unto pag. 267. Thesis 7â— The Sanctification of one particular day in seven is neither any principle of the Law of nature nor yet an immediate Conclusion of the same neither is the same commanded by any written Evangelicall divine Law neverthelesse the same is consonant to the Equity of the 4th Commandement of the Decalogue and besides The religious observatâ—on of one day in seven is a convenient time for GOD'S publique and solemne worship and the Christian Church in al ages since the Apostles hath deputed one weekely Seventh-day to the fore-said end And therefore it is a thing just and reasonable to continue the same observation pag. 91. Thesis 8. There is no expresse Commandement written in the New Testament concerning the religious observation of the Sunday of every weeke rather than of any other convenient day or time Neverthelesse because the Christian Church ever since the Apostles age hath beene accustomed to observe this weekely-day and it is a received Tradition that the holy Apostles themselves were the authors of this observation and also the maine reason upon which this observation was first grounded to wit the Resurrection of CHRIST upon the day called the LORD'S-day is a just and weighty motive to induce Christian people to observe this day in the honour of CHRIST and to testifie their rejoycing and thankefulnesse for the benefit of our SAVIOUR'S Resurrection Therefore it is not expedient decent or agreeable to equity and good reason to alter the long continued observation of this day into any other new day or time pag. 152. Jncipit PROLOGUS A. BRother you are happily met B. And you Brother also A. I would I might spend an houre or two with you in private conference in a point wherein I have of late been not a little perplexed B. Why what is the matter Brother A. Have you not seene a late Treatise of the Sabbath-day published by an eminent Antistes in this Church B. Yes I have both seene and perused it A. I pray you what thinke you of it B. I thinke it is a very dangerous Booke A. What meane you by that B. I mean dangerous to the Authour if it were well examined before competent judges A. How so I pray you B. Because it overthrowes the Doctrine of the Church of England in the point of the Sabbath A. Pardon me that seemes to mee impossible B. Why A. Because he saith expresly in the very title page of his hooke That it containeth a defence of the Orthodoxall Doctrine of the Church of England against Sabbatarian Novelty And therefore I am confident he will looke to make that good B. Be not too confident you know the Proverb Fronti rara fides The foulest causes may have the fairest pretences Answ The substance of the precedent interlocutory babble is The Bishops Booke is a dangerous booke and that to himselfe if it were examined before Competent judges for contrary to the title of the booke it overthrowes the Doctrine of the Church of England in the point of the Sabbath Our answer to this accusation is 1. that if we will rightly understand the quality of it we must first of all define who are Competent judges Now the holy Scripture The Law of reason and all prudent men require these properties following to the Constitution of Competent judges 1. Lawfull authority 2. Sufficient learning and knowledge 3. Feare of God 4. Wisedome 5. Integrity and love of Verity 2 The Bishops Treatise of the Sabbath hath already beene examined by judges qualified in manner aforesaid Namely by the two most Reverend Arch-Bishops by many Reverend Bishops by the Honourable Court of High Commission by many Reverend and learned Deanes by many Doctors and Professors of Theologie by some of the learned Readers in Divinity of both Vniversities by Noble and Prudent Statesmen by eminent Professors of both Laws civill and temporall and the Kings Majesty himselfe the Bishops Soveraigne Lord and Master hath graciously accepted it and if these before named shall not be esteemed competent judges Our desire is to be enformed by our Brother B. who in our Church or Kingdome are competent judges but especially let him resolve us who shall be those competent Iudges to whose sentence hee will submit the examination of his owne unlicensed pamphlets 3 The Bishop hath not onely affirmed in the title page of his Treatise that it containeth a Defence of the Orthodoxall Doctrine of the Church of England c. but he likewise hath confirmed the same by arguments and testimonies irrefragable Therefore Brother B. his proverbiall sentence Frontirara fides is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it admitteth an exception to wit credit ought at all times to bee given to the Frontispice of every booke which confirmeth that which is contained in the same by weightie and effectuall arguments Now the conclusion from the Premises is The Bishops Booke can prove no dangerous Book either to himselfe or to any other if it were duely examined by lawfull and competent Iudges A. That is true you say But yet I cannot be perswaded that so great a Personage would so farre overshoot as to give that advantage to those whom he makes his adversaries Nay you know his Booke is dedicated to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by whose direction and that according to his sacred Majesty his command he was set upon this work both for the preventing of mischiefe as himselfe saith in his Epistle Dedicatory to the said Arch-Bishop and to settle the Kings good Subjects who have long time beene distracted about Sabbatarian questions Now if he maintaine not but as you say overthrow the Doctrine of the Church of England he will have small thankes from his sacred Majesty for his paines who is the Defender of the Faith of the Church of England and hath often solemnly protested Declaration about the Dissolving of the ParliameÌ„t And Declaration before the 39. Articles and that in his publike Declarations â—n print that he will never suffer therein the least innovation And what thankes then can heâ— expect from the Bp. trow you And instead of preventing he will pull on greater mischiefs And in stead of setling the Kings good Subjects he will fill their minds with greater distractions And therfore Brother in so saying you lay a heavy charge upon him It is dangerous so to charge a Person of that Dignity and Esteeme in the world Take heede therefore what you say You know also that he is a great Scholer deeply learned a Reverend Father of the Church so as his judgment is taken almost for an Oracle Answ The summe of the former discourse is That the Bishop can expect small thankes from the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to whom his Booke is dedicated or from his Majesty who will suffer no innovation in Religion if he being of note for learning and a Bishop of the Church hath in stead of setling the mindes of the Kings loving Subjects distracted or led them into error To this
Verball discourse it is answered that the Bishop hath already received approbation of his worke from his sacred Majesty and as much thankes and respect from the Lord's Grace of Canterbury as a faithfull person can expect or desire from a Superior and continuing as he hath begun he is in no danger to lose either his Majesties or the Arch-Bishops or any other worthy Persons lawfull favour 2 The Author with thankfulnesse to God protesteth that He having bestowed above two hundred of his bookes upon Persons among which many were of great worth and quality hath never as yet received so much as one check or affront from any one since a three fold impression of the Book And the Dialogue deviser is the first Satan so far as the Bishop is hitherto informed who hath fomed out his gall and venome against it Sed quamvis libraverit accusationis suae hastas totis adversus nos viribus interserit credimus in Deo salvatore quod scuto circumdabit veritas ejus cum Psalmista cantare poterimus Sagittae parvulorum facta sunt sagittae eorum although he hath with all his might bent his Speare and darted his Weapons against us yet wee trust in God our Saviour that the shield of veri y shall protect us so that we may say with the Psalmist Their arrowes shall be as the arrowes of children Hier. adv Ruffin lib. 1. 3 The Treatise is so farre from distracting the Kings loving Subjects which are of a loyall and peaceable disposition that many intelligent persons who have diligently read and examined the same having in former time been doubtfull are now setled in a firme resolution never to bee distracted with Sabbatarian fancies any more A. You know what is said in a late book allowed by Authority Communion Booke Catec expounded by Reve. That the holy Fathers in God the Bishops are to be guides in Divinity to the whole Clergie of inferiour Order So as all Priests are to submit to their godly judgements in all matters appertaining to Religion And the reason is given because the Fathers of the Church now and alwayes do in the great mystery of godlinesse comprehend many things which the common people doe not Yea also some things which Ministers of the inferiour Order doe not apprehend So as it is expected of those Holy Prelates that we must lay our hand on our mouth when they speake and be altogether regulated by their profound dictats B. I remember well the Booke and I cannot but wonder that those passages were not expunged with many others when the Book was called in and then the second time published You know we live in a learned age a One of whom it may truly be spoken None so bold as blinde Bayard may live in a learned age and we deny the Popes infallibility or that it can convey it selfe as from the head and so confine it selfe within the Veines of the body of the Prelacy Or that a Rotchet can confer this grace Ex opere operato And beleeve me Brother when we see such a Papall spirit begin to perk up in this our Church is it not high time trow you to look about us Shall we stumble at the Noone day and in the Meridian of the Gospell close our eyes and become the sworne Vassals of blinde Obedience b Cusan Exercitat l. 6. Obedientiâ— irrationalis est consummata obedientia scilicet quando obeditur sine inquisitione rationis sicut jumentuÌ„ obedit domino suo No no In this case therefore were Goliah himselfe the Champion I would by Gods grace try a fall with him Answ If bold Bayard were armed with Davids spirit and fortitude what Gyant were able to stand before him But if his whole strength consisteth in wording and facing onely Quid prodest Simiae si videatur esse Leo c Greg. Nazian in sentent What can it availe an Ape to conceive himselfe to bee as strong as a Lion But passing by this vaine ostentation let us take the matter delivered by him into examination 1 He censureth a moderne Writer for affirming that the Bishops of the Church are Guides to the inferiour Clergy to direct them in matters of Religion 2 He disputeth against this Position in manner following The Pope is not infallible Ergo the Bishops being Veines of the Body whereof the Pope is Head cannot be Iudges or Guides to instruct the inferiour Clergy 3 He saith that the Author whom he opposeth is guided with a Papall spirit Now this as I conceive is the Summe and marrow of the Dialogaster his argumentation In answer hereunto the Bishop saith that if this Objecter had intended to proceed in a right method of Disputation he must first of all have stated the Question and considered what Iudiciall power the Bishops of the Church of England challenge concerning regulating and deciding matters of Controversie in Religion and then he might have framed Arguments made Inferences and used his Invectives and Declamations and not before But being bold and blinde and not regarding and considering the Churches Tenet concerning Episcopall power he disputeth in a rude and deriding manner rather venting his malice against the Order of Bishops as Hereticks c Cyprian l 3. Ep. 9. Haec sunt initia Haereticorum ortus atque conatus SchismaticoruÌ„ male cogitantium ut sibi placeant praepositum superbo tumore conteÌ„nant in ancient times were wont to do than delivering any thing true substantiall or to the purpose 1 The Question is whether Bishops lawfully called and qualified according to the Apostles rule 1 Tim. 3. have any power of judicature in matters belonging to Religion or in questions Theologicall 2 Whether they bee Veines of the Pope and guided by a Papall spirit if they challenge or exercise any such power 3 Whether they can have no such power unlesse they be endued with Divine Grace Ex opere operato Now to these Questions our Answer is 1 That Bishops lawfully called and qualified according to the Apostles Rule have a ministeriall and subordinate power and authority to determine Theologicall Controversies by the Rule of holy Scripture and by the consentient Tradition and testimony of the ancient and orthodoxall Catholike Church For Timothy and Titus being Bishops lawfully ordained b Euseb hist Eccl. l. 3. c 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercised such power in the Church c Habiles idonei ad ecclesias quas â—â—i Apostoli fundaveranâ— pascendâ—s regendâ—sque estimâ—ti fuerint c Hieron c. Ruffin li. 2. Vtrum recipi debet EpiscoporuÌ„ relinquitur judicio Iren. lib. 4. cap. 43. lis qui in Ecclesus sunt Presbyteris oportet obaudire quicunque cum Episcopatus successione charisma veritatis acceperunt The Bishops and Fathers in the foure first generall Councels d Euseb vit Const l. 3. c. 18. Quicquid in sanctis EpiscoporuÌ„ Conciliis decernitur id universum divinae voluntati debet attribui did the like
So likewise did S. Cyprian S. Augustine S. Ireneus S. Athanasius and all other orthodoxall Bishops in their times and the inferiour Clergie and other Christian people submitted themselves unto them 2 To enable Bishops to exercise this power of judicature in such manner as they assume it it is not necessary that they be endowed with miraculous inspiration as the Holy Apostles were but they may attain ability to perform this by diligent study and meditation of holy Scripture and of the learned writings of the godly fathers and by helps of good learning and by the assistance of ordinary grace And this appeareth by the Bishops in the Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon and by Irenaeus Cyprian Ambrose Augustine Athanasius Hilarius Cyrillus c. Thirdly The Romane a Iacob de Graff Decis Aur. part 1. li. 2. Omnia agit disponit judicat prout sibi placet c. Apud eum est pro ratione voluntas quod ei placet vigorem habet legis Baron Annal. An. 373. n. 21. Bosiuâ— de sign Eccles li. 5. ca. 9. Greg. Val. in Tho. to 3. disp 1. q. 1. punct 7. Pontife claimeth a twofold power of judicature in questâ—ons Theologicall 1. Such an infallible unerring and binding power as that no Church or Creature may appeale from his sentence or Tribunall in any case whatsoever But the Bishops of the Church of England challenge no such power but they maintaine that the inferiour Clergie or any other Christian people upon waightie and substantiall grounds of veâ—â—â—le may dissent from their sentence b August de unit Eccles cap. 10. Nec catholicis episcopis consentieÌ„dum est sicubi forte falluntur ut contra canonicas scripturas aliquid sentiant Id. de persev sanct ca. 21. Neminem velim sic amplecti mea omnia ut me sequatur nisi in eis quibus me non errare perspexerit 2. The Pope groundeth the infallibility of his sentence upon immediate divine inspiration and because He is the supreme visible head of the universall Catholicke Church succeeding Saint Peter not only as a Bishop but as an Apostle c Apud Gratian. dist 19. Sic omnes sanctiones Apostolicae sedis accipiendae sunt tanquam ipsius divina voce Petri firmatae Aug. Triumph Sum. de pot Eccles q. 6. ar 1. Sententia Papae sententia Dei est una Ib. quaest 18. ar 4. Papa quantum ad dognitionem gratuitam revelatam est major Angelis Gretser def Bellar. to 1. ca. 1. Id Solum pro verbo Dei veneramur suscipimus quod nobis Pontifex ex cathedra Petri tanquám supremus Christianorum magister omniumque controversiarum judex definiendo proponit Gulielm Rubeo â— dist 19. qu. 2. Papa Christi vicarius habet tantam potestatem in spiritualibus quantam habuit Christus non ut Deus sed ut homo verus But the Bishops in our Church make not themselves Apostles but are called to be Pastors of the Church by ordinary meanes and likewise they attaine ability of true and right judgement by ordinary helpes of learning and by ordinary assistance of divine Grace Now if it shall be objected that the inferiour Clergie and many other good Christians may equall Bishops and sometimes exceed them in Learning Piety Vertue and therefore Bishops may not be judges of the inferiour Clergie Our Answer is 1. That by the lawes of our kingdome and the Canons of our Church many learned Persons are appointed to be Assistants unto Bishops and in our Nationall Synods in which all waighty matters concerning Religion are determined nothing is or may bee concluded but by the common Vote and consent of the Major part of the Convocation which consisteth of many other learned Divines besides Bishops Secondly to the end that order may bee observed discord prevented and Heresies condemned it is necessary that there bee a power of judicature in some able and worthy persons and our State walking in the way of pious Antiquity a Cyprian Epist 27. Inde per temporum successionum vices episcoporum ordinatio Ecclesiae ratio decurrit ut Ecclesia super episcopos constituatur omnis actus ecclesiae per eosdem praepositos gubernetur Aug. Epist 86. Episcopo tuo noli resistere quod ipse facit sine ullo scrupulo vel disceptatione sectare Hieron ad Nepotian Esto subjectus pontifici tuo quasi animae parentem suscipe Id. adv Luciferian Ecclesiae salus in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendet cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibus eminens detur potestas tot in Ecclesiis efficientur schismata quot sacerdotes hath setled this power in the Bishops of our Church for if it shall bee left free to every singular and private person to frame a rule of faith and to judge and determine matters of Religion and Theologicall questions and Controversies by his owne private skill and spirit it will then be consequent that there shall bee no common Ecclesiasticall rule of faith to settle unity in Religion but the people of the land will be divided into as many Sects and factions as themselves please b Cyprian li. 1. ep 2. Neque aliunde haereses abortae sunt aut nata sunt schismata quam inde quod sacerdoti non obtemperatur Nec unus in Ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus judex vice Christi cogitatur cui secundum magisteria divina obtemperaret fraternitas universa Idem li 4. ep 9. Vnde schismata haereses obortae sunt nisi dum episcopus qui unus est ecclesiae praeest superba quorundaÌ„ praesumptione contemnitur homo dignatione Dei honoratus ab indignis hominibus judicatur and a greater confusion must be among Christians than there was in old time among Pagans and Infidels Lastly it appeareth by the forme of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons authorized in this kingdome that the inferiour Clergy are obliged to submit themselves to the Bishop being their Ordinary and to whom the charge and government is committed over them The words of the booke of Ordination are these which follow BISHOP Will you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chiefe Ministers unto whom the government and charge is committed over you following with a glad minde and will their godly admonitions and submitting your selves to their godly judgements Answer I will so doe the Lord being my helper Having thus farre proceeded in declaring both the quality of Episcopall authority in judging the inferiour Clergie and also how necessary it is for preservation of verity and unity in Religion that this authority be respected and maintained In the next place we will examine the waight of the Dialogaster's objections Object 1 If Bishops are to be guides to the inferiour Clergie in matters of Religion then the inferiour Clergie must lay their hands on their mouth and be altogether regulated by their Dictates But this is unreasonable c. Answ No
be free when her pious Sons are so traduced and reproached and that for defending those very doctrines which by her means they sucked from the breasts of both the Testaments A. That must needs follow I confesse Answ In the former declamatory passage these particulars following are to be observed 1 The hypocrisie a August Serm. in Mont. l. 2. c. 3. Qui vult videri quod non est hypocrita est Id. in Psalm 103. Parie dealbatus hypocrisis simulatio paries dealbatus foris tectorium intus lutum Id d. civ D. lib. 2. Malignitas Daemonum nisi alicubi se transfiguret in AngeluÌ„ Lucis non implet negotium deceptionis of this Declamitant who professeth himselfe an obedient Son to his deare and reverend Mother the Church of England wheras in the precedent Section he most contemptuously disgraceth Episcopal Authority ordain'd by the holy Apostles and established in the Ch. of England ever since the reformation accounting the Prelates if they exercise that power of judicature which the Church of England approveth as being descended from Primitive and Apostolicall Ordination Vâ—ines of the Pope And more than so This Dialogue-broacher b Reade this Auth rs Treatise intituled Christs coÌ„fession and complaint pag. 30. anâ— pag. 59. In wh ch he condemneth Episcopall government saying It is prohibited by Christ Luc. 22.24 1 Pet. 5.3 Mat. 20.25 2 Tim. 2.3 4. And he applyes S. Pauls Text Col. 2.20 to the Ceremonies of the Church pag. 60. They look to little but the silencing of such as stumble at their Ceremonies and Hierarchie To defend the injunctions of men and their unprofitable Hieraâ—chie Plea Such kinde of Ministers are not wanting to helpe forward the re-erecting of the Romish Baal in our Land had they but a yong Manasses to restore the Altars and Groves which good King Ezekiah his Father had pulled downe in other Pamphlets declares himselfe to be an adversary to the Ecclesiasticall policy Rites Ceremonies and Canons of our present Church and scarce any professed Schismatick of later dayes hath intreated conformable persons of good quality with more despitefull abuses than this hypocrite who stileth himselfe an obedient Sonne of his Mother the Church hath done 2 This Dialogist falsely accuseth his Adversary in laying to his charge that he hath stigmatized all such as dissent from him in the Question of the Sabbath Venomous Serpents noisome Tares pestilent Weeds and uncleane Beasts for it is apparent ex Pagina secunda of the Epistle Dedicatory that those termes are applyed to notorious Hereticks malicious Schismaticks prophane Hypocrites and proud disturbers of the peace and unity of the Church c Hieron apolog c. Ruff. Tu nimium suspitiosus querulus qui dicta in Haereticos ad tuam refers contumeliam The Bishops words are This being the condition of the Church militant it cannot be otherwise but that in all ages there shall be found among those which professe Christ not only such as are vertuous and sound in faith but also men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the faith Venomous Serpents noisome Tares pestilent Weeds d Idem c. Luciferian Non solum in Ecclesia morantur oves nec mundae tantuÌ„ aves volitant sed frumentum in agro seritur inter nitentia culta Lappaeque tribuli steriles dominantur avenae and uncleane beasts Our Saviours owne prediction was There shall arise false Prophets c. S. Paul Oportet Haereses esse c. 3 Another branch of Br. B. his Declamation is The Bishop in his booke brandeth those whose opinions he impugneth with the odious name of Novell Sabbatarians Our answer is 1. The Bishop in his Treatise brandeth not all such as dissent from him in his Tenet of the Sab. c. with that name neither brandeth he any therewith because they teach Christian people to observe the Lord's-day religiously and to spend the same in the performance of holy and spirituall duties so far as is necessary for their godly edification and in such manner as the Canon and Precept of the Christian Church hath enjoyned for he holdeth this to be a necessary duty obliging al good Christians 2 He giveth this Title and Name very justly to all those who proudly and peremptorily maintaine the maine Principles and Positions upon which Sabbatarian Hereticks in ancient and in moderne times have grounded their errour touching the necessary observation of the old legall Sabbath The Reader shall finde these Principles and Positions peremptorily taught for divine truth by those Teachers whose opinions the Bishop impugneth layed downe in his Treatise Page 20. c. The observation of the Seventh day and also the precise resting from worldly affaires is morall neither is there any thing in the fourth Commandement that might intimate it to be Ceremoniall The 4th Commandement can be no more partly morall partly Ceremoniall than the same living creature can be partly a Man and partly a beast The fourth Commandement is part of the Law of Nattre and thus part of the Image of God and is no more capable of a Ceremony than God himselfe The fourth commandement in every part thereof as it is contained in the Decalogue is morall and of the Law of Nature The Decalogue being the same with the Law of Nature is one and the same for ever it followeth necessarily that the Sabbath being a part of that Decalogue is to remain for ever The observation of the seventh day is of the Law of Nature it was established before Christ was promised and therefore it is not ceremoniall but of the Law of nature and perpetuall The Summe and substance of the former Positions is The fourth Commandement of the Decalogue is purely intirely and totally morall it is a Precept of the Law of Nature and of the same quality both for morality and perpetuity with other Commandements of the Law of Nature neither was there any thing Ceremoniall in it Now the judicious Reader will presently observe that the Sabbatarian Heresie concerning the perpetuall observation of the old Legall Sab. is a necessary and undeniable Conclusion issuing out of the former Positions For every Law or Precept purely intirely and totally morall is perpetuall and unchangeable the same must be intirely observed and if nothing positive or Ceremoniall be found therein then no branch or member thereof can cease or be omitted But the keeping holy of the Seventh day Sabbath namely Saturday was a maine part of the fourth Commandement for it was the Subject or materiall Object of that Commandement literally expressely and positively specified and commanded by God Almighty in the Decalogue Therefore from the Premises it will be consequent that the Seventh day Sabbath being Saturday must be kept holy untill the end of the world The first Proposition is confirmed in manner following The prime speciall and expresse materiall Object of every Law is a substantiall part of that Law and it is of the same kinde and
quality with the Law it selfe and therefore if the Law be intirely and naturally morall then the expresse and speciall object of the same is of the same quality For example in the fifth Commandement of the Decalogue Honour thy father and thy mother c. Naturall Parents are the prime speciall and expresse Object of that Law therefore although other Objects may be added as honour the King give honour to Presbyters that rule well honour Masters c. Yet naturall Father and Mother being named expressed and specified in the Commandement remaine indelible because they are the prime Object thereof In like manner if the fourth Commandement were naturall and intirely morall like unto the fifth then the particular day expressed and described therein namely Saturday must be observed although the Apostles and Christian Church might adde the Lord's-day and some other Festivals for the enlarging of the service of Christ 4 The Bishop also in his Treatise 235. c. 249. c. hath observed certaine desperate passages in those mens Sermons and Tractats whom he stileth Novell Sabbatarians to wit To doe any servile worke or businesse upon the Lord's-day is as great a sinne as to kill a man or to commit adultery To throw a Bowle on the Sabbath-day is as great a sinne as to kill a man And to make a Feast or Wedding-dinner on the Lord's day is as great a sin as for a father to take a knife and cut his childes throat To ring more Bels than one upon the Lord's-day to call the People to Church is as great a sin as to commit murder In Harvest time though the Corne be in danger yet better were it for us that it should rot on the ground than for us by carrying it in with the breach of the Sabbath to treasure up unto ourselves wrath c. It is not lawfull for people to go out of their houses to walke in the fields These former Dictats are borrowed from the old Pharisees and the moderne Authors who have revived and maintained them comply herein with Sabbatarian Hereticks Thus to satisfie my judicious Reader I have delivered the reasons inducing me to stile certaine new Scripturients and Predicants whose opinions I impugned Novell Sabbatarians and if Br. B. and his Allies are offended and hold this Title odious let them right themselves not by raging and thrusting out rayling and libelling Pamphlets marching up and downe in blew Iackets but by renouncing and recanting those scandalous Positions which are apt to impoyson Christian People with Iudaical and Sabbatarian heresie 5 Those persons which the Bishop intended when he used that terme of Novell Sabbatizers were so far from being the true bred children of the Church of England that they were either in heart or in open profession adheres to the Presbyterian Policy and they sucked not their Doctrine of the Sabbath from the breasts of both the Testaments but partly from the corrupt Fountaines of Ancient Heretickes and partly out of the broken Cesternes of their owne private fancies B. The Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the Sabbath is most clearely a If Br. Asotuâ— had said clearely and left out the word most he had said more than he could have made good and fully set forth in the Booke of Homilies which Booke the 35. Article to which all we Ministers doe subscribe doth commend as containing A godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times and therefore judged to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understood of the People Answ The Homily setteth forth the Doctrine of the Church of England if the words and sentences thereof be rightly expounded to wit according to the rule of the Scripture the common vote and consentient testimony of the Orthodoxall Catholike Church of Christ in all ages and the precedent and subsequent Lawes Statutes and Canons of the kingdome and Church of England But if the words and sentences thereof be not rightly expounded b Tertul. d. Prascript ca. 17. Tantum veritati obstrepit adulter sensus quantum corruptor stilus according to the foresaid rules but according to mens private interpretation then the same may bee a meanes to lead people into error for so it fareth sometimes even with holy Scripture it selfe c Hieron Com. in Eph. 1. Interpretatione perversa ex Evangelio Domini sit Evangelium hominis quod pejus est Diaboli Id. c. Lucifer Nec sibi blandiantur si de scripturarsi capitulis videntur sibi affirmare quod dicunt cuÌ„ diabolus de scripturis aliqua sit locutus scripturae non in logendo consistunt sed in intelligeÌ„do 2 Some passages in the Homily are ambiguous Therefore the doctrine of the Church of England is not most clearely set forth in the same The Antecedent is proved by these Instances The Homily saith As for the time which Almighty God hath appointed his people to assemble together solemnly it doth appeare by the fourth Commandement of God Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Vpon which day it is plaine in the Acts of the Apostles ca. 13. the people accustomably resorted together and heard diligently the Law and the Prophets read among them In this passage the Homily might seeme to those who maintaine the Saturday Sabbath to make that day a weekly festivall because the Apostles upon that day even after Christs Ascension entred into Synagogues and did there performe Christian religious offices Act. 13.14 44. and Chap. 17.2 It followeth in the Homily God doth not binde Christians so straightly to observe the utter Ceremonies of the Sabbath in forbearing of work and labour in time of great necessity In this passage the Homily hath not clearely and explicitely declared 1. How farre forth the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement was Ceremoniall 2. What kinde of worke and labour in particular Christians may lawfully use upon the Holy day Br. B. pag. 22. Will admit no work or labour upon the Sunday but such only as is of absolute necessity as in time of Scar-fire invasion of enemies c. But the Ancient Imperiall lawes permitted sundry workes of lesse necessity than the former upon the Sunday pag. 219. and grave Divines as Calvin Bucer Beza c. approve the same a Walaeus de Sab. pag. 1â—9 Non audemus improbare quod post concilium Arelatense Constantinus in suis constitutionibus tempore pluvio aut alio necessitatis casu permittit ut messes aut vindemiae etiam die Dominico colligantur Quia si ad famis propriae solatium licuit Discipulis sabbato aristas vellere Cur non liceat in tali casu â—d pulsionem praeventionem famis communis terram coÌ„serere messem aut vindeâ—iam salvare Bez. in Cantic Ho. 30. Vt autem Christiani eo die a suis quotidianis laboribus abstinerent praeter id temporis quod in caetu ponebatur Id neque illis Apostolicis temporibus mandatum neque prius
page 23. his words are This Position to wit that the fourth Commandement is properly and perpetually morall and is for quality and obligation equall to the other nine Commandements which for many yeares hath raigned in Pamphlets Pulpits and Conventicles and is entertained as an Oracle by all such as either openly professe or doe leane towards the disciplinarian faction is destitute of truth These are his words which comparing with the words of the Homily of our Church already cited are found quite contrary For the Homily saith That the fourth Commandement is a Law of Nature and ought to be retained and kept of all good Christians in as much as it commandeth one day of the Weeke for rest and God hath given an expresse charge to all Men that the Sabbath-day which is our Sunday should be spent wholly in heavenly exercises of God's true Religion and Service Answ The Summe of the former accusation is That the Bishop in his Treatise overthrowes the Doctrine of the Church of England in the point of the Sabbath For his Doctrine is repugnant to the Homily c. which teacheth that the fourth Commandement is of the Law of Nature c. and that all Christians ought to keep it holily and one day in seven is perpetually to be kept holy the keeping of the Lord's-day is commanded by the 4th Commandement The Lord's-day may be called the Christian Sabbath-day Lastly the Lord's-day ought wholly to be spent in holy rest and duties of sanctification Now the Bishop saith the Objector hath opposed all these positions for he hath affirmed in his Treatise of the Sabbath that the fourth Commandement is not properly intirely and perpetually morall like as are the other nine and he hath permitted some bodily exercise and recreation to wit such as is honest and sober upon the Sunday and hee denies that in a legall sense the Lord's-day is to be called the Sabbath-day To the former the Bishops answer is that the Objector hath snatched some words of the Homily but he hath not duly observed the true sense and meaning thereof Athanas Orat. 1. c. Arrian Verba quidem profert veram tamen inde sentontiam sufferatur Tertul. ad Praxean Malo te ad seâ—â—um â—â—i quâ— ad sonum vocabuli exerceas For first the Homily doth not affirme that the fourth Commandement is purely intirely and properly morall and of the Law of Nature like as are the other nine But that whatsoever is found in the Commandement appertaining to the Law of Nature being most godly most just and needfull to the setting forth of Gods glory ought to be retained Now if nothing else in the fourth Commandement is of the Law of Nature but only that which is most just godly and needfull to the setting forth of Gods glory then the Homily maketh not the letter of that Commandement of the Law of nature but the intent and meaning thereof is That the fourth Commandement in respect of the naturall equity b Al. Hal 3. â— 32. m. 5 ar 1. Hoc praecepto praecipitur tempus vacationis aliquoâ— secundum hoc est morale legis naturae hoc secundum indâ—terminationeÌ„ hoc modo secundâ— indeterminationem praecipitur Dominica dies tempore gratiae which is that the Rulers of the Church must appoint necessary convenient and sufficient time for Divine Worship and for religious offices is morall and of the Law of Nature And if the Objector will straine the words of the Homily to a further sense let him well consider into what absurdities and contradictions he will be forced to plunge himselfe For if this Commandement be intirely purely and properly Morall a H. B. Gosp and Law recon p. 38. The CoÌ„mandement of the Sabbath is morall and so no lesse perpetuall then all the rest for if none of the rest of the CoÌ„mandements be abolished then neither the fourth Pag. 42. 49. The Law of the Sabbath was imprinted in Adams heart by the Law of Nature and of the Law of Nature like as the other nine Then it must have all the essentiall characters of the Law of Nature and of Precepts purely and entirely morall But it wanteth all these as is proved by demonstrative arguments in the Bishops book pag. 26. untill pag. 37. and pag. 172. Neverthelesse that I may more fully discover the ignorance and presumption of this Dialogist I shall propound an argument against him which he will hardly be able to solve to wit The Law of Nature was made knowne to all mankinde b Isidor Etimol l. 5. ca. 4. Ius naturale commune est omniuÌ„ nationum eo quod ubique instinctu naturae non constitutioneâ— aliqua habetur by the Common light of naturall reason The same is immutable unchangeable c Decret Dist 5. Naturale jus ab exordio rationalis naturae nec mutatur tempore sed immutabile permanet Aug. Confess l. 2. c. 4. Lex scripta in cordibus hominum quam nec ipsa quidem delet iniquitas eternall indispensable But the fourth Commandement concerning the Sabbath was not imprinted naturally or made knowne to all mankinde by the common light of naturall reason but it was made knowne only and wholly by divine and supernaturall revelation Also the fourth Commandement was changeable and mutable for the Sabbath of that Commandement which was Saturday according to the Objectors owne Tenet was changed into Sunday And lastly it admitted sundry dispensations pag. 34. 67. Now the premises being indubitate Verities The conclusion is firme to wit That the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue is no precept of the Law of Nature d Theod. in Ezek. 20.12 Illud non moechaberis non furtum facies alia cum his conjuncta alios quoque homines naturae lex edocuit At Sabbati observandi non natura magistra sed latio legis Walaeus Alii Synops purior Theolog. disp 21. n. 20. Sabbati praeceptum non est à naturae necessitate ut reliqua praecepta quae menti insita per se cognita sunt sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex voluntaria Dei institutione D. bound d. Sab. l. 1. p. 11. Indeed this Law was given in the beginning not so much by the light of Nature as the rest of the Commandements were but by expresse word For though this be the Law of Nature that some dayes should be separated to Gods worship yet that it should he every seventh day that the LORD himselfe set downe neither is it purely intirely and properly morall like the other nine but meerely positive in respect of any one particular day of the Weeke specified in the same The Bishop desires to receive some reasonable answer from Br. B. to this and to other the like arguments delivered in his Treatise of the Sabbath for if he shall according to his rude manner barke and blatter against his adversaries Positions and dissemble his arguments it is apparent that he maintaines a forlorne and
peccatum Quod quamdiu in peccato vixerint non dimittitur Pro. 28.13 Esay 1.16 17. 55.7 An Adulterer therefore continuing in his sin committing the same as oft as opportunity serveth is not justified before God For God who calleth it an abomination in us Men to justifie the wicked Prov. 17.15 cannot himself justifie any sinner continuing in his wickednes and therefore every such sinner ceaseth to be justified untill hee have repented and forsaken his sinne The Author of the Appeale at this present a learned and Reverend Bishop maintained the former Doctrine by the words of the Homily affirming that the Doctrine delivered in the Homily was the Doctrine of the Church of England pag. li. 32. In answer to the former Brother B. sets his glosse upon the Homily saying a Plea to the Appeale lb. As neither the Church of England her self avoucheth or concludeth any thing for Doctrine matters of faith but so far as is consonant to the word of God so neither are we to measure her doctrines but by the only line and rule of the Scriptures Ib. For the Articles and Hâ—milies of the Church of England wee subscribed unto theÌ„ indeed but not to the private sense which every particular man may put upon them Idem Christ Conf. Compl. pâ—g 92. that we are to measure the Doctrines of the Church of England by the line and rule of holy Scr pture and that we must not take the words of the Homily at the first rebound according to our owne fancy but so far as the same is consonant to the word of God pag. 14. But if this Rule which the Dialogue Dauber hath approved is authenticall then we can see no reason wherefore it may not be lawfull for us as well as for him to expound the words of the Homily in point of the Sabbath according to the sense of holy Scripture And if we may do this then it is undoubtedly true that it was not the intent of the Homily to make the 4th Commandement a Precept of the Law of Nature or a morall Precept purely intirely and properly such Our request likewise is that Br. B. would make a review of a confident Argument propounded by him against the Appealer in his Plea pag. 17. the scope whereof is That a Person once justified and in the state of Grace if afterwards he become an Adulterer or wilfully commit any other the like crime or sin and continueth therein yet he still remaineth in the state of Grace without any diminution of his faith no not in the degrees His Argument is as followeth A mortall Father begets a mortall Son So the immortall God can beget no Son but he is immortall Now it is impossible for the immortall God to dye no not for a moment Of this nature also is the Borne of God a H. B. Plea to the Appeal Now this being so cleare a proofe if any places of Scripture seeme to be opposit they are so onely in sound not in sence he cannot fall away totally that is dye in his spirituall life no not for a moment But upon the foresaid ground Br. B. may proceed further and conclude that no person once regenerate can possibly sin at any time in thought word or deed neither can hee die a temporall death For if God Almighty being a Father of the regenerate hath begotten all his sonnes in nature like himselfe and it is impossible for God Himselfe either to dye or to sinne Then it will likewise be impossible for any Regenerate Persons to sinne in thought word or deed they cannot at any time covet or lye or transgresse any Divine Law neither can they dye a temporall Death The learned Author of the Appeale beleeveth that Br. B. was pleased to act Asotus his part although hee stiled himselfe Orthodoxus when hee propounded the former Argument For although it is true that an immortall father begetting a son of the same nature and substance with himselfe every such naturall sonne must be immortall like unto his naturall father as appeareth in the second person of the Trinity according to his Deity b Aug. c. Faust Manich. li. 3. ca. 3. Vnicum filium habet Deus quâ—m genuit de substantia sua de quo dicitur cum in forma Dei esset non rapinam arbitratus est se aequalem esse Deo Nos autem non de substantia sua genuit creatura enim sumus quam non genuit sed fecit yet it is extreme false and most absurd to affirme that all such Persons as are the Sonnes of God meerely by his Voluntary Election free gift or by Creation or Adoption and so farre as they imitate and obey him * Id. Serm. Dom. in Mont. c. 46. Vnus naturaliter filius est qui nescit omnino peccare Nos autem potestate accepta efficimur filii in quantum ea quae ab illo praecipiuntur implemus Id. in Psa 44. Ille creando pater sed nos illum imitando filii Matth. 5.45 doe partake the essentiall and naturall proprieties and Attributes of God himselfe their heavenly Father For Adam was the sonne of God by Creation Luk. 3.38 And Infants baptized are regenerate with the Holy Spirit and made the Children of God by Adoption and yet notwithstanding Adam by disobedience fell from grace and became mortall and all Infants regenerate in Baptisme are mortall and many of these comming to yeares of discretion by sinne and Infidelity fall away from the state of Grace and Adoption a August Ep. 59. Quid dicturus est de Infantulis parvulis qui plerique accepto in illa aetate gratiae SacrameÌ„to qui sine dubio pertinerent ad vitaÌ„ aeternam regnumque caeloruÌ„ si continuo ex hac vita emigrarent sinuntur crescere noÌ„nulli etiam Apostatae sunt received in their Baptisme Prosper Aquitauicus b Prosp ad artic fals impos cap. 7. Cyprian Ep. 76. Nonnulli de illis qui sani baptizantur si postmodum peccare caeperint Spiritu immundo redeunte quatiuntur ut manifestum sit diabolum Baptismo fide credentis excludi si fides postmodum defecerit regredi S. Augustine's Disciple and interpreter saith as followeth Ex regeneratis in Christo Iesu qâ—â—sdâ—â— relicta fide â—â—is moribus apostatare à Deo impiam Vitamin suâ—â—versione finire multis quod dolendum est probatur exemplis Among those which are regenerate in Christ Iesus that some persons by forsaking faith and good manners fall away from God and â—nd their wicked life in Apostasie is proved the more is the pitty by many examples A. Sir you have abundantly satisfied me in this point and I suppose every Rationall man and true bred sonne of the Church of England and surely I wonder so learned a man should commit so foule an error as not to search better into the Doctrine of our Church so clearely expressed in the Homily Answ In the Bishop's Epistle prefixed
Sabbath-day following upon the Sunday he began his operations of Application of the fruit and benefit of his Passion and he did no more rest or cease from those actions upon Sunday than he did forty dayes after 2 Christ rested as fully upon the Munday Tuesday and upon every day following the day of his Resurrection from all his afflictive and satisfactory Passions as he did upon the Sunday If therefore it were granted that Christ began his Rest upon Sunday it must be confessed that he continued his Rest and Cessation from Redemptive actions every day after and so the Sunday was not the only day or time of his Rest And if it shall be further objected that even as notwithstanding the Lord God ceased and rested from the worke of prime Creation on every day of the weeke following as much as he did on the first Sabbath yet the seventh day was made the Sabbath because the Lord on that day began his Rest Therefore because Christ began his rest upon Sunday the same must bee the Christian Sabbath of the fourth Commandement Our answer is that God's resting or ceasing from the worke of Creation did not ordaine the Seventh day of the Week to be the Sabbath day a Walaeus d. Sab. c. 7. Deus in creatione rerum quievit die septimo sed nisi Deus hanc suam quietem in exemplum adduxisset et praecepto confirmasset nunquam ecclesia Vet. Testamenti ad ejus hebdomadalem observationeni fuisset divinitus obligata Quemadmodu etiam de die Paschatis Pentecostes qui Dei singularibus beneficiis sunt consecrati judicandum est eos noÌ„ nisi propter Dei accedens mandatum in veteri Testamento necessario fuisse observandos for it was God's expresse Commandement and Law which did this and his Rest was onely a Motive and that meerely in his owne good pleasure of sanctifying that particular Day But now concerning the Lord's-day we finde no such expresse and particular divine Law or Commandement in holy Scripture and therefore Christ's resting from all his Penall sufferings upon the day of his Resurrection cannot make that day of the weeke a particular Sabbath-day of divine institution unlesse some such expresse divine Law as the Iewes received for their Sabbath can be produced But if the Objector will obstinately contend that the Resurrection of Christ in it selfe containeth a Mandatory Law to observe the Lord's-day let him first deliver a true definition of a Law and then prove that the said definition belongs to the Resurrection of Christ A Law say the Iurists is a Precept of a Superiour being in authority containing a Rule or Measure of things to be done or not to be done But neither this nor any other true definition of a Law b Aquin. 1.2 q. 90. ar 4. Lex nihil aliud est quam quaedaÌ„ rationis ordinatio ad bonum commune ab eo qui curam communitatis habet ordinata Salas d. leg Lex est quod Rex vel Respublica jubet verbo vel scripto ab eo qui curam communitatis habet premulgata or of a Commandement agrees to the Resurrection of Christ Therefore the Resurrection of Christ may be a motive or cause impulsive inducing the Church to make a Law but it is not of it selfe any formall Law And if our Saviour's Resurrection hath the force of a Law to ordaine the day on which hee rose to be the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement We can observe no reason why the day of his Ascension b Walaeus d. Sabb. pa. 158. Quod affertur Christum eo die resurrexisse ac proinde eundem ad cultum suum Resurrectione sua coÌ„secrasse necessariuÌ„ argumentum non habet Quia Christus diem Iovis suo in coelos ascensu consecravit nec propterea tamen sequitur eum singulis septimanis in memoriam ascensus ejus esse observandum Nam licet haec Christi resurrectio argumentum praebuerit Ecclesiae Apostolicae ut hunc diem caeteris ad habendos conventus praeferret Non tamen sequitur Christum hoc suo facto eundem diem in eum sinem instituisse on which he entred into his eternall Rest should not likewise have the force of a Law to ordaine Thursday to be a Christian Sabbath because if our Saviour's beginning to rest shall make a Sabbath certainly the perfecting of his Rest should much more do the like 3 This Objector falsifieth the Bishop's words foisting in the word Labour instead of the word Action and then he brayes in his rude tone absurd and ridiculous But every reasonable Creature knowes there may be action without labour as appeareth in the actions of God Almighty c Aug. d. Civ â—â— lib. 12. cap. 17 NoÌ„ itaque in ejus vacatione cogitetur ignavia desidia inertia sicut nec in ejus opere labor conatus industria Novit quiescens agere agens quiese ere and in the actions of the blessed Angels and of the glorified Saints in Heaven And therefore bold B. is a false brother in corrupting and perverting the Bishop's forme of words and the Bishop's assertion is most true That our Saviour having finished all sorrow and labour upon his Passion-day He was in action upon his Resurrection day and he was in Action likewise forty dayes after B. Lest neither the Church of England in her publike Doctrine nor the pious workes of her grave and learned Sons may perhaps satisfie the Adversarie's importunity yet I hope the writings of his more pious and no lesse learned Brother D. Iohn White and those also both republished and vindicated by Fran. White from the Iesuites Calumnies White dyed black c. will a little qualifie him How D. Iohn White doth not only call the Lord's-day the Sabbath-day as once Sect. 38. 1. and twice Sect. 43. digress 46. 6. But he also condemnes all profane sports and recreations on that day and among the rest Dancing for one And for this he alleageth the example of the Papists as the most notorious Sabbath-breakers in this kinde A. Doth he so Sir This seemes strange to me that so great a Clerk as Fran. White should so far forget himselfe as not to remember what his Brother hath writ Surely if it be so it will be a cooling-Card and no small disgrace to his Lp. when so worthy and reverend a Brother shal be brought as a witnesse against him But I pray you for my better satisfaction relate to me the very passages and words of D. Iohn White B. I will in digress 46. the Title whereof is Naming certaine points of the Popish religion which directly tend to the maintenance of open sinne and liberty of life now among many foule and profane practises as he cals them this he notes for one namely the profanation of the Sabbath in these words That they hold it lawfull on the Sabbath-day to follow Suits Travell Hunt Dance keep Faires and such like This is that hath made Papists the
though not expressed For prophane Atheisme is more unlawfull at least more hainous than the worshipping of false Gods yet this last only is expressed in the very letter of the Law So Perjury is more hainous than meere taking the Name of God in vaine in ordinary discourse and common swearing Sodomie Incest and Buggery more odious sinnes than Adultery or Fornication though the other bee only within the intention of the Law and by way of consequence prohibited by the 1. 3. and 7th Commandements the latter by the expresse letter and words thereof Answ That which is directly formally expressely literally or by a necessary and immediate inference prohibited by any Law is ordinarily more unlawfull than those things which by a remote probable inference only are concluded to be repugnant to the Law The sins mentioned by the Objector Atheisme Perjury Buggery c. are not only prohibited by necessary inference and by the intention of the speciall precepts of the Decalogue but also by the Law of nature and by other expresse Negative Precepts delivered in the Old and New Testament But whereas corporall labour was expressely and in literall termes prohibited the Iewes upon the Legal Sabbath-day Honest and sober Recreation upon some part of the Lord's-Day in such manner as the Bishop maintaineth the same is prohibited neither by the expresse words of the 4th Commandement nor by any formall and necessary illation from the words and sentences of that Commandement nor yet by the Law of nature nor by any negative precepts of the Old or New Testament Therefore if bodily labour expressely and literally prohibited by the fourth Commandement was notwithstanding that prohibition in many cases lawfull among the Iewes Then honest and sober recreation such as is neither vicious in quality nor in circâ—mstances being neither expressely nor virtually prohibited or condemned by any Divine Law naturall positive or Evangelicall must be held to bee lawfull untill the Opposers thereof shall bee able to make it evident by demonstrative reasons that the same is repugnant to some divine Law according to all or some of those formes which are before expressed A. There remaineth yet one thing to be cleared and that is about the judgement of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas which the Opposite Author pleadeth to be all for him B. It 's true and I cannot but smile when I thinke of it That they which make no bones even in open Court to vilifie the prime pillars of those Churches yea and to nullifie the Churches themselves as if they were no true Churches as having no lawful Ministers because in Prelates to put them in orders should notwithstanding daigne to grace them so much as to call them in and to account them competent witnesses in the cause But a bad cause a How can that be esteemed a bad cause which is confirmed by the common and consentâ—eâ— testimony of the most godly learned Divines both Aâ—elent and moderne is glad of any Patron or Advocate to plead for it though the Clyent have openly stigmatized him for a Rascall But what stead will the reformed Divines stand him in Certainly in the point of sports and Recreations they will utterly faile him yea and disclaime him too In the point of the Institution of the Lord's-Day indeed and the Obligation of it to Christians a great part is for him though the better part b Br. B. Should have named some of those which he accounteth the better part for he is so precipitate and impudent in his affirmations that judicious persons can give no credit to his own bare word is for Vs this is confessed of Vs. Answ The Bishop in his Treatise hath made cleare ostension that his Tenet concerning the Sabbath and Lord's-Day is consonant 1. To the Vnanimous sentence of Primitive Antiquity 2. To the Doctrine of the Church of England testified and authorized by statute Law 3. To the common Vote of the best learned Doctors of the reformed Churches c The Augustane and Helvetian CoÌ„fessions Melancton Calvin Bucer Bullinger Peter Martyr Musculus Beza Zanchius Chemnitius Visinus Brentius Hospinian Hemmingius Pareus Herbrandus Marbachius Zepperâ— Battus Wolaeus Rivetus Poliander Gomorus Thysius Gualter Pâ—scator Zegedinus Steckelius Isenmánus alii beyond the Seas The former Remonstrance hath produced two effects 1. I hath givâ—n 〈◊〉 all wound to Br. B. and to his Assistants by declaring that they are solitary and singular in their Sabbatarian Tenet 2. It hath yeelded full satisfaction to all judicious honest and godly Readers concerning this question But the Dialogue-Barker perceiving his cause to be desperate in his obstinacy neverthelesse spurneth against the prickes and proceedeth rudely and wildely in manner following 1 He introduceth his interlocutory Assistant one Br. A. who scratcheth his fellow Mule a Mutuû muli scabunt dictum ubi improbi illaudati se vicissim mirantur praedicaÌ„t and prateth in manner following You have so fully cleared this point about Recreation from all the Subterfuges of him that hath so moyled himselfe to make something of nothing c. But wherein hath Br. B. cleared the point c Hee hath alleadged some Decrees of Foraine States and Churches which nothing concerne the Bishop's Tenet for they doe not so much as intimate that all bodily exercise and Recreation and namely such as is neither vicious in quality nor in circumstance nor yet prohibited by the present state wherein people live is simply unlawfull or morally evill upon some part of the Holy day 2 Br. B. Himselfe to manifest his gravity saith I cannot but smile c. But besides his merriment the ridiculous man uttereth no word or sentence savouring of truth or sounding to reason For 1 Vpon the matter he confesseth that the positions of the Sunday Sabbatarians here in England are singular and different from the common sentence of other Churches for otherwise to what purpose serveth his speech pag. 6. The Church of England to wit Br. B. himselfe and his owne Sabbatarian Allies is more cleare and sound in the point of the Sabbath than any Church in the world for it is as cleere as the Noone-day that the Orthodoxall part of the Church of England accordeth with the Primitive Fathers and with the Schoole Doctors and with the best learned in the Reformed Churches and renounceth the temerarious Doctrine of H. B. and of other Novell Teachers concerning the Sabbath 2 Whereas this Objector denies us the suffrage of Reformed Churches pretending that some amongst us have vilified their prime Pillars c. Our Answer is That this man doth not alwayes write or preach Gospell a Hâ—â—â—on ad Iulian Diacon Mendacia faciunt ut nec vera dicentibê° credatur for quite contrary to his report we reverence and much respect all learned and godly Divines in what Church soever they live or teach yea although in some Theologicall Questions wee take liberty upon just reason to dissent from them But
admit the Doctors aforesaid were adverse to us and we to them in many more Positions than indeed we are yet notwithstanding it might be lawfull for us to use their Testimony in all Questions wherein they maintaine Catholike and Orthodoxall Verity b Iren. li. 4. ca. 14. Vera contradictioni minime obnoxia est probatio quae ex dictis adversariorum elicitur S. Paul used the Testimony of Heathen Poets in matter of truth notwithstanding they were enemies to Christian piety c Chrys in Gen. Hom. 57. Infidelium adversantiuÌ„ religioni testimonia majorem habent fidem Et hoc est ex omnipotenti sapientia Dei ut inimici veritatis fiant ipsi testes veritatis August c. Petilian Don. li. 2. ca. 30. and Christians likewise use the Testimony of Iewes and Rabins concerning the number and integrity of the Bookes of Canonicall Scripture S. Augustine used the Testimony of Saint Cyprian against Donatists and Pelagians d Aug. d. Bapt. c. Don. l. 2. c. 1. l. 3. c. 11. l. 4. c. 1. l. 6. c 7. c. Crescon Gram. l. 3. c. 1. d. praedest sanctor c. 14. d. pec mer. remis l. 3. c. 5. c. Gaudent l. 3. c. 1. Epist 107. who was adverse to him in the point of Rebaptizing Tertullian Origen Lactantius c. had their errours yet they that use their testimony when they speake divinely were never as yet censured by any sobero conscientious Writers as maintainers of a bad cause or bringers in of Rascals to be their Advocates B. Certainly in the Point of Sports and Recreations Reformed Churches will utterly faile him yea and disclaime him too c. For the Ministers of the Seventeene Provinces reformed and the neighbouring Churches in Germany petitioned the States of the Vnited Provinces for the reformation of the manifold profanation of the Lord's-day Answ The Bishop maintaineth not but opposeth and condemneth all profanation of the Lord's-day And as for honest and sobeâ—â— recâ—â—â—tion the best Divines of the Vnited Provinces approve the same upon some part of the Lord's-day The Divines of Leidan in Synopsi purioris Theologiae Disp 21. write as followeth Neque tamen omnis recreatio hic prohibetur ut quae etiam inter fines Sabbati est scilicet quae divinum cultum non impedit sacris peractis honeste decenter moderate sine scandalo offensione fit Neverthelesse all bodily recreation upon the Lord's-day is not here prohibited because the same is one of the ends of the Sabbath namely such bodily exercise and recreation as is no impediment to Divine worship and which is used in honest decent and moderate fashion without scandall or offence after such time as the sacred and religious offices of the day are performed And in like manner Walaus himselfe whom the Obiector citeth de Sab. â—ap 6. pag. 131. Vltimo quaeritur an recreationis â—t oblectationis opera fidelibê° Sabbato sint concessa Recreationis quaedâ—m opera hoc die esse concessa non 〈…〉 Deus inter sines Sabbati hoc quoque refere Exod. 23 〈◊〉 respiret Iunius vertit 〈◊〉 recreetur filius 〈…〉 tuae Et Christus ipse die Sabbati 〈…〉 Luc. 14. Et sanc cum dies Sabbati fuerit fostus refeâ—â— quoque Laetitiam Coeli hominis recreatio atque anima corporis vlres reficit quemad modâ—m sapiâ—ns inquit Prov. 17. Animus laetus medicinam facit spiritus autem fractus exsiccat ossa Atque ideo etiam in Ecclesia Apostolica Agapae erant institutae translatae ut videtur ex conviviis sacrificiorum Veteris Testamenti ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutuam testandam honestam recreationem usurpandaÌ„ 1 Cor. 14.20 Iude v. 12. Imo diebâ—s Dominiâ—is ad gaudium propter memoriam resâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 … are in Ecclesia Primitiva â—â—fâ—â—â—uiâ— Aug. Epist 〈◊〉 ad 〈…〉 We dare not deny some kinde of râ—creatiâ—â— to bee lawfull upon the Lord's-day for God himselfe makes the refreshing of the sonne of the Handmaid and of the Stranger one of the ends why the Sabbâ—th 〈◊〉 ol … â—â—od 23.12 And Iunius translates the word refreshed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recreated Also Christ himselfe upon the Sabbath-day went to a Feast Luke 14.1 And forasmuch as the Sabbath is a Festivall day honest recreation upon that day is a represent of heavenly joy and according to the Wiseman's saying Prov. 17.22 A merry heart doth good like a Medicine Also in the Apostolicall Church certaine Love-Feasts called Agapae being translated from Feasts used at Sacrifices in the old Law were ordained to testifie brotherly love among Christians and for the exercise of honest recreation and upon the Lord's-day to the end Christians might testifie their rejoycing for the memory of Christ's Resurrection it was held a nefarious thing in the Primitive Church to make that day a fasting day as S. Augustine sheweth 86. Ep. ad Casulanum Rivetus in Exod. 20. a Honestae tamen recreationes quae spiritus refocillent mutuum alant consortium à solennitate illius diâ—i non sunt excludendae Honest recreations which refresh the spirits and cherish mutuall society ought not to be excluded from the solemnity of that day A. Sir I heartily thanke you for your sweet conference which I could be content might last yet a whole Summers-day But the Day now bidding us farwell leaves us to bid one another good night B. And so good night to you Brother A. And to you also good Brother Answ After a due and impartiall Examination of the former Dialogue the Bishop protesteth once againe that he hath observed no one passage in it which meriteth any approbation And therefore Brother A. is fallen in love with his owne shadow when he stileth the same a sweet conference a Ambros Ep. 40. Vt filii etiam deformes delectant sic etiam scriptorem indecores sermones sui palpant Lud. Vives Sicu pueri complectuntur exosculantur specula in quibus imaginem sui aspiciunt c. But let not Brother Asotus deceive himselfe for his Dialogue is neither sweét nor savoury either in matter or in forme but very rude wilde malicious and factious The maine Position of this Dialogue to wit That the Bishop's Treatise of the Sabbath overthroweth the Doctrine of the Church of England c. is confuted in manner following 1 The Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the Lord's-day and all other Holy dayes is the same at this present it was in the raigne of King Edward the 6th and in the raigne of King IAMES Anno primo But the Bishop in his Treatise consenteth with the Doctrine concerning the Lord's-day and other Holy dayes maintained by Statute in the raigne of King Edward the 6th and in the raigne of King IAMES Anno primo Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the Lord's-day and other Holy dayes 2 The present Doctrine of the Church of
England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's day is the same which the Fathers of the Primitive Church received from the holy Apostles and which they taught Christian people in ancient time pag. 13. But the Bishop in his Treatise maintaineth the same Doctrine which the Primitive Fathers received from the Holy Apostles and which they taught Christian people in ancient time Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day 3 The present Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day is the same which is commonly maintained by all Reformed Churches in Christendome But the Bishop in his Treatise consenteth with all the Reformed Churches in their common Doctrine of the old Sabbath and of the Lord's-day pag. 271. Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day 4 That the Homilies appointed to be read in the Church of England must not alwayes bee expounded according to the sound of words but according to the Line and Rule of holy Scripture is the Tenet of H. B. in his Plea to an Appeale pag. 14. The Bishop in his Treatise hath expounded the Homily of the Time and Place of prayer appointed to be read in the Church of England according to the Line and Rule of Holy Scripture and according to this sense and exposition nothing is delivered in the Homily repugnant to the Bishop's doctrine concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day Ergo The Bishop in his Treatise hath not overthrowne the Doctrine of the Church of England contained in the Homily of the time and place of prayer Brother B. in his Dialogue hath these remarkable Passages following 1 The Tenet of the Dialogist is That the 4th Commandement of the Decalogue delivered in this forme of words Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath-day c. The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. The Lord rested the seventh day c. commandeth in expresse termes the religious observation of the Lord's-day and the same is a commandement of the Law of Nature Now from hence it is consequent 1. That Saturday and Sunday being two distinct and severall dayes of the Weeke if the Commandement be naturall and expresse for the one it cannot be naturall and expresse for the other unlesse the one day were named expressed or described in the same as well as the other 2 That the Iewes were obliged to the religious observation of the Saturday by the Law of the fourth Commandement which was Positive in respect of that day and Christians are bound to keepe holy the Sunday by the very same Commandement as by the Law of Nature Now all judicious men confesse that the 4th Commandement concerning keeping holy the saturday was a Positive Law Therefore we desire Br. B. to cleare this contradiction to wit how it is possible that the Law of the fourth Commandement concerning Saturday being Positive The same Law according to his Tenet commanding Sunday can be Naturall Againe let this bould Bayard resolve Vs how the observation of the Lord's-day can be said to be expressely commanded in the fourth Precept of the Decalogue when Saturday only and no other day is expressed either by the words of that Precept or is concluded from the words or sentences thereof by any formall or necessary illation Lastly let him resolve Vs how we may rightly conclude from the expresse words of the fourth Commandement that Sunday is to be kepr holy by that Law For if this man will argue rightly hee must proceed in this or the like manner The fourth Commandement literally and expressely enjoyneth the Observation of Saturday and the Precept concerning Saturday is Legally Positive Therefore Christians must observe Sunday by vertue of such a Law as was Legally Positive for keeping of Saturday Gentle Br. B. licke over your Calfe once again and please not your selfe nor abuse your Reader with such absurd Bulls and contradictions a Chrysost in 1. Corinth Ho. 38. Nihil est errore magis imbecillum suis ipsis alis implicatur nec oppugnatione aliunde opus habet transfigit ipse se A second Passage of Brother B. Vnlesse the keeping the first Day of the weeke for Sabbath bee commanded H. B. Dialog manuscript cited in tâ—e Bishop's Treatise of the Sabbath pag. 89. the Divine Authority of it will not appeare saith Br. B. for only God's Commandement bindeth the Conscience But no Divine Commandement is expressely delivered in the Old or New Testament concerning the Religious Observation of the Lord's-Day Therefore if Br. B. his first proposition is true and if hee bee not able to produce some Divine Commandement out of the Scripture for the Religious Observation of the Lord's-Day he must if he adhere to his owne principles be compelled to grant Theoph. Brabourne that the observation of the Lord's-Day is an act of superstition and will-worship A third Passage of Brother B. H. B. Dialog pag. 15. 16. It were not wise to set a Ceremony in the midd st of morall precepts It is a principle in God there can be no ceremony but all must bee eternall and so in his Image which is the Law of nature and so in the Decalogue There can be no Ceremony at all in the Law of the fourth Commandement because Saint Paul reckoned the Sabbath Day among the Ceremonies of the Old Law Colos 2.16 And all the Primitive Fathers ranked the Sabbath and Circumcision in the number of Legall Ceremonies A fourth Passage of Brother B. The Primitive Fathers did ever and usually stile the Lord's-day the Sabbath day of the 4th Commandement in a proper and literall sence The reason because sometimes but yet very seldome They named it Sabbatum in a mysticall and analogicall sence that is an Holy day on which Christian people must have a speciall care to abstaine from sin A fift Passage of Brother B. Because the Lord's-Day succeeded and came in place of the Old Sabbath Therefore the Observation thereof is commanded by the particular Law of the Old Sabbath As if one should say Baptisme succeeded and came in place of Circumcision Ergo it is commanded Christians by the Old Law of Circumcision A sixt Passage of Brother B. The Bishop's of England may not use the Testimony of Divines of reformed Churches because they dissent from them in some Theologicall questions As if one should argue Protestants may not use Saint Augustine's testimony against Pontificians or Pelagians because they have refused his Tenet concerning the absolute damnation of Infants departing this life before they were baptized a Aug. Epist 106. Parvulos non baptizâ—tos vitam habere non posse ac per hoc quamlibet tolerabilius omnibus qui etiam propria peccata committunt tamen aeterna morte mulctari Id.
d. Pec. Mer. Remiss li. 1. ca. 16. Et li. 2. ca. 4. A seventh Passage of Brother B. All were the true bred Children of the Church of England c. who maintained Brother B. his dictats concerning the old Sabbath and the Lord's-day witnesse Master Cartwright Master Fenne Old Master Gilby Master Snape Master Lord Master Dâ—d Mr. Cleaver Mr. Oxenbridge Master Sheere-wood Master Iohnson Master Nutter c. An eighth Passage of Brother B. The fourth Commandement is simply and intirely morall binding Vs Christians to observe the Lord's-Day The reason is because the Law of the fourth Commandement according to the proper and literall sence thereof was given to the Iewes only for keeping holy the Saturday and not to the Gentiles for the observation of Sunday A ninth Passage of Brother B. The Holy Apostles presently and immediately after Christ's Ascension taught and commanded all Christians to observe the Lord's-Day weekely and to renounce the Old Sabbath The reason because Saint Paul some twenty yeares after Christ's Ascension a Chytr in Cronol Anno Christi quinquagessimo quinto venit Paulus in Troadem inde in Macedoniam commanded the Corinthians to give Almes upon the first day of the weeke 1 Cor. 16.2 and Saint Iohn many yeares after that stiled Sunday by the name of the Lord's Day A Tenth Passage of Brother B. The first day of every weeke throughout the whole yeare is the Sabbath day of the 4th Commandement because our Saviour began to rest from some of his Redemptive actions upon the latter part of Good-Friday and because he rested in his grave the whole Sabbath day before his Resurrection and because hee rested as much upon Munday Tuesday and upon other dayes following as â—e did upon Sunday An Eleventh Passage of Brother B. To give Christian people any liberty to doe any manner of worke or to use any bodily exercise or pastime upon any part of the Sunday is to imitate the Pope in dispensing against God's morall Law Proved because brother B. is able to produce no Divine or Evangelicall Law recorded in holy Scripture which prohibiteth all bodily exercise and sober and honest recreation upon some part of that day A Twelfth Passage of Brother B. It is unlawfull to use any sober and honest recreation to wit such as is neither vicious in quality or circumstance upon any part of the Lord's-day because all profane ungodly obscene and lascivious pastime is prohibited upon that day and upon all other dayes throughout the yeare as if one should say it is not lawfull to eat or drink upon Sunday because surfeâ—ting and drunkennesse are unlawfull upon that day and upon all other dayes A Thirteenth Passage of Brother B. The Bishops of the Church of England have not power to instruct the inferiour Clergie in matters of Religion because they have not received miraculous grace Ex opere operato Proved because brother B. by his mother wit without ordinary grace or morall honesty supposeth himselfe qualified like an Apostle to correct and instruct all men both simple and learned in the most profound Questions of Theologie A Fourteenth Passage of H. B. It is a grosse Solecisme in Divinity Law and Gospell reconciled pag. 52. to admit an Institution to be Apostolicall and yet to deny it to be of Divine Authority and consequently to make it temporary and mutable Proved because Episcopall Authority was of Apostolicall institution c Iren. lib. 3. ca. 3. Fundantes igitur instruentes beati Apostoli Ecclesiam Lino EpiscopatuÌ„ administrandae Ecclesiae tradiderunt Succedit autem ei Anacletê° post euÌ„ tertio loco ab Apostolis EpiscopatuÌ„ sortitur Clemens Polycarpus in Asia in ea quae est Smyrnis Ecclesia constitutê° Episcopus ab Apostolis Tertul. c. Haer. cap. 32. Hier. Catalog in Clement Ignatio Polycarpo c. neverthelesse according to Br. B. the same is not Divine but the Prelats of the Church of England who exercise such Authority are Veines of the Pope and the maintainers thereof are guided by a Papall spirit Dialog pag. 3. A Fifteenth Passage of H. B. The fourth Commandement being a part of the Law written in Adam's heart needed not any expresse Commandement more than the rest d Ib. pag. 42. Proved because it was made knowne by Divine Revelation only and not by a naturall impression that God created Heaven and Earth in six dayes and rested the seventh and if the observation of the Sabbath was commanded Adam the same was the Saturday Sabbath of every weeke and not the Sunday and God Almighty himselfe appointed the first day of the Weeke to be one of the six working dayes A Sixteenth Passage of H. B. Ib. pag. 45. The seventh Day being an inseparable Circumstance of the substance of the fourth Commandement cannot be separated from the Sabbath The Reason because Christians were taught by the Apostles to make the first day of the week their weekly Festivall and not the seventh day A Seventeenth Passage of H. B. To rest from all labour Ib. pag. 47. is of the very Essence of the Sabbath The Reason because our Saviour maintained that some labour which was not of absolute necessity might lawfully be used upon the Sabbath-day An Eighteenth Passage of H. B. Who can deny the keeping of the Sabbath to be morall Ib. pag. 41. but he must withall proclaime open enmity to God's worship and Man's salvation The reason because the Apostles taught Christians to observe the Lord's-day being not the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement but a new Holy day grounded upon the Resurrection of Christ A Nineteenth Passage of H. B. The Commandement of the Sabbath is morall and so no lesse perpetuall than all the rest Ib. pag. 38. The reason because it was a shadow of good things to come and it was abrogated by the Apostles and changed into another day The last remarkable Observation concerning Br. B. It is lawfull when a man cannot otherwise solve an Objection to passe by both the Premisses of an Argument propounded in due forme and to deny the Conclusion for example No Law which is mutable in respect of the proper materiall Object is a Law of Nature But the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue was mutable in respect of the proper materiall Object Ergo the Law of the fourth Commandement was not a Precept of the Law of Nature Againe no morall action is unlawfull unlesse it be prohibited by some Divine Law expresse or virtuall or by some humane or Ecclesiasticall Law But bodily exercise or Recreation not being vicious in quality or circumstance if it bee used upon some part of the Holy day is prohibited by no Divine Law expresse or virtuall nor by any humane or Ecclesiasticall Law Ergo some bodily exercise or Recreation not being vicious in quality or circumstance may be permitted and used upon some part of the Holy day This Doctor indocilis when hee meeteth with any such Arguments will not be so
cap. 37. De nullo ante ipsius finem pronunciari potest quod in electorum gloria sit futurus ut perseverantem humilitatem utilis metus servet qui star videat ne cadat Conclus It is evident by the former Positions of S. Augustine that his constant and expresse Tenet in his Confutation of the Pelagians was That some persons really justified might afterwards bee overcome by temptations and fall away from saving and justificant grace And therefore H. B. is mendacious in accusing the Appealer of Popery and Pelagian Heresie for we trust he will not honour the Papals so much as to make S. Augustine one of theirs And that cannot in any charitable construction be a Pelagian Heresie which S. Augustine the grand Adversary of those Hereticks in his Answers and Confutations constantly maintained against them B. Yea instead of recantation I my self have heard him in open Court speake against both justification that a Man might be justified to day and damned to morrow and against election of some to eternall life and against the sanctification of the Sabbath saying I say there is no sanctification of the Sabbath but Rest Rest only And therefore cease to wonder that this man should be so fearelesse either privily to undermine or apertly to oppugne the expresse Doctrines of our Church Answ 1. It was the Tenet of S. Augustine a Aug. d. Prad Sanct. cap. 14. and of the faithfull in his dayes that if a just person forsake his righteousnes in qua diu vixit wherin hee hath lived long and shall depart this life in wickednesse in qua non unum annum sed unum diem duxerit wherin hee continued not one yeare but one day in poenas iniquis debitas hinc iturum hee shall passe from hence into eternall punishment due to the wicked Huic perspicuae veritati saith Saint Augustine quis fidelium contradicit what faithfull Christian contradicts this evident or perspicuous verity Now if the former doctrine was maintained for Catholike and Orthodoxall in Saint Augustine's daies then he who saith a man may be justified to day and be in perill of damnation the next day b D. Overall Confer Hampt Court p 41. Whosoever though before justified did commit any grievous sinne as Adultery Murder Treason and the like did become ipso facto subject to God's wrath guilty of damnation or were in state of damnation quo ad praesentem justitiam untill they did repent Against which doctrine he said some had opposed teaching That all such persons as were once truely justified although after they fell into never so grievous sinnes yet remained still just 〈◊〉 in the state of justification before they actually repented of these sinnes Yea and although they never repented of them through forgetfulnesse or sudden death yet th y should be saved w thout Repentāce hath delivered nothing savoring of Pelagianisme or repugnant to sound Doctrine in the Article of Iustification 2 Br. B. is false in saying he hath heard his Adversary in open Court speake against God's Election for the Bishop firmely believeth That God hath freely without any merit of their owne in his meere bounty and love for the merit of Christ elected all those to eternall life which shall be glorified in the world to come 3 The Bishop truly affirmed pag. 143. That the fourth Commandement of the Decalogue according to the literall sence thereof enjoyned not such spirituall and Evangelicall duties as Theop. Br. mentioned in his Objection to wit preaching of Christ crucified and raysed from the dead Prayer to God the Father in the name of Christ receiving Baptisme and the Holy Eucharist But he maintaineth that the equity of the fourth Commandement together with the Evangelicall Law requireth not only rest from secular labour and negotiation but also the performance of spirituall and evangelicall duties upon the Lord's-Day and upon other Holy dayes and times devoted by the Church to the service of Christ pag. 143. A. The Adversary in his Booke doth much except against and cannot endure that the Lord's-Day should be called the Sabbath Day And I remember one passage in it wherein he bequarrelleth H. B. for saying that the ancient Fathers did ever and usually call it the Sabbath Day B. Concerning that I have spoken with H. B. and hee saith he will answer and make good what he hath said against his Adversary And howsoever those words indeed ever and usually might give Advantage to the Adversary to carpe yet being rightly understood they may passe currant enough for by ever usually hee meant that all the ancient Fathers although they distinguish betweene the Lord's-Day and the Iewes Sabbath Day yet they ever took and observed the Lord's-Day instead of the Old Sabbath and ever used it for the Rest day or Sabbath of Christians Answ 1. The Bishop's words pag. 201. are I have diligently searched into Antiquity and observed in the Fathers their formes of speech when they treate of the Lord's-Day and I finde it farre differing from the usuall language of the Fathers to stile the Lord's-Day the Sabbath Day And they by the name Sabbath either understand the Old Legall Sabbath taken away by Christ Or the mysticall and spirituall Sabbath which was tiped and represented by the Sabbath of the fourth Commandement 2 In the former passage the Bishop speaketh not of moderne writers neither hath he denied that any of these especially here in England have stiled the Lord's-Day by the name of Sabbath or Christian Sabbath for his assertion was onely concerning the Ancient Fathers a Igna. ad Magnes post Sabbatū omnis Christi amator dominicam celebret diem c. Orig. in Exod hom 7. In nostra dominica semper pluit Manna in Sabbato nō pluit Clemens Apost Constit li. 7. ca. 24. Sabbatū Dominicum festos dies agite quod ille quidem dies recordatio sit fabricationis mundi hic vero Resurrectionis Athanas Epist ad Marcel Si psallere vis in Sabbato habes Psalm 91. Vis gratias agere in dominico habes psal 23. Ambros d. sacram lib. 4. cap. 6. Greg Nyssen orat d. castigat August Epist 86. Hilar. Prolog in Psalm Socrat. hist Eccl. lib. 6. cap. 8. Tripertit hist lib. 1. cap. 9. And therefore Br. B. fighteth with his owne shadow when he produceth moderne authorities to confirme that which concerneth not the point in question 3 The Bishop pag. 205. makes cleare ostension that H. B. had falsified three places of Saint Augustine And to prove himselfe an impudent Prevaricator he had foisted in these words Hoc est Dominicum into Saint Augustine's very text Contra Adimant Manich. Cap. 15. 4 This Br. B. for his last refuge propoundeth a miserable and ridiculous argument to wit The Fathers observed the Lord's-Day in stead of the Old Sabbath Ergo they ever and usually called the same the Sabbath Day This argument may be paralleld with one like unto it The ancient Fathers observed