fidelity in Exposition as novv they must for they might see by their ovvne eyes plainly For example suppose we the 4th Com. were thus translated Remember the Saturday-Rest to sanctifie it if novv any doubt could be vvhich shold be the day appointed of God for Sabbath day it vvould easily be decided and that by an vnlearned man if any shold offer to corrupt the text by distinguishing of a Saturday and the saturday as they doe of a Sabbath and the Sabbath and of a 7th day and the 7th day as if there were more saturdayes in a vveeke then one he vvould be laught at for his paines Againe if any would goe about to turne Gods Commandement from the Saturday to the Sunday by this deuise because the word Sabbath signifieth a Rest and vve doe Rest now from laboures on the Sunday he vvold presently be ansvvered that that 's a friuolouse reason for the 4th Com. inioyneth not a Sunday-Rest but a Saturday-Rest lastly if any would be so idle as to apply the 4th com to the Lords day and expound it of the Lords day why euery child would see his grosse abuse of the 4th com for it directly speaketh not of the Lords day but of Saturday For it is not the name Lords day that God hath put into the 4th com but the name Sabbath day or Saturday Thus I haue showne what light would come vnto Gods commandement by the translation of the Hebrew word Sabbath and what fruit would come vnto euery one in the Church of God thereby if this I cannot obtaine yet this at least let me preuaile in that Ministers would be pleased hereafter in exposition of those words Sabbathday to signify vnto the people that thereby is meant our Saturday For this I haue proued abundantly and vndeniably both by Scriptures and by the Testimonies of both Iewes and Christians of all sorts Protestants and Papists this duety therefore in the true and faithfull exposition of Gods word vnto the people I require of them as they will answer the contrary before Almighty God at that Day let them bevvare of Sophisticating with Gods lawes when they expound them In the 4th comm God said Remember the Sabbath day but he said not Remember the Sunday or the Lords day nor remember the Monday the Tewsday or the Wednesday c. but remember the Sabbath day Now looke which day of the weeke was euer in ancient time named and called Sabbath day that is the day commanded in the 4th com If then they can shew me that either Sunday Lords day Monday Tewsday Wednesday c. or any day besids Saturday was wont to be named and called Sabbath day then may they haue some culler for their errour but now haue they none A second vse shall be against sueh Ministers as doe either expound the 4th com to belong to the Lords day or Sunday because then we Rest or else when the 4th com is vrged vpon them as requiring the seuenth day rest or Saturday-Rest they turne it off thus the vvord Sabbath signifieth in English a Rest now vpon the Lords day or Sunday we rest wherevnto I reply 1. that thus when God appointed the 7th day for his Sabbath day in his 4th com the people of the Iewes might thus haue answered God that the vvord Sabbath in his 4th com signifieth a Rest now when they keepe any one of those yeerely Sabbaths in Leuit. 23. they might say this vveeke vve haue kept one of those annuall Sabbaths suppose it fell vpon Tewsday or Wensday and in this day we had a Rest by this faire gloose might not God loose in that vveeke his morall weekly Sabbath inioyned by the 4th com which fell vpon Saturday and that because they kept a ceremoniall yeerly Sabbath that weeke vpon the Tevvsday or Wensday for vpon this Tevvsday or Wensday they did Rest What iugling trickes are these vvould a man beleeue it that Puritane Ministers professing the feare of God vvould vse such dissimulation and handle the vvord of God so craftily pardon me good Reader hovv euer I reuerence their holy profession yet I cannot speake of this their vile abuse of Gods sacred vvord vvithout indignation of spirit vvho that sincerly loueth God and his sacred Scriptures can passe it ouer in silence to see his holy vvord thus vvrested and basely abused Christmas day vvhen it falleth vpon some one of the six working dayes and so the Coronation day and so thos common holy dayes S. Mathews day S. Iohns day and the rest t is true we Rest vpon these dayes from our labours and that by an ordinance of our Church but will any be so absurd as to say that these holy dayes stand by vertue of the 4th comm because we Rest on these dayes or suppose the patrones of the Lords day vvho presse the 4th comm vpon it should vrge me to sanctifie the Lords day by the 4th com might not I answer them in their owne answer that the word Sabbath in the 4th com it signifieth a Rest novv on Christmas day and on Coronation day and on S. Matthews day c. vve Rest Secondly I reply be it that on the Lords day we rest vvhy this is not the rest spoken of in the 4th com for this is a Lords-day-Rest but the com calleth for a Saturday-Rest this is a first-day-rest but the com calleth for a Seuenth-day-rest this difference is bigge enough to be seene Finally if such ansvvers be lavvfull then vvhen wee meete with the name Iesus in a text wherin it is manifestly meant of Christ our Lord yet then may vve say vvhy Iesus it signifieth a Sauiour now Ioshua vvas a Sauiour for he saued the Israelits from the Canaanites c. but shall such cauilles goe for currant as by these trickes some men turne off the Lords Sabbathes so by the like may they turne off also the Lord Iesus their Sauiour it is but to play the foole a little with the name Iesus as they doe with the name Sabbath A third vse shall be against such Ministers as doe not onely in priuate but also in publike in their Pulpites call or miscall rather the Lords day Sabbath day in reference to the 4th com by reason of whose errour the people also haue learned to nick-name the Lords day calling it the Sabbath day But vvhat an horrible confusion of times and the proper names of dayes is this If this may goe on err long vvee shall scarce know one day of the weeke from another may not vve as vvell call our Saturday Sunday or our Sunday Saturday as call our Sunday Sabbath day which is Saturday if we shall make proper names of things common names vvhat an intollerable confusion doe we bring in to the vvorld Yet further if vve may call the Lords day which is holden to be a new institution Sabbath day by an old name why may we not call Baptisme which is a nevv institution Circumcision by an old name and vvhy may
his 4th com how dangerouse then is the case of such Ministers as haue by theire vaine distinctiones and fond obiections not only abolished the Lords Sabbath day it selfe but also by abolishing it haue quite and cleane for euer ouer throwne all the 4th commandement also so as the 4th com shall novv stand among the 10 commandements but as a Cipher of no vse behold vvhat hauocke some Puritane Ministers haue made that so they might make a way to bring in and vphold their Lords day Sabbath That it may appeare to the world that I taxe them not causlesly I proceed to proue what I haue said and that partly from their distinctions and partly from their obiections First for their distinctions they doe distinguish of the time in the 4th com and of the dueties of rest and holinesse in the time Now for the time the 7th day and the Sabbath day these are Iewish say they ceremoniall and abolished but the dueties in the time they onely are morall and perpetuall and to this head come all their other distinctions and from hence they are deriued vpon this distinction thus I argue If that time that is all that time which was commanded to the Iewes and comprised in these words the 7th day and the Sabbath day be a ceremony and abolished as Iewish then is there no time left in the 4th com for any Sabbath day But that time that is all that time once commanded to the Iewes and comprised in these words the 7th day and the Sabbath day is a ceremony and abolished as Iew sh Therefore there is no time left in the 4th com for any Sabbath day and by consequence no 4th com For the Minor they cannot deny it for it is a limme of their owne distinction for they say the 7th day is abolished and the Sabbath day to wit that ancient Sabbath day commanded to the Iewes in the 4th com that they say also is Iewish and abolished Wherefore vnlesse they can shew vs some new Scripture or some other partes of the 4th com which haue hitherto laine hidden and vnknovvne where there is mention made of any other 7th day then one and of any other Sabbath day thē one it must necessarily follow that when they say that that one 7th day and that one Sabbath day once commanded to the Iewes in the 4th com is abolished that then all the time once commanded is abolished for all the time then commanded was that one 7th day time onely and that one 7th day time was all the time that was commanded take away then one and you take avvay all For the Major its consequence it is cleere of it selfe That if all the commanded time in the commandement be abolished then there is no commanded time left in the commandement for a Sabbath day for example suppose a man hath a garden wherein are sondry bedes of herbes among the vvhich he hath one bedd of Tyme If now the gardiner come and cut vp by the rootes or roote out and digge vp all that bedd of Tyme may not a man soundly argue thus that if all the Tyme in the garden be rooted vp that then there is no Tyme left in the garden Why so it is in our case take away that time that was commanded and there is no time that is no commanded time Thus you see that by their abolishing of that very day and time which the Iewes kept to wit that Sabbath day and that 7th day they haue abolished all time out of the 4th com so as novv it commandeth not any day nor any time to be sanctified In the last place I am to proue that if there be no time left in the 4th com that is no commanded time that then by consequence there is no 4th com in vse but that it is a meere Cipher For this purpose remember they distinguished of the things commanded to be the time and the dueties in the time the time then being abolished as hath bene proued and as they every where professe to hold there remaineth nothing in the commandement as commanded but the dueties in the time to vvit Rest and holy actions and for these dueties there is no commanded time left now so that either the dueties must fall to the ground and be abolished together with the time as common reason would teach a man for the proper time or proper place for any thing being taken avvay the action to be done in that time or in that place must needs be taken avvay also and so the dueties must come to naught and be nullified for vvant of a fit and proper time to doe them in or if any time be to be allotted for these dueties in case me may absurdly suppose the dueties to surviue the time it is not a commanded time for that 's gone and abolisht as they say vvherefore it must be an indifferent time and at the vvill and pleasure of men onely or at most it must be no more time then can by force of necessary consequence be collected for the performance of thos dueties Rest and holinesse vvell then to proceed let vs see vvhat time it is which they can collect sure I am that from the consideration of the dueties of Rest and holinesse as they stand in the 4th com they can collect no more but this that if God hath commanded these dueties of Rest and holinesse to be performed then there must be a time or some time allotted out by man for the performance thereof Now be it granted that some time must be allowed for these dueties the question then is 1. when that time must be 2. How often that time must be 3. Hovv long that time must be For so much as novv by their opinions the time of the 4th com is vtterly abolished therefore thes questions cannot be satisfied by the 4th com the Church therefore must determine them To the first then I ansvver vvhen must the time or Sabbath be why euen then vvhen men please it should be as they can agree vpon the matter This age may appoint it at one time an other age may appoint it at an other time To the second question I answer for them hovv often must that time be for performance of thes dueties of the Sabbath vvhy since those vvords the 7th day is the Sabbath Exod. 20.10 be abolished vvhich taught vs hovv often to keepe a Sabbath day to vvit euery 7th day vvhy novv vve are left to our choise and liberty for novv vve are not by Gods commandement nor by any necessity of consequence in respect of the dueties vrged to giue God a Sabbath day frequently but the Commandement may be throughly fulfilled if we giue God a day either once in euery 7 dayes or once in euery 14 dayes or once in euery 21 dayes or once in a moneth or once in a yeere or once in 7 yeere or once in a mans liefe so be that once in a mans liefe a man doth
himselfe saying Remember the Sabbath day c. The 7th day is the Sabbath in it thou shalt not worke The 3d thing which I would propound shall be an Appeale vnto the consciences of all such as dare sharpen their witts against the Lords Sabbaths which he hath placed in his Morall Law my desire vnto them is that they would ransake and serch their hearts to see if they can find themselues compelled constrained by their consciences vpon the reading seriouse perpending of these and the like textes Exod. 31.13 Rom. 14.5 and Colos 2.16.17 in the New Testament to abolish the 7th day Sabbath or no let them examine their consciences whither all those textes of Scripture which they bring against that Sabbath day placed by God in his Morall Law be so directly against forciblie opposite vnto Gods Sabbath day as by no honest meanes of a fit sense or a Lawfull distinction it can possibly be preserued from an vtter ruine finall ouerthrow or no now the reason why men must goe thus seriously to worke is to free themselues of a fearefull censure that they doe wilfully malitiously and vnnecessarily impugne an ordināce of Gods because we must not lightly sleitily make innouationes and alterationes in Gods worship and seruice Gods ordinances once established in his Church as this Sabbath day was must not vpon euery vaine conceit and by respect be remoued out or holden out of his Church men must deale with their consciences therfore in these pointes be suer to goe no further against them then necessity vrgeth compelleth them if in case an errour must be it is by farr the safer to erre vpon the right hand then vpon the left that is rather to giue God his Sabbaths still then to abridge him of them shall God fixe his 7th day Sabbath amongst his Morales and shall we put to our wites to roote it out thence and ranke it amongst vanished ceremonies God forbid The 4th thing to be propounded you know it is a Maxime a ruled case in diuinity that one text of Scripture it must not be so expounded and vrged as it should ouerthrow contradict an other text now if this rule hath place in any portion of Scripture it must haue place in the 10. commandements the Lords prayer in the Articles of our faith for these 3. are esteemed to containe the foundation life and Soule of all religion and that plainly wherfore no text of Scripture is to be vrged or expounded so as it should infringe contradict or ouerturne any portion of these three principles of Christian religion nay these three are made as a Rule to expound other Scriptures by therefore not to be gainsaied opposed by other scriptures well then the 7th day Sabbath it is one of those ordinances of God established of old in his Church placed amongst his Morall Lawes and in the first Table also and there expresly commanded by one of the 10. commandements wherefore since it is a parte of the 10. commandements neither these textes Exod. 31.13 Rom. 14.5 Col. 2.16.17 nor any other text of Scripture must be so vrged expounded as that this commanded 7th day Sabbath be there by abolished or accounted as a vanished ceremony this stands firme by our owne Rule for the exposition of Scripture and therefore I might well iustifiablie spare to giue them any other answer to their textes brought against the Lords Sabbath then this that they abuse wrest the sense of Scripture making one text to contradict an other contrary to this aproued rule for no text may be admitted against the 4th com One absurdety more I would add whosoeuer goeth about by theise the like textes Rom. 14.5 Exod. 31.13 and Col. 2.17 to abolish Gods ancient Sabbath he maketh a godly prayer of our Church frustrate mere babling before God for when the 4th com is rehearsed in the Church the people āswer to it saying Lord haue mercy vpon vs and incline our heartes to keepe this Law now since the 4th com cannot be vnderstod of any day or dueties but those done on the ancient Sabbath day abolish that day thē our prayer is but babling 2. Doctour Prideaux in his booke on the Sabbath pag. 140. affirmeth that the Church following the Apostles kept the Sabbath and M. Brerewod in his book of the Sabbath pag. 77. affirmeth that the old Sabbath was religiously obserued 300. yeeres after Christ this I shall proue towards the latter end of this booke by sondry other Testimonies they therefore who by these textes Exod. 31.13 and Col. 2.16 doe attempt to ouerthrow the ancient 7th day Sabbath they doe thereby not only make frustrate an holy prayer of our Church but also they do condemne the practise of the most ancient pure and primitiue Churches which liued next vnto the Apostles Thus you see how many foule absurdeties they rune into who cale the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath Iudaisme Iewish ceremoniall attempt to roote it out of the Morall Law by these texts Exod. 31. Col. 2.17 SECT II. And now we come vnto their arguments textes of Scripture out of which they collect arguments against the Lords Sabbaths but this note in the first place that of them all they can not shew vs any expresse commandement or prohibition against the Sabbath day to countermand it therefore it followeth that what they haue against it the same is but collectiones and consequences framed by mans feeble reason and this one thing that they haue no expresse countermand against the Sabbath day doth weaken their cause exceedingly it is the worse by aboue 50. in the 100. for this wante and so I proceede There are two thinges which they labour to make ceremoniall and so abolished in the 4th com the one is the Rest the other is the time of the 7th day first let vs see what they haue against the Rest they doe not say the Rest from labour is simply abolished least so they should dashe in peeces the whole 4th com by one word therfore they haue refined it and they desire to proue the rigorouse strictnesse of the Rest onely to be a ceremony and questionlesse this conceipt of the rigorouse strictnesse of the Rest was therefore invented least they should seeme onely to deny the question namly the time of the 7th day for now thers is a little more culler put vpon the matter when they can deny ij things as ceremonies in the 10 commandements now to this purpose euery text that may seeme to sauour of any extraordenary strictnesse about the Iewish rest as they cale it those textes are not expounded as they say with a graine of Salte or any dramme of qualification but like men that had sworne to it to forsake the golden meane they are carried all wide vpon the left hand these textes are stretched vpon the Tainter hoocks vnto the vtmost tending to a
add which is vsually aleaged to the same purpose bake that to day which yee will bake and seeth that which yee will seeth and all that which remaineth lay it vp till the morning for you c. Exod. 16.23 heere say they the Iewes were commanded to dresse all their meate on the ffriday the day before their Sabbath so by consequence they might not dresse any meate on their Sabbath Herevnto I answer 1. for asmuch as we find that God hath added and expressed an exception to some Sabbaths we may therefore thinke that the same exception is to be vnderstod in all Sabbaths see Exod. 12.16 no worke shall be done saue about that which euery man must eate that only may yee doe in which words you see that albeit God forbad all manner of worke yet he gaue an exception allowing men to worke so farr forth as may cōcerne their present necessity that is to dresse their meate on that day which they must eate on that day I confesse this was a ceremoniall Sabbath but for asmuch as God put no difference betwixt the ceremoniall the Morall Sabbaths for strictnesse of rest for it was death to any man that did any worke on either of them both as you may see Leuit. 23.30 Exod. 31.15 therefore we may thinke that there is the same reason of both 2. I answer that this text is not rightly vnderstod applied for they suppose that Moses bad these Iewes bake to day that was on friday all the Manna which they had gathered that day to wit the ij omers so as none should be to bake on the next day being Sabbath day but it is to be noted that Moses left it to their will how much to bake that day how much to leaue vnbaked for saith the text bake that which yee will bake and seeth that which yee will seeth he said not bake all seeth all but bake seeth what ye will againe where he saith that which remanieth lay it vp vntill the morning they vnderstand these words thus that that which remanieth baked should be laied vp but so much cannot be collected out of this text but the contrary is rather the trueth namely that that which remained vnbaked was laid vp vnbaked vntill the morning this the context giueth light vnto for on other daies if they reserued any vntill the morning it stank v. 20. but on this day what they reserued it stank not v. 24. now forasmuch as Moses recordeth it as a wonderfull thing that it stanke not nor was full of wormes by reseruing it it giueth vs to vnderstand that it was laied vp vnbaked for what wonder had it bene that it stanke not nor had wormes in it if it had bene baked seing that baking doth preserue things from stinking and wormes breeding it is more likly therefore that as they baked euery other day so much as they did eate on that day so they did on the Sabbath day So this text proueth not that the Iewes baked boiled all their foode on friday One answer I heere giue vnto all their 4. texts together if the Rest commanded to the Iewes in the 4th com be a rigorouse Rest so ceremoniall then is the whole Sabbath 4th com vtterly abolished as rigorouse ceremoniall also for there is but one kind of Rest in the 4th com take away that and take away all Rest if that be rigorouse ceremoniall take away that and then may men follow their laboures in their seuerall housen and in the fields An other answer I giue vnto all their 4. textes which is this that if it could be proued that the Rest which the Iewes kept was rigorouse then might we more safely hold that the rigorousnesse of their Rest was Iewish and ceremoniall then that any thing commanded in the Morall Law is Iewish and ceremoniall for this Law of kindling a fier on the Sabbath being not mentioned in the Morall Law but written elsewhere it may be questioned rather whither it was any branch of the 4th com or exposition of it or whither it was some speciall Law peculiar vnto the Nation of the Iewe because in those hote countries they might better want a fier then wee in coulder rigiones can and better feed on cold meates dressed the day before then wee in these colder countries cane and so the Morall Law should be maintained still in its Integrity and perfection why may not these particular Lawes not being written in the Morall Law and Tables of stone be aduentitiouse and onely added to the 4th com as peculiar to the Iewes and those times Regiones as was that Reason prefixed to all the 10. com that God brought thē out of the land of Egypt which is also added to the 4th com Deut. 5.15 and as was that Law of offering ij Lambes on the Sabbath daies Numb 28.9.10 Thus then you haue seene their textes for the prouing of the Iewes Rest to be full of intollerable strictnesse rigour but you se how they faile in the matter wherefore I may safely conclud that it is but a slaunder raised vpon the Lords Sabbaths to make men afraide of them and to loath them for God required no more strictnesse of a Iew then he doth of a Christian nor any lesse of a Christian then he did of a Iew the 4th com it is one the same to Iew to Gentile as are all the other 9. commandements SECT V. Hauing made answer vnto their textes whereby they would proue the Rest of the Sabbath partly ceremoniall because rigorouse we are now to come vnto their textes wherby they would proue the time to wit the 7th day in the 4th com to be a ceremony so abolished but first this would be noted that since they cannot proue the Rest in the Sabbath rigorouse and ceremoniall now there is nothing commanded in all the 10 commandements which they can except against but onely the question it selfe betwixt vs to wit the time 7th day now how they will disproue this you shall see Their first texte which I will produce is that Mat. 12.8 for the sone of man is Lord of the Sabbath hence some argue thus that because Christ is called the Lord of the Sabbath day therefore he did alter chang the Sabbath day Herevnto I answer that admit the Heire of a Mannour house because he is Lord of that house he may destroy it and pull it downe yet it doth not therefore follow that he will or hath destroyed it pulled it downe so be it that Christs as Lord of the Sabbath might destroy it yet it followeth not that he did destroy it no the contrary rather followeth that because Christ was Lord of the Sabbath therefore he did and for euer will maintaine vphold the Sabbath for it is the property of Lords to vphold their mannour howsen to defend those things whereof they are Lords to the vtmost of their power
for it is a signe betwene me you in your generationes that ye may know that I the Lord doe sāctifie you This text M. Chappell vrgeth so doth euery man now because they put no smale confidence in this text for the abolishing of the Lords Sabbaths I must therefore take the more paines in answering it for they haue no more but this text an other if they faile in these two textes as they haue done in all the former then haue they no culler or cloke left them for maintaining the abolishing of this ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbaths then this fearefull sinne of a weekely transgression of the 4th com violation of the Lords Sabbaths will lay heauy vpon the consciences of the patrones of the Lords day for these are they who doe teach stifly that the 7th day Sabbath is abolished and doe warrant the people that they may with a safe conscience violate the Saturday Sabbath and behold these are their grownds for it which we haue already answered and are in answering But before I come to lay downe their arguments out of this text and my answers I will in the first place shew how they are cōdemned by their owne Authores who doe apply this text to the Sabbath in the 4th com and would make it a signe so abolished then I will shew also how absurd they are to make attempt to proue any thing out of this text against the Lords Sabbaths It is well knowne I might here alleage the Testimonies of many both godly lerned who writing on the doctrine of the Sabbath day in the 4th com haue defended it against this texte of Exod. 31.13 shewing that it is not so a signe as it can be therefore a ceremony abolished of which number is M. Greenham on the Sabbath M. Richard Byfield pag. 88.99 of late come forth Doctour Bownde Doctour Ames others cited in the first Section of this Chapter with diuerse others whose words names I spare as well knowne vnto such as are seene into this controuercy for nothing seemed more absurd vnto them then to thinke God should put a ceremoniall signe and shaddow into the body of the 4th com and heart of the Morall Law all which writers doe condemne those who would make the Sabbath day a signe so abolished by this texte Exod. 31.13 For matter of absurdety 1. it appeareth in this that by bringing this text Exod. 31. against the morall and weekly Sabbath commanded in the morall Law hereby they picke quarrels with God his ordinances for this text doth not say that because the Sabbath is a signe therby you shall know it for certaine that it shall be abolished no but because the Sabbath is here caled a signe therefore hence they will needs collect that it must be abolished for furtherance of this wicked collection all their wites invention are set on worke partly so to expound this text as it may not be vnderstod of the yeerly Sabbaths by no meanes least so the morall weekly Sabbath should be preserued from ruine and destruction therfore they will expound it of this morall and weekly Sabbath that so it may be abolished its light extinguished partly how to proue all signes to be abolished the like and this is done to this euill end also that so they may bring the Sabbath of the Lord within the compasse of an abolished signe and so quite rase it out of the morall Law and roote it out of the Church thus you see how they seeke out for and study to find matter against Gods ordinance and all this needlesly and causlesly saue that they beare a grudge against the Lords Sabbaths and would haue them prophaned for what other reason can they render of this their fact suer I am this text Exod. 31. doth not compell them to say any thing against the 7th day Sabbaths for they are faint to vse their best witts to inuent something in it that may make against Gods Sabbath and is not this then to picke a quarrell with Gods ordinance S. Paul saith Loue thinketh no euill 1. Cor. 13.5 suer I am these men thinke no good for did they loue Gods Sabbaths and Gods commandements for themselues vnlesse some spirit of slumber for the present hath possessed them they could not but shew their loue to Gods 4th com as well as to the rest of the commandements manifest their loue also in time of triall by thinking good and that which might make for the preseruation of Gods Sabbaths 4th com intirly rather then by thinking euill of them to doe some act against them how can men think worse of any thing then to labour its abolition ruine and destruction yea that too when they need not so doe hauing no cause mouing them therevnto saue a corrupted mind this is a malitiouse wicked spirit that will study the ouerthrow of an ancient ordinance of God yea an ordinance as ancient as any in the Church of God what soeuer and labour to vndermine it causlesly I wish M. Chappel his other 9. confederate Ministers would thinke of this point at the latter end after I had handled the 4th com I gaue sondry effectuall reasones to moue vs to the loue of Gods Law is this the loue that men beare to it to seeke out how which way they may ouerthrow for euer some parte of it And what will be the issue of all this why euen this hereby Gods Morall Law shall become a morall-ceremoniall Law Gods Law shall be maimed denied its integrity perfection yea a godly prayer of our Church shall become a babling before God those most ancient Churches which liued next the Apostles are therfore accounted the most pure Churches shall be condemned in that they religiously obserued this Sabbath day A second absurdety that these men who are partiall in Gods Law doe fale into by sharpening their wites to fetch an argument out of this text Exod. 31.13 against the 7th day Sabbath is this that hereby they doe contradict them selues most foulely for they teach maintaine that the Rest in the 4th com is morall perpetuall yet for all that they will bring an argument out of this text which doth plainly ouethrow this Rest as well as any thing else for the Hebrew word Sabbath signifieth Rest now then if the Sabbath here mentioned Exod. 31.13 be a signe and so abolished so must also the Rest signified by the word Sabbath be a signe also abolished too and yet for all this will they haue this Rest morall perpetuall will they haue this Sabbath or Rest both morall and ceremoniall what a grosse contradiction is this Yet further it is to be noted that whereas the cōtrouercy betwixt vs is about the time day onely for they would abolish the 7th day this text which they bring doth not so much as mētion the
word day in Exod. 31.13.14 for it mentioneth onely the word Sabbaths whenc I gather that though the word day be implied yet because it is not mentioned therefore if any thing be made a signe of Christ it is rather the Sabbaths then the day wherefore if the Sabbaths be a signe of Christ which signify Restes then are the Restes ceremonies and abolished signes of Christ so the Rest in the 4th com which they hold to be morall by this text they make to be ceremoniall so we haue a morall ceremoniall Rest a contraicted Rest A third absurdety that these meÌ„ fale into who will haue God serued by halues and by peecemeale is this that whilst they make a gloriouse shew to the people that they stand for the 4th com as well as for the rest of the commandements they doe notwithstanding so gelde it picke out the life soule of it as they leaue it but like a deade corpse for by their consequences such as they are they would out of this text Exod. 31.13 make the Sabbath day a signe so a ceremony and so then abolished well then be it so hence then I argue If that Sabbath day commanded in the 4th com be an abolished signe ceremony theÌ„ is the 4th com nullified like a dead corpse for it standeth for a cipher and commandeth iust nothing for the cleering of this point let vs see the 4th com thus it is written Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifi it Exod. 20.8 let any man now take out of these words in this commandement these ij words Sabbath day then let him tell me what it is which the 4th com commandeth you may as well take away these ij words Sabbath day which they say are a signe and ceremony and abolished in stead of them put so many ciphers in the commandement as there be letters in these ij words that is tenn then we may write this commande thus Remember the 0000000000 to sanctifie it Exod. 20.8 I remember our Sauiour Christ hath a similitude wherin he likeneth such hearers as heare but doe not vnto a foolish man who builded his howse vpon the sande Mat. 7.26 but I now tell you of builders builders in Gods house too who are more foolish then this foolish man for he built though not vpon a rocke yet he built vpon the Sande so as his house might stand vntill the floodes came the winds blewe but these meÌ„ would build Gods 4th com vpon worse then sand for they build it vpon nothing 0000000000 and make it to command nothing 0000000000. all this must needs be true against them vnlesse they can shew vs that there were two Sabbath daies spoken of in the 4th com one vpon the 7th day an other vpon the 8th day and this they cannot doe seing the Lord spake in the singular number in his 4th com saying Remember the Sabbath day and not in the plurall number Remember the Sabbaths or Remember the Sabbath daies now forasmuch as they haue robbed the 4th com of one Sabbath day there must now be no Sabbath day in the 4th com vnlesse they cane by helpe of their magnified reason consequences proue vnto vs that God commanded ij Sabbaths in his 4th com A fourth absurdety that these men fale into who are aduersaries to the Integrity perfection of Gods Law by reiecting his Sabbaths is this that they set Scriptures togeather by the eares text against text and God against himselfe for whereas it is a rule that no exposition by like reason no consequeÌ„ce or collectioÌ„ is to be giuen of and from any text which is contrary vnto other plaine texts of Scripture as for example the 10. commandements the analogie of faith c. yet these aduersaries of Gods trueth haue giuen such expositiones of consequences from this one text Exod. 31.13 as whereby they doe vtterly nullify something plainly expresly commanded in the 10 commandements as for example the 7th day Sabbaths First then their absurdety appeareth in sweruing from the common receiued approued rule secondly in making one portion of holy write to contradict an other yea to contradict an ordinance commanded in the Morall Law which is yet worst of all they make their owne idle brained consequences fetched out of this text which neuer were in it to contradict an expresse commandement of the greate Gods so that now mans sawcy reason friuolouse collections shall confront a plaine commandement of his Gods yea it shall sit in equall throne with God I which is worse it shall take the right hand of God also for their consequences doe more auaile with men then Gods expresse commandement their collections shall be a Counter mand to Gods commandement yea they shall take the vpper hand of it shoulder it qui e out of place as we see to our hearts astonisâ—ment it doth when we looke vpon the ruined 7th day Sabbath on times oh manners oh wicked manners of these sinefull times some men doe so pride themselues in their wit beare themselues so strongly vpon their lerning as by these they dare make an assault vpon God and Syllogistically crush to nothing what God once establisht in his Church with terrible thunder and lightening were this done by some profane person it were not so much to be thought on but the Authores stife Agents in this most horrible fact are such as drawe nere vnto God and called puritane Ministers oh that they shewed more purity then this comes to it grieueth me thus to blow vp the Skirtes of my bethren but I haue none other way left vnto me now but onely this one to discouer them vnto the world that they may be ashamed of their folly to preuent men in following them else they will leade the world after them so mad they are in their dotages so vnmouable the Prophet Dauid hath a passage which will beare me out in this fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name o Lord. Psal 83.16 I might for these reasons absurdeties of theirs reiect their arguments as vnworthy any answer at all for they deserue none yet as Salomon saith Least they be wise in their owne conceit Pro. 26.5 and thinke there is worth and excellency in their arguments I will misespend some time and waste some paper and inke to shew them their vanity so I come to their arguments I conceiue they may argue out of this text Exod. 31.13 these wayes the first whereof is this All Signes are abolished But the 7th day Sabbath is a Signe Exod. 31.13 Therefore the 7th day Sabbath is abolished To this argument I answer as for the minor it shall be answered in the after passages but as for their Major I deny it for they can not proue it I giue instances to the contrary shewing that all Signes are not abolished for example the Raine bow God made it
absurdety appeareth partly in this that they will oppose an ordinance of Gods yea one of his most ancient ordinances established in his Church and partly in this that they will set themselues against the same voluntarily and wilfully for no cause at all but because they will doe so The 2d absurdety that these doe fale into by forceing this text Col. 2.16.17 so any other text also against the Sabbath day commanded in the morall law is this that hereby they are manifest enemies to the Law of God I say to the morall law of God Exod. 20. written by the finger of God Exod. 31. â—8 they bewray their enmity in this that they are enemies to the Integrity and perfection thereof they feare they should rune into Iudaisme if they should yeeld obedience to alâ— the tenn commandements for whereas the text saith God spak all thesâ— wâ—â—ds Exo. 20.1 yet these men will reiect some of these words namly all those words which concerne the 7th day Sabbath thus they will not haue as the Prophet Dauid speaketh Psalm 119.6 a respect vnto all Gods commandements But they will serue God by halues and by peeces they will take and leaue where and what they list in Gods law for they will not imbrace and maintaine the whole law of God as God deliuered it but some peeces of it they acknowledg other peeces they renownce and thus they deliuer to the people but a parte of Gods will and but a broken partiall and imperfect law if one parte of Gods law be good for vs Christians is not an other parte of it good also if the greatest parte of Gods law be good for vs is not the whole law and are not all the partes of it good for vs also depriue vs not of the Integrity and perfection of Gods law A 3d absurdety commited by these is this that they foulely contradict themselues by bringing this text Col. 2.16.17 against the Lords Sabbath day for whereas the question betwixt them and mee is solely about the time and day to wit the 7th day this their text which they bring against this day it doth not so much as mention they word day at all for the word dayes in the text Col. 2.16.17 it is not in the originall as you may perceiue by this that our translatoures haue written it in smaler letters the originall hath nothing but the word Sabbaths whereby I gather that rather the Sabbaths then the word day and the time are made a shaddow of Christ now the Hebrew word Sabbath signifying a Rest from labours as they will haue it if any thing therefore be a shaddow of Christ it is this Rest from laboures now they all teach and maintaine that the Rest in the 4th com is morall and perpetuall and yet behold here by this their text Col. 2.16.17 and by their argument out of it they dispute against this Sabbath or Rest for they make it a shaddow of Christ and so abolished and so this Rest it shall be morall ceremoniall perpetuall and yet long since abolished it shall be morall by their Doctrine in the pulpit and ceremoniall by their arguments in Disputation is not this a grosse contradiction for this text Col. 2.16 if it maketh any thing against the 7th day Sabbath it maketh as much if not more against the word Sabbath and Rest as it doth against the day and time which is the thing in question And this I make plaine by this reason also they say that by the word Sabbaths in Col. 2.16.17 is meant all Sabbaths both the weekly and the yeerly Sabbaths which if it be so then looke how largly the word Sabbaths is expounded touching the yeerly Sabbaths so largly this word Sabbaths must be expounded touching the weekly Sabbath for this one word Sabbathes cannot be taken in ij diuerse senses now this word in reference vnto the yeerly Sabbaths doth includ both the time day and also the Rest dueties to be performed in that time and day and so all are abolished as Shaddowes both the Rest and the day iust so it must be touching the weekly Sabbath if it be meant in the word Sabbaths then both the day and the Rest of the day also must be included and so day and Rest must be abolished as shaddowes both A 4th absurdety committed by these enemies to the perfection and integrity of Gods law is this that by bringing this text Col. 2.16.17 or any other text or textes against the Sabbath day commanded in the 4th com hereby they doe nullify vtterly bring to naught the 4th com for whereas the 4th com commandeth the Sanctification of the Sabbath day these men will by this text proue this Sabbath day to be a Shaddow of Christ and so therefore to be abolished whence it must follow that by their doeings the Sabbath day commanded in the 4th com is abolished as a shaddow which being abolished the 4th com is nullified and made as a cipher it commanding iust nothing at all for if these words Sabbath day be a shaddow and abolished then these 10 letters which are in these 2 words may in sense be put away as abolished and in the roome of them put 10 ciphers then whereas the 4th com runeth thus Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it why now according to these patrones of the Lords day it may rune thus Remember the 0000000000 to sanctify it and thus they haue nullified this commandement for you see it now commandeth iust nothing vnlesse they can tell how to proue vnto vs by the virtue of their consequences that God commanded two Sabbath dayes in his 4th com the one vpon the 7th day the other vpon the 8th day suer I am the Iewes neuer knew but one and Christ neuer kept but one and God spake not in his 4th com of Sabbaths in the plurall number but of a Sabbath or the Sabbath in the singular number as but of one singularly and this one Sabbath they haue made a Shaddow and so abolished Finally whereas all Diuines affirme that some time or day in generall for Gods worship is morall and in force by the 4th com if this text Col. 2.16 be vrged against the time and day to wit the Sabbath day in the 4th com then this absurdety also followeth that there is not some time or day for Gods worship morall by the 4th com the reason is because looke what was commanded in the 4th com vnder these words Sabbath day the selfesame is a bolished by Col. 2.16 vnder the same words Sabbath dayes if this text be set against that for these words must haue as large a sense in Col. 2.16 as they haue in Exod. 20.8 and so we shall haue no time morall in the 4th com for Gods worship which is contrary to all Diuines A 5th absurdety which these enemies of the perfection and integrity of Gods law doe fale into by producing this text Col. 2.16.17 or any other text against the 7th
be morall and perpetuall or else those dueties performed in that time by the 4th com to wit rest from labour and holy exercises these must be ceremoniall and abolished as in the former argument we haue proued that if they abolish the 7th day they abolish also the Law of the 4th com so in this we shall proue that if they a bolish the 7th day they doe also abolish the dueties inioyned in the Law of the 4th coÌ„ and so farrewell Law dueties both Thus I argue If by direction from the Scriptures you make the time to wit that 7th day in the 4th com ceremoniall and abolished then must you by the same direction make those dueties performed in that time to wit rest from laboures religiouse exercises ceremoniall abolished also But noe man will make those dueties of rest religiouse exercises ceremoniall abolished Therefore may no man make that time of the 7th day in the 4th com ceremoniall abolished As for the Minor it is gaine said by none J come therefore to the Maior the consequence whereof J proue to be sound from the practise of the Holy Ghost in Scripture who wheÌ„ he abolisheth the day time once commanded he thereby inferreth the abolition also of those dueties to be done in that day and time For example on the first day of euery moneth which was their New moone the Isralites were bound to rest from laboures Amos 8.5 to be conuersant about religiouse exercises ij king 4.23 now wheÌ„ the Holy Ghost did put an end to these dueties he did onely mention the time day as Let no man condemne you in respect of the New mone Colos 2.16 Gal. 4.10 and by abolition of the time hee inferred the abolition of those dueties also performed in that time Againe the Isralites had many yeerly Sabbaths wherein they were to rest from labour to be conuersant in holy dueties as you may reade at large Leuit. 23. now when the Holy Ghost would put an end to these dueties he did onely mention the time day as yee obserue times and daies and yeeres c. Gal. 4.10 Rom. 14.5 Colos 2.16 and by his abolition of the times and daies he inferred the abolition also of those dueties of rest holy exercises performed in those times now this practise of the holy Ghost giueth vs to vnderstand that where the time is abolished there those dueties vsually performed in that time are abolisned also wherfore if you will abolish the time and day to wit the Iewish Sabbath day as some call it then if you will fetch light from the Scriptures you must learne of the Holy Ghost to abolish also those Iewish dueties of rest religiouse exercises performed in that day and Iewish time Thus you see vnlesse you hold the old Sabbath day morall you cannot hold the dueties of a Sabbath morall if you condemne the time day for a ceremony you must also relinguish those dueties which you would faine haue be morall ARGVM XVII My 17th argument for defence of the Saturday Sabbath prouing that it must be morall and still in vse is because it is a parte of Gods worship and thus I argue All the partes of Gods worship comprised in the first Table of the morall Law which were written by the finger of God in Tables of stone are morall now in force But the sanstification of the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath is a parte of Gods worship comprized in the first Table of the morall Law and was written by the finger of God in Tables of stone Therefore the Sanctification of the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath is morall and now in force For the Major it is not onely a trueth but also a trueth of that importance and consequence that there should be no Christian found me think dareing to deny it for he that denieth it doth deny God some parte of his worship he denieth that God should haue his wholl worship and will giue God but some peeces thereof onely now what God hath ioyned together how dare any man to put them assunder the Almightie in setting man a platforme of his worship diuided it into fowre partes commanded it by fowre seuerall commandements which make vp together the first Table of the Decalogue or Morall Law and so the wholl worship of God compleate in all the partes thereof now how shall any man dare by his deniall of this trueth to put these asunder and to plucke any one of these partes from its fellowes but that he must be guilty of heinouse impiety horrible Sacriledge if it was so heinouse to rob God of his Tithes Offerings Mal. 3.8 what is it to rob him of his worship and seruice if not one iote or title of the Law shall faile so long as heauen and earth endure Mat. 5.18 with what warrant may any man say that a parte of Gods worship prescribed in that Law is abolished as safely may a man clipe the Kings coyne as clipe pare off or diminish any parte of Gods worship the highest worst degree of impiety and vngodlinesse in a Christian is to turne Athiest and to deny God and the next vnto it is to deny God his worship and seruice in wholl or in parte now this they must doe who deny my Major Nay which is worse they doe not onely deny God a part of his worship but also they must accovnt it Iewâ—sh Iudaisme in any that are intire and perfect in Gods worship that is in such as giue God all the partes of his worship for such as performe vnto God all his worship intirly and perfectly they will sanctifie his Sabbaths as one parte thereof which these men must account Iudaisme I confesse indeed some textes are brought to proue the abolition of one parte of Gods worship to wit the old Sabbath day as Exod. 31.13 Colos 2.16.17 But these are but clokes to couer their euill dealing with God vnder a pretense of Scripture because this parte of Gods worship hath bene out of vse in the Church now a longe time because it is now growne through neglect of it into reproch as to be called Iewish Ceremoniall and a circumstance with the like therefore to colour the matter ouer men haue abused these textes of Scripture but suer I am it is more out of a desire and will men haue to reiect this parte of Gods worship then any thing else that these Scriptures are alleaged for there is nothing in these textes for that purpose necessarily prouing so much but onely that they who alleage them are wilfull and will make them of larger extent then they neede to doe I desire these words necessarily prouing may be well obserued since I place greate Emphasis in them for an ancient ordinance of Gods is not to be vnnecessarily voluntarily abolished as if men were weary of Gods worship and did study how to abolish reiect his ordinances and lay wast Religion Now
A Defence Of that most Ancient and Sacred ordinance of GODS the SABBATH DAY Consequently and together with it 2. A Defence of the iiijth Commandement 3. A Defence of the integrity and perfection of the Decalogue Morall Law or X. Commandements 4. A Defence also of the whole and intire worship of God in all the partes thereof as it is prescribed in the first Table of the Decalogue 5. A Discouery of the Superstition impurity and corruption of Gods worship yea and Idolatry committed by multitudes in sanctifying the Lords Day for a Sabbath Day by the iiijth Commandement Vndertaken against all Anti-Sabbatharians both of Protestants Papists Antinomians and Anabaptists and by name and especially against these X Ministers M. Greenwod M. Hutchinson M. Furnace M. Benton M. Gallard M. Yates M. Chappel M. Stinnet M. Iohnson and M. Warde The second Edition corrected and amended with a supply of many things formerly omitted BY THEOPHILUS BRABOURNE Printed ANNO DOM. 1632. Thus saieth the Lord stand in the wayes and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way and walke therein and yee shall finde Rest for your soules Ierem. 6.16 This is that old and that good way Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy c. The vijth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke c. for on the vijth day the Lord Rested Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Exod. xx viij x. xj Obserue it walke in it For verily I say vnto you vntill heauen earth passe one iote or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law vntill all things be fulfilled Mat. 5.18 Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least Commandements and teach men so hee shall be called the least in the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.19 Whatsoeuer thing I commaund you take heede you doe it Thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought there from Deut. 12.32 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 To the Kings most excellent Maiestie CHARLES by the grace of God King of Great-Brittaine Fraunce and Ireland Defender of the Christian faith c. MOST dread and renowned Soueraigne may it please your excellent Maiestie such is the power of Trueth and specially in Religion that they which haue once tasted it cleaue vnto it more then vnto all the hopes of this life besides The Law of thy mouth saith Dauid is better vnto mee then thowsands of gold siluer Psal 119.72 Yea such is the excellency of Gods blessed Trueth as his meekest seruants will stirr in the defence of it the mildest fight before it shall be indamaged by their forbearance I durst not petition your Highnesse nor aduenture these lines vnto your Maiesties consideration vntill I had by diligent studie first so setled my conscience in the certaine trueth of them as my minde gaue me that I am tied in conscience rather to departe with my life then with this Trueth so captiuated is my conscience inthraled to the Law of my God Here therefore I tender this Trueth with my life vnto your Maiestie that vnto your Godly consideration this vnto your clemency mercy and both to the pleasure of the Almighty I remember when the Booke of the Law had bene lost and was found againe by Hilkiah the Priest in the Raigne of Iosiah 2. King 22. that Hilkiah sent it by Shaphan the Chaunteller vnto the King which giueth me to vnderstand that in matters of Gods worship in case failings and corruptions be found out the Supreme power the King is to haue knowledge of it More particularly when the Lords Sabbath was thought to be prophaned by the Disciples of Christ by plucking eares of corne Mat. 12. to whom did the Pharises complaine but vnto Christ the Lord and Master of the Disciples And when in Nehemiahs time the Sabbath was prophaned by treading the Winepresse bearing of burdens Nehem. 13. to whom did Nehemiah turne himselfe but vnto the Rulers Nobles of Iudah for redresse I addresse my selfe therefore vnto your Maiestie humblie beseeching you to take it into consideration 1. That that most ancient sacred ordinance of Gods Sabbath prescribed in the Morall Law and religiously practised by the most anciët primitiue Churches neere 400 yeeres after the Ascention of Christ euen so longe as they retained their brightest purity and which ought religiously to be sanctified to the worlds end it is now prophaned trampled vnder foote 2. That the Decalogue Law of God is not taught maintained in our Church in its fulnesse integrity and perfection but onely partially by peeces 3. That God hath not his whole intire worship seruice prescribed in the first Table of the Decalogue but is denied one quarter or fowrth part thereof weekly 4. That by the common doctrine in our Church the 4th Commandement is wholly frustrate altogether nullified both roote and branch 5. That by most men in our Church there is grosse superstition committed Gods worship is corrupted and by many plain idolatry wrought by keeping the Lords day for a Sabbath by the 4th Com. Amongst other things I haue as I beleeue made these fiue things manifestly appeare in this Booke and now I humbly present them vnto your Highnesse consideration trusting the cause will speake for it selfe and its bare mention will call for a Reformation It was the laudable and Godly care of your deere Father to cause in his time a new Translation of the sacred Bible for the correction of but here and there a word how much more I trust will his suruiuing Sonne Heire be mindfull of such weighty matters as these are Almighty God hath honoured this eternall Law of the 10 Commandements with such honour as he vouchsafed not to any one portion of Scripture besids in all the Sacred Bible for hee deliuered it in most Maiesticall and terrible manner in flaming fyer the earth trembling Moses the people quaking hee spake it proclaimed it with his owne voyce and wrote it with his owne finger in Tables of stone The Eternall Sonne of God whilst on earth bewraied such care of this Law as that hee ratified it and euery iote title of it to the worlds end saying Verily I say vnto you that vntill heauen earth passe one iote or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all things be fulfilled Mat. 5.18 The Church of God in this Christian Kingdome honoureth at this day this Law of God for shee hath inrouled it in hir Booke of Common Prayers and ordered that it be deuoutly reade at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper at other times of holy Assemblies I trust therefore your Maiestie will afford this sacred honourable portion of Gods Word your best protection The Law it is the inheritance of the Church as wee reade Deut.
Sabbath is plaine in that it is called the preparation of the Passeouer Ioan. 19.14 rather then the preparation of the Sabbath so this text it concerneth neither the morall Sabbath nor any morall preparation By the way the cleering of this text Mark 15.44 wherein is mention of a preparation before the Sabbath may be vsefull vnto vs to discouer their errour who vrge a preparation on the Eueuing before the Sabbath from this or the like textes as if the Church vvere bound on the euening before the Sabbath day to make a preparation as they call it and to refraine all seruill labours and begin then the sanctification of the Sabbath in holy exercises but this is groundlesse 1. For albeit vve read of a preparation to the ceremoniall Sabbath which stood as hath bene showne in dressing of the lamb for the Passeouer c. yet vve reade not of any preparation to the morall Sabbath enioyned or vsed they erre therefore vvho vvould from this and the like textes collect any such preparation for the Sabbath as to begin it on Saturday at euen all the preparation which God requireth for the morall Sabbath is no more but this to remember it before it cometh and that so as all our seruill vvorkes may be compassed and finished by the end of the sixth day that so nothing may hinder vs from Sanctification of the seuenth day vvhen it commeth Yet further I answere to the text Mark. 15.42 suppose vve that by Sabbath there mentioned be vnderstood the morall Sabbath why then by preparation there spoken of may nothing else be vnderstood but a preparation by finishing of the vvorkes of the sixth day in the sixth day that so no vvorke be left for the seuenth day and for this the context giueth some light by the example of Ioseph of Arimathea v. 43. vvho vpon the sixth day at euen bought fine linnen and tooke Christ from the crosse and embalmed him vvith spices and wrapped him in linnen clothes and laid him into the sepulchre and finally rouled a stone vpon the sepulchre v. 46. Ioh. 19.40 all these vvorkes Ioseph fin shâ—d on the sixth day and so prepared himselfe for the seuenth day the Sabbath day So in vvhich sense soeuer you take it here 's no place for any such preparation as they vrge Yet further this is to be noted that it is one thing to make a preparation for the Sabbath and an other to begin the Sabbath this difference they note not vvho vrge the Sabbath to begin on the euening before the Sabbath day for vve may make prouision and preparation on the day before the Sabbath for the Sabbath by hasting on and contriuing of our vvorks so the day before as no worke may be left to be done on the Sabbath day and yet not begin the Sabbath vntill the next morning Thus we haue done with the confutation of those 3 errours which vrge from the fourth com more then a day for the Sabbath as either all the night foregoing the Sabbath day or all the night coming after the Sabbath day or else halfe of the night foregoing the Sabbath day and halfe of the night following the Sabbath day Before we can conclud this pointe a case of conscience wold be scanned t is this if it be so may some say that the Sabbath day is but the time of light only vvhat shall become of the night then or of that parte of the night to vvit an hovvre two or three before day in the depht of winter in case a man rise so soone and of that parte of the night to vvit tvvo or three howres after candles lighted may men safely employ these times in the ordenary workes of their callings Where vnto I answer in such a case as this wherin God hath left no expresse order Christian prudency and discretion must determine the matter as then in the longest dayes of sommer we giue God no more of the time of light then we can well refraine from rest and sleepe so in the shortest dayes of winter we should in reason and equity as it were by vvay of requitall giue God all that time of the night or darknesse the which we can well spare from rest and sleepe for in the longest dayes we sleepe 2 3 or 4. howres after day light and againe goe to rest one or two howres before day light bedone 2. It is fit we should deale by God in his Sabbath dayes as we deale by our selues on the six working dayes if in any of these we be disposed to rise before day light or to set vp after day be done we spend those times in actiones or workes of the same for kind which we doe in the day which belongeth vnto those times to wit in common laboures and so let vs deale by God in his Sabbaths if vve rise before day and set vp after day let those times be spent in workes sutable to the day to wit in holy exercises But more specially for the time in the morning before it be day since that we must serue God with all our heart and with all our strength in the dueties of his worship and seruice on the Sabbath day it vndeniably follovveth that a man may not fall to the laboures of his calling 2. or 3. hovvres before the Sabbath doth beginne for so the strength of his body is vveakened and the liulinesse and fresh cheerfulnesse of his minde is abated and dulled and the edge of his affections is before hand taken off and blunted and it cannot be doubted buth that God vvold be serued in his Sabbathes with as much liulinesse and cheerefullnesse and strength of body and minde as may or can be the vvhich cannot be if a man spend vp and wast his strength and vigour before hand by labors Wherefore let vs with the Prophet Dauid when vvaking or vp before day seeke God by prayer and the like I preuented saith he the dawning of the morning and cried J hoped in thy word Psal 119.147 It is then a fit time for a Christian to exercise his faith and hope in God and to pray vnto him namely in the morning erly And for the time in the Euening or after the euening after the day besides what hath bene said before in generall this also maybe added in speciall that since there is a time for meditation vpon the vvord of God Psal 119.15 I will meditate in thy preceptes Psal 119.55 I haue remembred thy name O Lord in the night Psal 119.148 Mine eyes preuent the night watches that I might meditate in thy word And Psal 42.8 the Lord will grant his louing kindnesse in the day and in the night will I sing of him c. Since I say there is a time for meditation of Gods word and for singing of Psalmes in priuate what time can be more fit then that time of the night which immediatly followeth the hearing of Gods word in publike for then things are fresh in memory we are to
proue and try all things which we heare 1. Thess 5.21 and to serch the Scriptures with those Bereans to see whither the things taught vs be so or no Act. 17.11 Now what time can be more fit for this duety then the time presently follovving the hearing of the vvord There is a precept vnto parents Deut. 6.7 And these words which I command thee shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou laiest downe and when thou risist vp Now what time is more fit for parents and masters to whet the word of God vpon their children and seruants then presently after they haue heard it in the Congregation but this cannot be if all sortes may fall to their seuerall vvorkes so soone as the publike assembly is dismissed And so much be spoken of the word Day SECT IV. We are now to speake of thes vvords Sabbath day that vve may giue a true exposition whereof and that we may also discouer the false glosses and horrible abuses of this our time touching these words of the Commandement we thus begin Of Sabbaths we must know that there were sundry sortes prescribed of God there were Sabbathes of yeeres and Sabbathes of dayes the Sabbaths of yeeres were such as lasted a wholl yeere of these vve read in Leuit. 25.2.3.4 but of these we haue not to speake partly because they were ceremoniall neuer commanded in the morall lavv partly because the 4th com treateth of Sabbaths of dayes not of Sabbaths of yeeres Againe Sabbaths of dayes are of two sortes for there vvere Annuall Sabbaths and there vvere vveekly Sabbaths of the annuall Sabbaths vve read in Leuit. 23.7.21.24.32.35.39 these Sabbaths came but once in a yeere only of the vveekly Sabbaths vvhich came euery 7th day or euery vveeke of these vve reade in the 4th com Exod. 20.8.10.11 As touching the Annuall and yeerely Sabbaths we haue not to doe partly because they vvere ceremoniall and neuer vvrote in the morall lavv in Tables of stone partly because they came but once a yeere but the 4th comm with which vve haue to doe treateth of Sabbaths vvhich come once a vveeke this vveekly morall Sabbath vvritten in the morall lavv is that vvith vvhich vve haue to doe and thus much of the seuerall sortes of Sabbaths This morall Sabbath may in generall be thus described The Sabbath day is a certaine sacred time sanctified by God and appointed to be sanctified by man A more particular description hereof you shall haue by and by after that vve haue by serch found out vvhich day of the vveeke this Sabbath day is For the vvord Sabbath ioyned vvith the vvord Day thus Sabbath day it is agreed on all sides that it signifieth Rest so then vvhen the Lord said Remember the Sabbath day it is as much as if he had said Remember the rest-Rest-day Furthermore it is to be noted that hovveuer here be tvvo vvords to vvit Sabbath and Day or Rest and Day yet here is but one thing but one time and one day signified like as vve say the Virgine Mary these tvvo vvords signifie but one vvoman and the Apostle Paul thes signifie but one man and the Lords Supper signify but one thing or one meale It is true vvhen Diuines in expounding these vvords haue gone thus farre namely to haue showne that the word Sabbath signifieth a Rest here they leaue the point vvithout any further serch to knovv vvhich is the Sabbath day or Rest day least they should find it but vve not being afraid to find it but desirous to find it vvill proceed further As vvhen God commanded vs saying Honour the King 1. Pet. 2.17 Remember yee the law of Moses c. Mal. 4.4 And Moses said vnto the people Remember this day in vvhich yee came out of Egypt Exod. 13.3 It is not here enough to enquire vvhat the vvord King or Law or Day signifieth but a further serch ought to be made also and that is to knovv vvho and vvhich is the King that vve may honour him and to knovv vvhat and vvhich is the lavv of Moses that vve may obey it and those Israelites to knovv vvhich was the day in which they came out of Egypt that they might obserue it Euen so it is not enough to enquire vvhat the vvord Sabbath signifieth but also vvhich is the day that vve might sanctify it the which vnlesse we be acquainted vvith it vve shall be ignorant of the very subiect of the Com. The name Iesus it signifieth a Sauiour but if novv in the expounding of Scripture vvhen vve meete vvith the vvord Iesus vve haue respect onely vnto the signification of the vvord neuer enquiring further vnto the person to knovv vvhich Iesus the text speaketh of may vve not commit a foule mistake taking a common man for Christ Iesus our Sauiour For there is in the scripture a Iesus vvhich is Ioshuah vvho brought the Israelites into Canaan Act. 7.45 Heb. 4.8 And there is a Iesus vvho is called Iustus Col. 4.11 As it is needfull then after vve haue sought out the signification of the name Iesus in the next place to serch to knovv vvhich Iesus so is it vvith the vvord Sabbath day vve must serch vvhich day To this query then which day of all the weeke or of al the seauen dayes is the Sabbath day I answer it may be knowne 1. by this name of it which God hath imposed Sabbath day for the name of a thing doth giue light to the thing named and by mens names theire persones are found on t As Iohn and Thomas are proper names to two of Christs Apostles so Sabbath day is a proper name to one certaine day of the vveeke to vvit to Saturday the seuenth and last day of the weeke that thes words Sabbath day are a proper name for Saturday I thus proue it 1. because none other day of the vveeke was constantly called by the name Sabbath day but the seuenth or last day of the weeke which is Saturday see for this purpose thes Scriptures Exod. 16.22.23.26 Exod. 20.9.10 Exod. 23.12 Exod. 35.2 Leuit. 23.3 Mat. 28.1 Luk. 13.14 I proue it secondly by the testimony of all Iewes novv liuing at Amsterdam or else vvhere who call Saturday the Sabbath day where vnto I may add the Iewes rekoning of theire dayes of the vveeke Saturday they called Sabbath day Sunday they called the first of the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioh. 20.1 monday they called the second of the Sabbath Tevvsday the third of the Sabbath c. In vvhich theire accompt as you see no day was called Sabbath day but Saturday 3. I proue it by the testimony of the Lattines vvho to this very day call our Saturday the Sabbath day Sabbathum and dies Sabbathi se the vvord Sabbathum so translated in all Lattine Dictionaries sinally I appeale to all Diuines if the vvord Sabbathum be not vsed in all auncient
Histories of the Church for Saturday the 7th day Thus it is euident that Sabbath day is a proper name signifying our Saturday and Saturday then is the day vvhich God meant and spake of in those vvords Remember the Sabbath day Secondly vve may knovv that Saturday is the day vvhich God meant by these vvords Sabbath day because God hath in his 4th com plainly deciphred out the day vvhich he called Sabbath day and that in these vvordes But the 7th day is the Sabbath c. And see Exod. 35.2 and Exod. 23.12 Leu. 23.3 so then the 7th day of the vveeke is the very day vvhich God vnderstandeth by Sabbath day novv the 7th day of the vveeke is our saturday for our Lords day or Sonday is called by all the 4 Euangelists the first day of the vveeke Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.2 Luk. 24.1 Ioh. 20.1 vvel then rekon on and Saturday after vvill be your 7th day Furthermore it is not obscurly declared in the reason to the 4th com Exod. 20.11 Where Almightie God setteth out his ovvne ensample for vs to imitate hee Rested on the seuenth day and hee blessed and Sanctified the seuenth day for Sabbath vuhich seuenth day from the creation is our Saturday Finally the Sabbath day and the 7th day are vsed in the 4th com promiscuously the one for the other for t is said Ex. 20.11 that God rested the 7th day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day c. where he should haue said thus Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day c. vnlesse the Sabbath day and the seuenth day be both one and the same and here I might ad the Testimony of Walaeus de Sabbatho pag. 61. who affitmeth and also proueth it that the word Sabbath in the 4th com is not vsed indefinitly and indeterminatly but for the seuenth day from the Creation Thirdly that our Saturday was the Sabbath day which vvas once commanded to the Iewes by the 4th com I proue by the Testimony of all Diuines for doe not all both Protestants and Papists acknowledg that our Sauiour was crucified on Good Friday and that hee lay in his graue al our saturday being the Iewes Sabbath day and rose on our Sunday wherby they confesse that our Saturday was the Sabbath day Further more doe not all Diuines affirme that Saturday the old Sabbath day was abolished by Christ c In which words they confesse that Saturday was the Sabbath day mentioned in the 4th com what neede of further proofes Hauing found out particularly which is the day of the weeke to which the 4th com had respect namely Saturday Now we may be bould to make a more particular description of the Sabbath day and thus it may be desribed The Sabbath day is that sacred time called Saturday counted the seuenth day from the Creation which was sanctified and hollowed by God and appointed to be Sanctisied by man I call it a sacred time and that in a double respect 1. by destination 2. By consecration the Sabbath day is holy by destination it being set a parte for holinesse and for the worship of God to be celebrated in it like as the Temple once was Remember the Sabbath day to Sanctifie it Exod. 20.8 The Sabbath day is Holy by consecration because at the Creation God consecrated it and made it an Holy day and this he did two waies 1. By his personall and exemplary Rest vpon this day And the 7th day hee rested from all his worke which he had made Genes 2.2 For if the grovvnd whereon Moses stood became holy grownd because of Gods presence there Exod. 3.5 what shold hinder it but that in like sorte the day wherin God him selfe rested shold forthwith become an Holy day 2. By his hallowing and sanctifying of this day So God blessed the 7th day and sanctified it c. Genes 2.3 other Sabbathes were holy but by destination only but saturday Sabbath was holy both by destination and by consecration also Hauing finished this point it remaineth that we make some vse and application of it the first vse then shall be for information and thus I reason if Saturday be the day and time which God aimed at in his 4th com by those words Sabbath day then may our Translatores in translating of the 4th com safly translate it Saturday for Sabbath day they may put Saturday saying Remember Saturday to Sanctify it For Saturday is that day properly meant by the words Sabbath day neither haue we any day of the weeke which will answer to the Sabbath day but our saturday only and if it be objected that the name Saturday doth not fully expresse the name Sabbath day because Sabbath signifieth a Rest I answer it is no more then but this that to the name Saturday vve add the word Rest and so we shall haue the full sense thus Saturday-Rest Remember the Saturday-Rest to sanctifie it It is obiected against this that so doing we shold bring an heathenish name as Saturday is into the Scriptures c. Hereto I answer I trust that as our holy vse of our Temples and Churches hath purged that abuse of them vnto which many of them were first erected so our Christiaen vse of the name Saturday may sanctifie and purge it from heathenish abuse 2. We vse the name but for distinction sake onely voide of all heathenish vanities now why may not the name Saturday be brought into the scripture of the 10 commandements as well as that heathenish name Mars into the scripture of the Actes of the Apostles Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars hill and said c. But I meane not to contend for this I leaue it vnto the wisedome and discretion of our lerned Translatores all that I aime at hereby is only this that I desire all meanes and helpes may be afforded whereby the true and proper sense of the scriptures may be easily vnderstood and that in as much as may be by the ignorant and vnlearned This one sore euill I find that whilst we retaine the word Sabbath in the Com. it being an Hebrevv vvord it is in our Church as it vvas in those dayes vvhere in the scriptures vvere in Lattine because the people vnderstood not the Lattine toung the priests might make vvhat Expositions they would and so it is here because the vvord Sabbath an Hebrevv vvord is not translated into English but redd in our Bibles and retained still our Ministers many of them giue what fained and fabulouse Expositions of the vvord Sabbath they please as a Sabbath and the Sabbath and a Rest and all to this end that they might dravv the 4th Com. vnto the Lords day and expound it of the Lords day or Sunday as if the name Sabbath day might be giuen indifferently vnto any day of the weeke none of vvhich corrupt glosses could delud the people if they had the words Sabbath day trāslated into English wordes for so they need not so vvholly rely vpon the Ministers
a knight or a Noble man and as Friday and Sunday in some sense are aboue the other of the sixe dayes So no doubt will God and so shold euery Godly man think amisse of it to heare Ministers take that name of honour from off the head of Saturday to set it vpon the head of Sunday By this translating of the name Sabbath day from Saturday to Sunday common people when they read in the Scriptures of any thing of note touching the Sabbath day presently they cast that in they re minds vpon the Lords day thinking that to be meant of it thus being meerly deluded they honour the subiect for the king the maide for hir Mistris and misapply and abuse all those Textes of Scripture is it not high time then that this abuse were Looked vnto and the rather also because by theire carrynig of the name Sabbath day from the Saturday vnto the Sunday they hereby doe subtilly carry also the 4th commandement from the Saturday vnto the Sunday and thus they robb the Saturday both of its diuine name and also of its Commandement for novv no man cales the Saturday Sabbath day nor applies the fourth com vnto it at all by this robbery God and his Sabbathes are leesers but they are greate gainers for novv they haue not only got that deuine name Sabbath day for theire Sunday but also they haue got though but by vsurpation a Commandement too for theire Lords day the which had no commandement before It bewraieth theire beggarlynesse in ornaments for the Lords day when they must thus robb and pull from an other day to clothe and attire it vvith all neither hath the Lords day any thing in the nevv Testament to tye mens consciences with all but only what the patrones there of haue vniustly taken out of the Old Testament from the Saturday Sabbath and out of whose ruines they haue erected a nevv day For conclusion let me exhorte Ministers and people to refraine putting the name Sabbath day vpon the Lords day for hereafter we haue names enough besids we may call it Sunday Lords day or First day of the weeke doe not mocke God and deceiue the world any longer vvith vse of the name Sabbath day vnlesse you meant to giue God his proper Sabbath day the Saturday why should you retaine the name with out the thing this is to mocke God with a shaddovv for the Substance And here I cannot but speake of that common fault of Ministers in the pulpit vvhose very words and vvorkes are at iarr the more is the pitty for in application of theire doctrines they are frequent in pressing the obseruation of the Sabbath day amongst other virtues and holy dueties and on the contrary in many of there vses of reprofe they are very zealouse in reprouing the breach of the Lords Sabbaths together vvith other sinnes of drunkennesse Svvearing lying oppression pride and the like vvherein they doe very well if their words and their vvorkes vvent together if their words and their mind did agree for aske them in priuate vvhat day of the vveeke they meant by the name Sabbath day and they vvill tell you Sunday or Lords day so then with their toungs they call for the Sabbath day which is Saturday in Gods account as hath bene proued but they meane an other thing then they speake of for they meane it of Sunday or Lords day like as if a man should talke much and ernestly of Saturday but meaneth it of friday or of Sunday and meaneth it of Moneday Nay their ovvne mouthes shall condemne them for they call for the Lords Sabbaths in the pulpit vvhen they profane them in theire families and teach men so to doe nay the Lords Sabbathes find no greater enemies then these who call so much for them for they at other times vvill beare the people in hand that they are abolished and they vvill and dare vndertake to proue that that Sabbath day once commanded in the 4th com is a ceremony and abolished and yet these men I will haue the Sabbath of the Lord still in their mouthes and make a great clamour for it the Prophet Ieremiah reprooued those of his time saying Trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Ierem. 7.4 And may not I say of our time forbeare your homonymiouse and double meaning speeches refraine your words of aequiuocation and of mentall reseruation saying the Sabbaths of the Lord the Sabbaths of the Lord either be right dovvne for the Lords Sabbaths before the people or else let them be no more heard in your mouths doe not abuse that proper name Sabbath day diuinely imposed by God vpon our Saturday and by your aequiuocations and mentall reseruations meane it of Sunday Happily I shall preuaile vvith some to forsake the abuse of this name and in stead of it they will call our Sunday the Lords day and so presse the sanctification of it vnder that name To such I say let them doe so then if they can find any grounds out of Gods vvord to vvarrant them to presse the Lords day to be kept as the Sabbath day but this let them take with it that they must with the forbearing of the name Sabbath day refraine the vse of the 4th com also for these goe inseparablie together they must not presse the 4th com vpon the Lords day for the 4th com speaketh of a day vvhich by diuine imposition is called the Sabbath day and not of a day vvhich by humane imposition is called so as hitherto many of their owne braines doe or not of a day called the Lords day the com runneth thus Remember the Sabbath day c. not thus Remember the Lords day c. Some there are vvho allredy of their ovvne accord doe call our Sunday Lords day and not Sabbath day but I maruaile of all the rest vvith vvhat face these men can presse the 4th comm vpon that day vvhich themselues confesse is named Lords day and not Sabbath day vvhen as the 4th comm doth expresly mention a day which is named Sabbath day and not Lords day The name Sabbath day therefore and the 4th com must goe inseperably together hold the one and hold the other renownce the one and renownce the other also A fourth vse shall be for the confutation of a common but very friuolouse answer let a man vrge the 4th com for the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath and presently their answere will be that the com may be vnderstood not of the Sabbath day but of a Sabbath day But that I may discouer the idlenesse of this dist inction and such as vse it first vve must vnderstand what they meane by it by the Sabbath day they meane that certaine knowne day called the 7th day from the creation which is our Saturday and by a Sabbath day they meane some vncertaine day as one or other of the 7 dayes but not determined which whither this or that novv say they
the com may be vnderstood either of these wayes for the vvord Sabbath it may be translated either a Sabbath or the Sabbath either of a day certaine or of a day vncertaine Herevnto I reply admit we should grant them that the com may be vnderstood of a Sabbath vncertaine which yet by Sabbath they must meane a Sabbath day whose name is of diuine imposition well can they now shew vs any day of the vveeke saue Saturday that is named by God in holy Scripture Sabbath day sure I am they cannot If then they cannot shew vs any day in the vveeke called in Scripture Sabbath day but Saturday must they not be inforced then to apply the 4th com to the Saturday and to it alone 2. By the like licentiouse libertie in expounding of Scriptures we may make most things that are certaine and well knovvne which to become vncertaine and vnknowne which for example the name Iesus vvhen the text declareth that it is spoken of Christ our Sauiour might not a vvrangler shift it off also by this ansvver that the name Iesus it may be translated a Iesus or the Iesus c. and so say that that text may be meant of a Iesus as Ioshua or vncertainly which Iesus and not of the Iesus which is Christ Againe whereas t is said I was in the Spirit on the Lords day that is on Sunday say they well may not I answer them as they answer mee saying it may be translated a Lords day or the Lords day and so it may be meant of some other day besides Sunday let a man read ouer 3 or 4 verses in the beginning of the first chapter of Genesis and let him in stead of the where he find it put a and he will be ashamed of his soreading it yet further why might not the Iewes haue the distinction of a Passeouer and of the Passeouer and of a Pentecost and the Pentecost as well as a Sabbath and the Sabbath And why may not vve haue a Lords day and the Lords day a Christmas day and the Christmas day an Easter day and the Easter day as well as a Sabbath day and the Sabbath day To conclude suppose we that Christ had left an expresse commandement in the New Testament for the Lords day in these words Remember the Lords day to sanctifie it how would the patrones of the Lords day Sabbath rage and storme to heare any goe about to wrest this commandement of Christs from Sunday the first day of the vveeke vnto some other day as to Saturday or to Monday c and yet in a sense euery day of the vveeke is the Lords day I desire them but to deale with Gods 4th com which mentioneth the Sabbath day like as they vvould haue others deale vvith the Lords day if it were commanded I come now to shew that by Sabbath day in the 4th comm is meant not an vnknowne and vncortaine day but a certaine and well knovvne day not a Sabbath day but the Sabbath day novv this hath bene sufficiently proued before neuerthelesse I vvill proue it furrher because some thinke that the name Sabbath day may as vvell be applied vnto Sunday as to Saturday and so the 4th comm may hold its morallity in binding vnto Sunday and first I vvill begin vvith the Testimony of all Translators both new and old looke into all our English Bibles both old and nevvly translated and you shall find that not only in the 4th com but also constantly in all other places of Scriptute vvhere is any mention of this name Sabbath day and you shall find them translating it not a Sabbath but the Sabbath which sheweth cleerly that hovv euer the word may be rendred a Sabbath yet that translation is not the best and therefore they haue reiected it and haue vnanimously translated it the Sabbath neither is this done by any that fauoured the 7th day Sabbath but by those vvho rather fauoured the Lords day and therefore no doubt but they would haue made some way for the Lords day by this their translation if it could haue bene 2. The Lord hath in the very com it selfe limited the Sabbath vnto a certaine and knowne day and that 1. by its proper name Sabbath day vvhich belonged properly vnto our Saturday not indefinitly and in common to any day as hath bene shovvne 2. By deciphering it out most plainly to be the 7th and last day of the weeke in these vvords But the 7th day is the Sabbath c. Now the 7th day is not vncertaine which day of the vveeke it is but well knovvne to be Saturday the last day of the weeke 3. It is that very day vvhich must be sanctified by man vvhich God himselfe sanctified and set vs for a patterne to vvit the 7th day from the creation as vve haue it in the reason assizmed to the com Exod. 20.11 Novv the day vvhich God rested on and the day which God blessed and sanctified is a certaine and knowne day see Gen. 2.3 it was the 7th day not a 7th day 3. I proue that the Sabbath spake of in the Comm. was a certaine knowne day and not an vncertaine day partly by the Testimony of Moses Exo. 16.23 where vpon the sixth day of the weeke v. 22. Moses teld the people thus saying To morrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath c. so then the time of the Sabbath it was a certaine knowne time and so certaine and so knovvne that Moses could say of it the day before it came To morrow it shall be c. so much also may be collected out of Luk. 13.14 and Act. 13.42.44 Finally I proue it by the Testimony of all diuines vvho affirme that our Saturday vvas the Iewes Sabbath day which they Kept by virtue of the 4th com vntill Christ came as else where I haue already proued more largly Novv if Saturday were the day which they kept for the Sabbath day then by the practise of all the Church of the Iewes vntill Christ the Sabbath day vvas a certaine knovvne day euen as our Saturday is a certaine day Thus I haue proued vndeniably that the Sabbath day inioyned in the 4th com it was the Sabbath not a Sabbath it vvas a day certaine and not vncertaine it vvas not vnderstood of some one day of the weeke indistinctly but of one certaine vvell knowne day of the weeke which being so hovv fondly yea wickedly and profanly haue they done who by their false glosses and idle distinctions doe labour to make people beleeue that Gods certaine and knovvne times for his worship and seruice are vncertaine and vndetermined that so they might alter and change Gods times and make way for their humane inventiones that is to set the Lords day into the 4th com you haue seene it sufficiently proued that Saturday vvas the Sabbath day for thovvsands of yeers vntill Christ and that by the name Sabbath day was no other day knowne nor vnderstood but only Saturday vntill
by the 4th com wherefore this obiection which is very common in the mouthes of Ministers and people is of no moment it vvill not free them of superstition and vvill-vvorship When Saul offred Sacrifice and Samuel should haue done it why Saul might haue answered why I gane God a Burnt offring a peace offering it vvas as much and the same which Samuel vvould haue offered here lacked nothing but the circumstance of the person it was Saul instead of Samuel I but this excuse could not serue the turne Samuel teld him he had done foolish for all that and God would depriue him of his kingdome for it 1. Sam. 13.9.10 c. so it is here they doe foolishly that alter Gods dayes and times and they shall leese their share of those blessings which God hath promised vnto them that keepe his Sabbathes Isa 58.13.14 because they keepe not his Sabbaths but their Lords dayes and they doe foolishly because they think as Saul did to please God vvith an halfe seruice doeing somthings which God commanded and leauing out and vndone othersome thing which God commanded Sauls obedience came shorte in the circumstance of the person and therfore reiected and these men that keepe the Lords day but not the Sabbath day their obedience faleth short in the circumstance of the time Gods Sacred day and therfore will be reiected of God Let them looke too it and receiue admonition And further whereas they please them selues saying they haue the dueties of the Sabbath though they haue not the time they must know that for so much as the day and precise time is as expresly commanded in the 4th com as are Rest and holy exercises therfore the day and precise time is no lesse a duety then are other things commanded in the same Com. so then when they please themselues saying they haue the dueties of the Sabbath and neglect that day and time they haue but one halfe or some partes of the Sabbathes duties for they want the sett time which is a parte of the Sabbathes duetie yea and such a parte too as being vvanting the dueties of rest and holy excercises become no better then common holy dayes dueties for on euery common holy day they doe such Sabbath dueties that is they Rest and heare Sermones c. Novv to returne if through the false Exposition of Gods 4th com Gods people be led into such an errour by keeping a vvrong day as they shall leese the revvard of their expected hopes and their religion in respect of this day become a superstition and their conscience of the 4th Com. proue a non-obedience vnto it is it not high time that this matter be looked vnto and haue not Ministers lamentablie abused the people Yet further when people in their priuate family prayers on Sunday morning before they goe into the Congregation pray to God to assist them and helpe them in the sanctification of that day Sabbath doe they not bable before God making him beleeue that that present Sunday is his sacred Sabbath day the vvhich God knoweth is most false the same is true also of the Minister vsing such prayers in his pulpit publikely Againe when night commeth doe not such as vse to call vpon God morning and Euening make an humble confesssion to God in their priuat families of their sinnes among which they rekone vp their failings in the sanctification of that Sabbath day novv past for one thus they ignorantly confesse sinnes vnto God vvhich are no sinnes and feare vvhere no feare is for if a sinne it must be a transgression of some law but shew me a law for the sanctifying of the Lords day ther 's one indeed for the Sabbath day but none at all for the Lords day neither in the old nor new Testaments Novv doe not such Ministers lamentably abuse their people who by abusiue expsitions of Gods commandement doe put a needlesse conscientie into men and cause them to thinke that to be sinne vvhich is no sinne and which is worse cause them to acknowledge vnto God more sinnes then God himselfe knowes and to aske pardon where they haue committed no offence is it not high time that God should raise vp some man to detect these errours yis doubtlesse and the times vvill in an irefull displeasure at him for his honest paines woefully reward him in body goods and good name Thus far of Ministers abusing of the people of God committed to their charge I come novv to Ministers abuse of the sacred word of God a thing to be thought on let a man trauaile vpon the Lords day or doe any common worke presently they charg him with a breach of the 4th com and with a profanation of the Lords Sabbath day a gaine in their pulpites to dravv men to a conscience of the Lords day they vrg hard the 4th com vpon the Lords day yea they apply also to the Lords day all those Scriptures which any where mention the Sabbath day and were made properly and solely for it as Numb 15.32 c. and Nehem. 13.18 where is mention made of Gods iudgments for profanation of the Sabbath day and Isa 58.13.14 where is mention made of the holy manner of keeping the Sabbath day and of blessings promised there vnto novv they making no difference betwene the Sabbath day and the Lords day doe apply all these Scriptures with others vnto the Lords day which are proper vnto the Sabbath day but thus doing they abuse these Scriptures and profane the vvord of God and thus I make it good as for the Lords day it is but a common working day for it is one of those sixe dayes wherin God hath commanded vs in the 4th com to doe our workes in and it is the first of those six dayes called in Scripture not Sabbath day but by an old name constantly to wit the first day of the weke and be it that we receiued a greate blessing on this day to wit Christ from the dead so we receiued also on Friday an other greate blessing to wit the Remission of our sinnes by Christ his passion and sufferance that day vpon the Crosse for vs and yet Friday remaineth a common working day for all that and so may and doth Sunday or the Lords day also if then the Lords day be but a common day and Ministers will apply Gods sacred vvord which vvas destinated and ordeined for sacred and holy time vnto common and profane time is not this to abuse and profane the holy and sacred vvord of God If any shall object that the time of the Sabbath day is not an holy time and the like I ansvver that as the Temple was an holy place so the 7th day or the Sabbath day is an holy time and an holy day for God himselfe made it holy when he blessed the 7th day and sanctified it Genes 2.3 like as then it is counted an vnsufferable profanation of Gods vvord for any Minister to pronounce the words of holy Baptisme
Rest and performe holy exercises a vvhole day long he hath fulfilled the Commandement for it requireth by their doctrine novv no more but Rest and holinesse a day long vvith out any mention hovv often To the third question I answer for them hovv long must that time be vvhen it cometh vvhy not a day long for the time and the vvord Day in the 4th Com. is abolished say they so then novv the Com. requireth not a day to begiuen God vvhither a day of 12 or of 24 hovvres it only requireth the duties of Rest and holinesse vvell then if the Church giue God but one hovvre in a day vvhen the day commeth in the duties of Rest and holinesse the com is fulfilled and thus the Church needeth not vnlesse they vvill giue God any other Sabbath but one hovvre vpon some one day by hearing a Sermon for all that hovvre they performe the duties of the Sabbath to vvit Rest and holinesse so then to summ vp the Sabbath which thes Ministers must haue It is a Rest from laboures and an holy exercise of prayer vvith the Minister and harkening vnto Gods vvord preacht an vvholl hovvre long and that once in a vveeke or once in a moneth or once in 7 yeeres or once in a mans lief time behould your Sabbath One thing I must remember you of vvhich is this that Gods time being abolished this time of an hovvre or the like vvhich comes now by force of collection it is not a Diuine time but an Humane time so the com is embased by the chang of a Diuine time for an Humane time Iudg novv Christian reader if by theire distinctions houlding the time in the com ceremoniall they haue not nullified with the time the vvholl 4th Comm. also for 1. vvhereas the time should be at Gods appointement when novv they haue brought it to be at manes appointement when he vvill 2. vvheras the Sabbath day vvas frequent once in 7 dayes now it needeth not be once in 7 yeeres 3. vvheras the Sabbath vvas a day longe novv it needeth not by the 4th com be aboue an houre long vvheras then the Commandement was Remember the Sabbath day now it may rune thus Remember the Sabbath hovvre I may novv with Dauid turne my speech from men vnto God and say It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroyed thy Law Yet further I proue against them that they haue abolished the vvhole 4th Com. and that by their abolishing of the proper time in the 4th Comm. vvheras they say there are twoo things in the 4th Com. the one is the time and this is abolished the other is the duties in the time as rest and holinesse and thes they hould Morall if then I shall proue that thes duties are nullified and abolished then you vvill say vvith me that they haue abolished the 4th Com. indeed for both the time and the duties also vvill be abolished For this purpose we must know that there are Sabbath day duties and 4th Com. duties properly so called and there are duties very like vnto them as one egg is like an other but the like is not the same or as a counterfait shilling is like a true and current shilling but yet it is not a true shilling and paiable by the Kings authority thus Samuels Sacrificing and Sauls Sacrificing where alike but Samuels Sacrificing vvas properly a Sacrificing Sauls was but an Apish imitation and a counterfait for he vvas not the person that should doe it So to rest from laboure an vvholle day and to sanctifie it in Holy proformances this day being the 7th day which is properly called Sabbath day thus these duties are properly called Sabbath day and 4th Com. duties but on the other side to rest an whole day from labour and to sanctifie it by holy proformances and this day not being the 7th day but some other day these dueties novv are very like the other indeed as one egg to an other as a counterfait is to a currant shilling and as Sauls Sacrificing was to Samuels but they are not the same duties nor can they be properly called Sabbath day duties nor 4th Com. duties no more then a counterfait can be called a true shilling or Sauls Sacrificing be counted Samuels Sacrificing be cause this was not the day vvhereon these shold be done For example the Iewes had yeerly Sabbathes and weckly Sabbathes now albeit the rest and the holy actions done on the yeerly Sabbath day vvere a like and all one for kind with those done on the weekly Sabbath day yet no man vvill say they were the weekly Sabbath day dueties or the 4th Com. dueties for they vvere done by virtue of an other speciall Com. Againe the Iewes had Sabbath dayes and they had fast dayes and also dayes of publike thanksgiuing as vve haue on Coronation and Gunpovvder treason dayes and the like Novv albeit they did rest vpon these dayes and performe like dueties as vpon theire Sabbath day yet no man will say these were Sabbath day dueties properly and 4th Com. dueties I trust no man thinketh that those are Sabbath day duties and 4th Com. dueties vvhich vve doe on Christmas day vvhen it falleth on a weeke day or on Coronation day and the like no these are but like them Thus it is for our Lords day albeit we doe the like dueties on this day which ought to be done on the Saturday Sabbath yet are they not the same for they differ much as 1. they differ in the day those vvere done on the 7th day properiy called Sabbath day and so Sabbath day dueties these on the 8th day called Lords day and so Lords day dueties 2. those vvere done in memory of the Creation these in memory of the Redemption 3. those vvere done by the appointement of God in the Lavv these are supposed to be done by the appointment of Christ in the gospell 4. those vvere done in imitation of God at the Creation who then rested on the 7th day and hallowed the 7th day Genes 2.2.3 But these dueties of Rest and holinesse on the Lords day are not done in imitation of God at all for it is the 8th day Novv vvere there no more but the first difference in that thes duties were done on a wrong day it vvere enough to shevv that these are no Sabbath day dueties nor 4th Com. dueties no more then Sauls Sactificing was Samuels Sacrificing or a true and commanded Sacrificie but all the 4. differences put together it is manifest that the dueties of rest and holinesse which we performe on the Lords day are not Sabbath day dueties nor 4th com dueties though they be neuer so like them wherefore since thes be not the dueties commāded in the 4th com which we performe it followth that the proper dueties of the 4th Com. are nullified and abolished as vvell as the time and day and so the time and the dueties in the time being both abolished the whole 4th Com.
is abolished Thus hauing proued from their distinctiones that they haue abolished not onely the Lords Sabbaths but also the 4th Com. it selfe I am novv also to proue the same from their obiections vvherby ther profane abuse of Scripture shall appeare in that they so expound Scripture as therby they ouerturne one of the Tenn Morall Lavves the 4th Com. and by that time this be made apparant I trust all that loue God vvill hate their doinges and they that loue Gods Commandements vvill contemne their Expositiones for this purpose I vvill produce you two of ther strongest and maine Textes vvhence they collect their obiections the one is Col. 2.16 Let no man condemne you in meate or drink or in respect of an holy day or of the New Moone or of the Sabbaths vvhere by the word Sabbaths they vvill needs vnderstand the vveekly Sabbath commanded in the 4th Com. and so that shall be abolished in this text as a Shaddovv of Christ The other Text is Exod. 31.13 verily my Sabbaths ye shall keepe for it is a signe betweene me you c. Where say they the vveekly Sabbath mentioned in the 4th comm is made a Signe and so it is abolished Novv from thes two textes and obiections of theirs I gather two arguments as necessarily follovving for the vtter abolition of the 4th com The first is this that if these two textes doe as they say abolish that very Sabbath day vvhere of God spake in his 4th com then are these vvords in the com to vvit the Sabbath day a ceremony and abolished the reason of this consequence is because these vvords Sabbath day in their two textes are in their nature the same and of the same extent vvith the like or same words Sabbath day in the 4th com and it must be so for they oppose thes words Sabbath day in their two textes vnto the like vvords Sabbath day in the 4th com the one to abolish the other This being so I proceed if that these vvords in the 4th com to vvit Sabbath day be a ceremony and abolished then is the 4th com nullified and vtterly ouerthrovvne that this is so I pray looke the text Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it I haue put the vvords in controuersy in a parenthesis as you see novv let thes Ministers take a way those vvords in the parenthesis and you take quiet avvay the very subiect matter of the Lords speech you leaue a roofe with out a foundation God saith Remember the Sabbathday but if now there be no Sabbath day for that it is abolished as they say hovv then shall a man Remember it God commandeth to keepe the Sabbath day Deut. 5.12 but if there be no Sabbath day hovv shall a man keepe it Againe God saith sanctifie it but how shall we sanctify it if it be not vvhat can vve Remember to sanctify a nothing so thus I haue shown that the very commandement the 4th com is vtterly nullified by their obiectiones and made to speake non-sense or a nothing this is my first argument My 2d argument is taken from the vvord Sabbath in their owne sense vse of it for when I vrge thē with the name Sabbath in the 4th com they turne me off vvith this that the Hebrew vvord Sabbath signifieth a Rest in English vvell be it so a Rest let it signify from these two textes then I argue againe thus If the Rest in the 4th com be abolished thē is the 4th com it selfe vtterly abolished but that the Rest in the 4th com is abolished them selues confesse it in their obiected two Textes for in thes Textes is the vvord Sabbath see Exod. 31.13 Col. 2.16 vvhich vvord Sabbath signifieth a Rest novv they doe oppose the word Sabbath which signifieth a Rest in Exod. 31.13 Col. 2.16 against the same vvord Sabbath in the 4th comm which signieth a Rest also prouing vnto vs that the Sabbath and Rest in the 4th com is a signe and a shaddovv and so abolished by these Textes Exod. 31. Col. 2. which being so hence it is apparent by their owne vvorke and sense that not onely the Hebrevv vvord Sabbath is an abolished ceremony and shaddovv but also that the Rest vvhich it signifieth is also a ceremony and an abolished shaddovv And so I come to proue the consequence namely that if the Rest in the 4th com be abolished then is the 4th com vtterly and for euer abolished this I make good thus if that Rest from our seruile laboures be abolished vvhich was once in the 4th com commanded then novv vve may labour in our calings not onely on the sixe dayes but also on the 7th day not onely on the vveeke dayes but also on the Sabbath day and if vve may on the Sabbath day be occupied a broad the fieldes after our businesses this doth necessarily exclud all necessity of assembling in the congregation to pray together and praise God togeather for hovv can a man be both a broad and at home in the field and in the Church plovving there and praying heere both together Thus I haue finished my arguments raised out of their two Textes vvherehy I haue proued that from their obiections and expositions there follovveth not onely an abolition of the Lords Sabbaths but also a nullification of Gods 4th com I must needs confesse I can but wonder that there is any Sabbath day at all kept in our Church vvhen I consider of thes common receiued distinctions and obiections for they doe directly ouerturne all force and virtue of the 4th com for the keeping of any day at all as thence and to goe about to raise a Sabbath day out of the Nevv Testament is impossible as shall be shovvne vnlesse some Nevv Scriptures can be found out that be not now in our Bibles wherefore considering these things it must needs be a singular vvorke and prouidence of God to incline the hartes of our Church to giue God a Sabbath vnto this day but it lyeth at the pittes brinke and at the last gaspe the least push of a profane minde vvho spurneth at piety would thrust it in and bury it for euer Thus much be spoken of this vse wherein I haue conuicted these Ministers of the vtter ouerthrow abolishing of the 4th com and that partly by this that they haue abolished that day and time which is prescribed in the 4th com so that now we can not haue the commanded time the Diuine time nor that sanctified time and as good therefore no time But suppose we must haue a time by force of consequence why then haue we for a Diuine time appointed by God an humane time by man and for a time sanctified by God we haue a profane time and vnsanctified and yet for all this this time is not a day nor weekly but an houre in a day once in a mans life or at the best but a Lecture day for a Saabath day thus much for the time Now as
himselfe rested on it Genes 2.2.3 but if vve keepe not the dayes of the weeke distinct it vvold come to passe that vve shold worke somtimes on that very day wheron God rested from vvorke and vvhich God blessed and Sanctified for an Holy day 2. The reason of the 4th com Exod. 20.11 vvhich God dravveth from his ovvne example is by vvay of similitude vrging vs to tread in Gods steppes to be imitatores and follovvers of him that is to labour vvhen God vvrought and to rest vvhen God rested novv if vve should labour on the 7th day then slould vve not be like but vnlike to God for vve should vvork vvhen God did rest so should we not imitate God Wherefore vve must choose thes six dayes which vvent before the first 7th day or Sabbath 3. It appeareth by the constant practise of the Ievves vntill Christ and by the Iewes now liuing at Amsterdam and elswhere that the 4th com vvas to be vnderstood of those very six dayes vvhich vvere the first in the vvorlds creation and vvhich goe before our Saturday for the Ievves euer made and still doe make these their six vvorking dayes Sunday Monday Tewsday Wednsday Tursday and Friday Yea since Sabbath day is a proper name and a standing day by it the other sixe dayes may be knovvne 4. It appeareth by the Nevv Testament for euery vvhere the day of Christs resurrection is called the first day of the vveek Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.2 novv the day of Christs resurtection is our Sunday confessed by all sides so then our Sunday is the first of those six dayes vvherin vve ought to labour by the com and Friday then vvill be the last of our six labouring dayes hauing thus fond out vvith dayes of the vveeke we ought to labour in vve come vnto vses of the pointe Here I might incist by way of confutation of that errour of Mr. Greenwood vvho stifly defendeth it that these vvordes in this 4th com Sixe dayes thou shalt labour c. they are no parte of the 4th com but a parte of the 8th com as if God had not knovvne hovv to place his commandementes but had mingled some parte of the second Table vvith the things of the first Table and vvrote some parte of the 8th Com. in the 4th Com. either God hath misplaced things or Mr. Greenvvood hath mistaken things but supposing no other diuines will second him and that the bare mention of this absurdety is enough to confute it I passe on The first vse of this point is for the discouery of the errour of many vvho being vrged by the 4th Com. to keepe the 7th day for the Sabbath they answer that Sunday or the Lords day is the 7th day to them for they labour the six dayes which goe before the Sunday To vvhom I reply that albeit Sunday is the 7th day to them yet is it not the 7th day to God for that day vvhich they count the 7th day the same day God euer counted for the first day our Sunday is the first day of the vveeke in a diuine accompt not the 7 day last as we haue proued wherefore vvhosoeuer rekoneth Sunday for the 7th day he follovveth an vnvvarrantable and humane account and forsaketh the Scripture account vvhich calleth Sunday the first day of the vveeke constantly now in diuine matters vve must follovv a diuine accompt and in Gods matters vve must take Gods account againe whosoeuer rekoneth Sunday for the 7th day and therfore resteth on Sunday he doth not imitate God in resting vvhen he rested and in vvorking when he vvrought according as is prescribed in the 4th comm but rather he crosseth and thwarteth God by resting when God vvrought and vvorking vvhen God rested for on our Sunday vve rest but on our Sunday God vvrought in that he began the first dayes vvork in the creation vpon our Sunday making the light on this day Genes 1.4.5 againe we crosse God on our Saturday for in it we worke but in it God rested yea this day God blessed it and sanctified it for an holy day Genes 2.2.3 and yet this day vve profane it and make it a working day Thus it is plaine that it is a foule errour in any to count our Sunday or Lords day the 7th day and so a Sabbath or resting day when as it is one of the Six labouring dayes and so a working day The second vse of this point is for information for if by the 4th Com. our six dayes to wit Sunday Monday Tewsday Wensday Thursday and Friday be those six dayes wherin we are to worke after the example of God then it follovveth that no day of the weeke can be the Sabbath day or Resting day but Saturday the 7th day This is to be noted against all those who by their vaine glosses would expound the 4th com so as if some other day of the weeke besids Saturday might be the Sabbath day by the 4th Com. now this cannot be seeing God hath appointed all the dayes of the weeke besids Saturday for working dayes The third vse of this point is for confutation is it so that our Sunday or Lords day is by Gods com a working day it being one of the sixe dayes and the first of them hovv vn aduised then are those which goe about to set vp and vphold the Sunday or Lords day for a Sabbath day and resting day weekly when God appointed it for a vvorking day and also gaue it vs vnder his ovvne example himselfe vvorking on it for our imitation neither can any ansvver that this lavv six dayes thou shalt labour vvas a Ceremony and shaddow and so abolished by Christ for there is no grownd for that in scripture the contrary is rather manifest for what God did at the creation in vvorking on our Sunday Christ our Sauiour ratefied at the redemption for being risen from the dead vpon our Sunday the day of his resurrection he trauailed and two of his disciples also a matter of 15 myles Luk. 24.13 wherefore Sunday is a trauailing day a working day whother you respect Gods example at the Creation or Gods 4th Comm. vpon Mount Sinay or Christs example and his Disciples after the Redemption But chiefly and principally I mind to urge this vse against some Ministers vvho doe againe notoriously abuse this 4th com by prouing out of it an institution for the Lords day or Sunday to be a Sabbath thes men seeme for the time to haue laid aside both wit and learning are they not ashamed to goe about to vvrest that Com. to speake for and command the Sunday to be kept for a Sabbath and resting day the vvhich doth expresly command the contrary For this branch of the com Six dayes thou shalt labour Doth command labour on the six dayes Novv the first of thes six labouring dayes is our Sunday or Lords day novv vvas it euer heard before that one commandement should command contrary things or that one part of a commandement
should command vs to labour on the first day of the vveeke and an other part of it command vs to rest from labour on the same first day of the vveeke is this to deale honestly and faithfully with the word of God in expounding it to make it contradict it selfe and that not in diuerse places but in one and the same text I see it is not vvithout cause that the Scriptures command people to Trie all things 1. Thessal 5.21 and so they had neede doe least they drinke in poison in stead of an healthfull potion Thus I haue discouered an other shamefull abuse of this 4th com wherefore vvhen hereafter you shall heare any of these preach for the Lords day and proue it to be a Sabbath day out of the 4th com then thinke of this vse collected from these vvords Six dayes shalt thou labour Yea when you heare them presse mens consciences for the Lords day to keepe it holy and rest from vvorke because the 4th Com. saith Remember the Sabbath day doe you then call to minde that this day which they vrge so it is not named Sabbath day but Lords day or Sunday novv the 4th com saith not Remember the Lords day c. but Remember the Sabbath day c. and further call to minde that the 4th com saith Six dayes shalt thou vvorke one of vvhich six dayes is the Lords day Hovv then can these men vrge me to rest vpon the Lords day which is one of the 6 dayes and that by the 4th com vvhen the same com biddeth me to labour on the Lords day as being one of the six labouring dayes Thus if people vvill be vvise thes Ministers if they will deceiue they shall but deceiue themselues SECT VII We haue finished the former and affirmatiue part of the com vve novv come to the latter and negatiue part in thes vvords But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke c. See the same repeated Exod. 31.15 Exod. 35.2 Exod. 16.26.28 Exod. 23.12 Leuit. 23.3 Deut. 5.14 in vvhich textes the 7th day is deliuered in praeceptiue and commanding termes prohibiting straightly the prophanation of it by vvorking and that vpon paine of death c. In this negatiue part of the Com. I vvill incist by vvay of exposition onely vpon the vvord seuenth for the true sense of this vvord vve must note that there are two sortes of numbers a Cardinall and an Ordinall the Cardinall number runeth thus one tvvo three foure fiue six seuen c. The Ordinall number runeth thus the first secōd third fourth fifth sixth seuenth c. the due vnderstanding vvhereof bringeth much light to this point as for the Cardinall number be it foure six or seuen it comprizeth all and euery one of the number as all the fowre all the six all the seauen but novv the ordinall number it euer notifieth but one of the number and that is euer the last of the number also for example The Third it compriseth not all the Three but onely one of the Three againe it signifieth not the second nor the first but the third vvhich is the last of that number 2. The fourth it compriseth not all the 4 but onely some one of the 4 againe it pointeth not to the second or third of the number but to the fourth only which is the last of the number Novv to apply this vve must knovv that this vvord in the 4th com seuenth it is not a cardinall but an ordinall number the propertie vvhereof is to notifie one onely and also the last of the number vvherefore vvhen the Lord said But the seuenth day is the Sabbath c. hereby he gaue vs to vnderstand that he meant it of the last day of the weeke and of the last day of that number not of the third day nor of the sixth day but of that vvhich is last of the number to vvit the Seuenth day And if you vvould knovv vvhich day of our vveeke this 7th day is see all the 4 Euangelists calling the Lords day of resurrection which is our Sunday the first day of the vveeke if then our Sunday be the first day of the vveeke then reckone onewards and Saturday vvill be this seuenth day and also the last of the number Come we now vnto the vses of the point and first is it so that this 7th day is commanded and deliuered in preceptiue and commanding termes as hath bene proued by sondry textes of Scripture then this bevvraieth the folly madnesse of some Diuines vvho seeing that here the Lord God doth so directly point at the Saturday for his Sabbath as they haue no way to auoide it Herevpon they fall to a blasphemouse deniall saying that these vvords But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord in it thou shalt not doe any worke c. are no parte of the 4th com and that they are nothing but appurtenances forsooth thes men vvill take away no lesse at once then the Negatiue parte of a Com. they would haue no more in the 4th com but thes words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it I might easily shew them that thes words Sabbath day and seauenth day are vsed promiscuosly so as take avvay the one and take away the other graunt the one and graunt both see Exod. 20.11 Exod. 23.12 Luk. 13.14 yea they be vsed both to notify one the same day like as Lords day and Sunday be both names for our first day of the weeke so are Sabbath day and seauenth day names for Saturday the last day of our weeke if the one then belongs not vnto vs no more doth the other and if the one be a parte of the Com. so must be the other also But by these and the like euasions they vvill by hoocke or by kroocke as vve say by one bad means or an other reiect the proper day and time of the 4th Comm. and yet their very consciences tell them that the dueties of rest and holinesse vvhich vvere commanded together vvith the time and day in the selfe same com doe belong vnto vs novv vvhat an absurd thing it is for any to goe about to diuorse separate and disioyne those things which God hath married as it were ioyned together in the 4th Com. God ioyneth together the time and the duties to be performed in the time novv vvhat God hath ioyned together let no man put assunder They thinke the dueties commanded to the Ievves are descended to vs but not the time wherin those duties were to be performed this conceipt of theirs is much like absurd to these as if an house should descend to the heire but not the grownd whereon it stands or as if a bond of 10l paiable to the father vpon the 7th day of May some Lawyers should be of opinion that the some of mony indeed to wit the 10l. is descended to his sonne after his decease but not the time
onwards Saturday though it greeueth them will be the 7th day from the Redemption wherefore if they will be like them selues Saturday must be their nevv Sabbath day if they vvill keepe a 7th day from the Redemption in remenbrance of it Saturday is not onely the 7th day from the Creation but also from the Redemption vvherefore vvhat day can be more fit for a nevv Sabbath then Saturday for it ansvvereth both to the Creation to the Redemption being the 7th day from both hovv fitly then might the memory of both Creation Redemption be celebrated both together vpon one day to wit Saturday euery vvay the 7th day To conclude suppose vve that Christ had left a commandement for the Lords day in these vvords Remember the Lords day to sanctifie it c. but the first day is the Lords day c. should not they be censured for corrupters wresters of the Scriptures who vvould attempt so to expound this first day which is Sunday or Lords day as it might be vnderstood of Monday the second day vvhich is the day after why iust so doe they novv deale vvith Gods 4th comm it saith Remember the Sabbath-day c. but the seaueuth day is the Sabbath day c. And yet they vvill make the 8th day which is the day after to be the Seauenth day vvhy might not the second day be vnderstood when Christ said the first day as vvell as the 8th day vvhen God said the 7th day SECT VIII The last thing in this 4th com to be handled is the reason of it in thes vvords for in sixe dayes the Lord made the heauen earth the sea all that in them is rested the 7th day wherfore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day hallowed it Exod. 20.11 In these words or in this reason to the com these things are considerable 1. That God blessed and hallowed the 7 h day 2. The reason mouing God to hallow it 3. How these words are a reason to the 4th comm as for this third thing it shall be handled in a Section by it selfe For the first that God sanctified the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath see this plainely in this 4th com Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Exod. 20.11 see it also Genes 2.3 So God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it So then this Saturday 7th day Sabbath is a blessed and a sanctified day looke vvhat God hath blessed it shall be blessed and what God hath sanctified it must be holy the Saturday 7th day Sabbath therefore is an holy Time an holy day Thus Musculus fol. 62. God might saith he haue commanded onely the actes and doings of the day but to set out the matter more pithilie he said Remember that thou sanctify the day of the Sabbath He chargeth that the day it selfe shall be reputed holy Where Musculus doth not onely affirme that the time and day was as well commanded as those dueties in the day of rest and holy exercises but also saith that the day it selfe is an holy day Neither is this day holy by any mans hallovving or sanctifying of it but by the proper worke of God himselfe for saith these textes the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it and God blessed the 7th day sanctified it Hereby we see hovv God hath chosen out the Saturday for an holy day aboue all dayes of the weeke and God hauing made it an holy day he hath thereby put as much difference betvvixt it other dayes of the weeke as vvas wont to be betwixt A Priest a common man the Temple their common housen as is now betwixt Sacramentall bread common bread at our tables Hence it is that Saturday the 7th day is called the Sabbath of the Lord Exod. 20.10 and the holy of the Lord Isa 58.13 and my holy day Isa 58.13 and my Sabbath Isa 56.4 How meanly soeuer times now count of this day yet you see by these names and Epithites how God estemed of it I come to the second thing considerable which is the reason vvhich moued God to hallovv this 7th day Saturday Sabbath the reason then why God sanctified this day it vvas because himselfe had rested on this day from his great miraculouse worke of the Worlds creation see this most euidently Genes 2.3 So God blessed the 7th day sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his vvorke You see one reason then of the Sabbaths institution consecration thus A Kingdome doth solemnize the Coronation day because on that day the King came to his Crowne men keepe their Birth dayes and Marriage dayes because on those dayes they were borne married Those Iewes Ester 9. kept the dayes of Purim because of their deliuerance from Hamans conspiracy I come now to the vses of these two points and first is it so that therefore God sanctified the Saturday 7th day Sabbath because that in it he had rested from all his vvorke why then say some men it matters not which day we giue God for a Sabbath so be we giue him one c Here was a reason you see mouing God to set apart Saturday rather then Sunday or any other day to wit because he had rested on that day and had God a reason mouing him to make a choise of dayes then is there no reason at all now but one day may be as meete as an other hath length of time worne this reason out of vse will any say it matters not which day we keepe for Coronation day birth day or Marriage day for Christs Passion day resurrection day or ascention day Is there not some reason euen in thes for one day aboue all others euen so is there not a reason why the 7th day should be solemnized rested on aboue all others since that God solemnized it rested on it and did therefore blesse it sanctify it because himselfe had Rested in it I desire this may be obserued by such as expound the com to be meant of one of seuen that is of one day of the 7 or of some one day of the 7 or other as if God had made no choise or difference of dayes as if God had as well sanctified Sunday monday tewsday c. and made them Holy dayes as Saturday his sacred day There are besids others these reasons why we should celebrate this day rather then any other 1. because on this day God rested and not on any of the other 6 dayes vve must imitate God 2. God hallovved and sanctified this day so he did not honour any other of the six dayes but appointed them for worke 3. God had speciall reason to sanctifie this day because himselfe had rested on it but he had no reason so to sanctifie any of the six dayes for he rested not on thos but vvrought on them 4. God commanded this day in speciall to be sanctified by his 4th
for so he thought Luther saith the Author should beginne all that hee deemed intollerable not to be indured Thus you see scandall hath formerly bene taken at the meanenesse of the person great Clerkes will neither attempt the reformation of abuses them selues nor yet can they beare it that their inferioures should doe any thing neither the reason I take to be because in the former they are in danger to loose their greatnesse in the latter to loose their goodnesse it is lamentable to see how now a dayes the word trueth of God is receined with respect of persones and that among the best both Ministers people they inquire not now a dayes vvhat hee saieth and hovv agreeablie to the rule of Gods vvord hee speaketh but vvhat is hee whence comes hee is hee a lofte in the vvorld benifised with a good liuing richly attired is hee a man of note can hee coutenance vs and the point he speakes for these the like carnall childish respectes haue Christians in receiuing Gods vvord it would discourage any man almost that is lesse then A Doctour of Diuinity of the highest ranke for honour vvorldly dignities to be industriouse in the study of the Scriptures so as thereby to ad further light vnto profession because vvhat he saith shall be as meanly accounted of as his person is S. Iames saith my brethren haue not the saith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persones Iam. 2.1 Who that looketh vpon these so many stumbling blockes with many others that might be showne can wonder that men of a sharp sight yea holy liefe should haue their eye sight dazâ—lled not see such a trueth as is encountered with so many difficulties were it such a trueth as the knovvledge publike profession thereof vvould stand vvith antiquity vniuersality publike applause approbation facility of reformation credit reputation liueings preferments then should I wonder vvonder againe if Ministers should not find it out presently professe it publikly but this is such a trueth as is at the first thoughts of it oppugned by a vvhole army of gaine saying obiections all vvhich are preualent vvith manes naturall corruptiones let not people therfore think it a thing altogether impossible for many Godly lerned Ministers to side it together against such a trueth to bewillingly ignorant of it and let such Ministers themselues serch out which of these obstacles here mentioned or the like to them hath so blinded their mindes dazelled their reason as neither Gods Memorandum prefixed to the Saturday Sabbath nor Gods Commandement nor Gods ensample no nor yet Gods reason perswasion all written in the Morall Lavv can preuaile with them to take in to Remembrance againe the Lords Sabbath day for doubtlesse there must besome beame or other in the eye of their reason which cannot see reason in Gods reason Before I conclud this section one thing more I would commend to your consideration this it is vvheras this 4th com generally considered hath two partes the one is the Commandement it selfe the other is the reason of the commandement as formerly I haue showne you that our Ministers haue by their renovvncing of the time in the Com. renownced abolished by iust consequence the whole 4th com also so much I am to discouer a further errour of theirs which is that by their abolishing of the time in 4th com to wit the Saturday 7th day Sabbath hereby also they haue nullified abolished the reason to the com which is taken from Gods owne example and conteined in these words For in sixe dayes the Lord made the heauen the earth the sea all that in them is rested the 7th day Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day hallowed it All these words I say they haue vtterly nullified so as now they stand but for a cipher to fill vp an empty place What I haue charged them with I thus make good The argutum thing which God would persvvade his people vnto it is the obseruation sanctification of the 7th day Sabbath as you may see in the com foregoeing this reason to this end it pleaseth God to frame propound vnto vs a most notable liuely reason taken from his owne example to this effect Remember you to sanctifie the Sabbath day for because I sanctified the Sabbath day Doe you rest from vvorke on the 7th day for because I rested from worke on the 7th day therefore I hallowed sanctified the 7th day Sabbath Now suppose we that the 7th day Sabbath were abolished as they say it is which is the argutum or thing argued wherevnto God did by this reason perswade then what vse can there be of this reason which God here propoundeth for example now that Circumcision the Passeouer Sacrifices are ceased what vse is there now of those reasons wherby Gods people the Iewes were then perswaded to those dueties of Circumcision the Passeouer Sacrifices such is the case here take away the Sabbath day you take away the reasons that belonged to it to perswade vnto the sanctification thereof for what need reasons motiues to perswad vnto that which is not But happily they will say though vntruely that the Sabbath day is not abolished it is only but changed vnto the Lords day Well say we for this time grant them this for argument sake then thus I make it good against them the reason of the 4th comm cannot possible be a reason vnto the Lords day for it is most absurd for any man to thinke God should perswade vs to keepe the Lords day because hee kept the Sabbath day or that God should perswade vs to keepe the first day of the weeke because kept the 7th last day of the weeke Thus the conclusion the premisses should not be of the same but of sondry things For the day vvhereof the question is as novv they would haue it to vvit the Lords day it differeth much from the day mentioned in the reason to the com that thus 1. The day in the reason God rested in it but the day in the question God vvrought in it 2. The day in the reason God sanctified it and hallovved it but the day in their question to vvit the Lords day vve no vvhere reade that God blessed it sanctified it so the one differeth from the other as much as an hallovved or holy day doth from an vnhallovved or vvorking day If it be so then that this reason proposed by God cannot be applied vnto the Lords day then it follovveth that this reason is made by such as oppose the Lords Sabbaths a very cipher of none vse but to fill vp a voide place A very vvicked fact it is vvhosoeuer are guilty of it Yet further that this reason stands now a dayes since our Lords day is come into vse and the Sabbath day abolished as a meere cipher it
had mett with the reward of their dawbing doubling For as I suspected them so I find them like Moab Ierem. 48.11 setled on their lees like the men in Ierusalem Zephan 1.12 frozen in their dreges The second thing I purpose to mention for the further appearance of the abuse of this Comm. here follovveth wheras words argumentes vvill hardly auaile I purpose in the last place to try if sense will be informed for which purpose I will giue you an occular demonstratioÌ„ so as the sense of seing shall be conuinced of the abuse of this Com. That this may be I will set heere before your eyes the whole 4th com intirly as God wrote it in the Tables of stone furthermore as for these things vvhich so many Ministers say are ceremoniouse abolished in this Com. those things I will compasse about with a parenthesis or two halfe moone circles that so you may se which partes of the Com. they hold for Morall which for ceremoniall behould it thus Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it Holy Sixe dayes shalt then labour doe all thy worke But the Scauenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sone nor they daughter thy man seruant nor thy maide nor thy beast nor thy stranger that is with in thy gates for in six dayes the Lord made heauen carth the sea all that in them is and rested the 7th day Therfore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day hallowed it Loe which partes of this 4th Com. they make Ceremoniall abolished to wit all those wordes which are inclosed vvith in the parenthesis for the vvord day this they abolish for a ceremony by these Textes Rom. 14.5 Gal. 4.10 for the vvord Sabbath that they hould for an abolished ceremony by these Textes Col. 2.16.17 Exod. 31.13 and for these words these 7th day is the Sabbath this is that vvhich of all other partes of the commandement they abhorre as a Ievvish ceremony so much for the commandement come we next vnto the reason of the com noted by the vvord for vvhich conteineth a most effectuall persvvasion from Gods ovvne example herin these vvords rested the 7th day doe stand for a Cipher no Minister at any tyme in these our dayes vseing thes vvords as a reason to moue and excite vs to rest on the 7th or 8th day because God rested at that time secondly these vvords the Sabbath day doe stand for a Cipher also for no Minister doth perswade vs in these dayes to sanctify the Sabbath day because God sanctified the Sabbath day to vvit the Saturday Sabbath for it is the Saturday vvhich God hallovved sanctified at the Creation Novv cast thine eye backe good Reader see the com behold vvhat they allow of it to be morall and hovv much of it they will needs haue to be ceremoniall like a cipher did thine eyes euer before behold such a mingle mangle such a hotch potch the 4th com is by these Interpreters become halfe fish halfe flesh A Lynsey wolsey A morrall Ceremoniall Commandement partly lasting partly faded There be many Statute Lavves in this Kingdome t is said many Lavvyers vvill doe much for money but can such an instance as this be showne vvhere the Lavvyers haue by their expositions pleadings so mangled any of the Kings Lawes as haue our diuine Lawyers who in this case haue taken away the key of knowledge Luk. 11.52 How can a mans eyes but abhorre to looke vpon behold any vvriting thus interlaced with parenthessese many hundreth of yeeres after it was written but how should a Christian looke vpon any of Gods ten commandemeÌ„ts vvith any patience to see them or any of them thus mangled defaced vvas God so mindfull to place all the morales by themselues in the Tables of stone to exclud the Ceremonials and vvright them elsewhere as vnsit to be matched vvith the lasting Morals and are there novv so many Ceremoniall words crept into this Morall law We reade in 2. Sâ—m 10.4 how King Hanun tooke Dauids seruants and shaued off the halfe of their beards and cutt off their garments in the midle euen to their buttocks and sent them away me thinke these men could not looke more ill fauouredly disguisedly then doth this 4th com Now it is thus barbared and notched by our late barbers If I would haue a thing vgly done indeed these men shall doe it for me Furthermore the indignity offred vnto this com is such as it is not now onely shamefull to looke vpon but also it is by their corrupt exposition made very non-sense ridiculouse to this purpose let vs collect together so much of this comm as they allovv to be memorall and omit that vvhich they make ceremoniall that is so much as is put within the halfe moone circles see what a peece of senselesse stufe there will be and this then it is Remember to keepe holy Sixe dayes shalt thou labour doe all thy worke But of the Lord thy God thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter c. see if by their distinctions subtilties they haue not picked out the heart and sense of this com by picking out the time Thus for the comm but further for the reason which God hath annexed to his com taken from his resting on the 7th day and from his sanctifying and hallowing of the 7th day this reason I say hath not onely some vvords pickt out of it as had the com but vvhich is more the vvholl reason it selfe as God laid it dovvne vvrote it in Tables of stone is vtterly by them abolished vselesse no mention of it in these our dayes thereby to excite persvvad people to the obedience of the 4th com Wherefore by your eye sight you may behold the abuse of this comm and by your obseruation you may take notice how the reason to the com is nullified two remarkable things to be obserued The consideration of these things me thinke should plead strongly against all the enemies to the Lords Sabbaths that so all their reasons they bring against them should be suspected reiected because by their abolishing his Sabbaths they must needes make such hauocke of Gods 4th com as you see Their textes of Scripture also Col. 2.16.17 and Exod. 31.13 with the rest are to be suspected as corrupted grosly abused by them seeing that they vvill so vrge presse them against the 7th day Sabbath in the 4th com as that by one text of Scripture they will mangle another so vnderstand one text of Scripture as it shall eate out the very bowels of an other so setting Scripture against Scripture the text Col. 2.16 shall eat out the bowels of the 4th com yea this text Col. 2.16 with other the like certain reasons they haue shall picke out the very heart sense of the
rare seldome action once onely done novv Pauls seldome rare preaching cannot bind vs to an often frequent preaching vnlesse you would haue the Schollers out stripp their Master Can it be showne that euer Paul did any where or at any time preach twise together vpon two Lords dayes one after an other If it cannot as I know it cannot where then is any grownd for a continued practise weekly this Example of Pauls was rare extraordenary like as vvas Peters in the forealleaged text now extraordenary things doe not bind vs to an ordenary practise and frequent vnles you will that we should keepe the Lords day more frequently more constantly then did the Apostles themselues A sixth Text they haue and it is 1 Cor. 16.2 vpon the first day of the weeke let euery one lay by him in store c. Here it is thought that there vvas a Collection for the poore and a Sermon so it vvas a Sabbath day Vnto this Text I answer as before let it be granted which neuer can be proued that this was a Sabbath day because there was a collection for the poore yet this Text proueth not any continued constancy of Sunday after Sunday euery Sunday or euery first day of the weeke for it speaketh but of one single action once done onely saying vpon the first day of the weeke not euery first day of the vveeke But touching this my answer Mr. Chappell Minister of S. Andrews in Norwich hath vndertaken to proue the contrary in publike against my former booke vvhere he affirmed that the word Katà when it is applied to time or place it is taken distributiuly for euery one and that therfore this Text is to be reade according to the old Translation thus Euery first day of the weeke let euery one lay by him in store And so he vvould haue this collection for the poore if any here vvere to be a constant practise To vvhome I ansvver 1. if here be inioyned a constant collection for the poore on the Lords day as a proper worke for our new Sabbath day why doth he not presse his people the Ouerseers of the parish vvith the rest to make a collectiō for the poore euery Lords day as a proper Sabbath dayes vvorke as an errour for them to make any collections vpon any other day of the vveeke for that vvhich is proper to Sunday is vnlavvfull to be done on any other day Secondly I ansvver that forasmuch as our Nevv Translatours haue altered amended our old Translation I maruaile that Mr. Chappell will oppose them for vndoubtedly they did not correct it rashly and vnaduisedly their manner vvas to preserue the dignity of the old Translation what they could therfore they vvould not haue altered it from Euery first day vnto vpon the first day but that they savv vvell that it could not be translated Euery first day vvherefore I haue the nevv Translation vvhich is iudged by all men the better translation on my side against Mr. Chappell Thirdly I ansvver that the grovvnd vvhere vpon Mr. Chappell goeth in contradicting both the Nevv Translatores and mee is false for he affirmeth that the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhen it concerneth time or place it signifieth Euery one But I vvill shew him sondry textes of Scripture to the contrary see Rom. 5.6 For when we were yet of no strength in due time Christ died for the vngodly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred in due time it being here to be vnderstood of one single time but by Mr. Chappels rule it must be thus rendered Euery time as if Christ had died many times for vs see also Rom. 9.9 for this is the word of promise at this time will I come Sara shall haue a Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered at this time as vnderstood of one single time in vvhich the Angel vvould come againe but if Mr. Chappels reason be good then it ought thus senselesly to be translated Euery time will I come Sara shall hatte a sonne as if the Angell vvere to come often times c. see a like Text Ioh. 5.4 for an Angell went downe at a certaine season in to the poole c. According to Mr. Chappell this Text must be thus translated for an Angell vvent dovvne euery time or euery season in to the poole c. And see Math. 2.16 Herod slevv the children from tvvo yeeres old vnder according to the time vvhich he had inquired of the vvise men If Mr. Chappels obseruation vpon the Greek text be good then it must be thus absurdly translated Herod slevv the children from tvvo yeeres old vnder euery time vvhich he had inquired of the vvise men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 novv it is plaine that Herod inquired of the vvise men but once see v. 7. Thus it appeareth hovv vnsoundly he vvent to vvorke vvhen he vvouldsupporte our Nevv Sabbath Fourthly I ansvver suppose it could be proued as he vvould hane it that the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is euery vvhere else in Scripture taken for Euery one vvhen it concerneth time yet heere in this place I proue that it must not be taken so but as our Nevv Translation hath it for vvords must be vnderstood to signify according to the Authors mind that vseth them as is vvell knovvne novv tvvo reasons there be in this text vvhich crosse Mr. Chappels sense the one is that if this collection be a constāt thing for Euery first day of the weeke then vvere the Churches of Galatia Corinth bound to make a constant collection for the poore of the Church of Ierusalem on euery Lords day or first day of the vveeke continually for this collection vvas not for their ovvne poore but for the poore of remote Churches for Jerusalem see 1. Cor. 16.3 like as vve had once in England a collection for the Church in the Palatinate novv had this collection bene for their owne poore there had bene the more likelihood that it might haue bene vveekly and continually but being it vvas for the poore of a forraigne Church to vvit for the Church at Ierusalem as vvas ours for the Pallatinate once vvhat likelihood is there to think this collection should be euery vveeke vveeke by vveeke continually let the reader iudge The other thing in this text vvhich crosseth Mr. Chappels translation is that Paul saith he vvould haue no collection vvhen himselfe vvas present vvith them that then there be no gatherings when I come 1. Cor. 16.2 now who could be so simple to thinke that this collection must be vnderstood to be Euery first day of the weeke vvhen as Paul himselfe makes an exception that in the text it selfe for he excepteth that time vvherin himselfe should be there present vvith them that then there should be no gatherings thus much for ansvver to this text also vvherby you see it cannot be proued that this collection supposed nevv Sabbath vvas a constant continued thing vveeke
new Sabbath come into its roome with out a Commandement was God more carefull to institute a Sabbath in memory of the Creation then Christ was to set vp a Sabbath in memory of the Redemption Furthermore the new ordinances which Christ set vp in the Gospell as Baptisme and the Lords Supper Christ was mindfull to leaue commandements for them expresly as for Baptisme Goe therefore and teach all nations baptizing them c. Mat. 28.19 for the Lords Supper Take eate this is my body whith is broken for you c. 1 Cor. 11.24.26 now this Lords day is affirmed by them to be an ordinance of the Gospell a new ordinance of the new Testament instituted in memory of the Redemption is it likely that Christ would leaue commandements for some of his new ordinances not for the rest This Lords day if it be as they make vs beleeue it may well be counted by the Church a third Sacrament for it is to be kept in remembrance of Christ like as are the two other Sacraments of Baptisme the Lords Supper yea and this new Sabbath wich is or may well be a nevv Sacrament also is of as great vse if not of greater then the tvvo Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper for Baptisme remembreth a man of Christ but once in his life time in a speciall sorte the Lords supper putteth vs in minde of Christs death but once a quarter but this nevv Sabbath nevv Sacrament should put vs in minde of Christ once a weeke so as this vvould be very vsefull aboue the others novv can vvee thinke that Christ vvould be so mindfull as to leaue Comm. for the ij Sacraments be altogether vnmindfull to leaue a commandement for the Lords day to be a Sabbath if euer he had meant it should be a Sabbath and for the Apostles some fansy that Christ left a commandement vvith them Act. 1.2 but let it then be shovvne vvhere is it vvritten I marueile nay can vve thinke that if Curist had giuen the Apostles a commandement to deliuer to the Church that they durst haue concealed it could this haue stood vvith their faithfulnesse The consideration of this one point is enough to make any man to stagger the vvhole building to totter their case is aboue 50 in the 100 the vvorse for this that they are inforced at the first onset to confesse that they can shevv no commandement for the Lords day from either Christ the founder of it or his Apostles The Saturday Sabbath hath a commandement to authorise it but the Sunday Sabbath hath none vvherefore I shall make my choise of the Saturday Sabbath let them that list choose the Sunday Sabbath Hence this one note vvould be obserued that since there is no Commandement for the Lords day therfore it followeth that the Patrones thereof must fetch all their grownds for it by reason collections consequences out of Scripture now how feeble a thing mans blind reasons is vvho knoweth not that knowes himselfe how liable are vve to mistake yea how subiect to fallacies to be deceiued thereby are the best Logiceans especially in the Matters of God so that if reason may possibly err be deceiued thē may they be deceiued that stand for the Lords day yea though I in stead of opposition should ioyne with them all men say Amen to them for reason and consequences are their best guide direction so then at the best the foundation of our Lords day Sabbath hath but the sandy foundation of mans blinde shallow reason But here vnto they are redy to reply that necessary consequence out of Scripture is as sound as Scripture it selfe vvhere vnto I answer 1. That the comparison made of mans reason with Gods vvord is vnbefitting for be it that necessary consequence is sound and very sound yet seing consequence is by force of manes reason it is not fit that it should be compared equalled with the neuer erring vvord of God 2. I answer t is true that necessary consequence is very sound indeed but then the difficulty is to knovv when a consequence is necessarily true and vvhen not for many men take their consequences to be necessarily true which are but contingent and doubtfully true But to passe by this point let it be noted that these men vvho doe so aduance mens reason and consequences and talke so much for consequences and of necessary consequences ther 's no men vse necessary consequences lesse then they doe in somuch as I begine to question it that they talke beyond their skill vvhen they talke so before the people of necessary consequences for if they knew vvhat they said vvhen they so speake vve should sinde them vse this necessary consequence in their disputations and arguments framed by them for the Lords day Sabbath for it is in this argument and vpon this occation that they talke so of necessary consequences thereby insinuating vnto common people that they haue neuer erring Necessary consequence for their Lords day Sahbath But heere I challeng them any of them all to shew me but one argument out of any Text of Scripture for the Lords day Sabbath vvhich standes by force of necessary consequence vvhich if they can not doe as I know vvell they cannot doe it then are they but vngodly bragadoceans proud boasters to prattle of necessary consequences as if forsooth they meant it to proue all they say by necessary consequence but when they come to it they flinch giue in and doe nothing lesse this is but one of their trickes to delude the people withall Because vve are vpon the point let me shew you some of their necessary consequences as 1. Christ appeared to his Disciples vpon the Lords day Therefore the Lords day must of necessity be a Sabbath day 2. Christ rose vpon the Lords day ergo euery Lords day after must necessarily be a Sabbath 3. The holy Ghost descended on the Lords day ergo it cannot possibly be otherwise but it must be a Sabbath 4. Peter preached once on the Lords day at an other time I know not how many yeeres after Paul preached a sermon too on the Lords day Therefore of necessity it must be a Sabbath day 5. There vvas a collection for the poore on the Lords day Therefore it must be a Sabbath a poore consequence 6. It vvas called the Lords day therefore it must be a Sabbath day As much as if they had argued thus necessarily it vvas called Sunday therefore it must be Saturday These the like are the necessary consequences which they vse who talke so much of necessary consequence the very mention whereof is enough to loath a mans stomake vnto vomiting Here cometh in an obiection say they if you must haue a command for the Lords day shew vs you then where we haue a com for the Baptisme of infantes 1. I answer you doe vvell to confesse that you haue no comm for your
by the 4th Com. some diuines foreseing the grossenesse of others vvho hould that the 4th Com. doth bind to the Lords day properly are ashamed of this therfore they haue found out a nevv way of binding that is not that the 4th Com. should bind to the Lords day properly but improperly Analogically by way of resemblance similitude but how euer this distinction is some what neate pretty may serue the turne in schooles yet vvhen it comes a broad into the Country it is very absurde for 1. none of our Country diuines will vse it 2. This is an absurd distinction that one and the same Command should binde both properly improperly properly for two thowsand yeeres improperly euer after Yea this is contrary to our selues for vve abhorre it in Papists that they should make 4 senses of Scripture the Litterall Allegoricall Tropologicall Anagogicall as Perkins hath them in his Arte of Prophecying pag. 651. where he affirmeth that the sense of Scripture is but one onely novv vvhy may not Papists as vvell make 4 senses as any of vs make 2 senses a proper litterall sense an improper analogicall sense 3. The 4th Com. inioyneth vs to labour 6 dayes so by consequence vpon the Lords day therfore it cannot command rest vpon the same day Neither can the reason of the 4th Com. be drawne to this 8th day c. 4. By this diuise may we reuiue all the Ceremoniall Lawes in the Old Testament saying they bind vs novv analogically which is flat contrary vnto the Apostle Ephes 2.15 Colo. 2.14.5 The fourth com cannot bind to the Lords day being a new day analogically because the Sabbath day which is the old day is not yet abolished as shall be showne and so it must bind still to the old day properly Other answers there be also in my other booke of the Sabbath vvhich here I omit for I purpose not to stand vpon this point because I thinke few or none will vrge it In the next place let vs come to them that are ashamed of nothing for they hould that the 4th com binds to the Lords day properlie these haue many deuices to deceiue themselues others as sometimes they haue this argument that the Hebrew word Sabbath signifieth a rest novv on the Lords day vve Rest therfore the 4th Com. belongeth vnto it Hereto I answer 1. that the word Sabbath vsed in the 4th Com. vvas neuer vsed for a Rest generally vpon any day but Synecdochically for a Rest particularly vpon the 7th day onely 2. By the like reason vve may hould ffast dayes Christmas day and Coronation dayes Sabbathes by the 4th Com. also for on these dayes vve Rest also Others haue this for an argument they affirme that by Sabbath day 7th day in the Com. may be meante not the Sabbath the 7th day but a Sabbath a 7th day are not these those necessary consequences whereof they talke so To vvit because these words Sabbath 7th may be vnderstood of a Sabbath and of a 7th day that Therfore they must so be taken with them then this is a necessary consequence that vvhat may be must of necessity be it may be it shall raine too morrow doth it therfore follow that for certaine it necessarily must raine too morrow but these friuolouse childish arguments my stomacke is so loathed with them as I vvill proceed no further hauing in my exposition vpon the 4th com sufficiently discouered these vanities The third argument is Mr. Chappels which he deliuered in publike thus he argueth If one day in Seauen must be a Sabbath day and not the Seauenth day then the Lords day must be the Sabbath day But one day in 7 must be a Sabbath day not the 7th day Therfore the Lords day must be the Sabbath day As for the consequence this he proued by this argument because the Lords day is the fitest of all the sixe and that because there was a weekly collection theron 1. Cor. 16.2 with other the like Textes which are vsed in defence of the Lords day ordenarily but I omit answer to this proofe of his consequence in this place because I shall haue hereafter a more fit place to answer this argument that the Lords day is the fitest c. In this place I vvill onely answer his maine argument vvhich growndeth vpon the 4th Com. for this is our taske in this Section to deale vvith the 4th com onely I come to his Minor which consisteth of two partes But one day in seauen must be a Sabbath day not the 7th day for the former parte of it in these words But one day in seauen must be a Sabbath day for proofe of this hee alleaged my Testimony and the Testimony of those of the same iudgement with me saying as for this parte of my Minor themselues confesse it for they hould that one daye in seauen must be a Sabbath but hoe there Mr. Chappell you must not carry it away so vve must discouer your fraudulent conveiances first good Sir doe not abuse vs in our tenets and thereby abuse your auditory also vve vse not to speake so promiscuously so generally and so indistinctly as you report vs for vve vse not to say one day in seauen must be a Sabbath day but thus the last day of seauen must be a Sabbath day let this be noted and this vve doe to avoide the amphibolie or double meaning of the phrase which you charge vpon vs for these vvords one day in seauen may haue a double meaning either they may be vnderstood generally for any one day in the seauen as vvell this as that as wel the first of seauen as the last of seauen or any other of the seauē or they may be vnderstood for some one certaine particular day as the 7th day last day of the seauen Now vve to auoid all doubling equiuocationes doe addict our selues vnto the simplicity of speech therfore doe choose to say the last day of seauen rather then one of seauen but Mr. Chappell quite contrary he delights to vse in publike and to put vpon vs such phrases as haue a double meaning that so he may the better double before his people and delude them novv of the two senses propounded if vve shall vse his phrase vve doe choose the latter doe vnderstand by one day of seauen that one day which is the last day of seauen but Mr. Chappell doth choose the former sense vnderstanding by one day in seauen any one day of the seauen indefinitly this or that or any other Now in this sense his Minor is most false neither shall he euer be able to proue it out of the 4th Com. that there is commanded any one day of the seauen for there is onely commanded that one day onely which is the last of the seauen furthermore he hath abused both vs but that 's not much but his
one yeere vpon one day of the weeke and the next yeere vpon an other Wherefore since it is the most likely that Pentecost day then fell vpon some other day of the weeke as Saturday or the like hovv vvill they proue it fell novv vvhen Peter preached on the Lords day or Sunday 3. I answer but suppose we that it was the Lords day wherin all this vvas done it yet doth not follow that this day was therfore a Sabbath day for these actions were no proper actions of a Sabbath day done onely vpon Sabbath dayes for they were common weeke dayes actions such as might be may be and were done vpon any day of the weeke let vs rune thorough the particulars briefly and first for the Holy Ghostes descending how will they make it appeare that the Holy Ghost in his discent doth vvaite for a Sabbath day to come downe in vve reade of the Holy Ghosts descending in Act. 10.44 and in Act. 19.6 But not a vvord that these dayes were Sabbath dayes If notable actions done in a day must sanctify that day for a Sabbath day vvhy are not good Friday wherin Christ suffered Hallow Thursday vvherin Christ ascended made Sabbaths also for these workes vvere as behoofefull for the Church as was the descent of the Holy Ghost 2. For the Sacrament of Baptisme the administration of this is no proper worke for a Sabbath but may be done in any common day Else why doe vvee baptise children on any day of the vveeke and vvhy did Phillip Baptise the Eunuch on a trauailing day Act. 8.38.39 Paul baptized Lydia hir houshold vpō the Saturday Sabbath Act. 16.15 Sacraments were neuer appropriated to the Sabbath day as vve may see in Circumcision it vvas on the 8 day were it Sabbath day or not the Passeouer it was on the 14th day of the moneth were it Sabbath day or not Christ did eate the Lords Supper on Thursday night the night before he was crucified 3. For Peters sermon we know preaching is no worke so proper vnto the Sabbath day as it may not be on any day of the weeke also else why preach wee on Lecture dayes on any of the weeke dayes preaching may be on any day of the weeke according to that 2. Tim. 4.2 preach the word be instant in season and out of season Christ preached on a vvorking day to the Samaritan vvoman his Disciples being gone into the Citty to buy meate Ioh. 4.8 the Apostles preached daily in the Temple and from house to house Act. 5.42 thus it appeareth that these are such actions as may be done on any day of the weeke hovv then will it follow that this day of Pentecost was Sabbath day because these actions vvere done in that day these are farr from necessary consequences I am suer No maruaile they pretend necessary consequences for the Lords day and magnify their reason so highly in the want of a Commandement for the day I see novv ther is some cause indeede that they should set a good face vpon the matter and hauing no Com. from Christ for the day yet they should make the world beleeue that they haue good consequences for the purpose and doe you not see how good they are had they neither consequence nor Com. for the day they should haue iust nothing for it they had need therefore extoll their necessary consequences Doe not vve on a Christmas day vvhen it falleth on a working day or weeke day both pray preach vse the Sacraments and rest from laboures and sing Psalmes in the Congregation and vvill any wise man say ther 's necessary consequence in it that we keepe it for a Sabbath day what vanities are these The vtmost that can be collected by good consequence from this Text Act. 2. is that the Church kept this day of Pentecost for a Lecture day like as vve haue Lecture dayes euery vvhere on vveeke dayes on Tewsdayes or Thursdayes the like Further it is to be noted that Peters Sermon heere it vvas meerly occationall extraordenary therfore can not binde vs to ordenary practise For vpon the extraordenary Myracle of the Holy Ghosts deseent in clouen fiery tounges some people vvere amazed astonished doubting said what may this be Act. 2.12 Others mocked and said the Apostles vvere full of new wine and drunken Act. 2.13 now here vvas greate occation for Peter to preach a Sermon vnto them partly to informe instruct those that vvere amazed doubted partly to confute those vvho scosted at the Apostles as if they had bene drunken so heere was matter enough to moue Peter to preach though he had no respect vnto the day as a Sabbath day It is true hence a Minister by consequence may gather such a consequent or doctrine as this namely that it is the duety of Ministers to preach the vvord vpon all occations but for any to collect hence not onely that vve must preach vpon all occations but more then this as namely that vve must also euer more preach vpon the same day and in the same time vvherin the Apostle Peter preached that is vpon the Lords day vvhither there be extraordenaty occation or none this is idle absurde for the Text will not beare vs out in any such collections nor can it be gathered hence that vve are bound to preach at all vpon either one day or vpon an other vnlesse it be vpon extraordenary occationes such as vvere Peters here in this Texte Further vve may aswell coliect hence also concerning the place as the time saying that vve must euermore preach in a populouse and famouse Citty also as London Norwich and the like for Peter preached in Ierusalem a famouse Citty And also when vve preach there we must keepe that day for a Sabbath day too 4. My 4th last answer to this text is by shewing their absurd consequence hence for if that the coming downe of the holy Ghost Peters sermon the convertion of 3000. the baptizing of them c. did declare the day to be a Sabbath day wherein they were done then is Pentecost a Iewish ceremoniall feast day moralized made a Christian Sabbath day and so Iewish abrogated ceremonies shall be reuiued in the Church the reason thereof is because the holy Ghost doth not call this day here Lords day or first day of the weeke but he calleth it Pentecost day and when the day of Pentecost was come Act. 2.1 This day might be called by 3 seuerall names as 1. Lords day 2. The first day of the weeke and 3. Pentecost day Now in that the holy Ghost reiecteth both those names of Lords day and first day of the weeke which should make for their purpose chooseth this name Pentecost day which was a ceremoniall day it followeth that if these actions had any force or virtue to declare the day whereon they were done to be a Sabbath day they shewed vs that this day considered
not as Lords day but as Pentecost day is our new Sabbath day Suppose we that vpon a Friday there fall ij holy dayes the one Gowries day the other King Charles his Coronation day here this one day may haue 3 names as Friday Gowries day and the Kings Coronation day if now an Acte of Parliament be made hauing relation to this day and calleth it Coronation day rather then by those other ij names vvill not euery one thinke that that Acte hath rather reference to this day considered as King Charles his Coronation day then to it considered as Friday or as Gowries day so t is here no man can thinke but that the holy Ghost in relation of these things done on this day and naming it Pentecost day not Lords day had rather reference vnto it considered as Pentecost day to make it a Pentecost Sabbath then to it as Lords day to make it a Lords day Sabbath Furthermore I make it appeare that if we imitate Peter here and the Church at Ierusalem vve must keepe the Lords day as a ceremoniall day as Pentecost day for they all kept it so as Ierusalem Act. 2.1 and this I thus proue 1. It is graunted by all that the Ceremonies of the lavv had 40 or 50 yeeres vntill the destruction of the Temple allovved for their honourable buriall Whereby is intimated that vntill then the Legall Ceremonies vvere in vse at Ierusalem 2. It is cleere by Scripture see Act. 21.20.17 vvhere the Apostles teld Paul that all the belecuing Iewes vvere still zealouse of the Law Yea further the Apostles perswaded Paul that novv he being come to Ierusalem that hee vvould Iudaize also by purifying himselfe contributing c. v. 24. and all vvas done to this end that the beleeuing lewes might thinke nothing to the contrary but that Paul himselfe also kept the law to vvit the Ceremoniall Lavv by vvhich passages it is more then manifest that at Ierusalem the Apostles and all the beleeuing Jevves they still obserued the ceremoniall lavv and that zealously novv this vvas all long after Pentecost day so that if they kept the ceremoniall lavv so long after Christ much more then at Pentecost vvhich vvas vvithin 6 or 7 vveekes after his resurrection Wherefore vve are to thinke that these Iewes at Jerusalem kept Pentecost as a Iewish ceremoniall Sabbath day vvhereof you may reade Leu. 23.15.21 and so by consequence it follovveth that if these vvorkes of the holy Ghosts descending and of Peters preaching c. doe declare this Lords day to be a Sabbath day that then vve must haue a Pentecost Sabbath day rather then a Lords Sabbath day a ceremoniall Sabbath day not a Christian Sabbath day and the Lords day is not to be kept as Lords day but as Pentecost day Behold then the absurdety of these men who glorie so much in this text Act. 2.1 as being so strong for their new Sabbath day when as they may by the same reason bring into the Church againe this ceremoniall abrogated day of Pentecost behold how vnconscionably they deale vvith the Scriptures and vvord of God making them a nose of vvaxe turning it vvhich vvay they please as may best fit their fancies if any conscience be left in them they had need I auowch it aske God mercy vpon their knees for such abuses offred vnto his sacred vvord For conclusion let the patrones of this Lords day Sabbath remember that this is their taske if they will proue the Lords day a Sabbath 1. They must proue that this Congregatiō Rested from labour all this day and that in conscience of it as a Sabbath day not occationally c nor as pentecost day for rest from labour is a parte of the Sabbath dayes duety 2. they must proue that these holy actiones which were performed of preaching the like that they were done by Peter the residue in conscience of the 4th com for Peter might preach in conscience of that com which Paul gaue 2. Tim. 4.2 preach the word be instant inseason out of season These are the ij maine things besids many others which they should proue but these they can passe ouer whith out any word tending this way SECT VII An other text they alleage out of the new Testament to vvit Ioh. 20.19 vvhere mention is made that Christ appeared to his Disciples and it vvas vpon the Lords day too and this reason is currant in euery mans mouth Ministers people Why Christs apparitions say they vpon the Lords day proue it to be a Sabbath day c. but Ministers begine to be ashamed to vse this ouer worne argument any longer well they may be ashamed of it but that it is so frequent now in peoples mouths we may thanke Ministers for it for it is one of their ovvne arguments vvhich they hau put into peoples heades an erroniouse conceipt once fastened in the minds of people by their Ministers vvill hardly be remoued be it neuer so idle But in one vvord to shew their absurdety and abuse of this Text of Scripture also for they make a practise of abusing the Scripture if Christs apparition doth declare that day to be a Sabbath day vvherin hee appeared to his Disciples then was a fishing day a Sabbath day also for Christ appeared to his Disciples on a fishing day whe they vvere a fishing at the Sea of Tiberias see Iob. 21.1.2.3.4 Yea then must Hallow Thursday be a Sabbath day also for then Christ appeared againe to his Disciples vvhen he ascended from them vp into heauen Act. 1.9.11 Yea vve must keepe Fowrty Sabbathes together once in a yeere for Christ appeared to his Disciples being seene of them by the space of 40 dayes Act. 1.3 and thus much for this text vvhereby you see how the Holy Scriptures haue bene abused the Holy Ghost is made to speake what he neuer meante vvere it not high time therfore that these things vvere reformed SECT VIII A 3d texte they alleage abuse in the nevv Testament is Act. 20.7 vvhere they say is an example of the Lords day kept as a Sabbath day by Paul the Church at Troas for Paul abode at Troas 7 dayes on the 7th day it being the first day of the vveeke then the Church assembled Paul preached now ther 's no mention of any sermon vpon any of the other dayes and therefore this vvas their Sabbath day Yea they had not onely a sermon on this day but also the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for the Disciples came together to breake bread as the Text saith Wherefore this day must be a Sabbath day This text M. Benton Minister pressed vpon me very eagerly Herevnto I answer 1. if the Lords day or first day of the weeke vvere kept here by Paul for a Sabbath day why did not Paul doe the like vpon euery Lords day in all Churches where he came and where he might if he vvould haue done it for this purpose see Act.
of Christ his Resurrection The Friday because of Christ his Passion Loe here then were two dayes in a weeke sanctified the Friday the Sunday and that without difference Now who that readeth this can thinke that the Church in Constantins time kept the Sunday or Lords day as a Sabbath vnlesse he should absurdly thinke that they kept two Sabbaths in a weeke the Friday the Sunday it is more likely that they kept them both but as we keepe some light holy dayes Nor did the memory of the Resurrection exalte the Lords day any higher then did the memory of the Passion exalte the Friday Thus you see in what esteeme the Church of God had the Lords day in Constantins time III. My third Testimony shall be that whereof we reade in Socrates his Ecclesiasticall Historie lib. 5. cap. 21. vvhere he thus writeth The drifte saith he of the Apostles was not to lay downe Canons Decrees concerning Feastes holy daies but to become paternes vnto vs of piety of good life Godly conuersation Whereas there is greate contention at this time to proue the Lords day to be a Sabbath day instituted in the new Testament by Christ his Apostles this Historian will determine the controuercy for vs if we will be guided by the iudgement of those primitiue Churches for hee saith plainly that the Apostles made no Decrees concerning Holy dayes of which number the Lords day is one and what he saith here of the Apostles the same also in the same Chapter he saith of Christ namely that hee made no law for the Church to celebrate the feast of Easter c. Thus you see it is the iudgement of antiquitie that neither Christ nor his Apostles did euer appoint Easter day vvhich is the Lords day nor any other dayes to be sanctified for Sabbaths I deny not for all this that those times gaue any respect vnto the Lords day and other Holy dayes but this onely I deny that they sanctified this Lords day as Diuinely instituted and appointed by Christ or his Apostles but rather as from the same authority from by which they sanctified other holy dayes of the Saints to wit from by the Tradition of the Church IV. My fowrth Testimony shall be the iudgment of S. Augustine who in his 118 Epistle de festis diebus thus writeth But as for those things which we obserue by Tradition not by wrighting we vnderstand them to be giuen either by the Apostles themselues or by approued Councells c. As the anniuersary celebration of the Lords Passion the Resurrection the Ascention c. In vvhich passage vve note these particulars 1. That S. Augustine accounted the Sanctification of the Lords day to be a thing receiued by Tradition 2. That its institution was not to be founde in the Scriptures for he saith which we obserue by Tradition not by wrighting c. 3. That S. Augustine was doubtfull vncertaine vvhither the obseruation of the Lords day vvere a Tradition receiued from the Apostles or from Councells 4. That S. Augustine rekoneth the Lords day being the Feast of the Resurrection to be of no better nor higher authority then are Good Friday Hallow Thursday the Feasts of Christs Passion Ascention We may as well therefore by S. Augustins iudgement sanctify euery Friday and euery Thursday for Sabbaths throughout the yeere as euery Lords day for they haue all three the same originall selfesame grownd Authority for they be all Traditions vnwritten Traditions and doubtfull whither from the Apostles or from Councells By the way since S. Augustine knew no Scripture for the sanctification of the Lords day for the Sabbath how cometh it about I maruaile that many in our dayes haue found out so many Scriptures for it vve haue now this text of Scripture Ioh. 20.19.26 witnessing that Christ did often appeare vnto his Disciples on this day Another Text we haue for it Act. 20.7 where S. Paul preached a sermon at Troas on this day An other Text we haue found out 1. Cor. 16.2 vvhere there was a collection for the poore on this day And yet an other Text we haue Reuel 1.10 where this day is called the Lords day I maruaile S. Augustine and his times should be so ignorant as not to see these textes as warrantable institutions for the Lords day to become a Sabbath since wee see them and say they are so cleere to proue the point Shall I tell you mine opinion it is this I suppose they that first set their witts on worke to finde a Diuine institution for this Lords day they sawe nothing but Tradition of the Church for it as for the rest of Holy dayes but miseliking this they iudged it better to haue it stand by a Diuine ordinance and therefore haue vsed their witts to wrest these Scriptures thitherwards so now they haue fathered the matter all vpon God and made this Lords day a Diuine ordinance to get the more honour vnto it this durst not S. Augustin doe but he more ingenuously plainly confessed it to be as indeed in trueth it is A Tradition of the Church of equall authority for its sanctification with Good Friday Hallow Thursday other Holie daies To conclude well we may make of the Lords day what esteme we vvill but yet you see it is but a Tradition a Popish Tradition as this vvas the Iudgement of S. Augustine so you shall see it confirmed by others also by by Now if it proue but a Tradition them may vve conclud that all Romish rubish is not as yet cleane swept out of the Reformed Churches An other Testimony of S. Augustine I finde in his vvorkes contra Adimant cap. 16. vvhere he thus vvriteth For we also doe celebrate both the Lords day the Feast of Easter certaine other festiuall daies but we obserue not the times but onelie the things signified by or in those times c. Loe here S. Augustine saith they kept the Lords day indede in his time in that Church but how they kept it much like as they kept other Holy dayes and festiualls for saith he non tempora observamus we regard not the times c. I but did the Lords day stand by the ordinance of Christ then S. Augustine would haue regarded the time for he must haue regarded that very day if Christ had ordained it did the Lords day stand by virtue of the 4th Com. then S. Augustine must haue obserued the time for the day time to wit the Seauenth day vvas no lesse inioyned in the 4th Com. then rest from laboures holy excercises how can men that worke on the Lords day Sabbath be said to rob God of his time if the time be not to be regarded it is more then manifest therfore that S. Augustine the Church of God in his time did not beleeue it that the Lords day vvas instituted by Christ or that it was to be
sanctified by virtue of the 4th Com. I could alleage other Testimonies out of S. Augustine to the same effect but these are sufficient V. Soe much for the iudgement of the Auncients the Primitiue Churches for the first 400 yeeres vpwards I come now vnto our later times My 5th Testimony then shall be that of Peter Martyr cited by Marlorate in his Commentaryon 1 Cor. 16.2 who thus writeth Like as the Sabbath day was celebrated by the Law in memory of the Creation so is now the Lords day in vse in memory of the Resurrection but when this chang alteration was made we haue it not expressed in the Scriptures and then againe a little beneath saith he Neither are we therefore to be accused as obseruers of dayes times as if we placed more holinesse in one day then in an other for we assemble rather on the Lords day then on any other day onely for ciuill respectes for the order of the Church It is plaine then that this Holy man accounted the Lords day to be an ordinance of the Church onely and a ciuill thing kept onely for order sake he knew of no Diuine institutiō for it nor of any 4th com belōging vnto it nor thought he that there was any difference to be made betvvene the Lords day other dayes of the vveeke in any respect vnto Christs institution of it for he saieth expresly that it is not found in the Scriptures vvhen the Lords day vvas set vp how then vvill men doe to proue the Lords day to be of Diuine institution VI. My 6th Testimonie shall be that of Brentius in Leuit. 23.2 recorded by Doctour Bownde in his booke of the Sabbath Pag. 109. thus saith he The kepeing Holy of the Lords day is not commanded by the Authoritie of the Gospell but rather receiued into vse by the publique consent of the Church And a little after thus againe The obseruation of the Lords day is proffitable not to be reiected but yet it is not to be accounted for a Commandement of the Gospell but rather for a Ciuill ordination Then this what can be more plainly spokē Brentius saith the Lords day hath no authority for it in the Gospell that it is but a Ciuill ordinance but many now a dayes vvould make vs beleeue if we were so credulouse that it hath authority from Christ his Apostles and that it is a Diuine ordinance Should I haue called it a Ciuill ordinance albeit I know assuredly it is no better how should I haue bene rated for it reuiled by some Ministers But I am glad I am not the first that haue so called it nor am I alone in this opinion VII My 7th Testimony shall be that of Caluine on Galat. 4.10 where he thus writeth When wee now a daies obserue a difference of daies we doe not put any bonde or tie of necessitie vpon mens consciences we make no difference of daies as if one day were more holie then an other we place no religion in them but we onely prouide for order concorde c. I but had Caluin held the Lords day to haue bene of Diuine institution he vvould haue placed religion in its obseruation there had bene more in it then to haue kept it onely for order sake for peace sake c. Yea had he iudged this day to stand by virtue of the 4th Com. he would must haue made a difference of dayes accounting one day to vvit the 7th more holy then the rest yea he must haue put a bond tye of necessity vpon mens consciences for it is necessary that the 4th Com. should be obeied Againe see Caluin on Coloss 2.16 vvhere he thus writeth We obserue no daies as if there were any Religion in holy daies or as if it were vnlawfull to worke in them but we haue respect vnto policie order not vnto daies Thus speaketh Caluine of all holy dayes in generall both the Lords day others ioyning them all together His iudgement is direct for our purpose that this holy day of the Lords day together with other holy dayes are sanctified but for order sake with respect vnto gouernment and further he saith plainly that it is no vnlawfull thing for a man to doe the workes of his calling on the Lords day how pregnant is hee for our purpose VIII My 8th Testimony shall be that of Zanchie on the 4th com Thesis 1. who there doth plainly affirme it that the Apostles left the Lords day at libertie to the Church that we are not tied to sanctifie it by any tie or bond of conscience c. And for confirmation of this his iudgment in the same place he giues his reason also thus Zanchie IX My 9th Testimony shall be that of Vrsinus in his Catech. on the 4th Comm. pag. 637 vvhere he thus vvriteth The Sabbath is twofould one of the old Testament which was tied to the 7th day its obseruation was necessarie and the worship of God The other of the new Testament and this dependeth on the libertie of the Church who chose the first day of the weeke for certaine causes it is to be obserued for order sake but without any opinion of necessitie Thus you see the iudgment of Vrsinus was that the Lords day or first day of the weeke is at the plesure of the Church for its sanctification And Moreouer that there is no necessitie to sanctifie it surely Vrsine did not beleeue as many with vs doe that Christ and his Apostles raised vp the Lords day for a Sabbath nor yet that the 4th com had any thing to doe with it But it matters not what Vrsinus his iudgement was nor Caluines nor Zanchies the rest we haue some Ministers that haue bene zealouse preachers for and Patrones of the Lords day Sabbath they haue preacht for it they will preach for it they haue erred they will err they haue misled the people they will doe so still they haue resolued to liue to dye in it they will preach for it they say as long as they liue X. My 10th Testimony shall be that of Paraeus in his Comment on the Romanes cap. 14. pag. 1512. vvhere he maketh this his third Hypothesis saying The Holie daies of Christianes remaine free at libertie so as they may be altered and changed from one day vnto an other by the Church c. And by and by he addeth two reasons amongst others one is this because neither Christ nor his Apostles did determine any certaine holy daies to his Church but left them at libertie The other is a Testimony of Augustine in his 118. Epistle saying All these things are at libertie in their obseruation Totum hoc genus rerum liberas habet obseruationes Here Paraeus saith plainly that neither our Sauiour Christ no nor his Apostles did determine of any certaine holy dayes for his Church but left it to liberty so then they
the King our Soâ—eraigne Lord with the assent of the Lords Spirituall Temporall the Commons in this present Parliament assembled that all the daies hereafter mentioned shall be kept holie daies c. That is to say all Sundaies in the yeere c. S. Mathew S. Mark S. Iohn Baptist S. Peter S. Iames c. Then a prouiso is added Prouided alwaies it is enacted by the Authoritie aforesaid that it shall be lawfull to euery Husbandman labourer fisher man to all euery other person or persones vpon the holie daies aforesaid in Haruest or at any other times in the yeere when necessitie shall require to labour ride fish or work any kind of work at their free wills plesures any thing in this Act to the contrarie in any wise notwithstanding These things are remarkable in this Statute 1. That our Sunday or Lords day was by these Law-makers rekoned to be of no higher nor other authority then are the other holy dayes of the Apostles as S. Mathews S. Marks S. Iohns dayes and the rest 2. That the Sunday or Lords day is ordained by the Church and State for a Sabbath day or holy day that it is at their liberty to doe in this matter as they shall iudg most convenient 3. A most remarkable thing in this Statute for our purpose is that the Lords Spirituall and Temporall with the Commons and so consequently the Church of England were cleere of iudgment openly in this Act professed it that our Sunday or Lords-day-Sabbath is not of Diuine institution for they declared it whilst they said it is not to be thought that there is any certaine time or definit number of daies prescribed in the holy Scriptures so then there is no Scripture for the Lords day Againe But that the apointment both of the time and also of the number of daies is left by the Authoritie of Gods word to the libertie of Christs Church to the Rulers thereof to be determined so then ther 's no Diuine institution for the Lords day SECT XXII Hauing finished my answer touching the Lords day Sabbath for a conclusion of this Chapter I purpose to spend a few words in this Section by way of Admonition dehortation from Superstition voluntary religion will-worship the which as I direct it vnto all men whome it may concerne so in a speciall sorte I apply it vnto such patrones of the Lords day Sabbath as haue alredy made head against my former booke with greate zeale haue scandalized it among the people so occationed this booke by name Mr. Hutchinson Mr. Benton Mr. Furnace Mr. Gallard Mr. Yates Mr. Chappell Mr. Grenewod Mr. Stinnet Mr. Iohnson Mr. Ward These men obstinatly persisting in their erroniouse false doctrine after sufficient meanes of conviction ought to take these things into consideration First touching the Admonition by the whole discourse touching the Lords day already finished thou maiest see Christian reader that there is no footeing or grownd in the word of God to make the Lords day a Sabbath wherefore I doe hereby admonish both Ministers and people and desire them to take knowledge of it henceforth that this their zealouse sanctifying of the Lords day in conscience of the 4th com of Christ his institution it is no better before God with wisemen then Superstition and needlesse religion for when men will doe that in Gods seruice in obedience vnto God the which hee hath no where commanded them what is this but a needlesse religion and superstition when men cannot shew Gods will for that they doe then it must follow that it is of their owne willes so their religion in that point is a voluntary-religion and a will-worship Let me not be mistaken the Lords day may be considered as an ordinance of God or as an ordinance of man as it is ignorantly conceiued to be an ordinance of God in this sense only I speake against it but as it is an ordinance of man that is as it is commanded by the Magistrate so at his will and plesure to continue it or discontinue it in this regard I haue nothing against it so much for the Admonition I come now vnto the Debortation my first reason disswasiue is because we hate Superstition will-worship in others how doe we beare against our aduersaries the Papistes because of their superstitiouse Traditiones and Religion of will-worship and can we see an errour in them and cannot we see the same errour in our selues had we bene wise for our selues we might haue seene this errour long agone for they haue often admonished vs in their writings against vs telling vs that our Lords day is but a Tradition from the fathers and a Tradition of the Church herein giue the deuill his right as they say they haue spoken most truly albeit we haue giuen deafe care vnto them laboured to shifte it of and will we condemne them for will-worship superstition practise the same our selues well heare what S. Paul saith therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoeuer thou art that condemnest for in that that thou condemnest an other thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that condemnest doest the same thinges Rom. 2.1 Many Ministers thinke them selues farr enough of from superstition will-worship whilst in the pulpit they can cry out against the superstition of Papists when as indeed and in trueth themselues are euen then very Papistes in this point greate patrones and maintainers of superstition will worship wherefore let them reforme themselues or else let them be silent touching Papistes you haue seene it proued by good Authority that the Lords day is but a Tradition of the Church shall we retaine Popish Traditiones will these Ministers be still patrones and supporters of vnwritten Traditiones I would hope better of them My second reason disswasiue is because we shall all leese our labour in the Sanctification of the Lords day vve shall labour in vaine For if we like seruants will be doeing of such vvorkes as our Maister neuer appointed vs doe vve thinke our Maister vvill thanke vs yea reward vs for them you haue heard that God neuer commanded vs to sanctify the Lords day by the 4th Com. that Christ neuer appointed it in the New Testament if therefore we will be hallowing of the Lords day thinke you that God will reward you for it or that Christ vvill thanke you for it many men that are honestly disposed of ingenuouse minds being misled by some Ministers they leese some yeeres their Hay in the field some yeers their corne in the field all of conscience thinking it a duety for them so to doe rather then to labour on the Lords day many others keepe the Lords day very strictly both priuatly publikly erroniously misperswaded that that text Isa 58.13 inioyneth theÌ„ so to doe but is not all this Labour in vaine God neuer commanded it Christ neuer
against them saying well ye reiect the commandement of God that ye may obserue your owne Tradition Mark 7.9 For they trample downe the Lords Sabbath day that they may keepe their owne Lords day My 4th reason disswasiue is because by the vphoulding of this Lords day Sabbath the sacred Scriptures vvord of God is profaned I make that appeare thus Ministers doe daily vrge the 4th Com. vpon the Lords day doe presse mens consciences to the Sanctifying of the Lords day by the 4th Comm. now the 4th Com. doth speake as he that hath but halfe an eye may see of the day called Sabbath day but this is a day called Lords day the 4th Com. was made for a sanctified hallowed day for God himselfe blessed it sanctified it Genes 2.3 but this Lords day is a profane day a common day neuer sanctified by God but on the contrary appointed for labour it being one of the sixe working dayes mentioned in the 4th Com. Christ himselfe trauailing on it c. Now for Ministers to apply this sacred word of Gods 4th Com. vnto a profane common and vnsanctified day time this or nothing is to profane the Sacred word of God Secondly many portions of Scripture in the New Testament with some also out of the old are hereby also wrested abused profaned the Spirit of God is made to speake for that which neuer came into his minde to thinke a most horrible vnsufferable thing in a Christian Church as for example these Texts Psal 118.24 Ioh. 20.1.19.26 Act. 1.2.3 Act. 2.1.14 c. Act. 20.7.1 Cor. 16.2 2. Cor. 5.17 and Reuel 1.10 these eight Textes at least besids the 4th Com. are abused for the maintenance of a forged new coined and counterfait Sabbath day who that hath any zeale of Gods glory or loue vnto his Holy word can endure it that Gods word and trueth should be thus profanly vsed profaned abused wherfore if you beare any reuerence vnto the sacred word of God let a reformation be made Looke vpon the third Com. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine now Gods word is a parte of his name wherby he is knowne Act. 9.15 therfore for men to abuse profane Gods word it is to abuse profane Gods name so a sinne against the third Com. now the reward of such profanation is this that God will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine hee shall surely therfore be punished vvithout repentance amendement But vvhat doe I speaking to deafe Adders men will not be charmed what they haue holden they will hold as for me I am but one meane they are many mighty so that I almost despaire of remedy howeuer I haue discouered their sinne vnto them at their perill be it whither they will amend it or not I abhorre to thinke of it yet this I am sure of that that is true amongst vs which the Lord once complained of by his Prophet Ieremiah that is that an horrible filthy thingis committed in the land the Prophets prphecy lies people delight therein Ierem. 5.30.31 that the Prophets prophecy lyes this is apparent as hath bene showne and the people delight therein this is manifest in asmuch as many that are both religiouse also counted wise are not ashamed to speake it that they wish from their hearts that I had neuer medled in this point so we haue for the most parte like Priest like people both delighting in this counterfait Sabbath both like vnto Nadab Abihu who offered straung fier before the Lord which hee had not commaunded them Leuit. 10.1 My 5th and last reason disswasiue is because it is a sinne for Ministers to preach for the Lords day This I proue because they cannot speake for it in faith now whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne saith the Apostle Rom. 14.23 now that they cannot preach for it in faith is plaine by this that they haue no word of God for the grownd of their faith we haue alredy showne that they haue no word of God for this Lords day Sabbath for they can not shew vs where Christ or any of his Apostles left any commandement for it no nor yet haue they any necessary consequences for it so often therefore as A Minister presseth the people to sanctify the Lords day Sabbath so often he sinneth And so much touching this Lords day Sabbath CHAP. IIII. An answer vnto all those textes of Scripture reasones arguments which are vsually profanly brought against the Sabbath day mentioned in the 4th com to wit the 7th day Sabbath I Haue now finished the 3 first partes of my booke the first whereof was in defence of the morall law the second was an exposition of the 4th com with adiscouery of the corrupt expositiones thereof the third was an answer to those Scriptures reasones that are brought for the Lords day and now I am by order come vnto the fourth parte of my booke herein I am to answer to the Scriptures and reasons whereby the enemies of the Lords Sabbathes goe about most wickedly vngodlily to throw them downe and here my purpose is not onely to make answer vnto those textes reasones which these 10 Ministers or any of them in the name roome of the rest haue impiously obiected against the Lords Sabbathes but also I purpose to answer vnto all obiectiones generally what soeuer I can heare or reade of Gods Ancient Sabbaths are not abolished or The Lords ancient 7th day Saturday Sabbath is not abolished SECT I. IN the first place let me discouer an high point of folly in these Antisabbatharians for a seruant to forsake his old Master before he knows where to haue a new or for any man to pull downe his old house before he had found for certaine that he was able to build vp a new house is a greate folly into this folly are falne not onely those other 9 Ministers by caling the Lords Sabbaths Ceremonies Iewish Iudaisme to bring them into reproch but especially M. Chappel by preaching against them openly now what an egregiouse folly is this in them to throw downe the old Sabbath before they knew where to find a new Sabbath to abolish the 7th day before they were able to raise vp the 8th day me thinke a smale portion of discretion should haue taught them to haue made sure worke that they were well able to defend the Lords day before they had aduentured to debase and abolish the Sabbath day I wish all men to learne wisedome by their folly that is neuer to debase striue to abolish the old Sabbath vntill they know how to proue the Lords day to be a Sabbath so to set vp a new Sabbath That with the moreculler and shew of trueth men might abolish Gods Sabbathes besides their loading of them with reprochfull termes of Iudaisme and abolished Shaddowes and Ceremonies and
the 4th command by it selfe in this they will attempt to proue the time to wit the 7th day to be a ceremony and abolished in the meane time they will hould the dueties of Rest holinesse commanded with the time to be no ceremony but morall perpetuall now vndoubtedly they should hold all the things commanded in the 4th com to be together morall or together ceremoniall either all abolished or all perpetuall in any wise mans iudgment such things as God hath ioyned together no man should put asunder retayning something reiecting other something but that all must be retayned or all reiected either they should embrace the whole 4th commandement or no 4th commandement this is in common reason The 4th com is like vnto a Bond in a bond there is two things where vnto men are bound the one is the summe of money the other is the day and time of payment now in common reason he that stands bound to pay the summe of money that same man stands bound to the day and time also that is to pay this money at the time mentioned in the bond so in the 4th com men are bound vnto 2. things the one is the dueties of Rest and holy exercises the other is vnto the day time wherein these dueties are to be performed namly the 7th day Now these men that are vndertakers against Gods Sabbaths enemies to the Integritie and perfection of Gods Law they will not retaine both of these nor reiect both of these but a diuision seperation they must haue the duties of rest and holinesse they will haue vs bound vnto as being morall but the day and time wherein they should be performed to wit the 7th day this they will not haue vs bound vnto but it must be a ceremony now was it euer heard before now or euer seene in any case but this that a mā should be bound vnto the summe of money in the bond but not vnto the day of payment wy these men will most absurdly suppose that vve are tyed vnto the dueties of rest and holinesse in the com but not vnto the duety of the time day mentioned in the command in vvhich the dueties are to be done is not this absurd to any heareing and are not those textes vvhich they vse for this absurd purpose vvrested think you as these Exod. 31.13 Rom. 14.5 Col. 2.17 it vvere to be vvished that they vvould not halue it peece it on this fashion that is to serue God by halues in his 4th com but that they vvould obserue the vvhole 4th commandement or no 4th command all or none God hath giuen many seuerall commandements in the old Testament as concerning the true God cōcerning his worship concerning his Name concerning sondry dueties vnto our neighbour concerning the Passeouer Pentecost sondry other Festiuall dayes new moones Sabbaths concerning meates drinkes concerning Sacrifices Tythes Priests the Temple and place of worship with many more now amongst all these Lawes can they find from the begining of the booke of Genesis vnto the end of the Prophecy of Malachie such a mingle mangled hotch potch as they will make of this 4th comm that parte of those lawes should be morall parte ceremoniall one parte belonging to all Nations the other parte onely vnto the Iewes the like was neuer heard on I dare say it in any lawes of God or Man Diuine or humane are they not ashamed to make such A Monster of the 4th com as the like hath not bene seene in the world and are not these textes Rom. 14.5 Exod. 31.13 and Colos 2.16.17 monstrousty abused think you which they vse for this monstrouse end In the 5th com we are inioyned ij things to honour our father to honour our mother in the 10th com we are inioyned many things as 7 in number in the 4th com we are inioyned ij things an holy rest the day and time wherein to kepe this holy rest now they that take one of these ij things in the 4th com reiect the other they are as absurd as if one should take one of those ij things inioyned in the 5th com and reiect the other holding it morall to honour our fathers but ceremoniall to honour our mothers as absurd they are as if they should diuide betwixt those 7 things commanded in the 10th com holding 4 of them morall some such 3 of them as disconceits them most for ceremonies in a word for any to say the 4th com is partly morall partly ceremoniall it is a position partly religiouse partly prophane It is much like that of Papists touching the 2d com about Images who hold that this 2d com is ceremoniall forbiddeth onely Iewish Images not the Images of Christians and why may we not admit of Papists absurdetie in the 2d com as well as of Protestāts absurdnesse in the 4th com Oh how is this abused Commandement to be deplored lamented how are the Agents herein to be loathed and abhorred for they attempt with that wicked man prophecied on by Daniel to change times lawes Dan. 7.25 Gods 7th day into the 8th day and the law of the 4th com from off the 7th day vnto the 8th day An other absurdety is that by alleaging Scriptures out of the new Testament as Rom. 14.5 Gal. 4.10 Col. 2.16 against the Sabbath in the morall law so fathering the abolition of that Sabbath on Christ and on his Paul hereby we become a stumbling block scandale and occation of offence vnto the Iewes for when they vrge vs with the 4th com for keeping of the old Sabbath day and we answer that Christ Paul abolished it hereat they are scandalized and say that hereby they know Christ and Paul to be impostors deceiuers because they durst abolish one of Gods ordinances in the Decalogue which all men count morall is not the conversion of the Iewes daily expected praied for shall we vnnecessarily hinder their coming vnto Christ by fathering on Christ a thing both false most odiouse vnto the people of the Iewes let vs beware we be not an occation any longer of the hard-hartednesse of the Iewes Furthermore other absurdeties also these euill Agētes runinto he that can allow of these following arguments against the 7th day Sabbath he may with a safe conscience turne Anabaptist keepe no Sabbath for the 7th day Sabbath these men will throw downe as they say And for the 8th day Sabbath that 's but an idle fiction as hath bene showne so then throw downe the 7th day Sabbath and away with all Sabbathes for my parte I am cleerly fully resolued in this that take away the 7th day Sabbath then we are not bound to keepe any Sabbath at all one or other Thus these enemies to Gods Sabbaths they make an high way and open gappe vnto Anabaptistry that so we should haue no Sabbathes An other absurdety
rigorousnesse he that can invent how to make this Rest the most rigorouse he is the best expositer And hence comes that vaine distinction of the Iewish Rest as if for sooth the 4th com conteined two kinds ef Rest in it A Iewish Rest A Christian Rest but the vanity hereof will appeare by by when you shall haue seene the vanity of their arguments to proue this rigorouse Iewish Rest Now let me shewe you their arguments in order and first I will lay downe 3 arguments vsed by a worthy Diuine and late writer to proue this rest rigorouse whose name I spare for honour sake the first whereof is this that the Iewe might not on the Sabbath goe forth or take a iourny any whither for any busines of his owne Exod. 16.29 this saith hee was temporary and doth not concerne these times of the newe Testament Hereunto I answer that this text Exod. 16.29 forbad the Iew to trauaile on the Sabbath indeede but by the context it doth appeare that here the Lord forbad trauailing friuolouslie when there was no neede to trauaile for in as much as on the 6th day God gaue them Manna enough for ij dayes the 6th the 7th so rained downe none on the 7th day therefore he forbad them to goe forth on the 7th day or Sabbath day this was the iourney which God forbad namly an vnnecessary iourny for why should they goe abroad to seeke Manna on a day wherein there was none in the field and why should they seeke for it on the 7th day when God gaue them enough on the 6th day both for it and for the 7th day also now I pray shew me where is that rigorouse strictnesse of the Iewish rest for which end this text is brought is that to be esteemed a rigorouse rest when men are forbidden to trauaile on the Sabbath day when they haue no neede at all to trauaile when their iourney is friuolouse to no purpose if this be a Iewish strictnesse we Christians vse it and vrge it at this day for we permit not to trauaile on the Lords day vpon euery sleity occation And doe they not want matter thinke you against Gods Sabbathes when they are forced to racke vp such poore stuffe as this is against them SECT III. An other reason hee vseth taken out of Exod. 35.3 where the Iew is forbiddē to kindle a fier on the Sabbath day yee shall kindle no fier throughout your habitationes on the Sabbath day and herein saith hee stood the rigorousnesse of the Iewish rest Herevnto I answer that this text if vnderstod generally it is set vpon the tainter hoockes and stretched beyond measure yee haue a text to wit the 4th com saying in it thou shalt not doe any worke this text the same diuines can vnderstand it expound it with a due limitation to wit of common ordenary and seruile workes why then by like reason can they not add the same limitation in the same case to this text also Exod. 35.3 and so vnderstand it thus thou shalt kindle no fier that is to doe ordenary common seruile workes withall like as common Bakers and Brewares doe by making it parte of their trade thus workes of necessity and charity to be done on the Sabbath shall be no more forbidden in this text Exod. 35.3 then they are in the 4th com Exod 20.10 to kindle a fier as Bakers doe is a seruile worke but otherwise it is a worke of mercy when but to warme one and the like Also it might haue a speciall reference vnto the building of the Tabernacle Exod. 35.3.4.5 whereof there was no such necessary hast as that they should kindle fiers on the Sabbath to worke about it For vs to thinke that God who allowed a beast to be led to the water on the Sabbath and allowed the Iewes to lift a beast out of the ditch on the Sabbath to plucke and rubb eares of corne on the Sabbath wold forbid them to kindle a fier on the Sabbath to dresse a morsell of warme meate for their dinner and to warme them selues in cold winters weather when they came from Church that so they might be the more fresh and liuely to serue God againe in the afternone ther 's no shew of reason in it would God haue mercy shewed to a beast on the Sabbath and none of a man that is made after his Image what likelihod is there of this Further our Sauiour saith the Sabbath was made for man Mar. 2.27 so to expound this text Exod. 35.3 therefore as if a man might not no not in a case of necessity kindle a fier in the time of froft and snow to warme himselfe and the like is to make the Sabbath not for man but against man and to make man for the Sabbath contrary to the words of our Sauiour Againe our Sauiour Christ was present at a ffeast on the Sabbath day Luk. 14.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 c. now at a feast there is commonly a fier to dresse meate for the guestes there is attendance to be giuen by seruants and the like now Christ by his presence at this feast allowed of fier kindling of others as great workes as the kindling of a fier is wherby it appeareth that this text is wrested when it is vnderstod so rigorously as if God had forbad his people to kindle a fier in any case thus you see that it is but a slaunder brought vp vpon the Iewish Rest to say it was rigorouse but such slaunders are frequent to loath men of Gods Sabbath SECT IV. A third reason hee fetcheth out of Ierem. 17 21. and Nehem. 13.15 take heede to your selues and beare no burden in the Sabbath day here saith hee the Iewes might beare no burdens on the Sabbath Herevnto I answer briefly that these texts as any man may see by the context speake onely of burthens bearing in an ordenary common case as a seruile worke but that all bearing of burdens was forbidden to the Iewes is false for Christ him selfe commanded the sicke man to carry his bedd on the Sabbath day Ioh. 5.8.9.10 seeing therefore that God did not forbid a man to carry a burden on the Sabbath day in his necessity where is there any grownd then here for any man to say the Ieweish Rest was strict and rigorouse I neuer yet could see but that God allowed the Jewes as much liberty on the Sabbath day as he alloweth Christianes and as much liberty as Ministers grant vnto Christians on the Lords day therefore it is but a meere slaunder to say the Iewish Rest was rigorouse the distinction betwixt the Iewish rest and the Christian Rest is a distinction without a difference for all workes of mercy and workes of necessity might be done by the Iewes on the Sabbath day as well as by vs Christianes now Loe these deuices wise men haue to defeate God of his Sabbaths SECT V. A fourth text I will
but in regard of Christs pouerty it is not vnlikly that he vsed browne or corse bread 2. By the like the Iewes might haue thus absurdly reasoned also whereas the Sabbath day was commanded on Mount Sinay Exod. 20. yea one moneths iourney before they came to Mount Sinay in the wildernesse of Sin Exod. 16.1.23 yea and in an other remote place as in that parte of the world where about Paradise was since the Sabbath was from the Creation hence the Iewes might thus peruersly haue argued saying wee are now in Canaan or in Captiuity in a country that is farr remote from Mount Sinay where the Sabbath was commanded or from the wildernesse of Sin or that parte of the world where Paradise was and where the Patriarkes kept the Sabbath and therfore we here cannot keepe the Sabbath for our Sabbath in this country begineth not at that point of time iust when the Sabbath begineth at Mount Sinay the wildernesse of Sin or about Paradise loe their folly God requireth not a people to begine his 7th day Sabbath when other remote Nations begine theirs but onely thē when by the light of the Sunne which rules the day God begineth to that people his Seauenth day This point is further prosecuted in my former booke but enough too much hath bene here said to this idle argument men haue so little reuerence of God and of his lawes and of his ancient ordinance the Sabbath that they thinke any thing is good enough how idle and ridiculouse soeuer to throw against the same euery frothie conception of an idle braine is matter sound enough to buze and make a noise in peoples eares against that sacred time which God himselfe hath hallowed sanctified honoured amongst his morales SECT VIII A 4th text is that Isa 66.23 From moneth to moneth or from new Moone to new Moone from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord. Whence some collect that the Sabbath here was made a Signe of the euerlasting Sabbath in heauen others would haue it a Signe of the Church vnder the new Testament and of the Church triumphant in heauen both so it being a signe it is abolished Herevnto I answer 1. it is doubtfull what may be the proper sense of this text it being a Prophecy deliuered in Metaphoricall and Allegoricall speeches for instance what shall be meant by these words from new Moone to new Moone it is doubtfull wherefore this text being difficult it is not fit to haue a controuercy decided by it much lesse to haue it vsed to the abolishing of any thing commanded in a morall law it is not meete that the 4th com being vttered in plaine proper speeches should be contradicted countermanded by a Prophecy which is vttered in difficult improper speeches what is this but petitio principij 2. I answer by the word Sabbath here may be vnderstod not the weekly 7th day morall Sabbath inioyned in the morall law but some of the anniuersary ceremoniall Sabbathes which neuer came into the morall law as that Sabbath of the Seauenth yeere or of the fiftith yeere Leuit. 25.10.4 for since the text speaketh of a continuall worshiping of God vnder the new Testament therefore the Sabbath of a yeere is more fit to be a type of it then the Sabbath of a day the 7th day 3. I answer the Sabbath day here mentioned is not made a Signe but rather the other 6 dayes which goe betwence Sabbath and Sabbath for so the text saith from Sabbath to Sabbath that is all the dayes betwene the Sabbaths shall all flesh come to worship c. so then it is not the Sabbath day that was made a Signe but those Six dayes which went betwene the Sabbathes SECT IX A 5th text of theirs is Heb. 4.10.11 where there is mention of a Rest and in v. 9. there remaineth therefore a Rest vnto the people of God Here say they the Sabbath or Rest is made a type of the Rest in the Kingdome of heauen now all types are abolished as ceremonies Herevnto I answer 1. many thinke indeed that here is some greate matter in this text for their purpose but it will proue vpon better examination nothing so for if this Rest here mentioned be a type of heauen it is so farr off from making any thing against the Sabbath day as that it rather maketh for it for the nature of types is to last in the Church vntill the thing typed out by them be come thus all sacrifices lasted vntill Christ our pascall Lamb was comne sacrificed for vs wherefore by like reason if this Rest or Sabbath heere be a type of the kingdome of heauens rest then may this Rest and Sabbath last in the Church vntill we all come to a rest in the kingdome of heauen so then all the time we liue on earth this Sabbath may be kept 2. I answer if the aduersaries to this ordinance of Gods Sabbath could tell how to proue the Rest in the 4th com a ceremony by this text then hereby they must wholly ouerthrow the 4th com for take away rest from laboures as an abolished ceremony and then may men labour in their caleings euery man in his seuerall family in his seuerall field and how then can there be any publike assemblies of the people together in the Church to keepe a Sabbath 3. I answer suppose we that there was a type in the word Rest yet since it speaketh not of a dayes rest but of an euerlasting rest therfore may the yeere of Iubile the 50th yeere be made a type here rather thē the 7th day for there is greater similitude betwene the 50th yeere Leuit. 25.10.11.4.1 and the euerlasting rest then betwene the 7th day Exod 20.8 and the euerlasting rest SECT X. A 6th text they vse which is Numb 28.9.10 where it was commanded vnto the Iewes to offer ij lambes for a Sacrifice on the Sabbath day whence they would collect that if the Sacrifices being a duety of the Sabbath be abolished then is the Sabbath it selfe aboiished Herevnto I answer 1. if the Sabbath day be abolished togeather with the sacrificing of the ij lambes then must for the same reason also be abolished rest from laboures and the morall worship of God in the Sabbath for the sacrificing of the lambes on the Sabbath day hath as much respect vnto rest from labour Gods worship to declare them also to be ceremonies as vnto the time to declare it to be a ceremony abolished 2. I answer that this law of offering ij lambes on the Sabbath day it was aduentitiouse onely added to the 4th com to the Sabbath for a time and therefore no parte of the 4th com nor essentiall Sabbath duety for it was neuer wrote by God in Tables of stone but wrote by Moses as were other ceremonies all after the writing of the moral law was finished and therefore no parte of
the morall law or law of the Sabbath 3. I answer by deniall of the consequence for since the dueties in the Sabbath day were many it followeth not that if some one of those dueties be abolished the day must also be abolished wherin it was done for since the other dueties of Rest and Gods worship remaine still the time and day may remaine still for these dueties sake SECT XI 7. They argue out of ij textes together Ioh. 7.22.23 and Mat. 12.5 in which textes it is written that on the Sabbath day they did circumcise a man◠and on the Sabbath day they did 〈◊〉 the Sacrifices now these were both ceremonies and the Sabbath day gaue way vnto them wherefore the Sabbath day must be inferiour to ceremonies and so abolished with them I answer by the like absurd reasoning they may say the 6th com thou shalt not kill is abolished also for it gaue way vnto Abraham to slay his sonne Isack the like may be said of the 7th com which gaue way vnto polygamie a diuorce c. when Christ gaue way to be circumcised of a Priest to be baptized of Iohn doth it hence follow that Christ was inferiour to the priest or to Iohn or that the strong are inferiour to the weake because they giue way vnto the weake Rom. 15.1 or that the Morall Law is absolutly abolished because in some sense it gaue way vnto the gospell 2. I answer that not onely the day time to wit the 7th day gaue way vnto circumcision vnto Sacrifice but also the Rest and cessation from labour and the worship of God in the holy exercises of the Sabbath both these gaue way as well as the time wherefore if this their argument be good for the prouing of the time to be a ceremony and abolished then must it be as good also for the prouing those duties of rest and holy exercises to be ceremonies abolished and then what is become of the 4th com and where is the morallity of Rest and the performance of holy exercises inioyned in the 4th com thus still you see lik men of a maleuolent spirit they hunte all the Scriptures ouer to find out somthing or other against Gods ordinance what will be the issue of all their paines why euen this they will at last make the morall law hereby to be a morall-ceremoniall law the 10 goolden linkes of Gods law shall haue one linke become partly goold partly lead there shall be now a shaddow ceremony fansied to be in the heart of a morall law in a word the issue will be that now they may be partiall in Gods Law serue him by halues SECT XII 8thly they argue from Ioh. 4.21 The hower cometh when yee shall neither in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem worship the father In which words Christ foreteld of the destructiō abolishing of the Temple as the place of Gods worship now if the Temple which was the place of Gods worship be abolished so is also the Sabbath day which was the time of Gods worship Herevnto I answer there is not the like reason for whilst the Curch of God was confined to the narrow limites of the land of Canaan all people might possiblie goe vp to Ierusalem to worship in the Temple there 3 times a yeere Exo. 23.17 but when at Christ his death the partition wale being brokē downe the Church enlarged to Iew Gentile all the world ouer thē all people could not possibly come vp to the Temple at Ierusalem to worship 3. times a yeere there for their dwellings would be too farr distant from Ierusalem therefore it was necessary that the Temple should be no longer the peculiar place for Gods worship but that now we might worship God in Spirit trueth euery where but ther 's not the same reason for the Sabbath day the time of Gods worship for the Sabbath day and 7th day from the creation is euery where all a like amongst Iewes Gentiles all the world ouer the same 7th day any nation had at the creation the same 7th day it hath still to this day so as the 7th day this time of Gods worship it is not too narrow for the bounds of the Church as the Temple was for it is as large as the Church of God is or can be therefore ther 's no necessity that it should be altered SECT XIII 9thly they argue from all those textes of Scripture whereby they vse to proue the Lords day to be a Sabbath day instituted by Christ thus they argue thence that the old Sabbath is altered changed by the coming in of the new Sabbath this is that which is so common in many mens mouthes saying why Christ abolished the old Sabbath the Iewish Sabbath by bringing in of the Lords day Herevnto I answer 1. by deniall that Christ hath set vp any new Sabbath as hath bene showne 2 admit that Christ had set vp the Lords day on the 8th day for a new Sabbath yet this doth not hinder but that the old Sabbath on the 7th day may stand still for example the Lord set vp the morall weekly Sabbath on the 7th day Exod. 20.8.9.10 afterwards he set vp other ceremoniall yeerly Sabbaths also Leuit. 23.32.38.39 now the coming in of these other yeerly Sabbaths did not alter change or abolish the weekly Sabbath no here was an addition of Sabbaths no alteration of Sabbaths Iust so it may be here suppose that Christ had set vp a new Sabbath on the Lords day then haue we ij Sabbaths to keepe weekly the old Sabbath on the 7th day the new Sabbath on the 8th day so that the setting vp of this Lords day Sabbath is but an addition of a new Sabbath vnto the old Sabbath like as when a man buildes a new house by the side of an old house this is but an additiō of house to house it is no alteration or change for the raiseing vp of a new house by the side of an old house is not the demolishing throwing downe of the old house SECT XIV 10. they argue from all the new Testament negatiuly saying of all the 10. commandements the 4th com is no where mentioned in all the new Testament neither is the keeping of the Sabbath day vrged any where wherefore the Sabbath day is not of vse to vs vnder the gospell To this Anabaptisticall obiection I answer first see whither it tendeth namly vnto Anabaptistry prophannesse for if the old Sabbath be abolished we shall haue no Sabbath at all for the Lords day can neuer be proued a Sabbath 2. It tendeth to the ruine of the Integrity and perfection of Gods Law so as we shall haue but a lamed and vnperfect Law 3. It tendeth to make Gods morall Law to be a Morall ceremoniall Law Further I answer and will you acknowledge no more of the Old Testament then what is particularly mentioned repeated in the new Testament
they hold from these textes that there is no no difference of dayes a mong Christianes and take away the old Sabbath day it must be so indeed 2. Such as manage these textes against Gods Sabbaths they are guilty of horrible partiality for they can find distinctiones to saue the other 9 commandementes and halfe of the 4th com from such as would abolish the law saying the law is abolished for justification but not for obseruation and yet the same men will neither finde nor receiue any distinction that so the other parte of the 4th com may be also preserued viz the Sabbath day These textes Mat. 5.34 Iam. 5.12 beare as strongly against an oath before a Magistrate as doth this text Rom. 14.5 against the 7th day Sabbath and yet you can find wayes to preserue an oath still in the Common wealth and can you not finde a way to preserue the Sabbath day still in the Church see your partiallity and be ashamed 3. A third absurdety they fale into is this that they so expound one text of holy Scripture as it contradicteth an other yea so as it contradicteth a parte of the 10 commandements now this is against the common receiued rule for no text must be expounded contrary vnto the Analogie of faith the Lords prayer and the 10 commandements but here they expound thes ij textes Rom. 14.5 and Gal. 4.10 quite contrary vnto one of the tenn commandementes for the 4th com maketh the 7th day differ from all others but they so expound these textes as that the 7th day must not differ from the rest of the working dayes wherefore this their exposition directed against the 7th day Sabbath it is erroniouse to be reiected for these absurdeties with others that might be added an other sense of these ij textes is to be sought First therefore that we may reconcile Scripture with Scripture that is the seeming contradictiō betwixt these textes in the new Testament Rom. 14.5 Galat. 4.10 this text in the morall law of the old Testament Exod. 20.8.10 we may expound these textes of such dayes as were in vse amonge these Romanes and Galatianes whilst they were Idolaters before their conversion to the faith for as they had meate sacrificed vnto Idoles 1 Cor. 8.4 so no doubt had they dayes dedicated vnto Idoles now as some of the beleeuing Gentiles would eate of those meates sacrificed vnto Idoles and others refused would not eate so some might keepe those dayes thinking it fit to serue God on those dedicated dayes wherein they were wont to serue their Idoles but others thought it vnfit c This the context giueth some light vnto see Gal. 4.8.9.10 where the Apostle putteth the Galatians in minde of the time when they knew not God and did seruice vnto them which are not Gods and then he telleth them that now they knew God v. 9. and then he addeth his reproofe saying how turne yee againe vnto beggerly rudiments c. ye obserue daies c by which orderly placing of these things and by his minding them of the time wherein they were Idolaters and herevpon speaketh of their turning againe this giueth vs to vnderstand that he speaketh of their turning againe vnto somthing they vsed in the time of their Idolatry when they knew not God and so the dayes and times which he reproued them for obseruing might be the dayes dedicated vnto Idoles this sense M. Perkines fauoureth in his Cases of conscience Chapt. 16. Sect. 3. pag. 108. and thus Walaeus on the 4th com pag. 93. answereth to these textes as spoken of the Gentiles white and blacke dayes cleane and vncleane meates The like may be said of the dayes spoken of in Rom. 14.5 for it is like that the dayes here mentioned were of the same kind with the meates spoken of in the same chapter v. 2.3.14 now it is like that these meates here spoken of were meates sacrificed vnto Idoles as 1. Cor. 10.27 of which some beleeuers would eate others being weake would not eate I doe the rather thinke these might be meates sacrificed vnto Idoles then meates vncleane by the Leuiticall law because the Apostle speaketh of eating of herbes Rom. 14.2 Now I remember no law about eating or not eating of herbes it is therfore more probable that this eating of herbes by the weake was an heathenish superstition and of an indifferent nature as they vsed it and so as the meates were meates sacrificed to Idoles so these dayes were dayes dedicated to Idoles Secondly if this sense pleaseth not but it will be rather judged that these meates daies were such as were inioyned by the Law to Gods people the Iewes why then I distinguish of daies there were daies Morall daies ceremoniall or daies which God ranked among his Morales or daies that were excluded the hedge pale of the Morals neuer came into the Tables of stone the Morall daies were the weekly Sabbaths on the 7th day the ceremoniall daies were the yeerly Sabbaths their new Moones other festiuall daies now the Apostle in both these textes may be vnderstod to speake against these ceremoniall yeerly Sabbath daies new moones and festiuall daies thus the Apostle may be vnderstod yet no wrong or violēce at all offered vnto these textes by this meanes these texts are so expoūded as they doe not contradict nor ouerthrow any other text of Scripture or portion of the 10. commandements nor doe we rune into those absurdeties which they of the contrary opinion doe rush vpon Behold how easy a matter it is to reconsile scripture with scripture the 4th com with other textes seeming to contradict it to such as haue eyes in their heads and affectiones in their hartes to doe it but when they these aduersaries to Gods trueth come to touch these the like textes with their polluted hāds impure minds by way of exposition argumentation they are so farre off from reconciling of the holy scriptures as they will make no worke of it but to set Scripture by the eares as they say text against text making one text as fier the other as water the one iusleing shouldering out of place the other the one text commandeth the 7th day the other they make to forbidde the 7th day yet all this hurly burley opposition of text against text is made needlesly causelesly no thing mouing therevnto but the corrupt minds of such as are enemies to this ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath for suer I am ther 's nothing in the textes themselues to moue them compell them herevnto it seemeth therefore that these men had rather be against God then for God rather throw downe his ordinance then vphold and maintaine it thus you see none of these textes hitherto alleaged will proue that the time 7th day commanded in the 4th com is abolished SECT XVIII 14. They fetch an argumēt against the 7th day out of Ex. 31.13 Keepe yee my Sabbaths
the holy Ghost or 2. For an externall priuilege whereby a Nation or people are seuered from other Nations and people to participate of the outward ordinances of God as the word and Sacraments c. Rom. 3.1.2 Rom. 9.4 Deut. 4.8.34 Exod. 19.10 now admit the Sabbath was made a signe of Sanctification then may the word Sanctifie in the text be vnderstode of this latter kind of Sanctification onely now this Sanctification cannot haue reference vnto Christ considered as incarnate for if it hath then the text must rune thus keepe yee my Sabbaths for they are a Signe that I the Lord Christ doe sanctifie you Now the Lord Christ considered as incarnate could not be sayed to sanctifie those Isralites in Moses his time that is to take the people of the Iewes then from other Nationes and bestow vpon them those holy Privileges of his Oracles circumcision and the rest for hee was not incarnate of 2000 yeeres after that A third way whereby I suppose they may argue out of this text Exod. 31.13 is this All signes whose things signified or antitypes be come weare forthwith abolished But the 7th day Sabbath was a signe whose antitype is long since come Therefore the 7th day Sabbath was forthwith at the death of Christ abolished For the trueth of the Major this they thinke to proue partly by that text Col. 2.16.17 and partly from that common receiued axiome that when the body is come the shaddow or signe vanisheth Herevnto I answer 1. for the text Col. 2.16.17 that this text will not helpe them for our question now is aboute signes But this text saith nothing of Signes for it speaketh onely of Shaddowes now there may be greate difference made betwixt a signe and a Shaddow For euery Shaddow may be a signe but euery Signe is not a Shaddow we haue the word Shaddow vsed but thrice in the new Testament as in Col. 2.17 and in Heb. 8.5 and in Heb. 10.1 and it is euer vsed to signifie a thing to come futurlie as the Apostle speaketh plainly Which are a shaddow of things to come Col. 2.17 And againe The law hauing a shaddow of good things to come Heb. 10.1 But now Signes are vsed to signify things past Exod. 31.17 Rom. 4.11 and somtimes things to come Genes 17.8.11 and somtime to signify a thing present as Exod. 31.13 wherefore seeing there is so greate a difference betwixt a signe and a Shaddow we must not confound them the Apostle would abolish no more but such signes onely as did signify things to come and the Sabbath in Exod. 31.13 is made onely a signe of a thing present Haue these men an indifferent respect with Dauid vnto all Gods commandements Psal 119.6 think you when they belabour it so studiously to ouerthrow a parte of them and may not these men be said to loue Gods law from the heart and to be true friends vnto it when they vse all their wit and lerning to ouerthrow an ordinance of Gods commanded expresly in that law and what will be the issue of this their thanklesse worke why this the bright shining law of God which is a light vnto our feete Psal 119.105 it shall by this their greate study haue a darke shaddow or ceremony placed in the very heart of it yea it shall be made a very monstre among Gods lawes For of all Gods lawes from Genesis to Malachie there is not one like it such a hotch potch they haue made it it shall be partly fish parly flesh partly white partly blake partly morall partly ceremoniall partly abolished partly entaining may they not be in loue with this their worke to behold the vglinesse of it 2. I answer to their axiome and so also to their Major by deniall that all signes must forthwith vanish when the antitype and thing signified is come and I giue these instances to the contrary 1. The Passeouer Lamb it was a Signe that God would spare the Israelites at midnight when he came to destroy the first-borne of the Egyptians now this Passeouer it was eaten in the Euening before this midnight so that it was a signe of a deliuerance to come as namly in the night after now midnight being come and the Angel bauing Passed-ouer spared the firstborne of the Israelites here then the antitype or thing signified by the Passeouer was come and yet for all that this Signe of the Passeouer it was not forthwith abolished for it lasted many hundreth of yeeres after euen till the last Supper of Christ see Exod. 12.6.13.29.25 Luk. 22.15 yea it remained still as a signe of thier deliuerance which was past come and gone long before as you may see Exod. 12.26.27 loe here the signe remained long after the thing signified was come and gone for the fathers were to instruct their Children when they were in Canaan that this Passeouer was kept in remembrance of Gods deliuerance from the destroying Angell whilst they were in Egypt which deliuerance was long before this Passeouer and this Passeouer long after the deliuerance signified by it And vvhy may not the Sabbath last also in the Church if it were a signe long after Christs coming in the flesh euen till his last coming vnto iudgment I can see nothing to the contrary but that it pleaseth not our Ministers to haue it so indeede they talke much that the Sabbath it was a signe the Sabbath it was a signe and now the body Christ being come the signe must of necessity be gone but here they see the contrary the signe of the Passeouer it lasted in the Church many hundreth of yeers after the thing signified by it was come 2. Circumcision it was a signe that God would giue the Land of Canaan to the Israelites Genes 17.4.8.10 well then Canaan was the thing signified by the signe of circumcision now when the Israelites were come into the Land of Canaan then they had receiued the thing signified but did not this signe of circumcision last in the Church many hundreth yeers after that yis euen to the coming of Christ for he was circumcised and why may not the Sabbath if a signe remaine still in the Church after Christs death if they say that circumcision was a signe of something else besids the Land of Canaan so say I was the Sabbath for it was a signe also of the creation or of Gods rest then Exod. 31.17 A 3d instance The Lord gaue Moses a signe or token that hee had sent him to deliuer the Isralites now the signe was this that after he had brought the Israelites out of Egypt both hee they should serue God vpon the Mount Horeb Exod. 3.1.12 where you see that the signe was a good while after that the thing signified was come for the thing signified was this that Moses should goe vnto Pharaoh and also bring the children of Israel out of Egypt Exod. 3.11 now after hee had bene with Pharaoh after he had carried the Isralites out of Egypt then
they say the Rest in the Sabbath day is a type of the reft in the Kingdome of Heauen Heb. 4. a signe of Christ Exod. 31.13 Col. 2.16 yet they hold the same Rest to be morall still in force why then may not the 7th day be abolished as a type and yet remaine as a sacred time for Gods worship as a time to exercise mercy in towards poore seruants by releasing them from their laboures wherein they haue bene spent the 6. daies before why I say may not the time remaine still as it is an helpe and a furtherance vnto those morall dueties of rest the worship of God it is to be wondered at to see men goe about to reiect abolish such things as were are in themselues and may be helpes furtherances of Morall dueties A 5th instance shall be the feast of Pentecost or Whit-Sunday which was a Iewish feast day or Sabbath day as you may read in Leuit. 23.15.16.21 it was also a signe or Shadow of Christ to come as you may see Col. 2.16.17 so it was abolished neuerthelesse we Christians doe keepe this feast day sanctify it as a Sabbath day once euery yeere for as Peter did preach vpon the day of Pentecost Act. 2.1.14 so doeth our Church vpon Whit-sunday onely we haue cast of that shaddowish respect which it had amongst the Iewes of being a signe of Christ to come wherefore by the constant practise of our Church it appeareth that a Iewish ceremoniall day may be retained in our Church so be the ceremonies of it be reiected if then pentecost a ceremoniall feast or Sabbath day may be retained in a Christiā Church why may not the 7th day Sabbath also be retained amongst vs yea if it could be proued a signe of Christ to come thus by this instance you see that a Sabbath day may remaine after its significatiue nature or quality be vanished Thus I haue finished my two generall answers the former shewing that the 7th day Sabbath is not spoken of in their text Exod. 31.13 but onely the yeerly Sabbaths the latter shewing that if the 7th day Sabbath were spokē of in their text Ex. 31.13 yet no more is abolished of this Sabbath but its significatiue typicall quality but the absolute nature of the Sabbath consisting of those 5 things foremētioned may still remaine to wit 1. rest 2. holy dueties 3. on the 7th day 4. because God rested on this 7th day sanctified it 5. because God commanded these thinges My third generall answer that I may defēd the morall Law with euery thing therin commanded vnto a iot and title and shune those foule and many absurdeties which my aduersaries rune into is this the Sabbath may be considered naturally orginally so I deny it was any signe for the signe was not put into the 4th com much lesse to its first institution Gen. 2.3 or it may be considered accidentally aduentitiously and so it became a signe after its institution as in Exod. 31.13 so as the signe was but accidentall and extrinsecall to the Sabbath it being added to it many hundreth yeeres after its prime institution and I know not how long after its promulgation on Mount Sinay in this latter sense I yeeld it abolished but in the former I deny it for as the Rocke after it lost its typicalnesse it still remained a Rocke so may the Sabbath after Christ had abolished its typicalnesse which was affixed to it it may still remaine a Sabbath as it was originally at its prime institution it may remaine still as a Sacred time for Gods worship as a fit time to refresh mā beast in spent with former 6 daies labour Thus much for answer vnto this their text Exod. 31.13 wherein we haue bene the larger because they stand so much vpon it as one of their strongest fortes and suerest houldes but how weake you see there remaineth now but one text more of theirs to answer and it is a maine and chiefe one also it followeth in this next section SECT XIX 15thly they fetch an other a maine argumēt against Gods 7th day Sabbath out of this text Col. 2.16.17 Let no man therefore cōdemne you in meate drinke or in respect of an Holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath daies which are a shaddow of things to come but the body is of Christ But before I come to shew you their arguments out of this text against the Sabbath let me first shew you how absurdly they behaue thēselues who would fetch arguments out of this text against Gods Sabbath The first absurdety is this that they doe voluntarily wilfully without any constraint set themselues in opposition to an ancient ordinance of Gods in his Church for this purpose it is to be obserued not onely that the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath was an ordinance of Gods and in high honour in his Church but also that it was one of the most ancient ordinances that euer God established in his Church for this Sabbath day it did not onely obtaine like priuiledges and honour equally with the residue of the Morales deliuered vpon Mount Sinay but also it pleased God to Sanctify this day at the very Creation of the world as we reade Genes 2.3 So God blessed the 7th day sanctified it God did sanctifie this day rested in it making him selfe our presidēt begining this holy Sabbath in his owne person now for any man to oppose any of Gods ordinances wilfully not compelled therevnto is an euill but to oppose so ancient an ordinance as is this Sabbath is a farre greater euill Baptisme and the Lords supper are ancient ordinances in the Church yet are they nothing so ancient as be the Lords Sabbaths whereby you see that these patrones of nouelty are enemies to antiquity I meane those who defend the Lords day for a Sabbath which is a nouill thing they are enemies to the Sabbath day which is a most ancient thing were it some nouelty or new vpstart point in religion which I speake for it were tollerable that they should oppose it but being so ancient an ordinance in Gods Church as that it is backed with the greatest antiquity here to oppose that causlesly is most absurd Were they compelled herevnto or constrained by the vrgeing necessity of some portion of Scripture in the new Testament or more specially were they compelled herevnto by this one text of Scripture Col. 2.16.17 or by any thing therein conteined they might be excused but seing this text as well as all others may be so expounded as it shall not any whit oppose this ancient Sabbath and ordinance of God and seing there is no collection or consequence that is thence deduced against this ordinance of Gods which necessarily must follow from this text therefore they are altogether vnexcusable that oppose it make it so odiouse before the people of God Wherefore their
bodies with continuall laboures in one weeke as that they shall be vnfit to labour an other weeke now common reason teacheth that mans body cannot endure continuall and perpetuall laboures day by day without ceaseing all his life longe wherefore of necessity there must be a time for men to Sabbathize rest in from laboures therefore it is meete that some one day in a weeke be set a parte for rest that so a man may so worke one weeke as he may worke an other also it is a point of wisedome also for men so to follow their workes as they may goe on continue with them not like vnskilfull Riders who ride galloping vpon the spurre in the forenoone so as their tyred horse cannot goe in the after noone wherefore if men doe but regard their owne bodies it is meete they should set a parte a day to Sabbathize in and rest from their laboures But suppose we that some mans body being of any oaky substance yron constitution could hould out in laboures day by day euerlastingly yet how vnbeseeming a thing is it for man whom God hath made Lord of all to become a slaue a drudge in this world working and tuging day by day without ceaseing like horse in a Carte neither can men pleade necessity for experience hath taught that we can compasse all our workes within the 6 dayes nor yet can the poore plead necessity because of their pouerty for as God gaue the Israelites twise so much Manna on the 6th day as vpon any other day that so they might rest vpon the Sabbath day So hath God blessed the established order in our kingdome of working but 6 dayes in 7 that the poore can now earne as much in 6 dayes as they should doe in 7 dayes if it were customary for vs to worke euery day for did the poore worke 7 dayes the rich would giue them the lesse for euery dayes worke so as they should but barely get a liuing then and so much they get now for because they worke but a fewe dayes therefore they haue the more for euery dayes worke that so they might liue of their worke thus much for men in generall I come now to men in particular by name vnto Seruants It is needfull that we keepe a Sabbath because it is a worke of mercy vnto Seruantes now God was wont to take care for Seruants lest they should be vnmercifully oppressed with labour and therefore it is added to the 4th com That thy mâ—n seruant and thy maâ—de may rest as well as thou Deut. 5.14 what doth this teach vs but that masters must shew mercy vnto their Seruants by resting of their bodies as well as of their owne for if the one hath neede of rest so hath the other Salomon telleth vs that a righteouse man sheweth mercy to his beast Pro. 12.10 how much more then vnto his man seruant and maide seruant were it not that we haue good Lawes in this case prouiding for Seruants by forbiding masters to doe their workes on the Lords day some vnmercifull hardharted and couetuouse masters would worke their Seruants day by day vntill they were weary of their liues the necessity of a Sabbath in this case appeareth by the Lawes now in force whereby for the benefit ease and refreshment of poore Seruants it is enacted no doubt that many holy daies shall be obserued yeerly weekly In the 3d place I come to Beastes it is needfull that we keepe a Sabbath that so we may shew mercy vnto our beastes for God was wont to cale for mercy vnto the labouring beast In the 7th day thou shall rest that thine oxe and thine Asse may rest Exod. 23.12 and it is a property saith Salomon of a good man to shew mercy to the life of his beast Pro. 12.10 and should a man labour his beast on euery day weeke by weeke he might soone haue his skine Thus farre we haue considered of the needfulnesse ca Sabbath day in ciuill respects Now I come to shew the needfullnesse of a Sabbath in religiouse respectes that God may be solemnely and publiky worshipped that the Church and people of God may be further edified in their most holy faith for these two causes it is needfull that there should be a Sabbath day I shall not neede to spend time to amplify these two things for they are so requisite and needfull that all men will grante me that it is meete to haue a day set a parte for the publike worship of God the edification of the Church of God to omit what else might be said the necessity of a Sabbath day appeareth in this that our Church doth now celebrate many Holy daies for the same ends not onely the Saintes daies yeerly but also the Lords daies weekly 2. It is meete to haue a Sabbath day because it is a thing of good reporte approued allowed of by all Christian Churches now the Apostle calleth vpon vs to follow those things which are of good reporte Phil. 4.8 those things therfore which all Christian people approue and allow of are meete to be had in vse Papistes they allow of resting from laboures and the publike worship of God constantly vpon one day of euery Seauen Lutherans doe the like and Anabaptists how euer they keepe no day by Diuine Institution yet they keepe and hould it fit to keepe one day in Seauen wherin they rest from their labours and performe publike worship vnto God lastly all Protestants doe allow and approue of one day in Seaven as fit to rest in from labours and to worship God publikly so here is a clowde of witenesses houlding it meete to keepe a Sabbath day and a thing of good reporte If we should ascend vnto the primitiue Churches who liued next after the Apostles we shall find that they held it meete to keepe one day in 7 and sometimes more for the Seruice of God and to rest from laboures thus we haue a generall and ioynt consent of all Churches both now liuing and from the Apostles times that it is a thing meete to rest and serue God publikly one day in a weeke and so we haue proued this point namely that it is meete convenient to keepe a Sabbath day indefinitly one in 7 daies Now I come to proue that of all the daies of the weeke the 7th day or Saturday is the most fit day my first reason is because God Almightie Rested rather vpon the Saturday then vpon any other day Genes 2.3 and therefore it is meete we should imitate such a president were a man to make his choise on which day of the weeke to Rest from laboures and to refresh himselfe I thinke he could not possiblie find a more fit day to Rest in then on that day wherin God Almighty Rested My second reason is taken from this that a man may doubt whither the old Sabbath day be abolished or not and if it be disputable and
Gods lawes this no man fearing God should doe 2. Since the Lords day is no Sabbath day they that defend the 7th day Sabbath to be abolished they cast downe all Sabbaths of Gods and so draw vs to Anabaptistry and open a flood gate to all impiety prophanesse among people which no man fearing God should doe 3. Since no day can be Sabbath day by the 4th com but the old Sabbath day as hath bene proued therefore they that hold and make it abolished they make that holy prayer of our Church a meere babling with God for the 4th com being rehearsed in vaine we say Lord haue mercy vpon vs and incline our heartes to keepe this Law now no man fearing God should make frustrate such a deuout and ancient prayer of our Church by his absurd tenentes I might mention other absurdeties but I list not to repeate them ARGVM III. My third argument to proue the 7th day Sabbath to be still in force is because so much is confessed by Diuines that are no friends but enemies vnto it thus it may be framed If such as are no friends but enemies vnto the 7th day Sabbath doe confesse that it is still in force then the 7th day Sabbath is still in force But such as are no friends but enemies vnto the old Sabbath doe confesse that it is still in force Therefore the 7th day Sabbath is still in force As for the consequence it is cleere for albeit the Testimony of a man in his owne case and for his owne aduantage be of smale esteeme yet a testimony which a man giues against himselfe is euer accounted strong wherefore if I shall proue that such as mislike of the 7th day Sabbath doe for all that affirme that it is still in force then the point must needes be yeelded to me And so I come vnto the Minor here I shall proue that such as are no friends to the 7th day Sabbath doe confesse that it is still in force and this I shall proue either by their expresse words or else by necessary consequence from their words for albeit they neuer intended to speake a word in defence of Gods Sabbath yet so cleere and apparent hath bene the trueth as they could not but speake for it albeit they fauoured it not my first Testimony shall be that of Doctour Prideaux in his booke of the Sabbath Pag. 140. It is manifest saith he that our Sauiour did often contend with the Pharisies about the superstitiouse obseruation of the Sabbath day but where is there any thing about the abrogation of it at vbi de abrogatione ipsius suspicio and where is there any mention of setting the Lords day in the roome of it did not the Apostles keepe the Sabbath of the Iewes with the Iewes without any scruple after the ascention of Christ did not the followinge Churches doe the like for many yeeres If then there be no suspicion of the abrogation of the Sabbath day in the new Testament as Doctour Prideaux saith then it necessarily followeth that the Sabbath day is still in force My second Testimony shall be that of M. Perkines on the Creede speaking of the Creation Pag. 152. where he speaketh of the place of Gods worship then to wit the garden of Eden also of the time of Gods worship to wit the Sabbath day Touching the time of Gods worship it was the 7th day from the begining of the Creation the Sabbath day And here we must note saith he that the keeping of the Sabbath is morall some indeed saith he doe pleade that it is but a ceremony yet falslie for it was ordeined before the fale of man at which time ceremonies signifying sanctification had no place Here is no speech of the Lords day the 8th day it was not knowne at the Creation but all this is spoken of the Sabbath day the 7th day and M. Perkins doth plainly affirme that this 7th day Sabbath is morall and contesteth against those who hold it to be a ceremony saying they speake falsly c. Now if it be morall no ceremony then it must needs be still in force My third Testimony shall be that of M. Dod on the commandements who in his exposition of the 4th com pag. 122. saith that the Sabbath is morall perpetuall againe Arguments to proue the Sabbath day to be perpetuall Now that all this must be true of the old Sabbath day not of the Lords day is plaine 1. Because he nameth the Sabbath day the SeaueÌ„th day 2. Because he fetcheth reasons to proue the morality froÌ„ Gods rest at the creatioÌ„ because it was a day blessed now these things cannot agre to our Lords day 3. In pag. 129. he thus concludeth So that these reasones doe most euidently confirme to the artes of all Gods childereÌ„ that the keeping of the Sabbath day is a morall Law and bindeth vs and all men to the end of the world as much as it did the Iewes afore Christ 4. In pag. 124. he brings an other reason for the morality of the Sabbath from the time of its first institution in Adams innocency saying Now then since it was instituted in Paradise c. it may not be reputed among ceremonies Now this cannot be vnderstod of the Lords day other reasons of his I spare well if the old Sabbath day be morall as it must be by these his words and reasones then it is still in force My 4th Testimony shall be that of Doctour Bownd in his booke of the Sabbath pag. 40. The 4th com saith he caÌ„ no more be partly morall partly ceremoniall then the same liuing creature can be partly a man partly a beast yea as well may one suppose saith he the second Commandement to be partly morall partly ceremoniall also If then the 4th com be not partly ceremoniall as touching the 7th day then is the 7th day still in force My 5th Testimony shall be that which I find quoted by Doctour Bownd in his booke of the Sabbath pag. 46. out of Wolph Chron. lib. 2. cap. 1. saying But the 7th day is not to be rekoned among the figures ceremonies of the Iewes because it is commanded in the Decalogue which conteineth in it nothing ceremoniall nothing Typicall nothing to be abrogated If the Decalogue conteineth nothing ceremoniall or to be abrogated then is not the 7th day ceremoniall but still inforce My 6th Testimony shall be that of M. Richard Byfield on the Sabbath against M. Brerewod pag. 88. where he thus writeth The 4th com is parte of the Law of nature so a parte of the Image of God 〈…〉 capable of a ceremony to be in it then God is If â—â—n there can be no ceremony in the 4th com then is not the 7th day therein a ceremony therefore it must be still in force so absurd it semeth to me it semed vnto these Diuines to suppose a ceremony to be in
the duety of an Holy Rest the other is the duety of an Holy time to wit the 7th day now of these two things they hold the time a ceremony and abolished but the duety of an Holy Rest this they hold morall and this they carefully performe on the Lords day as they perswade thē selues well but if now I shall proue vnto you that their performance of this Holy Rest vpon a wrong day is not the Sabbaths duety nor the duety required by God in his 4th com then you will say with me that their abolishing of the time the 7th day is the abolishing of the 4th com also for there are but ij things inyoned in the Com. they deny the one expresly and the other by iust consequence For this purpose note that the like is not the same for example A counterfaite is like a current shilling yet it is not a current shilling Sauls Sacrificing was like to Samuels sacrificing but not the same and so the Lords day Holy Rest may be like the Sabbath daies Holy Rest but yet for all that it is not the Sabbath daies Holy Rest It is to be obserued that the Lords day Rest differeth from the Sabbath daies Rest three wayes the first is in the name for the name Rest receineth its denomination most properlie from the day wherin it is done thus the Rest performed on a Fast day is called a Fast daies rest the Rest on a common Holie day is to be called an Holy day rest not Sabbath day rest the worke done on a Saturday is called Saturdaies worke and the worke done on a friday it is called Fridaies worke and so the Rest performed on the Lords day it is the Lords day rest not the Sabbath day rest it is absurd to misename things for if you may call the Rest performed on the Lords day the Sabbath daies rest why may you not by the like reason call the Fridaies worke Saturdaies worke and the rest on a common holy day the Sabbath day rest and a Fastdaies rest or any day of publike thanksgiuings rest the Sabbath daies rest and why may we not call Sauls sacrificing Samuels sacrificing the Lords daies Rest therfore is not the Sabbath daies Rest The other way whereby the Lords day rest differeth from the Sabbath daies Rest is in respect of the 4th Comm. for the rest performed on the Sabbath day is properlie the rest of the 4th Com. because the 4th Com. inioyneth its rest to be vpon the Sabbath day but the rest performed on the Lords day cannot be a rest belonging to the 4th Comm. because the 4th Comm. doth not command any rest vpon that day which is named Lords day it commandeth onelie such a rest as is on the day named Sabbath day and it commandeth labour worke on the day called Lords day it being one of the sixe working daies Happily they will say that they performe this rest on the Lords day in conscience to the 4th Com. But I answer that it cannot belong therfore vnto the 4th Com. for it is not mens conscience but Gods ordinance that maketh a rest to be the rest of the 4th Com. which I thus declare if mens keeping a rest with a respect vnto the 4th Com. would therfore make it a rest commanded in the 4th Com. then it shall follow that if any man in his ignorance will obserue the rest on a fast day on a Coronation day in a conscience of the 4th Com. faineing to himselfe that it is commanded in the 4th Com. then it shall come to passe that Fast dayes Coronation dayes shall stand by virtue of the 4th Com. and be Sabbathes too further by this deuise whereas the Iewes had many Sabbaths some weekly others yeerly they might haue obserued their yeerly Sabbaths in conscience of the 4th Com. The third way whereby the rest of the Lords day differeth from the Rest of the Sabbath day is in regard of the ends wherfore they are obserued for the Holy rest of the Sabbath day is kept to preserue in Gods Church the memory of the Creation but the Holy rest of the Lords day is to preserue the memory of the Redemption the Sabbath daies rest mindeth vs of Gods rest vpon the Sabbath day but the Lords daies rest mindeth vs of Christs Resurrection vpon the Lords day Thus you haue sene it manifested that the Holy rest which we now performe on the Lords day it is not that Holy rest required in the 4th Comm. it is onely like vnto it but it is not the same for it differeth 1. in the name the one being properly called the Sabbath daies Rest the other the Lords daies Rest 2. It differeth in respect of the 4th Com. for the Rest proper to the 4th Com. is a rest vpon the 7th day vpon a day whose name is properly Sabbath day but our rest is vpon the 8th day vpon a day whose proper name is Lords day 3. It differeth in the vse end for the Rest on the Sabbath day is to preserue a memory of the Creation but the rest on the Lords day is to preserue a memory of the Resurrection or Redemption 4. I will add a 4th difference which is this the rest vpon the Sabbath day which is commanded in the 4th com is a rest to be obserued in imitation of Gods Rest on the 7th day at the Creation Genes 2.3 Exod. 20.11 but the Rest on the Lords day is not done in imitation of Gods rest at the Creation nor can be for God rested on the 7th day our Lords daies rest is on the 8th day now this is farr from imitating of God when he rested vpon one day and we will Rest vpon an other And thus in these four respects it is euident that the Rest which now we keepe it is none of Gods Rest ordeined in his 4th Comm. it is but like it as a counterfaite shilling is like a currant shilling let no man therfore any longer deceiue himselfe by thinking he keepeth Gods rest when he resteth on the Lords day To conclude forasmuch as the Holy rest we now keepe on the Lords day it is not that Holy rest required in the 4th com hereby you see plainly that now we neither giue God the time no nor the dueties of the time and that by abolishing of the sacred sanctified time of the 7th day they haue also abolished the Holy rest required of God in this 4th Com. and thus there being but two things inioyned vs in the 4th Comm. they haue reiected them both iudge then good Reader if they haue not by abolishing of the 7th day Sabbath made voide and nullified also the 4th Commandement for they obserue iust nothing of all that God commandeth but haue reiected both the time the dueties in the time And thus much for proofe that by abolishing the 7th day Sabbath they haue made voide nullified the 4th Com. it selfe I come now vnto
the reason of the 4th Com. to shew you how they haue nullified made voide that also for they haue made most horrible hauocke with Gods Commandement by reiecting the Saturday Sabbath The body of the 4th Com. is conteined in iij. verses Exod. 20.8.9.10 and I haue showne how these iij. verses of the xx Chapter of Exodus are made voide and nullified and now I come to shew how they haue made frustrate also an other whole verse to wit verse the 11th and so they shall haue filled vp the mesure of their iniquity fulâ— by a sacrilegiouse robbing God of iiij whole verses out of his Morall Law by taking away the key of knowledge from them for I account it all as one to rend iiij verses of sacred Scripture out of the Bible to peruert the sense of them or to turne the sense vse of them into Ciphers That I may shew you how by denying and abolishing the 7th day Sabbath they haue nullified made voide the reason of the 4th Com. also first I will recite the reason for in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen the earth the sea all that in them is and rested the 7th day Therfore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day hallowed it Exod. 20.11 This 11th verse is a reason giuen by Almightie God thereby to perswade vnto the obedience of the 4th Com. The Commandement was this that we should worke vpon those sixe daies which were the first sixe daies from the begining of the Creation that we should rest from labour on the 7th day from the Creation now the reason whereby God would perswade vs herevnto is a reason drawne from his owne example because that in those sixe daies God himselfe laboured and in the same 7th day God himselfe rested yea and therfore hallowed sanctified this 7th day Now what reason can be more liuly then a reason drawne from Gods example what argument can be more moueing with the sonnes daughters of God then an argumeÌ„t fetched from the example of their heauenly fathers but let the oldest man liuing tell me if euer he heard any Minister in the pulpit presse the keeping of the 4th com by this reason which God hath here added vnto his 4th com or let any man tell me if euer he heard the sanctification of the Lords day which is the first day of the weeke pressed by this reason here added by God vnto his 4th com Nay what Minister will not be ashamed to perswade men either to the keeping of the 4th com or to keeping of the Lords day by this reason which heere God hath propounded for we neither worke on those 6 dayes wherin God wrought neither doe we rest on that 7th day wherein God rested for we rest on the 8th day or first day not as God did on the 7th day our Lords day God did not rest on it for our imitation but he laboured on it for our imitation so as there is no correspondency betwixt our Lords day Sabbath our now keeping of the 4th com Gods example reason propounded vnto vs. When did you euer heare any Minister say thus Let vs rest from our laboures on the Lords day because God himselfe as our Patterne rested on the Lords day and let vs sanctify hallow the first day because God blessed sanctified the first day you see how God hath added a most liuely effectuall reason to his 4th com drawne from his owne example to moue vs to rest on the Lords day to sanctify the first day tell me if euer you heard any Minister thus presse this reason Gods example or if yee haue heard any houer aboute it as loath to touch it he hath nicknamed dayes caling the Lords day Sabbath day the 8th or first day the 7th day wherefore because Ministers cannot deuise how to make Gods example and exemplary reason to fit square to our new Sabbath therefore they are mute sileÌ„t touching it and thus you see the reason of the 4th com standeth in our Bibles but for a Cipher men are a shamed to vse it least they should shame themselues is it not a lamentable thing that Ministers are ashamed to deliuer the whole will counsaile of God least thereby they should both shame themselues bewray vnto the people their foule errour in abolishing of Gods Sabbaths for if this reason were vsed men would easily see how wide we are from the marke in keeping the Lords day in conscience of the 4th com when as the very reason of the 4th com would plainly â—each vs that it is the 7th day Sabbath wherein God himselfe rested that we should rest and not on the 8th day Sabbath To summe vp all you haue seene how they that abolish the 7th day Sabbath they haue turned the body of the 4th com into a company of Ciphers this hath bene declared proued many wayes yea they haue also turned the reason to the 4th com into so many words so many Ciphers for it standeth in the booke of God for a mute and is like a blanke in a Lottery no Minister vseing this reason of God before his people to perswade them to the keeping of the Lords day or of the Sabbath day by it So then since they haue not onely nullified the commandement but also made voyde and vselesse the reason annexed to the commandemeÌ„t hereby you see they haue by reiecting Gods hallowed and sanctified time the Saturday Sabbath reiected also the whole 4th com with euery parte and persell of it roote and branch There are not many verses in the Morall Law and behold how of those fewe verses they haue turned into Ciphers made voyde vselesse no lesse then iiij whole verses v. 8.9.10.11 there are not aboue 15 or 16 verses in all the Morall law now whosoeuer reiecteth the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath you see he maketh voyde frustrate no lesse then 4 of those verses it is an errour caling for deepest consideration a speedy reformation Thus much for my 9th argument ARGVM X. My 10th Argument to proue that the 7th day Sabbath mentioned in the law is still in force is because our Sauiour Christ ratified the very least thing commanded in the Law to endure for euer Mat. 5.18 thus it may be framed He that ratified the very least thing commanded in the Law vnto the least letter to last for euer he ratified the 7th day Sabbath to be still in force But Christ ratified the very least thing commanded in the Law vnto the least letter to last for euer Therefore Christ ratified the 7th day Sabbath to be still in force As for the Major or first proposition it is cleere of it selfe for nothing therin can be doubted of for admit that the 7th day Sabbath be the least thing commanded in the Morall Law why then hee that ratified euery thing commanded in the Law vnto the very least
see that our Sauiour would not haue them profane the Sabbath day by their flight vpon it for the further cleering of this point because it is of the greatest consequence I will proue vnto you that when our Sauiour bad them pray against flying on the Sabbath day hee spake it because he would not haue them profane the Sabbath day by that their flight For this purpose note that it is the common opinion of expositers vpon this text that when Christ spake of flight vpon the Sabbath day he spake of it in a religiouse respect this may be yet further confirmed vnto vs if we consider the Author of these words who was Christ who was a Phisitian for the soule all his Doctrine tended to the furtherance of the kingdome of God wherefore all his speeches are if possible to be vnderstod as concerning the soule the kingdome of God but especially when he mentioneth matters of Religion as is the Sabbath day then we cannot but thinke he spake of it in relation to the soule and to the 4th commandement for the furtherance of the kingdome of God the obseruation of the will of his heauenly father shewing what conscience men ought to make of doeing Gods will keeping of his Sabbaths yea the text giueth light herein for why should they pray not to flye in the Winter but because of discomodety of flight then by foulnesse couldnesse of weather c So why not on the Sabbath day but because of incommodiouse trauailing then by reason of the 4th com and mens consciences which is a religiouse respect Nay how can it enter into any mans head to thinke that Christ should command them to pray that they might not flie on the Sabbath day in any other sense then this because he would not haue them profane it and because he would haue the will of his heauenly father reuealed in the 4th com carefully obserued obeied and because he would not haue those his Disciples pollute their consciences with profanation of Gods Sabbath For the yet further cleering of this point let it be noted 1. what is comprised in this word flight suppose Christ had foreteld them that ouer a few yeeres such an house should be on fyer in one of the seauen dayes and had also bidden them pray that they might not be put to quench the fyer on the Sabbath day what could this imply but that Christ would not haue them worke labour moyle toile so on the Sabbath day â—eueÌ„ so it is here for this end consider that this is such a flight as is made out of a citty by the inhabitantes when the enemies haue beseiged it with souldiers as you may see Luk. 21.20.21 Now when the beseiged distressed Cittizens flie out from the violence of their enemies they vsually carry out with them whatsoeuer things of worth they haue in the citty euen as much as possible they can as their young infantes and children their best apparell and other things of price euery man carries forth euen as much as his backe can beare with his safety so that they goe laden out besids they doe not walke at ease as men doe on the Sabbath day for recreation but they flie and trauaile with all possible labour and speede so as the day of their flight it was a day of moyleing and exceeding toyleinge I need not mention the disquiet and distraction of the mind their careing how to saue their owne liues and the liues of their wiues and children how to saue their goods all which disinabled them for and were enemies to the sacred dueties of the Sabbath and the worship of God therein all this neglect and putting by of the sacred dueties of prayer reading heareing conference c. doth necessarily follow the labour of the body by flying on the Sabbath day Thus much is comprised in the word flight so that when our Sauiour bid them pray against flight on the Sabbath day it is all one as if he had bidden them pray that they might not be driuen to carry burdens on the Sabbath day and that they might not be put to laboriouse and painfull trauailes on the Sabbath day 2. Let it be noted that to beare burdens and to trauaile on the Sabbath day were euer accounted for breaches of the 4th com and for profanation of the Sabbath day as you may read plainly in Nehem. 13.15.17 For Nehemiah reproued the Rulers for bearing of burdens on the Sabbath day saying what euill is this that yee doe profane the Sabbath day see also Ioh. 5.10 Exod. 16.29 VVhereby you see it most apparent that when Christ bad them pray against flight on the Sabbath day he meante it that they should pray against profanation of the Sabbath day for these ij are both one to flie carry-burdens on the Sabbath day to profane the Sabbath as you see by Nehemiahs words and what doth the word Prophane signify but to make a thing common what doe they else by flight on the Sabbath but make it a common day to wit a trauailing a labouring day The will of Christ doubtlesse was none other then the will of God in the 4th com that is that his Disciples should be carefull to keepe an holy Rest on the Sabbath day to refraine all seruile laboures according as it is in the 4th com In it thou shalt not doe any worke c. But here I must take away a maine obiection they will be ready to say that it is no profanation of the Sabbath day to trauaile on it in a case of necessity and to flie to saue a mans life as they doe who are beseiged c. Herevnto I answer yis it is a prophanation of the Sabbath for what is it to prophane an Holy thing but to conuert it vnto common vse be it men trauaile to saue their liues yet since trauailing labouring are common workes by trauailing and labouring on the Sabbath day as they doe on common daies they make the Sabbath day a common day and so prophane it neither will it follow that because it is no sinne to trauaile on the Sabbath in a case of necessity therefore it is no prophanation of the Sabbath for God hath permitted vs to prophane make common the Sabbath in a case of necessity and so prophanation of it is no sinne as otherwise it would haue bene the prophanation remaines still but it is no sinfull prophanation 2. The consideration of this obiection doth strengthen my argument for if our Sauiour would not haue men to flie trauaile worke on the Sabbath day no not to saue their liues if possibly by means of prayer they might auoid it much lesse would he haue men doe any worke on the Sabbath when there is no necessity and in a common case it is a signe that Christ was maruailously zealouse of his fathers Sabbaths to haue them religiously carefully sanctified after his death when he
haue we done and said much more in defence of the Lords Sabbaths thē they haue said or can say in defence of the Lords day who are patrones of it this Lords day Sabbath were it not the Diana and darling of our time supported by men of learning holinesse and zeale I would say of it that it is the most idle friuolouse thing that cane be invented for besids other defects in it they cannot proue a constant practise of it no nor that it was euer kept weeke by weeke two Lords daies together one after an other in any place nor at any time I can but wonder therefore that any man that hath but either learninge or honesty should after the consideration of these things preferre the Lords day aboue the Sabbath day or neglect the ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath day to imbrace this nouill Sabbath of the the Lords day I haue now finished my 12th last argument as touching the first branch of it wherin I haue proued that the Apostles of Christ did constantly keepe the Sabbath day after Christs resurrection now I am to procede and to proue vnto you the second branch of my Minor or second proposition which is That the primitiue Churches which liued after the daies of the Apostles kept the Sabbath day for 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ And this trueth I shall confirme vnto you by sondry Testimonies 1. I will begine with that which M. Perkins reporteth saying The obseruatiō of the Sabbath was neglected of those Churches which succeeded the Apostles but afterwards it was established by Christian Emperours his Author for it is Leo Anton Edict of Holy daies Perk. in his first volume vpon the 4th com pag. 48. by the word Sabbath M. Perkins vnderstandeth the Lords day Sabbath Now of this Lords day he saith according to his author that the Churches which succeded the Apostles they neglected it vntill it vvas established by Christian Emperours now these Churches were the primitiue Churches for they liued immediatly after the Apostles they liued in the neglect of the Lords day Sabbath for about 300 yeeres after the daies of the Apostles as is gatherable by this that he saith it was established by Christian Emperoures now the first Emperour that established the Lords day was Constantine the greate as saith Hosp Cap. 9. pag. 27. this Constantine liued aboute 300 yeers after the Apostles now for asmuch as these Churches liued about 300 yeeres without the Lords day Sabbath it followeth that they all that time kept the 7th day Sabbath vnlesse we shall vncharitably censure them to haue liued profanly without any Sabbath day all that while which were absurd to thinke many Churches kept both Sabbaths together to wit the Sabbath day and the Lords day as you shall see by and by now can it be thought that some of the Primitiue Churches should be so zealouse as to keepe two daies other some so key could as to keepe none at at all wherefore since these Churches kept not the Lords day therefore it must follow that they kept the Sabbath day thus you see it followeth that the Sabbath day was in vse in the primitiue times for about 300 yeeres after the Apostles so then as the Apostles kept the Sabbath day constantly after Christs resurrection so the primitiue Churches that succeded next after the Apostles they kept it for a matter of 300 yeeres longer 2. My next Testimony shall be out of the Centuries where it is thus recorded Romae conventus ecclesiasticos non fuisse in Sabbato quemadmodum in aliarum terrarum ecclesiis Centur iiij Cap. vj. pag. 477. de ritibus ecclesiae Romanae The summe whereof is this that There was no Ecclesiasticall or Church assemblies vpon the Sabbath day at Rome as there was in other Churches In which words there is an opposition made betwixt the Church of Rome an other Churches to wit Christian Churches aboute keeping of the Sabbath day now it is recorded that there was no Church meetings vpon the Sabbathday at Rome but yet there was Church assemblies vpon the Sabbath day in other Churches abrode in the world so then by this Record it is plaine that the most Churches kept the Sabbath day albeit Rome did not and it is no maruaile that Rome had learned of the Laodicean Counsaile to reiect the yoke of Gods 4th com with the first further ' this Testimony was of what was done in these Churches for 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ so then you see that the Sabbath day was obserued in the most Churches 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ so much for this second Testimony 3. My third Testimony shall be from an acte made by the Laodicean Counsaile in the yeere of Christ 364. Laodicenum Concilium celebratum circa annum 364 sanxit Non oportere Iudaizare Christianos in Sabbatho vacare sed potius operari in eadem die Dominicam praeponendo Sabbatho quod si inventi fuerint Sabbathum Judaeorum observantes anahemate ibidem feriuntur Hospin de origin Fest Chap. 9. pag. 27. The summe whereof is this The Laodicean Counsaile held about the yeere 364 made a Law that Christianes should not Judaize rest vpon the Sabbath day but rather worke vpon it that they should praeferre the Lords day aboue the Sabbath day And if so be any were found obseruing the Iewes Sabbath they should be excommanciated or accursed By this Law then it appeareth that the Sabbath day was in vse in those times for else this Law had bene made in vaine which forbad Christians to kepe the Sabbath day any more vpon paine of excommunication for gouernes doe not enact Lawes against nothing 2. Note that as the Sabbath day was in vse in those times so also it was in vse amōgft Christianes for this law as you see was bent against the practise of Christianes forbidding Christianes to keepe the Sabbath day whereby we see that in these times the Sabbath day was honoured among Christianes 3. Note that vnto this time Christianes did honour the Sabbath day with or aboue the Lords day this I gather from hence because this Counsaile ordeined that for time to come Christianes should preferre the Lords day before the Sabbath now they neded not to haue made a law to bind Christiās to preferre the Lords day before the Sabbath day if they had done so before the making of this law this is a remarkabl thing that in these times the Sabbath day was had in such honour with Christiās as it was as highly or rather more highly set by then the Lords day was 4. Note the time this Law was made 364. yeeres or there about after Christ whereby we see that the Sabbath day was in vse amongst Christianes for nere 400 yeeres after Christ A digression by the way shewing 1. the Invalidity of this Laodicean Counsaile Decree made against the Lords Sabbaths 2. The Originall of the Lords day Sabbath 3.
whence I came 4. My fourth Testimony shall be the words of M. Perkins and Doctour Prideanx M. Brerewood For M. Perkins he moueth a question to know who changed the Iewes Sabbath And then his answer is this It is commonly thought saith hee that the Iews Sabbath was changed into this Lords day by Christian Emperours long after the Ascention of Christ Perk. in his Exposition vpon the first Chapter of the Reuelation and verse the 10th In which words M. Perkins doth deliuer though not his owne yet the common opinion and iudgment of others now the common opinion is saith hee that the Iewes Sabbath was changed long after Christ his Ascention and that by Christian Emperours so then it is the common opinion that the Sabbath day lasted in the Churches a long time after Christ his Ascention euen 300. yeers For Doctour Prideaux saieth he in his worke vpon the Sabbath pag 140 Annon Sabbathum Iudaeorum oum Iudaeis sine scrupulo murmure obseruarunt Apostoli caetus in Sabbatho coactos libentissime instituerunt Annon insequens Ecclesia tam Sabbathum hoc quam diem Dominicum per aliquot annorum decursum sacris conventibus distinauit Notiora sunt ista quam vt probatione indigeant The summe whereof is this did not the Apostles saith hee obserue the Iewes Sabbath with the Iewes without the least scruple making did they not most willingly appoint assemblies on the Sabbath day and did not the Church which followed them appoint both the Sabbath day the Lords day for holy assemblies for diverse yeeres these things are so well knowne that they need not to be proued By whose Testimony you see that the Churches which followed the Apostles they obserued and kept the Sabbath day for diuerse yeeres this is so plaine by History that it needeth not any quotations or profe For M. Brerewood Professor in Gresham College in London in his Treatise of the Sabbath day against M Bysield pag. 77. thus writeth And little doe you know saith hee of the ancient condition of the Church if you know it not that the ancient Sabbath did remaine was obserned together with the Lords day by the Christians of the Easterne Church aboue 300 yeers after Christs death c. And againe The Sabbath of the 7th day was religiously obserued in the East Church 300 yeeres more after our Sauiours passion That Church being a greate parte of Christendome Thus by the iudgement of those who are well seene into the Histories of the Church it is a plaine case that the Sabbath day was religiously obserued and that by Chrïstians for more then 300 yeeres after Christ 5. My fifth Testimony shall be that recorded by Zanchie out of Sozomen the summe whereof is this That those of Constantinople almost all others haue Ecclesiasticall Assemblies to heare Gods word on the Sabbath day on the Lords day Zanchie vpon the 4th com Thes 1. Here you see that not onely at Constantinople they kept the Sabbath day but also almost in all other Churches the Sabbath was kept 6. My sixth Testimony shall be out of Socrates the summe whereof is this Assemblies were wonte to be in the Churches euery weeke vpon the Sabbath day vpon the Lords day Socrat. Chap. 8. lib. 6. againe At Cesarea Cappadocia in Ciprio vpon the Sabbath day vpon the Lords day the Presbiters Bishopes did euermore interpret expound the Sciptures Socrat. Cap. 21. lib. 6. here you see a weekly obseruation of the Sabbath day a constant practise of Presbiters and Bishopes to expound the holy Scriptures vpon the Sabbath day But before I proceed any further it shall not be amisse to answer a doubt that may rise in the minds of some that reade these Antiquities may they say what did the primitiue Churches keepe two Sabbath daies euery weeke for it seemeth so because they kept both the Sabbath day and the Lords day For answer hereto we must know that howbeit they kept two daies yet it is not to be thought that they kept them both for Sabbath daies resting from labour all day long according to the 4th com for 1. This were more then euer God required in his morall Law to rest two daies in Seauen 2. Jgnatius put a difference betwixt the Sabbath day and the Lords day as betwene the King and the Quene for he caled as you shall see by by the Lords day the quene of daies hereby intimating that the Sabbath day whereof he spake also in that place was the King of daies 3. The Christianes against whom the Laodicean Counsaile enacted that law forespoken of they honoured the Sabbath day aboue the Lords day as there we shewed 4. Many Churches of Christianes they kept not the Lords day at all for 300 yeeres together as we haue showne out of Perkines 5. In Cōstantines time he gaue leaue for men to goe to plough and other workes of husbandry on the Lords day as else where we haue showne by all which it is more then manifest that the primitiue Curches though they kept the Lords day yet they kept it not for a Sabbath day or like the Sabbath day but rather much like as we now keepe a common Holy day or a lecture day wherin we come to Church heare the word of God but we keepe not the whole day in a rest from laboures in conscience of the 4th com thus you see albeit they kept two daies in a weeke yet but one onely was kept for their Sabbath the other was kept lightly and partially they kept these two daies in a weeke then much like as we now kepe the Lords day and some light Holy day or the Lords day a Eecture day when they fall both in one weeke 7. My seauēth Testimony shall be that of Athanasius who liued about the time of Constantine 300. yeeres after Christ who in his Homilie de Semente saith thus Wee assemble together in the Sabbath day not as if we were infected with Iudaisme but therefore wee meete together in the Sabbath day that we may worship Iesus the Lord of the Sabbath Centur. iiij Cap. vj. pag 410. In which words we see what was the practise of the Christian Curches in the daies of Athanasius for then they kept the Sabbath day as we see here Furthermore it is worth our obseruation to consider that Athanasius doth not onely barely auowch it that they then kept the Sabbath day but moreouer he doth Iustify defend their keeping of it for whereas some might obiect vnto him saying but doe your Churches keepe the Sabbath day still why that is Iudaisme c. of this mind was the Laodicean counsaile that liued not long after Athanasius and it seemeth that this slaunderouse opinion of the Sabbath was creeping into the Church in the daies of Athanasius growne to ripenesse within a matter of 60. yeeres after him for now the Laodicean counsaile durst cale it Iudaisme in
plaine termes for Christianes to keepe the Sabbath day but see how this famouse Athanasius godly Bishop foreseeing this mischeife meeteth with the priuy obiectiones of some in his time who were alredy infected with this leauen saying not as if we were infected with Iudaisme The iudgement therfore of this Godly Bishop was that a Christian Church might sanctify the Sabbath day without any tainte or tincture of Iudaisme I wish all Ministers now would learne to know of Athanasius that to keepe Gods Sabbath it is no Iudaisme but how is it to be lamented to see the most diuines rather to follow that Schismaticall decree of the counsaile of Laodicea caling the keeping of Gods Sabbath Judaisme then to follow that famouse Athanasius who defendeth it that the keeping of the Sabbath day is no Iudaisme Further it is to be noted that the Christian Churches in the time of Athanasius kept the Sabbath day and that this was about 300 yeeres after Christ so that the Sabbath day was in vse with Christianes for 300 yeeres after Christ Now the first 300 yeeres after Christ are accounted for the most pure times the freest from corruptiones and the after times were lesse puer abateing of their purity daily as the Church grew elder now forasmuch as the Sabbath day was honourable amongst Christianes and religiously obserued in the most puer times this is much to be regarded for what if the Sabbath day begane to be trampled vpon and counted for Iudaisme 60 or 100 yeeres after these puer times what 's that to vs for if we follow any we will choose rather to imitate the more puer Churches I trust so then those that were lesse puer now the more puer Churches as you haue seene it abundantly proued they kept the Sabbath day To conclude so long as the Churches retained their best purity so long the Lords Sabbaths were in vse honour but when the Churches begane to decline and fale away as to set vp Images to adore the Crosse to pray to Saints to pray for the deade to beleeue a purgatory and the like then they begane to esteeme the Lords Sabbath Iudaisme that so they might forsake them and set vp dayes of their owne invention but my trust in God is that as he hath caused a reformation of the abuses of the second commandement which crept into the Church in those times so the same God will find a time to reforme the abuses of the 4th com also which crept in then too but remaine to this day vnreformed 8. My eight last Testimony shall be that of Ignatius who liued about an 100 yeeres after Christ Let not vs saith hee keepe the Sabbath day in a Iewish manner pleasing our selues with a rest or idlenesse for he that will not labour let him not eate c But let euery one of vs keepe the Sabbath day Spiritually reioyceing in the meditation of the lawe not in a remisnesse or idlenesse of the body but in an admiration of the workemanship of God not reioyceing in daunceings and vnciuill Showtinges c. And after the Sabbath day let euery one that loueth Christ celebrate the Lords day beinge the quene of dayes c. Ignat. in his Epistle to the Magnesianes In this exhortation of Ignatius we may note 1. That hee speaking both of the Sabbath day and also of the Lords day doth insinuate a plaine difference betwixt them as touching their estimation for the Lords day he counteth as the queene of daies and so leaueth a place for the Sabbath day to be in account as the King of dayes yea speaking of the Sabbath day he vseth the word Sabbathizare but speaking of the Lords day he vseth the word celebrare 2. We may note that hee speaking of the Sabbath day doth consider it doublie first as the Iewes in those dayes did vse it or abouse it rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reioyceing in idlenesse or slothfulnesse as hee speaketh And secondly as Christianes ought to vse it for the former we may note by Ignatius his words that the Iewes in his dayes did keepe the Sabbath day indeed but yet they kept it profanly as a feast of Bacchus with idlenesse with daunceings with showteing and the like now this kind of Sabbath keeping Ignatius did abhorre saying it is better for the Iewes to labour on the Sabbath day then thus to keepe it for he that will not worke saith hee let him not eate which words are to be referred vnto the Iewes not vnto the Christianes to whom he wrote vnlesse they would ioyne with these profane Iewes in reuelling and roioting on the Sabbath day by which manner of speaking Ignatius alludeth vnto a like forme of speech vsed by God himselfe in a like case saying I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabbaths c. My soule hateth them c. Isa 1.3 Now God did not simply hate their Sabbaths since he had commanded them but he hated their irreligiouse hypocriticale obseruation of the Sabbaths and so Ignatius did not meane simply that the Iewes should worke vpon the Sabbath day or else they should not eate but comparatiuly and respectiuly as if he had thus said rather then men should keepe the Sabbath as doe the Iewes in reuelling sporting idlenesse let them be forced to labour worke in it by denying them foode for it is better to worke on the Sabbath day according to that commandement which inioyneth labour 2. Thes 3.10 then to rest according to that commandement Exod. 20.10 when a man dothit onely to please the flesh and not to further him in the worship of God it is better to keepe no Sabbath then to keepe it onely in a carnall manner honest labour is better on the Sabbath then carnall slouthfull reuelling rest Now this kind of profane carnall keeping of Gods Sabbath is that which Ignatius doth admonish Christians of and doth dehorte them from saying Let not vs keepe the Sabbath as doe the Iewes or in a Iewish manner c. In the next place Ignatius speaketh of the Sabbath as Christianes ought to keepe it that is not profanly and carnally but religiously and Spiritually But let euery one of vs saith hee keepe the Sabbath Spiritually and then he proceedeth to mention the dueties of the Sabbath particularly the one whereof is to reioyce in the meditation and Diuine contemplation of the Law of God reioyceing in the meditation of the Law the other is to make an holy admiration of the Creation of the world of the prouidence of God in the gouernance of the same c. In an admiration of the workmanship of God Now vnto this Holy Spirituall religiouse obseruation of the Sabbath day did Ignatius exhorte those Christians vnto whom he wrote saying But let euery one of vs keepe the Sabbath day c. In which exhortation you see that Ignatius did not onely permit the keeping of the Sabbath day among Christianes but he goeth
further then so for he falleth to a plaine right downe exhortation and perswasion of Christians to keepe the Sabbath day Let euery one of vs saith hee keepe the Sabbath day What cā bemore plaine had Ignatius esteemed the obseruatiō of the Sabbath day an abolished ceremony as many thinke now a daies or Iudaisme as those of the Laodicean Counsaile thought it who liued 200 yeeres after Ignatius and as many of vs now a dayes iudge it to be he would neuer haue exhorted and perswaded Christianes to the obseruation of it Thus you see that so long as the Church was in its greatest purity and perfection so long it retained in honour the Lords Sabbaths for Ignatius liuing so neere vnto the time of the Apostles he liued in the most flourishing estate of the Church for purity and euen in these so pure times was the Sabbath day in honour vse so continued vntill the Church begane to decline which was 200 yeeres after this time about which time they begane to corrupt the second Command what maruaile if they then also made hauocke of the 4th commandement too but this I say so longe as the primitiue Churches remained in their greatest purity so longe Christians retained the Lords Sabbaths in honour vse thus much for the second branch of my Minor so hitherto we haue proued these two things the former that the Apostles of Christ did constantly obserue the Sabbath day in their time the other that the most pure primitiue Churches which followed the Apostles kept the Sabbath so long as they kept their purity which was 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ now I am come to the third last branch of my Minor The 3d branch of my Minor or second proposition which I am to proue is That our Church doth daily pray to God to incline our heartes to keepe this Sabbath day I shall not neede to goe farre for the proofe of this point for our daily prayers to God euery Sunday or Lords day in the Congregation will confirme it for the Minister as it is ordered by our Church in the booke of Common prayer rehearseth to the whole Assembly the 10. Commandements of Almightie God among the rest hee repeateth the 4th Com. saying Remember the Sahbath day to keepe it holy c. But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke c. for the Lord rested the 7th day and therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Now as soone as this Commandement touching the 7th day Sabbath is rehearsed in the audience of the people It is by our Church ordered that the whole Congregation shall herevnto subioyne this deuout prayer Lord haue mercie on vs and incline our heartes to keepe this lawe And thus you see that our Church doth ratify the Sabbath day by praying daily to God to incline our heartes to keepe it But happily some may say our Church doth not intende by this hir prayer to ratify the 7th day Sabbath which is the Iewes Sabbath Herevnto I reply that by this hir prayer she must be vnderstod to pray to God to incline our hearts either to the keeping of the 7th day Sabbath or to the keeping of the Lords day Sabbath now strongly I am perswaded that the Reuerend Bishopes of our Church will not say that the 4th com doth command vs to keepe the Lords day therefore when we pray to God to incline our heartes to the keeping of the 4th com we cannot vnderstand our prayer to be meant of the Lords day for it is not the day caled Lords day which the 4th Com. inioyneth but it is the day called Sabbath day as you see in the Commandement and it is not the Lords day which the Minister pronounceth in reading the 4th com but it is the Sabbath day which he speaketh of neither is it the 8th day or first day of the weeke which the 4th com speaketh of but it is the 7th day and last day of the weeke which the commandement mentioneth neither is it the 8th day or first day of the weeke or Lords day where in God rested at the Creation but it is the 7th day wherein God rested as the Commandement saith neither is it the Lords day which the commandemēt saith God blessed and hallowed but it is the day caled Sabbath day which God blessed and hallowed as the 4th commandement speaketh wherefore when the Minister saith Remember to Sanctify the Sabbath day if then we shall pray thus Lord incline our hearts to keepe the Lords day doe we not so make answer as sometimes deafe men doe who when a man caleth for a knife they bring him the sheath when the Minister telleth the people which day is the Sabbath day saying But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord if then we shall pray thus Lord incline our heartes to keepe the 8th day are we not then like those that come to Church when the Sermon is done that goe to sell comodities the day after the fayer yea were not this to bable with God and to profane this Holy ordinance of prayer when the prayers of the Church cane be taken but ij waies it is a very absurd thing vncharitable for any man to expound them in the worser sense which is a false and absurd sense wherefore since the Lords day cannot be meāt in our publike prayer therefore the Sabbath day must be meante for there is none other but one of these two that can be imagined and thus I haue proued the 3d branch of my Minor to wit that our Church doth pray to God daily to incline our heartes to keepe the Sabbath day so these 3 points are proued 1. That the Apostles kept the Sabbath day 2. That the primitiue Churches after them kept it 3. That our Church daily praieth to God to keepe it wherefore if the constant practise of the Apostles the religiouse practise of the most ancient and primi tiue Churches after the Apostles the daily prayers of our Church will any thing auaile with vs then must we sanctify the 7th day Saturday Sabbath ARGUM. XIII I had thought to haue added no more by way of profe for confirmation of the Sabbath day but further serch hath ministred vnto me more arguments these they are which follow My 13th Argument for confirmation of the 7th Sabbath is because we must imitate God who kept the 7th day Sabbath and thus I frame it Whosoeuer must imitate God in his keeping of the 7th day Sabbath they must keepe the Saturday 7th day Sabbath But we must imitate God in his keeping of tho 7th day Sabbath Therefore wee must keepe the Saturday 7th day Sabbath For the Maior it is cleere for since God kept the Saturday 7th day Sabbath if we must imitate him then must we keepe the same day in order when i◠comes and so doeing
wholl as in parte and reiect all things commanded in the Decalogue with them as any one thing therein commanded To conclude vnlesse we will iustify those Sectaries in destroying the whole Law of Gods 10 commandements let vs as we ought raise vp Gods Sabbath againe ARGUM. XV. My 15th argument in defence of the Saturday Sabbath is that it must be morall because if you abolish the Sabbath day by the Scriptures you must also by the Scriptures abolish the law of the Sabbath day which is the 4th commandement and thus I argue Jf by the interpretation of the Scriptures you abolish the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath then by the interpretacion of the Scriptures must you also abolish the Law of the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath which is the 4th com But no man may by the interpretation of the Scriptures abolish the law of the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath which is the 4th commandement Therefore no man may by the interpretation of the Scriptures abolish the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath For the Minor it is out of question for euery man granteth that the law of the Sabbath the 4th com is morall and that it were horrible impiety to abolished it any more then to abolish any of the rest of the Decalogue and how be it they say that something in this Law is abolished as the time of the 7th day yet as for the Law it retaineth its commanding and binding force still as they doe confesse I come therefore vnto the Major to proue the consequence thereof How beit the point is cleere enough of it selfe yet such is the enmity of men to Gods Sabbaths as rather then they will imbrace them they will question any cleere trueth for what 's more cleere then this take away the thing yea any thing commanded in a Law and take away the Law thereof take away the Sabbath day commanded in the 4th com and you take away the 4th com also there are many lawes in the old Testament which are now abolished let my aduersaries shew me any one of them wherein any thing once commanded was abolished but that that Law it selfe also was abolished if then it be the constant interpretation of Scriptures to iudge when a thing commanded in a Law is abolished that then that Law is abolished then so it must be in this case also take away the Sabbath day take away the Law of the Sabbath day for example There was a Law made touching the difference of Meates Leuit. 11. Now the Apostle shewing vs that the difference of meates is taken away Colos 2.16 hence we conclud that not onely that difference of meates is taken away but also that law which commanded that difference of meates is taken away Againe there was a Law for the obseruation of New-Moones Numb 28.11 which was to sanctify the first day of euery moneth Now the Apostle shewing vs that those New-Moones are abolished Colos 2.16 hence we conclud that that Law of the New-Moones is abolished also Againe there were diuers Lawes made for the keeping holy of diuerse anniuersary Sabbaths Leuit. 23.7.21.24.32.35.39 now the Apostle shewing vs that those yeerly Sabbaths are all abolished Colos 2.16 hence we gather that together with the abolition of those Sabbaths all those lawes made for those Sabbaths are abolished also it is cleere therefore that if you abolish the weekly Sabbath which is Saturday the 7th day you must also from those Scriptures by which you abolish it abolish also the Law of it which is the 4th com A second reason J take from Colos 2.14.16 where the Apostle abolishing those yeerly Sabbaths in v. 16. doth also abolish the Lawes of those yeerly Sabbaths in v. 14. that vnder the name of hand-writting of ordinances shewing how Christ vpon the crosse did put out and abolished this hand writting of ordinances that is those Lawes ordinances of those many yeerly Sabbaths whence I thus argue if by this 16th verse of Colos 2. you will abolish the weekly Saturday 7th day Sabbath then must you by the 14th verse of Colos 2. abolish also that Law handwriting ordinance of the 4th com which belonged to was made for the weekly Sabbath day for looke what Sabbath daies you include in v. 16. The Lawes of those Sabbath daies you must include in v. 14. so abolish them for it is plaiâ—e that the Apostle speaketh no larger in v. 16. then in vers 14. he condemnes no Sabbaths in v. 16. but such whose Lawes be abolished in v. 14. thus you see it cleerly proued that take away Gods Sabbath yee take away the Law of Gods Sabbath which is the 4th com Here by the way note that since Anti-Sabbatharians will haue nothing in the 4th com morall but the dueties of Rest Holy exercises therefore let them know they shall haue no Law for these dueties they shall not presse to the practise of these dueties by any Law for in that they will haue the 7th day Sabbath a ceremony included in the text Col. 2.16 thereby they haue abolished the Law of the dueties of Rest holy exercises by Colos 2 14. then their Lords day Sabbath shall be a lawlesse Sabbath the dueties of the time Rest holy exercises shall be lawlesse dueties But hereto it will be aÌ„swered in the 4th coÌ„ is two things inyoined the duâ—â—ies of rest holy exercises the time now though the time be abolished as a ceremony yet so long as the dueties of rest and holy exercises which are morall remaine the 4th com may be abolished as touching the time but not as touching the other dueties of Rest and holy exercises But how absurd this answer is appeareth 1. In that it cannoâ— be showne as hath bene said that euer any thing commanded in any of God lawes hath bene abolished but the Law it selfe also hath bene abolished it is therefore a growndlesse fiction to imagine any of Gods lawes to be abolished in parte yet to remaine in parte 2. The absurdety of this answer appeareth in this that by the same answer they may retaine in the Church still all these abolished Lawes of the New-Moones of these yeerly Sabbaths before spoken of saying that in these new-Moones and yeerly Sabbaths there were two things inyoined the duties of rest and holy exercises the times now though these times be abolished so those commandements as touching these times yet those commandements may all remaine still as touching the dueties of rest and holy exercises by this kind of absurd answer therefore you see we may still hold all those abolished ceremoniall Lawes to be of vse in the Church still morall I conclude therefore take away the time 7th day and take away also the Law of the time and 7th day which is the Law of the 4th commandement ARGVM XVI My 16th argument in defence of Gods Sabbaths is that the time to wit the 7th day must
said to remeÌ„ber the words of Iesus which he had said vnto him Mat. 26.75 and so it is here whereas God said remember the Sabbath day he speaketh to his people the Iewes of a day which they knew beforehand for it was consecrated not first at the giuing of the Law but long before euen at the Creation Genes 2.3 now the Iewes they knew no day for a Sabbath day and so could remember no day but Saturday the 7th day they knew not of the Lords day nor of any other and therefore this 4th com and the word Remember in it belongeth properly vnto no day of the weeke but Saturday 2. That day of the weeke and that onely is the Sabbath by the 4th com whose proper name is Sabbath day Remember the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8 now no day of the weeke was euer called Sabbath day by the Scriptures or ancient fathers but Saturday therefore no day but Saturday can stand by the 4th com I am not ignorant that we cale Sunday Sabbath day but this is but a miscalling and nicknaming of daies as elsewhere is shewed see Mark 16.1.2 where Saturday was caled Sabbath day sunday was caled the first day of the weeke 3. Onely that day is Sabbath day by the 4th com which is the 7th day of the weeke But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Exod. 20.10 now no day of the weeke is by any approued computation called and accounted the 7th day but Saturday as elswhere hath bene showne therefore Saturday is the Sabbath day by the 4th com see Mark 16.1.2 where Sunday is caled the first day of weeke if Sunday be the first day then Saturday which cometh after it must be the 7th day Thus you see none other day of the weeke can be Sabbath by the 4th com because none other day was euer caled Sabbath day nor counted the 7th day 4. No day of the weeke caÌ„ be Sabbath day by the 4th com but Saturday the 7th day because the reason of the 4th com Gods ensample of his rest on the 7th day therein conteined Exod. 20.11 cannot belong vnto any day of the weeke besids Saturday this point is elswhere cleered also Thus you see it vndeniablie proued that if one day in a weeke must be a Sabbath day by the 4th com it must of necessity be Saturday because the 4th com in all the partes thereof point vs out vnto Saturday and vnto no day of the weeke besids it ARGVM XXIII My 23th argument in defence of the Lords Sabbath proueth that it must be morall perpetuall because it is such an ordinance of Gods as doth greatly further the publike solemne worship of God tend vnto piety and furtherance of the dueties of the first Table nourish Christian Religion generally helpeth all sortes of people to the attainment of grace and groweth in all the dueties of piety towards God and Charity towards man yea because it is such an ordinance of Gods as tendeth vnto mercy and that not onely towards mankind in generall but also vnto mercy both vnto man beast And thus I argue That which is expressely commanded in the morall Law which by experience we find tending vnto and a notable furtherance of Gods publique priuate worship and seruice and of all sortes of people for their attainment and increase of grace godlinesse and growing vp in our Christian Religion yea and further which is commanded as a worke of mercy vnto mankind yea both to man beast that thing is morall perpetuall still in force But to rest from worke on Saturday the 7th day is expresly commanded in the Morall Law and we find it by experience tending vnto a notable furtherance of Gods publique priuate worship seruice of all sortes of people for their attainment increase of grace godlinesse and growing vp in our Christian Religion yea and further which is commanded as a worke of mercy vnto mankind yea both to man and beast Therefore to rest from worke on Saturday the 7th day is morall perpetuall and still in force As for the trueth of the Major I suppose none will deny it for it is a Rule in expounding the commandements that not onely the things expressed in the Decalogue are commanded as dueties binding vs but also all causes helpes furtherances vnto those dueties whence I reason thus if the helpes furtherances of morall dueties belong vnto vs though not expressed in the Law then by like if not by stronger reason such helpes furtherances as serue vnto morall dueties being expresly commanded in the Law doe belong vnto vs bind vs as morall yea further that duety which is commanded in the law as a worke of mercy that must needs be morall without all controuersy And as for the Minor I suppose it is as cleere as the Major for 1. it is expresly commanded in the Morall Law that we should rest from worke on the 7th day which is Saturday But the 7th day is the Sabbath c. in it thou shalt not doe any worke c. Exod. 20.10 And 2. we find it by all experience that if we rested from our laboures on Saturday the 7th day it would greatly tend vnto the furtherance of Gods publike worship on that day and vnto the begetting groweth and increase of grace in all men for when men doe â—et a parte all worldly imployments to attend on the seruice of God then are they free from many distractiones incumberances which would hinder them in Gods seruice and then are they fiter for all Religiouse exercises c. The trueth hereof we see by our now keeping of the Lords day for our resting from worldly imployments on this day doth greatly further the worship of God all holy exercises iust so it would be with the 7th day if we had it in vse 3. That a rest from worke on the 7th day is commanded as a worke of mercy is plaine Exod. 23.12 In the 7th day thou shalt rest that thine oxe and thine Asse may rest and the sonne of thy maide and the stranger may be refreshed See to this effect also Deut. 5.14 So then God would that men should rest on the 7th day for the reliefe ease and refreshment both of man and beast God would that Masters should exercise pittie and mercy to their wearied and tired seruants by resting them on the 7th day Now in this respect I may cale the Saturday or Sabbath day the Seruants Iubile for on this day euery weeke they should haue release from their painfull and seruile laboures to refresh themselues therin on this day all Masters should exercise mercy to their wearied seruants how euer other times holy dayes for seruants refreshment are at the liberty plesure of gouerners yet this time day is not so for of duety God in the behalfe of Seruants requireth it of Masters so it is
the Seruants by right from God Thus you see it cleere that to rest on the 7th day is a worke of mercy vnto maÌ„ beasâ— a worke greatly tending to the furtherance of all the dueties of piety and charity In a word the obseruation of the Sabbath day must needs be a thing greatly tending to the good of mankind because it was made for them The Sabbath was made for man Mark 2.27 vnlesse therefore we will accuse God of vnskilfulnesse in making things for men which are not good and proffitable for them we must needs yeeld that the obseruation of the Sabbath is a thing tending vnto and a furtherance of mans good in generall What answer may be framed to this argument I cannot foresee vnlesse it be some such as this that the rest from labour is it onely which tendeth vnto piety and is a worke of mercy but not the day to wit the 7th day this helpeth not c. But contrarywise 1. The day helpeth vnto a religiouse sanctification of the rest because it is a sacred day aboue all others in the weeke for God hallowed it at the creation and it onely Genes 2.3 therefore it doth best besuite sacred actioÌ„s addeth a kind of a more reuereÌ„t respect vnto them thus a man is touched with a more sublime and honourable regard of the duety of prayer in the Church as of ancient in the Temple then in a common house see Genes 28.16.17 Eccles 4.17 Leuit 19.30 ij Chron. 8.11 Mark 11.15.16.17 And Moses must put off his shoes because the place was Holy grownd Exod. 3.5 Thus Nehemiah required of the people behauiour sutable vnto the day the people must not weepe because the day was Holy Nehem. 8.9.10 and This is the day which the Lord had made let vs reioyce be glad in it Psal 118.24 Here the day minded them of the dueties in and of the day to wite ioy and gladnesse like as the Coronation day when it cometh it mindes vs of the dueties of the day that in a more liuely maner then any other day if therefore sacred places did further men in sacred dueties by touching their heartes with a more then ordenary reuerence and religion channge of behauiour and if daies doe mind vs of the dueties of the daies then why should not also the sacred day of the Sabbath when it cometh be of like vse it being of like kinde why should not the presence of this sacred day the more moue vs to be holy because the day is holy if Moses must put off his shoes because the grownd where on he stoode was holy grownd why should not we be the more moued to put off all carnall and sinnefull affectiones because the day wherein we are is an holy day if the people in Nehemiahs time must not weepe because the day was holy must not we learne to absteine from worke the rather because the day is holy So thus we see sacred places sanctified daies haue added somewhat vnto the increase of holy affectiones reasones haue bene fetched from the holinesse of the places and daies to mâ—ue vnto more reuerence in gesture outwardly in body inwardly in heart and to decline such things as doe not besâ—te these places or times this may yet further appeare in the Lords day for it being supposed a sacred day and of Diuine institution the day thus considered doth not a little further our rest from laboures so helpe vs to a more proffitable vse of all holy exercises in the day which would not be so if the day were in esteeme but a common day 2. One duety of the Sabbath is to sing Psalmes vnto the praise of God as we may see by the title of the 92 Psalme and among other things the Church doth praise God for that his marvailouse miraculouse worke of the CreatioÌ„ of the world whereof the Sabbath day or 7th day is a signe Exod. 31.17.15 Now this very day doth not a little further this sacred duety of praising God for the Creation of the world that 1. Because this day being the same day in the weke for order whereon God rested at the Creation it doth more liuely represent vnto vs Gods rest then can any other day of the weeke 2. Because God made this day to be a signe of the Creation Exod. 31.17.15 as the Elements of bread wine and water in the Sacraments be signes of the redemption now signes doe further the remembrance of the things signified by them therefore the Sabbath day being a signe of the Creation it doth further the thankfull remembrance thereof and our cheerefull praises of God for it since by it wee haue life being wel being without which should haue had no being at all 3. The 7th day being that day whereon God himselfe rested at the Creation Genes 2.2 this day hath a force in it aboue all daies in the weeke to perswad men to rest themselues and giue rest vnto their seruants on that day in an imitation of God because God rested on it and thus it furthereth 1. The work of mercy in afording rest vnto poore seruants and 2. It furthereth the workes of piety religion for the more freely that men rest the more cheerefully they worship God this efficacy no other day hath 4. As a place so the time of the 7th day is a furtherance to Gods worship for thereby we haue time to serue God in without which God cannot be serued yea further this time day doth further the continuance and frequency of Gods worship for were it not for this some men would thinke it enough to giue God but one howre or two in a day and one day in a moneth or quarter of a yeere 5. The time and day was commanded at once together with the duety of rest both in one commandement both in one sentence in that commandement both with one breath Exod. 20.10 The one as a duety the other as the proper time for the performance thereof now it is consentaneus and agreable to all reason to thinke that these two things being thus inioyned immediatly together should both tend together vnto one and the same end each after its manner and kind so as if the one tendeth vnto the worship of God so should the other also and it is absurd to thinke that the one should tend vnto oen end the other vnto another and diuerse end A decre is made that one the 5th of Nouember the day should be kept in a thankfull remembrance for that deliuerance c. that people shall refraine their laboures resorte to their parish Churches where the Ministers shall publikly praise God c. now who cold imagine but that as the duety of resting from worke tendeth vnto the publike praise of God so doth the place appointed thereto to wit the Church and so doe the persones to wit the Ministers and so doth the time and day also
is supposed of divine institution so necessary then is a day of Diuine institution as without it Religion Gods worship will languish of a continuall consumption now since there is no day of diuine institution but the Saturday or 7th day it is of necessity that we keepe the Saturday or 7th day to preuent the decay of Religion to support further Gods worship Seruice Thus I haue proued it that to rest from our laboures on Saturday the 7th day is morall perpetuall because we finde it tendeth vnto the furtherance of Gods worship because it is a worke of mercy to man beast yea in a sorte necessary also thus much of this argument ARGVM XXIIII Because many stand so much vpon the law light of nature holding that onely to be morall in the Decalogue which is ratified by the light of nature that they would imbrace the Sabbath if it could be proued to be a Law of nature for the benefite of such therefore J frame this argument and thus I argue That duety which is expresly commanded in the Decalogue which being made knowne to a meere naturall man he cannot by his light of nature reason oppose but must allow of and subscrib vnto as good for him that duety is morall concerneth our practise is perpetually to be kept But the obseruation of Saturday the 7th day Sabbath is expresly commanded in the Decalogue is a duety which being made knowne to a meere naturall man hee cannot by the light of nature reason oppose it but must allow it and subscrib vnto it as good for him Therefore the obseruation of Saturday the 7th day Sabbath is morall concerneth our practise is perpetually to be kept As touching the profe of the major if any shall except against it saying they could like of it if it spake of such a duety in the Decalogue as were first found out by the light of nature but mislike of it because it speakes of such a duety as is first found out by a supernaturall light then made knowne vnto a naturall man Hereto I reply that it is not matteriall whither the duety be first found out by the light of nature after allowed of by the same light or first found out by the supernaturall light of Gods word in his 4th com then subscribed vnto by the light of nature it mattereth not I say which way by whom the duety was found out first so long as nature the light of reason doth allow of it iustify it and subscrib vnto it after it is found out for men are as well bound by the Law and light of nature to obserue those dueties which the light of nature alloweth and approueth being taught vnto them as to obserue those which were neuer taught them for it is not the finding of them nor the manner of getting the knowledg of them that bindeth but it is the approbation and allowance of them that bindeth to the obseruation of them and which hath the force of a Law in a man wherefore what duety soeuer is prescribed vs in the Decalogue if the light of nature cannot oppose it as harmfull incommodiouse but doth rather allow of it iustify it approue of it as good that duety must needs be morall practised by vs or else we bewray our selues to be vnnaturall to put out the light of nature in vs to goe against conscience for we will refuse to doe that which the very light of nature in vs alloweth of and subscribeth vnto as good to be done and so I come to the Minor Jn the minor I shall not need to proue any thing but this to wit that a meere naturall man cannot oppose Gods 7th day Sabbath but must allow of it as good to be obserued so soone as the Author vse end of it be discouered vnto him first theÌ„ for the Author of the Sabbath a meere naturall man cannot by the light of reason but allow of all lawes and ordinances made by a Deity 2. for the vse and end of the 7th day Sabbath 1. as it is kept in memoriall of the Creation so a naturall man cannot but allow of it since by the Creation hee receiued his being and all comforts of this life 2. It crosseth not the good of particuler persones societies or common wealâ—s but on the contrary it serueth to refresh both man and beast being ouertoiled and spent in the 6 dayes before by laboures it helpeth the exercise of Religion and it is a duety which societies and common weales cannot well subsist without for we see besids weekly Sabbaths that common weales do maintaine sondry anniuersary holy dayes and therefore at the least one day in 7 is counted needfull for Rest wherefore suppose wee that the Lords day or the Sunday Sabbath were changed into the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath since the common weale standeth in neede of one day in 7 at least for rest and refreshment and the exercise of religion therefore it followeth that if we had the Saturday Sabbath in vse the common weale could haue nothing against it to oppose it but must allow of it approue it and subscrib vnto it as good to be obserued because in it and by it a good and benefite cometh vnto the common weale both for their bodies and soules In a word doth not nature teach vs that it is meete to shew mercy vnto Seruants and allow them one day in 7 to rest in from their painefull laboures and to refresh themselues and so to fit them for labour againe on the next Sixe daies and doth not nature teach that it is fitter that this day should be of Gods choise which is Saturday the 7th day then of mans choise and also that the time should not be indifferent at mans plesure least some cruell Masters should deny their Seruants this necessary refreshment but necessary as inioyned by God as a duety from all Masters How then should this Sabbath be but morall when the light of nature cannot except against it and how should it not but be obserued of vs to this day when that naturall light of reason that is in vs doth consent vnto it allow and approue of it as good for vs as the Apostle said Doth not nature teach you that if a man hath long haire it is a shame vnto him 1. Cor. 11.14 So may I say doth not nature teach vs that if we had Gods ancient Sabbaths the obseruation of them would proue both piouse and commodiouse our Sauiour saith The Sabbath was made for man Mark 2.27 Now what an vnnaturall man is that who will reiect that thing which was made for him will any man refuse an howse or a garment that was made for him or any of Gods Creatures which were made for him shall not such incurr an heauy censure who will reiect a duety commanded in the Decalogue the which the light of nature still
remaining in vs doth allow of approue of This is one thing I desire may be in speciall manner obserued that such as reiect Gods Sabbath they reiect a most ancient ordinance of Gods expresly commanded in the Morall Law saying that very day and time is not morall nor concerneth our practise as doe the rest of the 10 commandements when as not withstanding our consciences and that light of naturall reason which is in vs doe consent vnto it approue it and allow of it as a thing very good and commodiouse for vs if we had it in vse among vs shall not such opposites be condemned by their guilty conscieÌ„ces for opposing of that ordinance of Gods which is no way against them but euery way good for them their consciences being witnesses thereof should we vrge the practise of any thing impossible to be kept or vnnaturall to be done the which nature riseth against abhorreth theÌ„ if it were opposed it were the lesse maruailouse but when we vrge stand to defeÌ„d nothing but a braÌ„ch of the morall law nothing that nature dissalloweth of but rather cheerefully imbraceth that such a thing should be opposed as no morall nor appertayning vnto vs but as Jewish and I cannot tell what this is the matter of wonder so much for this argument For conclusion let me goe a little further then my argument drawes me I see not but it might be proued that the 7th day Sabbath is a Law of nature euen in their owne sense who say they would imbrace it if it were a Law of nature for as the Gentiles some of them found out the true God so some of them found out the true 7th day Sabbath for the profe hereof I referre you to Walaeus de Sabbatho pag. 46. 47. who affirmeth the point himselfe also proueth it for he citeth diuerse ancient Authores as 1. Philo the Iew lib. 2. de vita Mosis Our custome saith Philo doth adominish all Barbarianes Graecianes Europianes and Asianes of duty for who doth not honour that sacred day which returneth euery weeke ij he citeth Iosephus lib. 2. aduersus Appionem circa fineÌ„ libri saying There is not any Citty Graecianes or Barbarianes nor any Nation vnto whom the obseruation of the 7th day in which the Iewes rested is not come Thus Iosephus iij He citeth a most ancient author Theophilus Antiochenus Patriarcha lib. 2. ad Autolicum As touching the 7th day saith hee which among all mortall men îs greatly famouse it is caled the Sabbath c. iiij He citeth Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 5. stromatum Not onely the Iewes saith hee but also the Gentiles knew that sacred 7th day c. 5. He citeth Eusebius praeparat Euangel lib. 13. who proueth the same out of Plato Hesiod Homer Callimachus and others for further proofe hereof I referre you to M. Richard Byfield on the Sabbath pag. 81. who there alleageth sondry Testimonies shewing that the Gentiles kept the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath amoÌ„g the rest these Seneca in his 95 Epist and Macrobius Saturn lib. 1. Cap. 7. And Aretius problem de Sabbathi obseru thus you see that the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath was found out by and in vse among the Gentiles wherefore the 7th day Sabbath stands firme by the Law and light of nature Thus much for my arguments whereby I haue proued the morallity and perpetuity of the Lords Sabbaths wherein as I trust I haue giuen satisfaction abundantly to the conscience of any man that is not vn-willing to see a trueth but as for such as reade with preiudicate opiniones resoluing before hand to stop their eares least they should hear shut their eyes least they should see which is a brand of an hearte hardened by the iust Iudgement of God I leaue them to him that shall iudge them an other day Consider what J haue saied and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things SECT IV. WHereas we haue made profe of the morallity perpetuity of the Lords Sabbath and finding that men haue sondry distinctiones and euasiones whereby they would shune the force of our arguments I haue therefore reserued this Section purposly to confute those distinctiones and to shew the vanity and absurdetie of such their euasiones that so all rubes scruples being remoued our arguments may haue free passage and be receiued without all doubtinges it is true I shall handle many of those distinctiones euasiones here which I haue touched before by way of vse in my Exposition of the 4th commandement but those things which there I did but touch cursorily here I shall handle more largly as the more proper place for them but say I should but repeate them it were not labour lost for being they are the common answers often beaten into the mindes of people there is need of an often confutation of them that so what is said it may sticke the faster remaine the longer in mens mindes I. The first euasion which I will deale withall shall be their distinction of a Sabbath the Sabbath for an argument being brought for the morallity of the Sabbath day out of the 4th com they are ready to blunt the force of it by this answer for one to wit that the word Sabbath may as well be translated a Sabbath as the Sabbath To discouer the vanity of this idle distinction for many care not how idlely and absurdly they answer so be they may say something against this sacred ordinance of Gods first we must know what is the difference betwixt a Sabbath and the Sabbath by the Sabbath is meant that common and well knowne Sabbath day to wit Saturday the 7th last day of the weeke the which the Iewes kept for thowsands of yeeres this I cale the Sabbath emphatically and by way of excellency and as a certaine well knowne day Now on the contrary by a Sabbath they would vnderstand some one day of the 7 but vncertainly which not any one rather then an other not any certaine standing knowne day of the weeke but so as the 4th commandement may indifferently be applied vnto any day as vnto Sunday or Monday or Tewsday c. The sense of this distinction being giuen the absurdety of it wil appeare by the like cases the Lord said let the earth bud forth the bud â—f the herb c. Genes 1.11 were it not a senslesse translation to render it thus Let a earth bud forth c againe then the man said the woman which thou gauest me shee gaue me of the tree c. Genes 3.12 were it not an absurd translation to render it thus then a man said a woman which thou gauest me c as well may they translate it a earth for the earth a man and a woman for the man and the woman as a Sabbath for the Sabbath for as there was but one earth and but one man and one woman so was there but one Sabbath day Againe
If by the 7th day may be vnderstod one of 7 indifferently theÌ„ might the Iewes haue kept any one day in the weeke without difference for their Sabbath as Sunday Monday or some other but this is absurd to imagine yea a greater absurdety for since all meÌ„ coÌ„fesse that the Iewes with their Prophets Christ himselfe vnderstod by the words Sabbath day one certaine day of the weeke as Saturday if now we will expound the same words in the 4th com of a day vncertaine then shall the words of scripture chang their sense as the times chaÌ„g the same words for 2000. yeeres shall signifie one thing and euer after that an other thing oh manstrouse absurdety 4. If by the 7th day may be vnderstod some one day of the 7 without difference then may we Christianes keepe the Saturday Sabbath againe with the Iewes for this is one day of the 7 but this they hold a fowle errour to keepe the Iewes Sabbath therefore by the 7th day we must not vnderstand one day of the 7 indifferently 5. If by the 7th day in the 4th com be vnderstod one day of 7 then is there no ceremony in the 4th com for if one of 7 be the true exposition of the 4th com it was euer the true sense of it if one of 7 indifferently both was now is the true exposition of the Com. where I pray is the ceremony where is the time which we say was abolished by Christ since the sense of the com is euery way the same now which it was But our new Sabbatharians all say there is a ceremony in the time Therefore is not one of 7 the true sense exposition of the 7th day in the 4th com 6. The 4th com it inioyneth one day of 7 but one one day of 7 to wit the last of the 7 now since they oppose this text Colos 2.16 which abolisheth Sabbaths to the 4th com against that Sabbath there hereby they abolish that one day of 7 in the 4th com how absurd then is it for them to talke of one day of 7 as if still one day of 7 were morall by the 4th com when themselues haue abolished that one day of 7 there commanded by Colos 2.16 they will abolish a thing and yet maintaine it still 7. That by these words in the com the 7th day must be vnderstod the 7th day as of a knowne certaine day and not one of 7 indifferently and indefinitly I haue proued it in my Exposition of the 4th coÌ„ vpon these words But the 7th day is the Sabbath c. whither I referre my Reader and thus much for this euasion that by the 7th day they say may be vnderstod one of seauen or some one day of the 7. IIII. Some seing how hardly they are beset in the former distinctiones haue found out an other new euasion and they seing that these words of the coÌ„ beare so strongly against them to wit But the 7th day is the Sabbath they therfore haue thought it fit to reiect these words alltogether and so all the after parts of 4th com also therefore they answer thus that ther is no more of the 4th com morall but these words at the begining of it Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it and as for all the residue of the com that they reiect altogeather as appurtenances to the com and as application I must confesse I neuer heard any man so impudent saue one M. Greenwood a silenced Minister one of my 10 professed aduersaries and one man more whose name I spare neither would I haue iudged it worth the confutation but that I feare the rest of my aduersaries may be take them to this refuge when they be hardly put too it When I looke vpon this mans answer togeather with those forementioned me thinkes they haue dealt very honourably with Gods Law for they haue not dared to deny any parte of it in right downe termes but this man as they say without feare or witt layes violent hands on Gods Law rendeth or teareth away the greater parte thereof at once me thinke he that makes conscience of a Surplisseâ— should make some conscience of doeing violence to a Morall Law and of denying such a portion of Sacred Scripture I heare indeed of much conscience vsed in other matters I see too little vsed in disputation woe is me that it is so any thing shall be said or done yea Gods Lawes shall be mancled quartered rather then God shall haue his Sabbathes againe But first it is absurd for any man to put asunder what God hath ioyned togeather could any thing be more neerly ioyned to other then the latter parte of the 4th Com. is to the former and yet this man dares sunder them Our Sauiour said that the Law in euery iotâ— tittle of it should last for euer Mat. 5.18 But M. Greenwood saith not onely that some iote or title of it is abolished but also that many letters yea words of it are abolished the Lavv of the 4th Comm. had not one hundreth vvords in it and be hath here reiected aboue Fovvre score of them is that a contrite spirite that trembleth at Gods word Isai 66.2 vvhich reiecteth his vvord 2. The latter parte of the Comm. naming the Seauenth day hath as good right to be Morall as the former parte naming the Sabbath day for like as the Lords day and Sunday be tvvo names both notifying one the same day to vvit our present Sabbath day so are Sabbath day Seauenth day tvvo other names both notâ—fying the Saturday and therfore the Holy Ghost vseth them promiscuously the one for the other for that vvhich in one place is named the Sabbath day as in Exod. 20.11 in an other is named the Seauenth day as in Genes 2.3 Exod. 23.12 Exod. 34.21 yea it is so in one and the same verse Exo 20.11 if therefore the Sabbath day be morall then must the 7th day be morall too 3. As the other commandements haue two partes an affirmatiue and a negatiue so hath this 4th com the affirmatiue you haue in these words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it The Negatiue you haue expressed also in these words The 7th day is the Sabbath c. in it thou shalt not doe any worke c. Now this man by denying these words he denieth a parte yea the Negatiue parte of the 4th coÌ„ and is it not absurd to imbrace the affirmatiue parte of a commandement and to reiect the negatiue parte thereof yet nothing is so fowle but it may be said to abolish Gods Sabbaths Where is rest commanded and seruile labour forbiddeÌ„ if not in this latter parte of the com take away then this latter parte of the Com. you take away Gods commandement which forbiddeth all seruile laboures on the Sabbath day now shall the duety of rest from labour be morall not that parte of the Com. which expresly inioyneth
Of this I may say as Christ saied ye haue made the commandement of none effect by your tradition God saied in it thou shalt not worke I say they this is not to be regarded by Christianes for it is but Application and Appurrenance yet further whither rend all these distinctions and euasiones wherby men would deny Gods 7th day Sabbath and what 's the reason that to this end Gods Law must be thus rent and torne assunder doe not the Authores of these things behaue themselues like men weary of Gods seruice and as if it were a burden vnto them to haue so many of Gods ordinances in his Church and therfore they diminish the number as if the fewer of them the rather it grieueth them that Gods sacred Sabbath should be morall lest they should be bound to sanctifie it were it not thus with them they would not invent such euasiones against this ordinance as they doe But they haue conceiued a preiudice against it and therefore downe it must V. An other euasion I meete withall and it is this let a man alleage the 4th commandement for the sanctification of the Sabbath day properly so caled and our answer shall be this the Sabbath day why doe we not keepe the Sabbath day the word Sabbath it signifieth a Rest and doe we not rest on the Lords day why we haue the Sabbath day alredy we keepe it euery weeke so long as we rest from our workes euery Lords day Let me shew you the absurdety of this slye euasion by the like suppose we a commandement giuen for the sanctification of the Lords day in the new Testament thus Remember the Lords day to sanctifie it but the first day of the weeke is the Lords day in it thou shalt doe no worke c. for on the Lords day Christ rose from the dead and therefore he blessed and sanctified the Lords day Suppose we also one of our new Sabbatharians should alleage vnto me this commandement for the obseruation of the Lords day if I should answer him thus the Lords day why doe I not keepe the Lords day the old Sabbath day on Saturday it is the Lords day for the 4th commandement saith the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord c. And doe I not then sanctify the Lords day when I keepe the old Sabbath day on Saturday were not this a slye eusiaon and yet such slye euasiones they vse as if because they can deceiue themselues blind the poore people by such sleites they could deceiue God himselfe too thereby but as in the supposed commandement for the Lords day it is manifest enough which day is the Lords day as namely not Saturday but Sunday for it is caled the first day of the weeke which is true of Sunday onely and it is caled the day wherein Christ rose which is true of Sunday onely so in the true commandement for the old Sabbath it is plaine enough to any but deceiuers which day the Lord meant for his Sabbath that is not the Sunday or Lords day but the Saturday for it is caled in the commandement the 7th day which agreeth to Saturday onely and it is said in the commandement to be the day wherein God rested at the Creation which agreeth to Saturday onely 2. May they not by the like sophistry keepe the Coronation day a fast day or Christmas day when it faleth on a working day and all by the 4th com and in stead of Gods Sabbath for the word Sabbath signifieth a Rest now on eueâ—y of these daies we rest from worke and doe we not then keepe the Lords Sabbath thinke you when we keepe the Coronation day a fast day or Christmas day thus wise meÌ„ yea Religiouse meÌ„ play with Gods com as a foole would play with an other mans nose and yet let a man in loue of Gods trueth with all meeknesse and submission to them for time was I so carried it towards them tell them in most friendly manner of these erroures and they are redy to flie in a mans face to fill the world with clamoures against him as one not worthie to liue any longer as one morefit for the iayle then to inioy common libertie These are good incouragements are they not to prouoke one to study and to discouer erroures and to set men in the right way these and worse haue bene my reward hitherto I might be larger in confutation of this sleite as by shewing that these words Sabbath day are a proper name of a day to wit of Saturday and therefore we must not rest in the bare signification of the word Sabbath but looke how the Spirit of God vseth it to what day he doth apply it namely vnto Saturday for as Lords day is a proper name for Sunday so is Sabbath day a proper name for Saturday whence it plainly appeareth that they dally and play with the word Sabbath when they flie to its signification neglecting its application and the Holy Ghostes vse of the word these with other things we might add but enough hath bene said for him that will vnderstand if further you desire to see of this point I referre you to my Exposition of these words in the 4th commandemeÌ„t Sabbath day so much for this euasion VI. An other euasion is this let a man alleage Gods Com. for the 7th day Sabbath and one answer shall be this The Sabbath day or the Lords day all is one for it is bur time you stand on and time is but a circumstance and why should you be so strict for a circumstance as if God regarded a time so much c. Because you say but a time and but a circumstance by way of sleiting you must know that this time this circumstance it is an ordinance of Gods yea one of the most ancient ordinances of God in the Church it is a time indeed but it is a Sacred and Holy time for God himselfe pleased to Hallow it and make it an Holie day at the Creation So God blessed the 7 day and sanstified it Gen. 2.3 Were it not blasphemy to but at Gods ordinances why might not some thus but at our Sacraments as well as these doe at Gods Sabbathes why may they not as well say the Sacramentes what need you be so strict for them they are but Signes of things c the water it is but well water the bread it is but Bakers bread c as you say the Sabbath why it is but a time and but a circumstance 2. We must know that some circumstances be but indifferent others be necessarie for example the circumstance of time when it is not commanded limited then it is an indifferent circumstance then a man may but at it by way of diminution thus the Sacraments are to be vsed but whither in the fore noone or in the after noone whither on the Lords day or on an other day is a thing indifferent because not Commanded On the other
side the passeouer was not onely commanded to be eâ—ten but also the time when namely on the 14th day oft he moneth now here this time to doe it on the 14th day was a necessarie circumstance not to be butted at and sleited but to be stood for as for an ordinance of Gods the omission whereof had bene a sinne so it is in this question of the Sabbath not onely thes dueties of rest and religiouse exercises are commanded but also the time day is as well commanded Rememember the Sabbath day c But the 7th day is the Sabbath in it thou shalt not worke c here the circumstance of time is not left to mans liberty as an indifferent thing but is commanded so is a necessary thing because commanded therfore we must stand for it be strict about it The time and day commanded in the 4th Comm. is like the time and day of payment specified in a Bond now euery man accounteth the day in a Bond or Bill a necessary circumstance not to be sleited I might add hereunto an other euasion of like moment why say some the time it is but an accident c. Well this time vvas a parte of Gods vvorship as Diuines confesse saying the old Sabbath day it was vvhilst it stood not onely the time of Gods worship but also a parte of Gods worship I it is a circumstance of like dignity with that circumstance of place to vvit the Temple vvhiles it stood and therfore no more to be sleited then may a parte of Gods vvorship or then might the Temple vvhilst it stood Yea it is no accident for it is a parte a parte of the 4th Com. for the time is as vvell câ—mmanded as those other dueties of rest and Holy exercises But suppose it vvere an accident let it be a circumstance vvhat else you vvill vvhither I pray tend all these extenuations and diminutiones since the time and day is no lesse commanded then those other dueties of rest and Holy exercises vvhat meane they but this namely that because it is a thing of the lest moment therefore they care not for it therfore they sleit it neglect it as if they vvould yeeld obedience to Gods greater Commandements but none to his lesser to the more vveightie matters but none to the lesse weightie matters is not this to be partiall in Gods Lavv is this to haue respect vnto all Gods Commandements me think a matter of the least moment that can be dâ—uâ—sed such as vvas the eating of an apple at the Creation vvhen it comes attended vvith the broad Seale of Gods Command annexed to it it should be honourably reuerently entertained hovv much more this most ancient Sacred ordinance of Gods Sabbath vvhich is an instrument of so greate good proffit to the Church of God vvhich is a parte of Gods vvorship vvhich bringech so much glorie to God bevvare of sleiting this Sacred time for it is an ordinance and a most ancient ordinance of Gods yea it is a parte of Gods vvorship To conclude forasmuch as God did euer put as much difference betvvixt his Sabbath day all other dayes in the vveeke as betvvene hir that is a mans vvife all other vvomen a man therfore vnder colourable pretences may as vvell leaue his vvife take some other woman as leaue Gods 7th day Sabbath and take an other day as well may a man dally with the 7th com liue in adultery as with the 4th com and liue in Sabbath-breaking he that lyes with an other mans wife may as well say he keepes the law of wedloke as he that keepes the Lords day say he keepes the 4th com so much for this euasion VII An other euasion let a man alleage the 4th com for the sanctification of the Sabbath day and this shall be one of your answers wee are we Christians bound to the Iewes Sabbath day no no the commandement for the Sabbath day was deliuered to the Iewes But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke by thou here is meant the Iewe thou Iewe shalt doe no worke in it c. If this be a good answer to me against Gods Sabbath then can it not be bad If I pay them in their owne coine when these men presse the sanctification of the Lords day and that from the 4th com I answer them as they mee wee what are we Christians bound by the 4th com to the keeping of the Lords day no no the 4th commandement was giuen to the Iewe thou that is thou Iewe c. 2. It is true indeed the Sabbath day was commanded to the Iewe vpon Mount Sinay neither were any English men there that J read of but if therefore we English men may reiect Gods Sabbath because the Sabbath was not commanded vnto English men but vnto Iewes then by the same right may we reiect not onely the Sabbath of the Iewes but also all the 10 commandements of the Iewes euen the whole morall Law for it was all the Iewes in this sense all of it being commanded vnto the Iewes Yea we may goe further for vpon the same reason we may reiect that diuine Sermon of our Sauiour Christ which he preached on the Mounte Mat. 5.1 c. and also we may reiect the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes and the Epistle of S. Iames for to whom was Christs Sermon preached but vnto Iewes and vnto whom were these two Epistles wrote but vnto Iewes there were no English men in those quarters that euer I read on 3. The Passeouer it was first commanded vnto the Iew thou Iew c. Exod. 12. but for all that the Gentiles such of them as turned vnto God obserued it also see Exod. 12.48 Yea albeit there was somthing in the Passeouer which was peculiar vnto the Iewe and belonged not vnto the Gentile at all as the celebration of it as a token that God spared the first borne of the Isralites neuerthelesse they obserued it there can be therefore no absurdety in it for vs to keepe the Sabbath though it had bene giuen to the Iewe onely 2. admit the Sabbath as deliuered on Mount Sinay had bene giuen to the Iewe onely yet forasmuch as the Sabbath is a branch of the morall Law hence it followeth that it was from the Creation and so vnto all people Iewe and Gentile for there was then no difference of Iewe and Gentile And so much for this euasion VIII An other euasion I meete with which is this that the time indeede commanded in the 4th com quod ad genus attinet is morall perpetuall that is that some time or day in generall be allotted for Gods worship is by the 4th com morall but not that speciall day which the Iewes kept thus Chemnitius in his Loc. Theolog. de quarto praecepto pag. 56. with whom accordeth others of greatest note also
persons what qualified men are bound to those precepts 11. Whereas they say that the 4th Com. belongeth vnto vs no othervviâ—e then as it is the Lavv of nature hereby they graunt that some time in generall is prescribed as Morall in the 4th Com. for they all say the Lavv and light of nature teacheth that some time in the generall is to be allotted for the vvorship of God And hereby they deny that there is any thing else commanded in the 4th Com. as Morall saue onely some time in generall novv the absurdety of this opinion that onelie some time in generall is all vvhich is Morall in the 4th Comm. I haue by sondry other arguments confuted in their 8th euasion the Section last before this vvhither I referr my reader for a further confutation of this distinction if further he desireth to see it confuted And so much of this Atheisticall Antichristian blasphemouse and most absurd distinction vvherein I haue taken the more paines because I find it stood vpon euen by all as a common and sound ansvver X. The 10th euasion not vvorth the naming but that the Patrones of it put confidence in it is that the Sunday or Lords day may be the 7th day as vvell as the Saturday for if you beginne at Sunday for the First day of our number then Saturday follovving vvill be the 7th day but contrarivvise if you beginne at Saturday for the First day then Sunday before it vvill be the 7th day like as if you lay dovvne 7 counters in order one after an other in a right lyne beginne at the first counter to vvards the left hand and then the last counter next the right hand vvill be the 7th but beginne at the first counter tovvards the right hand the last counter next the left hand vvill be the 7th I may vvell call this account a counter-play or a counterfaite play they see the 4th Comm. so expresse for the 7th day as they wring their wittes hither thither to make the Lords day the 7th day but all in vaine for Saturday onely is the 7th day The very mention of this euasion is enough to confute it for who euer rekoned backwards before to rekone thus Sunday the first Monday the second Tewsday the third c is allowable and all men so rekone but to beginne at the last day saying Saturday the first Friday the second Thursday the third c this foppish deuice was neuer heard on before this is worse then Carter like to set the Carte befâ—re the horse to account a day for the first before it is or hath a being why may we not reade vvords in the Scripture backward as well as reâ—one backwards I dare say it such men would chide their children if they should beare them rekone the dayes of the weeke thus backvvards but any childish toye is answer good enough to defeate God of his Sabbathes The Law was that the passouer should be eaten on the 14th day of the moneth but by this new account they might counting the 14th day to be first day haue eaten it one the first day of the moneth To conclude not onely our Church but also the fowre Euangelists call the Lords day the first day of the weeke and consequently Saturday after the 7th day But these counterplayers thinke they may deale with the dayes of the weeke as they doe with their counters beginne where they list and so what God our Church accounts for the 7th that these men count the first againe what they count the first these count the 7th enough of this deuice M. Yates XI to conclude whereas they distinguish in the 4th com betwene the dueties of rest holy exercises the time wherein they were to be done saying the dueties are Morall but the time is a ceremony abolished these absurdeties this distinction is guilty of 1. that if the time to wit that of the 7th day be abolished then whensoeuer we performe the duetie of rest and holy exercises we may be said to keepe the Sabbath day and yeeld obedience to the 4th Com. as on Wednesdayes and Fridayes Lecture dayes common Holy dayes for on these dayes we rest doe religiouse actions 2. Not onely this but all the forementioned distinctions are guilty of these absurdeties 1. that they are horrible partiall in that they can find distinctions to preserue the Morall Law against Libertines here will invent distinctiones to ouerturne Gods Sabbath which is a parte of that Law Yea they can defend the common Holie daies of the Saints vsed in our Church from being Popish as some would haue them yet will not defend that Holie day of the Holy one of Israel from being a ceremony Iewish but rather vndermine it by distinctions 2. They are partiall in Gods Law laming maiming it of its Integrity perfection 3. They make Gods 4th Comm. a monstre halfe Morall halfe Ceremoniall 4. They set open a gate to Anabaptistry that so Gods Church should haue no Sabbathes 5. They reiect that which was againe may be an helpe to the worship of God 6. They make an Holy prayer of our Church to be a babling with God 7. They condemne those most ancient the Primitiue Churches who liued next the Apostles of erroniouse practise 8. They shew no loue to Gods Law for it selfe to his ordinances for if they did they would imbrace as much of it as many of them as possible they could but this they doe not for they reiect what they are not compelled to reiect God send his Lawes ordinances better friends I pray God These with other absurdeties formely mentioned are these distinctions guilty of Thus much for confutation of their vaine distinctions And here ends the defence of the Lords Sabbath SECT V. Of the Antiquity of the Sabbath day TOuching the antiquity of the Sabbath I finde two opiniones the one holding that it was from the Creation the other that it was first instituted in the vvildernesse after the people of Israel came out of Egypt how be it much I suppose cannot be said on either sides yet of the two I hold the former to be the more orthodox to carry the greater probability with it you shall see the reasones on either partes and first for those on the contrary parte I. On the contrary parte they reason against the Antiquity of the Sabbath out of Exod. 16.23 where it is thus written To morrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath vnto the Lord. Hence they gather that the Israelites were ignorant of the Sabbath vntill this time and consequently that the Sabbath was not from the Creation for if it had Moses should not haue needed to tell them that it was to morrow c. Herevnto I answer the Lord teld his people from Mount Sinay that the 7th day was the Sabbath Exod. 20.10 Againe after that he teld them in Leuit. 23.3 that the 7th day was
two if the case be at such an hard point that the one must be neglected cannot be auoided then such is the mercy of God to man as his ordinance of the Sabbath shall giue way I trust none will beso profane vngratiously vngratefull as to abuse this mercy of God making necessity when he needeth not Now that I doe not abuse these words of our blessed Sauiour shall appeare if you looke but into the context Mark. 2.23.27 Where our Sauiour defendeth his Disciples plucking rubing the eares of corne on the Sabbath to satisfie their hunger by shewing one vse end of the Sabbath day namely that it was made for mans benefiâ— as forthe good of his soule so also euen for the good of his body in so much as if in case he were pinched with present hunger destitute of other helpes then he might worke on the Sabbath day to releeue his prâ—sent necessity for so did the Disciples here by plucking and by rubing eares of corne 5thly I proue that the Sabbath may be neglected and prophaned in a case of necessity and that by all men who are subiectes and vnder the jurisdiction of Magistrates now my reason is because seruantes may prophane the Sabbath in a case of necessity Thus I argue If seruants may prophane the Sabbath then subiectes may doe so too For there is one and the same reason betwene the subiect and the Magistrate that there is betwene the subiect and the Magistrate that there is betwene the seruant and master But seruantes in a case of necessity may prophane the Sabbath As namely in this case of necessity when their masters command them to worke on the Sabbath then there is a necessity vpon them for God commandeth seruants to obey their Masters Col. 3.22 Therefore subiects may in a case of necessity prophane the Sabbath also If any shall aske if there be like necessity for subiects to prophane the Sabbath as there is for seruants when commanded by their Masters I answer there is for 1. our Magistrates command vs to follow the workes of our calings on Saturday which is the Sabbath day And 2. Gods word commandeth subiects to yeeld obedience to Magistrates Rom. 13.1 But against the Minor the 4th commandement will be obiected which forbiddeth seruants to worke on the Sabbath day and we must obey God rather then man I answer by a deniall the 4th commandement doth no where forbid a seruant to worke on the Sabbath when he is commanded by his Master to worke but onely when he may forbeare worke by his Masters allowance For the cleering of this note that as the 5th com is directed vnto inferioures so the 4th commandement is directed vnto Superioures the commandement saith not Thou seruant shalt doe no worke as spoken to the seruant but Thy seruant shall doe no worke as spoken of the seruant but to the Master binding the Master absolutly and expresly and the seruant consequently and in this respect if he may haue his Masters allowance the 5th commandement speakes of Superioures but laies the charge expresly on Inferioures so the 4th commandement speakes of Seruants but laies the charge on Masters expresly Honor thy father this is spoken to the Sonne so Thy seruant shall doe no worke in propriety of speech is spoken to the Master it is the Seruant that is spoken of it is the Master that is spoken to Further I answer that as no clause in the commandement so no conuincing argument can be fetched out of the commandement to proue that a seruant is absolutly bound to rest on the Sabbath his Master commanding him the contrary 2. I answer in Deut. 5.14.5 There is a reason added to the 4th commandement perswading to the obseruation of it and it perswads Masters to giue rest vnto their seruants on the Sabbath day That thy man seruant thy maid may rest as well as thou c. VVhich sheweth that the 4th commandement foregoing was directed vnto Masters not vnto seruants and there fore bound the Masters absolutly and expresly but not the seruantes for this reason cannot be applied vnto seruants 3. considering that the seruant is not at liberty nor hath the power of himselfe but is at his masters command common reason inclineth vs to expound the commandement rather as giuen to and binding the Master then the Seruant this point you may see learnedly obserued and handled by M. Brerewood on the Sabbath against M. Bysield And so you see that the Sabbath day may be profaned in a case of true necessity And so much for my former argument whereby it appeareth that in case of necessity the Sabbath day may be changed and so the Lords day keptin roome of the Sabbath day till the time of reformation My second argument to proue that the Sabbath day may be changed for a season is because the Passeouer day might be changed for a season and thus I frame it ARGVM II. Jf the Passeouer day might be neglected and an other day kept in its roome for a season in a case of necessitie Then the Sabbath day also may be neglected and an other day kept in its roome for a season in a case of necessitie But the Passcouer day might be neglected an other day kept in its roome for a season in a case of necessitie Therefore the Sabbath day also may be neglected and an other day kept in its roome for a season in a case of necessitie I proue the first proposition or the consequence to be good because there is like reason of both that is of the Passeouer day and of the Sabbath day and this I make appeare in these particulars 1. As the Sabbath day was commanded by God Exod. 20.8 So also the Passeouer day was commanded by God Exod. 12.2.6 2dly As on the Sabbath day there must be holy Assemblies and no seruile worke dore Leuit. 23.3 So also on the Passeouer day or Passeouer Sabbath day there was to be holy Assemblies and no seruile worke done Leuit. 23.8 3dly as the breach of the Sabbath day was to be punished with death Exod. 31.15 So also the breach of the Passeouer day was to be Punished with death Numb 9.13 Thus you see how like the Passeouer day was to the Sabbath day for 1. they haue both the same Author God 2. They were to be sanctified with holy assemblies and rest from laboures both alike 3. They were to be strictly kept the one as well as the other for there was one and the same punishment to be inflicted vpon the transgressoures of both alike Now they being thus alike both what hindereth that there should not be like reason of them both it was a sinne to trangresse the one and it was a sinne to transgresse the other also now if it were no sinne then to neglect the one make a chang in a case of necessity why should it be a sinne to neglect the other make a chang in a case of
Sabbath daies meales and this is an other case of necessity whereinto we fale if we keepe the Sabbath day and for the auoiding whereof we may make a chang of the Sabbath day into the Lords day for a season Hence it is that obedience to the 4th commandement requireth an assent and fellowship of others which is not required in the other commandements for a man may yeeld obedience to euery other commandement singlie and alone by himselfe though no man else will ioyne with him but for this 4th commandement it cannot be obserued as it should be without the fellowship and society of others ioyning with him Now a word or two for the iustifying of these two necessities touching the soule to be true necessities and such as may warrant a chang of a day appointed by God for the former namely Assemblies the want of assemblies was one cause of the change of the Passeouer day by Hezekiah as you may reade ij Chro. 30.3 For the latter namely Ministers the want of Ministers or Priests was an other cause of the passeouer dais chang by Hezekiah as you may reade in the forealleaged place And the King and his Princes And all the congregation had taken counsaile in Ierusalem to keepe the Passeouer in the second moneth for they could not keepe it at this time because there were not Priests enough sanctified neither was the people gathered to Jerusalem 2 Chro. 30.2.3 Where you see the want of the peoples assembly and the want of Priests were the ij causes of the chang of this day from the first moneth to the second moneth I confesse our new Translatores reade it thus because the Prists had not sanctified themselues sufficiently But this cometh still to the same for our Ministers haue not yet sanctified their vnderstandings from a profane opinion of the Lords Sabbaths and therefore we cannot haue their helpe to the sanctification of the Sabbath day so it is all one whither there be not Ministers enough or whither those that be are not willing to yeeld vs their helpe for both waies we shall want the helpe of the Ministry if we keepe the Sabbath day and if the Priests vnsufficiency were cause enough to chang the day much more then when Priests and Ministers are both vnsufficient and also vnwilling so as they cannot be perswaded to lend vs their helpe and thus you see that the want of people and the want of Ministers are a sufficient cause to make a chang of a day and that the old day should be profaned whilst an other is kept in its roome and steade If any shall aske me now why I keepe not the Sabbath day since it is my iudgement that it ought to be kept my answer shall be 1. That a man is not bound in all cases and at all times to put in practise what he knoweth should be done as I haue showne by the examples of Moses touching diuorcement of Israelites omitting Circumcision of Dauids spareing Ioab and eating Shewbread and the rest And further and more particularly I keepe it not because as I haue proued by two good arguments that an other day may be kept for it for a season 2. My answer shall be that I keepe not the Sabbath day because I cannot keepe it necessity lying vpon me Now I cannot keepe it 1. Because so I should haue but 5 daies in a weeke to follow my caleing 2. Because so I should impouerish my selfe and my family which is a iustifiable plea in this case of the Sabbath 3. Because I cannot haue assemblies on the Sabbath to ioyne with in holy Sabbath exercises and specially because Ministers will not preach to vs vpon the Saturday or Sabbath for how should we keepe the Saturday Sabbath when Ministers will not come to Church and preach vnto vs on the Saturday and my 4th reason and necessity is that as I am a Subiect so J stand bound to obey my gouerners so long as they command me nothing which Gods word hath forbidden mee now they command me to follow my caling on the Saturday Sabbath the 4th com doth not forbid me the same I being considered as a Subiect seruant vnto my superioures But herevnto some will be redy to say why if you can not keepe the Sabbath day as you would why keepe it then as you may without assemblies and without a Minister for God requireth no more of a man then he can doe c. Herevnto I shall giue none other answer then this that the same obiection layeth as well against the practise of the godly King Hezekiah as against mee hereby the absurdety thereof shall appeare why might not you as well obiect to Hezekiah when he put off the passeouer day from the 14th day of the first moneth to the 14th day of the second moneth vpon my reasons saying why did not Hezekiah keepethe passeouer vpon the 14th day of the first moneth which is the right day the day established at the institution of the passeouer since it was his iudgement that it ought to be then kept what and if he could no haue the assemblies of the people as he would why yet he might haue kept the passeouer with that company he had in Ierusalem as himselfe and his Princes and Courtieres and Cittizens of Ierusalem what needed he to profane the first passeouer day and to chang it vnto an other day for want of the residue of the people and what if he had not priests enough already sanctified or not sufficiently sanctified why yet he might haue kept the passeouer as he could with those priests he had or with the priests such as they were whither sufficienly or vnsufficiently sanctified for whē Hezekiah had tarried till the secōd day yet thē many in the Congregation were not sanctified as they should be therfore he praied saying The good Lord be mercifull toward him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary ij Chro. 30.18.19 And why could not Hezekiah haue kept the passeouer on the first day with people and Priests vnsufficiently sanctified as well as on the second day yet for all these obiectiones you see Hezekiah in hope to haue things in better order and in hope of a reformation against the second day therefore he neglected and profaned the first day and made a chang of the day Others will be redy to obiect thus why your soules neede not pine for you may haue supply the next day by keeping Sunday or Lords day also and herein you shall haue assemblies and Ministers both Herevnto I answer 1. That is more then euer God required that we should keepe two Sabbaths in one weeke and also it is more then the necessity of our caleings will permit 2. Suppose we should keepe the Lords day also yet so doeing we should want our daily bread that is that spirituall foode which is appointed of God for
it was in vse after the giuing of the Law vntill Christ yea and it was in vse in the daies of the Apostles by the Apostles themselues after Christâ— and also it was in vse in the primitiue Churches after Christ for 300 or 400 yeeres euen so long as the Church retained its best purity and vntill corruptiones and popery begane to creepe in now if we shall value the honour of the Sabbath day by the honourable estimation that the Church of God had constantly for thowsands of yeeres of it before Christ and if we shall esteeme of its honour by the honourable estimation which the Christian Churches had of it for neere 400 yeeres after Christ then doubtlesse the Sabbath is an honourable thing and the reformation of it will be no lesse honourable and who vvould not put hand and voyce to such an honourable reformation Thirdly we will consider how Almightie God hath honoured it this will appeare in these particulares 1. God honoured it by his owne obseruation of it at the Creation for God himselfe rested vpon the Sabbath day Genes 2.3 2dly God honoured this day and time aboue all daies and times in that he blessed hallowed and sanctified this day as we reade Genes 2.3 Exod. 20.11 and so made it an Holy day 3dly God honoured this day by commanding it by his owne immediate voyce vpon Mount Sinay and by placeing it amongst the other Morales and giuing it there also an eminent and chiefe place for hee put it into the first Table of the Decalogue and after that caused it carefully to be laid vp and preserued in the Arke with the other Morales 4thly God honoured this day by taking it vnto himselfe in a speciall sorte caling it his day as myne holy day Isa 58.13 And the Sabbath of the Lord Exod. 20.10 whence it is caled the Lords Sabbath Emphatically VVherefore since God rested on this day let vs indeauour a reformation that we his children also may rest on this day and since God hallowed and sanctified this day let vs vse all good meanes that we may hallow and sanctify this day also since God deliuered this day by liuely voyce let vs vse our toungs voyces for it and since God placed it amongst the other Morales set it eminently in the first Table let not vs suffer it to be thrust out amongst the Ceremonies and seing God gaue it an high place in the Morall Law let not vs suffer it to be thrust quite out of place so as now it should haue no place at all in the Morall Law wher 's your courage wher 's your zeale for God if you can indure these things If Christian men loue to haue their hands in an honourable worke then let them cast aside shame and feare and such like carnall affectiones and let them armed with courage and zeale speake for God and defend his Sabbaths and cale for a reformation the worke is honourable for it is honoured with Antiquity with the constant practise of Gods Church that also of the purest primitiue Church and with speciall honour done vnto it by Almighty God himselfe Yet further this Sabbath is in Scripture expresly called an Holy day To morrow is the Rest of the Holy Sabbath vnto the Lord Exod. 16.23 Isa 58.13 and one reason thereof may be because at the Creation God blessed it and sanctified it Genes 2.2.3 And so made it an Holy day Now no day of all the 7 no not the Lords day was euer sanctified by God or caled an Holy day Yea God had many anniuersary Sabbaths as we read in Leuit. 23. Yet doe we not read that euer God blessed sanctified any of them as he did this Sabbath of the 7th day So highly God honoured it This difference therefore of this day from others is as the difference of Sacramentall bread from common bread and as was the sacred Temple from common howsen and who would not labour the reedifying of such an holy and honourable thing III. In the third place we will consider of the necessity of this Reformation and here If vntill a reformation be made diuerse sondry verses of the holy Scripture yea in the 10 commandements be as so many verses rent out of the Scripture or quite blotted out of the booke of God or stand but as so many Ciphers And also the Decalogue or Morall lawe is not taught and maintained in our Church nor in any Christian Church besids in its integrity and perfection but onely lamely and maimedly If vntill a reformation the whole 4th commandement is vtterly and wholly abolished both roote and branch If vntill a reformation be made the Land and Kingdome wherein we liue with all other Christian Churches doe liue in the weekly profanation of the Lords Sabbaths and transgression of the 4th commandement If I shall shewe vnto you that vntill a reformation be made we sanctify a common and profane day and profane a sanctified and holy day And Gods worship will languish and profanesse inuade vs And that a Romish Relique is honoured in stead of an ordinance of Gods And that Gods worship is daily neglected yea and corrupted with many other euiles If I shall proue vnto you that vntill a reformation the sinne of Idolatry is committed by many in the Land if I say I shall make these things plainly appeare vnto you then I trust you wil say with me that it is high time that euery man lay too his helping hand for a reformation that speedily I. For the first of these there are not many verses in the Decalogue or 10 commandements and yet there are no lesse then fowre whole verses in the 10 commandements which be as so many verses rent out of the Scripture or blotted out of the booke of God or stand but for so many Ciphers and they are these verse the 8th verse the 9th and verse the 10th and verse the 11th of the xx Chapter of Exodus for the Sabbath day there specified we haue not and the 7th day there specified we haue not and the Sixe daies for working daies there specified we haue not and the 7th day wherein God rested and the which God blessed and sanctified we haue not These things we haue more largly proued in the former parts of this booke therefore a touch of them here is enough Wherefore seeing we haue not in vse the things specified and commanded in those iiij verses therefore those iiij verses be as if they were rent out of the sacred Bible or blotted out of the booke of God or stand but for Ciphers Now is it not high time to stirre when the Scriptures of God are thus abused for we haue but the brann or huske that is the bare words of the 4 verses as for the flower kernell which is the sense and the things meant by those words in these verses this we haue not II. Furthermore that the Decalogue or Morall law is not
taught or maintained in its integrity wholenesse and perfection in our Church this I haue made plaine also in the former parte of this booke for vnlesse we hold and teach which we doe not that the Decalogue is wholly Morall without any Ceremony commanded in it and so maintaine the Lords Sabbaths for morall we doe not teach and maintaine Gods Lawes in their integrity perfection but we teach the lawes of God by halues and by peeces in a lamed manner taking and leauing picking and choosing now is it not high time for euery man to bestirre him when the Priests are become partiall in the Law and when they reueale not vnto the people the whole counsaile of God III. Yet further that the whole 4th commandement is vtterly ouerthrowne and altogether abolished both roote and branch this I haue also formerly proued here therefore the mentioning of it is enough not onely the roote and body of the commandement is nullified but also that most preualent and liuely reason which Almightie God in his wisedome thought good to annex vnto his 4th commandement Exod. 20.11 And the which was drawne from his owne example and also from his blessing it As you may see Exod. 20.11 This is also become as a Cipher in our Churches and so the whole commandement is abolished both in the duety prescribed and in the reason also to moue vnto that duety and so roote and branch is quite gone and is not a reformation necessary thinke you when a whole lawe of God and a Morall Law too is abolished is it not high time now for euery man to stirre what will you see the lawes of God trampled vnder foote and still be silent IIII. Furthermore that euery man lyeth in the weekly profanation of the Lords Sabbaths and transgression of the 4th commandement this is most plainly proued also in the former parte of this booke for we haue alredly firmely proued that the Sabbath day mentioned in the 4th commandement it is no day of the weeke but Saturday now since we profane the Saturday it followeth vndeniably that we profane the Lords Sabbaths and that weekly and are guilty of the breach of the 4th commandement and so may as well liue in the sinne of Adultery weekly against the 7th commandement as in Sabbath breaking against the 4th commandement and is it not necessary that there be a reformation when vntill then euery man is a Sabbath breaker and euery weeke guilty of a sinne against the 4th commandement is it not high time that men cast aside shame and feare of men and such carnall affectiones and shewe forth their shame and feare towards God and be no longer silent V. Vntill a time of Reformation a profane common day is giuen vnto God in stead of a sanctified and holy day for the cleering of this we must remember that the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath it was consecrated sanctified and so made an holy day by God at the Creation Genes 2.2.3 yea it is expresly so called Exod. 16.23 To morrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath c. The like we read of in Isa 58.13 but we no where reade that the Lords day or first day of the weeke was euer so called nay it is by Gods ordinance in the 4th com one of the 6 working daies so a profane and common day as Thursday or Friday is wherefore such as giue God the Lords day they giue him a profane and common day for a Sanctified and Holy day now as well may we vse common bread in the Sacrament for Consecrated Bread as a common day for a Consecrated day and as well might the Iewes haue performed Gods worship in a common house in stead of the Temple as we to giue God a common day for an Holy day and is it not time then that a reformation were made that so the Holy God might be serued with an Holy Sabbath his Holy Church haue an Holy day wherein to performe hir Diuine seruice Furthermore which is worse we not onely sanctify a profane day but we also profane a Sanctified day who can but take it to heart to see sacred things profaned now were it not meete this should be reformed VI. Vntill a time of a Reformation Gods worship will languish of a declining consumption and profannesse will invade vs for the cleering of this note that Masters will not permit their seruants one wholl day in euery weeke to be vacant from their seruice and to goe to Church spend the time in holy exercises nor will they set apart one day in a weeke for themselues for holy exercises so freely when that day is but of mans institution as when the day is of Gods institution this we may see cleerly in the difference betwixt the Lords day now which is supposed of Diuine institution our other Holy daies which are of humane institution how deuoutly is God serued on the Lords day what greate Assemblies then in comparison of other Holy daies But now since the Lords day is found faulty and destitute of a Diuine institution what difference thinke you will erre long be made betwixt the Lords day other holy daies and thus the heate of Religion will abate and prophannesse creepe in now is not a speedy Reformation needfull to preuent this VII Vntill a time of Reformation a Romish Relique and Popish Tradition is honoured in stead of an ordinance of Gods his Holy Sabbath for the cleering of this I shall proue vnto you first that the Lords day is a Tradition and secondly that it is a Popish Tradition or worse 1. That the Lords day is a Tradition of the Church you may remember I haue formerly proued it and that by the Testimonies of S. Augustine of Melanchthon of Hemingius and out of the Harmonie of Confessions 2. It must needs be a tradition no better for the institution of it is no where found in the Holy Scriptures as hath bene showne and therefore it must be supposed to be ordeined by the Fathers or to come vnto vs from the Apostles by some vnwritten Tradition of the Church or else it must haue a worse originall Thus you see the Lords day is a Tradition or worse giue it its due and it is an old Tradition newly furbushed trimmed vp or an old Tradition cullered painted ouer with Scripture Now that it is a Popish Tradition and Romish Relique I thus proue it because there being no grownd for it in Scripture yet for all that the patrones of it doe vrge presse the obseruation of it as a necessary thing as tying meÌ„s consciences vpon paine of damnatioÌ„ now for any to vrge indifferent things not found in the Scriptures vpon paine of damnation is Romish and Popish Neither let this seeme strange vnto any that I call it a Romish and popish Tradition for the Papists themsâ—lues doe willingly owne it and father it and stifely defend it for one of their vnwritten
worship of God and when common and vnhallowed dayes are offred and consecrated vnto God in stead of pure and sanctified dayes Loe how Gods worship is polluted XI Yet further if I shall make it appeare that multitudes I doe not say all are guilty of Idolatry vntill a Reformation cometh then you will say with me it is high time indeed to seeke for a reformation For this purpose you must know that there is as well a puritane Idolatry as a Popish Idolatry for as when A Crucifix the Breaden God the Images of Christ the virgine Mary the rest come in presence instantly Papists vncouer the head and performe much honour in respect of them So no sooner doth the Lords day Sabbath come but forthwith Puritanes vncloth themselues of their base aray and attire themselues in their best apparell and they lay aside all seruile laboures for that time as a profanation of that sacred time and much religiouse honour and deuotion is performed in respect of this daies presence yea greate conscience is made of it Pardon me beloued the sinnes of Gods children must not be clocked neither must I be partiall no neither must I deale ouerly but tell euery man or ranke of men of their sinne without baulking I cale it Puritane Idolatry because these are the greate Patrones thereof That I may discouer it vnto you first we will begine with the word Idolatry this word is a greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is compounded of two wordes the one whereof signifieth an image and likenesse of a thing or an imagination and fiction of the braine the other signifieth honour and reuerence now put both these together and they signify an honour and reuerence of an image and liknesse of a thing or of an imagination and fiction of the braine thus you haue the signification of the word Idolatry Now when diuine and religiouse honour is giuen to a similitude or fiction of the mind then it is a dangerouse matter and when the conscience stands in awe of a similitude or fiction of the braine reuerencing it for a diuine ordinance then it is Idolary Now to apply this The Lords day is this Idoll and they that preach for it and practise it are the Idolaters to make this good you shall see how fitly these may be caled Idolaters and their practise Idolatry first touching that parte of Idolatry which consisteth in imagery liknesse you shall see how like they haue framed the Lords day to the Sabbath day made it a very image similitude liknesse of the Sabbath day consequently an Idoll for 1. They haue giuen the very name the proper name of the Lords Sabbath vnto it for doe they not vsually cale the Sunday or Lords day the Sabbath day 2. They sanctify and keepe the Lords day like vnto the Sabbath day with a resting from all seruile laboures with preaching and prayers and the like 3. they keepe it in conscience of the 4th com like as the Sabbath day was 4. They apply all those textes of Scripture vnto the Lords day which were wont to be applied to the Sabbath day and which indeed are proper to the Sabbath day as Neh. 13.15 Isa 58.13 Math. 12.1.2.3 c. with others behold then if they haue not made the Lords day as like as like may be to the Sabbath day an image or picture cannot be more like a man then they haue framed this Lords day vnto the Sabbath day nay the images similitudes which Papists make of God of Christ or of Saintes are not so like vnto God Christ Saints as this Lords day is made fashoned like the Lords Sabbath day like as idolatrouse Jeroboam made a feast vnto his calues like vnto the feast that was in Iudah 1. King 12.32 so haue these made a new Sabbath like vnto the Lords Sabbath in the Morall Law 2. Touching that other acception of the word where it is taken for an imagination or fiction of the minde or braine And in this sense an Idoll is Nothing as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 8.4 An Jdoll is nothing in the world that is it is no such thing as it is imagined fansied to be in this sense also the Lords day is an Idoll the obseruers of it are Idolaters their sanctification of it Idolatry for 1. whereas they cale the Lords day Sabbath day it is a mere fiction for they neuer found it so named in the Holy Scriptures 2. That the Lords day should be kept like the Sabbath day with a rest from laboures all day long is an imaginary conceipt for they find no such obseruation of it by Christ nor by his Apostles 3. That the Lords day should be obserued by virtue of the 4th com is not onely a fiction but an absurd foolery 4. That Christ instituted the Lords day is a mere forgery and fansy of mens braine as hath bene formerly showne and thus you see that the Lords day is a mere Idoll or a very Nothing that is nothing but a fansie fiction of mens braine of this day therefore we may say as the Lord said of Ieroboames Moneth which he had consecrated vnto his Idoles that it was the moneth which hee had forged of his owne heart 1 King 12 33. so this Lords day is the Sabbath day which men haue forged of their owne hearts And thus we haue cleered and made apparent the two first things in this Idolatry to wit that the Lords day is an Image and liknesse and that the Lords day is an imagination and fiction or an Idoll and Nothing I come now to the third thing which maketh compleate Idolatry and that is Honour and Reuerence for that is properly Idolatry when religiouse honour and reuerence is attributed vnto Images and similitudes or vnto Imaginations and fictions of the braine or vnto Idoles and Nothing as when men reuerence these as Diuine things and as ordinances of God Now I shall easily demonstrate vnto you that men giue Honour Reuerence vnto this Lords day yea no ciuill honour but diuine religiouse Honour For 1. The patrones of the Lords day they doe esteeme one day aboue an other the Lords day aboue and before any other day in the weeke and that in a religiouse manner thus they honour it by aduancing it aboue all other daies yea by holding the cause of the institutiō of the Lords day to be greater then the cause of the institution of the Sabbath day they must hold that the Lords day is an higher more honourable day then was the Sabbath day for they say that the worke of the Redemption was the cause of the institution of the Lords day now the worke of Redemption they hold to be a greater worke then was the worke of the Creation which was the cause of the institution of the Sabbath day and thus you see they must haue the Lords day in more honour then the Sabbath day was
33.4 and who should defend the Churches right if not your Maiestie King Dauid chose this Law for his inheritance as we reade Psal 119.111 and I beleeue so hath your sacred Maiestie defend it therefore Why should the corrupt expositions thereof which the ignorance of former ages haue hatched be still retained Why should one part of this sacred Scripture be retained an other part of the same reiected Why should not God haue his whole and intire worship prescribed in this Law as well as some partes of it you will not indure it that your Coyne be clypped or impaired but count him for a traitour that doth it how thē should you thinke well of him that will clippe impaire this current golden Law of God you cannot indure it that any part of your Royall inheritance of Crowne Lands should be detained from you And how should you indure it that any part of your Spirituall inheritance the Law of God should be withholden from you any longer Why should we serue God by halues any longer The Lords Sabbathes which are a portion of Gods Law and a part of your Maiesties the Churches inheritance now contemned as Iewish and ceremoniall and now prophaned trampled vnder foote I humblie beseech your Highnesse to take a care of As the 5th Commandement is directed vnto inferiours so is the obseruation of the Sabbath in the 4th Cōmandement directed vnto Superiours as M. Brerewood in his Treatise on the Sabbath hath well obserued the care therefore of Gods Sabbathes pertaineth vnto Kings and the 4th Comm. doth in a most eminent sorte oblige Kings Hence no doubt it was that Nehemiah that Godly Gouerner tooke the reformation of the prophaned Sabbath into his care charge Whose steppes may it please you to treade hauing finished the great worke you may to your eternall comfort with him petition Almighty God to be mindfull of this your care zeale for him saying Remember mee O my God concerning this c. Nehem. 13.22 How famouse vnto all ages are those Godly Kings Hezekiah Iosiah the rest for Reformers of Religion for Restorers of the worship of God! Oh that your zeale might equall theirs that it might be left as a monument vnto all posterity that you Restored the worship of God in his Sacred Sabbaths If I be able to compare them none of your Progenitours did euer leaue the like honourable fact to this vpon recorde vnlesse it were they that made the Reformation from Popish Idolatry and that indeed may be compared with this for that concerned the 2th Com. and this concernes the 4th Com. that was a Morall Law and so is this that was touching a parte of Gods worship in the first Table and so is this Two Morall Laws to wit the 2th Com. and the 4th Com. haue bene corrupted for many hundreth yeers together the one by Image worshiping the other by Sabbath breaking as for the former that hath by the Mercy of God bene reformed this hundreth yeers and vpwards euer since we departed from Rome and Gods blessing hath abundantly followed our Church euer since As for the latter we still sticke fast in the myre and remaine still in ignorance blindnesse togeather with Rome to this day and this waiteth for the Reformation of our English Nehemiah Hezekiah or Josiah As it was with the good Kings of Israel and Iudah in restauration of Religion still they left something vndone So our Ancestours though they reformed the corruptions about the 2th Com. yet they left the high places I meane the prophanatiō of the Lords Sabbaths still vntouched No doubt God foresaw it that the reformation of one of his Commandements was worke enough for those his seruants in those gaine-saying times the reformation of the other he hath reserued for these later times oh that these times might be so happie as to take the Time Let not posterity take this Crowne glory The restauration of the integrity of Gods worship and the raising vp againe of Gods Sabbathes call for your Maiesties helpe Helpe O King T is true innovations are dangerouse yet in some case necessary as we see by new lawes daily inacted But this is no innovation it is but the reuiuing of an old Law a long time laine dead and the putting into execution Gods 4th Comm. now and of long time out of vse Neither can it be thought a thing impossible to be done or disaduantageouse vnto your Realme for the change of the Sabbath from the Sunday backe againe to the Saturday that holy Day Gen. 2.3 will not proue I suppose one farthing losse vnto your Subiectes and for your Maiestie it is but your pleasure say the word onely it is done your Maiesties proclamation or the like workes a present Reformation Let me say vnto your Highnesse therefore as once those seruants of Naaman said vnto their Lord when the Prophet bad him but this smale easy thing Goe wash and be cleane If it were a great thing which the Lord requireth of thee wouldest thou not haue done it how much rather when he saith vnto thee wash be cleane 2. King 5.13 I leaue the application To conclude the counsaile of the Lord is to inquire for the old way Ier. 6.16 be pleased therefore to serch the Scriptures and to inquire of your reuerend Bishops and lerned Clergy as they will answer it before God if this be not the old way and the way wherein we must walke to the Worlds end Your Maiesties most humble Subiect THEOPHILUS BRABOURNE To the most Reuerent Arch-Bishops and Bishops of this Kingdome RIGHT Reuerent Fathers in God right graciouse honourable Lords I presume to offer this Treatise of the Sabbath day vnto your graue iudicious considerations as vnto whom it doth more principally appertaine to weigh determine of questions controuercies of such great consequence and whose it is in a most eminent manner to see that all corruptions in Gods worship be reformed all Truethes of God fostered cherished and all the partes of Gods worship duly religiously obserued Amongst other things in this Treatise I humbly desire your Lordshipes to take these fiue into your best deepest considerations 1. That that Sacred ordinance of Gods Sabbath then the which is not any in our Church more ancient commanded by God in his Morall Law ratified by Christ the Sonne of God practised by the Apostles also by the primitiue Churches after them for 300 or 400 yeeres together is now sinfully trampled vnder foote prophaned 2. That the Decalogue 10 Commandements of Almighty God are not wholly and fully taught and maintained in our Church but onely by partes by peeces 3. That God hath not his whole intire worship seruice prescribed in the first Table of the Decalogue but is denied one fourth part thereof weekly 4. That Gods 4th commandement is by the commō doctrine in our Church wholly frustrate and nullified both roote
God then they were wont presently they be labour it to extinguish this light in them to these I may fitly apply that word of the Lord Ierem. 23.30 Therefore behold I will come against the Prophets saith the Lord that steale my word euery one from his neighbour These then be sacrilegiouse theeues who will not sow the seed of Gods word in the hearts of their people but vvill watch vvhen it is sowne that they may come steale it away againe I trust Gods Ministers will bridle corrupt nature and giue me leaue to lay the plaister where the sore is knowing it is their office to doe the like to others dayly they vvho teach others to take a reproofe are not to learne in this point Let me speake one vvord novv to all these 3 sortes of Ministers together vvhy are yee you Tribe of Leuie such enemies to the integrity wholnesse perfection of the Lavv of your God deliuered vvith such maiestie and terrour vpon Mount Sinai Exod. 20 Why oppose you your selues also against those iotes titles of this lavv ratified by our Lord Christ vnto eternity in his sermon on the Mount Mat. 5.1.8 Why doe you not according to his vvill mind teach the people this least commandement touching the proper time of his worship and seruice Nay why are you so vnlike your selues For it is a rule approued in expounding of the Scriptures that things are to be taken in the largest sense if nothing hinder Now why then in expounding of this 4th com doe you abridge it excluding the proper time thereof as if nothing but the dueties of rest and holinesse belonged vnto vs Whereas you ought to expound it more largly as including both the time of the 7th day the dueties of rest holinesse also since there is nothing that you can iustly say against the time Againe it is another rule in expouding of Scripture in speciall of the Morall law that vnder one thing expresly commanded or forbidden are comprehended all of that kind with the least cause or occasion thereof See here how they enlarge the lavv to be vnderstood not onely of the things there by name mentioned but also of things not mentioned as of the causes occasions and yet the same men being to expound the 4th com are so farre off from enlarging it as they will miserablie curtaile it and clippe it and pare it vntill they haue quite pared away the 7th day Sabbath Why are you so inconstant so vnlike your selues is it a rule with you that things not mentioned in the Comm. are to be brought in that so the Com. may haue the largest scope compasse and will you exclude and thrust out things by name mentioned in the Com. as the 7th day Sabbath Againe when we are to deale against Papists then we are very zealouse for the integrity perfection of the law witnesse M. Perkins in his first Volume pag. 400. where he proueth that a Papist cannot goe beyond a Reprobate because they make the whole law vaine and this he affirmeth in these words If one frustrate but any one point of any one commandement the whole law thereby is made in vaine Cannot a Papist goe beyond a Reprobate if he frustrate any one point of any one commandement can a Protestant goe beyond a Reprobate when he doeth frustrate some one point in some one commandement as we doe in the 4th comm Must the law stand in euery point of euery commandement vvhen we haue to doe vvith our Aduersaries abroade is the case altered when we be among our selues at home It is made a marke of sincerity and of the trueth of grace vvhen a man hath respect vnto all Gods commandements without exception of any But come vpon the matter with them then they that deliuer this marke to others can scarcely finde it in themselues For albeit they seeme by this marke to iustify the law in the integrity and perfection of it yet aske them what they thinke of Gods 7th day Sabbath commanded in the 4th com and this they will baulke and except vnder one pretense or other by miscalling it Iewish Ceremoniall and by saying falsely that it is abolished and is this the respect they haue vnto all Gods commandements It is a rule also that the law it is wholly copulatiue that is the things therein commanded are firmly combined knit together so as not any one thing can be seuered from the law and thus farre they maintaine the law in its perfection integrity but how then cometh it about that novv you haue made such a hiatus such a gape in this lavv one of the Linkes of this chaine is broken the commanded time of 7th day in the 4th com is taken out and seuered from all the rest so novv this copulation is vncoupled and the lavv is not wholly copulatiue it is but partially copulatiue Behold how the enēmies to the Lords Sabbaths to the integrity perfection of the Lavv of God say and vnsay it againe abroad vvith our aduersaries t is a point of reprobation to frustrate but any one point of any one commandement at home t is a point of Iudaisme to maintaine defend them all What should I say more iustly may the Lord lament ouer England as once he did ouer Ierusalem saying O my people they that leade thee cause thee to erre Isa 3.12 SECT XI Thus I haue defended the Morall lavv against both Anabaptists Libertins and also the integrity perfection of this lavv against Protestants and Papists to this end I haue opened expounded one branch of this lavv to vvit the 4th com and discouered many foule grosse errours in the ordinary receiued exposition thereof Now for conclusion I purpose to adde an Exhortation to the loue of this lavv of God It is called a royall Lavv But if yee fulfill the royall law according to the Scripture c. Iam. 2.8 It is called a righteouse Law What nation is so great that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day Deut. 4.8 It is as a light in darkest night Thy word is a lanthorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path Psal 119.105 Of all men the Prophet Dauid excelleth in this argument in his 119 Psalm Thy Testimonies are my delight my counsailers v. 24. My delight shall be in thy commandements which I haue loued v. 47. Thy statutes haue bene my Songes in the house of my pilgrimage v. 54. Oh how loue I thy Law it is my meditation continually v. 97. I hate vaine inuentions but thy law doe J loue v. 113. Yee see heere how Dauid was in loue with Gods lavv Now this his loue he doth expresse partly by his desirs and prayers and partly by comparisons by prayers Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law v. 18. Hide not thy commandements from mee v. 19. Mine heart breaketh
they haue taught and this they cannot beare for so the people as some of them haue saied would neuer beleeue them againe this is such a discredit as they that haue euer liued in credit and neuer denied themselues in such a point as this cannot tell how to beare it therfore can beare no good will to the cause 3. That they should receiue this point from so vile and contemptible a person as first brocheth it this cannot be borne it cannot be thought their high spirits will stoope so lovve 4. That the profession of this trueth may endanger them the losse of their faire liuings 5. It crosseth supposed Antiquity 6. It crosseth vniuersality 7. It is impossible to be reformed These the like raigning ruling in their mindes how can it be but suspitious that they haue no good will to the cause why then should it not be lavvfull for me to except against these mens testimony to haue them dravvne so as they may passe no verdict touching the Lords Sabbaths For their testimony is quit disabled as you see therefore to be reiected Furthermore parties vve say are no fit Iudges Novv Ministers in this case are parties for they are violent against the Lords Sabbaths vvherefore they are no compitent Iudges if therefore people vvill haue any knovvledge of this part of Gods Lavv they must get it themselues by their owne study of the point they must serch my bookes for Gods Sabbaths and their bookes sermons against Gods Sabbaths vnpartially weigh the arguments on both sids vvithout any regard had at all to the Authours Thus yousee that if a man hath knowledge of this trueth hath Honestie also yet if his goodwill be wanting his opinion iudgment is of no worth yet fruther I argue if that a mans testimony be worth lesse for want of goodwill to the cause when as he once by wisdome knovveth the trueth first then much more worth lesse is it when he was stuffed with a preiudice of the point before he knew it that is when he had euill vvill to the point before he knew it novv this is the case of our Ministers as may be coniectured by the cōsideration of those 7. argumēts before mētioned for at theire very firsthearsay of the point before they had read the booke or studied the point thes stumbling blockes appeared instantly to vvit if they imbrace it there follovveth losse of credit losse of liuing the rest so as theire minds are so forestalled vvith feares of these dangers as they cannot regard vvhat they heare nor vvhat they read their iudgement is quite ouerthrovvne for the most part in this case say that they reade the booke about the pointe they reade rather vvith a minde desirouse to carpe cavvill at euery thing as ioyfull to make false vvhat they feare to imbrace rather then to be further inlightened in the point as I appeale to theire consciences if I say not true of them further the trueth hereof appeareth that theire minds iudgements are forestaled against this point before they reade or study the point for many Ministers yea the most who neuer studied the point no nor euer savv so much as the out side of my former booke yet at the first hearesay of it cry burne the booke the like wherfore if people shall say I but novv our Ministers haue better studied the point they haue seene redd his booke are yet as violent against it as before c. vvhy vvhat maruaile seing they set vpon readinge it vvith a forestaled opinion they resolued by reading it to get no good by it but to see vvhere it vvas vveake in theire conceit so to blaze that a broad for they vvant that propertie of an allovvable witnesse to vvit goodwill And vvhat though people say their Ministers are many who are of the same minde for the opinions of 10000. of them are not worth a rush in this case the opinion of some one Minister who speaketh for the Lords Sabbath with hazard to loose his liuing and credit with the rest is more to be esteemed and prized by the people I auowch it then is the opinions of 10000. Ministers who speake against the Lords Sabbaths not daring to doe otherwise for feare of losse of liuing credit and those other discommodities forementioned the Testimony of one Martyr is of more worth then of all his persecutors for the witnesse of these many is to be suspected to speake for their proffit rather then for a good conscience but the witnesse of that one is to be thought to speake rather for his conscience then for his proffit Wherefore if people vvil be led by the iudgment of others rather then by themselues or if they will leane any thing at all to other mens iudgments let them choose to follow the opinion of him that looseth by his iudgment rather then of them who make againe by their opinion That this point may be yet cleerer see what a power carnall feare hath ouer a good conscience in the dayes of Christ it is saied Ioh. 12.42 Neuerthelesse among the chiefe Rulers many beleeued in him but because of the pharises they did not confesse him lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue loe here what a carnall feare vvill doe it can make men afraide to speake and confesse what they belecue is a trueth the feare of being excommunicated made them that they durst not confesse Christ him selfe you know also how some of the Martyres through feare haue for a season denied the trueth you know also how Peter through feare denied his Lord Master yea and forswore him too wherefore be it that Ministers haue vvisedome lerning doe know this trueth be it also that they be godly make conscience why all this may be yet of feare they may deny Gods trueth when they doe know it also much sooner of feare they may refuse to learne to knovv this trueth vvhen it is tendred them for Peter knew Christ Peter was a godly Minister also and made conscience so the Martyres yet you see how farr feare to displease men feare of damage may preuaile The consideration therfore of these many stumbling blockes in the way of Ministers whereof they cannot be ignorant should me thinke strike them vvith a feare that they speake partially and corruptly vvhen they speake against the Lords Sabbaths knowing how easy a thing it is for mens minds to be forestaled with a preiudice when a point is tendred vnto them attended with so many discommodities as this is I wish they would stay vpon the meditation of this point a while that it may doe them good Now as for people since they haue heard at large how insufficient the opinion iudgement of their Ministers is vvhilst they speake against the Lords Sabbathes if hereafter they will still cleaue vnto their iudgments for the tryall of this trueth they shall bewray their
vnwillingnesse to be instructed in the integrity perfection of Gods Law consequently that they loue not the Lavv of God in trueth Yea a vvorse matter they bewray that they make Idoles of their Ministers equalling them to God if not aduancing them aboue God for many people yea zealouse professoures doe set more by what their Ministers say then by what God himselfe saieth for God saith expresly in that Morall Law Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it No saith the Minister you must not Sanctify it to culler his speech he cales and miscales it a ceremony Iewish c. now of these two that is of God or the Minister who is obeied are not the Ministers words regarded Gods word neglected who cold thinke that men professing godlinesse should so sleight their God Did men loue Gods Lavv aboue gold and siluer as Dauid did and did they account it as their inheritance as Dauid did they would neuer hazard the losse of any portion of it vpon such sleity shiftes as these to say our Ministers speake against it And our Ministers say it is a ceremony the like vvhen the Title of A mans Inheritance is in question be it that one Lawyer saith his title is not good yet the Heire will not so rest in his iudgment but he will try an other if an hundreth Counsailers should tell him one after an other that his Title is naught yet if among them all but some one whom he thinketh an honest man should tell him his Title is sound good would not hee retaine him for his Counsailer cleaue vnto his iudgment so if you were in loue with the wayes and Lawes of God though an hundreth Ministers should all speak against them or against any branch or portion of them you would reiect them all suspecting theire zeale holinesse iudgments that dare speake against any of Gods Lawes you would cleaue vnto that one who speaketh for God for his Lawes There remaineth yet two vses more to be made of this exhortation to loue Gods Law the former is this is it so that thou doest loue Gods Law then thou vvilt euer more side it take parte not onely vvith such partes of Gods Lavv as are alredy infalliblie knowne vnto thee to be partes therof but also thou wilt take parte with such partes of Gods Lavv as are but suspected by common presumptiones to be partes of the same as if there be but probabilites coniecturall hopes liklihoods of it thus an Heire vvill doe vvith his Inheritance if any man shall informe him after he is come to his Lands that in all likelihood such an Acre of Land is percell of his Inheritance he vvill redily imbrace this nevvse forthvvith he vvill serch his Euidences he vvill to Counsaile vpon this intelligence and if there remaine but a possibility or probale liklihood that it may be his he will to Law for it c. The case is a like if a man be but excequtor to his deceased frieÌ„d he will not onely vse meanes for the gathering vp of such debtes as in his owne knowledge are owing vnto his deceased friend but also if there be but a bruit rumor that such a one oweth his friend a some of mony or if he can get but any inkling or notice of such a debt though it be but a bare liklihood he vvill forthvvith take parte that way vse all possible meanes to make it appeare to be a debt and to bring it out of doubt and question Let vs apply this then the Lords Sabbaths on the Saturday are a parte of Gods lavv plaine enough too if men had minds to see but because of theire vnwillingenesse to side it vvith god for his Sabbaths therfore we must heere suppose the matter doubtfull vvhere no doubt is but probable coniecturall likly that Gods Sabbaths are things probable coniecturall likly to be in force I thus make it good 1. because they stand vvritten in rouled among the Moralles in the Decalogue 2. because all the other 9. commandements vvhich vvere deâ—uerd at the same tyme in the same manner they all belong vnto vs therfore it cannot be lesse then lykly that this for Gods Sabbaths also should belong vnto vs especially since also they confesse that the other duties of rest holinesse commanded at one breath vvith the Tyme of Gods Sabbath in the self same commandement these belong vnto vs it cannot be then but likly at the least that the Tyme of Gods Sabbaths also should belong vnto vs it vvere very strange that 9. of the 10. com should descend vnto vs not the vvhole 10. nay more strange it is that 9. an halfe or that 9. the greatest parte of the 10th should descend vnto vs not all the 10. fully compleatly yet such strange stuffe is deliuered vs novv if vve vvil beleeue it it is as if the kingdome of England should descend to King Charles vvith all the Shires Counties Citties saue London or Norwich 3. it is likly probable that the Lords Sabbaths are ours because they were once in the possession of our Auncestores the primitiue Churches who kept the Saturday Sabbath for 300. or 400. yeeres together after Christs Ascention 4. there is some probability in it in that some one man as my selfe doth stand vp to defend the Lords Sabbaths let but any one man in a County rise vp informe for theking and forth vvith the Iudges of Assise will admit his information and Counsaile shall plead for the cause albeit the Iudges nor happely hardly any in the whole County doe know the matter to be so besids the Informer and one or tvvo more with him so then the information by one single man may make the matter probable and likly to be true It is a cleere case then that by common presumptions it is not lesse then likly that the Saturday Sabbath is a parte of Gods Lavv belonging vnto vs. Is it so vvhat remaineth then but that vve exhorte and persvvade men euery vvhere to side it and to take parte vvith this parte of Gods Lavv touching Gods Sabbath whensoeuer it cometh vnto triall or into controuercy but neuer to oppose it or to take vp armes against it to this end let me propound vnto you sondry reasons and Motiues as 1. the Law of God with all the partes therof are the Inheritance of the Church Deut. 33.4 and so David made it his Inheritance Psal 119.111 and our Church vvherof we are members hath also taken this law to be our Inheritance as hath bene showne now a man were vnnaturall if he vvould not side it vvith him selfe and take part in defence of that which is his owne the law of God it is our owne in asmuch as we haue a share in it as in a common Inheritance being we are members of the Church yet behould hovv vnnaturall many men are both Ministers and people
it for a Lecture day if that that is that they preached a Sermon sometimes vpon the Lords day but a lecture day is no Sabbath day 3. I answer if the practise of the Apostles after Christ his Ascention be a sure note that Christ whilst he was vpon the earth gaue the Apostles a Commandement for that practise then surely Christ gaue the Apostles a Commandement to keepe the Saturday Sabbath for Paul Barnabas the Rest with them kept the Saturday Sabbath constantly after Christ his Ascention se for this purpose Act. 13.14.42.44 and Act. 16.13 and Act. 17.2 and Act. 18.4 thus it appeareth by their owne arguments that the Saturday Sabbath is still in force commanded by Christ too yet they will not acknowledge it but oppose it 4. I answer that it is absurd for any to imagine once that Christ gaue his Apostles a commandement for the Lords day for this were to cast a foule blurr on the Apostles that Christ their Master should giue them a Commandement to deliuer vnto the Churches and they shold conceale it wher 's then their fidelity how could they say with Paul Act. 20.27 that they had reuealed the whole counsaile of God kept nothing back vvhen they had kept back a precept for the Lords day Sabbath SECT X. A 5th text out of the New Testament alleaged and abused for the Lords day is 2. Cor. 5.17 and this text as t is vsed by others so it is stifly defended by Mr. Greenwood the words are these If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new Whence he thus argueth what saith he can be plainer to proue that if all things be new then a new day of worship also Hereunto I answer 1. if all things in Christs kingdome be become new then shew me vvhere Christ hath giuen you a new commandement for your nevv Lords day I am suer you can finde none in all the nevv Testament in the steade of the old 4th com 2. They say all things in Christ kingdome are become new yet they vvill needs hau the old 4th com to strengthen their nevv Lords day by it do they not contradict them selues if all things be nevv then let them no more vrge the 4th old com for the Lords day 3. the Isralites vvere commanded to vvorship the true God that by the first old com shevv me then vvhat other God or vvhat nevv God vve must vvorshipp if all things are become nevv 4. S. Iohn saith he wrote no nâ—w commandement but an old commandement vnto them 1. Ioh. 2.7 Paul telleth vs that whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our lerning Ro. 15.4 our Sauiour telleth vs that vntill heauen earth passe one iot or one title of the law shall not escape c. Mat. 5.18 so then all things in Christs kingdome are not become nevv 4. This Text is ignorantly vvrested vnto a sense the which the holy Ghost neuer meant for the holy Ghost speaketh not in this text of old of new lawes ordinances in the Church as if this text were for the abolishing of the old Ceremonies of Circumcision the Passeouer and the like and for the establishing of new ordinances as of Baptisme the Lords Supper the like as they wrest abuse it grosly but it treateth of the old corruptions in men vnregenerate and of new grace in men sanctified and that a man in Christ is not an old man but a new man in conuersation this is the true sense laying open to euery eye and yet for all this they be not ashamed to vvring wrest this portion of Scripture to old Sabbaths to new Sabbaths what a shamefull abuse is this of Scripture me thinkes men that make conscience of other things should also make conscience of this to giue the vvord of God its due and proper sense to report a mans vvords in an other sense then he meant them is in estimation false witnesse bearing a finne of the 9th Com. but to misreport the sacred word of God and to giue such a sense of it as the holy Ghost neuer intended this is a sinne not against man but against God this is to be a false witnesse not against man but against God What haue they no body to father their falshoodes vpon but vpon God the God of trueth vvill not the Lords day be vpholden for a Sabbath vvithout such vile vngodly courses as these SECT XI A 6th Text out of the New Testament alleaged and abused for the Lords day is 1. Cor. 16.2 Vpon the first day of the weeke let euery on of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that then there be no gatherings when I come Loe here say they was a collection for the poore which collection was an ordinance of the Apostle as I haue ordeined in the Churches of Galatia so doe yee Now when there were collections for the poore there must be assemblies and when there were assemblies then there vvere sermons and on those dayes in which were collections for the poore and assemblies sermons those were Sabbath dayes This text M. Yates hath vrged vpon me Herevnto I answer 1. Here you see the foundation of all this argument is from hence that there vvas at Corinth a collection for the poore and that there was also an Assembly if therefore I shall make it appeare that there vvas neither collection nor assembly then you will say this text is grosly abused and that herein is no foundation for any new Sabbath And first touching the assembly that here was no assembly or congregation ordeined by Paul is plaine from the vvords of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apudseipsum reponat or apud se seponat let euery one of you put aside by himselfe the Apostle speaketh not here of putting vp mony in the congregation or assembly but of putting it aside by himselfe Now it is one thing to lay vp mony by a mans selfe and an other to lay it vp with others in an assembly for a man may lay vp mony by himselfe when he is at home alone by himselfe and this is that vvhich the text speaketh of and this is not done in an assembly as they suppose but out of an assembly if here vvere any grownd for them for any assembly the Apostle must haue said Let euery one of you contribute vvith others or in the assembly or let euery one of you put aside from himselfe as men doe to Collectors in the Church but he saith the quite contrary let euery one put aside by himselfe vvherefore this ordinance of Pauls vvas a duety to be done by euery man singlie alone by himselfe at home here then you see is no grownd for any assembly or Congregation Now I come to the collection and I shall make it appeare that Paul made no ordinance here at Corinth
was the signe not abolished but to be vsed An other instance of like kind we find in Isa 7.14 you may see it at your leisure by all which instances this one thing appeareth that a signe may remaine lōg after the thing signified by it be come thus is their 3d argument answered Oh how doe these men loue the Law of God who thus dispute against it and what would be the issue if they could obtaine their desires why this Gods Law should become A Monstre we Protestantes should become Anabaptistes profane persones kepeing no Sabbaths at all for besides this Sabbath they shall neuer be able to shew vs any other Hauing answered to all that they can say out of this text to euery argument seuerally now I come to giue iij. answers more which may serue to euery of their 3. arguments but first I desire my aduersaries either to imbrace these my answers and distinctiones whereby I would preserue Gods Sabbaths or else to study such others as may please them better or else they bewray abhominable partiallity to Gods Law trueth for they cane preserue nyne commandements halfe of the 4th why not the other halfe so all the tenn intirely First whereas they take it for granted that the Sabbath here mentioned Exo. 31.13 which they say is made a signe of sanctification that it is the 7th day Sabbath mentioned in the 4th com this I deny there are ii sortes of Sabbaths the weekly 7th day Sabbath the yeerly Sabbaths now this their text may be vnderstod of the Annuall and yeerly Sabbaths which neuer came into the Morall Law if therefore I shall make it appeare that this text of theirs may be vnderstod of the Annuall and ceremoniall Sabbathes and not of the morall weekly Sabbath then is all their labour lost and all their 3 arguments friuolouse for all their arguments haue argued onely against the yeerly ceremoniall Sabbaths the which no man will defend for this purpose therefore note these things 1. It is very improbable that all those verses v. 13.14.15.16.17 which are 5 in number should treate but of one kind of Sabbath to wit the 7th day Sabbath as may appeare by the very reading of them ouer vnlesse you would say here were a Tautologie ouer and ouer againe with the same thinge Wherefore it is more probable that in this long and large discourse of Sabbaths Moses speaketh of ij sortes of Sabbaths of the yeerly Sabbaths in Exod. 31.13.14 and of the weekly Sabbath in Exod. 31.15.16.17 some light is added herevnto if we doe but obserue Moses for he vseth often in speaking of the Sabbath to mention both kinds before he hath done that is both the anniuersary Sabbaths and the weekly Sabbath as you may see in Exod. 23.12.14.15.16 and in Exod. 34.21.22.23 and in Leuit. 23.3.4.24.32.38.39 A 2d reason may be this the Lord had giuen Moses in charge to build the Tabernacle Exod. 25.8.9 the making whereof would cost greate longe labour now least the people should thinke that because the worke about this Tabernacle was an holy worke perteyning vnto God for his seruice and worship that therefore they might put no difference of dayes whilst they were in this worke but that they might worke vpon the Sabbaths also whither weekly Sabbaths or yeerly Sabbaths as well as on the 6 working dayes to preuent this Notwithstanding saith the Lord my Sabbaths yee shall keepe c. Exod. 31.13 c. as if the Lord had said albeit I will that you make me A Tabernacle c. Yet I will not that you worke about it on my Sabbath dayes now because the people were as prone vpon this occation of building the Tabernacle to worke vpon the yeerly Sabbaths when their turne came as vpon the weekly Sabbath on the 7th day therfore it is meete for vs to thinke that God would as well make prouision heere for his yeerly Sabbaths as for the weekly Sabbath and that therefore in this text Exod. 31. Moses spake of the yeerly Sabbaths as in v. 13.14 and of the weekly Sabbath as in v. 15.16.17 that so the people appointed to worke about the Tabcrnacle as Bezaleel and Aboliab and the rest they might not worke either vpon the yeerly or weekly Sabbath but were all these 5 verses spent onely about one kind of Sabbath as the weekly Sabbath onely then had not God made provision heere for his yeerly Sabbaths which cannot be likly A third reason may be this that in these fewe verses v. 13.14.15.16.17 there is threatened the punishment of death to those that doe any worke on the Sabbath two seuerall times in two seuerall verses as in v. 14. whosoeuer worketh therein the same person shall be cut of from his people and in v. 15. whosoeuer doth any worke in the Sabbath day shall dye the death Now it is not likly that one and the same punishment should be repeated and twise together threatened for the breach of one kinde of Sabbath day and therefore to auoid a Tautologie and needlesse repetition it is most likly that here Moses spake of two kinds of Sabbaths of the yeerly Sabbath in v. 13. and so threatened death to the transgressoures of them in v. 14. and of the weekly Sabbath in v. 15. and so threatened death also to the transgressours of it in the latter end of the same v. 15. A 4th reason may be this that the Sabbaths in v. 13.14 are made a signe of Sanctification or Redemption by Christ as they say but the Sabbath in v. 15.16.17 is kept in memory of the Creation and is a signe of Creation to remember that in 6 dayes the Lord made beauen and earth and rested on the 7th day as you haue it in v. 17. now these diuerse signes doe intimate that here may be diuerse Sabbaths spoken of in these verses for Sanctification and Redemption may be applied to the one kind and Creation to the other kind of Sabbaths for it is nothing probable that Redemption and Creation should be both applied vnto one kind onely Thus you see what liklihod there is that the Sabbaths mentioned in v. 13. vpon which they grownd all their arguments are not the 7th day Sabbath which is our question but that they are the yeerly Sabbaths which neuer came into the morall law and about which we make no question at all wherefore vnlesse they cane take away these answers and proue vnto v. that by the word Sabbathes in v. 13. is meante the weekly 7. day Sabbath they are besids the question all their labour hath bene in vaine and all being granted them which this text cane afford them it will make onely for the abolishing of the yeerly Sabbaths but nothing for the abolishing of the 7th day Sabbath for suppose it granted that the yeerly Sabbaths in v. 13.14 were signes of Sanctification and Redemption by Christ and therefore abolished yet it will not follow that the weekly Sabbath
breaking euery weeke that is 50 times in one yeere so as if a man hath liued but a matter of 40 or 50 yeeres he is guilty of the breach of Gods 4th com Twenty hundreth times what a multitude of sinnes are heere all these are the Minister guilty of these are the multitude of sinnes committed by one single person in his congregation but if a Minister hath 400 or 500 persones or a thowsand persones vnder his charge what an infinit number of sinnes is hee guilty of let this be ceriously thought on Furthermore if it doth come into the heart of the Magistrate at any time to thinke of a reformation as God graunt it may what is it that quencheth that motion of Gods Spirit in him is it not this that hee bethinketh him that his Minister and so other Ministers are of a contrary iudgement affirming with one consent that this Sabbath day is abolished and ceremoniall Iewish so then Ministers are not onely guilty of the breach of Gods Sabbaths among the people for time past but also they hinder Reformation in the persones in whose power it is to make Reformation By the mercy of God we liue in a kingdome that is gouerned by Christian Magistrates and vnder such gouerners as haue alredy made reformationes in many things wherein they haue bene informed by the Clergie and I verily beleeue they would as willingly take this point into their considerations if moued therevnto by the Ministry as they haue done other things but behold they who should informe them and cale vpon them are dumbe and silent nay enemies and aduersaries to the cause wherefore that this Sabbath breaking is defended by Authority and not reformed but the reformation of it opposed by Authority this is to be imputed vnto Ministers let this be ceriously thought on Herevnto happily some will reply but these Ministers who doe these things are very zealouse godly men c. To whom I answer the more zealouse the worse the more godly the worse it were enough for the most godlesse profane men to set themselues against an ordinance of Gods to oppose his Sabbaths but for men fearing God zealouse for God that these should shew themselues so regardlesse of Gods ordināce such enemies to his Sabbaths this is in them a double iniquity for who but they should stand for God and defend his Sabbaths In the third place I lay many things to the charge of such Ministers as doe oppose Gods ancient Sabbath as 1. that thereby they haue defaced Gods royall-Law mangled it robbed it of its integrity perfection they haue diminished the compleate number of Tenn Commandements they haue made it a morall-ceremoniall Law an hotch potch a very Monstre 2. They bewray a greate want of loue vnto Gods Law they doe not loue it for it selfe for they indeauor might maine to ouerthrow a parte of it yea they are horribly partiall in that they will defend all the other partes of Gods Law against Anabaptists but will not defend this parte also against them 3. They open a flood gate to impiety and prophanesse among people draw vs to Anabaptistry by throwing downe Gods Sabbaths 4. They are guilty of that sinne in Deut. 12.32 and of that curse in Reuel 22.18.19 threatened to such as doe either add to Gods word or detract from it for by that text Ex. 31.13 they haue vnnecessarily detracted from Gods Law the 7th day Sabbath to that text Colos 2.16.17 they haue vnnecessarily added the 7th day Sabbath for the ruine of it now in thus doeing they behaue themselues like men that are weary of Gods seruice as if it were a burden vnto them to sanctifie Gods Sabbaths as if it grieued them that Gods Sabbaths should be morall were it not thus with them they would neuer manage such arguments and Scriptures against Gods Sabbaths as you see they haue done oh preiudice oh temporizing But admit that by reason of swaying with the times a preiudice against the Sabbath as Iewish is fastened in their breasts I see no cause why they should reiect the Matchlesse example president of God himselfe Exo. 20.10.11 is this Jewish too for they cannot abide it that the Church and people of God should be imitators followers of God like deere Children that is that they should labour on those daies wherin God wrought rest on that day wherin God rested sanctify that time which God sanctified yea and also commanded but like men that loued not to be like God they will haue the people rest when God wrought worke when God rested prophane the time which God Sanctified they had rather goe any way then treade in Gods steppes follow him The last thing which I lay to the charge of Ministers is that they haue taken away one whole com from the 10. commandements in the former point I haue taxed them for takeing away some parte of a com but here I taxe them for taking away a whole com by name the 4th com and this I thus make good against them 1. They haue taken away the time to wit the 7th day in the com the which being gone there is no day time lefte in the com so that an howre vpon any day in the weeke spent at a Lecture in prayer singing a Psalme hearing Gods word is as much as the 4th com can now require by their expositiones now therfore the 4th com needeth no longer goe thus Remember the Sabbath day for it may goe thus Remember the Sabbath howre 2. They haue abolished the dueties in the day to wit rest Holy actiones for the word Sabbath signifying rest this rest they haue abolished by making the word Sabbath rest in the 4th com a signe Exod. 31.13 and a Shaddow Colos 2.17 so abolished now if the Sabbath and rest be abolished then may men labour in their callings euery man in his owne house seuerally this taketh away holy Assemblies in the congregation all publike dueties of a Sabbath thus haue they abolished by their corrupt glosses expositions both the time the dueties to be performed in the time now these being gone I pray shew me what is lefte behind in the 4th com for they haue abolished euery thing that was commanded 3. By making these words Sabbath day a signe Exo. 31.13 and a Shaddow Col. 2.17 and so abolished thus they haue taken away the Substance of the 4th com lefte vs nothing but a shaddow so as now we may reade the 4th com thus Remember the 0000000000 to Sanctify it thus much for the body of the 4th com Lastly they haue taken away the Reason and Motiue which God tooke from his owne example added it to his 4th com Exod. 20 11. this whole verse v. 11. conteining ij most liuely reasones effectuall they haue robbed Gods Church of the vse of them for they neither vse them
10 commandements that is still in force But to sanctify the 7th day Sabbath God hath expresly commanded it to be done in his Morall Law or 10 commandements Therefore to sanctifie the 7th day Sabbath is still in force Here I will begine with the minor or second proposition prouing that first because it will be soonest done the point then I am to proue is that God hath commanded the sanctification of the 7th day Sabbath in his morall Law or 10 com here first I will proue that the Lord hath commanded the sanctification of the Sabbath day 2dly that this Sabbath day is the 7th day for the former see Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy or to sanctifie it where you see an expresse commandement giuen to Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it or keepe it holy so the former point is proued The next point to be proued is that this Sabbath day it was the 7th last day of the weeke which is our Saturday this I shall proue first by humane Testimony 2dly by Diuine Testimony for humane Testimony 1. the Iewes wheresoeuer they liue they kepe the 7th last day of the weeke our Saturday for this Sabbath day here commanded as it is well knowne 2. All Christians both Protestants Papists confesse that the 7th last day of the weeke our Saturday was the Sabbath day commanded in the 4th com which point I haue incisted more largly vpon in the Exposition of the 4th com I shall proue the same also by Diuine Testimony and that before the Law at the giuing of the Law after the giuing of the Law 1. Before the giuing of the Law see Exod 16.26 Sixe dayes shall yee gather it but in the 7th day is the Sabbath in it there shall be none So here you see before the Law was giuen by Sabbath day was vnderstod the 7th day 2. At the giuing of the Law see Exod. 20 10. But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord. So here at the giuing of the Law was vnderstod by Sabbath day the 7th last day of the weeke 3. After the giuing of the Law see Exod. 23.12 Sixe daies thou shalt doe thy worke and in the 7th day thou shalt Rest. And see Exod. 31.15 Sixe daies shall men worke but in the 7th day is the Sabbath of the holy Rest. See also Exod. 34.2 Sixe daies thou shalt worke in the 7th day thou shalt Rest both in earing time in haruest see also Leuit. 23.3 Sixe daies shall worke be done but in the 7th day shall be the Sabbath of Rest And so it continued in the Church vntill Christs time as you may see Luk. 13.14 yea after Christs death as you may see Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.1.2 thus you haue seene it proued that by the word Sabbath in the 4th com God and the Church of God vnderstod the 7th last day of the weeke so you haue seene it proued that God commanded the sanctification of the 7th day Sabbath in his morall Law Now I come to the Major or first proposition the profe of this will cost me longer time then the former not but that it is as cleere as the former but that men of peruerse minds haue wilfully bent their wites lerning against it as they haue done against the former but t is no matter trueth shall preuaile God assisting it the point then that I am to proue is this that whatsoeuer God hath commanded in the Morall Law or 10 commandements it is still in force or now to be obserued and obeyed if they deny this Major then I require them to giue me an instance to the contrary let them shew me where God hath commanded any thing to be done in the 10 commandements which is abolished not in force now remembring that they bring not the thing in question for their instance 2. Happily they will answer by lymitation distinguishing and so deny some parte of this Major for example sometime they distinguish of the substance of the commandements of the Accidentes granting those denying these by substance they vnderstand that which they please to make morall in the Decalogue as the Rest in the 4th com the holy actiones of prayer reading preaching Gods word by Accident they vnderstand that which they please to make ceremoniall in the Decalogue as the time of Gods worship to wit the 7th day but this is a foolish distinction and so much the more vile in that it is made against God for hath not God as well commanded the Accident time as the substance and Rest is it not necessary to obey God in one commandemēt as well as in an other for the one is as well commanded as the other did they distinguish betweene things commanded things not commanded it were tollerable but they distinguish of things all of them commanded as betwene great commandements and little commandements the one they cale substances the other Accidents now the greater commandementes which they cale substances these they will imbrace but as for the lesser commandements which they please to cale Accidents these they will reiect deny so then Gods greater commandementes they will obey but as for his lesser commandements these they will not obey that because they are little and light in their esteeme but our Sauiour Christ hath taught them an other lesson saying whosoeuer shall breake one of these least commandements he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.19 Let them cale them Accidentes if they will yet since they are commandements they are not lesse then the least commandements of which our Sauiour speaketh That no distinction is to be receiued whereby any thing inioyned in the 10 commandements is denyed I thus further proue it 1. this is a position so cleere as the Sunne that All Gods 10 commandements doe bind vs to obedience of them are still in force now if it be lawfull for any man barely to deny this trueth saying by way of answer that some of his commandements doe not bind vs to obedience then euery priuate mans bare deniall shall be as authenticall as this cleere trueth and orthodox position which is most absurd for thus a froward aduersary may put a man to bring a light cleerer then the Sunne that is hee may put him to proue whither any of Gods commandementes doe binde vs now or not for example a Minister reproueth an adulterer from the 7th commandement thus he frameth his argument against him All the 10 commandements doe bind vs c. But the 7th com is one of the 10 commandements c. Shall it be lawfull for this vncleane person to deny the Major in some parte of it by a distinction put the Minister to proue that All the 10 commandements doe bind vs what an impiouse and vngodly answer were this why this is our case for in my
would not haue his Disciples to doe no not such necessary works as might saue their liues on the Sabbath if they might be preuented thus I haue sufficiētly proued the 4th thing in my Minor The 5th and last thing to be proued in my Minor is that this flight on the Sabbath day was spoken of to be aboute 50 yeeres after the death end of all Ceremonies that the destruction of Ierusalem by Vespasian was a matter of 40 or 46. yeeres after Christ his passion it is confessed by all that this obseruation of the Sabbath was to be 40 46 or neere 50 yeeres after the death of all ceremonies is proued by this that all ceremonies ended with Christ vpon the Chrosse as you may reade Ephes 2.15 Colos 2.14 Now the Sabbath day being to be obserued by an holy Rest at the destruction of Ierusalem by Vespasian which was neere 50 yeeres after Christs passion at which time all Ceremonies ended it followeth that the Sabbath was to be obserued neere 50 yeeres after the end of all Ceremonies and thus I haue proued and confirmed both propositiones in my argument Yet I cale to mind iij obiections more that may be made against this argument the one is that Christ had not respect so much vnto the Religion conscience of the Sabbath as rather to this that he had a care to the safeguard of the liues of those beseiged for if they should flie in the winter they should be hindered by the foulnesse of the waies and if on the Sabbath day they should be hindered by their superstitiouse needlesse conscience which they would make of the Sabbath so it might come to passe that their enemies should surprise them because they could not make that speede that was fiting in such a time of danger Herevnto Iāswer 1. It is agrosse cōceipt of any to account that obedience superstitiouse needlesse which was done according to the prescript of a Morall Commandement to wit the 4th com seeing they cannot proue the old Sabbath mentioned in the 4th com to be abolished 2. I haue before showne that Christ when he spak of slight on the Sabbath he spake it in a religiouse respect but admit that Christ spake these words for the safeguard of their liues yet so it will come to the same still that Christ ratified the Sabbath day for as in the winter the deepenesse of the waies the shortnesse of the daies tediousnesse of the weather would aggrauate theire crosse hinder their speedy flight so on the Sabbath day the greate sorrow of heart that would seaze vpon them for that they were vrged to moile toile worke so hard vpon that day wherein they were wont sweetly to Rest with the people of God to praise God in the assemblie of the Saintes for that they were inforced to profane the Sabbath which they would gladly haue sanctified in obediēce to Gods 4th com these things would aggrauate the crosse and sticke so in their minds as it would make their heartes to faile them and so hinder their speedie flight thus the winter would be an impediment to their bodies and the Sabbath would be an impediment to their soules so the whole man would be disabled for a speedy flight and for the safeguard of their liues Further more as touching their superstitiouse conscience what reason can be imagined that it should be more vnfit to flie on the Sabbath day then on a weeke day or why should their speedy flight be more hindered on the Sabbath day then on an other day if not for this cause that they made a conscience of flying trauailing on the Sabbath day more then on any other day now forasmuch as our Sauiour commanded them to pray to God that they might not fly on that day for the offence of their consciences thereby he allowed of approued of their making conscience of the Sabbath day suppose our Sauiour Christ had commanded Agur Prov. 30.8.9 to pray that he might not haue too much least he should grow proud and hauty nor too little least he should steale he should thereby approue of Agurs feares of growing prowd of stealing so it is in our case for in that Christ bad them pray that they might not flie on the Sabbath day least thereby their consciences should be offended their hearts filled with sorrow for profaning Gods Sabbath thereby Christ allowed of their conscience of the Sabbath day of their sorrow for profaning it and so it was no superstitiouse conscience had the Sabbath day bene abolished long before this seige as this obiection supposeth so the conscience of Christs Disciples bene but superstitiouse then would Christ neuer haue commanded them to pray to God in this case for this were to giue gold for drosse to spend Substance for shaddowes would Christ think you haue bidden them spend Diuine prayers for the satisfying the desires of a superstitiouse needlesse conscience had not this bene an abuse of holy prayer and of the Maiestie of God to begg of him things for their lust vaine desires If their conscience were a vaine needlesse conscience then they should pray to God to fulfill the desires of a vaine needlesse conscience and Christ should instruct them so to doe too which is most absurd Had the conscience of Christs Disciples bene superstitiouse touching the Sabbath day then would Christ haue reproued them for it and rather haue rectified their iudgements taught them now before hand that as touching the Sabbath if it fell out that they must flie on the Sabbath day they should then take no care for that for he came to abolish that amongst other things and it should be nullified long before their flight so as that should be no let vnto their flight thus would Christ haue prepared them beforehand and streng thened them against this superstition if it had bene superstition nay had it bene superstitiō Christ had nusled them vp flattered them in it when he bad them pray to God that their superstitiouse consciences might not be crossed or disquieted therefore it was no superstitiouse but a iustifiable religiouse conscience which they made of the Sabbath day and this is yet the more strengthened by consideration of the persones that should make this conscience of the Sabbath they were Christs owne Disciples of his owne teaching and can we thinke he would leaue them in superstition at this time and in this case when it was so needfull that they should be instructed therein Happily it will be said they were not fit to heare now of the abolishing of the Sabbath it being a thing so highly honoured amōgst them c. but why I pray were they not as able to heare of the abolishing of the Sabbath as to beare of the destruction of the Temple for they had the Temple in honour no lesse then the Sabbath Yet further it appeareth by the context
Gentiles Neuerthelesse I will proue vnto you that the Apostles kept the Sabbath with the Gentiles see Act. 13.42.44 And when they were come out of the Synagogue of the Iewes the Gentiles besought that they would preach these words to them the next Sabbath day the next Sabbath came almost the whole citty together to heare the word of God Loe here is a most pregnant text for the purpose for here the Apostles Paul Barnabas kept the Sabbath with Gentiles yea with the whole citty almost of the Antiochian Gentiles wherefore the Apostles made no difference of keeping the Sabbath betwene Iewes and Gentiles for they kept it indifferently as well amongst Gentiles as amongst Iewes An other text whereby I shall proue vnto you that the Apostles kept the Sabbath among the Gentiles is Act. 16.12.13 And from thence to Philippi which is the chiefe Citty in the partes of Macedonia and whose inhabitants came from Rome to dwell there and we weere in that Citty abiding certaine daies on the Sabbath day we went out of the Citty besids a riuer where they were wonte to pray we sate downe spake vnto the women which were come together c. In this text it is to be obserued that these at Philippi with whom Paul Timothie Silas kept the Sabbath day v. 3.19 they were Gentiles for 1. Lidia who was then converted she hir houshold baptized shee was a Gentile for she was of the Citty of Thyatira as the text speaketh v. 14. It doth not follow that shee was a Iewesse because the text saith shee was a worshiper of God as some thinke for so was Cornelius also a worshiper of God Act. 10.2 But yet he was no Iew no nor so much as a proselite for he then was vncircumcised Act. 11.3 secondly it is plaine in the text because the text saith that these Philippians were Romanes Whose inhabitants came from Rome to dwell there v. 12. now the Romanes were not Iewes but Gentiles which appeareth further in v. 20.21 by the opposition betwixt Iewes Romanes These men who are Iewes trouble our City and preach ordinances which are not lawfull for vs to receiue seing we are Romanes These philippians therefore were Romanes so Gentiles and so it is euident by this text also that the Sabbath day was kept among Gentiles that the Apostles were as redy to keepe the Sabbath when they came among the Gentiles with the Gentiles as they weere to keepe it when they came among the Iewes with the Iewes they made no difference betwixt Iew Gentile for this point Finally suppose it could not be proued that the Apostles kept the Sabbath with the Gentiles at all but onely with the Iewes is it lawfull therefore to reiect the examples and practise of the Apostles if it be then these absurdeties follow 1. That when the Apostles exhorte vs to become imitatores and followers of them as in 1. Cor. 11.1 and 1. Cor. 4-16 Phil. 3.17 then these textes must be vnderstod with this vaine limitation that we must imitate the Apostles onely in such actiones as they did doe among the Gentiles but not in those they did among the Iewes 2. If we must imitate the Apostles onely in such things as they did doe among the Gentiles then is the example of the Apostles of little or no vse for our direction for all their actiones well nigh were done among the Iewes onely or else among Iewes Gentiles mixed together as you may read euery where see Act. 2.14 Act. 13.14.42 Act. 14.5 Act. 17.4.5 Act. 18.4 So much for their first answer An other answer they vsually bring against the Apostles keeping the Sabbath day after Christs resurrection is that it was so done for a time onely to beare with the weakenesse of the Iewes who would not be suddainly weaned from the Sabbath day no more then they would from Circumcision Herevnto I reply 1. That it was no weakenesse in the Iewes I trust nor so to be esteemed of vs for thē to yeeld obediēce vnto a morall precept which inioyneth the Sabbath day neither are they to rank the Sabbath day with circumcision supposing the Iewes to be as superstitiouse in the one as in the other vntil they know how as well to proue the Sabbath day to be abolished as it is easy to proue Circumcision to be abolished If the Apostles keeping Sabbath was to beare with the weaknesse of the Jewes then I would gladly know why they kept Sabbath with the Gentiles this was not I trust to beare with the Iewes weaknesse see Act. 13.42.44 this repetition sermon or sermon preached againe at request of the Gentiles it was not made for the Iewes sake but for the Gentiles sake who requested it now what cause was there then that Paul Barnabas should preach this sermon vnto the Gentiles vpon the Sabbath day to beare with the weaknesse of the Iewes for whose sake it was not preached had this sermon bene preached at the request of the Iewes and so for their sakes happily this might haue had some better culler but it being prached for the Gentiles sakes at their request it is absurd therefore to thinke that the Apostles should haue regard to the Iewes in this case and so much for the Sabbath day kept among the Gentiles at Antioch Act. 13.14.42.44 The vanity of their answer will further appeare if we looke into that other Church where Paul Timothie Silas kept the Sabbath day also to wit at Philippi that too among the Romane Gentiles Act. 16.12.13 now forsomuch as we reade not of any Iewes dwelling at Philippi but haue proued the cōtrary nor can they proue that any dwelt there who could thinke that S. Paul and the rest should keepe the Sabbath there infauor of the Iewes or for the weaknesse of the Iewes since there were no Iewes either in that Citty or in their Assemblies of whom the Apostles should be afraied or for whose sakes they should doe it But here it is answered that albeit there were no Iewes in this Citty or Assembly yet if Paul had not kept the Sabbath here it would haue bene by one meanes or other carried to the Iewes where they dwelt whereat they would haue bene offended therefore Paul kept the Sabbath here at Philip. But how vaine this conceipt is appeareth 1. Because this supposeth that the Apostle durst not free the Gentiles from the obseruation of needlesse ceremonies in their owne Church for feare he should offend the superstitiouse Iewes in some other remote Church 2. By the like reason Paul should not haue reproued Peter for Iudaizing in the Church of Galatia Gal. 2.14 nor haue durst to speake against Circumcision nor to haue wrote to the Colossians against Meates and drinkes new Mones yeerly Sabbaths Colos 2.16 for by one meanes or other this would haue come to the hearing of the Iewes offended them 3. By this it should haue come to passe
it shall we haue no Law now against working on the Sabbath day 4. If these words But the 7th day is the Sabbath be not morall but abolished then this absurdety followeth that we are not tied by the 4th com to giue God a Sabbath once a weeke or one in 7 daies but it is enough if God hath a Sabbath once a moneth once a yeere one in 7 daies or one in 700 daies for in what parte of the commandement will you find on what day in 700 you shall keepe your first Sabbath if you abolish those words But the 7th day is the Sabbath c. were it not for these words might you not begine your first Sabbath at the 700th day as well as at the 7th day 5. If no more of the 4th com be morall but these words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it then is the commandement Sixe daies thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe Exod. 20.9 a bolished also now I maruaile what offence these words are vnto any that this command must be rased out too were these wordes typicall or ceremoniall at any time that they must be also abolished is it Judaisme too to obserue this commandement yet further take away the latter parte and words of the 4th com and then 1. you abolish the cause grownd of the Sabbath institution noted in these words And rested the 7th day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Exo 20.11 Genes 2.2.3 now it is very absurd to retaine the Sabbath and to reiect the grownd cause of its Institution 2. You abolish also that Matchlesse example and perswasiue president reason which God gaue vs taken from his owne example to moue vs to keepe the Sabbath Exod. 20.11 what is Gods example now become Jewish and to treade in his steppes Iudaifme may not Christians be followers of God as deere children as well as Iewes 3. You blot out the memory of the Creatiō in remembrance of which Myracle the 7th day Sabbath was solemnized Exod. 31.17 6. I alleage the Testimony of M. Perkins against him for of all the other words in the cō M. Perkins did iudge these words to be morall see his Comentary on the Galatians Chap. 4. v. 9. pag. 286. Jt may be saith he the first words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it and these words In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke are spoken of the Iewes Sabbath But the words sixe daies thou shalt labour c. And the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God are morall and containe a perpetuall trueth And againe see M. Perkins in his Cases of Conscience pag. 106. D. vpon these words for in sixe daies c. where he thus writeth The second reason is taken from Gods example That which the Lord himselfe hath done in persō the same must mā doe But the Lord himselfe rested the 7th day Therefore man must doe the same This reason made by God to the creature must stand in force till he reuerse it which yet he hath not done Thus M. Perkins doth expresly affirme it that this reason annexed to the 4th commandement is still in force In a word I might be infinite in alleaging Authores this way for what writer but holdeth these latter words of the Com. to be still in force as appeareth in that in theire Expositions on the 4th com they vnderstand by these words the 7th day is the Sabbath one day of 7 to be meant to be morall but M. Greenwod will be contrary to all Authores rather then God shall haue his Sabbaths againe 7. If onely those first words of the commandement Remember the Sabbath day be morall then is the 4th com vtterly abolished for they alleage these texts Exod. 31.15.16 Col. 2.16 where is mention made expresly of the Sabbath day for the abolishing of the Sabbath day in the 4th com as a signe and shaddow wherefore since by these textes they abolish the Remembrance of the Sabbath day mentioned in the begining of the 4th commandement it must nedes follow that those words in the begininge of the com Remember the Sabbath day are abolished and so if no other words be morall in the 4th com but those then are none at all morall but all abolished Now whereas some say all but the first words of the com are Application it is more likely that they are Explication now they will not reiect J trust the Explication of the commandement 2. to say they are application it doth imply that the words Sabbath day in the begining of the commandement are certaine generall words which may be applied vnto any day and so the latter parte of the commandement should apply them to the 7th day but their foundation is sandy for they cannot shew where at any time these words in the 4th commandement Sabbath day were taken generally or for any other day then Saturday the 7th day 3. Since that these words Sabbath day at the begining of the commandemēt these the 7th day is the Sabbath towards the end of the commandement are promiscuously vsed in Scripture the one for the other as hath bene proued it is absurd to suppose the one of these to be the Application of the other 4. Since that we are commanded to sanctifie the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8 and probibited to worke on the 7th day Exod. 20.10 It is absurd to say that this latter is an Application of the former is it not rather an Addition and that of one parte of the commandement to an other 5. If the after partes of the commandement be but Application and belonge not to vs why then doe all Diuines out of these after partes of the commandement determine that one day in 7 is morall And whereas some say that all the latter words of the com are appurtenāces to the com I reply if they be but such appurrenāces as may safely be seuered from the com then 1. we haue no neede now as those Iewes had of Gods insample reason mentioned in the 4th commandement Exod. 20.11 to moue vs to sanctifie the Sabbath day 2. Then need we not giue God a Sabbath once in 7 daies or once in 700 daies c. 3. Then doe we abolish Gods expresse prohibition of doeing seruile workes on the Sabbuth day Exod. 20.10 fourthly then why haue Diuines and Expositers affirmed that one day of 7 is morall out of these words the 7th day is the Sabbath 5. that these words the 7th day is the Sabbath are no appurtenances but of higher nature I haue proued in my 5th argument in defence of the Lords Sabbaths where I proued that these words are a parte of the 4th com and so cannot be seuered from the commandement as appurtenances may be To conclude there is a Tradition among vs that these words the 7th day is the Sabbath c. in it thou shalt doe no worke is but Application and Appurtenances
it and corrupt it and shall we thinke the Gentiles Heathen that know not God haue retained all the Morall Law perfectly without forgetting any thing therein doe we thinke better of the Heathen Gentiles who haue liued since the giuing of the Law then of the people of God who liued before the Law if the light of nature in the people of God before the Law needed a better light to wit the Law of God to direct their Law and light of nature can the blind light in Heathen people since the Law giue a light vnto the Law if it cannot why then will we rather learne what is morall by the light of nature and lawes of nationes then by the light of lightes the Law of God Should we vrge the practise of any thing that is vn-naturall or which nature abhorreth then there might be some more â—uller for this distinction but since we vrge nothing vn-naturall nor any thing impossible nor any thing harmefull to a Church or State commoÌ„ wealth in this case what grownd should there be to draw vs to the Lawes light of nature suer I am though nature be ignorant of the Lords Sabbath yet enemy vnto it it cannot be for let nature be informed what manner a thing Gods Sabbath is and it will imbrace it for nature abhorreth to profane sacred things of which kind the Sabbath is and nature approueth of a day and this day as well as any other day for Gods worship and for mans refreshment in a rest from laboures why then should we reiect Gods Sabbath because blind nature is ignorant of it and not rather imbrace it because if nature be but taught it it cannot oppose it it will imbrace it I find it that this distinction is merely inuented for the very nonce to thwarte rase downe and roote out Gods ancient Sabbaths for I find nothing else prescribed in the morall Law which they doe reiect by this dinstinction but onely Gods Sabbaths now as well might they reiect the drinking of wine in Lords Supper as the Sabbath day in the 4th com for ther 's the same reason seing that the drinking of wine is not naturall to English men no more then the Sabbath is to Heathen people for wine is not the naturall fruite and liquor of our Country but Beere like as they say the 4th com belongeth vnto vs but as it is the Law of nature but not as it was giuen to the Iewes for so it was Iewish so might they say the institution of the Lords Supper belongeth vnto vs English men but as it is a law in our nature and not as it was giuen to the Iewes Christs Disciples to drinke Beere is naturall to vs but to drinke wine is Iewish for the Iewes vsed wine at their meales as we vse Beere 6. The Apostle Paul telleth vs of a Law written and of a Law of nature the one written in Tables of stone the other in the Tables of the heart the one giuen the Iewes the other to the Gentiles As manie as haue sinned without the Law shall perish with out the Law as manie as haue sinned in the Law shall be iudged by the Law Rom. 2.12.14 I would faine know where the difference lieth betwene these two Laws the Law of nature the written Law of God if vve vvill imbrace no more of Gods written Law then the Gentiles find written in their hearts yea vvhat then are we the better for hauing Gods vvritten Lavv among vs 2. Inasmuch as the Apostle saieth that as manie as haue sinned in the Law they must be iudged by the Law hence it follovveth that all vve Christians who imbrace the written Law we must stand or fall to this written Law and must be iudged by it an other day can we then vvith safety reiect this vvritten Lavv and take the vnvvritten Lavv for the rule of our Liues no surely vnlesse vve could thinke vve should liue by one Lavv be iudged by an other 7. If so much of the Lavv of God be Morall as is found among the Gentiles then is the Ceremoniall Lavv of Sacrifices a Morall Lavv for the Gentiles haue had their Sacrifices thus vve reade that Iupiters Priests brought Bules vvith garlands vnto the gates vvould haue Sacrificed vnto Paul and Barnabas Act. 14.13 Wherefore the light of nature in the Gentiles is no sufficient rule to distinguish Morales from Ceremoniales 8. This distinction is Antichristian for it is against Christ and his Apost es for they euer sent the Churches vnto the vvrittâ—n Law neuer to the vnvvritten Law Mat. 1.18.19 Rom. 3.31 Iam. 2.8.10 Paul saieth hee beleeued all things vvhich vvere written in the Lavv c Act. 24.14 And vvhatsoeuer things are written a fore time are written for our lerning Rom. 15.4 and cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things vvhich are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 and the vvhole Scripture is by inspiration to teach c. 2. Tim. 3.26 in all vvhich scriptures vve are sent vnto the vvritten Lavves the Lavves giuen to the Ievves not vâ—to the vnvvritten Lavves that vvere giuen to the Gentiles the Holy Ghost vvould that vve should borrovv light from the vvritten Lavvs giuen to the people of God but the Authors of this distinction vvill send vs to the vnwritten Laws vvhich are found among Heathen people and Infideles to borrovv ligâ—t from them It seemes then that vve shall borrovv light from darknesse Ye were once darknesse but are now light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 9. If no more of the Law shall bind vs then so much as is found out by the light of nature then Gods word shall not bind properliâ— by of it selfe but that it must borrow strength elswhere as from the Law light of nature or else it shall not bind nor be a Law this is to detract from the Dignity Authority of Gods word for a Minister must not now come with Thus saith the Lord but he must strengthen it with this so saith the Law of nature he must not say onely Thou shalt not steale not commit adultery for thus no man is bound vntill he add this And this the Law of nature 10. If so many of the precepts of the Law onely shall be in force with vs as are allowed of by the Law of nature then it shall follow that so many such qualified men among vs shall stand bound to the first Commandement onely as by the Law light of nature did acknowledge the true God and they are for number a few 3 or 4 in a Country Citty or Kingdome and for quality onely the most lerned and deepest schollers for such onely did acknowledge the true God among the Heathen The reason hereof is that if we must fetch direction from the Heathen to know which precepts we are bound vnto then by like reason must we fetch light from them also to know how many
shew vs how or whereby in particular the day should be sanctified how know we at this day where withall to sanctify the Sabbath day we rather find is by obseruation how the Church of God euer did sanctifie it then by the 4th com as farre as euer I could vnderstand we find the people and Church of God constantly sanctifying it with sacred actiones for they had on that day holy conuocationes and assemblies Leuit. 23.3 then the people resorted vnto the Prophets for instruction ij King 4 23. then the Sacred Scriptures were publiquly red Act. 15.21 then they sung Psalmes Psal 92. then the people did worship before the Lord at the gate of the Temple Ezek. 46.1.3 on this day our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles after him did constantly preach vnto the people Luk. 4.16 c. Act. 13.44 Act. 16.13 Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 Now as we learne what God meant by the word Sanctifie in the 4th com by the obseruation how Gods Church did sanctify the Sabbath day in their practise so no doubt those Isralites in the wildernesse knew what God meant by the word sanctify by the constant practise of their ancestores before them IV. My 4th reason is drawne from the first word of the 4th com Remember Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it c. now in asmuch as God commanded those Iewes at Mount Sinay to remember the Sabbath day it implieth that the Sabbath day was in vse before then and that they knew it and could cale it to minde againe for remembrance implieth the caling to mind of a thing forepast and foreknowne Hereto some may thus answer admit this word remember hath relation to the Sabbath as foreknowne yet there may be a double relation the one to the Sabbath as instituted from the Creation the other to it as commanded in the wildernesse of Sin Exod. 16. But that this word remember hath relation to a knowledge beyond that in the wildernesse of Sin consequently vnto the Creation it will appeare 1. By this that God bad them remember to Sanctify the Sabbath day now how to sanctify the Sabbath day in a speciall manner as hath bene showne they lerned not by the 4th commandement Exod. 20. Nor in the wildernesse of Sin Exod. 16. and therefore this word remember had reference to times before their being in the wildernesse of Sin 2. It is nothing probable that this word should haue reference but vnto the Israelites being in the wildernesse of Sin for the mention of the Sabbath in the wildernesse of Sin was but one moneth before the giuing of the Law on Mount Sinay as you may see Exod. 16.1 Exod. 19.1 Now can it be thought the Jsraelites were of so brittle memories to forget a law giuen them but one moneth before as they should stand in need to haue the word Remember added so shortly after is it not by farre the more likly that this word had reference vnto some long time before as vnto the Creation the memory whereof stod in neede of a speciall Memorandum least they should forget it yea doth not the reason annexed to the commandement Exod. 20.11 drawne from Gods hallowing of the 7th day at the Creation to moue the Iewes to sanctifie the 7th day imply so much as if the Lord said because I rested on the 7th day at the Creation therefore blessed it sanctified it for your holy vse therefore forget it not though it was done long since but Remember it to sanctifie it c. V. My 5th reason we doe not onely learne it from our Sauiour that the Sabbath was made for man Mark. 2.27 But also more particularly we find that it was made for the exercising mercy vnto man yea both to man beast as we read Exod. 23.12 Deut. 5 14. that so poore tiered seruants might by a rest then be refreshed hence I thus argue if that the Sabbath was not from the Creation and so before the Israelits came into the wildernesse then this absurdety shall follow that God was not so mindfull to shew mercy vnto the poore tired seruants of the Patriarkes as he vvas vnto the seruants of the Iewes in the wildernesse nor so mercifull before the giuing of the Law as after 6. My 6th reason for the Antiquity of the Sabbath shall be the vnanimouse consent of well nigh all Diuines for this purpose Doctour Bownd in his booke on the Sabbath pag. 6. saith The Sabbath was from the begining from the Creation it came in with the first man must goe out with the last man for confirmation hereof he alleageth sondry Authores as Vatabl. Iunius Peter Martyr Bullinger Hospinian Danaeus Zanchie pag. 12. Chrysostome Beza Bertram Athanasius To the same effect Walaeus de Sâ—bbatho citeth sondry Authores of best note pag. 43. as Philo Judaeus lib. 3. be vita Mosis among Christianes Chrisostome Hom. 10. in cap. 2. Gen. Theodoret quaest in Genes Augustine ad Casul Epist 86. Luther in 2. Cap. Genes Zuinglius comment in 20. Cap. Exod. Caluine in 20 Cap. Exod. in 5. Cap. Deut. Beza in 1. Cap. Apocalyp Martyr in 2. Cap. Genes and in 4. praecept Bullinger in Cap. 12. Mat. Zanchie de operibus creationis Cap. 1. Vrsinus Catech in 4. praecept Gualtherus in Math. 12. Homil. 162. The institution of the Sabbath saith he is most ancient neither is there any thing in all the worship of God more ancient c. Aretius tom 1. loc com loco 30. Bertrame in libello de Politia Iudaicea cap. 2. Mercerus in Cap. 2. Genes Anton. Faius Junius in 2. Genes Pareus in 2. Genes Zepperus lib. 4.24 de legib forens Iudaeorum Alstedius Theol. Catecheti Sect. 3. Cap. 6. Hauing quoted all these Authores with others more to proue the Sabbath was from the Creation then Walaeus concludeth thus The same also is affirmed almost of all other interpreters of the Reformed Church neither saith he haue I euer yet seene any that hath directly denied it vnlese some one or two of our late writers who haue bene bould to question it Here let me add what I find recorded by M. Aynsworth in his Annotationes on the 92. Psalme vpon the Title of it where he saith the Chaldee paraphraseth vpon it thus An hymne a song which the first man Adam said for the Sabbath day It seemes therefore by the iudgment of Antiquity that the Sabbath was from the Creation and that Adam himselfe sanctified it Let these reasones Testimonies be put into the Scale togeather with those on the contrary parte I beleeue those will not hold weight with these and so much for the antiquity of this sacred ordinance the 7th day Sabbath Now shall we suffer so ancient an ordinance to be causelesly and needlesly trampled vnder foote who that loueth Antiquity but should be in loue with this so ancient an ordinance then the which is not a more ancient ordinance now in the Church of God or if there be it
his chang were not the very same which God specified in Numb 9.10.11 but yet they were such as might be collected by like reason whereby it appeareth that we may goe beyond the letter of the text so be we hold closse to the like reason this I haue done in fetching my argument from the passeouer day to the Sabbath day for I haue held me to like reason of them both as you haue seene And so much for proofe that the Lords day may be kept for the Sabbath day by way of A change for a season in a case of necessity But yet it remaineth that I proue now that our case in changing the Sabbath day for the Lords day is a case of necessity this being done all is firme for this therefore see the next section SECT IV. In this section I shall proue vnto you that there is a true necessity vpon vs to neglect the Sabbath day for a season and to keepe the Lords day with our Church for it and in roome of it This necessity I shall declare vnto you 1. In respect of our bodies 2. In respect of our soules 3. In respect of our brethren first of the first of these touching our bodies and in this respect I shall make necessity appeare two waies the former is this that if we keepe the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath then we shall haue but 5 daies in a weeke to prouide for our bodies and to compasse the workes of our caleings in for when we haue kept the Saturday Sabbath the Magistrate will compell vs by the lawes of the Realme to keepe the Sunday also so we shall haue but 5 daies in euery weeke or in euery 7 daies to performe the workes of our caleings in now it is of necessity that we should haue 6 daies in euery weeke ordenarily or in euery 7 daies to doe the workes of our caleings in because else God would not haue allowed man 6 daies to worke in for himselfe haue taken but one for his worship as he did in the 4th com Exod. 20.8 now since there is a necessity that we haue 6 daies ordinarily in euery weeke to follow our caleings in it is of necessity that we neglect the Sabbath day worke in it for a season vnles the Magistrate will dispense with his Lawe touching the Lords day or vntill it shall please God to incline the heart of the Magistrate to proclaime a reformation that so the Sabbath day may be kept for vnlesse the Magistrate doth one of these two we can haue but 5 daies in euery weeke for our caleings and so much for the former necessity in regard of our bodies I come now vnto the other necessity in respect of our bodies which is this if we keepe the 7th day Sabbath then we offend the Magistrate and transgresse the Lawes of the Realme herevpon will follow imprisonment of body consequently pouerty for when a man is imprisoned he must neglect his caleing meanes of maintenaÌ„ce so he shall be brought to a morsell of bread hee his wife children which depend vpon him shall come to want of things necessary now who so shall incurre these euils by keeping of the Sabbath day to him there is a necessity to neglect the Sabbath day namely the necessity of wante pouerty hunger Now least any man should maruaile that I will plead this kind of necessity of all others therefore I will strengthen it and that by the allowance of our Sauiour Christ and practise of his Disciples for you reade Mat. 12.1.2 How Christs Disciples did neglect the Sabbath day fell to plucking eares of corne to rubbing them in their hands Luk. 6.1 which workes they did on the Sabbath day to preuent a little hunger and Christ iustified this action Now if hunger was a case of necessity in Christs Disciples why should not hunger be a case of necessity in vs also and if they might worke on the Sabbath day to preuent hunger why may not we doe so too to preuent hunger and imprisonment also yea to preuent penury not in himselfe alone but in his whole family wife and children so our necessity is greater then was that of Christs Disciples The consideration of this may be vsefull to satisfy the obiectiones that rise in the minds of some saying it seemeth then you haue more minde of your belly then of God of your safety then of Gods Sabbaths but the vanity of this obiection shall appeare by this that the very same obiection beareth as strongly against Christs Disciples as against vs for may not such obiections rise in your minds also against Christs Disciples saying it seemeth you minde your bellies more then your God and you feare a little hunger more then the breach of Gods Sabbaths thus you see the weaknesse of this obiection so much for the necessity in regard of our bodies I come now vnto the necessity in regard of our soules here I shall make it appeare that to keepe the Sabbath day as things stand yet it will pine our soules And this I shall shew in two respectes the former is this you know the Sabbath day ought to be solemnised with Assemblies Leuit. 23.3 Now the benefit of company fellowship in sanctification of Gods Sabbaths is of greate vse to kindle zeale and forwardnesse in our frâ—zen heartes like as coales laid together burne more firuently I reioyced saith the Prophet Dauid when they said to me wee will goe into the house of the Lord Ps 122.1 Now such as are convinced of this trueth to beleeue that the lords Sabbaths are still in force are fewe in number as one in an house two in a Towne 3 or 4 in a Citty like the clusters that grow neerest the sunne here one and there one ripe before the rest now if these thus dispersed should keepe the Lords Sabbath continually solitarily alone it is much to be feared that their zeale wold waxe could like burning coales when scattered vpon the hearth put asunder and so their soules should languish and pine away as it were The other respect whereby it will appeare that there is necessity to chang the Sabbath day lest the soule pine is this you know that to the sanctification of the Sabbath day is required the helpe of the Minister Luk. 4.16 Act. 15.21 To goe before the people in the duety of prayer to God to open the Scriptures feeding them with the bread of life diuiding the word of God a right now because the lawes of our kingdome will not permit priuate Conuenticles because there cannot be a Minister in euery family therefore if we keepe the Lords Sabbaths as things stand now then wee must keepe them without that ordinance of Gods Ministry so our soules should languish pine away for lacke of the daily breade the heauenly food of our soules for we should be depriued of our Sabbath dayes bread and want the