Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	holy_a	keep_v	sabbath_n	2,405	5	9.4746	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B09144	An explanation of the solemn advice, recommended by the Council in Connecticut Colony, to the inhabitants of that jurisdiction, respecting the reformation of those evils, which have been the procuring cause of the late judgments upon New-England. By Mr. James Fitch ...	Fitch, James, 1622-1702.; Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.; Fitch, James, 1622-1702. Brief discourse proving that the first day of the week is the Christian Sabbath.; Connecticut. Council.	1683 (1683)	Wing F1063; ESTC W24614	58,047	146

to be our Christian Sabbath we may see in 1 Cor. 16.12 1. That which is there exprest is by way of precept and injunction for so the Apostle saith he had given order concerning the collection of the Saints and therefore not left it as a matter of indifferency or liberty but whosoever did neglect this did transgress the Apostolical precept and order 2. This order for the collection for the Saints was not only sent to the Churches at Corinth but to the Churches at Galatia so that it was an order and injunction common to the Churches 3. The order did not only respect the collection it self but the time and day of it that upon the first day of the week let every one lay by him in store as God hath prospered him so it is express in the 2 d. verse now the Argument follows Arg. The first day of the week was either a common and indifferent day or a holy day the day of the Christian Sabbath but no common and indifferent day for how could the Apostle by his injunction and order make it necessary for the Churches to attend this work of mercy collection for the Saints on the first day of the week if it was but a common day and thus esteem one common day above another contrary to his Doctrine Rom. 14.5 far be it from us to think that the Apostle could so contradict his own Doctrine but it was because the first day of the week was made to be a holy day and such works of mercy are very suitable unto the day 2 Arg. Or thus the Apostle did order collection for the Saints to be on the first day of the week either because it was the Christian Sabbath or for some other reasons but I have so long waited to he●r of some other reasons why the Apostle should lay an injunction upon all Churches to have such an honourable respect to this day without any consideration of it as the Lords Day and Christian Sabbath and all the Objectors and Cavillers against the first day of the week the Lords day have not brought forth the least appearance of any reason to the contrary that I confess I begin to think that the Opponents themselves within themselves have received a Sentence of despair of giving any reason only they have travelled and brought forth one poor Objection that there is not a word spoken of a Sabbath here and who saith there is but the Argument is taken from the Apostles Order and by Apostolical Order advanced the first day of the week above any other day and that the reason of this is either because it is the day of the Christian Sabbath or for some other reason which never yet was brought to light and therefore we conclude as in the former that the Apostle by his Doctrine did settle the first day of the week to be a holy day a Christian Sabbath Now in the next place concerning the practice of the Apostles the practice of the Churches of which much may be said in order to their attendance to holy Duties in the first day of the week because it was a day separated for holy Worship but at present we may consider Acts 20.7 First it was a Church assembly there spoken of for it is said the Disciples came together 2. Secondly the end for the sake of which they came together it was for the sake of religious duties that they might partake of the Lords Supper called breaking of Bread in this place as in Act. 2.42 and did not go alone without other Religious performances viz. Prayer and hearing the Word Preached 3. Thirdly It is spoken of as a custom and usuall practice of the Disciples therefore it is said on the first day of the week when the Disciples came together Paul having waited for and taking this opportunity to Preach to them for he abode seven dayes among them but this was the last day his being ready to depart on the morrow as is exprest in the 7th verse Arg. Hence the Argument is Paul and the Disciples with him either kept the Seventh day Sabbath or the first day of the week a Christian Sabbath or else they kept no Sabbath at all if they had kept the seventh day Sabbath that was the day before this First day of the Week then they had a meeting after a Sabbath manner for Religious Duties then the Evangelist would not have spoken of this Meeting on the First day as the only Church Meeting of the seven dayes of the Apostles abode amongst them therefore it was the first day of the Week in which Paul and the Disciples assembled and kept as a Christian Sabbath Much more hath been said by others and I have somewhat more in readiness to say if the occasion calleth for it and God giveth opportunity But at present having proved that the first day of the Week was by the Lord himself made by his Word and by his Works to be the Lords day and our Gospel and Christian Sabbath and his Apostles were guided by the Holy Ghost to settle it in the room and place of the seventh day both by their Doctrine and by their Practice we proceed to make Reply to John R. his Answers to the Questions And concerning his Preface to his Answers I shall at present omit it until I come to his Conclusion and then consider both his Preface and Conclusion together these and the Superscription being to the same Purpose and the same for substance Quest 1. The first Question Are not just and necessary Consequences from Scripture to be taken for the mind of the Holy Ghost in Scripture or else how shall we Answer the Papists against the error of Transubstantiation John R. his Answer is Ans If the Consequence drawn from Scripture is agreeable to the Scripture and no wayes contrary to the Scripture it must be granted truth because it speaks what the Scripture speaks But as to the Papists John R. saith they had no Scripture that said a piece of Bread was the body of our Lord or that our Lord was turned into a piece of Bread or that Bread was turned into our Lord for our Lord did not say to his Disciples Take eat this Bread is my Body as the Papists did affirm therefore they said that which the Scripture did not say so do you say that which the Scripture doth not say for you call the first day of the Week the Christian Sabbath but the Scripture doth not you call every first day of the Week the Lords Day but the Scripture doth not so Reply The Reply to Iohn R. his Answer follows His Answer consists of two parts 1. First partly of a seeming Concession granting that Consequences drawn from Scripture and agreeable to Scripture are truth c. 2. Secondly he compareth us unto the Papists for saying that which the Scripture doth not say and the Argument he gives is If we say the first day of the Week is the Lords day

to his station and work as he had opportunity in relation to God or Man this is called a fulfilling of all righteousness Mat. 3.15 2. Secondly There is an actual fulfilling of the Law literally and in this sence the Priest in his Labour in Sabbath duties of his Office might be said to prophane the Sabbath Mat. 12.5 And a fulfilling spiritually and finally according to the true scope of the Law and thus he was said to be blameless and so may we if we keep that day holy which Christ hath appointed as most suitable to Gospel times and the most spiritual scope of the fourth Command although we prophane the seventh day Sabbath 3. Thirdly To come nearer to the Text mentioned Christ came not to make any destructive change of the Law but to fulfil it and therefore to make a perfecting or persective change And the Godly Learned do note that the word to destroy the Law signifies to dissolve or pull it in pieces Christ came not to dissolve or pull the Law in pieces and leave the wills of Men to a lawless liberty but to bring in a stricter holiness and righteousness and a more perfect Administration and edition of the Law and this is expresly his scope and Christ himself expounds his meaning in the following part of the Chapter in Mat. 5. whilst Christ gives a more spiritual exposition than the corrupt Pharisees did who did cleave to and pervert the Letter of the Law as this Jewish Sabbatarian doth the letter of the fourth Command but when Christ changeth the seventh day Sabbath to the first day of the week that is the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first day of the week with respect to the commemoration not only of the old Creation which is subjected unto corruption but the new Creation the work of Redemption which shall remain what destructive change is this of the Law in any one jott or tittle of it and no more reason for any to complain of a change then they had when Christ changed and made water into wine if John Rogers cannot chuse but refuseth this Gospel wine yet let him not scorn and scoff at us for our thankful receiving of it And if Beza be in so good credit with J. R. as he seemeth to intimate let him credit Beza in this matter also who attesteth that in an ancient Copy he had found it thus Recorded That the Apostle had given order for the Collections in the first day of the week with this added the Lords Day 1 Cor. 16.2 But seeing this Judaizer and others of his perswasion have so wrested this Text Mat. 5.17 we shall add one consideration more for the clearing of the same and our Argument is this Arg. As Christ came to fulfil the Law so likewise he came to fulfil the Prophets so it is expressed in Mat. 5.17 think not saith Christ that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil But Christ did fulfil the Prophets their prophecies by performing and answering the scope and end of the same and by changing the Prophecies into performances Oh most happy and glorious change without which the Prophets their Prophecies could not have been fulfilled this was far off from a destructive change of one jott or tittle of the Prophecies So likewise Christ did fulfil the Law and particularly that Law the fourth Commandment by performing and answering the scope and end of it and by changing not the Sabbath as a Sabbath but by changing of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the week and this was no destructive change of one jott or tittle of the fourth Command but a most happy and glorious change with respect to the glory of the Law-giver and the good of his People which blessed ends are more fully and perfectly attained by the change than could possibly be by a seventh day Sabbath as is more fully explicated in my Catechism so that the fourth Command complains not it is wronged not a jott or tittle of it destroyed no more than when vessels of Brass or Earthen Vessels are turned into Gold and that which is less perfect is turned into that which is more perfect for though the Law of God is ever perfect as to the time and subject for whom it is fitted and so as the seventh day Sabbath as it respected the time and subjects for whom it was fitted but yet when the first day of the week is appointed by the Lord of the Sabbath as most suitable to Gospel times and the subjects of Gospel Administrations now that which was less perfect respecting this time and state most give place to that which is more perfect and in this the fourth Command is not destroyed but fulfilled the Law being no Enemy to the Gospel but like Moses and Aaron do kiss one another upon the Mount of the Lord and thus doth the fourth Command and our Christian Sabbath Qu. 11. Whether do you well knowing these Arguments are pleaded and accordingly practised in all Christian Churches and our Laws thereupon founded to disturb our Peace offend our Consciences oppose our Government before you gave us conviction either by writing or otherwise when as you were left to enjoy your own perswasion in private Ans To which John R. his Answer is as followeth I am willing to refer it to the Judgement of God whether I have done well or not well who knows whether you have stood for his truth or I but to say pleaded and practised in all Churches I know it to be otherwise both by Books and Reasonings and as for the Laws respecting these things I know no Authority you have to make such Laws for there is one Law-giver who is able to save or to destroy respecting the things as to matter of Worship you ought to have been obedient to his Laws and not to have adventured to make Laws for him founding them upon notions and so become despisers of his Laws and persecutors of those which will worship God by his own Laws and whatever you think of it it is God opposeth you by us wherein you act in darkness and not Govern according to his will and as for our not giving you conviction as you say you are so far from receiving conviction from our hands that you would not give us liberty for to make our lawful defence but use your unreasonable power by preventing us of lawful plea and also we did write the first time we were brought before you Iohn Allyn the Secretary being Judge which was before you had any first-day Law as since you have made w● not knowing then but that we should have had liberty to have pleaded our innocency but was forthwith took away by the Constable and not suffered to make our defence being fined ten shillings a piece and committed to the Prison and no Law of God or of this Colony produced to convict us by which we

are Strangers and will give no heart-encouragement to other Christians to come near to them with intimate Conference about personal and particular Experiences of the Lords dealing with them and these know not what it meaneth to come into that broken hearted way of acknowledging one to another their temptations snares and Soul-hazards and that which is called by the Apostle a confessing of Faults one to another and a praying one for another Jam. 5.16 But the specialty likewise we intend in this is to shew how far these neglects do argue declensions 1. These neglect a principal means of practical communion of Christians that wherein much of the life of it doth consist for practical Christian Communion cannot principally consist in Apellations and Titles nor in meeting together at a Sacrament but in caring one for another as members of the same body 1 Cor. 12.25 bearing one anothers Burdens Gal. 6.2 communicating one to another of spiritual gifts Rom. 1.11 12. but those solemn Christian Meetings or occasional intimate Discourses whereby Christians are intimately acquainted with one anothers Burdens and Soul-concerns these lead into the life of practical communion and where these Christian Meetings fail their communion vanisheth into Names Titles or some very powerless forms of communion 2. These do give place to many dangerous Temptations and distempers for while they live as Strangers from the Souls one of another or any such intimate Christian Conferences the Tempter is at hand upon the least occasion to come in with uncharitable suggestions and to imploy any evil In●rument to sow seeds of discord amongst Christians 2 Cor. 12.20 and when these come to the ●ords Supper the Gospel Passeover if they be not past seeling they will find it too hard for them to eat with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity 1 Cor. 5.8 with that true Gospel spirit of unity as becometh those who eat of the same spiritual Bread 1 Cor. 10.16 yea it s usually seen through the Lords just judgement that those who are become Strangers from Christian Meetings or the hearty way of the management of them that they are left to too much familiarity with other Companions to the reproach of their Profession and harm to their own Souls and at last the wrath of God comes and finds them in fellowship with Children of Disobedience in some works of darkness which they ought to have reproved Eph. 5.11 The next Consideration follows Quest How Apostasie doth shew it self in the neglect of publick Worship The Answer is In neglect either of those Ordinances which all are commanded to attend as publick Prayer and hearing the Word of God Preached and particularly of Sanctifying the Sabbath Or a neglect of those Ordinances which do properly belong to those in Church Relation and particularly in neglect of the Lords Supper and Church Discipline 1. A neglect of those publick Ordinances which all are commanded to attend as publick Prayer and hearing the Word preached and this neglect is either 1. Upon some unnecessary occasions not works of Mercy as Mat. 12.13 but from an unwillingness to break throng any considerable difficulty or to beat cost about publick Worship not as David who would not offer that to the Lord which cost nothing 2 Sam. 24.24 2. Or not careful to come seasonably to the publick Worship as before the first Prayer or entrance be made into the publick Worship in these they are careless not as those in Nehemiah's time who were seasonably ready and waited for the publick Worship of God Neh. 8.1 3. Or attending upon the Ordinances in a slighty and sleepy manner not offering their Bodies as a living Sacrifice Rom. 12.1 4. Hastening a way upon unnecessary occasions before the last Prayer be ended or before the Blessing be dispensed not as those who went not away before the Name of the Lord was put upon them in a way of blessing by the Lords Messenger Numb 6.26 27. More particularly this neglect doth shew it self and Apostasie therein in the neglect of Sanctifying the Sabbath and that is either 1. In neglecting to prepare for the Sabbath by a timely breaking off from worldly Occasions but do run on to the very time of the beginning of the Sabbath to that in their Worldly concerns their foot steppeth into the time of the Sabbath or so nigh to it that they cannot prepare for holy time and the Duties of the same so suddenly Isai 58.13 2. Or in the time of the Sabbath a neglect to Sanctifie the Holy time having forgot to practice that which is so plainly declared Call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord and honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes not finding thine own pleasure not speaking thine own words Isai 58.13 3. As soon as the Sabbath is ended those who do fall into vain and unprofitable discourses which at all times are sinful Ephes 5.4 but in a Sabbath Evening are the Soul robbing temptations by which Satan does bereave them of all the good they have seen or heard of God in the holy Day or are running into their worldly Discourses as if they were glad the Sabbath were ended Ames 8.5 But let us likewise in this consider how far these neglects do argue a declension from Religion 1. These who do neglect the publick Worship and particularly the Sabbath do fall short of that Religiousness which many Hypocrites and meer Formalists do attain for these in the publick Worship of God will behave themselves as the Lords People are wont to do Ezek. 33.31 32. Many have the form of Religion and not the power 2 Tim. 3.5 Many have the letter of Worship and not the Spirit Rom. 2.28 but those who have not the form the letter and external part of worship are far off from the power the spirit and inward worshipping of God 2. These do by their practice say that the worship of God is a burden and an abhorring to them their loathness to come to the publick Worship their wearisome Behaviour in the time of it and their hastening from it do testifie to their faces that the Sabbath and the Word of the Lord is a burden to them and these are a burden to the Lord and he threatens to forget them to forsake them and to cast them out of his presence Jer. 23.39.40 17.27 these by their works do say their Souls have abhorred God and the Lord he saith he hath abhorred them and that he will not feed them but that which dieth let it die and let the rest eat the flesh one of another Zech. 11.8 9. The second follows and that is the neglect of those Ordinances which do properly belong to those in Church Relation 1. A neglect of preparing for and of coming to take hold of the Covenant Isai 58.4.5 not as those whose faces are Zionward and weeping they will go to seek the Lord and joyn themselves in a perpetual Covenant never to be forgotten Jer. 50.4 5. but those who turn