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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
rest_n	bless_v	day_n	sabbath_n	2,414	5	10.3601	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78427	Sabbatum redivivum: or The Christian sabbath vindicated; in a full discourse concerning the sabbath, and the Lords day. Wherein, whatsoever hath been written of late for, or against the Christian sabbath, is exactly, but modestly examined: and the perpetuity of a sabbath deduced, from grounds of nature, and religious reason. / By Daniel Cawdrey, and Herbert Palmer: members of the Assembly of Divines. Divided into foure parts. 1. Of the decalogue in generall, and other laws of God, together with the relation of time to religion. 2. Of the fourth commandement of the decalogue in speciall. 3. Of the old sabbath, 4. Of the Lords day, in particular. The first part.; Sabbatum redivivum. Part 1	Cawdrey, Daniel, 1588-1664.; Palmer, Herbert, 1601-1647.	1645 (1645)	Wing C1634; Thomason E280_3; ESTC R200035	350,191	408

did so very much by the advantage and even necessity of their Callings being spirituall and in the road of Religion and their minds withall full of zeale and religious affections And thus we are the more inclined to believe because the very same Divines when they think of other men speak very fairly toward the Perpetuity of a seventh day Sabbath as necessary for all men As may be seen among others by that one place of him who is esteemed the chiefest of the Disputers against it of Mr. Calvin we meane in his Commentary upon Genesis 2.3 who thus speakes Benedictio ista nihil aliu●●est quam solemnis consecratio qua sibi Deus studia occupationes hominum asserit die septimo Est quidem legitima hac totiua vitae meditatio in qua se quotidic exerceant immensam Dei bonitatem justitiam virtutem sapientiam in hoc magnifico coeli terraeque theatro considerare verum si fortominus sedulo quam par esset ad cam intenti essent homines ad supplendum quod assiduae meditationi deerat septimu● quisque dies peculiariter delectus est Primum ergo quievit Deus deinde benedixit hanc quietem in soeculis omnibus inter homines sancta soret vel septimum quemque diem quieti dicerit ut suum exemplum perpetua esset regula Denique sacra est ista vocatio quae homines mundi impedimentis eripit ut totos Dei cultui addicant Praetereasciend●● est non 〈◊〉 tantum vel atatis vel populi sed totias humani generis commune esse hoc exercition Quies spirituisis est carnis mortificatio ne ampliussibi vivant filli Dei aut propriae voluntati indulgeant Quod eam Sabbathum figuravit temporale fuisse dico Quod autem ab initio mandatum fuit hominibus nise exerceant in Dei cultu me●ito ad mundi finem usque durare oportet Calv. in Gen. 2. That Blessing is nothing but a solemn Consecration whereby God challenges to Himselfe the cares and imployments of Man And afterward To supply the defects of Daily Meditation every seventh Day was peculiarly chosen First GOD rested and then He blessed this rest that it might be holy among Men in all ages He dedicated every seventh Day to rest that His example might be a perpetuall rule And again This Vocation is sacred which takes men off from Worldly impediments to give themselves wholly to GOD. And yet further VVe must know that this is the common exercise not of one Age or People only but of all Mankinde And finally after he had mentioned another end afterward added to the Sabbath under the Law to the Jews namely typicall of Christ he remarkably concludes with these words That the Sabbath did figure that sc our Mortification it was temporary But that it was given to Men from the beginning that they should exercise themselves in the VVorship of GOD worthily it ought to endure to the VVorlds end Thus he Than which and so the whole of the matter in that place nothing can be spoken more judiciously or more Orthodoxly But other where he and others forgetting we believe the necessary Worldly businesses of other men seem to speak as it besides a time for Publike Worship there were no other Sabbath now but a continuall every-dayes Sabbath It being as we said very much so with themselves and so they not finding a speciall need of a seventh Day wholly to be a Sabbath in regard of themselves spake more unwarily of the Commandement than we are perswaded they would now have done if they had lived in our Time and seen their own and other people undone by prophanations of it VVhich hath made also divers Divines of those Parts to speak more fully for the fourth Commandement of late then formerly as we shall note hereafter But this by the way and in a kind of digression not unusefull we hope And so having cleared our meaning in the Minor of our Argument we come to prove it Namely That without a Chiefe Time determined sufficiently for Solemn Worship Religion cannot certainly stand among all men Thus we further argue If without a sufficient Time determined both for Continuance XLIII The Minor confirmed and Frequencie jointly no sufficient Time will be generally observed among Mankind for Religion Then without such a Time determined Religion cannot certainly stand among all Mankind But without such a sufficient Time determined no sufficient Time will be generally observed Ergo Without such a sufficient Time determined Religion cannot certainly stand among all Mankind The Consequence of this Argument may be undeniably made good by the consideration that without a sufficient Time observed for Religion Men who are borne void of the knowledge of God and unapt enough to learne it will never attaine a sufficiencie of knowledge for the honouring of God in their hearts and lives and saving their own souls Nor is it imaginable that they can possibly come to such knowledge either by the Continuance of one whole Day once in their lives of which we disputed before or by the addition of a few Minutes twice or thrice or four times every Day by snatches and sudden fits Mans nature is too froward too much corrupted to learn the mystery of heaven and salvation so by the by as experience superabundantly proclaimes even where there is a great deale more Time then so allotted to it and observed for it Also 2. without such a sufficient Time observed for Religion The great duty of love to God which is the fundamentall affection and even the summe of all Piety can never in an ordinary course be attained or preserved or exercised and exprest Men are as averse from Gods love as ignorant in the knowledge of Him And even though they have a knowledge of the Doctrine of God as many have not only competently but even eminently by having been trained up to it and having spent much time upon it from their youth up yet they may be Atheists in regard of affection and wholly devoid of all love to God And there is no ordinary meanes to work their hearts to such a holy love but by their being busied a convenient space of Time and that frequently in the services of God hearing of Him and meditating of Him and the like whereby they may come to be convinced of the reality and certainty of those divine truths which they have learned to know and see a necessity of loving and imbracing them and God in them above all Acquaintance breeds love between those that were strangers So doth acquaintance with God by the observation of sufficient convenient times of attendance upon His Ordinances Also if in any some beginning of love and affection be bred there is no preserving of it from decay but by frequent and conveniently continued intercourses and converses in holy duties Any man that disuses these or curtals the Times of them will and doth find in himselfe if he consider himselfe

Text reads it And vindicated That Law which said and that the Article ὁ will agree to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is exprest in the verse before as well as to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not named we answer This variation will neither prejudice our cause nor our Argument at all if it be rightly considered For of what Law speakes the Apostle It must needs be granted of the written Law Where say we either in the Book of Moses at large or particularly in the Decalogue and so in the two Tables of stone Not the former for then the forementioned Ceremonious Iew might again have come upon him with this That Law which sayth Thou shalt not kill sayth also Thou shalt not eat swines flesh so by eating swines flesh a man is a transgressor and breaker of the whole Law For this is as well found in the Law of Moses written by him as the other Therefore of necessity it must be meant of the Decalogue the Law of the Tenne Commandements considered as one Law together and so though the severall Commandements be so many distinct branches with reference to each other Yet are they joyned in one bulk and body together as one perpetuall Law as spoken altogether and written altogether and that in such a manner as no other Lawes were Neither will it be possible to satisfie the Apostles drift and make his argument good unlesse we thus interpret it And therefore we must needs take Liberty to account both Papists transgressours for breaking the 2d. Commandement Because he that said or that Law that said Thou shalt have no other Gods but me said also Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image And so our adversaries transgressours for breaking the fourth Commandement Because he that said or that Law that said Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain said also Remember the Sabbath Day to Sanctifie it c. Prim. p. 180. 181. Nor is this place eluded by the answers which one of our adversaries attempts or rather makes a shew to give it For he meddles not at all with the Force of the Apostles argumentation But insists principally upon the words of offending in one point having first denied the inobservation of the Sabbath to be under the New Testament a sinne because the Law so farre as it commands the Sabbath obligeth not any more Mean time he touches not at all in his answer the strength of the reason whereby the Apostle proves his sentence But contrary in the allegation of our argument he enervates both it and the Text it selfe particularly viz. The scope of it namely by altering the Apostles words and instead of instancing in two Commandements of the Decalogue as the Apostle doth vers 11. wherein we place the strength of our argumentation as we have said before he only generally saith and that in another Character then the Text is in as if it were our inference not the Apostles The same God which injoynes the one of these Points hath injoyned all the rest By which generall expression because a heedlesse reader may happen to be deceived we make bold to aske him what points be those the Apostle means Did not he himself say for us that he speaks of the Law of the Decalogue and if he would deny it the instances vers 11. will constraine him again to grant it whereupon we urge him thus further If Saint James speake of the Decalogue then of the words of the Decalogue as God said them or as the Law said them as they were spoken by God and written by him And if so then either he must deny the fourth Commandement to have been with the rest spoken by God and written by him or deny Saint Iames his argument that because one Commandement of the Decalogue binds now therefore another doth or deny his own denyall that the fourth Commandement in the very words of it is now in force let him take his choice And if now himself or any for him think to urge us by the same argument to the old Jewish seventh Day as commanded by the fourth Commandement which they do oft and continually we must as oft and continually deny that it was commanded in the Decalogue directly and as the substance of the fourth Commandement and of this we shall give good account in due time and place Mean time we let passe the residue of what he saith to this place of Saint Iames because it goes altogether upon that supposition And counting our selves to have made good our two first Testimonies of the Prophet and Apostle we come to a Third of an ancient Father Namely Irenaeus who thus speakes for us God 3. Irenaeus ● 4. c. 31. the better to prepare us to Eternall Life did by himselfe proclaime the Decalogue to all the people equally which therefore is to be of full force amongst us as having rather been enlarged then dissolved by our Saviours comming in the flesh Upon which words the Historians evasion is frigide and flash when thus he glosses Hist of Sab. Part 1. p. 66. Which words of Irenaeus if rightly considered must be referred to that part of the fourth Commandement which is indeed Morall or else the fourth Commandement must not be reckoned as a part or member of the Decalogue because it did receive no such enlargment as did the rest of the Commandements by our Saviours Preaching but a Dissolution rather by his practise But this Glosse corrupts the Text making an exception where the Father made none and besides it proceeds upon a misprision of the sence and scope of that Commandement supposing the seventh day Sabbath to be directly commanded in it and one in seven to be but Ceremoniall whereas the contrary we hope shall be manifested in both which if it be done this Commandement hath as well received enlargement as the rest By the substitution of the Lords-day in stead of the old Sabbath and the Religious observation of it But of this in time and place convenient 4. The adverse party themselves C. D. p. 8. Lastly One even of our Adversaries thus pleads our cause The Precepts of the Morall Law are summarily comprehended in the Decalogue which have this Prerogative peculiar to them that they were delivered not by Moses but by God himselfe and by him written in Tables of stone and preserved in the Ark to shew their degnity above others and to note out the Perpetuitie note that of observance which was due unto them This is an ingenuous confession if he would be constant to it But whether it be his misprision or his misdevotion to the fourth Commandement he afterward comes in with his Exceptions That this is to be understood of the Decalogue as far as it is Morall Though in so saying he doth either expresly contradict himselfe or speak non-sense in one of these Assertions But because this Exception lies chiefly against the fourth Commandement we will remit

Tables of stone c. VIII Except 6. It is further pretended Gods writing was His Framing and creating by his Power the Externall Letters and Characters of the Tenne Commandements But it appears by the example of Ionah his Gourd and many other things immediately formed that all such things are not Eternall Solut. To this we answer briefly thus This is nothing to the purpose For we do not think the world shall be eternall because immediately Framed by Gods Power much lesse Ionah his Gourd But it is another matter to frame the Characters of Lawes which inevitably note out some intention of continuance and to frame so the Characters of these Lawes and none other by his immediate Power in Tables of stone may well argue that none other Lawes should be more Perpetuall then these and that is enough for us To note out as one of themselves hath told us their dignity above others and the Perpetuity of Observance which was due unto them IX Except 7. Writing in Stone was to note out the hardnesse of the Peoples Hearts not the Perpetuall Obligation of the Lawes see Ezek. 11.36 2 Cor. 3.14 and Ioshua had Moses Law wherein were many Ceremonialls and Iudicialls upon stone Ios 8.32 Solut. Againe we must say not writing simply in stone but the Lords writing in stone argues the Perpetuity of it what men writes in stone may be perishing like themselves even though it should out last the writer But doubtlesse if we should see a King or State command to have some Lawes and not others written upon stones or like durable matter we could not but thinke that they meant to have those Lawes to be and be accounted among the cheifest of their Perpetuall Lawes How much more when God shall doe it himselfe The rather still because these Lawes were not like those by Ioshua written in stone for every one to read them But layd up in secret in Gods Privy Cabinet his sacred Arke So though the writing of them in stone might partly note the hardnesse of the Peoples Hearts yet the writing them by God himself in stone and laying them so up may appear to be specially to note out their Perpetuity But he still goes on and we follow him X. Except 8. If Gods immediate speaking and writing argues such Precepts to be Perpetually Morall Then his not speaking and writing argues others to be Temporary For proper signes and affections conclude both Affirmatively and Negatively But the consequence is false Ergo the Antecedent To this we answer first By denying the sequell God may write Sol. 1 Morall Precepts and command others to write Morall Precepts also and yet God may write only Moralls There is a clear difference between these two Propositions Only God writes Moralls and God writes only Moralls The latter may be true The former is certainly false 2. The confirmation of the sequell is Petitio Principij taking Sol. 2 it for granted that Gods writing is made a Proper signe or Affection of a Morall Law A signe it is not ex natura Rei but by the good Pleasure of God who never was pleased to write any other c. and therefore it will not hold both wayes God writ this Ergo it is Morall God writ not this Ergo it is not Morall It is sufficient that God would give us this as a signe of the Decalogues Perpetuity that himselfe did honour it with his owne voyce to all the people wrote it with his owne Finger in stone and commanded this alone to be put in the Arke which priviledges were never afforded to any other Lawes Ceremoniall or Judiciall nor the rest of the Moralls and therefore these to be taken to be Morall at least as much as any that wanted all these Priviledges Others doe thus except against this Rule If the Proposition be of the sound and syllables of the Decalogue XI Except 9. G. Irons p 81. so that whatsoever is written in the letter thereof is affirmed to be Morall it is utterly untrue for what thinke you of those words in the very front of the Decalogue I brought thee out of the land of Egypt c. are they Morall If any say these words are a Preface not a Law he speaketh nothing to the purpose pag. 83. for the Proposition is Vniversall of whatsoever was written in the Tables of stone with Gods owne Finger c. Our adversaries confesse the taxation of the Seventh day to be Ceremoniall though in the very heart of the Commandement and written with Gods own Finger Solut. 1 But to this we say 1. Our Proposition is not so universall of whatsoever is written in the Tables of stone But thus all the Commandements of the Decalogue written in Tables of stone are Morall not all the Reasons of those Commandements A Morall or generall Commandement may be pressed on some to whom it is given by a Ceremoniall or speciall Reason contra without any alteration of the nature of the Commandement Solut. 2 2. The difference of Lawes which we now seek respects not only us Christians but the Iewes also that God would have them know and us also that those Lawes were the principall and most respected by himselfe and most carefully to be observed by them and us The Preface and Promise at most can but intimate That those Lawes were in a speciall manner given to the Iewes which is not denied but the manner of speaking writing keeping may strongly argue God meant them for Perpetuall Solut. 3 3. And this is acknowledged by C. D. as we shewed above one of his own side The writing in Tables of stone c. was to signifie their perpetuity and dignity above the rest Solut. 4 4. We take what himselfe grants for the present in his first Answer All the Commandements of the Decalogue are Morall but every one in his proportion and degree and so is that of the Sabbath We adde in the letter of it viz. for one day in seven As for the proportion and degree whether Naturall or Positive we now contend not Only we let him know that his Adversaries as he calls them doe now deny that the taxation of the seventh day or last of seven to be in the heart of the Commandement or written by the finger of God XII Except 10. Another Exception is That the Ark it selfe was lost at the Captivitie therefore the Argument is not good The Decalogue was put and reserved in the Ark Ergo perpetuall Solut. To this we say we did never imagine that the Ark and Tables must necessarily be preserved till the end of the world but it was sufficient to denote and signifie their precedencie and perpetuitie that God was so carefull to speak write and reserve those Lawes Though this be no convincing Demonstration to a Caviller yet to Reasonable men it will no doubt passe for more than probable CHAP. V. Christ hath confirmed all the Commandements of the Decalogue

Sabbath he promises in Gods name That they should be made joyfull in Gods house of Prayer and their services accepted by Him v. 3 6 7. So that spirituall comfort in God and His gracious acceptation of their services is the blessing promised to the faithfull observance of this Time appointed by God for the chiefe solemne Time of His Worship Neither can this be eluded by our Disputers as they offer to Except 1 throw off all the places of the Old Testament by saying that this Except 2 was typicall of Christ and our spirituall rest in Him from sinne or else that it belonged only to the seventh-seventh-day Sabbath which the Jewes observed and so either way and both wayes we have nought to doe with it For we have proved sufficiently Solut. that a solemne proportion of Time determined for Religion for the necessary and sufficient chiefe Time as the Weekly Sabbath then was undeniably is no typicall matter but a substantially-necessary thing to Religion and that there is need of a Blessing upon such Time whatever the proportion be unlesse it were all our Time or else it will not be sufficient And so the Blessing here cannot be to the Sabbath in any typicall respect but as that proportion of Time determined by God for the chiefe Time for Religion His worship and mens soules Inst And though they may happen to object the mention of Gods accepting of their burnt offerings and sacrifices upon His Altar which Sol. if referoed to our Times must needs be meant typically 1. This will not hurt our interpretation of this place since the difference is apparant enough between His calling for the observation of that which is so substantially necessary in the kind of it to Religion that is either this Proportion determined for the chiefe Time or some other and that which is plainly a figure and a type as all burnt offerings and materiall sacrifices were Of which kind there are now none such under the Gospel So that in this the Prophet only speaks in the language of the present time that while sacrifices were offered and burnt upon Gods altar by the conscientious observers of His Sabbath according to His command those services should bee accepted and after they were ceased their spirituall services of prayers and thanksgivings which are in stead of them under the Gospel Like unto that of David Psal 51. who first saith God would have no sacrifices from him but a broken and contrite heart yet afterward he saith God would accept young bullocks from him Sol. 2. v. ult And as for the seventh Day they urge so much we deny the emphasis to lie at all upon that though it were the particular Day then to be observed but wholly upon the Proportion though taking in that seventh Day because then in being and then only commanded by God But we have shewed our grounds of difference enough between these two in point of substance and necessity to Religion one Day in seven and that seventh Day And what needs more to be said we shall adde when hereafter we shall come to shew as we have promised it and are forced to repeat it oftener then we would that the seventh Day was not directly commanded in the words of the fourth Commandement nor at all as the substance and particular matter of them But only within the generall scope as then appointed by God elsewhere and so our Lords-day comes equally within it and is now become successour to it in the particular title to the Blessing as we shall see So that this place stands good for our having a Blessing on Gods determined Time His Sabbath observed both by Jew and Christian The other place is Isa 58. Where LXXIII Another text Isa 58.13 expounded after he had called to a most carefull observation of the Sabbath both negative and affirmative and that both outwardly in deed and word and inwardly in thought v. 13. he promises in Gods name a remarkable spirituall Blessing v. 14. Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord that is God will so afford thee His divine Blessing upon thy conscionable imployment with joy and cheerfulnesse calling the Sabbath a delight of that Day of Gods solemne appointment for the chiefe Time of His worship that all the week after thou shalt find a delight in the Lord thou shalt have a heart oft to think of Him even in the midst of thy worldly businesses and to redeeme Time also ever now and then from thy worldly businesses to converse voluntarily with Him and be glad of all opportunities so to doe not willingly missing any time any day when thou canst have freedome to converse with Him and attend upon Him And that this is the meaning of this Promise and Blessing understanding it Evangelically and not to an absolute perfection of delight in God in this world which is not to be found in sinfull man We desire no other proofe than the Consciences of Christians that keep the Lords day as Gods Sabbath by Him commanded and their very manifestation of it in the eyes of their very adversaries Namely that such as delight in the strict and exact observation of the Sabbath doe answerably delight or seem at least to delight in conversing with God at other times and every Day gladly wait upon God some time morning and night even they and their families too and at extraordinary times they delight to heare and pray publikely and to converse with Christians in a spirituall manner privately and to attend upon God by themselves alone when they can get leisure Which is unlesse men will say that all such are wilfull and grosse Hypocrites a reall Comment upon this Promise of the Prophet of delighting in God increased in men by the Sabbaths observation And on the contrary it is more then evident that the most of those that make no conscience of the Sabbath of the Lords day doe expresse very little or no delight in God or any true spirituall converse with Him at any other Time They care little for any other Opportunity of hearing His word they worship Him not at all or seldome or very slightly with their families and lesse perhaps if the truth were known in their own solitary devotions In a word the one sort though Gods commandement and indulgence together satisfie them that one Day in seven is ordinarily sufficient for the chiefe Time for God and their soules yet they cannot satisfie themselves their consciences towards God nor their longings after Him unlesse they besides both daily and extraordinarily redeeme what Time they can possibly or at least conveniently redeeme to waite upon Him and satiate their soules more and more in enjoying a spirituall converse with Him like a friend or lover whose felicity is to be with the party loved as much and often as may be The other sort though they have no ground to think that Time sufficient not regarding the Commandement yet they hardly or not at

think it is considerable that our Prosperity hath begun to wither and our miseries to grow upon us ever since But enough of that at this time 8. A chiefe part of Nehemiahs Reformation c. Nehem. 13.15 c. 8. Lastly Nehemiah that Good man and Good Governour makes this businesse of the Sabbath 1. A speciall Part of his Reformation as our present Reformers have Blessed of the Lord be they for it reproving threatning and setting watch against the Profanation of it by the Heathens 2. Worth contending for even with the Nobles as well as the common people 3. As a matter for which he expected to be Remembred of God Nehem. 13.15.22 And now we entreat thee Christian Reader sadly to consider whether the Sabbath which hath all these Elogies be not worth our best endevours to vindicate the observation of it as a principall part of our Religion But now it may peradventure seem strange 2. Why any mor Bookes of this subject why after so long silence in the Sabbaticall controversies and after so many books of this subject intended for the satisfaction of conscientious Christians we should now again revive that contestation and trouble the world with not only a new but a larger discourse of that kind We shall therefore briefly give an account of our aimes and intentions herein And our first answer is that this work was undertaken as soon as any many years ago and well nigh finished when nothing was written for but all against the Sabbath Secondly here thou shalt expect a larger undertaking and find we hope a farther performance than in any in all the tractates written for the Sabbath For they commonly deale but with our single Adversary but we with all And we being spectators of their combates perhaps might see better than themselves where their weaknes lay What satisfaction they have given to themselves or others we do not well know but for our selves we must with all modesty and due respect to the Authors professe our selves unsatisfied by either party Thirdly here thou shalt find fuller grounds laid for the clearing of this so much perplexed controversie than the brevity of others would well permit to say no more Lastly the professed non-satisfaction from those discourses by some not only opposites but friends also to the Cause In so much as not only the Adversaries to the Sabbath have been confident of their Cause as impossible to be disproved but also some well-willers to it have rather wished it might than hoped it could be strongly and convincingly maintained And if we may be so bold as to give our Reason which we more largely shew in the following parts of this Discourse we suppose that this is one of the chiefe because they grant their Adversary That the Saturday Sabbath was literally enjoyned in the 4. Commandement which we think whosoever grants he hath lost not only the Cause but the Commandement too Or if some do deny it yet they do not sufficiently confute it to ours or others satisfaction 3. Why this part without the rest But then a further Quaere may be why if we will needs be writing now this part comes forth alone without its fellowes For that be pleased to consider our Reasons 1. That we might not give the world some cause to nauseate at or surfet upon too great a volume on the sudden having been so long accustomed to lesser meales and lighter meats of Pamphlets Neither mens minds nor their leisure nor perhaps their purses many of them will permit to adventure upon larger Discourses 2. This part being the foundation of all the rest if it be strong will do much alone to prepare mens minds to admit of the following parts If it shall any way prove weak discovered to us by the censures of many Readers both friends and foes we shall endevour to strengthen it before we proceed to lay on the waight of the rest of the building 3. This though first in order was last in time in regard of the frame and composure as being a work of Time and many sad thoughts in a path little or not at all trodden by any Authors gone before us and so necessitating a review of the following parts for which as yet we have no leisure yet unwilling we are that this which we hope is able to subsist of it self should stay for the rest To adde but one thing more The world as it was not in former times so nor is it yet we feare well able to beare the following more practicall parts till they be throughly perswaded of the truth of this It is very well known that the Profanation of the Sabbaths amongst the Jewes was one of their chiefest desolating sins and they never began to be serious in observation of it till they had smarted seventy yeares in the Babylonian captivity And till the spirits of men be well broken the strict and but due observation of the Sabbath will be thought an intollerable burden Successe in the entertainment of other truths not long since thought impossible to be effected upon these fearful breaches now among us makes us conceive that this Doctrine of the Sabbath will be also ere long more easily digested And this part is on purpose premised as a preparatory to those more practicall parts If any man should further be inquisitive to know why we do so much assert and confirme our own Positions in this former part with so little Refutation of so much as hath been said by the other party Our answer is that most of these Assertions at least some are new and perhaps unexpected to our Adversaries and therefore nothing could be said by them against them But principally because the objections do fall upon the other parts more properly and methodically and there shall be considered to the full For a conclusion of all by way of Preface we have but one word or two more to say and that by way of earnest entreaty 1. That thou wilt do thy self this right and us this favour as to lay aside all prejudice in the disquisition of that truth which we all professe to seek so to suspend thy censure of any parcell of this part till thou hast seriously not only read but weighed it all in the ballance of a sound judgement 2. That thou wilt do the Truth that right as to yeeld to and practise what thou art convinced of Consider what we say and the Lord give thee and us understanding and grace in all things through Jesus Christ So pray Thine in Him DANIEL CAVVDREY HERBERT PALMER March 25. 1645. THE Christian Sabbath VINDICATED The first Part. CHAP. I. Of the Terme of a Morall Law and the Distinction of Laws into Ceremoniall Iudiciall and Morall THe Terme Morall I. Ambiguity of the word Morall being but a Scholasticall Expression and not properly signifying that which is usually understood by it by any side in this Question We would not by our good will have medled at

chiefe solemne Time for Religion or the distribution of that proportion between the Continuance and Frequencie except only for a whole Dayes continuance which is refused Then they can have no sufficiencie of wisdome to make this Determination But there is no Rule whereby Men may guide themselves steadily about the Proportion necessary and sufficient or the distribution of it except c. Ergo Men can have no sufficiencie of wisedome to make this Determination The Consequence againe is evident enough For what is wisedome but to doe a thing steadily by a sufficient rule Whatsoever then is done without a sufficient rule cannot be said to be done wisely whatever other commendation may be given to it Neither doth the Exception interposed weaken the Consequence because as is exprest the Continuance of a whole Day is refused and so refused by all the Adversaries as that this is the maine and originall quarrell that hath bred all the rest and therefore that cannot be pretended by them on their part as possible to be determined by any rule of wisedome Though we for our parts may and must enforce it so as most apparently wise and by the perfectest rule of Nature and Reason against which there is no just gainsaying unlesse God himselfe did utterly reject it And they that say He hath have then we say no rule of wisedome to goe by For our Antecedent in this and in the whole will be abundantly cleared by a serious considering whatsoever may be pretended either generally or particularly in whole or in part to be a rule in these cases Generally there can be no rule but either 1. The Law and Light of Nature Or 2. some generall expressions of Scripture We say some generall expressions of Scripture For all the particular determinations there mentioned are expresly disputed against by the Adversaries as no necessary obligations or rules to Christians Again for particular rules totall or partiall There are none proper to this Question but one of these four Considerations 1. The Nature of the Object of Worship and the primary end of all Religious Time determined or observed Namely God whose nature is unquestionably infinite 2. The nature of the prime Subject of Worship and the secondary end of all Religious Time determined or observed namely the Soule of Man which in the duration of it is ordained to be infinite and in the necessities of it toward the provision for Eternity is next to Infinite 3. The nature of the Duties of Worship in which that is in the variety of some or other of them all Religious Time determined is to be imployed whose nature will appeare to be generally except in one case or two indefinite 4. The nature of the secondary Subject and usuall and certaine Impediment of Religious Worship that it cannot have all Time allotted to it namely the body and bodily and worldly businesses which allow not we say all Time to be devoted to Religion and Solemn Worship but call for a share of Time from every man both for Continuance and Frequencie all his life long The nature of which businesses will appeare to be 1. Sutable to corrupted Nature 2. Exceeding various numerous and uncertaine and capable also of taking up all the Time of life if they might be suffered 3. At the best but secondary and inferior businesses And these foure Considerations were all the rules that Adam or any of the old Patriarks could have to look to toward the making of this Determination of the necessary and sufficient chiefe Time for Religion if it had been as is supposed by our Disputers left to them to make for themselves and others And they are all also that the Christian Church can well pretend to supposing the Determination left to them Only to gratifie our Disputers who seem often to fancy as though the Proportion the Jewes observed or rather we say which God determined to them of one Day in seven may serve for some kind of rule to estimate this necessary and sufficient Time by Though by no means they will yield that particular proportion and distribution to be necessary and sufficient now For that were to yield in effect the whole Cause We will we say to gratifie them take this also into consideration And so with the best skill we have examine and set before our Readers all these five severally and distinctly according both to the Law and Light of Nature and generall expressions of Scripture And see what will come of it And whether after all men will not fall short of a sufficient Rule to make this Determination wisely by if it were left to them XLVIII 1. Not the Nature of God himselfe 1. We begin and worthily with the Consideration of the Nature of GOD the sole object of Worship and primary end of all Religious Time to whose Honour all Solemne Time and so this chiefe Time and all Worship tendred in it is to be observed Now we say The Nature of GOD whether we heare Scripture speak er even Naturall Reason is unquestionably infinite And so it cannot be possible to make a definite determination of any Time proportionable to that If you ask What Time is necessary for the Honour of GOD in it selfe considered The answer can be no other then All Time is necessary Or againe If you ask What Time is sufficient for the Honour of GOD The answer will still be Lesse then all Time cannot be sufficient Who can declare the mighty acts of the Lord who can shew forth all His praise saith the holy Psalmist Psal 106.2 Thy glorious Name is exalted above all blessing and praise say the holy Levites Nehem. 9.5 who afterward in the same confession remarkably blesse Him as for a singular favour for making known to them His holy Sabbaths the chiefe solemne Time of praising Him v. 16. Here then is nothing to proportion out only a parcell of our Time for Religion and leave the rest for other purposes to scanty God as if He were not worthy of all our Time and afford the world and worldly businesses what is not allotted to Him The question is not here whether a man may not imploy some Time upon worldly businesses by Gods allowance For we are far enough from denying that But whether the majesty glory and honour of the eternall God the Lord of us and all our Time in and by it selfe considered can afford to spare any Time from His attendance and specially which way it can be possible that the thoughts of His incomprehensible Excellencie and Glory should direct us to share Time between His immediate service and worldly matters The holy Angels in heaven keep an eternall Sabbath without intermission interruption or end We shall doe so too hereafter with them if we rightly and faithfully serve Him upon earth And without all controversie such an eternall Sabbath swallowing up all Time is not over-sufficient to give attendance upon Him and His praises Nor could be sufficient if any