great degree they have been convinced of all Moral duties but to this of the seventh-day Nature never did Proselyte any of her children Mr. Tillam making no further reply and refusing to assign an instance either in Scripture or any other credible story where Nature did ever convince the Gentiles of sin for not keeping the seventh-day Sabbath Mr. Ives therefore by the request of the Company was desired to urge another Argument Mr. Ives I proceed to the Law of Christ and from thence shall prove that beleeving Gentiles are not bound to observe the seventh-day sabbath which I thus do That Law which is inforced by the appointment of Christ unto beleeving Gentiles some or other at some time or other have either been commended for the keeping or blamed for the breaking of it But none have at any time by Christs appointment been blamed for breaking or commended for keeping the seventh-day sabbath Ergo the 7th-day sabbath is not in force to the believing Gentiles by Christs appointment Mr. Tillam Anointing with oyl is a Command in force since the Resurrection and yet none are commended for observing or blamed for not observing of it Mr. Ives I answer That anointing with Oyl is not my present work to manage otherwise it were likely I might say somewhat to it Here one that stood at M. Ives his elbow whispered him and bid him tell Mr. Tillam That Christ commended the woman in the Gospel for anointing Him with Oyl which Mr. Ives had no sooner said but Mr. Tillam made this answer that the anointing required in James his Epistle was to be done by the Elders of the Church and therefore the instance did not reach the Case hereupon Mr. Ives ingenuously confessed that it was not to the Case onely he told Mr. Tillam and the Audience that he had uttered it before he was aware it being suddenly suggested to him by one that stood by however it is observable that the instance of anointing with oyl is not a sufficient instance to abate the strength of the Syllogism for the intent of the Syllogism is to shew that the seventh-day Sabbath is no moral Precept as appears by the last Argument that was brought to prove that the seventh-day Sabbath was not commanded by the light of Nature and the instance is in an institution that is not Moral So that the intent of the Argument was that there was no MORAL Duty required by Christ but some were found blameable for not observing or commended for observing of it otherwise doubtless both under Law and Gospel it 's like one may finde some particular institutions that we read of which we shall hear of no complaint for not observing because they were not Duties universally to be observed by all men at all times as Moral Precepts are as for example The business of anointing with oyl is the Duty of none but the Elders but the seventh-day-sabbath-keeping is if Mr. Tillam say true Moral and to be kept by all and further the Duty of anointing with oyl as it was to be done by some persons so also but at some times viz. when any one of the Church was sick but the Sabbath was to be kept every seventh day and that not onely by the Church but all the world if Mr. Tillam say true so that the instance is far and wide from the case in hand for the intent of the Argument is That if Christ had inforced the seventh day upon believers as a Moral Law to be constantly observed some would either have been blamed for breaking or commended for keeping of i◠and this is true of all Moral Laws being universally to be observed by all and there is not any one Moral Law but some in the new Testament are under blame for not observing it or else praised for observing it but not one word is mentioned of this kinde touching the 7th-day sabbath since the death of Christ which makes me conclude it died with Him Mr. Ives I come now to another Argument which take as followeth If believing Gentiles by an Apostolical toleration may esteem one day above another or every day as they are perswaded in their own minds then they are not required by Christ to keep the seventh-day Sabbath But believing Gentiles by an Apostolical toleration may esteem one day above another or every day as they are perswaded in their own minds Ergo believing Gentiles are not required by Christ to keep the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Tillam I do affirm that the 7th day is not included nor intended in that text Rom. 14. and for this see Exod. 16.4 where the word every day is there intended of every common day not the Sabbath But if in the text Rom. 14. it be understood of every day without exception then you may not contend for the first day of the week Mr. Ives Mr. Tillam excepts against the universality of the word every day which seems to me very strange for when he cited that text Mar. 2.27 where it is said The sabbath was made for man he would there have the word Man understood of every man though the word every man was not in the text But now I cite a text that hath this word every day in it and he tells us that this universal term must be restrained and not be understood of every day though every day be the words of the text the Reason he gives why every day must be restrained is because it was restrained in Exod. 16.4 where God saith that the people shall gather a certain portion of the Manna every day c. To this I answer First that it doth not follow that because a general word is restrained in Exod. 16. that therefore it should be restrained in Rom. 14. But secondly God himself restrains every day in the 16 of Exodus to the six days in which they were to gather Manna and expresly commands the resting upon the seventh-seventh-day but in the 14 of the Rom. neither God nor the Apostle puts any restriction upon the word every day so that though we must restrain general words when God restrains them there is no reason that we should restrain them when God doth not But then saith Mr. Tillam If you do not restrain this word every day then you do overthrow the keeping of any day To which I answer that we might very easily deliver our selves out of the hands of this absurdity if that were the business in Question As for instance we have been shewing that we are not obliged by Moses Law to keep the seventh-seventh-day sabbath nor no other Judaical days and that now Christ hath taken away these observations and hath made all days alike in that one day hath 〈◊〉 more sanctity or holiness then another by reason of any Mosaical institution by which formerly it was sanctified and so by consequence have shewed that neither Moses Law nor Christs Law commands a seventh-seventh-day sabbath upon that account which indeed is the scope of the Apostle in
14 of Leviticus you shall see that the Priest was to offer the burnt Offering and the meat Offering upon the ALTAR and the Priest shall make an Atonement for him and he shall be clean Mr. Coppinger But what if here was an Altar this was spoken by Christ to the leper after he came off the mount but our difference lay about the meaning of the word Altar and Gift in Christs Sermon upon the Mount Mat. 5. Mr. Ives I pray Sir confess your Errour for shame for is it not a shame for you to to tell us that Christ commanded the Leper to offer his Gift without an Altar when Christ bid him offer it as Moses commanded and when you turned to the Law of Moses did you not say the Priest was to offer without an Altar and now I shew you that the Priest did offer upon the Altar for the clensing of the Leper you put it off and tell me What if there were an Altar it is not to your purpose why did you not say so at first and save us this labour but give me leave to tell you again that it is to my purpose to shew you the Errour of your Argument for if Christ commands the Leper to observe all those ceremonial observations for his clensing then is your Argument false that saith All things that Christ commanded us in his Sermon upon the Mount all believing Gentiles are bound to observe to the end of the world but you say this that Christ commands the Leper to do was not on the Mount but as soon as he came off the Mount this you say is nothing to Gift and Altar mentioned in Mat. 5. in his Sermon upon the Mount I answer That the difference in places especially so little difference as between Christs being on the Mount and off from the Mount could not make a difference in his commands Secondly it cannot reasonably be imagined that Christ would command the Leper to do any thing when he came off the Mount that was contradictory to what he did command when he was upon the Mount therefore I have great reason to believe that the Altar that he commands them to offer their Gift on in Mat. 5. in his Sermon upon the Mount is the material Altar like unto that which he bids the Leper offer his Gift on as soon as he comes off from the Mount Mat. 8. and this I the rather believe because that there is no text from the beginning of the Bible to the death of the Messiah that speaks of an allegorical Altar Mr. Coppinger It may be understood allegorically in this place though it might not be understood so in the old Testament as for instance the Apostle speaks of a text out of the Psalms in the third of the Romans where he saith They were all goâ—â— out of the way c. where he useth those general terms in a sence differing from the old Testament Mr. Ives I answer first That the Apostle doth not â—ut any other sence upon those words then David puts upon them in the Psalms secondly if he did that is no rule for you as for instance David saith in the sixteenth Psalm that God will not leave his soul in hell c. this the Apostle saith Act. 2.31 that David spake of the resurrection of Christ so in like manner though I may restrain a text when God restrains 〈◊〉 and allegorize a text when the holy Ghost â—oth warrant me may I therefore allegorize a â—ext when I have no warrant as you do this 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. which I shall leave to the Assembly 〈◊〉 judge whether the gift and altar upon which Christ commands the gift to be offered be allegorical or literal And if it be spoken of a â—aterial altar then have I confuted your Argument by shewing that some things that Christ commanded in his Sermon upon the Mount are not in force to all believing Gentiles to the end of the world Moderator I pray Sir if you have another Argument â—rge it briefly for I perceive the time is expired that you agreed to break off at Mr. Coppinger I shall then briefly urge one Argument which take as followeth If the seventh day sabbath was of force before the death of Christ to believing Gentiles then it is of force still But the seventh day sabbath was of force before the death of Christ to believing Gentiles Ergo it is of force still Mr. Ives SIR I wonder that you make Arguments that have not one true Proposition in them for this is like the last both Propositions being false however prove the Minor It is observable that Mr. Coppinger in the last Dispute before this did affirm That all the Gentiles were bound to keep all the ceremonies of the Law of Moses now then if this be a good Argument why we must keep the seventh day sabbath now because we were to keep it before the death of Christ then we must be circumcised and offer sacrifices for the same reason because he himself did confess that those things the Gentiles were bound to observe before the death of Christ Mr. Coppinger If the Reason of a Law doth remain the same that it was before Christs death the Law doth remain the same But the reason of the seventh day sabbath doth remain Ergo the Law for the seventh day sabbath doth remain Mr. Ives I deny the Major for that which you call the reason of a Law may remain the same when the Law doth not remain and for this I shall give you two instances instead of many The first is Exod. 23.11 there you shall find that the reason why God would have Israel to keep the seventh year for a sabbath in which â—hey should not gather that which grew of its â—own accord it was for the good of the poor â—hat the poor of thy people might be refreshed Exod. 23. now a man may as well say he must let his and lie every seventh year because the reaâ—on remains viz. That he may refresh the poor of his people as he may say he must keep the â—eventh day sabbath because the reason of that Law is in force which is That his stranger and â—ervant and cattle may be refreshed But further there is another reason urged why we must keep the Law that commands he seventh day sabbath and that is say you because we believe as well as the Jews that God made heaven and earth in six dayes and â—ested the seventh therefore we as well as the Jews must work six dayes and keep the Saturday or seventh day sabbath I say this conseâ—ence doth not follow for the reason why â—srael was commanded to sanctifie the priests â—he sons of Aaron was because the Lord their God did sanctifie them Lev. 21.8 now though I do believe with Israel that the Lord doth sanctifie me yet I am not bound for this reason to sanctifie the priests the sons of Aaron thuâ— you see by these two instances that the reason of a Law
may be the same when the Law is not the same Mr. Coppinger As to your first instance namely that the seventh yeer was commanded for a Mora reason I answer This was not an universal reason for the text faith That the poor of THY people may eat which was not for all and as to your second instance I confess the reason doth remain and is universal viz. That God doth sanctifie us and therefore I say the Law remains that we should sanctifie Gods Ministers still Mr. Ives As for your Answer to my first instance it doth signifie little for I say refreshing the poor is a moral and universal duty and if than the seventh yeer of rest was commanded for the benefit of their poor and cattle then by your Argument if the reason of this Law viz. that the poor should be refreshed do remain then it must needs follow by your Logick thaâ— the seventh yeer sabbath must remain as well as the seventh day sabbath And as touching your answer to my second instance I must tell you that in your Answer you have confuted your self for you confess the reason of the Law remains which was given to Israel for sanctifying the priest Secondly you say that the Law remains that we must sanctifie Gods Ministers then by your favour if you can make the reason of the Law for sanctifying the Priest the sons of Aaron a reason why you should sanctifie not the same but another Priesthood then I may make the reasons for sanctifying the seventh day sabbath serve for the sanctifying not the same but another day Mr. Coppinger So you may if you can prove the abolishing of the seventh day sabbath as I can prove the abolishing the Levitical Priesthood Mr. Ives Then you have confuted your self again and answered your own Argument for your Argument was that where-ever the reason of a Law remains there the Law remains and you have confessed that the reason of the Law doth remain why God would have Israel sanctifie the Priest the sons of Aaron and now in your last answer tell me That that Priesthood is abolished So then if I could never shew you that the seventh day sabbath was abolished yet I have confuted your Argument by shewing that the reason of a Law doth remain when the Law doth not remain and you have confessed both for you say that the reason why Israel was to sanctifie that Priesthood is the same still viz. because God sanctifies his people and you confessed the Law is not the same for you say The Priesthood is abolished But lastly I have shewn you in the former Disputation that the seventh day sabbath was abolished as well as the Levitical Priesthood by an Argument which you could not answer which I raised from that text Col. 2.16 17. with which I shall conclude this Disputation Let no man therefore judge you in meats or in drinks or in respect of a holy day or of the new moons or of the SABBATH days which are ASHA DOW of things to come but the body is of Christ Thus having given a faithful account of all the Arguments and Answer that were insisted on in the several Disputations without omitting of any one text of Scripture Argument or Answer that was urged on either side I shall leave the whole to the judgement of those that are impartial desiring of God that it may answer the ends for which it is sent forth into the world which is the glory of Almighty GOD and the establishment of the Weak which is all that is herein aymed at by thy Friend J. I. FINIS POST-SCRIPT READER I Thought good to give notice that at the end of this last Dâ—spute I promised that which is now by the Providence of GOD performed viz. an acâ—ount of all the Arguments and Answers insisted on in the several Disputations this promise being made publickly before the meeting was dissolved Doctor Chamberlain and Mr. Tillam and Mr. Coppinger being then present at which time Doctor Chamberlain told me That if I would print but two Arguments that he would send to me with Answers to them I might print what I would I thereupon told him that I would not onely print and answer his two Arguments but also God assisting I would answer what other Arguments that either be or any of them should send to me provided they sent them within fourteen dayes after and for this 14 dayes I staid 21 days in all which time I heard not a word from any of them â—o nor so much as an excuse from Doctor chamberlain though he did publickly challenge me to answer his two Arguments and as faithfully promise to send them to my house which I wonder at seeing he hath divers times past by my door since then as I have been informed and yet never so much as left a word about it This I am provoked to certifie lest any that heard this promise from Doctor Chamberlain should think that I had received his Arguments and concealed them the thought of any such thing is far enough from the heart of him that is London March 17. 1658 9. Thy Friend in the Truth JER IVES An Appendix to the former Disputations I Have annexed this insuing Appendix for the information fo the weak and those that are not acquainted with the Laws and Terms of Disputation and it may also serve for the general use of all that do desire to be satisfied in the present controversie who perhaps may not have leasure or patience to read all the foregoing Arguments and Answers urged in the preceding Disputations and herein I shall observe this method First I shall lay down all those Arguments that I have ever met with which are levied for the defence of the Saturday-Sabbath with brief Answers thereunto Secondly I shall urge the Reasons why I am perswaded the Saturday-sabbath is not in force to the beleeving Gentiles Thirdly I shall shew some Reasons for the justifying the present practise of the Christians in their Religious observations of the first day of the week otherwise called the Lords-day And first to the first namely the Arguments that are urged by some Judaizing Christians for the defence of the seventh-seventh-day sabbath and they are of three sorts the first sort are taken from the Scriptures the second from some Reasons in Nature and the third sort of Reasons are taken from Tradition I shall plainly and briefly speak first to the first viz. those Arguments that are alledged for the saturday-Saturday-sabbath ouâ— of the Scriptures and these are some taken from Texts out of the Old and some from Texts out of the New Testament I shall first begin with those Arguments urged for the defence of the seventh-seventh-day sabbath out of the old Testament and they are of two sorts first such as are taken from example and secondly such as seem to be grounded upon a command Argum. 1 The first Reason is taken from Gods example Gen. 2.2 And God rested the seventh-day c. and
ver 3. God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it Because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made whence those things are urged first That God sanctified this day therefore all beleeving Gentiles ought to sanctifie it Secondly This was spoken while Adam was in innocencie and so consequently to all his posterity Ans To which I answer first that Gods example unless we have a command doth not binde all the world for God sanctified the Priests and the Temple and the Altar and yet we are not bound to sanctifie them See for this purpose Exod. 29.44 2 Chron. 7.16 Secondly whereas it is said this was spoken to Adam and therefore to all the world I answer that all that was commanded Adam did not bind all the world at all times as appears by the commandment given to Adam to eat of the tree of life Gen 2. and to forbear the tree of knowledge of good and evil these Laws are not now binding to all the world and yet they were given to Adam and so to all men had they continued in that estate So indeed Adam should have imitated God had he continued in innocency in keeping a perpetual sabbath for he should not have laboured to add any cubits to the stature of that perfect happiness no more then God wrought to add any thing to the six days work which was made perfect and good for Adam was only to dress and keep what was already made as God keeps and preserves the world by his Providence in this fence God works hitherto 〈◊〉 Christ saith John 5.17 and in some such cases Adam should have imitated his Creator if he had not sinned But thirdly these words And God sanctified the seventh-seventh-day are urged by Moses in Gen. 2. as a Reason why the Israelites in his time did keep the sabbath rather then to shew that God sanctified the seventh-seventh-day for Adam and his Posterity in innocencie my reasons are first because all the Patriarks from Adam to Moses did not keep the seventh-seventh-day sabbath which was two thousand yeers and upwards and in all this long tract of time not one word of the 7th-7th-day sabbath-keeping or breaking Secondly Josephus himself a learned Jew speaking of this rest faith That Gods resting on the seventh day was the reason why the Israelites reposed or rested upon that day Lib. 1. Cap. 2. Now had the Jews understood the seventh-seventh-day had been sanctified before Moses Josephus would have mentioned it in his History of Amiquities from Adam to Moses as well as other things especially considering the great occasion which he had to defend the Antiquity of the sabbath from the great reproach that was cast upon it by Appion of Alexandria who tells the Jews that their sabbath was derived from the Egyptian word Sabbo which signifieth a disease in the Privy parts which saith he the Jews were smote with after they had travelled six days from Egypt whereupon they were forced to rest the seventh-day and therefore called it a Sabbath from the name of the disease which they called Sabbo Now Josephus could not have a better Argument to have vindicated the Jews sabbath against Appions foul aspersions but by shewing to the world that the sabbath was kept from the Creation of the world unto that time and not taken up by the Jews in the wilderness after they came out of Egypt Now though Josephus doth vindicate the sabbath from being derived of the Egyptian word Sabbo by shewing that it was derived from the Hebrew word Sabbath which signifieth rest yet he never vindicateth the Jews Sabbath from that other Allegation of Appions viz. that the first beginning of it was in the wilderness after that Israel came out of Egypt as any one may see that reads Josephus against Appion Lib. 2. which clearly shews that the sabbath was not kept before Israel came into the wilderness Thirdly The Scripture usually speaks at this rate for there is such a kind of expression used by Moses in this very chapter Gen. 2.11 where he tells us of the river Pison that compasseth the whole land of Havilah where there is gold c. not that this land was so called in Eden while Adam was in innocencie for Havilah was not born till after the flood by whose name this land was known and called and yet Moses by anticipation calls it the land of Havilah with reference unto that name which 1600 yeers afterwards it did receive and that Havilah was not born till after the flood appears Gen. 10.7 and that the flood was more then 1600 yeers after the Creation appears not only by what the Scriptures tell us but by the consent of Christian writers see August de Civitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 20. and lib. 15. cap. 12 14. and yet Moses calls a Country by this name in his describing of the garden of Eden which was no otherwise true but with respect to what it was afterwards called in like manner Moses saith God sanctified the seventh-day Gen. 2.3 which also refers to the Law that God gave to Israel by the hand of Moses for the sanctifying of it And lest this seem strange I shall give you another Text that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand see therefore Exod. 16.32 33 34. In the 32 verse the Lord did command that an Omâ—â— of the Manna should be put in a pot to be laid before the testimony of the Lord and the 34 v. saith That as the Lord commanded Moses so Aaron laid it up before the testimony of the Lord which was no otherwise true but with respect to what was done afterwards for as yet there was no Ark nor Testimony made as appears if we consider that at this time the Israelites were sojourning in the wilderness of Sin and the command for the Ark and the making of the Tabernacle was not given till they came to Sinai Exod 25.10 at which time the Testimony was given to them and yet mention is made of this before so in like manner when Moses saith Gen. 2. That God did sanctifie the seventh-day he is to be understood in the same sense as the other Text is understood where it is said Aaron laid up the Manna before the Testimony which relates to what was afterwards done when the Law was given even after the same manner doth Moses speak in Gen. 2. when he faith God did sanctifie the seventh-day not that he did sanctifie it in Eden any more then Aaron laid up the Manna in the wilderness of Sin before the Testimony but that he did sanctifie it when he gave his Law to Israel and this is further confirmed by what hath been spoken viz. that from the Creation of the world to the time of Moses which was above two thousand yeers there is not one word mentioned of the seventh-seventh-day sabbath though occasionally there is mention made of all other moral duties Argum. 2 The next Reason that is rendred why beleeving Gentiles should keep the Sabbath is
taken from the command in Exod. 20.8 9 10 where God requireth Israel to keep the seventh-day sabbath therefore Gentile beleevers are bound to keep it I answer That this Law was given to none but Israel as appears Psal 137.19 20. He hath given his Laws to Jacob his statues and judgments to Israel be hath not done so to any Nation Again the Apostle tells us Rom. 2. That the Jews were under the Law but the Gentiles were without the Law Argum. 3 The Gentiles must keep all the nine commandments therefore they must keep the seventh-day sabbath I answer They are bound to all the nine expresly and particularly by the light of Nature and the Law of Christ but they are not so bound to the seventh-day sabbath Again that Law of the fourth Commandment binds us as to A time to worship though not that time of the seventh-day But secondly might not these men as well object this against the Apostle who expresly complains of the Gentiles for the breach of all the nine Commandments but not a word that they did not keep the seventh-seventh-day sabbath as I shall shew by and by which doubtless he would have had an occasion to have done had the seventh-seventh-day sabbath-breaking been a breach of a Moral Law as well as the other nine precepts Argum. 4 Another Argument is taken from the Reasons of the Law given to Israel which are first God gave this as a Reason why Israel should rest the seventh-seventh-day because in six days he made Heaven and Earth therefore if this Reason be beleeved by Christian Gentiles then this Law should be observed by them Secondly God commanded Israel to rest the seventh-day because it was the sabbath of the Lord their God therefore if Jehovah be the Lord our God his sabbath must be our sabbath Thirdly God did command this duty for the good of our servants and cattle therefore if we will shew mercy to them we must keep the seventh-seventh-day sabbath I answer to the first that the Reason of a Law may be universal and always remain when the Law doth not remain as for instance the Reason why God would have the people of Israel to sanctifie the Priests the sons of Aaron was because he was the Lord that did sanctifie them Levit 21. 8. Now I hope all Christian Gentiles beleeve that God doth sanctifie them but doth it therefore follow that because God doth sanctifie beleeving Gentiles that therefore they must sanctifie a Levitical Priesthood Secondly The place of Israels worship was called the house of the Lord God doth it therefore follow that beleeving Gentiles must therefore sanctifie that place because God is the God of the Gentiles no more doth it follow that because the seventh-seventh-day was the sabbath of the Lord God that therefore the beleeving Gentiles must observe it Thirdly Whereas it is said we must rest the seventh-seventh-day that we may shew mercy to our servants and cattle I answer we can do that by resting the first day of the week as well as by resting the seventh Secondly If because that we must shew mercy be a Reason why we should keep the seventh-seventh-day sabbath because Israel was to keep it for that Reason then we must also drink deeper of this cup of Judaism and keep the seventh-yeer sabbath because that was commanded for the benefit of the poor Exod. 23.11 That the poor of thy people may eat c. So that the Reasons of a Law may have a being when the Law hath none as appears by the Reason of the sanctifying the Priest it was because God sanctifies the people yet though we do beleeve that God doth sanctifie us yet we are not therefore to sanctifie the Legal Priesthood in like manner though we do beleeve with Abraham Isaak and Jacob that God made Heaven and Earth in six days and rested the seventh yet this is no Reason why we rather then they should observe that day any more then why we should observe the other Judaical Laws whose Reasons are still the same though the Laws are changed Argum. 5 The next Arguments follow from the Scriptures of the New Testament and they are such as pretend to command and example even as the former I shall first speak to those Texts that are cited to prove that the seventh-day sabbath was commanded in the New Testament and the first is Mat. 5.17 18. the words are these Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil For I say unto you that till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled Whence it is inferred that the seventh day sabbath was a part of the Law and therefore it should remain as long as Heaven and Earth remain I answer first that offering of sacrifices is also a part of this Law but doth it follow therefore that beleeving Gentiles must offer sacrifices to the end of the world and that offering of sacrifices is a point of this Law see v. 23 24. where our Lord as truly commands that a man should come and offer his gift upon the Altar after he is reconciled to his brother as he doth injoyn any other duty the like he commands of the leper that was cleansed Mat. 8. â— Secondly Christ saith the same thing of the Prophets as well as of the Law that they shall not pass away till they are fulfilled and yet many of them were fulfilled in Christs time Thirdly Christ saith of his own words Matth. 24.35 That Heaven and Earth shall pass away but his word shall not pass and yet the 34 ver saith that that Generation should not pass away till all those things were fulfilled The meaning then was clearly this that rather then either the Law or his word should pass unfulfilled Heaven and Earth should pass which doth in no wise argue that all the Law and Prophets should remain unfulfilled till the Heavens should be no more for the Text tells us He came to fulfil the Law and Prophets so that if all the Law and Prophets be unfulfilled Christ did not answer the end of his coming and if any be fulfilled then ALL the Law must not last till the Heavens be no more and if any be fulfilled then the seventh-day sabbath may be fulfilled since the sabbath is called a shadow of good things to come Col. 2.16 17. However if any of that Law Mat. 5. be fulfilled by Christ no man can conclude reasonably from that Text that the seventh-day sabbath is in force Lastly Though all this Law Mat. 5. was in force before Christs death yet we are freed from the Law by the death of Christ Rom. 7.2 3 6. therefore no Argument can be drawn from this Text to prove the seventh-day sabbath unless Christ or his apostles had reinforced the observation of it after his Resurrection Argum. 6 I come now to
to it ought to be inflictâ— I say by the same Rule a Magistrate may 〈◊〉 a man to death that is not perswaded to 〈◊〉 this seventh-day Sabbath another Maâ—state otherwise minded may put men of the Doctors â—â—inion to death because they do not keep the first day â—abbath which he holds himself in conscience bound 〈◊〉 see as strictly kept as the other doth his Saturday Sabbath Dr. Cham. I am not a Judge of Magistrates but do submit unto them secondly let none be afraid of this text for he that is in Christ is above the Law and it was not made for him for he that is in Christ cannot sin Neither do I say that the Magistrates have power to punish spiritual sins with legal punishments but spiritual sins with spiritual punishments and this they may very well do if they have but good Ministers to instruct them Mr. Ives If the Magistrate must punish all evil according to your sence of that text then he must punish spiritual as well as corporeal Idolatry when the Offendor shall be convicted of it and he must punish it according to his Judgement and Conscience so that if it be the Magistrates Duty to take away the lives of their Subjects for not observing the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath it follows roundly that the reason why we live is because of the wickedness of the civil Magistrate a wickedness if the Doctors opinion be true for which both Magistrates and People should die without mercy if once a Magistrate should be set up that is of the Doctors perswasion But the main stress of my Argument lyeth in this That God never appointed the Gentile-Magistrates to execute the punishment which he in the Law did command should be inflicted upon those that broke the seventh-seventh-day sabbath required in Exod. 20. and to this the Doctor hath given no answer save that the Magistrate is to punish all evil c. but he hath not shewn us that seventh-day sabbath-breaking is an evil nor that the Magistrate is to punish it according to Moses Law if it were an evil which are the two main things that have been objected to which he hath given no kinde of Answer though they have been urged to him once and again But instead of answering tells us that none should be afraid of the text I suppose he means the texts in the Law that threaten the breach of the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath with death his reason is because he that is in Christ is above the Law and 〈◊〉 was not made for him for he that is in Christ cannot sin c. If this be true that those that are in Christ are above the Law and that the Law was not made for them I wonder why the Doctor should keep such a stir to engage believers to observe the Law and the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath which he calls a part of the Law And if they that are in Christ as he saith cannot sin then it follows that either none are in Christ but those that keep the Jewish Sabbath or if they may be in Christ that do not keep it then it is no Sin not to observe it since if the Dr. saith true they that are in Christ cannot sin so that one absurd opinion is the cause of many for is it not absurd to say that those that are in Christ cannot sin and afterwards charge believers in Christ with 〈◊〉 for not observing the seventh-day Sabbath Dr. Cham. Mr. Ives hath been calling upon me to assigne who God hath appointed to execute the punishment which by Moses Law was due to the seventh-day sabbath-breakers I further answer That if the Magistrate must punish the breach of all Law then of the seventh-day Sabbath anâ— whereas Mr. Ives saith that then the Magistrate must judge what is Idolatry and Sabbath breaking if he must punish all transgression relating to these Laws I answer that it is no great matter to be 〈◊〉 judge since the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6 4 Set them to judge that are least esteemed in the Church now if the weakest are to be chosen for Judges such Magistrates will not suffer their eyes to be blinded with gifts and he will inflict punishment upon false witnesses especially when such Magistrates are assisted with Gods Ministers To some of the forementioned passages answer hath been made in that Mr. Ives hath told the Dr. that his urging the text that saith the Magistrate is to punish all evil is impertinent till he hath proved the seventh-day sabbath breaking an evil and if that could be done yet this text doth not prove that the Magistrate is bound to punish it by stoning the offender to death which Dr. Chamberlain saith is a punishment yet in force to the beleeving Gentiles And whereas Mr. Ives desired the Dr. to assign who should judge he most impertinently cites 1 Cor. 6.4 and tells us that the weakest in the Church should be chosen Judges Well then if the weakest should be chosen Judges c. I demand Whether they should be chosen out of that Church whereof Dr. Chamberlain is a member or out of a Church that is not of his minde about the seventh-day sabbath If out the Church that are of his minde and whereof he is a member then we are all to be stoned to death without mercy or to keep his seventh-day sabbath though it be never so much against our Consciences but it shall ever be a part of my Letany From such Magistrates and Ministers of Justice Good Lord deliver us But if they should be chosen out of a Church that is not of the Doctors mind about the seventh-day Sabbath then it cannot reasonably be imagined that such Magistrates would put that Law in execution that saith the seventh-day Sabbath-breaker shall be stoâ—ed to death while the Magistrate himself doth tolerate the breach of it And lastly whosoever doth but read 1 Cor. 6. 4. and compares it but with the occasion for which the Doctor cites it which is to shew whom God hath appointed to execute the punishment the Law of Moses hath assigned for Sabbath-breakers they will see that the Doctor hath manifested so much weakness that if weakness were a fit qualification for a Judge as he saith it is he hath bespoke himself worthy of a Judges place before all the Poople for if the weakest are to be chose Judges I know not where we should meet with a fitter man then the Doctor who hath so unfitly apply'd the Apostles words to the case in hand Here the Doctor leaves off and Mr. Tillam undertakes to answer to Mr. Ives his insuing Arguments Mr. Ives I am now to proceed to another Argumnâ—â— to prove that believing Gentiles are not bound to keep the seventh day Sabbath VVhich I thus do If believing Gentiles are bound to keep thâ— seventh-day sabbath then they are bound by that text Jam. 2. where you say the whole Law is required to be kept But the believing Gentiles are not bound to keep the seventh-seventh-day sabbath by that teâ—… Jam. 2. where you say the whole Law is required c. Ergo believing Gentiles are not bound to keep the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath The reason of Mr. Ives his urging this Arâ—â—ment is to dis-mount the confidence of his Antagonists who build so much upon this text for the prooâ—â— of their seventh-seventh-day Sabbath but
Act. 21. be of a Ceremonial Law yet it is sufficient to shew that since the whole Law doth comprehend both Morals and Ceremonials that believing Gentiles who are not circumcised are not bound to keep the while since they are excused from observing the Ceremonial part of it by this text Act. 21. And whereas Mr. Tillam saith that if the Epistle of James were writ to believing Jews then here would be one Law for the believing Jews â—nother for the beleeving Gentiles To this I answer â—hat it doth not follow that because this Epistle was â—riten to Jews that THEREFORE there should be 〈◊〉 Law for them and another for the Gentiles but â—econdly this absurdity if it be an absurdity â—â—ay as well be drawn upon the text because it is â—â—id Jam. 2. that the Epistle was writ to the Twelve Tribes scattered abroad c. which were Jews And lastly it hath already been shewn that some â—hings were injoyned upon Paul that was a Jew which ought not to be injoyned upon the beleeving Gentiles Mr. Tillam Whereas Mr. Ives chargeth my Book for allowing that which I now call confusion I answer that I confess when I was first perswaded of the seventh-seventh-day sabbath I did also acknowledge the first day of the week but it was upon the reason of antiquity for as much as the seventh-seventh-day and the first day were both observed in the first three hundred yeers but when I observed the same contention about easter-Easter-day I was convinced and I do now beleeve that the first day of the week is in common with all other days and whereas Mr. Ives saith the Apostles preached in the Synagogues on the Sabbath days and in the Christian assemblies on the first-days of the week I do say that that they never met in any Christian assemblies upon the first day of the week and Mr. Tinaâ— calleth the first day of the week the sabbath Act. 20.7 Mr. Ives I answer to the last first Whereas you 〈◊〉 Mr. Tindal calleth the first day of the week 〈◊〉 sabbath so he doth also call that day 〈◊〉 which John received his Revelation the Sunday which other translations call the Lordâ— day by which it appears that without confusion Mr. Tindal thought the Apostles might observe both days as the state of Christian â—â—fairs then stood and as your self have confesse that both the Sabbath-day and the Lords-daâ— were observed in the three first Centuries And if Mr. Tindals Authority may be allowed then the first day of the week is the Sabbath-day and then what becomes of your seventh day sabbath unless you will keep two sabbaths so that sinâ—â— you have cited Mr. Tindal let Mr. Tindal 〈◊〉 the Controversie who by your own confession caâ—â— the first day of the week the sabbath Again when I said the Apostles did meet on both days without confusion which you said they could not I spake this to shew what Christians may do in point of condescention to one another and also to shew that if meeting on both days was a practise which you say is full of confusion that then your Book was not empty of confusion in allowing both the one and the other though you now deny it Mr. Tillam It is a great confusion for one part of an â—ssembly to meet upon one day and another â—â—rt to meet upon another and if any of our â—â—iends do so they do evil for they ought all 〈◊〉 meet at one place and at one time and to â—â—rry one for another and not to vary hours â—uch less days Mr. Ives I still think I have reason for my opinion viz. that those that do pretend to keep the â—eventh-day may keep the first day of the week â—o the Lord without being guilty of sin and confusion although your sabbath now under debate were true but enough of this I shall â—herefore proceed to another Argument to â—rove that all beleeving Gentiles are not commanded to keep the seventh-day sabbath which I thus do If the seventh-day sabbath was a Law to none but Israel and such as were proselyted to their Religion then all beleeving Gentiles are not commanded to observe it But the seventh-day sabbath was a Law to none but Israel and such as were proselyted to their Religion Ergo. The Minor I thus prove That Law which was given as a sign between God and Israel was a Law to none but Israel But the seventh-day sabbath was given as a sign between God and Israel Exod. 31.15 17. Ergo The seventh-day sabbath was a Law to none but Israel Mr. Tillam To the sabbaths being a sign I answer that it is either of things past or of things present or of things to come if of things past then it is a sign of the Creation of the world or else it is a sign of his sanctifying presence which I have found in this observation but that the seventh-sabbath is a sign of good things to come I utterly deny Again If the sabbath was a sign so were all the Commandments and therefore its being a sign doth not make it void any more then the rest of the Commandments which are also called signs Mr. Ives Whereas Mr. Tillam saith the Sabbath was a sign of the Creation I say it was not for though Heaven and Earth be exprest in the command of the sabbath yet the sabbath is no where said to be given them for a sign that God made Heaven and Earth for though God's resting the seventh-seventh-day be a reason why Israel should rest yet this rest is no where called a sign of the Creation But there is more reason to beleeve from the text that it was one of the signs of the Covenant that God in a special manner had made with that people See Exod. 31 16 17. Eze. 20.12 But further is it not more rational to beleeve that the six days should be a sign of Gods creating Heaven and Earth then the seventh day on which he did not work which at the most can but signifie to us that then or on that time God rested from all his work But whoever considers of the signes that God gave to Israel shall find that they were given them to distinguish that people from all people in the world and therefore Mr. Ainsworth observes upon Exod. 13.9 The Jews saith he used on other dayes to wear their Phylacteries on their arms or foreheads for a Sign or a Token to them as the Lord commanded but they laid them by upon the sabbath because say they the sabbath it self is a signe And therefore Josephus calls it A Law peculiar to that People De bello lib. 2. cap. 16. And to this agrees the saying of Nehemiah Chap 9.13 Thou camest down upon mount Sinai and spakest with them the house of Israel and madest known to them thy Holy Sabbath Again whereas Mr. Tillam saith that the whole Law of the Ten Commandments was a Signe and therefore we may as well lay aside all upon the account of their
being a Sign as any one to this I answer That it is not said of the Ten Commandments onely but of all the Law as well Ceremonies as Morals that it should be as a signe upon their hand it doth not therefore follow that these were all to continue But farther It is no where said of all the Law that it is a signe between God and Isral but rather a signe to distinguish them from all other people But lastly if the whole Law of Moses were as a signe between God and Israel as Mr. Tillam supposeth then I answer that as it was in the hand of Moses it was a Law binding to none but Israel and such as were proselyted thereunto neither was it given as a sign to any other Nation Mr. Tillam The seventh-day was a sign of the Creation of the World for God rested the seventh-day saith the Text. Again If that the Commandments are signs they must either be between God and his people or else between them and the Devil Mr. Ives That about a sign hath been answered already and I wonder you should delight your self with needless repetitions but however take a word or two in further answer viz. That Gods resting the seventh-seventh-day is urged by Moses as the Reason of the Law that injoyns Israel to keep the seventh-seventh-day and not as a Reason of the sign so that though Gods resting is urged as the Reason of the duty it doth not therefore follow that it is the Reason of the sign but as I have said before I shall say again that if all the Commandments were signs between God and Israel as they were delivered to Moses upon the mount it doth not prove that they were signes between God and any other Nation And as to your Objection That if the Commadments were signs they must either be between God and Israel or else between them and the Devil But how doth this appear might not it be a sign between Israel and all the Nations of the Earth to signifie their special favour with God above other people and doth not the text say the Law should be as frontlets between their eyes c. plainly shewing that God would distinguish this People by their Laws and Priviledges from all other people and that by their Sabbaths and Circumcision and other Judaical observations they should be known to all people that did converse with them to be highly in favour with God And lastly Their Laws some of them were called signs because they did signifie somthing to come and so did their Sabbath therefore the Apostle calls it a shadow Col. 2.17 But I never heard that their Laws were signs between them and the Devil Mr. Tillam If the Creation of the world be a reason why Israel was to keep the seventh-seventh-day sabbath you must then if you be Gods Israel keep the seventh day upon that reason because they did enjoy the comforts of the Creation which God brought forth in six days since then that Reason is the same to us that Law ought to be the same Mr. Ives I answer First by telling of you that you argue in stead of Answering But secondly lest you should judge thaâ— there is strength in what you say see the weakness of it for it doth not follow that because the reason of a Law is always the same thâ—â— therefore the Law should always be the same as for instance God gave a Law that the people of Israel should not eat Swines flesh nor the Cony nor the Hare because he the Lord their God 〈◊〉 holy therefore they should not defile themselves witâ—eating such things Leviâ— 11.43 44. Here you see the Reason remains for God is holy anâ— will be so forever but the Law doth not remain for a man may eat of these Creature now and not sin so in like manner the reason for the Jews sabbath may be the same when the Law may not be the same in every punctâ—â—o of it Mr. Tillam I answer that God hath given a toleration to eat such things and therefore now it is not a sin Mr. Ives Then I have shewn you that the reason of a Law may be the same when the Law is not the â—ame by your own confession Mr. Tillam making no further reply Mr. Ives â—roceeds to a new Argument Mr. Ives That which I have been doing hitherto hath been to shew that Moses Law doth not injoyn â—he beleeving Gentiles to keep the seventh-day sabbath I shall now give an Argument from â—he Law of Nature and prove that we are not â—equired by that Law to keep the seventh-day â—abbath which I thus do That which the Law of Nature bindes the Gentiles to observe it convinceth them of sin if they do not observe But the Law of Nature doth not convince the Gentiles of sin for not observing the seventh-day Sabbath Ergo The Law of Nature doth not bind the Gentiles to observe the 7th-day sabbath Here Mr. Tillam was desired to Object against the Argument proposed but he refusing another that stands by craves of Mr. Ives the proof of the Minor hereupon he proceeded Mr. Ives The Minor I prove thus If the Law of Nature doth convince the Gentiles of sin for not observing the seventh-seventh-day sabbath then it is manifest either in God word right Reason or manifest experience that they have had such convictions But neither Gods word right Reason or manifest experience doth manifest any such conviction Ergo The Law of Nature doth not convince the Gentiles of sin for not observing the seventh day sabbath This Minor Proposition being that which is denied I shall therefore because it is negative resolve it into the answer of my respondent 〈◊〉 desiring him to assign an instance either in God word right Reason or manifest experience thâ—â— ever any Gentile was convinced of sin by the Law of Nature for not observing the seventh-seventh-day sabbath Mr. Tillam To the Argument out of the Law of Nature I answer that it doth convince men 〈◊〉 sin for Idolatry and yet ask a Papist if he 〈◊〉 convinced of sin for bowing to the Virgin Mary and he will say No. Mr. Ives Sir You have not answered nor assigned 〈◊〉 instance and for what you say of a Papist 〈◊〉 answer that it is one thing to live under a Law that convinceth of sin and another thing to acknowledge such conviction as for example It is said of the Holy Ghost that he shall convince the world of sin and yet we all know the world is not convinced of sin so as publickly to repent and return Shall I then be so barbarous as to say that there is not a Law convincing because men are not actually convinced of their Idolatry for doubtless the most ignorant Papists have a Law and the Spirit of God convincing them of sin though actually they are not convinced However it is manifest that the light of Nature hath at some time or other so prevailed upon some of her children as that to a
the heart binds the beleeving Gentiles to observe it convinceth them of sin if they do not observe But the Law written in the heart doth not convince the beleeving Gentiles of sin for not observing the seventh-day Sabbath Ergo The Law written in the heart doth not bind the beleeving Gentiles to observe the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath Mr. Coppinger I say the Law written in the heart doth convince the beleeving Gentiles of sin in that they do not observe the seventh-seventh-day sabbath Mr. Ives If the Law written in the heart doth convince the Gentiles of sin for not observing the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath then it is manifest either in Gods word Right Reason or manifest experience that they have had such convictions But neither Gods word Right Reason 〈◊〉 manifest experience doth manifest that ever the Law written in the heart did convince thâ— Gentiles of sin for not observing the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath Ergo The Law written in the heart dotâ— not convince the Gentiles of sin for not observing the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath Mr. Coppinger I do deny the Minor and say that the Law that is written in the heart doth convince 〈◊〉 sin for not keeping the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath Mr. Ives Sir then you deny the Conclusion and not the Minor what ever you say therefore pray put in your exception against the enumeration in the Syllogism and shew us either from Scripture Record or Right Reason or Experience that any have been convinced of sin by the Law written in their heart for not keeping the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath Mr. Coppinger I shall then assign the Scripture Levit. 20.22 23. where it is written that God cast out the Nations for that they did not do all the things that be commanded Israel to do for thus it is written ver 22. Yee viz. Israel shall therefore keep all my statutes and all my judgments and do them â—hat the land whither I bring you to dwell therein â—ue you not out And yee shall not walk in the manners of the naâ—â—ons which I cast out before you for they commit 〈◊〉 all these things and therefore I abhorred them From whence I infer First that the seventh-day Sabbath was included in these words ALL my â—â—atutes and ALL my judgments and that â—â—hese were injoyned to the Gentile Nations â—â—prove by the 22 verse where it is said God â—â—st out the Nations viz. the Gentiles because they did not do ALL those things which he commanded of the people of Israel among which their seventh-day Sabbath was one great thing that was commanded now then If the Gentiles were cast out because they did not observe ALL the Laws and ALL the Statutes and ALL the Judgments which God commanded Israel to observe among which the seventh-day Sabbath was one as appears by comparing the 19 ch and 30 ver where keeping the Sabbath is mentioned among the Statutes of Israel I say If the Gentile Nations were cast out for not observing all Israel's statutes and all their judgments it appears that the Law written in the heart did convince them that they had sinned in that they had not observed all those things and so consequently the Law written in the heart doth convince them of sin for not observing the seventh-day Sabbath Mr. Ives I answer First that you have all this while argued and not answered But secondly The text doth not say the Nations were cast out for that they did not keep all Israels Laws but for that they were guilty of all those unnatural lusts mentioned in thâ— former part of the Chapter which he commanddeth Israel to refrain and withal to keep all his statutes lest he cast out them as he had done those Nations But thirdly How doth it appear that these Nations were to keep ALL Israels statutes and all their judgments by the Law written in their heart for they might otherwise come under the guilt of the transgressions of the Law of Israel then by Natures conviction if that should be granted that cannot be proved viz. that the Nations were to keep all Israels laws Fourthly If you say that the Nations were convinced of sin by the light of Nature because they did not keep ALL the statutes that were given to Israel then it will follow that the light of Nature did convince them of sin because they were not observers of the Ceremonial Laws that were given to Israel for those are mentioned in the 19 Chapter of Leviticus among the Statutes of Israel as well as their Sabbaths and other things Mr. Coppinger I do deny that Consequence for it doth not follow that the Nations were bound by the light of Nature to keep all Israels Ceremonial Laws because they were by the Law writ in their heart to keep all their statutes and all their judgments Mr. Ives I say the Consequence followeth undenyable for if it be true as you say that the Nations were cast out because they did not keep all the statutes and all the judgments that were given to Israel and all these statutes and all these judgments were taught them by the Law that was writ in the heart then I say it follows that the Nations were to keep the Ceremonial law of Israel as well as their Mora l then which to imagine there is nothing more absurd Mr. Coppinger I say no more then the text for the text saith You shall keep ALL my statutes and ALL my judgments that the land spew you not out as it did those that wore before you Mr. Ives I say the land did loath her former inhabitants because they did not keep all the laws which the light of Nature had taught them to observe therefore God threatens Israel with the same judgments if in case they either contrary to the Law writ in the heart or contrary to the Law given by Moses should be found transgressours not that it followeth that the Nations were bound by the law written in the heart to keep all Israels laws judgments for then they were bound by the law written their heart to keep the Ceremonial Laws also as well as the seventh-day sabbath which is ridiculous to imagine Mr. Coppinger I say that the Ceremonial Law is no part oâ— that whole Law in the Texts that I have mentioned where all the Statutes and all the judgments are commanded to Israel for there iâ— not a word mentioned concerning it in the whole chapter Mr. Ives Neither is there a word of the seventh-day sabbath in any of that chapter Mr. Coppinger But you may remember that I told you that all the Laws mentioned in Lev. the 20.22 23 did include the Sabbath day required in 19 ch 30 ver where it is said You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuaries so that if the Nations as I have said were cast out because they did not keep all Israels Statutes and all their judgments then they were cast out because they did not keep the 7th-day sabbath Mr. Ives I answer as before that the Text doth not say that
Ergo 〈◊〉 viz. the Gentiles by the law of Nature or the law written in the heart did keep the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Ives This is arguing and not answering but if I should suffer you to transgress the laws and rules of disputation and let you argue when you should answer I know you are never able to prove that the Gentiles without the help of tradition were able to know the seventh-day sabbath by the law and light of nature and whereas you say the Gentiles did the things contained in the law by the light of nature and therefore they kept the seventh-day sabbath I answer first that it is a difficult thing to conclude a particular proposition when the premises are indefinite For the Gentiles did by nature the things contained in the law inasmuch as they did some good which the law commanded and forbore some evils which the law forbad as murder and adultery c. it doth not therefore follow that because the Gentiles did the things that were contained in the law of Moses that therefore they did all things therein contained May not a man as well plead for circumcision and say that the light of nature taught people to be circumcised and to offer sacrifices because circumcision and sacrificing are things contained in the law and the Gentiles did by nature the things contained in the law therefore they were observers of circumcising and sacrificing by the light of nature would not every sensible man call this a senceless Argument and yet thus Mr. Coppinger reasons The Gentiles did by nature the things contained in the Law Ergo they kept the seventh-day sabbath but I shall shew in the ensuing Appendix that the Gentiles neither did nor could keep the seventh-day Sabbath by the light of Nature Mr. Coppinger If the Gentiles did those things by the light of nature that were contained in that law that forbad stealing and adultery then they kept the seventh-day sabbath which was a part of the same law But the Gentiles by the light of nature did the things that were contained in that law which forbad stealing and adultery Therefore the Gentiles by the light of nature did keep the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Ives I do assure you Sir if it were not but that I had compassion on the multitude and was unwilling to have them go away unsatisfied I had not said a word to your last Argument because you know you were by agreement to answer my Arguments and in stead thereof you make Arguments and turn Opponent when as you were by Agreement this day to be Respondent however Sir take this for an Answer that the Gentiles might do by nature those things that were contained in the Law that forbad stealing and adultery and yet the consequence doth not follow that therefore they kept the seventh-day sabbath by the light of nature as for instance a man that keeps the law of the Turk he observes a law that forbiddeth stealing and murder doth it therefore follow that he observeth the Law of England because he doth observe a law that requireth many of the same things which are written in the English Laws In like manner many of those Laws which were written upon the tables of the Gentiles hearts were written upon Israels tables of stone doth it therefore follow that all things that were written in tables of stone were writ upon the hearts of Gentiles Who is there but may perceive the non-concludencie of this Argument may not a man as well reason thus The Turks observe the things that are contained in the Christian Laws therefore they observe all things that are commanded in the laws of Christianity and further the Turks observe that law which the English men observe which requireth that a man should not kill and steal therefore the Turk observeth the English-man's Sabbath which is the first day of the week Again The people in America observe the things contained in the Jews law which requireth men not to kill and steal doth it follow that therefore the people in America observe the Jews seventh-day sabbath Are not these kind of arguings the same with Mr. Coppingers for he saith that the Gentiles did by Nature the things contained in the Jews law and therefore they kept the Jews sabbath but doth not the contrary to this appear for are there not thousands of good people in England that do the things that are contained in the Jews laws in the Apostles sence that yet never kept the Saturday or Jewish Sabbath and therefore for the further proof of this Argument let me add that it is impossible to keep the Jewish or seventh-seventh-day sabbath without the help of tradition and therefore the observation of that day is not Moral the reason I shall give is because if a man be sick of a violent distemper that hath bereaved him of his Senses yet when this man coms to his right understanding again he will know without a guide that he should not kill and that he should not steal but without the guide of tradition he cannot know what day of the week it is having lost his account thereof by reason of his distraction and therefore Common experience tels us that this man is forc'd to ask those that are about him what day of the week it is now then if he did not know what day of the week it was by reason that he had been thus distracted I demand how he could know which was the 7th Day Sabbath and if he could have known the 7th-day sabbath by the light of Nature what need was there for this man being come to his Senses to inquire what day of the week it was that he was then in more then there was for him to ask whether he might not kill or steal Mr. Coppinger I shall prove the Consequence namely that if the Gentiles by the light of Nature without tradition did do the things contained in the law that then they did keep the 7th-day sabbath by the light of nature without tradition Hereupon the Moderator did reprove Mr. Coppinger for attempting to argue instead of answering Mr. Ives his Argument and therefore did desire that Mr. Ives would urge a fresh Argument which was as followeth Mr. Ives That law which a man may have an absolute necessity to break cannot be a Moral law But the law for the seventh-day sabbath a man may have an absolute necessity to break Ergo the law for the seventh-day sabbath cannot be a moral law Mr. Coppinger I deny the Major if by moral law you do mean the law of Nature or law written in the heart for it doth not follow that a law is not moral or written in the heart because one may have a moral or absolute necessity to break it Mr. Ives I shall prove the Major thus If there be no absolute necessity for me to hate God or my neighbour then there is no absolute necessity for me to break the law in nature But there is no absolute
15. compared with Act. 21. Now if the Holy Ghost had said in the case of days You may keep every day alike except the seventh day sabbath then there had been somewhat in your instance otherwise the instance confirms the Argument Mr. Coppinger Here the Apostle doth refer the Observation of days to their own mind and so he doth the eating of all things therefore Mr. Ives hath done my work for me by assigning Acts 15. where blood and things strangled and things offered to Idols are excepted If then I shew that the seventh-day sabbath is as expresly and particularly excepted I have answered his Argument by his own confession and that it is excepted you may see in Jam. 2. and Mat. 5.17 18. Mr. Ives That which you promised was That you would shew as particular an exception of the seventh-day sabbath out of every day as I had shewn you against eating all things and instead thereof you assigne me two general texts where the whole Law and every jot and tittle of the Law is required to be kept and observed both which texts have been denyed to include the seventh-day sabbath to be in force because offering of sacrifices is required in the fifth of Matthew as well as other things where Christ bids those to whom he preached to go and be reconciled to their brother and then come and offer their gift which Law is not binding to the believers in these days But is it not strange that a man in his right wits should tell us That he would assigne a text where the sabbath was excepted out of this word every day in as express terms as blood and things strangled are excepted out of every thing and instead of a particular exception he produceth two general texts that have not the least word of a Sabbath in them but doth not this leave the Argument unanswered for by the same rule he can say That the seventh-seventh-day sabbath is not intended in this text when the Apostle saith We may observe every day alike I say by the same rule and with much more strength of reason it may be denyed that the sabbath is included in those general terms All the Law and the whole Law but sure I am that it was never heard of that such general texts were ever called express and particular exceptions against a general term in a Syllogism by any that ever understood the difference between a particular and a general term Mr. Coppinger The texts I named tell us that the whole Law is to be observed and every tittle of it till it be fulfilled and the seventh-day sabbath was included therefore if any man teach otherwise he teacheth contrary to sound Doctrine And as touching bringing gifts to the Altar and offering sacrifices mentioned in that Text Matt 5. these things Christ hath fulfilled and nailed to his Cross * And lyet when Mr Ives did dispute the next time with Mr. Coppinger he said That Altar was not understood for a literal Altar But said The Altar and the Gift in Mat. 5. was both to be understood Allegorically and yet here he doth confess that the text speaks of such an Altar and such a Gift that were types of Christ and that ended at his death Compare therefore this saying with his Argument upon the fifth of Matthew in the next ensuing Dispute if not they shall remain as long as Heaven and Earth remain and so must the seventh-seventh-day sabbath unless Mr. Ives can shew us that it is fulfulled by Christ and that because it hath Heaven and Earth for its reason Mr. Ives All this while there is no particular exception made against my former Argument from the fourteenth of the Romans as you promised me but instead thereof you repeat the text Mat. 5. whence you infer That Heaven and Earth shall pass before the law shall pass till it be fulfilled of which law the sabbath say you must needs be a part What if that were granted doth that prove that all the law mentioned in Mat. 5. is in force have not you confessed that offerings mentioned in the same chapter were fulfilled and abolished by Christ which very Confession of yours hath made the text uncapable to do you that service for which you cited it For how can any man safely conclude any particular proposition to be binding from a general text when he himself shall say Some things intended in that general text cannot be concluded from it as binding so that the Argument yet remains unanswered viz. That believers have no tie upon them by vertue of Moses law to observe one day above another and therefore they are not tied by Moses law to keep the seventh-day sabbath And though we have this freedom by Christ from the Mosaical institutions it doth not therefore follow as some fondly do imagine that therefore we are not to set apart a time under the Gospel to worship and serve God Somewhat hath been spoken to this in the former Dispute with Mr. Tillam and more shall be spoken in the insuing Appendix But we proceed to the next Argument Mr. Ives Because Mr. Coppinger confessed that if the seventh-day sabbath was fulfilled by Christ 〈◊〉 the Altar and Gifts mentioned in Mat. 5. that then we were not to observe it otherwise it was to continue I shall therefore shew that the seventh-day sabbath is fulfilled by Christ thus If the seventh-day sabbath be a weak and beggerly Rudiment then Christ hath fulfilled it But the seventh-day sabbath is a weak and beggerly Rudiment Ergo Christ hath fulfilled it Mr. Coppinger I deny the Minor The seventh day is not a weak and beggerly Rudiment Mr. Ives If all the times commanded in the Law of Moses are weak and beggerly Rudiments then the seventh-day sabbath is a weak and beggerly Rudiment But all the times comanded in the Law of Moses are weak and beggerly Rudiments Ergo the seventh-day sabbath is a weak and beggerly Rudiment Mr. Coppinger I deny the Minor all the times commanded to be observed in the law are not weak and beggerly Rudiments Mr. Ives If there was no time commanded to be observed in the Law but dayes months times and years and all these were weak and beggerly Rudiments then all the times commanded in the law were weak and beggerly Rudiments But there was no time commanded to be observed in the law but days months times and years and all these were weak and beggerly Rudiments Ergo all the times commanded in the law were weak and beggerly Rudiments Mr. Coppinger I deny the Minor and put you to prove that the days months times and yeers that were commanded to be observed in the Law were weak and beggerly Rudiments Mr. Ives This I shall do from Gal. 4.9 10 11. the words are these How turn ye again to those weak and beggerly Rudiments whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage Ye observe days and months and times and yeers I am afraid of you lest I have
cast out as a stranger in the house of this Epistle unless Mr. Coppinger can find another Epistle to the Galatians to entertain it in therefore it is evident that these days moneths times and years were the times the Jews were to observe in the Law among which the seventh-day sabbath was included as shall be shewn more particularly in the ensuing Appendix Mr. Coppinger If the times here called weak and beggerly be the heathenish times then I have said something to your Argument for all you say it is not answered Mr. Ives I do confess you have said something but to what purpose I shall leave the people to judge and if it do appear that they were the Rudiments of the Law that the Christians were going back to then you have not answered my Argument whatever you have said I shall therefore leave it to the Judgment of the Audience and proceed to another Argument If the seventh-day sabbath was a shadow of good things to come the believing Gentiles are not bound to observe it But the seventh-day sabbath was a shadow of good things to come Ergo the believing Gentiles are not bound to observe the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Coppinger I deny the Minor the seventh-day sabbath was not called a shadow of things to come Mr. Ives The text in the second of the Col. 16 17 verses proves it where the Apostle saith The sabbath days were shadows of good things to come Mr. Coppinger The Apostle doth not say sabbath days the word days is put in by the Translators and it ought to be read sabbaths Mr. Ives I shall prove that the Translators did well to put in that supplement by shewing that the Apostle intends sabbath days My first Argument is this Wheresoever the word sabbath is put without reference to such and such sabbaths there the seventh-day sabbath is always intended or included But here it is so put Ergo. As for instance when the Scripture speaks of the Jews festival sabbath or their yearly sabbath there is ever some note of distinction to distinguish them from sabbath days therefore the yearly sabbaths were called Sabbaths of rest for the LAND Levit. 25.4 5 6. 2 Chron. 36.21 shewing thereby that for that year the Land was to lye still and not be plowed or sowen Mr. Coppinger I deny the Minor the word sabbaths is sometimes simply put without reference to such and such sabbaths when the seventh day is neither intended nor included Mr. Ives Pray assigne us that text where sabbaths is so understood Mr. Coppinger I shall cite Esay 1 13. where the text saith The new Moons and Sabbaths God could not away with Mr. Ives If you will answer my Argument you must shew me that the seventh-day sabbath is not intended in this text but I shall by another Argument make it appear that sabbath days is not onely intended in Col. 2.16 but in Esay 1 13 also which I thus do Wheresoever this word sabbaths is mentioned with new moons feasts and holy days there the seventh-seventh-day sabbath is intended But the word sabbaths is here so mentioned Therefore the seventh-seventh-day sabbath is here intended Shew me but one instance where the word sabbaths is joyned with new moons and feasts and holy days where the seventh-seventh-day sabbath is not intended and then I may have some reason to think the Apostle doth not intend the seventh-seventh-day sabbath in Col. 2.16 17. and if you do so I will give you the case Mr. Coppinger If this were true then the sabbath must always be joyned with new moons but I can shew you sabbath mentioned without new moons that exclude the seventh-day sabbath and if I do so then I have put in an exception against the universality of your Argument Mr. Ives If you can shew me sabbaths mentioned without new moons it is not an exception against the Argument for I have already shewn that the yearly sabbaths were mentioned without new moons Again their feasts were called sabbaths as the Jubilee and Feast of weeks therefore I must tye you to the enumeration in the text and Argument and do demand an instance where the sabbath is mentioned with new moons and feasts that is not understood of the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Coppinger There is in the text an Adjunct of distinction viz. Sabbaths which are shadows c. as if I should say Fetch me my books in such a room plainly distinguishing them from other books in other rooms and so these sabbaths are called a shadow to distinguish them from other sabbaths that were not shadows Now then Mr. Ives must shew us that the seventh-day sabbath is a shadow of the body of Christ and I will grant the case Mr. Ives If I prove the seventh-day sabbath a shadow of the Body of Christ Mr. Coppinger saith he will grant the case and he hath already granted that the sabbaths mentioned in this text Col. 2. are shadows of the Body of Christ it remains then that I prove this word Sabbaths to intend the seventh-day sabbath and then I have proved that the seventh-day sabbath is a shadow The Argument then that I have made already doth prove it because as I have said from the beginning of the Bible to the end of it where ever sabbaths are mentioned with new Moons and Feasts there the seventh-day sabbath is always intended and till Mr. Coppinger can shew us a text like this of Col. 2. where sabbaths is mentioned with new moons and the seventh-day sabbath not intended I have sufficiently proved that the seventh-day sabbath is here intended Mr. Coppinger I made an Epithet of the distinction in my former answer by shewing that the sabbaths in the text are called Sabbaths that are a shadow to distinguish them from sabbaths that were not shadows and that therefore it could not be meant of sabbath dayes And secondly I have instanced Isa 1.13 where the word Sabbath is mentioned with new Moons and it is not understood of the seventh day sabbath because the work which the text saith was done upon those sabbaths was contrary to the work of the seventh-day sabbaths Mr. Ives As for that which you call the Epithet of the distinction though I think it is scarce good sence yet I shall answer your meaning by shewing you that the Sabbaths in Col. 2. were not called shadows to Distinguish them from the seventh-day Sabbath as if that was no shadow because the seventh-day it self is called a signe Exod. 31.13 even as circumcision was called 〈◊〉 sign Rom. 4.11 Again it doth not follow because he saith Sabbaths that are a shadow that he excludes some Sabbaths that were not shadows no more then when he saith new Moons that are a shadow that he doth hereby intimate that some new Moons were not shadows to the Jews And as touching the text Isa 1.13 where you say Sabbaths are mentioned with new Moons which could not be understood of the sabbath dayes because say you there was such work to be
done which was contrary to the work of a sabbath day I answer that nothing is mentioned which 〈◊〉 lawfully done on those sabbaths that was contrary to the work of the seventh day Mr. Coppinger I shall shew you that these sabbaths in Isa 1.13 could not be the sabbath days as first they are said Isa 1. to tread in Gods Courts in the Temple which they did not do on the sabbath dayes for then they met in the Synagogue Secondly here is all the Sacrifices and burnt-offerings which they could not offer upon the sabbath dayes Mr. Ives First it doth not follow that all those religious duties mentioned with the sabbaths Isa 1. were to be performed upon the sabbath dayes any more then the celebrations of their new Moons were to be celebrated upon the sabbath dayes and therefore if the duties there mentioned could not be performed upon the sabbath dayes that doth not prove the sabbaths mentioned with new Moons in that text doth not intend the Sabbath day Secondly you say they trod the Courts of God this you call a work which they could not do upon the sabbath dayes because you say they met in the Synagogue upon sabbath dayes I answer That David magnifies the COVRTS of Gods house while as yet there was no temple which shews that other places were called the Courts of Gods house as well as the temple Thirdly they might tread Gods Courts in the Temple upon the Sabbath dayes and therefore you confessed that the priests in the Temple might offer the Sacrifice upon the sabbath-day and be blameless which Christ supposes to be their constant custome but I believe never any seventh-day sabbath-keeper but Mr. Coppinger ever taught that it was a work that could not be done on the Sabbath day for People to tread in the Courts of Gods Temple Again you say here was ALL their Burnt-offerings and ALL their Sacrifices which you say could not be upon the seventh day sabbath offered and therefore Isaiah could not mean the seventh-day sabbath I answer That the text doth not say all their Sacrifices but the multitude of their Sacrifices and therefore you grosly abuse the text Just as if I should say Here is a multitude of People here assembled doth it reasonably follow from such a speech that ALL the People in England are here assembled Mr. Coppinger The text speaks of their SOLEMN Assemblies which was not wont to be upon their sabbath dayes Mr. Ives It doth not follow that because they were solemn Assemblies that they were such Assemblies that could not be upon the sabbath days for Mr. Coppinger meets upon the seventh-day sabbath and will they say when they are together that it is not a solemn Assembly But if the Sabbaths mentioned Isa 1.13 could not be the Sabbath dayes because they had solemn Assemblies upon it then the seventh-day Sabbath that Mr. Coppinger and those of his mind assembles on is not the true Sabbath day because they have a solemn Assembly upon it But I have shewed that the mentioning of these duties with the Sabbaths doth not prove they were all to be performed upon the Sabbath there mentioned but however that is most untrue to say that the sabbath mentioned Isa 1.13 is not the Sabbath day because those services there mentioned could not be done upon the sabbath days and that those religious duties there mentioned were contrary to the works of the Sabbath day then which nothing is more false Mr. Coppinger I have shewn you a text where sabbaths is mentioned with new Moons that is not understood of the seventh-seventh-day sabbath Mr. Ives I shall leave this Argument to the judgement of the Audience and your own conscience I have shewn that sabbaths were shadows of Christ and therefore not binding in these days to the believing Gentiles I have also given two reasons why the sabbath mentioned Col. 2.16 is to be understood of the seventh-seventh-day sabbath The one was because the word Sabbath is always understood for the seventh-seventh-day sabbath when it is mentioned without reference to their festival sabbaths And lastly I have more chiefly insisted and do still insist upon this reason viz. That the seventh-seventh-day sabbath is intended by the Apostle in Col. 2.16 because sabbath is there mentioned with new Moons and Feasts c. and throughout the whole Bible where-ever sabbaths is mentioned with new Moons and Feasts there the sabbath dayes are always intended and therefore I do again call upon my Respondent either to say that he cannot answer the Argument or else to shew me a text where sabbaths are mentioned with new Moons and the seventh-seventh-day sabbath not intended because no Scripture is of a private interpretation Mr. Coppinger I have shewed you Isa 1.13 where Sabbath is mentioned and the seventh-seventh-day sabbath not intended Mr. Ives I have shewed you that the reasons why you so conceive have no weight that the seventh-seventh-day sabbath is intended by the prophet Isaiah in the sabbath mentioned with new Moons Isa 1.13 and therefore unless you will assign any other instances to take off the force of my Argument I shall because the time and my strength is very much spent end the Disputation I come now to give an account of the fourth and last Disputation which was on the 22 of Feb. 1658. at the place aforesaid at which Dispute Mr. Coppinger was Opponent and Mr. Ives Respondent at which time and place the people being assembled Mr. Coppinger propounds the Question to be disputed on which take as followeth Mr. Coppinger THe Question to be disputed this day is Whether believing Gentiles are not bound to keep the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Ives The question was laid down in general terms and you have repeated it in indefinite terms not but that I could oppose it in those terms but because we have agreed upon terms let us not now alter them Mr. Coppinger When I say Believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh-day sabbath my meaning is all believing Gentiles Moderator Sir then I pray put in those words and proceed Mr. Coppinger I say then All believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Ives All believing Gentiles are not bound to keep the seventh day sabbath and pray prove they are Mr. Coppinger The first Argument I shall urge is this If all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the royal Law in the second of James then all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath But all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the royal Law in the second of James Ergo all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Ives I deny the consequence of the major Proposition for though all believers are bound to keep the royal Law mentioned in James the second yet they are not bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Coppinger If all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the royal Law in the second of James and that Law doth contain the seventh day
sabbath then all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath But all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the royal Law James 2. and that Law doth contain the seventh day sabbath Ergo all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Ives I deny the Syllogism because you do not conclude that which was denyed for this Argument should have concluded that if all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the royal Law in the second of James that THEN it follows that they are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath which was the consequence denyed in the Major Proposition of the former Argument Mr. Coppinger If the royal Law mentioned in the second of James be the whole of that Law which in the Scripture prohibiteth murder and adultery then the seventh-day sabbath is one point of that Law But the royal Law mentioned in the second of James is the whole of that Law which in the Scripture prohibiteth murder and adultery Ergo the seventh day sabbath is one point of that Law Mr. Ives Sir I wonder you should pretend to dispute Syllogistically and yet make two Syllogisms that conclude not the Major proposition denyed in the first Syllogism however because I would not spend time about trifles I shall answer this Argument by denying the consequence of the Major Proposition for though the royal Law mentioned in the second of James be the whole of that Law which in the Scriptures prohibiteth murder and adultery yet it doth not follow that the seventh day sabbath is a point or a part of it because every Law which in the Scripture prohibiteth murder and adultery doth not command the seventh day sabbath For murder was by the Law given to Noah prohibited and so was adultery and yet the seventh day sabbath was no point or part of it so that a man may keep the royal Law which in the Scripture prohibits murder and adultery and yet 〈◊〉 keep the seventh day sabbath for all the Patriarchs from Adam to Moses kept that royal Law which in the Scriptures prohibits murder and adultery and yet never any of them kept the seventh day sabbath Mr. Coppinger If that Law which in the Scriptures prohibiteth murder and adultery doth also prohibit the breach of the seventh day sabbath then it followeth that if the royal Law in the second of James be the whole of that Law which in the Scripture prohibiteth murder and adultery that then the seventh-day sabbath is one point of that Law But that Law which in the Scriptures prohibiteth murder and adultery doth also prohibit the breach of the seventh-day sabbath Ergo. Mr. Ives If by the terms that law c. you mean every Law which in the Scriptures prohibits murder and adultery doth also prohibit the breach of the seventh day sabbath then I deny the Minor because every Law which in the Scripture prohibiteth murder and adultery doth not prohibit the breach of the seventh-day sabbath for the Scripture speaks of the Law given to Noah and the Law in Nature and the Law of Christ all these are royal Laws and do prohibit murder and adultery and yet none of these prohibit the breach of your seventh day sabbath but if by that Law c. you do not mean whatsoever Law then I deny the Syllogism as fallacious Mr. Coppinger I say the whole Law is never mentioned where the seventh day sabbath is excluded therefore it is included Mr. Ives I deny both Antecedent and Consequent For the whole Law may be mentioned where the seventh day sabbath is excluded but if that were true the consequence doth not follow that the seventh day sabbath is included for the whole Law sometimes contains ceremonies as well as morals doth it therefore follow that ceremonies are always included in the word whole Law where-ever whole Law is mentioned except they are excluded in so many words Mr. Coppinger I say the whole Law is no where mentioned where the sabbath is excluded and do you shew me where it is Mr. Ives If by excluding you mean excluding in 〈◊〉 many words then I may usher in the ceremonial Laws for whole Law is never mentioned as I have said where the ceremonial Law is verbally excluded but doth it follow that therefore it is included Mr. Coppinger I say again if the Scripture no where speaks of whole Law and excludes the seventh day then it includes it Mr. Ives I have denyed the Consequence over and over and have assigned the reason why I do so and yet you make no answer to it Mr. Coppinger My Argument was That the seventh day sabbath was a part of that Law which in the Scriptures forbiddeth murder and adultery Mr. Ives And I have answered to that Argument by shewing that though the seventh day sabbath might be commanded in a Law that forbiddeth murder and adultery yet it followeth not that every Law that in the Scripture forbiddeth murder and adultery doth command the seventh day sabbath Mr. Coppinger It doth command it if it doth not exclude it Mr. Ives Pray let us have some Argument to prove without repeating the same things over and over for I have told you That it doth not follow that the word whole Law doth include the seventh day sabbath because it doth not in so many words exclude it for one may as well say the word whole Law includeth the observation of sacrifices and offerings because those things are not excluded And if any shall say That sacrifices are excluded in other texts because the ceremonies of the Law were called shadows Heb. 10.1 I answer That in another text the sabbath day is excluded by the same reason because the sabbath day is called a shadow Col. 2.16 17. Moderator Mr. Coppinger I suppose it remains for you to prove that where-ever the words whole Law and royal Law are mentioned in the Scripture that the seventh day sabbath is included if it be not excluded Mr. Coppinger I have called for an instance of Mr. Ives and he hath not given any where the seventh day is excluded from the word whole Law Mr. Ives I have told you That if I could not shew a text where the seventh day is excluded yet the Consequence doth not follow That therefore the seventh day sabbath is included as in the case of the Passover and other Judaical Rites it doth not follow that where these are not verbally excluded from the word whole Law that therefore they are included and enjoyned where-ever the whole Law is required to be observed But further I say the sabbath is not included in the Law mentioned James the second and do you prove it Mr. Coppinger You beg the Question to say it is not included James 2. Mr. Ives Sir I am Respondent and the Respondent cannot beg the Question in denying but rather you do beg the Question by affirming the seventh day sabbath is intended and commanded in the second of James which you cannot prove Mr. Coppinger If you deny the seventh day sabbath is intended in the second of James you may deny it Mr. Ives I do not deny it because I will deny it but I will deny it because I have reason to deny it Mr. Coppinger Well then I will prove that the seventh day sabbath is
secondly I deny the Minor and so That James doth not require the keeping of the whole Law according to the old Testament Mr. Coppinger I prove the Minor thus They that break one point of the Law in the old Testament they are guilty of the whole and cannot fulfil this law But he that breaks the seventh day sabbath breaks one point of the Law in the old Testament Ergo. Mr. Ives I deny the Major and say A man may break some points of the law contained in the Old Testament and yet keep this Law required in Jam. 2. Mr. Coppinger If you can prove that we can keep the law according to the old Testament and not keep the seventh day sabbath you do something Mr. Ives Your answer is impertinent for the proof doth lie upon you Secondly you cannot prove we can keep the Law according to the old Testament unless we are circumcised doth it follow that then wee must be circumcised But thirdly if I can prove that believers may keep the law in Jam. 2. according to any scripture without keeping the seventh day sabbath it is sufficient Mr. Coppinger The strength of my Argument lyeth in this That believers must keep the Law according to the scriptures of the old Testament which they could not do without keeping the seventh day sabbath Mr. Ives And the strength of my Answer lyeth in this That then they must be circumcised otherwise they cannot keep the whole Law according to the old Testament to which you make no Reply Mr. Coppinger I argue further If Christian Gentiles are bound to keep the whole Royal Law as it is laid down in this text Jam. 2. then they are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath But Christian Gentiles are bound to keep the whole Royal Law as it is laid down in this text Jam. 2. Ergo Christian Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath This Argument contains two Parts The one is That Christian Gentiles are bound to keep this law Jam. 2. The other is That this Law contains the seventh day sabbath First he speaks to Christians in general therefore to Gentiles Because he calls them Brethren and writeth to them as Believers and tells them that if they kept the Royal Law according to the scripture they should do well and withal tells them that whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all Secondly That the seventh day sabbath was a point of this Law I thus reason If the Apostle refers them to the Scriptures of the old Testament and they could not keep the Law according to the old Testament except they keep the seventh day sabbath then the seventh day sabbath is one point of this law Jam. 2. But the Apostle refers them to the scriptures of the old Testament and they could not keep the law according to the old Testament unless they kept the seventh day sabbath Ergo they could not keep the whole Law Jam. 2. unless they kept the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Ives I have answered to this Argument over and over and therefore I shall take a little time to speak a few words more and then I shall desire we may go to a fresh Argument First then this word whole Law it either respects the whole Law that the Jews were to observe or the whole Law that Christians are to observe if the whole Law here respect the Law that the Jews were to observe then if we should be bound to that we should be bound to observe Ceremonies as well as Morals for thus whole Law is understood both in the Old and New Testament when it relates to the Laws the Jews were to keep as appears Gal. 5.3 compared with 2 Chron. 33.8 where God tells Israel that he will never remove them if they will keep the WHOLE law with the Statutes and Ordinances But secondly This word whole law doth relate to the Law of liberty which believers are to keep which is opposed to the yoke of bondage as appears by comparing James 1. ver 25. with James 2 and 12 where he bids them so speak and so do â—s those that should be judged by the Law of liberty which is opposed to the Law of Moses for that it is called a yoke of bondage So that here is not one word of the seventh day sabbath but indeed of a royal Law and a Law of liberty which Christians are bound to keep according to the Scriptures in doing by all men as they would be done untoâ— for what Law soever Christ hath commended and confirmed to us out of the Scriptures of the old Testament these laws indeed we must keep according to the Scriptures of the old Testament but Christ hath not confirmed the Saturday sabbath and therefore we are not to look into the old Testament for our information therein Any otherwise then as the fourth Commandment enjoyns A time to worship and so hath something in it that is of use unto all Mr. Coppinger I come now to a second Argument to prove that all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath If Christian Jews are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath and there is no difference between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles then all Christian Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath But Christian Jews are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath and there is no difference between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles Ergo all Christian Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Ives I demand what you mean when you say There is no difference between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles do you mean no difference in point of precept or in point of priviledges Mr. Coppinger I mean no difference in point of Nations Mr. Ives This is no answer to the question my question is about difference in precepts or priviledges Mr. Coppinger I answer that there is no difference between the believing Jews and Gentiles in point of precept Mr. Ives Then I deny the Minor there is a difference in point of precept Mr. Coppinger Then you grant the Major that saith If believing Jews are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath then all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Ives If the Antecedent were true the Consequence would not follow and therefore I do not grant the Major however I desire you to prove that part of the Minor as you have explained it that saith Believing Jews and believing Gentiles are all one in point of precepts Mr. Coppinger If there be a difference between believing Jews and the believing Gentiles in point of precept it is either mentioned in the 15 of the Acts or the 21 of the Acts or you must assigne some other text where there is a difference between Jews and Gentiles in point of precepts But it is not in the 15 of the Acts not the 21 of the Acts and you cannot assigne any other place Ergo there is no difference between
other sins lest as the eleventh verse saith they fall after the same example of unbelief or disobedience Mr. Ives I shall shew that you have wholly mistaken the text For First you are to prove a rest or sabbath commanded and this text speaks of a rest that is promised as appears vers 1. of Chap. 4. where the Author to the Hebrews bids them fear lest A PROMISE being left of entering into his Rest any should seem to come short through unbelief Secondly the text from the Greek ought rather to be read A Sabbatism then the keeping of a Sabbath however the word is not SABBATH DAY and when I did dispute with you last you would not allow that the word sabbaths in Col. 2.16 17. should be understood of a sabbath day though there was good reason to understand it so because the word day was not in the Original though it was in the English Text but here you will have it to be understood of sabbath day though the word be neither in the English nor Greek text and though there be no reason why you should so notion it But Thirdly this rest is not a rest commanded or a seventh day sabbath rest because the seventh day sabbath unbelievers and their cattel might have injoyed but the rest here promised is reserved onely for believers which none else shall share in Fourthly the rest here spoken of is a rest that Joshua could not give them but he did give them the seventh day rest therefore this could not be spoken of the seventh day see for this purpose the eighth verse of this fourth Chapter where it is said that if Joshua had given them rest he would not afterwards have spoken of another day and then adds that there remaines THEREFORE a rest to the people of God vers 9. Therefore Wherefore the eighth verse tells us because Joshua did not give them rest so that this if it prove any thing it proves against Mr. Coppinger because it supposes some other day then what they enjoyed in the time of Joshua Fifthly whereas Mr. Coppinger tells us That it must be meant of the seventh day sabbath because the text saith He that believeth ceaseth from his own work as God did from his I answer That this doth not prove a command for a man to forbear working upon the seventh day but it shews rather the priviledges that men shall enjoy through believing viz. that they shall rest from their labours so saith Christ Come unto me all ye that LABOUR and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 and vers 29 Christ promises that they shall find REST to their souls and Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they REST from their LABOURS and their works follow them Rev. 13.14 in like manner the Author to the Hebrews would be understood when he tells us that he that doth believe hath ceased from his labour as God did from his Sixthly though the Author to the Hebrews alludeth to the seventh day upon which God rested yet this doth not prove that therefore we must enter into the Jewish or seventh day rest no more then it proves we must enter into the Literal Canaan because he alludeth also to that Literal Canaan in which Joshua conducted Israel but he rather informs them that as they under the Law had a time of rest and a place of rest so they that did believe should have a day of Grace and a place of Glory in which they should be like God in rest for ever never to labour more even as God rested and wrought no more when he had ended his six dayes work therefore he bids them LABOVR to enter into his rest but the seventh day rest they might enter into without labour Seventhly whereas Mr. Coppinger tells us that the Author to the Hebrews exhorts that we should not fall after the same example of unbelief and disobedience that the Israelites fell into in the wilderness which saith he was sabbath-breaking as appears by Ezek. 20.16 as well as other sins therefore saith he by the same example must be understood that he cautions them to beware of breaking the seventh day sabbath To which I answer That this is a straining the text for it doth not follow that he doth admonish the Christians to beware of the same particular sins as Mr. Coppinger would notion it but of sins in general for first we cannot be guilty of loathing Manna nor of murmuring at the waters of Meribah and yet the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.6 That THESE were for our examples c. So in like manner we cannot be guilty of sin in not observing the seventh day sabbath any more then we can be guilty of loathing Manna and yet Gods judgments upon them for all their old Testament sins are set forth to us for examples not 〈◊〉 tye us to the same duties but to Gospel-Obedience in all things lest we incur the same of â—â—eater punishments by how much the more we 〈◊〉 against greater mercies Again the Apostle gives the like Exhortatiâ—â— 1 Cor. 9.13 14. Do ye not know that they that wait upon the altar should live of the altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel May not a man as reasonably infer from hence that because the maintenance of the Levitical priesthood is here set forth as an example to teach us to take care of Gospel-Ministers that therefore they must be maintained after the same manner as the Priests were maintained that waited upon the Altar as Mr. Coppinger may say Because Gods Judgments against Israels sins in the Wilderness are set forth to us for examples that therefore we who are believing Gentiles under the Gospel to avoid the like Judgements must do all the Commandments and believe all the promises that Israel suffered his displeasure for in the Wilderness for not obeying and believing Having thus answered you Paraphrase upon the text I do again call upon you to prove that the Rest or Sabbath spoken of Heb. 4. is a seventh day sabbath which we are commanded to observe for the sum of my Answer is that this is a Rest promised and not a Rest or seventh day sabbath commanded therefore pray let us have an Argument for the proof of it Mr. Coppinger My Exposition of the Text proves it well enough Mr. Ives Pray draw your sence upon the text into an Argument and let us see if you can prove that here is a seventh day sabbath commanded Mr. Coppinger I cannot put it into an Argument because it refers to several texts for the explaining of it Mr. Ives I have answered to your interpretation already and if you will not urge an Argument from hence I shall desire that you would proceed to an Argument from some other texts Mr. Coppinger If Christ did teach the observation of the seventh day sabbath then all believing Gentiles are bound to observe it But Christ did teach the observation of the
the sixth Argument and that is drawn from Mat. 24.20 ver where Christ bids the Disciples pray that their flight was not on the Sabbath day whence it is inferred that if Christ would not have had the sabbath sanctified after his Resurrection he would never have cautioned his Disciples to pray that their flight was not upon the seventh day sabbath which was a Prophesie to be fulfilled after the Resurrection I answer that this proves no more that Christ would have the sabbath sanctified by the beleeving Gentiles then it proves he would have the winter time sanctified for he likewise bids them pray that they might not fly in the winter Secondly if the sabbath had been in force they might fly to save their lives on the sabbath and therefore that could not be the reason why they should pray they might not fly upon the sabbath for if Christ a allowed his Disciples to walk through the corn-fields upon the sabbath and pluck the ears of corn to satisfie a little hunger he would not if the sabbath had been in force have judged it a breach of the sabbath for them to fly to save their lives Thirdly The reason why they were to pray that they might not fly on that day was because the seditious Jews as stories make mention were so zealous of their sabbaths that if any for fear of an enemy should have offered to fly to save his life upon the sabbath the Jews themselves would have laid hands first upon him therefore Christ bids them pray that they may not fly then lest they should be in perils by their Countrymen as well as by the Romans who should invade them which perils of their own Countrymen they were not so likely to meet with in their flight upon another day Object But it is further Objected Why is that day called a sabbath day which was to come to pass after the Ascension if Christ would not have it observed I answer That it was ordinary for the Jews days to be called after the death of Christ by the old names they had before as the Passeover is frequently so called by the Apostles after those things were abolished Act. 12.3 Act. 18.21 Act. 20.16 and so 1 Cor. 16.8 Paul faith be will tarry at Ephesus till Pentecost so that Christs calling it by the name of the sabbath day doth no more prove it is in force then Paul's mentioning the feast of Pentecost proves that we ought to observe the feast of Pentecost Argum. 7 It is said after Christ was dead that the women prepared spices and oyntments and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment Luke 23.56 Therefore the sabbath day was a commandment in force after Christ was dead I answer First that these were not beleeving Gentiles which are the subjects under debate But secondly the Law of the New Testament was not established till Christs Resurrection when he faith Mat. 28.18 That all power in Heaven and Earth was given to him therefore no marvel that these were found in their Old Testament observations Thirdly It was no easie matter to take off the zeal even of beleeving Jews themselves from the Law of Moses after Christ was ascended you see this in Peter who was an eminent Apostle yet he had so much Conscience of the Law after the partition-wall was broken down that he would not eat with the Gentiles nor eat any thing which in the Law was common or unclean Act. 10.14.28 and so Act. 21.20 21. there were thousands of Jews that did beleeve that were zealous of the Commandments doth it therefore follow that those Commandments were in force in like manner it doth not follow that because these women kept the seventh day sabbath according to the command that therefore the Commandment for the sabbath was to be in force to beleeving Gentiles after Christs Resurrection Fourthly If this were a good Argument the Jewish women kept the Sabbath according to the Commandment after Christ was dead therefore the commandment is in force to beleeving Gentiles after his Resurrection would it not be as good an Argument for a man to say that Paul being a Jew kept the Feast of Pentecost after Christ was risen therefore beleeving Gentiles might keep the Feast of Pentecost since Christ is risen Argum. 8 Christ faith the sabbath was made for man Mark 2.27 which is to be understood of every man therefore it is a Law binding to beleeving Gentiles I answer First That all the whole Law of Israel was made for man doth it therefore follow that all that law was binding to beleeving Gentiles that all that whole law that was given upon the mount both Moral and Ceremonial was made for man see Deut 5.24 You have seen this day that God doth talk with MAN and he liveth Now God was said to speak to MAN in this place and yet this word man is restrained to the Nation of Israel unless any will be so absurd as to think that all the Laws given upon mount Sinai were for ever binding to all the world in like manner the sabbath might be made for man as the rest of the Jews Laws were which yet are not universally binding Secondly It is said That the woman was made for MAN which is the same and yet it may be good for a man not to touch a woman 1 Cor. 7.1 by which it appears that though a woman was made for Adam or man yet a man may lawfully live without a woman so though the seventh day sabbath was made for man which in Greek is Anthropos it doth no more follow that therefore every man must keep the seventh day then it follows that because a woman was made for man that therefore every man is bound to marry Argum. 9 The next Scripture levied for to prove that the seventh day sabbath is commanded is Heb. 4.9 there remains a rest or sabbalism for the people of God From whence it is urged first that the people of God must keep a sabbath therefore beleeving Gentiles being Gods people must keep a Sabbath Secondly That this is the seventh day appears say they because the Author to the Hebrews alludeth to the seventh day on which God rested ver 4. I answer First by concession that that sabbath or rest there mentioned the people of God both Jews and Gentiles shall keep and enjoy But secondly This is not the seventh day sabbath or rest first because the seventh day sabbath was a rest commanded but this is a rest or sabbath promised as appears verse the first Let us fear lest a PROMISE being left of entring into rest any should come short through unbeleef Secondly This could not be the seventh day rest because it is a rest only provided for beleevers to enter into but unbeleevers might enter into the seventh day rest and so might their cattle also therefore unbeleevers did not nor could not enter into this rest ver 11. Let us therefore labour to enter into that rest lest
any man fall after the same example of unbeleef Thirdly Whereas it is said that the Author alludeth to the seventh day rest because it is said God rested the seventh day ver 4. I answer This Text doth no more prove that the Gentiles are commanded to observe that time of rest because the Author alludeth to the seventh day then it proves they were to observe that place or rest viz. the Land of Canaan because he alludeth to that place v 8. For if Joshua had given them rest he would not after wards have spoken of another day by which words the Author doth as truly allude to the place of rest that Joshua conducted Israel to in Canaan as he doth allude to the time of rest that God rested on and therefore this cleerly proves that both were typical for Joshua did give them the rest in Canaan and a rest upon the seventh day and yet he prophesies of another rest and another day which clearly proves this was neither the time of rest nor the place of rest that Israel did enjoy that the Author means but that place of rest and time of rest which under the Gospel the beleevers have in hope and which after all their labours and travels they shall at last have in hand and rest from all sorrow and labour when that great sabbath shall commence as God did from his labour when he had ended his work of Creation To this agrees Mat. 11 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and I will give you rest and Revel 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth faith the Spirit that they MAY rest from their labours and their works do follow them Arg. 10 I proceed to the next Text of Scripture which is much insisted on to prove the seventh day sabbath is in force to beleeving Gentiles by a Commandment and that is Jam. 2.8 10. where the whole Law is required and where it is said we should not offend in one point therefore the seventh day sabbath being a part and a point of the whole Law beleeving Gentiles are bound to observe it to this is added those words of Paul Rom. 3.31 We establish the Law Ans To which I answer first that this word Law and whole Law is variously taken in holy Scriptures and therefore it is not safe to conclude the seventh day Sabbath from such Texts lest we are forced at last to do as some did who some years since began to professe the Jewish Sabbath because it was a part of the Law and afterwards came by the force of the same reason to keep all the Jewish Ceremonies because they were parts of the whole Law and at last went over Sea and turned Jews and denied the Lord Christ to be the true Messiah And that the word Law is variously taken nothing is more manifest for there is a Law of Moses Mal. 4.4 and Acts 13.39 there is a Law of Christ Gal. 6.2 there is the Law of Nature Rom. 2.14 there is the Law of Works and the Law of Faith Rom. 3.27 there is the Law of Bondage Acts 15. and 10. Gal. 5.1 and there is a Law of Liberty James 1.25 and James 3.12 So speak and so de as they that shall be judged by the Law of LIBERTY Now the great Question will be which of these Laws James means when he tells us We must keep the whole law if he means the whole Law of Moses then we must as I have said observe Circumcision because the Jews did Circumcise that the Law of MOSES might not be broken Joh. 7.23 and the Apostle tells us Gal. 5.2 That be that was circumcised was bound to keep the WHOLE Law so that to understand this Text to be meant of Moses Law will necessarily introduce all Judaism but if we should understand it as indeed we ought for the Law of Liberty and the Law of Faith which is the Law that James speaks of in this Chapter and that Paul doth speak of when he saith Rom. 3.3 He doth establish the Law I say if we understand the word Law in this later fence for the Law of Christ the Law of Faith and the Law of Liberty I demand where any of these Laws do command a seventh day sabbath So that what ever the Law of Christ and the Law of Faith and Liberty and the Law of Nature do injoyn us to observe these we must observe in every point or we shall be guilty of all if we wilfully break the least Command required in these Laws which in no place commands a seventh-day sabbath and that James means the Law of Liberty the second Chapter 12 Verse will inform us For when he had in the 10 Verse told them that be that sinned in one point of the Law was guilty of all he tells them in the 12 Verse what Law he means and therefore bids so do as those that should be judged by the Law of Liberty so that unless any body can prove that the Law of Liberty doth command a seventh day sabbath they cannot prove from this Text that the believing Gentiles are bound to observe it any more then they are bound to observe all the Jewish rudiments the observation whereof experience tells us is the sad and evil consequence of this opinion Argum. 11 The eleventh Argument to prove the seventh day sabbath is more general then the former viz Because all Laws that were never repealed are in force therefore the seventh day sabbath is in force by a Law because it was once commanded and never repealed I answer if by the not repealing of a Law they do mean that which is not expresly and particularly repealed then we must keep the Passover for that was once a Law and was never repealed expresly and particularly Again we must keep the year of Jubilee for that was once a Law and it was never expresly and particularly repealed Furthermore by this Argument we must keep the seventh yeer for a sabbath and neither plow or sow our fields or do any work for that whole yeer because it was once commanded Levit. 25. and it was never expresly and particularly repealed but doth it therefore follow that we are bound to observe these things in like manner it doth not follow that the seventh day sabbath must be still observed because it was once commanded and in so many words was never repealed But lastly The seventh day sabbath is repealed in Col. 2. where it is called A shadow of things to come Argum. 12 We come now to those Texts that are urged for Examples and they are those that tell us that be Apostle preached in the Synagogue every SABBATH-day Act. 13.14 42. Act. 16.12 13. Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 Whence it is inferred that we ought to walk as we have them for an Example therefore if they kept the seventh day sabbath we must I answer Then we must meet in a Jewish Synagogue as well as the Apostles did every sabbath day if
they must be our Examples for A TIME of worship they must be so for a PLACE of worship for such places were as well commanded as such times Secondly The Apostle circumcised Timothy must we therefore circumcise Thirdly The Apostle Paul did observe the Law of the Nazarites Act. 21. must we therefore observe it Fourthly The Apostle said He must needs keep the feast of the Passeover Act. 18 21. Doth it therefore follow that we must keep the feast of the Passeover and yet after this manner do these men reason viz. that they must keep the seventh day sabbath because Paul kept it Fifthly The Text doth not say Paul did keep the sabbath any more then it faith he did reverence the sanctuary but that having the opportunity of these times and places in which the Jews were assembled he made use thereof to preach Christ unto them Argum. 12 Having urged and answered those Arguments taken from commands and Examples out of the Old and New Testament I come now to those Arguments that plead the seventh day sabbaths Morality from Natural Reasons and the first is That the seventh-seventh-day sabbath must needs be moral because as Mr. Spittlehouse told me before many witnesses that the seven Stars did preach the seventh day sabbath and therefore the Heathen kept the Saturday which is so called of Saturn the seventh Planet I answer that first this is vain Philosophy indeed But secondly Mr. Spittlehouse is an ignorant Philosopher and a more ignorant Astrologer in saying that Saturn is the seventh Planet which all writers in Astronomy and Astrology do declare to be the first Planet and accordingly so place it and call it and therefore the Heathen rather kept Saturday as the first day then the seventh day because Saturn is the first of all the seven Planets But thirdly The Heathen did keep every ninth day to Jupiter doth it therefore follow that these were sabbaths that God required Again Plutarch saith of Theseus that the Athenians offered to him their greatest sacrifices upon the eighth day of October because of his arrival that day from Cret◠and they did keep the eighth day of every month because he was derived of Neptune and therefore Philo the Jew puts this difference between Jews and Gentiles viz. that the Jews kept a day every week but the Gentiles did but keep one in a moneth by which it appears that the seventh day of the week was not more honoured by the Heathen then the ninth day of the week or the eighth day of the month on which they offered their greatest sacrifices But lastly If it were lawful thus to trifle might not a man as well prove Sunday or the first day of the week to be a sabbath according to the light of Nature because the Heathen worshipped the Sun as any body can prove Saturday to be a sabbath because the Heathen worshipped the Planet Saturn but enough if not more then enough of this vain reasoning Argum. 13 The thirteenth Argument is taken from the morality and perfection of the number seven that it is a perfect number and therefore when the seventh day comes we must rest for the proof of this notion they cite Scriptures that magnifie the number seven as Davids praying seven times a day and Christs casting seven Devils out of Mary Magdelene and seven yeers of plenty and seven yeers of famine in Egypt amp c. To all which I answer that one would think these men had suffered 7 yeers famine in a want of Arguments for their opinion of the seventh day or else they would never catch at such things as these but I remember Solomon faith to the hungry every bitter thing is sweet therefore if these men were not languishing for want of Arguments they would never feed themselves with such vain arguings For may not the Papists plead this Argument for their seven Sacraments as well as these men can plead it for the seventh day sabbath But secondly Are not other numbers both in Nature sacred and prophane writings as much set by as the number seven as God made two lights Gen. 1.16 and he made man two eyes two feet two hands and two ears so there was two tables of the Law and two Nations in Rebecca's womb and two Testaments the like enum eration may be found of other numbers both in sacred and prophane writing but this kind of arguing is more like Cornelius Agrippa's Occulr Philosophy then Christian Divinity Argum. 14 The fourteenth and last Argument is taken from the practise of the Church the three first Centuries after Christ whence they infer that if the Christians so long after kept the seventh day it is a sign that it was given them in charge by Christ To this I answer that the Christian Churches kept the feast of Easter 300 years after Christ doth this follow therefore that Christ gave the keeping of Easter in charge to them and that the Churches 300 years after Christ were zealous of Easter day is very obvious to all that have any acquaintance with the stories of those times see Euseb lib. 5. cap. 21.22 23 24. and herein were the Christians divided the Eastern Churches kept it at the same time the Jews kept their passeover and the West Churches kept it upon some Sunday following after in like manner were they divided about the observations of their weekly dayes the Ebionites saith Eusebius were a fort of Hereticks that were zealous of the Law and did own the Epistle to the Hebrews but denied the Epistles of Paul for that he spake against the Law those did keep the Jews seventh day with other Ceremonies of the Law and celebrate the Sundays in remembrance of Christs Resurrection as other Christians do lib 3. cap. 24. The like saith Epiphanius lib. 1. Haeres 3c thus we see how the Christians were divided in their practise about the weekly and yearly observation of dayes that we may as easily prove Christ left the feast of the Passeover in charge to the Christian world as that he left the seventh day in charge because as the one was practised so was the other for more then 300 years after Christ Having answered the Arguments levied for the Jews Sabbath I shall now urge reasons why the Jews Sabbath or the seventh day Sabbath is not of force to be believing Gentiles in the times of the Gospel either by the Law of nature Moses 〈◊〉 Christ Argum. 1 First the Gentiles are not commanded by the Law of Nature because nature doth never convince any of sin for not keeping the seventh day Sabbath and yet it did convince the Gentiles of sin for not keeping the other nine Commandments now had the Sabbath been a moral Law or a Law in nature then would nature as well have reproved her children for the profaning of it as it hath reproved them for the breach of all the rest and that nature hath reproved every man for the breach of all other laws which are moral appears if we
view Rom. 1.25 The Gentiles who had not the law of Moses broke the first Commandment in that they worshippâ—d the Creature MORE then the Creator Rom. 1.25 which was against the first Commandment that faith We must have no other Gods bus one They broke the second Commandment in that they did change the glory of the incorruptible God into an IMAGE made like corruptible man Rom. 1.23 They broke the third Commandment in that they blasphemed the name of God Rom. 2.24 But no mention of their breach of the fourth Commandment They broke the fifth Commandment in that they were disobedient to Parents Rom. 1.30 They broke the sixth commandment in that they were guilty of murder Rom. 1.29 They broke the seventh Commandment in that they were guilty of fornication and unlawfull lusts Rom. 1.26 29. They broke the eighth Commandment therefore the Apostle admonisheth the converted Gentiles Ephes 4.17 28. that they which had stolen should steal no more shewing that in the dayes of their Gentile vanities they walked not according to the light of nature Again they broke the ninth Commandment 2 Tim. 3.3 without natural affection truce-breakers FALSE accusers They brake the tenth Commandment in that they were guilty of covetousnesse Rom 1.2 How often are the Gentiles charged with these sins both in the Old and New Testament and yet they are never charged by the Law of Nature for seventh day Sabbath breaking and therefore Josephus tells us that the Mations did imitate and learned to keep a Sabbath of the Jews for saith he our custome hath spread it self among the Nations c. clearly proving that the light of Nature never taught the Gentiles to keep the seventh day sabbath Lib. 2. contr Appion Again secondly the Gentiles could not keep the seventh day by the light of Nature because they are not exactly able to compute the seventh day from the Creation by reason that the Sun stood still in Joshua's time and hasted not to go down for a whole day and likewise the Sun went backwards ten degrees in Hezekiahs time which was almost half a day by reason whereof the light of Nature was never able to make a perfect account of the seventh day from the Creation Thirdly a man cannot know the seventh day from the fourth but by tradition therefore the knowledge of the seventh day is not moral as for instance Suppose a man sick of a violent distemper that bereaveth him of his sences when he comes to his former understanding he will know his duty touching all the nine precepts and also touching the setting apart some time to serve God but as touching this seventh day he cannot know this but by the help of tradition having lost his account in the time of his sickness which shews that the seventh day is not commanded by the light of Nature because by that light a man cannot know the seenth day from the fourth or eighth Again this Reason is further illustrated by the Travels of Sir Francis Drake who lost a whole day and so did all their company before their return for England so the Dutch in their Western Discoveries by reason of the varation of Longitudes and Latitudes they had lost a day before they returned which they had never been informed in but by the help of tradition which shews that Nature could not instruct the Gentiles in the knowledge of a seventh day Now these and the like cases puts an absolute necessity upon the world to be ignorant of this Law therefore it cannot be moral The second Argument which I urge to prove that the seventh day sabbath is not in force to the believing Gentiles is Because they are not commanded by Moses Law to keep the seventh day sabbath My Reasons are first because this Law was not given to any Nation but Israel Psalm 147.19 20. Rom. 2.14 the Gentiles had not the Law c Secondly if Moses Law be in force then the punishment due to the breach of the seventh day sabbath is in force which was That the Congregation should stone the Oftender to death Num. 15.35 which I have shewn in the forementioned Disputations cannot reasonably be imagined to consist with Gospel-liberty Thirdly if Moses Law be in force to require any thing of the Gentiles that is not expresly and particularly required of them by Christ or his Apostles then we may by the Argument of Moses Law take a liberty to innovate what Judaical Ceremonies we shall at any time have a mind unto Argum. III I come now to the last Argument viz. That the Gentiles are not required by Christ to keep the seventh day sabbath First because he hath not expresly required any such thing in all the New Testament nor have any of his Apostles to whom he delegated a power to preach the Laws of the New Testament ever declared any such thing But secondly the Apostle tells us That the sabbath was a shadow of good things to come Col. 2.16 27. Which must needs be understood of sabbath days as our Translators have rendered it First where-ever the word sabbaths is otherwise understood the Holy Ghost for the help of our understanding adds either that it is a sabbath for the LAND when he means yearly sabbaths or else if they were festival sabbaths he refers us to the Feasts which-ought to be so sanctified But secondly where-ever sabbath is joyned with new moons and feasts there it is always understood of the sabbath days because all their other sabbaths were included in their feasts except the seventh day sabbath See for this purpose Exod. 34.18 19 20 21 22 23. Lev. 23.3 4. Ezek. 45.17 and 2 Chron. 8.13 Thirdly the sabbath day was called a signe by Moses Exod. 31.17 Again my third Reason why Christ hath not commanded the believing Gentiles to keep the seventh day sabbath is Because the Apostle calls all the times that the Jews observed in the Law weak and beggerly elements among which the seventh day sabbath was accounted see Gal. 4.9 10 11. Now the Jews days were their weekly Sabbaths their moneths were their new Moons Numb 28.11 Num. 10.10 2 Chron. 8.13 Exod. 23.12 their times were three in the years Exod. 23.14 15. Deut. 16. from the first to the fourth was the feast of the Passover from the ninth verse to the thirteenth is mention made of the feast of harvest or feast of weeks and from the thirteenth verse to the 26 you may read of the feast of boothes or tabernacles which were their times that they observed Then they observed years which shews that this was spoken of the Jews since as Tacitus faith No Nation wasted whole years as the Jews did and that they were by the Law to keep years as well as days and moneths and times appears by the text Lev. 25. where every seseventh year and every year of Jubilee was commanded to be observed Now if they had no time which they observed but days moneths times and years and all these were
weak and beggerly Rudiments then it plainly appears that their seventh day sabbaths are weak and beggerly This reason remains good till some body shall shew me that the seventh day sabbath was not included in these words days moneths times and years My last Râ—ason why Christ never commánded the gentiles to â—â—serve the seventh day sabbath is because the Apostle gives a toleration to the Christians to keep every day as they are perswaded in their own minds either to esteem one day above another or every day alike Rom. 14.5 which liberty he could not have given them if Christ had confirmed the Law of Moses to the beleeving Gentiles But this Argument did meet with two Objections the one was that this could not be understood of every day according to the letter of the Text because the Apostle gives a toleration to eat all things and yet the Holy Ghost Act. 15. forbiddeth the eating of blood and things strangled c. In like manner say they must we restrain the words every day to be understood of every day but the sabbath To which I answer that the Holy Ghost hath put a restriction upon the word every thing but neither Christ the Holy Ghost nor the Apostle hath put a restriction upon this word every day therefore no mortal man ought to take that liberty to restrain the words of a Text when the Holy Spirit doth not restrain them The second thing Objected against this Argument from Rom. 14. is this viz. That if we are at liberty and under no restraint but may keep every day alike then there is no reason to observe any day The answer to this Objection maketh way for the last thing intended which is to shew that though Christ hath set us at liberty from those Mosaical Institutions for the observation of days and hath made all days alike in respect of any Mosaical sanctity yet it doth not therefore follow that we may spend every day to the service of the flesh and chuse whether we will set apart any time to the service of God as I have already hinted page 90. For first God hath freed us from that place of worship by the death of Christ unto which both Jews and Proselytes were enjoyned to come up to worship which was in the Temple at Jerusalem and now Christ hath made every place alike in that one place hath no more Legal or Mosaical sanctâ—ty then another doth it therefore follow that Christians may abuse this liberty and chuse whether they will meet to worship God in any place or no No more doth it follow that because Christ hath made all days alike in respect of any Mosaical sanctity that therefore we may chuse whether we will keep any day at all Again secondly Christ hath set us free from those Mosaical Laws which God made for the maintenance of the Levitical Priesthood and Legal Ministry and hath not injoyned us how much or how little the Ministers of the Gospel should be allowed doth it therefore follow that we may chuse whether we will allow them any thing or nothing In like manner it doth not follow because Christ hath taken away the Mosaical institution for the observation of days that therefore we may chuse whether we will observe any day or any time for the worship and service of God But to this it is objected That though Christ hath taken away that kind of maintenance yet he hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.1 I answer in like manner that though he hath taken away those Mosaical observations of days and times yet we are under a command to observe A time to worship as well as A maintenance for Ministers my Reasons are first because the light of Nature hath taught all people to set apart some time to worship and serve their God for if the light of Nature doth injoyn men to worship it doth also injoyn them to observe some time in which they ought to worship After this manner the Apostle argueth in the forecited Scripture for the maintenance of the Gospel-Ministery shewing that the light of Nature teacheth That they which plant a vineyard ought to eat of the fruit thereof and that they which plow should plow in hope to be paâ—takers of their hope the like reason if not much greater he urgeth why they that sow spiritual things should partake of temporal things so that though God hath freed us from that maintenance of Ministers and that place of worship that was commanded in the Law yet there remains a moral obligation upon us to observe some place to worship God in and also to provide a competent maintenance for those that administer spiritual things unto us In like manner there remains a Moral obligation upon us to observe A time to worship God though we are freed from all those days and times that the Law of Moses commanded his Disciples to observe But 2. This doth not only appear from the light of Nature but from the Scriptures also which command That we should not forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Heb. 10.25 Now if we must frequent the Assemblies of Gods people then we must observe A time to worship or else we cannot observe the duty that is here injoyned for if we may chuse whether we will observe any time of worship as the Objection vainly supposeth then we cannot perform this duty of frequenting the Assemblies of the Saints which appears was a duty not only commanded but practised in the New Testament Jam. 2.2 Act. 11.26 1 Cor. 11.20 1 Cor. 14.23 in all which Texts we are informed of the whole Churches meeting together in one place according as they were required which they could not have done had they not agreed upon the place where and a time when to meet together so that if Christians must meet together to worship God they must also observe a time in order thereunto And as I have shewn that A time and place ought to be observed for Gods worship I shall in the last place shew that the first day of the week ought rather to be observed then any other day and that because the Churches of Christ have injoyned us to observe that time for publick worship therfore that time ought rather to be observed then another for we are bound to hear the Church of Christ in all things that she commands us to observe provided that the Church doth command nothing contrary to the commands of Christ now that the Church doth not command any thing contrary the commands of Christ in commanding us to observe the first day of the week appears because Christ hath not left us any one day or time in charge rather then another no more then he hath left any place of worship in charge rather then another and therefore the Church doth do nothing derogatory to the mind of Christ in appointing a time of worship no more
then she doth in appointing a place of worship and that Christ hath not left us a command to observe one day rather then another appears by that forecited text Rom. 14. therefore in all cases Christ hath given power to his Church to make laws as appears in that he hath given them power to appoint the place where the Church should assemble would it not then be sinful for any small inconsiderable number of the Church to appoint another place to meet in contrary to that which the whole church to which they are related have agreed to and chosen to meet in Even so in like manner will the Lord judge those men guilty of Schism that shall rent from the Churches to which they are related for no other cause but that they may keep a day in opposition to that day appointed by the Church for the exercise of Religion Now unless these men can prove by express text that Christ hath given us a command to observe the seventh day sabbath how will they escape the sentence of refusing to hear the Church and that other sentence of making divisions contrary to the Doctrine which they have received For in this case I shall appeal to the Consciences of all those men that keep the seventh day sabbath whether or no if they should agree upon a certain place to worship god in yet if after this agreement some few of the Church should at the same time in which their Church is assembled refuse to come to them and meet in another place where they list themselves would they not judge those men guilty of schism and disorder now by what Law can they do it since Christ hath appointâ—d no particular place of meeting but by the forementioned law that the Church ought to be heard in all lawful thing and therefore no private persons ought to contend against the Commands of the Church when she commands nothing contrary to sound Doctrine Now then since a time to worship is to be observed we remain bound in conscience to observe that day which the Church of Christ commands us to observe which is the first day of the week till any body can shew us where Christ hath commanded another day How then will those men excuse themselves from rending and tearing the body of Christ asunder tht rent from the Churches whereunto they were formerly related for no other reason but for that the Church observeth the first day of the week and refuseth to observe the Mosaical or Jewish seventh day sabbath Let me therefore from what hath been said beseeoh all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity to tender the peace of the Church and prefer the peace and prosperity thereof above their chief joy and rather let their tongue cleave to the roof of their mouth and their right hand forget its cunning rather then let their hearts forget the peace and prosperity of the Church whom Christ hath purchased with his own bloud and let not these Disputations about a sabbath day eat out of our memories the great sabbath of the Lord that is approaching in which every one that keeps Faith and a good Conscience shall rest with Christ from all their Labourings and Sufferings in this World as GOD did from his Labour when he made the World Oh then let us all labour and strive to enter into that rest into which Christ is entred and let us take heed that while we are labouring to enter into that seventh day rest with the unbeleeving Jews that together with them we fall not into the same example of unbeleef in denying Jesus Christ to be our only Lord and Saviour into which unbeleef and disobedience many have stumbled and fallen in these days who while they have been labouring to intangle others with the 〈◊〉 wish yoke of bondage have fallen from the Grace of the â—ospel of Jesus Christ Thus having with all sincerity and plainness as in the sight of God answered those Reasons that are alleadged for the seventh day sabbath and urged those Reasons why I am perswaded beleevers are not to observe it together with my Reasons why I beleeve we ought to observe the first day of the week I shall leave the whole to the blessing of Almighty God desiring that what is here offered according to the mind of God that God may have the glory and whatever hath fallen from my tongue in disputing or my pen in writing this controversie that savors of the flesh or humane frailty I hope the Father of mercies will pardon it and so I hope will every Christian Reader into whose hands this shall fall which is all that is desired from him who is Thy Friend in the Truth JER IVES FINIS ERRATA Reader SOme few Faults have escaped which thou art desired to Correct with thy Pen. IN the Epistle page 8 line 21. for aeman read a man Epist pag. 11. l. 16. for wrandrings r. wandrings Epist p. 12. l. 10. for hold r. holding In pag. 27. l. 8. for Jer. 35 36. r. ver 35 36. in p. 28. l. 22. for two causes r. two clauses p. 63. l. 24. for poople r. people p. 78. line 12 for seventh-sabbath r. seventh-day sabbath p. 81. for Commadments r. Commandments p. 90. l. 6. for no other r. any other p. 136. l. 1. for 156. r. 133.
the 14 of the Romans that so the beleevers might not bring one another to bondage in such things wherein Christ hath made them free How then doth this absurdity fall upon the Arguments viz. thaâ— because we are left at liberty in point of Mosaical obligations to days that therefore we may spend this liberty to the service of the flesh and set apart no time at all to serve and worship God in 〈◊〉 this indeed would be contrary to the light of Nature which hath taught all her sons to set apart 〈◊〉 time in which to worship and serve their God But if it should be said that if God hath left no command how much time or what time then we should not sin though we observed no time I answer that this is an absolute non-sequitur for first God hath not appointed what maintenance the Ministers of the Gospel should have under the New Testament doth it therefore follow that we being delivered by Jesus Christ from the Mosaical bondage of maintaining the Ministers according to the Levitical Law and since we are at liberty and not â—njoyned how much or how little or in what kind they should be maintained that therefore they should have no maintenance at all the like may be said in respect of a place of worship as well as a time for God had under the Law tied the Jews to a place of worship but now he hath delivered us from that bondage and hath made all places alike as to any Mosaical sanctity doth it therefore follow that Christians may from thenceforward chuse whether they will meet any where or no or that one beleever may run one way and another another way and so never come to the place where the Church meeteth too many such libertines were in the Apostles days and to our great grief we may say there are too many in our days that turn this Grace and Gospel-liberty into wantonness and licentiousness This I thought good to add in this place to stop the carreer of that conceipt viz. that because Christ hath freed us from those days that Moses his Disciples were hound to observe and hath left the Christians at liberty herein in that he hath made every day alike that therefore we may chuse if we will keep any day as all to the service of the Lord this is not only a sensual but a senseless imagination but more of this touching a day to worship God in and also what day we ought to observe for his publick worship shall be shewn in the ensuing Appendix to these Disputations So then by what hath been said we may perceive that we ought not to alter nor vary the literal sence of a text unless Gods word on right Reason do warrant us so to do but neither Gods word nor right Reason doth warrant us to restrain the Apostles words when he saith Some men esteem one day above another anâ— others esteem EVERY day alike For by the same rule we may restrain general words when we have no warrant we may usheâ— in any absurdity as for instance the Scripture saith God made every thing that creepeth may not a man as well say that there is some creeping thing that God hath not made as say when the Apostle tells us that now the partition-wall is broken down and notwithstanding Moses Law you may judge of every day alike without being judged a transgressor of it that this every day is understood but of some days commanded by Moses and not of the seventh-day sabbath Neither have I disesteemed or excluded the first day of the week by my Argument from hence since the Argument is founded upon the words of the Text. Mr. Ives Since Mr. Tillam makes no further reply to this Argument I shall urge one more out of the 15 of the Acts compared with the 21. If the Holy Ghost hath discharged the beleeving Gentiles from all the Law as given by Moses except as is excepted Acts 15. then the beleeving Gentiles are not bound by the Law of Christ to keep the 7th-day sabbath But the Holy Ghost hath discharged the beleeving Gentiles from all the Law as given by Moses except as is excepted Acts 15. Ergo The beleeving Gentiles are not bound by Christ to keep the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Tillam Yesterday this Gentleman granted nine of the Commandments in force and binding to the Gentiles and now he saith none are in force but those exprest Acts 15. Mr. Ives I say nine of the ten Commandments are in force to day as well as yesterday and so is the fourth Commandment also as to a time for beleevers to worship God in but not as in the hand of Moses for so saith my Argument but as they are implanted in the hearts of men and are now further explained and injoyned by a better Mediator who never injoyned the Gentiles to keep the seventh-day sabbath This was the end of the second Disputation at which time there was an agreement to Dispute the same Arguments over again with one Matthew Coppinger which was appointed to be on Candlemas day then next ensuing being the second of Febr. 1658. at the place aforesaid at which time and place Mr. Coppinger was to answer to Mr. Ives his forementioned Arguments and what new ones he thought good to add The forementioned time being come and the people being Assembled Mr. Ives propounds the Question which was to be disputed which take as followeth Mr. Ives The Question to be disputed this day is Whether all beleevers are bound to keep the seventh-day sabbath Which Question I resolve into this Proposition viz. That all beleevers are not bound to keep the seventh-day Sabbath Mr. Coppinger All beleevers are bound to keep the seventh-day for a Sabbath Mr. Ives I have urged one general Argument in the former Disputations to prove that beleeving Gentiles are not commanded to keep the seventh-day sabbath which I am now to insist upon the second time in expectation of your Answers which Argument is as followeth If beleeving Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh-day Sabbath then they are bound either by the Law of Nature the Law of Moses or the Law of Christ But beleeving Gentiles are not bound either by the Law of Nature Moses or Christ to keep the seventh-day Sabbath Ergo Beleeving Gentiles are not bound to keep the seventh-day Sabbath Mr. Coppinger I answer that beleeving Gentiles are commanded by the Law of Nature if by the Law of Nature you mean the Law written in the heart Mr. Ives I do mean the Law written in the heart Mr. Coppinger Then pray put your Argument in those â—erms and then I shall answer to it Mr. Ives Though this be needless after I have explained my meaning yet that we may not trifle about words I shall consent and thereupon proceed to prove That the Law written in the heart doth not bind the beleeving Gentiles to keep the seventh-day Sabbath which I thus doe That which the Law written in