THE TRYAL OF THE TRUTH Or rather The Law is the Truth PSALM CXIX CXLII Wherein are presented to the upright in heart certain Theoretical Queries viz. belonging to Study or Contemplation for the true finding out whether it be necessary to Salvation that we which profess obedience to the Gospel should walk in obedience to Gods Law the ten Commandements Exod. 20 Or whether we may justly refuse to doe that which is therein commanded and doe that which is therein forbidden without sinning against GOD Which Queries particularly and especially tend to make way for the finding out whether it be our duty to keep holy the seventh day Sabbath commanded Exod. 20.8 9 10 11 12 Or whether the duty of the Sabbath is not required of us who are Gentiles by nature Propounded by a Lover of the Truth I. O. Of Age 57 years Who desireth that Truth may be preferred in all things above Errour and Virtue above Vice that Truth may be honoured and Errour rejected Let us search and try our waies and turn unto the Lord. Lament 3.40 For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Matth. 7.8 At Amsterdam printed for the Author 1656. For ever O Lord is thy word settled in Heaven Psal 119.89 All thy Commandements are sure they stand fast for ever and ever and are done in truth and righteousnesse Psal 11.7.8 Nothing can be put to it nor nothing taken from it and God doth it that men should fear before him Eccles 4.14 God spake all these words saying Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six daies shalt thou labour and doe all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any work Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant c. Exod. 20.8.9.10.11 Blessed is the man that doth this and the son of man that layeth hold of it and keepeth the Sabbath from polluting of it and keepeth his hand from doing any evil Isaiah 56.2 Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandement is holy just and good Rom. 7.12 And it is easier for Heaven and Earth to passe than one tittle of the Law to fail Luke 16.17 For the hearers of the Law are not just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified Rom. 2.13 To the wel-meaning and impartial READER Honoured Reader THE reasons of my intruding the ensuing Queries to publick Consideration proceed out of an intire aime at the honour of God and an universal good to all men fearing God putting them in mind to consider whether the sanctification of the Lords seventh day Sabbath the day called Saturday commanded in the Decalogue or Moral Law is not a duty necessary to salvation And this I doe in regard I know the duty hath been a long time and yet is neglected both by men wise and unwise religious as otherwise some on one opinion some on another not knowing they doe evill as I shall relate passing by the names of the distinct Professions of men among whom the opinions doe reside till occasion be given 1. Some there are who say that the Law of God Exod. 20. is not given to the Gentiles and thereon they refuse to keep the seventh day Sabbath 2. Others say the Law of God is totally abolished by Iesus Christ and therefore they refuse to keep the seventh day Sabbath 3. Others say the whole Law is not abolished but the fourth Commandement is abrogated by Christ in that it was onely a Ceremonial Precept 4. Others there are who say the Law of God Exod. 20. is moral and perpetual and yet many of this sort say though very absurdly that the seventh dayes rest was transferred from the seventh day of the week to the first day of the week by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ on it so that since that time the first day of the week is to be kept as the Sahbath in the place of the Sabbath 5. Others there are who say that the seventh day Sabbath was not transferred from the seventh day to the first by Christ but was changed by the Authority of the Church after the death of the Apostles and on this account they refuse to keep the seventh dayes Sabbath 6. Some there are who refuse to keep the Sabbath out of an opinion that a daily ceasing from sin is the true keeping of the Sabbath 7. Others say the Law of God Exod. 20. is moral spiritual and perpetual and every jot and tittle of it is established by Iesus Christ and therefore they are as absolutely bound to keep the seventh daies Sabbath as they are to keep any precept of that Law of whose judgement I professe my selfe to be and why all men fearing God are not of the same judgement I greatly marvel seeing they cannot but know that God hath commanded his chosen people to keep the words of the Law or Covenant for ever wherein the Sabbath is contained without adding or diminishing therefrom and without turning either to the right hand or left whether they be Iews or Gentiles Deut. 4.13 29.9.11 31.12 4.2 5.32 In a word I doe beleeve that all men are to have the Law of God Exod. 20. in a high and honourable esteem and to commit themselves to be taught and governed by it for the Law is spiritual and eternal and bindeth the whole man spirit soul and body the understanding will and the affections thereof for ever Rom. 7.12.14 3.19 1 Cor. 9.21 Deut. 6.5 Mat. 22.37 Luke 16.17 James 2.10.11.12 1. Therefore it followeth necessarily according to my judgement that wee and all men are as absolutely and as unchangeably bound to keep the seventh daies Sabbath commanded in the fourth Precept as we are bound to keep any precept of that Law and other particular engagements binde me to be of this belief 2. Because the holy and blessed God made the Sabbath for man indefinitely before there was any distinction between Jew and Gentile Gen. 2.2.3 Mark 2.27 3. Because God himself rested on the seventh day Sabbath Gen. 2.2.3 and thereby gave us an example to rest on the seventh day also Exod. 20.11 Ephes 5.1 4. Because God commandeth his people Israel to keep the Sabbath for ever in remembrance that he made heaven and earth in six daies and rested on the seventh Exod. 31.17 By which Precept we are also bound to keep the Sabbath for ever we professing our selves to be the Israel of God Exod. 12.49 Numb 15.16 Exod. 31.12 Deut. 29.29 Acts 15.8.9 Gal. 3.28.29.54 5. Iesus Christ constantly kept the Sabbath Mark 6.2 Luke 4.26.31 and he requireth us to follow him John 12.16 Luke 14.27 1 John 2.6 6. The Apostles constantly kept the Sabbath Acts 13.14.15.16.27.42.43.44 16.13.14 17.2 And we are to imitate them 2 Cor. 11.1 Philip. 3.17 Heb. 6.12 Verily it appeareth to me a clear truth that we Gentiles are to keep the
And how can the Law be abolished by Christ seeing he came to establish it Luke 16.17 and not to destroy it Mat. 5.17 And if the Law be abolished by Christ why doe his Apostles require Christians to keep it Rom. 3.9 Ephes 6.1.2 James 1.22.25 chap. 2. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. chap. 4. 7. 11. Did they ever command Christians to keep an abolished Law If the Law be abolished by Christ how can it rightly be said that the preaching of faith doth establish it Rom. 3.31 If the Law Exod. 20 be abolished by Christ how then can Christians or any else transgress it seeing sin is not imputed where there is no law Rom. 5.13 Tell me directly you who say the Law is abolished whether you or any else may worship false Gods doe servile or common work on the seventh day Sabbath where necessitie is not disobey Parents kill lie steal c. and not transgresse the written law of God Exod. 20. Q. 12. Whether a spiritual or regenerate man I mean wisdoms sonne though a Gentile by nature is not as truly bound to doe or perform that which is commanded in the spiritual Law Exod. 20. as the natural or unregenerate man is bound to doe or perform the natural Law contained in himself If nay then Q. 13. Why is Wisdoms son required to keep the Law Prov. 3.1 7.1.2.3 1 Cor. 7. Q. 14. If wisdomes sonne is as truly bound to perform that which is commanded in the spiritual Law as the natural man is bound to keep the Law remaining in himself then Q. 15. How can wisdoms sonne without sin neglect or refuse to keep holy the seventh day Sabbath commanded in the Law seeing sin is the transgression of the Law wherein the Sabbath is commanded James 2.10 11. 1 John 3.4 Q. 16. Whether there be any thing or things commanded in Gods Law Exod. 20. which is not meet or fit to be performed by Christians If yea then Q. 17. What thing or things are they let them be manifested and if there be not any unmeet or unfit thing or things commanded in Gods Law Exod. 20. then Q. 18. Why should not Christians as truly and as duly keep the Lords seventh day Sabbath commanded in the fourth Precept of the first Table of Gods Law Ezod 20. as they are to keep the fourth Precept of the second Table of the same Law Q. 19. Whether beleeving Gentiles are not as truly bound in love to abstain from whatsoever God hath forbidden in the Moral Law as they are bound in love to doe whatsoever God hath commanded in the same Law If nay then Q. 20. What is there forbidden in the Moral Law that beleeving Gentiles may doe and not sinne seeing sinne is the transgression of the Law 1 John 3.4 James 2.10.11 And Q. 21. If Christian Gentiles are as truly bound in love to abstain from whatsoever God hath forbidden in the Moral Law as they are bound in love to doe whatsoever God hath commanded in the same Law Q. 22. Why then do we Christian Gentiles as conscionably abstain from doing of servile or common work on the Lords seventh day Sabbath the day abusively called Saturday as they do or ought to honour their Father and Mother commanded in the fifth precept of the same Law Q. 23. Whether the seventh and last day of the week the day called Saturday bee not the day which God blessed and sanctified before or above any one of the six daies of the week to bee the day or time for the performance of his publick worship on it to the end of the world If yea Q. 24. Why then doe Gods chosen people separate the seventh and last day of the weeke for the performance of Gods publick worship on it before or above any one of the other six daies of the week and honour our Creator on it and sanctifie it unto the Lord our God as he commandeth us in the Royal Law seeing God hath made unto us singular promises of heavenly and spiritual blessings upon our keeping of it Isaiah 56.2.3.4.6.7 Luke 11.28 a Honoured Reader if thou intendest to answer to these Queries be pleased to produce if thou canst that God at any time did make any promise of spiritualblessing either to Iew or Gentile on the doing of any thing which God in the first place required not of them For if there be no such thing to be shewen even this thing it self is of great validitie to mamfest that God commandeth his people the Gentiles to keep holy tho seventh day Sabbath And Q. 25. If the seventh and last day of the week be not the day which God blessed and sanctified before or above any one of the fix daies of the week to be the day or time of his publick worship what day is it which God hath blessed and sanctified to that end and how are these Scriptures to be understood Gen. 2.2.3 Exod. 16.26 20.8.9.10.11 31.17 Isaiah 56.2.3.4.5 66.23 Matth. 24.20 And Q. 26. Why did Jesus Christ in the time of his life and his Apostles after his death keep the seventh day Sabbath and constantly worship God on it Luke 4.16.31 Mark 6.2 Acts 13.14.15.16.37.42.43.44 16.13.14 And Q. 27. Why did they command Christians to follow them John 12.26 1 John 2.6 Matth. 10.38 2 Cor. 11.1 Phsl. 3.17 Hebr. 6.12 And Q. 28. If the seventh day Sabbath ought not to be kept by Christians why did the first Christian Churches almost through the whole world for more than the space of two hundred and fifty years after Ghrists death constantly keep the seventh day Sabbath for the worshipping God on it and receiving the holy Mysteries or Sacraments instituted by Christ as Socrates doth manifest they did in his 5. book and 21. chapter after the Greek in his 22. did they do evil therein Q. 29. Whether there be not in these our daies a Sabbath day to be kept holy unto the Lord our God If yea then Q. 30. What day is it if it be not the seventh day Sabbath and who made it Sa abbath Q. 31. And if the seventh and last day of the week the day called Saturday be the Sabbath day as the Word of God doth manifest it is Exod. 16.26 20.10 Deut. 5.14 and as all Declarations and Proclamations given forth by he Parliaments of England doe declare why then should not Christians forbeare to doe common or worldly work on it and ser it apart holy to the performance of holy and publick worship according to the will of God Exod. 20.8.9.10.11 Levit. 23.3 And Q. 32. Whether it be not presumptuous boldness in any man to say the seventh and last day of the week the day called Satturday is not the Sabbath day seeing so to say is to contradict the express Word of God in the fourth Precept of the Moral Law as also on the other hand whether it be not superstition in men to honour the first daie of the week with the title
of Sabbath or Lords-day seeing it is not to be proved by Scripture that either of those titles of honour do properly belong to it Q. 33. VVhether Iesus Christ did not as holily and as uprightly keep or perform the duty of the Sabbath commanded in the fourth Precept of the Moral Law as he did keep or perform the 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 or 10. Precept of the same Law If nay Q. 34. How then could Jesus Christ be wanting in obedience to the Law and not transgress the Law seeing he was made under the Law Galat. 4.4 and circumcised Luke 2.21.39 and thereby bound to keep the whole Law Galat. 5.3 And Q. 35. If Iesus Christ did as holily and uprightly keep or perform the dutie of the Sabbath commanded in the fourth Precept of the Moral Law as he did keep or perform the 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10. Precept of that Law and Iesus Christ requireth his Disciples to follow him John 12.26 Luke 14.27 1 John 2.26 then Q. 36. VVhy should not we who profess our selves to be Christs disciples as holily and as uprightly imitate him in keeping holy the seventh day Sabbath commanded in the fourth Precept of the Moral Law as we are to follow him in keeping the other nine Precepts of that Law And whether we may refuse to follow him in the point of the Sabbath without sinning against God notwithstanding he who saith he abideth in him ought to walk as hee walked 1 John 2.6 Q. 37. Whether the spiritual Children of Abraham that are Gentiles by nature are not as absolutely bound in love to keep the Sabbath according to the words expressed in the fourth Precept of the Moral Law as they are bound in love to keep or perform the duties expressed in the 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10. Precept of that Law If nay Q. 38. Then why do the spiritual children of Abraham that are Gentiles by nature as they esteem themselves and would be esteemed set up the fourth Precept wherein the duty of the Sabbath is commanded with and among the other nine Precepts of that Law in their Churches or meeting-houses and why doe School-masters teach it to their Scholars to learn it by heart as they doe the 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10. Precept of that Law if it be not intended that both old and young should as truly and duly keep or perform the dutie of the Sabbath as they are to keep or perform the other nine Precepts of that Law And Q. 39. If the spiritual children of Abraham Gentiles by nature are bound in love to keep the Sabbath according to the words expressed in Exod. 20. as they are bound in love to keep the 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10. Precept of the same Law then Q. 30. Why doe beleeving Gentiles who professe themselves to be the spiritual children of Abraham refuse to keep holy the seventh day Sabbath seeing whosoever keepeth the whole Law and yet faileth in one piont is guilty of all Jam. 2.10.11 Q. 31. Whether we may do or constantly practise any thing for which there is not any Word of God that doth either justifie or allow us in the doing of it If yea Q. 32. Then what is the thing that we may doe or constantly practise without any word of God either to justifie or allow us in the doing of it And Q. 33. If we may not doe or constantly practise any thing for which wee have not any word of God that doth either justifie or allow us in the doing of it then Q. 34. VVhy do men constantly make it their practise to doe common or worldly work on the Lords seventh day Sabbath the day called Saturday seeing there is not any word of God that doth either justifie or allow them so to doe Q. 35. VVhether the seventh day Sabbath were given of God to be a Sign Type or Figure of our Regeneration or cessation from sinful workes in the whole course of our life If yea then Q. 36. I would willingly know of these men who account themselves so regenerate by their beleeving Christ whether they indeed and in truth doe cease from all sinful works in the whole course of their life and doe live so holily and righteously as God requireth of them If yea Q. 37. Then let these men that so affirm produce proof for the confirmation of it that we who doe not apprehend that there are any such men may know it so to be As also let such men prove that such a walking doth abolish the duty of the seventh day Sabbath to them and if it cannot be proved that men are so regenerated by their faith in Christ that they rest or cease from all sinfull works in the whole course of their life or that they doe not live so holily as God commandeth them how can the sign type or figure as namely the seventh day Sabbath be abolished or made voyd before the production of that which was signified by the sign type or figure viz. a resting or cessation from all sinfull works in the whole course of our life Q. 38. VVhether the seventh day Sabbath was given of God to be a sign type or figure of the eternal rest If nay How then are the words of the Author to the Hebrews to be understood chap. 4. v. 6.9.10.11 And if the seventh day Sabbath was given to be a sign type or figure of the eternal rest then Q. 39. Whether God at any time did abolish or revoke any sign type or figure before the production of the sign type or figure If yea then Q. 40. Let that sign type or figure which was either repealed or abolished before the production of that which was shadowed by it be made manifest and let it be proved that the seventh day Sabbath was such a sign type or figure And Q. 41. If such a thing cannot be done then why should not the seventh daies Sabbath be kept for a sign according to the will of God Exod. 31.17 until the production of the thing which the seventh day Sabbath prefigured to wit eternal rest in glory Q. 42. Whether is it possible for any man to walk holy every day who doth transgress the Law of God Exod. 20. on the seventh day Sabbath to wit the day called Saturday by doing common or worldly work on it If yea Q. 43. Then letit be proved that common or servile work may be done by Christians on the seventh and last day of the week where necessity is not and not transgress the Law of God Exod. 20. And Q. 44. If every man ought to walk holily every day and no man can walk holily every day who transgresseth the Law of God on the seventh day by doing common or worldly work on it tell me were it not better then that every man did that which God commadeth in his holy Law on the seventh day Sabbath and leave undone that which God forbiddeth whereby he provoketh
seventh day to the first yea some of these Authors doe also give reason why they changed it but for brevities sake I will omit to lay down the words of the first Authors yet I think good to recite the words of Mr. Brerewood and the Annotations of the Colledge of Rhemes on Apocal. 1.10 whose words are these The Apostles and faithful abrogated the Sabbath a They are too large the Apostles had no hand in it the Church did it long after their death as is to bee known by that which is already said which was the seventh day and made holy day for it the next day following being the Creation And without all Scripture or commandement of Christ that we read of yea which is more not onely otherwise than was by the Law observed but plainly otherwise then was prescribed by God himself in the second Commandement they erre in their account it is the fourth yea and otherwise then he ordained in the first Creation when he sanctified precisely the Sabbath-day and not the day following Such great power did Christ leave with his Church and for such causes gave he the Holy Ghost to be resident in it and to guide it unto all truths even such as in the Scriptures are not expressed And if the Church had authority and inspiration from God to make Sunday being a working day before an everlasting holy day and the Saturday that before was an holy day now a common working day VVhy may not the same Church prescribe the other holy Feasts of Easter VVhitsontide Christmasse and the rest For the same warrant shee had for the one that shee had for the other c. Although the Church did change the dutie of rest and time of worship from the seventh day and placed it upon the first day of the week yet did not they at the first by any Law injoine the Church to keep it but Constantine the Roman Emperour was the first man that wee read of who commanded it to be kept and this he did by his Edicts or Proclamations which he sent forth into all his Roman Empire whereby he straightly commanded that the Lords day should be forthwith observed by devoting it to Prayer and that they should forbear to labour or to doe any work on the Lords-day as we read in Eusebius in the life of Constantine lib 4. chap. 18. 19. By which means came the first day of the week to receive honour and to bee kept as a Sabbath but yet notwithstanding Christian men fearing God could not so easily be brought to prophane the Lords Sabbath the day called Saturday as to make it a working day which thing it seems the Heads or Governours of the Churches would that they should as it appeareth by the Council at Laodicea held about eight and thirty yeares after the Act of Constantine in that they made a Law that Christians should not Iudaize and rest upon the Sabbath but should rather work on it and that they should preferre the Lords-day above the Sabbath and if any were found working on it they should be excommunicated or accursed See Mr. Brabourn against the ten Ministers in defence of the seventh daies Sabbath pag. 482. out of Hospinian de origen Fest cap 9. pag. 27. Although the Church changed the time of rest from the seventh day of the week unto the first and that Christians generally unto this time have conformed themselves to doe their will yet it doth not prove that the Churches therein are justifiable before God neither will the continued enstome of the Church in keeping of the first day of the week to this time in place of the Sabbath warrant our lawfull keeping of it unless God hath commanded it What answer will men make when God shall cal them to an account for their so doing I marvel This I speak because I doe not beleeve that it can be proved that either Iesus Christ or his Apostles did give order to the Church that it should change the seventh daies rest to the first day of the week three hundred yeares astea their decease c Why the Church changed the Sabbath from the seventh day and placed it on the first day of the week and the time when they did it or near about is to bee seen in the 37 38 39 40 41 42. pages of my Book intituled The Doctrine of the fourth Commandement deformed by Popery c. and further to manifest that the Church changed the Sabbath or abolished it and transferred the time of the celebration of it to the first day of the weeke hear what Mr. Brerewood saith in his Treatise of the Sabbath in answer to Mr. Byfield where he answereth an objection touching the abolishing of the Sabbath and the celebration of it translated to the first day of the week Translated saith he by whom The Scripture we know to be sufficient it containeth all the Commandements of God whether of things to be done or to be avoided or to be beleeved let me hear either one precept one word of God of the Old Testament commanding it to be translated I say one word of any of the Apostles intimating that by Christs commandement it was translated It is certain there is none Therefore it is evident that the solemnitie of the Lords day was not established Jure divino not by any commandement of God and consequently to work on that day is certainly no breach of any divine Commandement How then saith he hath the first day of the week gained the clebration and so lemnitie to become the Sabbath of Coristians by the coustitution of the Church and onely by that yet of that most ancient Church I confess that next followed the ascension of our Redeemer but all this is but jus humanum the decree of Men which must not equal it self with Gods commandement c. And in pag. 43.44 he saith that the Church ordained solemn Assemblies of Christians to be celebrated that day to the honour of God and in them the invocation of his holy name c. It is out of question all Antiquities afford plentifully remembrance of it And thus farre Mr. Brerewood Now to speake a few words to those who say the Sabbath is abolished by Christ and the first day instituted in is stead Can it be truly said that the Decalogue is a Moral Law when the fourth Precept is an abolished Ceremonie or part of it Is some part of that Law to be kept by Christians and not all of it How is such a thing to be proved Did God ever give a Ceremonial Precept with the voice of his mouth with thundering lightning and the voice of a trumpet Can it be proved that God did write a Ceremonial Precept in a table of stone Are not the ten Commandements the Law which Jesus Christ and his Apostles established for Christians to keep to the end of the world If nay what Law is it they established And if it be the Law which they established
could they establish every jot and tittle of it as they did Luke 16.17 Rom. 3.31 and not establish the fourth Precept of the Law which hath more words in it then there is in some other seven Commandements of that Law Doe not you who profess your selves to be the Ministers of Christ deceive your selves and others who teach your Hearers that they are to keep the 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 Commandements and not the fourth Was there ever such a thing taught by Jesus Christ and his Apostles Did not they as truly and as duly keep the fourth Precept as they did the other nine deny it if you can And did not they require all Christians to follow them therein as well as in other duties of pietie and charitie If nay then prove to the contrary Can you follow them and not keep the seventh daies Sabbath Can you breake the Sabbath and not transgresse the Law Oh take heed to your selves deceive not your selves I fear all of you are blind leaders of the blind which if you are you know your portion Mat. 15.14 if you repent not but I desire your conversion and salvation with my whole heart And therefore consider I beseech you who keep the first day of the weeke for a Sabbath or a day of publick worship out of an opinion that Christ hath so ordained it did God ever say that Jesus Christ should abolish the seventh daies Sabbath or that it should become a working day Can it be proved that the Law of the Sabbath which commanded an abstinence from worldly work precisely on the seventh day to the death of Christ that God by the same Law ever since the death of Christ hath bound the Church of Christ to abstain from doing any work on the first day of the week the day called Sunday or Lords-day or Sabbath-day Now if it cannot bee shewn that God hath thus done nor yet bee proved that God did ever bless and sanctifie the first day of the weeke to bee kept or set apart to be the day or time of their publick worship before or above any one day of the week nor yet proved that God did ever command men to abstain from doing worldly or common worke on it If none of this can be proved then what warrant is there to be produced that wee keep or set apart the first day of the week for a Sabbath in the place of the Sabbath yea or what warrant is there for men to work turmoyle bake roast and boyle on the Lords seventh daies Sabbath to the end they may have the day following in honour and high esteem above any other day when there is no warrant nor example to be found in the book of God neither for the one nor for the other I know many doe think that the Apostles and Disciples of Christ did constantly keep or set apart the first day of the week for a day of Gods worship but whereby doe they prove it Surely there is no word of God in any of the Evangelists or Apostles writings to do it No nor to prove that ever two of the Apostles or Disciples did assemble three first daies together successively to worship on them whatsoever men think to the contrary yea so poor a ground or unsufficient warrant there is for men to set apart the first day of the week to worship God on it in place of the seventh day Sabbath that were it not more for custome then for any warrant in the word of God I suppose some ordinary Christians would be ashamed to doe it and yet on the other hand I know this that there are many who have the first day of the week in so high esteem that they account the keeping of it a part of their divine worship but doth God or Iesus Christ or any of his Apostles command that worship or doth either of them command men to set apart the first day of the weeke to be a day for worship If yea where do we read of it and what law of Christ or word of God doe men transgresse who doe worldly or common work on it and doe refuse to set it apart for a day of worship I would willingly know Can it be truly thought that if the first day of the week ought to have been kept by a divine institution in place of the Sabbath but Paul would have known it and had he known it would he think you have kept the Sabbath with and among the Gentiles and not have kept the first day of the week nor acquaint them that the day of worship was changed from the seventh day to the first day by Christ having opportunitie and fit occasion given him when he preached unto them on the Sabbath-daies Acts 13.14.15.42.44 16.13 Can it bee thought that after Paul had preached to them on one Sabbath-day and they desired him to preach the same things to them the Sabbath following Acts 13.42 he would have fulfilled their request and not rather have said unto them the Sabbath day is abolished and the first day of the weeke is ordained and commanded by Christ to be kept in its stead and therefore come to morrow and I will preach to you the same things which I have preached to you now the Sabbath being changed Or else would not he think you have said unto them to morrow is our Sabbath day Lords day or day of worship wee are to keep the first day of the week as Christ our Law-giver hath commanded and not the seventh had such a thing been done by Christ but nothing of this or of any thing like it was replied to them by Paul that we read of but hee fulfilled their desire and preached unto them the next Sabbath day yea almost the whole City came together to hear the word of God ver 42.44 In a word we do not read that Paul or any one of the Apostles did keep or set apart any three first daies of the week successively with any one congregation while they were resident with them for performance of publick worship neither doe wee read that they did ordain or command any congregation to keep the first day of the week for a day of worship after their decease yet I know men doe oftimes produce 1 Cor. 16.1.2 to prove such a thing to bee done by Paul but there is not one word in those Texts to prove that the Apostles had any such meaning It is well known that Paul did constantly keep the Sabbath day and did usually preach unto the Gentiles on it as well as unto the Jews Act. 13 14.42.44 16.13 17.2 Even so it was his care that it should be kept by all Christian congregations after his decease as it doth appear in chap. 3. 17. 4. 9. to the Philipians and to the Corinihians 1 Cor. 11.1 as also by that of his charge to Timothy 2 Tim. 2.2 and therefore little reason is there for any to say the Sabbath is abolished and a new Sabbath is placed in its stead whereof there is not any mention made in any part of the word of God And lastly I say let no man think that it doth offend me that men professing Christ do worship God on the first day of the week barely considering it the first day of the week for that I do not but should rather like it well if God were worshipped every day in publish-assembly if it might bee with convenience as it was in the Apostles time Acts 2.46 5.42 Luke 24.53 but the thing I dislike is that men doe contrary to the Law of God in point of the Sabbath Exod. 20. in that they set apart the first day of the week in place of the seventh and therein doe work when God commandeth them to rest Surely for men thus to doe I deeme it much displeasing to God and therefore ought to be shunned by all those who desire to worship God acceptably but if there be some who out of a conceived opinion do set apart the first day of the week in devotion to God and that withall they do holily and religiously keep the seventh dayes Sabbath in obedience to the Law of God as some Christians did in some space of time after the death of the Apostles to the year 404. as the History of the Church reporteth Socrat. lib. 6. chap. 8. I like it well and do beleeve it would be wel-pleasing to God it being done by those who worship God according to his will without any superstitious end whose honour in all things and above all things is to bee preferred and therefore let us seek to glorifie God in our soules and in our bodies if we expect to have acceptance with him To be whom all honour praise and thanksgiving ascribed by all men now and for evermore Amen FINIS