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nature_n	adam_n	law_n	positive_a	2,764	5	11.6503	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73399	An examination and confutation of a lawlesse pamphlet, intituled, A briefe answer to a late treatise of the Sabbath-day: digested dialogue-wise betweene two divines, A and B. By Dr. Fr. White, L. Bishop of Ely	White, Francis, 1564?-1638.; White, Francis, 1564?-1638. Treatise of the Sabbath-day.	1637 (1637)	STC 25379.5; ESTC S124620	96,141	174

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 se●●um ●●i qu● 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. ● 32. m. 5 ar 1. Hoc praecepto praecipitur tempus vacationis aliquo● secundum hoc est morale legis naturae hoc secundum ind●terminationē hoc modo secund● 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 Cōmandement of the Sabbath is morall and so no lesse perpetuall then all the rest for if none of the rest of the Cōmandements 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 omniū nationum eo quod ubique instinctu naturae non constitutione● 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

will perceive that the Bishop in his Doctrine concerning Recreations hath proceeded plainely distinctly and without equivocations or contradictions For. 1. He delivereth a definition of Recreation in generall out of approved Authors pag. 229. 2 He divideth Recreations into two kindes to wit into honest and lawfull and into such as are vicious and unlawfull 3 He defines these two species of Recreations approoving the first kind if they be used in due time and with due circumstances and condemning the latter upon all dayes and seasons But it seemes this sonne if confusion is offended because the Bishop's Treatise concerning Recreations is so cleare and exact that he can finde no defective passage in it on which he might fasten his envious jawes B. If I might bee bold a You haue superlative boldnesse but little truth and honesty I would aske him what he thinkes of promiscuous meetings of wanton youth in their May-games setting up of May-poles dancing about them dancing the Morice and leading the Ring-dance and the like unto which Dr. Wh. in the former passage pag. 266. doth not obscurely point as it were with the finger Are not these obscene or lascivious and voluptuous Pastimes Answ 1. This Momus deales like one Vrbicus in Saint Augustine Who wanting Arguments to prove That Christians were obliged to make the Sabbath of every weeke a fasting day fell into a bitter invective against luxurious feasting drunken b●nquetting and lewde drinkings a Aug. Ep. 86. Cum cum argumēta deficiunt quibus probet Sabbato jejunandum in luxurias convivarum temulenta convivia nequissimas ebrietates invehitur quasi non jejunare hoc sit inebriari Brother B. is destitute of firme Arguments to prove that all bodily exercise and civill recreation is simply unlawfull upon any part of the Sunday and therefore he imitates that Sectarian and declaimeth against lascivious and prophane sports and pastimes Now his Adversary maintaineth no Recreation which is prophane and lascivious or which is vicious in quality or circumstances either upon Sunday b Clem. Apost Const. li. 5. ca. 9. Neque in Dominicis diebus qui sunt dies laetitiarum permittimus vobis quicquam inhonestum loqui aut agere or upon any day of the Weeke Page 229 c. 2 Whereas the envious man demandeth what wee thinke of promiscuous meetings of wanton youth setting up May-Poles c. Our answer is that when hee hath proved by sound arguments such meetings and pastimes as the lawes of our kingdom and the Canons of our Church have permitted after that the Religious offices of the day are performed to be in quality or circumstance dishonest or vicious we must proclaime them to be unlawfull at all times but especially upon the holy day c B. Ely Treat p. 230. If they bee used upō the Lord's Day or on other festivall dayes they are sacrilegious because they rob God of his honour to whose worship and service the Holy day is devoted they defile the soules of men for the clensing and edifying whereof the Holy Day is deputed B. I note how poorely he playes the Divine or Doctor by giving indulgence or more liberty to such as have quesie stomacks and cannot digest those wholesome meats which God's word and all sound Divines and Doctors doe prescribe a This Goose-quil antiquum obtiner for be gaggles only but produceth no sentence of Gods word truly applyed nor one sound Divine or Doctor who is adverse to the Bishop's Tenet c. Give Man a power thus to dispense with part of the Lord's-day which is an incroachment upon the fourth Commandement according to the Doctrine of our Church and why may not Man assume unto himselfe a power as the Pope doth to dispense with Servants and Children by allowing them some time wherein they shall bee free from the Controle of their Masters and their Parents Answ If there be no Divine Law prohibiting people to use honest and sober recreation upon some part of the Holy-day then he is no poore Divine or Doctor which yeeldeth such liberty to people as God hath not denyed them But there is no Divine Law written or unwritten prohibiting people to use honest and sober recreation upon some part of the Holy-day Therefore hee that yeeldeth such liberty to people is no poore Divine or Doctor But hee which upon false grounds denieth it them is a proud Pharisee 2 They which grant liberty to Children and Servants to disobey their Parents and Masters take upon them power to dispense with a Divine Law which is properly morall and of the Law of Nature But they that grant license to Christian people to use sober and honest recreation upon some part of the Holy-day dispense with no Divine Law either Morall Naturall or Positive Therefore the Objector's comparison is betweene things which are altogether unlike B. Our Treatiser doth miserably abuse the Scripture and so turne the grace of God into wantonnesse for he saith p. 257. The Law of Christ is sweet and easie Mat. 11.30 And his Commandements are not grievous 1 Iohn 5.3 Answ He abuseth not the Scripture who expoundeth and applyeth the same rightly But the Bishop hath expounded and applyed the two Texts of Scripture Matth. 11.30 and 1 Iohn 5.3 truly and rightly Therefore the Objector is a false accuser in saying the Treatiser hath abused the Scripture The Assumption is proved in manner following The Bishop delivered this Proposition All Divine Evangelicall Ordinances necessary to the salvation of every Christian are possible with ord●nary diligence and likewise with comfort to be observed for the Law of Christ is sweet and easie Mat. 11.30 and his Commandements are not grievous 1 Iohn 5.3 Now the foresaid Texts are truly expounded and they do fully confirme the Bishop's Proposition Therefore the Dialogue-dauber is a rude Blatterant a Hieron ad Ripar Quicquid amens loquitur vociferatio clamor est appellandus in saying the Treatiser hath miserably abused the Scripture B. And what then is Christ's Law so sweet and easie as that it gives indulgence to profane libertinisme This is to make the Gospell a sweet Fable as that Atheisticall Pontifician said Answ 1. Christ's Law is so sweet and easie as that it commandeth no externall service or duty necessary Necessitate medii to be performed by all Christians which they may not by the assistance of Divine Grace be able to performe with ordinary diligence and comfort b Arausic Concil ca. 25. Hoc etiam secundū fidem catholicā credimus quod accepta gratia per baptismum omnes baptizati Christo auxiliante cooperante quae ad salutem pertinent possint ●c debeant si fideliter laborare voluerint adimplere This Position is confirmed by the Bishop pag. 257. both by sentences of holy Scripture and by testimonies of ancient Fathers And from hence it is consequent that it is no sin much lesse no mortall crime equall to Murder Adultery and

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 t●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 baptiz●tos vitam habere non posse ac per hoc quamlibet tolerabilius omnibus qui etiam propria peccata committunt tamen aeterna morte mulctari Id.