to see that all others did so also 'T is true civill Magistrates may abuse their power judge amisse and thinke that to be the command of God which is not but we must not therefore take away their power from them because they may pervert it and abuse it we must not deny that power they have for God because they may pervert it and turne the edge of it against God for if upon this ground the Magistrate hath no power over his Subjects in matters of the first Table he may have also all his feathers pul'd from him and all his power taken from him in matters of the second Table for we know that he may work strange changes there and perveâ—t Justice and Judgement exceedingly we must not deny their power because they may turne it awry and hurt Gods Church and people by it but as the Apostle exhorts 1 Timâ— 1.2 to pray for them the more that under them we may live a peaceable life in all Godlinesse and Honesty it s a thousand times better to suffer persecution for Righteousnesse sake and for a good Conscience then to desire and plead for toleration of all Consciences that so by this cowardly device and lukewarme principle our owne may be untoucht it was never heard of untill now of late that any of Gods Prophets Apostles Martyrs faithfull Witnesses c. that they ever pleaded for liberty in errour but onely for the Truth which they preacht and prayd for and suffered for unto the death and their sufferings for the truth with Zeale Patience Faith Constancy have done more good then the way of universall toleration is like to doe which is purposely invented to avoyd trouble Truth hath ever spread by opposition and persecution but errour being a Child of Satan hath fled by a zealous resisting of it Sick and weake men are to be tender'd much but Lunatick and Phrantiâ—â— men are in best case when they are well fettered and bound a weake Conscience is to be tendered an humble Conscience tolerated errours of weaknesse not wickednesse are with all gentlenesse to be handled the liberty given in the raign of Episcopacy for Sports and Pastimes and May-games upon the Lords Day was once loathsome to all honest minds bat now to allow a greater Liberty to Buy Sell Plow Cart Thrash Sport upon the Sabbath day to all those who pretend Conscience or rather that they have no Conscience of one day more then another is to build up Iericho and Babel againe and to lay foundations of wrath to the Land for God will certainly revenge the pollutions of his Sabbaths if God be troubled in his Rest no wonder if he disturbes our peace some of the Ancients thinke that the Lord brought the flood of Waters upon the Sabbath day as they gather from Gen. 7.10 because they were growne to be great prophaneâ—s of the Sabbath and we know that Prague was taken upon this day The day of their sinne began all their sorrowes which are continued to this day to the amazement of the World when the time comes that the Lords precious Sabbaths are the dayes of Gods Churches Rest then shall come in the Churches peace Psal. 102.13.14 The free grace of Christ must first begin herein with us that we may finde at last that Rest which this evill World is not yet like to see unlesse it speedily love his Law more and his Sabbaths better I could therefore desire to conclude this doctrine of the Sabbath with teares and I wish it might be matter of bitter lamentation to the mourners in Sion everywhere to behold the universall prophanation of these precious times and seasons of refreshing toward which through the abounding of iniquity the love of many who once seemed zealous for them is now grown cold the Lord might have suffered poore worthlesse sorrowfull man to have worne and wasted out all his daies in this life in wearinesse griefe and labour and to have filled his daies with nothing else but work and minding of his own things and bearing his own necessary cumbers and burdens here and never have allowed him a day of rest untill he came up to heaven at the end of his life and thus to have done would have been infinite mercy and love though he had made him grind the Mill only of his own occasions feele the whip and the lash onely of his daily griefs and labours untill dark night came but such is the overflowing and abundant love of a blessed God that it cannot containe it selfe as it were so long a time from speciall fellowship with his people here in a strange land and in an evill world and therefore will have some speciall times of speciall fellowship and sweetest mutuall embracings and this time must not be a moment an houre a little and then away againe but a whole day that there may be time enough to have their fill of love in each others bosome before they part this day must not be meerly occâ—sionall at humane liberty and now and then least it be too seldome and so strangenesse grow between them but the Lord who exceeds and excels poor man in love therefore to make all sure he sets and flxeth the day and appoints the time and how to meet meerly out of love that weary man may enjoy his rest his God his love his Heaven as much and as often as may be here in this life untill he come up to glory to rest with God and that because man cannot here enjoy his daies of glory he might therefore foretaste them in daies of grace and is this the requitall and all the thanks he hath for his heart-breaking love to turne back sweet presence and fellowship and love of God in them to dispute away these daies with scorne and contempt to smoke them away with Prophannesse and madde mirth to Dreame them away with Vanity to Drinke to Sweare to Ryot to Whore to Sport to Play to Card to Dice to put on their best Apparrell that they may dishonour God with greater pompe and bravery to talke of the World to be later up that dâ—y then any other day of the Weeke when their own Irons are in the fire and yet to sleepe Sermon or scorne the Ministery if it comes home to their Consciences to tell Tales and breake Jests at home or at best to talke of Forraigne or Domesticall newes onely to passe away the time rather then to see God in his Workes and warme their hearts thereby to thinke God hath good measure given him if they attend on him in the Fooreâ—oone although the After-noone be given to the Devill or sleepe or vanity or foolish pastimes to draw neere to God in their bodies when their Thoughts and Hearts and Affections are gone a Hunting or Ravening after the World the Lord knowes where but farre enough off from him do you thus requite the Lord for this great love oh foolish people and unwise do you thus make the daies of your
God is wasting the Land and burning down its glory for the sins against his Sabbaths that just at this time more then ever they should rise up to polute and prophane this day The Lord grant his poor people to see cause at last to mourn for this sin that the rest of the Sabbath may be rest to their souls especially in this weary hour of Temptation which is shaking all things and threatens yet greater troubles unto all flesh The Lord Jesus certainly hath great blessings in his hand to poure out upon his people in giving them better dayes and brighter and more beautiful Sabbaths and glorious appearances but I fear and therefore I desire that this unwise and unthankful generation may not stand in their own way lest the Lord make quick work and give those things to a remnant to enjoy which others had no hearts to prize FINIS * Deus quâ— principium dat esso qua finis firmat stabilit esse datum Gibbeâ—â— de lib. Dei creat Field of the Church chap. 2. * Tu hic ordâ—nem considera alia creantur prepter hominem ideo post illa coâ—ditur homo Homo vero ad Dei cultum ideo statem post illius creationem Sabbathi benedictio sanctificatio inducitur Pet Mart. in prac 4 m. Aug. de lib. arb li. 1 ca. 3. * Camer in Matth 16. Câ—â—â—et Pral in â—â—p Mat. 16. * Alex Hal. paâ—t 3. Q. 32. Art 1. Irons Q 2. cap. 8. * Driedo de lib. Christ. lib. 3. cap. 3. Vasquez To. 2. Dis. 12. Suarez metaph Disp. 10. Sect. 2. Surifingâ— de Deo Tract 3. Disp. 1. Sect. 32. Wal. disserâ— de 4. prac ca. 3. Cameâ— praâ— in Mat. ca. 16. White Treat of Sab. day p. 26 28. Ibid. Prim. par 2. cap. 7. Sect. 13 14 15. Ibid. * Vid. Thes. 9. * Pâ—aecoptâ—rum mâ—ralium tâ—â—pâ—ex est gradus c. Aqui. 1 2. q. 10â— art 11. Aquin. 1.2 q. 99. art 2. 100 arâ— â— Vid. Course of conformity pag. 114. Aquiâ— 1 2 q. 98. Art 5. Zanchy in 4. Praec Prim. 2. par cap. 6. S. 8. Irons quest â— cap. 9. * So Iuniâ—â— Wâ—llet in loc Prim. part 2. cap. 6. S. 8. par 2. cap. 6. l. 12. Pisc. prâ—fat on Exod. Vid. Pisc. prâ—f in Exod. Vid Iun. de Pol. Mos. Irons quaest 2. cap. 8. Irons quast 2. cap. 9. Prim. par 2. cap. 6. Sect. 15 19. Gom. Invest Orig. Sab. ca 5 Breer p. 47 48 Wal. dissers de prâ—c 4. c 4. * Heylin Broad Tract de Sob cap. 4. Wal. diss de 4 prâ—â— cap. 5. Wal. ibid. Doâ— Wal. dissert de 4. praec c 6. In hoc quarto praeceptâ— aliquem peculiarem sanctificationis modum mandarâ— quae in aliis praeceptis non mandatur a nobis quâ—que extra controversiam debâ—t collâ—â—ari â—um in his decem verbis Tautologia supervacuâ— non committâ—â—ur Wal. Ibid. Wal. diss de 4 praes cap. 51 Vid Rain de Eccles. Rom. Idol l. 2. c. 3. Object 1. Object 2. * Vid. Thes. 34 Object 3. Gom. Inv. sent Orig. Sab. ca 5. Prim par 2. cap. 6. Sect. 15. Prim. par 2. cap. 6. S. 3 4 5. Ibid. Sect. 6. Wal. dissert de 4. pâ—aec Wal. diss de 4 prâ—â— cap. 5 Prim. part 2. c. 6.8.15 Daven in Col. 3. Wall in 4. praec * Iohn 16. â— H. Den. Saltmarsh Sparkles of glory p 265. * I. S. Calv. adv Liberâ— Vid. Tauleâ—i vitâ— Saltmarsh Sparkles p. 243. Town Ans. to Tayl. Psal. 19.12 ☜ Iun. Thes. de bon oper Saltmarsh Overflowing of Christs bloud Bulling in loc Chamieâ— dâ— oper Necess cap. 3. Cham. de Oper. Necâ—s cap. 4. Ps. 119.4 5 1 Ioh. 2.3 4 3.14 2 Thes. 2 1â— 14. Isa. â—8 3 1 Thes. 1.4 5 6. * Viz. that the Gospel belongs to sinners as sinners No universall redemption the ground of faith Prim. part 2. cap. 6. S. 24. Prim. part 2. cap. â— S. 24. Part. 2. cap. 7. S. 4. Wal. disâ—ert cap. 1. Jun. Annal. Explic. in Lev. 25. Prim. part 2. cap. 6. Jun. Paral. B. Manusâ— of Sab. Wal. diâ—â— de 4. praeâ— cap. 3. Prim. part 2. cap. 10. S. 15. Prim. part 2. cap. 1. S. 14. Irons Q. 1 cap. 4. Jun. in Gen. 2. Irons Q. 1 cap. 4. Gomar Inv. Seâ—â— Orig. Sab. 126. Prim. part 2. cap. 2. S. 1. Prim. part 2. cap. 2. S. 5. Prim. part 2. cap. 2. s. 19. Irons Q. 1 cap. 2. Prim. parâ— 1. cap. 2â— S. 4. Broad Tract c. 1. Ibid. Greg. Val. Tom. 5. disp 7. Q. 4. Alex. Ales. part 2 Q. 86. Riâ—et in Com. 4. Ibid. s 19. Ibid. s. 18. Irons Q. 1 cap. 2. Damas. â—4 â—id Orth. cap. 24. * Change of Sabbath Aret. loc Com. de Sab. Rivet in Com. 4 dissert de orig Sab. Prim. part 1. cap. 3. s. 9. Prim part 1. cap. 3. S. 3. Aquâ— 1â— 2â— Q. 91. art 1. Prim. part 1. cap. 6. Prim. part 2. cap. 2. Wal. diss de 4. prae cap. 2. Prim. part 1. cap. 7. s. 3. Vide Spriâ—â— on Sabb. Ironsides answer to 30 Argum. Qu. 5. c. 17. Austin Prim. part cap. â— Hey lin Hist. l. 2. * Lake Theses Jun. Ann. in Gen. 2.3 Iron Qu. 5. cap. 89. Gomar Invest Sent. orig Sab. cap. 9. Primr par 3. cap. 5. Primr par â— cap. 5. Ibid. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primr par 3. c. 6. Primr par 3. cap. 7. Rivet Dissert De orig Sab. cap. 10. Opin 1. Opin 2. T. Brabourne I.N. Nehem 13.19 Opin 3. * 2 Cor. 11.25 Opin 4. Weemes on the fourth Command Vid. Iun. in loc August ep 48.
pray that their flight may not be in the winter or Sabbath-day as it were easie to open these places against all Cavils and therefore it is for substance Moral Yet the word Sabbatisme Heb. 4.9 and the Apostles gradation from yeerely Holy-dayes to monthly new-moons and from them to weekly Sabbaths which are called shadowes of things to come Colos. 2.16 seemes strongly to argue some type affixed to those individual Sabbaths or Jewish seventh dayes and hence it is perhaps that the Sabbath is set among Moral Lawes in the Decalogue being originally and essentially Moral and yet is set among ceremonial Feast-dayes Levit. 23.2 3. because it is accidentally typical And therefore Mr. Brabourne need not raise such a dust and cry out Oh monstrous very strange what a mingle-mangle what a hâ—tch-potch have we here what a confusion and jumbling of things so farre distant as when Morals and Ceremonials are here mingled together No verily we do not make the fourth Commandment essentially Ceremonial but being acidentally so why may it notwithstanding this be mingled among the rest of the Morals Let one solid reason be given but away with words Thesis 21. If the question be what Type is affixed and annexed to the Sabbath I think it difficult to find out although mans wanton wit can easily allegorize and readily frame imaginations enough in this point Some thing it typified Christs Rest in the grave but I feare this will not hold no more then many other Popish conjectures wherein their allegorizing Postillers abound Bullinger and some others think that it was Typical in respect of the peculiar Sacrifices annexed to it which Sacrifices were Types of Christ Numb 28.9 And although much might be said for this against that which Mr. Brabourne replies yet I see nothing cogent in this for the multiplying of Sacrifice which were 〈…〉 on this Day proves rather a specialty of worshipping God more aboundantly on this Day then any Ceremonialnesse in it for if the offering of Sacrifices meerly should make a day Ceremonial why did it not make every Day Ceremonial in respect of every dayes offering of the Morning and Evening Sacrifice Some think that our Rest upon the Sabbath not God the Fathers Rest as Mr. Brabourne turnes it was made not onely a resemblance but also a Type of our Rest in Christ of which the Apostle speaks Heb. 4.3 which is therefore called a Sabbatisme vâ—r 9. or a keeping of a Sabbath at the word signifies What others would inferre from this place to make the Sabbath to be meerly Cermonial and what Mr. Brabourne would answer from hence that it is not at all Ceremonial may both of them be easily answered here again as already they have been in some of the former Theses Some scruples I see not yet through about this text inforce me herein to be silent and therefore to leave it to such as think they may defend it as one ground of some affixed Type unto the Jewish Sabbath Thesis 22. Learned Iunius goes before us herein and points out the Type affixed to that Sabbath For besides the first institution of it in Paradise he makes two other causes which he calls Accessory or affixed and added to it 1. One was Civill or Civil that men and beasts might rest from their toilsome labour every week 2. Ceremoniall or Ceremonial for their solemne Commemoration of their deliverance out of Egypt which we know typified our deliverance by Christ Deut. 5.15 Some think indeed that their deliverance out of Egypt was upon the Sabbath day but this I do not urge because though it be very probable yet it is not certaine onely this is certaine that they were to Sanctifie this Day because of this their Deliverance and 't is certaine this Deliverance was Typical of our deliverance by Christ and hence 't is certaine that there was a Type affixed to this Sabbath and because the Scripture is so plain and expresse in it I 〈◊〉 inclined to think the same which Iunius doth that this is the Type rather then any other I have yet heard of against which I know many things may be objected onely it may be sufficient to clear up the place against that which Mr. Brabourne answerâ— to it Thesis 23. The Deliverance 〈◊〉 of Egypt saith he is not 〈…〉 as the ground of the Institution of the Sabbath but onely as a motive to the observation thereof as it was more generall in the Preface to the Decalogue to the obedience of every other command which notwithstanding are not Ceremonial for God saith I am the Lord who brought thee out of Egypt therefore keepe thou the first the second the third the fifth the sixth as well as the fourth Commandment and therefore saith he we may make every Commandment Ceremonial as well as the Sabbath if the motive of deliverance out of Egypt makes the Sabbath to be so This is the substance and sinewes of his discourse herein and I confesse its true their Deliverance out of Egypt was not the first ground of the institution of it but Gods Rest after his six dayes labour yet it was such a ground as we contend for viz. a secondary and an annexed or affixed ground And that it was not a Motive only to observe that day as it is in the Preface to the Decalogue but a superadded ground of it may appear from this one consideration viz. because that very ground on which the Lord urgeth the observation of the Sabbath in Exod. 20.11 it is wholly left out in the repetition of the Law Deut. 5.15 and their deliverance out of Egypt put into the rome thereof for the ground in Exod. 20.11 is this Six daies God made Heaven and Earth and rested the seventh day and sanctified it but instead of these words and of this ground we finde other words put into their roome Deut. 5.15 Remember thou wast a servant in the Land of Egypt and that the Lord brought thee out thence with a mighty hand therefore the Lord thy God commandeth thee to Keepe the Sabbath Which seems to argue strongly that these words are not a meer Motive but another ground of the observation of the Sabbath And why might not the generall Motive in the Preface of the Decalogue serve as a sufficient Motive to the obedience of this Commandment if there was no more but a Motive in these words of Deutr. and therefore I suppose this was also the ground and affixed Type unto the Jewish Sabbath Thesis 24. But still the difficulty remains for Master Brabourne will say that those were but humane reasons but what ground is there from Scripture for the institution of another Sabbath as well as of the abrogation of the old which if it be not cleared I confesse this cause sinks here therefore let it be again observed that we are not to expect such evidence from Scripture concerning this Change as fond and humorous wit sometimes pleads for In this controversie namely That Christ should 〈◊〉
practice in sports and revellings upon this day beare sufficient witnesse and oh that we had no cause to wash off this spot with our teares from the beautifull and pleasant face of the glorious grace and peace which once shined in the German Churches by whose Graves we may stand weeping and say this is your misery for this your provoking sin Scotland knows best her own integrity whose lights have been burning and shining long in their clearnesse in this particular But England hath had the name and worn this Garland of glory wherewith the Lord hath crowned it above all other Churches But how hath that little flock of slaughter which hath wept for it and preacht and printed and done and suffered for it beene hated and persecuted who have been the scorne and shame and reproach of men but a company of poor weaklings for going out a few miles to hear a faithful painful Preacher from those idle Shepheards who either could not feed them with knowledge and understanding at home or else would not do it through grosse prophanesse or extream idlenesse And now since God hath broken the yoke of their oppressors and set his people at liberty to returne to Sion and her solemne assemblies as in dayes of old and hath given to them the desires of their hearts that they may now be as holy on the Sabbath as they will without any to reproach them at least to countenance such reproaches of them now I say when one would think the precious Sabbaths which so many of Gods servants in former time have brought down to this generation swiming in their teares and prayers and which many in these dayes have so much looked and longed for that every eye should be looking up to Heaven with thankfulnes for these and that every heart should embrace Gods Sabbaths with teares of joyfulnesse and bid this dear and precious friend welcome and lie and rest in their bosome and so I doubt not but that England hath yet may a corner ful of such precious Jewels to whom Gods Sabbathâ— are yet most precious and glorious and who cannot easily forget such blessed seasons and meanes in them whereby if ever the Lord did good unto them they have been so oft refreshed and wherein they have so oft seen God wherein they have so oft met with him and he with them but whose heart will it not make to relent and sigh to hear of late a company not of ignorant debosht persons malignants prelatical and corrupt and carnal men but of such who have many of them in former times given great hopes of some feare of God and much love to Gods Ordinances and Sabbaths and now what hurt the Sabbaths Ordinances of the Lord Jesus therein have done them I know not but it would break ones heart to see what little care there is to sanctifie the Sabbath even by them who think in their judgments that the day is of God What poore preparation for it either in themselves or families what little care to profit by it or to instruct and catehize their families and to bring them also it love with it what secret wearinesse and dead-heartednesse almost wholly unlamented remains upon them what earthly thoughts what liberty in speech about any worldly matter presently after the most warning Sermon is done that the Lord Jesus hath scarce good carcasses and outsides brought him which cannot but threaten more crows to pick them unlesse they repent and yet this is not so sad as to see the loosenesse of mens judgments in this point of the Sabbath whereby some think a Sabbath lawful but not necessary in respect of any command of God nay some think it superstition to observe a weekly Sabbath which should be every day as they imagine they have allegorized Gods Sabbaths and almost all Gods Ordinances out of the world and cast such pretended Antichristian filth and pollution upon them that spiritual men must not now meddle with them nay verily all duties of the moral Law and fruitful obedience and holy walking and sanctification graces and humiliation and such like are the secret contempt of many and the base drudgery for a â—ll-horse and legal Christian rather then for one that is of an Evangelical frame and herein Satan now appears with the ball at his foot and seems to threaten in time to carry all before him and to kick and carry Gods precious Sabbaths out of the world with him and then farewel dear Lord Jesus with all thy sweet love and life if Sabbaths be once taken from us by the blind and bold disputings of wretched men authority as yet upholds them which is no small mercy and the savour of Christs sweetnesse in them and the external brightnesse of the beauty of them do still remaine on many with that strength and glory that it is not good policy for the prince of darknesse now to imploy all his forces against the gates of the Sabbath but the time hastens wherein the assault will be great and fierce and I much fear that for the secret contempt of these things the Lord in dreadful justice will strengthen delusions about this day to break forth and prosper and then pray you poor Saints of God and hidden ones that your flight may not be in the Winter nor on the Sabbath day but woe then to them that give suâ—k woe then to the high Ministry that should have kept these gates woe then to that loose and wanton generation rising up who think such outward formes and observation of dayes to be too course and too low and mean a work for their enobled spirits which are now raised higher and neerer God then to look much after Sabbaths or Ordinances graces or duties or any such outward forms for I doubt not but if after all the light and glory shining in England concerning Gods Sabbaths if yet they are not thereby become precious but that the Lord will make them so by his plagues if this sin once get head God will burne up the whole world and make himself-dreadful to all flesh untill he hath made unto himself a holy people and a humble people that shall love the dust and take pleasure in the very stones of his house and love the place where his Honour dwels and long for the time wherein his presence and blessing shall appear and be poured out upon the Sabbath day It 's matter of the greatest mourning that they above all other should trouble Gods rest wherein perhaps their souls have found so much rest or might have done that in these times wherein the Lord Jesus was coming out to give unto his house his Ordinances and unto his people his Sabbaths and dayes of rest every way that now they above all others should offer to pull them out of his hand tread them under foot and hereby teach all the prophane rout in the world to do the like with a quiet conscience and without any check by their reasonings that now when
his time till Christs Ascension if since that time they bring it a peg lower and make it to be a humane Constitution of the Church rather then any Divine Institution of Christ Iesus and herein those that oppose the Morality of it by dint of argument and out of candor and conscience propose their grounds on which they remaine unsatisfied I do from my heart both highly and heartily honour and especially the labours of Master Primrose and Master Ironside many of whose Arguments and Answers to what is usually said in defence of the Morality of the day who ever ponders them shall finde them heavie the foundations and sinewes of whose discourses I have therefore had a speciall eye to in the ensuing Theses with a most free submission of what is here returned in answer thereto to the censure of better minds and riper thoughts being verily perswaded that whoever finds no Knots or Difficulties to humble his spirit herein either knows not himselfe or not the Controversie but as for those whose chiefe arguments are reproaches and revilings of embittered and corrupt hearts rather then solid reasons of modest minds I wholly decline the pursuit of such creatures whose weapons is their swell and not any strength and do leave them to his tribunall who judgeth righteously for blearing the eyes of the world and endeavouring to exasperate Princes and make wise men beleeve that this Doctrine of the Sabbath is but a late Novelty a Doctrine tending to a high degree of Schisme a phanatick Iudaizing like his at Tewksbury Sabbata sancta colo i. e. a peece of Disciplinary Policy to advance Presbytery a superstitious seething over of the hot or whining simplicity of an over-rigid crabbed precise crack-brain'd Puritanicall party the righteous God hath his little dayes of judgment in this life to clear up and vindicate the righteous cause of his innocent servants against all gainsayers and who sees not but those that will be blinde that the Lord hath begun to do something this way by these late broyles the controversie God hath with a Land is many times in defence of the controversies of his faithfull Witnesses the sword maintaines argument and makes way for that which the Word could not those plants which not many yeers since most men would not beleeve not to be of Gods planting hath the Lord puld up the three innocent Fire-brands so fast tyed to some Foxes tayles are now prety well quencht and the tayles almost cut off this cause of the Sabbath also the Lord Iesus is now handling God hath cast down the Crownes of Princes stained the Robes of Nobles with dirt and blood broken the Croziers and torne the Miters in peeces for the controversie of his Sabbath Jer. 17.27 he hath already made way for his Discipline also which they feared the precise Sabbath would introduce again by such a way as hath made all hearts to ake just according to the words never to be forgotten of Mr. Udal in his Preface to the Demonstration of Discipline The Councel of Matiscon imputed the irruption of the Goths into the Empire to the prophanation of the Sabbath Germany may now see or else one day they shall see that one great cause of their troubles is that the Sabbath wanted its Rest in the dayes of their quietnesse England was at rest till they troubled Gods Sabbath The Lord Iesus must reign the Government of his House the Laws of his Kingdom the Solemn days of his worship must be established the cause of his suffering and afflicted servants not of our late religious scorners at Ordinances Lawes and Sabbaths who are now at rest from their labours but in former times wept and prayed and petitioned and preacht and writ and suffered and dyed for these things and are now crying under the Altar must and shall certainly be cleared before men and Angels Heaven and earth shall passe away before one tittle of the Law much lesse a whole Sabbath shall perish But while I am thus musing me thinks no measure of tears are sufficient to lament the present state of times that when the Lord Iesus was come forth to vindicate the cause and controversie of Sion there should rise up other Instruments of spiritual wickednesses in high places to blot out the name and sweet remembrance of this Day from off the face of the earth the enemies of the Sabbath are now not so much malignant time-servers and aspiring brambles whom preferment principally byassed to knock at the Sabbath but those who have eaten bread with Christ a generation of professing people do lift up their heel against his Sabbath so that what could not formerly be done against it by Angels of darknes the old Serpent takes another course to effect it by seeming Angels of light who by a new device are raised up to build the sepulchres of those who persecuted the Prophets in former times to justifie all the books of sports the reading of them yea all the former present profanations yea scoffs scorns against the Sabbath day For as in former times they have Ceremonialized it out of the Decalogue yet by humane constitutiō have retained it in the Church so these of later times have spritualized it out of the Decalogue ye out of of all the Churches in the world For by making the Christian Sabbath to be only a spirituall Sabbath in the bosome of God out of Heb. 4. they hereby abolish a seventh dayes Sabbath and make every day equally a Sabbath to a Christian man This I hope will be the last but it is the most specious and fairest colour and banner that ever was erected to fight under against the Christian Sabbath and is most fit to deceive not only some sudden men of loose and wanton wits but especially men of spirituall but too shallow minds In times of Light as these are reputed to be Satan comes not abroad usually to deceive with fleshly and grosse forgeries and his cloven foot for every one almost would then discerne his haltings but with more mystical yet strong delusions and invisible chaines of darknesse whereby he bindes his captives the faster to the judgment of the great day And therefore the watchword given in the bright and shining times of the Apostle was to Try the Spirits and Believe not every Spirit And take heed of Spirits who indeed were only fleshly and corrupt men yet called Spirits because they pretended to have much of the Spirit and their doctrines seemed only to advance the Spirit the fittest and fairest cobwebs to deceive and intangle the world in those discerning times that possible could be spun out of the poysonfull bowels of corrupt and ambitious wit The times are now come wherein by the refined mysticall divinity of the old Monks not only the Sabbath but also all the Ordinances of Christ in the New-Testament are allegorized and spirituallized out of the world And therefore 't is no marvel when they abolish the outward Sabbath because of
rest as this and as afterward it sell out in the finishing of the work of redemption it might have been as well upon such a day as this but it was not then so and hence the rest day fell as it were accidentally upon this and hence it is that Gods example of rest on that particular day doth not necessarily binde us to observe the same seventh day morall examples not alway binding in their accidentals as the case is here although it be true that in their essentials they alway do Thesis 134. There is no strength in that reason that because one day in seven is to be consecrated unto God that therefore one yeere in seven is to be so also as of old it was among the Jewâ—â— for beside what hath been said formerly viz. that one yeere in seven was meerly ceremoniall one day in seven is not so saith Wallaeus but morall God gave no example whose example is onely in morall things of resting one yeere in seven but he did of resting one day in seven I say beside all this it is observable what Iunius notes herein The Lord saith he challengeth one day in seven jure creationis by right of creation and hence requires it of all men created but he challenged one yeere in seven jure peculiaris possessionis i. by right of peculiar possession the Land of Canaan being the Lords land in a peculiar manner even a type of Heaven which every other Country is not and therefore there is no reason that all men should give God one seventh yeer as they are to give him one seventh day By the observation of one day in seven saith he men professe themselves to be the Lords and to belong unto him who created and made them and this profession all men are bound unto but by observation of one yeere in seven they professed thereby that their Countrey was the Lords and themselves the Lords Tenants therein which all Countreys not being types of Heaven cannot nor ought to doe and therefore there is not the like reason urged to the observation of a seventh yeere as of a seventh day Thesis 135. Look therefore as 't is in the second Commandement although the particular instituted worship is changed under the Gospel from what it was under the Law yet the generall duty required therein of observing Gods own instituted worship is morall and unchangeable so t is in the fourth Commandement where though the particular day be changed yet the duty remains morall and unchangeable in observing a seventh day there is therefore no reason to imagine that the generall duty contained in this precept is not morall because the observance of the particular day is mutable and yet this is the fairest colour but the strongest refuge of lies which their cause hath who hold a seventh day to be meerly ceremoniall Thesis 136. If it be a morall duty to observe one day in seven then the observation of such a day no more infringeth Christian liberty then obedience to any other morall Law one part of our Christian liberty consisting in our conformity to it as our â—ondage consists in being left to sinne against it and therefore that argument against the morality of one day in seven is very feeble as if Christian liberty was hereby infringed Thesis 137. It was meet that God should have speciall service from man and therefore meet for himselfe to appoint a speciall time for it which time though it be a circumstance yet it s such a circumstance as hath a speciall influence into any businesse not onely humane but also divine and therefore if it be naturally it may be also ethically and morally good contributing much also to what is morally good and therefore the determination of such a time for length frequency and holinesse may be justly taken in among the morall Laws he that shall doubt of such a powerfull influence of speciall time for the furthering of what is specially good may look upon the art skill trade learning nay grace it self perhaps which he hath got by the help of the improvement of time a prophane and religious heart are seen and accounted of according to their improvements of time more or lesse in holy things Time is not therefore such a circumstance as is good only because commanded as the place of the Temple was but it is commanded because it is good because time nay much time reiterated in a weekly seventh part of time doth much advance and set forward that which is good Thesis 138. That Law which is an homogeneall part of the morall Law is morall but the fourth Commandment is such a part of the morall Law and therefore it is morall I do not say that that Law which is set and placed among the morall Laws in order of writing as our adversaries too frequently mistake us in that it is therefore morall for then it might be said as wel that the Sabbath is ceremoniall because it it is placed in order of writing among things ceremoniall Lev. 23. but if it be one link of the chain and an essentiall part of the morall Law then it s undoubtedly morall but so it is for its part of the Decalogue nine parts whereof all our adversaries we now contend with confesse to be morall and to make this fourth ceremoniall which God hath set in the heart of the Decalogue and commanded us to remember to keep it above any other Law seems very unlike to truth to a serene and sober minde not disturbed with such mud which usually lies at the bottome of the heart and turns light into darknesse and why one ceremoniall precept should be shuffled in among the rest which are of another tribe lineage and language hath been by many attempted but never soundly cleared unto this day surely if this Commandment be not morall then there are but nine Commandments left to us of the morall Law which is expresly contrary to Gods account Deut. 4. To affirm that all the commands of the Decalogue are morall yet every one in his proportion and degree and that this of the Sabbath is thus morall viz. in respect of the purpose and intent of the Lawgiver viz. That some time he set apart but not morall in respect of the letter in which it is exprest it is in some sence formerly explained true but in his sence who endeavours to prove the Sabbath ceremoniall while he saith it is morall is both dark and false for if it be said to be morall only in respect of some time to be set apart and this time an individuum vagum an indeterminate time beyond the verges of a seventh part of time then there is no more morality granted to the fourth Commandment then to the Commandment of building the temple and observing the new moons because in Gods command to build the Temple the generall purpose and intention of the Lawgiver was that some place be appointed for his publike worship and in commanding to
servile work or maintenance of any unnecessary work which the fame learned and acute writer imputes to our Saviour which I had almost said is almost blasphemous Thesis 202. It 's no argument that the Sabbath is not morall because it 's said Mark 2.27 that man is not made for it but it for man for saith Mr Ironside man is made for morall duties not they for man For let the Sabbath be taken for the bare rest of the Sabbath as the Pharisees did who placed so much Religion in the bare rest as that they thought it unlawfull to heal the sick on that day or feed the hungry so man is not made as lastly for the bâ—re rest but rather it for man and for his good but if by Sabbath be meant the Sanctification of that rest so man is made for it by Mr Primrose own confession Nor our Saviour speaks of the Sabbath in the first respect for the rest of it is but a means to a further and a better end viz. The true sanctification of it which the Pharisees little lookt unto and therefore he might well say that the Sabbath was made for man the rest of it being no further good then as it was helpfull to man in duties of piety or mercy required of man in the sanctification thereof M. Primrose confessing that man is made for the sanctification of the Sabbath would therefore winde out from this by making this sanctification on the Sabbath to be no more then what is equally required of man all the week beside but he is herein also much mistaken for though works of piety and mercy are required every day yet they are required with a certain eminency and specialty upon the Sabbath day and thence 't is that God cals mens to rest from all worldly occasions which he doth not on the weeke daies that they might honour God in speciall upon the Sabbath as shall hereafter appear Thesis 203. It 's a monkish speculation of M. Broad to distinguish so of the Sabbath in sensu mystico and sensu literali as that the mysticall sense like the lean and ill-favoured kine in Pharoah's dream shall eat up the literal sense and devour Gods blessed and sweet Sabbath for the Lord never meant by the Sabbath such a mysticall thing as the resting from the works of the old man only every day no more then when he commands us to labour six daies he permits us to labour in the works of the old man all the six daies Thesis 204. For though it be true that we are to rest every day from sin yet it will not hence follow that every day is to be a Christians Sabbath and that no one day in seven is to be set apart for it For 1. Upon the same ground Adam should have had no Sabbath because he was to rest from sin every day 2. The Jews also before Christ should have rejected all Sabbaths because they were then bound to rest from sin as well as Christians now 3. Upon the same ground there must be no daies of fasting or feasting under the Gospel because we are to fast from sinne every day and to be joyfull and thankfull every day I know some Libertines of late say so but upon the same ground there should have been none under the law neither for they were then bound as well as we to fast from sin 4. Hence neither should any man pay his debts because he is bound to be paying his debt of love to God and all men every day 5. Hence also no man should pray at any time in his family nor alone by himself solemnly because a Christian is bound to pray continually And indeed I did not think that any forehead could be so bold and brazen as to make such a conclusion but while I was writing this came to my hearing concerning a sea-man who came to these coasts from London miserably deluded with principles of Familisme who when an honest New-English man his Cabbin-mate invited him to go along and pray together considering their necessities he would professedly refuse to doe it upon this ground viz. Dost not pray continually Why then should we pray together now 6. The Commandment of the Sabbath doth not therefore presse us to rest only from such works as are in themselves evil which God allows at no tiâ—â— but from the works of our callings and weekly imployments which are in themselves lawfull and of necessity to be attended on at some time It is therefore a loose and groundlesse assertion to make every day under the Gospel to be a Christians Sabbath day Thesis 205. To think that the Sabbath was proper to the Jews because they only were able to keep and exactly observe the time of it being shut up as M. Primrose saith within a little corner of the earth and that the Gentiles therefore are not bound to it because they cannot exactly observe the time of it in severall quarters of the earth so far distant is a very feeble argument For why might not all nations exactly observe the rising and the setting of the sun according to severall climates by which the naturall day and so this of a Sabbath is exactly measured and which God hath appointed without limitation to any hour to be the bounds of the Sabbath as it sooner or later rises or sets were not the mariners of the men of Iudah bound to observe the Seventh day in all the severall coasts where they made their voyages did God limit them to the rising or setting sun of Iudaea only what colour is there to think thus of them indeed it 's true that in some habitable Northern coasts the Sun is not out of sight some moneths together but yet this is certain if they know how the year spends into moneths they can exactly reckon the weeks of those moneths and therefore can exactly tell you the daies of which those weeks consist and therefore they have their exact rules and measures to know East and West the place of the sun-rising and sun-setting and consequently to know the Sabbath daies and yet if they should not exactly know it their will to do it is herein as in other things accepted of God Thesis 206. If this truth concerning the morality of the Sabbath did depend upon the testimony of ancient writers it were easie to bring them up here in the rear notwithstanding the flourishes of the great Historian but this hath been done sufficiently by others nor doth it sute our scope who aim at only the clearing up of the meaning of the fourth command which must stand firm the heaven and earth shall fall asunder the Lord will rather waste kingdomes and the whole Christian world with fire and sword then let one tittle of his Law perish the land must rest when Gods Sabbaths cannot Lev. 26.34 and although I wish the Ministry of Christ Jesus a comely and comfortable maintenance as may richly testifie his peoples abundant thankfullnesse for the feet of
the more clear and distinct knowledge of it it being the priviledge of truth to be more purified and shine the brighter by passing thorough the heats and fires of mens contentions and disputations Thesis 2. There being therefore Five severall opinions concerning this particular it may not be unusefull to bring them all to the Balance and Touchstone that so by snuffing the Candle and rejecting that which is false the light of truth may shine the brighter at last Thesis 3. Some there be who make the Time mutable and various affirming that God hath not fixed any set time or that he stands upon or would have his people troubled with such Niceties so long as the day be observed say they it is no matter when it be begun nor do they make this variation to be according to that which God allows suppose from Sun to Sun sooner or later as the time of the yeere is but according to the civill customs of severall Nations as they variously begin or end their daies among whom they live as suppose they live among Romans they think they may begin it at midnight if with Babylonians at Sun-rising if among Grecians at Sun-set if among Umbrians and Arabians at mid-day Thesis 4. If the Scripture had left us such a liberty as this viz to measure the beginning of the day according to humane custome a scrupulous conscience I think might have a most and ready quieting answer here but it will be found too true that though Civill and common Time may admit of such variations as may best suit with their manner and occasions yet sacred and holy time is not dependent upon humane customs but upon divine institutions for which purpose God hath made the lights of Heaven to be for seasons Gen. 1.14 to be guides and helps to begin and end the seasons and daies which he shall appoint Thesis 5. T is true that it suits not with Gods wisdome to determine all particular circumstances of things which are almost innumerable and infinite by the expresse letter of the Scripture and therefore he hath left us a few generall Rules to direct us therein yet for the Lord to leave the determination of some circumstances to humane liberty would be very perilous The Temple was but a circumstance of place and King Vzziah in in offering Incense varied onely in a circumstance of person yet we know that the ten Tribes were carried away captive for not sacrificing at the Temple and Vzziah smitten with Leprosie till his death so the Lord having determined the Seventh day to be his what now should hinder but that he should determine the Beginning also thereof Thesis 6. If God hath been accurately carefull to fix the beginning of other Feasts and Holy daies far inferior unto this as appeareth Levit. 23.23 Exod. 12.6 why should we think that the Lord is lesse carefull about the beginning of his Sabbath Thesis 7. If the Lord hath not left it to humane wisdome to set down the bounds and limits of holy places as appears in the Temple Tabernacle and all their appurtenances why should we think that he hath left it to mans wisdome to limit and determine holy Time Thesis 8. If the Lord will have a speciall Time of worship once within the circle of Seven daies and not appoint the Time for the beginning and end of it might he not lose much of the beauty of the holinesse of the day every thing being beautifull in its season may not man begin the day at such a season as may not be beautifull Thesis 9. The Deputation of Time for holy uses upon occasion is allowed to man yet sanctification of Time and to set the bounds and limits of it is left to no man Sanctification not only positive but relative as here in the Sabbath being as proper to the Holy Ghost as Creation to the Father and Redemption to the Son Thesis 10. Application of holy Time to the performance of holy duties on the Sabbath as to fix what houres to meet in upon that day is left to humane prudence from generall rules of Conveniency Order Comelinesse but Consecration of constant and fixed Time is the Lords propriety not onely of the middle but of the beginning and end thereof Thesis 11. The Scriptures have left the determination of the Beginning of the Sabbath no more to civill Nations and their customs then to particular Churches and each particular person for they may all equally plead against the the Lordâ— strictnesse to any exact begining of time but if such a loose liberty were granted a world of confusion scandall and division would soon appeare for some persons might then begin it at midnight some at mid-day some might mâ—asure the beginning of the Sabbath according to their sleeping sooner or latter on the Sabbath day morning some might be Plowing or dancing and drinking when others are praying and hearing of the word and who could restraine them herein for they might plead the Sabbath is not yet begun to them Thesis 12. If therefore God hath sanctified a set Time he hath set and sanctified the bounds and limits of that Time and to begin the time when we lift it may sometime arise from weaknesse but usually t is a fruit of loosnesse of heart which secretly loves to live as it lists which would not conform to Gods rule and therefore will crook and bend the rule to its humour which will not come up to Gods time and therefore make God to come downe to theirs Thesis 13. O here there be who give god the honour of determining the beginning and end of the day but they cut him short of one halfe of it in that they make the Artificiall day or the Day-Light from Sun-rising to Sun-setting to be the day of his Sabbath Thus some affirm downright Others more modestly say hâ—t mans conscience ought not to be scrupulous nor trouble it selfe if conscienciously give God the honour of the Sabbath day-light having some generall preparations for it the night before and good affections the night after Thesis 14. But if the Day-light be the measure of the Sabbath those that live in some paâ—ts of the Russia and east-East-land must have once a yeere a very long Sabbath for there are some times of the yeeâ—e wherein they have day-light a moneth together Thesis 15. If God give us six naturall daies to labour in is it not fit that the seventh day should beare an equall proportion with every working day and therefore it is not an Artificiall but a Naturall day consisting of twenty four houres which we must in conscience allow unto God to be the Sabbath day Thesis 16. It is true that the night is given to man to rest in it being most fit for that end but it is not necessary that all the weekâ—ly nights be spent in sleep for we then do labour and Gods providence puts men generally upon it to labour in their callings earely and laâ—e those nights