to fall into the belly of Hell ¶ 2) Mr L consuted Mr L who keeps Never a day Sabbath but slights the Sabbath as Ceremonial is to consider 1 The Sabbath was not given first to the Jews or seed of Abram as Ceremonies were Sabbath was made for Man but it was given to Adam as a Publick person for him and his posterity to be obeyed whether man stood or fell and this in Innocency before Ceremonies were in use And though Adam was not subject to wearinesse before sin yet a Sabbath was suitable for him as a Sacred cessation from his calling So God gave Adam a Sabbath and Blessed it i e to make it a blessing to him that kept it and Sanctified it †Gen. 2.3 i e he set it apart for holy use 2 The Sabbath was Certainly observed from Adam to the Law on Sinai though not much expressed in Genesis which is but a very short Epitomy of 2000 years Acts in which time many excellent acts were done which are omitted and not recorded Abrahams observation of the Sabbath day is without dispute because he is so commended for keeping Gods commandments * Ch. 26.5 And that the Sabbath was known to Israel before Sinai you may See †Exo. 16.23 the breach of which command is counted as the breach of all * Ver. 28. 3 This command for a Sabbath is one of the Ten delivered on Sinai before Ceremonies Josephus's Sabbatical river that runs six dayes and rests one will rise up in judgement with Mr L and Mr A. and wrote on two tables of Stone and put into the Ark as no Ceremony ever was Mr L playes the Papist who takes away one and leaves but nine 4 Christs precept for Prayer to prevent flight on the Sabbath which flight was to be 40 years after Ceremonies ceased proves the Sabbath no Ceremony Pray that your flight be not in the Winter q d that will wrong your Bodies neither on the Sabbath †Mat. 24.20 q d that will wrong your Souls Mr A and Mr L are brethren both under a 7-fold deceit to undeceive them let us put them together again to consider viz God in wisdom did so order the change of the Day that though it occasioned two Sabbaths to come together yet there was not Two in a week nor a week without One to signifie there must be nor more nor lesse than One Sabbath in One Week Fath. What say you of Mr S and of the change of the Sabbath Day Min. As for Mr S who denies the change of the Day The chang of the Sabbath I say Though the Change of the Sabbath be not founded out with a Trumpet on Sinai as the Command of the Sabbath was yet have we so much in Scripture as may Satisfie concerning it They that say Give me a plain precept for a practice or I will not regard it may mean Honestly but they speak Ignorantly For if from a Text we can draw a direct sound Inference to prove a practice that being the Sense of Scripture is to be regarded as Scripture it self The sense of Scripture we are to seek as Silver and if this be not to be regarded its vain to use any Scriptural Reason or Argument in discourse as Paul used to do * Act. 17.2 Ch. 18.4 19. Ch. 24.25 or to Study and expound the Scripture by preaching Then put a Boy into a pulpit to read a Chapter for what other Sermon can an able Minister make if nothing but the very words of Scripture must be delivered But let us see some Scriptural proof for this practice ¶ 1 The stone the builders refused O T proof i e for a foundation for Faith and Practice is become the head †Ps 118.22 of the work of Redemption he hath laid the foundation and finished it by his Resurrection This is the day the Lord hath made i e the day of the week on which Jesus rose we will rejoyce and be glad in it * Ver. 24. i e to foresee it by Faith if we live not to see it by Sight Yet prayes pathetically and speedily for it Save now I beseech the O Lord †Ver. 25. God is the Lord which hath shewed us light * Ver. 27. i e to foresse this Day ¶ 2 Thus saith the Lord my salvation is near to come †Isa 56.1 i e Actually it was come before Virtually Blessed is the man that doth This and the son of man that layeth Hold on it that keepth the Sabbath * Ver. 2. i e a Sabbath in remembrance of Christ's Actual redemption ¶ 3 When these 7 dayes are expired i e Eight is a Sabbatical and Vital Number by the death and Resurrectiof Jesus it i e the Sabbath shall be upon the Eight day and so forward the first day added to seven is the eight day and I will accept you saith the Lord God †Ezek. 43.27 ¶ 1 After Jesus's resurrection he said to his Disciples All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth * Mat. 28.18 which implies power to change the Sabbath And Christ gave them Commission to teach the Nations to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them †Ver. 19 20. i e nor more nor lesse N B If Jesus did not ordain the first day Sabbath the Disciples by their practice have taught England and other Nations to observe a New Sabbath of their Own invention ¶ 2 The Disciples assembled on the first day and shut the doors for fear of the Jews i e because it was in opposition to their seventh day Sabbath and Christ came and Sealed their New Sabbath with his sweet presence * Joh. 20.19 20. ¶ 2 Jesus was seen of the Apostles 40 dayes speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God †Act. 1.3 of which the Sabbath is One and none of the least ¶ 4 The Disciples came together to break bread upon the first day of the week * Chap. 20.7 in remembrance of Jesus for whose sake they observed that day ¶ 5 The congregation and Collection of the Churches of Galatia and Corinth upon the first day of the week was by the Apostles order †1 Cor. 16.1 2. to these at Corinth by writing and saith he the things which I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord * Ch. 14.37 ¶ 6 John being in Patmos said I was in the spirit on the Lords day †Rev. 1.10 A desert Island in the Aegean Sea He does not give the day this name but the day on which he was in the spirit he Signifies by its name so well know to the Churches to whom he wrote i e the Lords day so called upon the same account as the Supper is called the Lords Supper viz because Jesus who is Lord of all did institute both to be kept in remembrance of him ¶ 7. The first day is
the Jews Carnal nor Spiritual could endure their Ceremonies should be suddenly forsaken Thou seest brother how many Thousands of Jews there are that believe and they are All zealous of the Law †Act. 21.20 i e the C L so the Christians counselled Paul to countenance them and he did so * Ver. 23 26. Not to uphold Ceremonies but to get an interest in their affections that by degrees as they could bare it he might bring them Off and had he not done so they had cast him off Thus to the Jews he became a Jew to gain the Jews †1 Cor. 9.20 Fath. But if Pentecost was not on the first day why did God countenance it by giving the Disciples the holy Ghost on that day Min. Because I would not onely Silence but also Satisfie you I have been willing to give you all the advantage I can by stating things fairly for you and will do so still Suppose then the Disciples met contrary to the mind of God and knew it yet for fear or favour of the magisterial Jews they conform to keep the Pentecost if God will be gracious what then I will not again curse the ground for mans sake for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth * Gen. 8.21 Let my Lord I pray thee go among us for it is a Stiff-necked people †Ex. 34.9 Strange Arguments Gods Word is mans rule but Gods Will is Gods rule and if God will be gracious to man when man walks contrary to his Will will man say Lord what doest thou mean to have mercy on me Will man call God to his Bar and bring him into judgement for his mercy Mercy or judgment if it be the will of God it is just Yea if God should command man contrary to his own command e g If God will forbid man to murder upon pain of Death and then command a man to kll his own Son * Gen. 22.2 who will say unto him What doest thou †Job 9.12 God did not make man to consult what promises God should make to man nor when he should fulfill them God gave the Disciples a promise of the Spirit and he took this time Pentecost to fulfill it ¶ 2 I would form a foundation for a Question for your consideration viz The 50 dayes bounded Harvest the first day was at Beginning of harvest begin to number the 7 weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the Sickle to the Corn * Deu. 16.9 The fiftieth day was at End of harvest Harvest was in the land of Canaan a Type of Heaven The 50 dayes contained 7 Sabbaths a number noting Perfection These dayes were all linked to the Passeover and all Typical of eternal life Jesus began to observe this time with the Passeover before his death It being so Quere I Quere whether this Pentecost was not to be kept that God might give the Disciples a little Heaven on Earth to signifie what an eternal Sabbath they should have in Heaven Typified by these preceeding Sabbaths which at this day Pentecost were consummated If you can Answer this Question in the Affirmative then your Question Why did God countenance the Pentecost is resolved Fath. I may take it into consideration another time But Suppose the Jews did not translate the Passeover Sabbath it fell on the 7 day Sabbath then they kept the 15 day and Jesus rose the 16 and Wave-day this proves Pentecost on the first day and Christs death on the 6 day too Min. Now I can follow you no farther I dare not Say the word suppose in this case nor dare I think such a wicked thought But though I dare not Follow you I dare Meet and withstand you to the Face If you say the Jews kept the right day you say Jesus kept the wrong day If you say the Jews did not Translate the Passeover to the day after the right day you say Jesus did Anticipate it the day before the right day viz Jesus died on the 14 day and killed the Passeover on the 13 day contrary to the Law In so saying you make Jesus a Transgressor Thus by justifying the Jews and condemning Jesus you hope to Hit it Monstrum Horrendum this proof comes from the bottomlesse Pit and there being no other way in the world to prove your opinion rather than fail you will make Jesus the Saviour and actual Sinner at which attempt what is that heart that will not tremble Should you Suppose You and I are now in the East-Indies or London stands on the Main Ocean or there is no difference between Heaven and Hell I would as soon consent Fath. But we may Reason and Question Christ was Lord of the Sabbath and had power to change the Sabbath might not he change the Passeover and be no transgressor Min. Though Jesus was Lord of the Sabbath he was made under the Law †Gal. 4.4 and Subject to it Though he was the Sabbaths Lord the Law was his Lord and had him at command on which account it was honourable * Isa 42.21 And though Jesus changed the Sabbath it was not while he was under the Law but at his Resurrection when he had fulfilled it Jesus stood in mans stead he was a debtor to the whole Law the payment of which debt the Law required ot the last mite Christs person is taken into custody imprisoned in the grave till the debt be discharged and justice satisfied at his resurrection being acquitted he was taken from prison and from judgment †Isa 53.8 alluding to a debtour who hath satisfied the creditour Then Jesus changed the Sabbath Fath. It seems Jesus justified his Disciples in an unlawfull deed on the Sabbath day for they eat Other mens Corn * Mat. 12.1 Min. Not in the Least the Law allowed that deed e g When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbours then thou mayst pluck the ears with thine hand †Deut. 23.25 As for Davids eating the Shew-bread and the Priests prosaning the Sabbath by killing their Sacrifices * Mat. 12.3 4 5. these according to the Letter of the Law were unlawful but not according to the Sense of the law which provided liberty for works of Charity and Necessity And Jesus in pleading these practices to excuse his Disciples doth q d You count David and the Priests blamelesse in these necessitous acts and yet condemn my Disciples in the same Case Fath. But Jesus refused to go up to the feast of Tabernacles †Job 7.8 which Law he was under as well as this of the Passeover and if he could dispense with That why not with This Min. Jesus refused to go up by way of vain Ostentation as his unbelieving brethren would needs have him go for say they Shew thy self to the World * Ver. 4. that Jesus resused saying Go ye up to this feast †Ver. 8. q d by way of Ostentation if you
an holy Convocation * Exo. 12.15 16. These were Ceremonial Sabbaths and commonly called Sabbaths But it s the first day of the 7 which falls under our consideration viz the 15 day of the month which you may see called a Sabbath †Lev. 23.11 15. N B THIS is the Sabbath which the Jews made to follow Jesus's Funeral and which you suppose to be the 7 day Sabbath Fath. Suppose Ay well let that passe at present Then it seems this Sabbath should have been that day on which Jesus died Min. It s well observed and by this I see you observe what I say The 15 day of the month on which Jesus died was the day but they deferred it to the day following and called the 15 day preparation day * Jo. 19.42 Fath. Why did they so Min. As when a fixt Fair falls on Sunday Jews Translation the Countrey keeps it on Munday so if this Passeover Sabbath fixed on the 15 day of the month fell on some certain dayes of the week the Jews had a Custome to Translate it to the next day by their Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Badu †Godwyn of which one Eleazar is said to be the Author who lived 350 years before Christs Birth * Hospinian de Orig fest P6 N B That this Sabbath was thus translated a man can no more deny than he can deny the Day to Spring or the Sun to Shine Fath. I cannot deny it but then I believe it was translated from the 6 day to the 7 day and so a double Sabbath Ceremonial and Moral and on that account called a high day †Joh. 19.31 Min. That I deny and this I affirm The high Sabbath no Sabbath that as to the Day it was no Sabbath at all Ceremonial nor Moral but one of their own invention Hence sometime it hath no Sabbatical Title e g John speaking of the day of Jesus's death saith It was the preparation of the Passeover * Joh. 19.14 it s no more but Passeover Matthew speaking of this high Sabbath calls it The next day that followed the day of Preparation †Mat. 27.62 Strange a Sabbath a Double Sabbath a High day and no other Title but the next day Thus God is pleased to drop words to see what notice men will take of them Fath. HOW no Sabbath why then is it called a High Day Min. The right day was a high day for on it Israel went out of Egypt with an high hand * Exo. 14.8 Why a High Sabbath And it was for a Monument of their miraculous deliverance e g This day shall be unto you for a Memorial †Ch. 12.14 Remember this day in which ye came out from Egypt * Ch. 13.3 And thou shalt shew thy son c †Ver. 8. And it shall be for a Sign unto thee upon thine hand and for a Memorial between thine eyes * Ver. 9. And many such Solemn injunctions to remember this day with wonder viz That Pharoh who stood so many a Storm like a person Plague-Proof should rise up in the night †Ch. 12.30 and call for Moses and Aaron and say Go serve the Lord as Ye have said * Ver. 31. also take your Flocks and your Herds as Ye have said and be gone and blesse me also †Ver. 32. That six hundred thousand men besides women and children should be pulled out of Prison from two hundred years Tyranny and all in One night a night INDEED to be much observed to the Lord * Ver. 42. Upon this account that Sabbath day was an High day †Joh. 19.31 Good Josiah and some few Princely Persons spent at this Passeover oxen bullocks and small cattel forty one thousand 41400 cattel killed and four hundred * 2 Chro. 35.7 8 9. this was an High day And whether they kept the right day or the wrong it was all one in their esteem they pretended Reason for its Translation And in case of necessity Hezekiah translated this Passeover to the Second month †2 Chro. 30.2 and in such case there was an allowance * Num. 9.6 to 11. N B This temporal deliverance on the 15 day was a Type of Eternal deliverance by Christs death on the same day of the year And though this temporal deliverance was long before Christs death yet it was by Vertue of Christs death who was virtually slain before the First Passeover was killed This then should have been an High day on Christs account but him the carnal Jews laid Low they killed Christ on the Right day and kept the Passeover Sabbath on the Wrong Fath. Blesse us no Sabbath but the Scripture calls it a Sabbath Min. So does the Scripture call the Devil Samuel 5 times in few words †1 Sam. 28.12 to 20. Satan called Samuel and does not once tell us it was the Devil In calling the Devil Samuel God tells us what Saul and the Witch called him and leaves it with us to Judge whether a wicked Silly Witch had power to bring Samuel Soul and Body from Heaven and Earth So in calling that a Sabbath God tells us what the Jews called it and leaves it with us to Judge whether Jesus or the Jews were likest to break Gods Law If that was a C Sabbath not translated Jesus was a Sinner not a Saviour Fath. I know not what to say of the translation of the day But for Jesus's dying on the 6 day the Scripture is clear besides invincible Arguments I have yet to bring The Scripture saith Jesus rose on the first day you dare not deny it and though it does not say Jesus died on Fryday or the 6 day yet in saying he died the day before the Sabbath and rose in the end of the Sabbath * Mat. 28.1 I think it s as plain as if the 6 day had been named Min. Mistake not the State of our difference We differ not about the day of Jesus's Resurrection except the Time of the day viz you for the Morning the midst of the day I for the Even the beginning of the day But our difference is in the day of Jesus's Death you say it was on the 6 day I deny it and do plainly tell you your proof by Inference from Scripture is no better than a Blind Conjecture Let me hear your invincible Arguments also Fath. I have read in learned Authors The R d Bp of for One. that the two dayes which bounded the feast of 7 weeks viz the first day and the 50 day fell that year both on the first day of the week That the first day of the 50 followed the Passeover Sabbath is as clear as the Sun †Lev. 23.11 15. seeing Jesus rose on that first day and lay dead on the 7 day and died the day before it s also as clear as the Sun that he died on the 6 day Moreover saith my Author