall assistance and the aide of all men II. In the second place we will consider of the Honourablenesse of this reformation and this will appeare by the Honourablenesse of the thing to be reformed to wit the Lords Sabbath touching which first we will consider of its antiquity this ordinance of Gods Sabbath of all others it is one of the most ancient for it is of the age of the world it being instituted at the Creation Genes 2.3 If therefore the honourablenesse may be valued by the antiquity what can be more honourable for nothing is more ancient who would not haue an hand and a voyce in the raising vp againe of so ancient and honourable an ordinance of Gods as is his sacred Sabbath Secondly we will consider of its constant obseruation a longe all times and ages from before the giuing of the Law vpon Mount Sinay vntill 300 or 400 yeeres after Christs ascention for as we haue formerly proued the Sabbath day was in vse in the Church before the giuing of the Law and so also