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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
rest_n	day_n	law_n	sabbath_n	6,778	5	9.7429	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02267	True religion explained and defended against ye archenemies thereof in these times In six bookes. Published by authority for the co[m]mon good.; De veritate religionis Christianae. English	Grotius, Hugo, 1583-1645.; Cecil, Thomas, fl. 1630, engraver.; Franciscus a Sancta Clara, 1598-1680.	1632 (1632)	STC 12400; ESTC S122528	94,326	374

during the time of the many travels which these last performed we read 〈◊〉 any where that they ceased or intermitted their journey for the Sabbath which after they 〈…〉 out of Egypt thou shalt alwayes finde For after that the people were brought out of Aegypt and had happily passed over the red Sea the first day was celebrated a Sabbath of rest and safety wherin they sang a Song of triumph and rejoicing from which time that exact rest upon the Sabbath was commanded which is first mentioned upon occasion of gathering the Manna Exod. 16. 23. Exod. 35. 2. Levit. 23. 3. And in this sense the deliverance from Aegypt is rendred to be a reason for the law of the Sabbath Deut. 5. 15. By which law it was provided also for servants against the severity of those masters that would not permit them to coase from daily labour as may be seene in the places aforesaid It is true indeed strangers were bound to observe this law because it was meet there should bee one forme of rest among all the people but this law of so exact resting upon the Sabbath was not given to other people as may appeare for that in many places it is called a s●g●e and a speciall covenant betweene God and the Israelites as in Exod. 31. 13. 16. Now wee have proved before by the promise of farre greater benefits that the ordinances which were instituted for a memoriall of the comming out from Aegypt were not such as ought never to cease Adde moreover if the law concerning the rest upon the Sabbath had beene given from the beginning and in that sense that it never might be abolished then surely the same had overswayed in coping with other lawes which now makes against it For it is evident that infant may be rightly circumcised upon the Sabbath like as during the time that the Temple stood there were beasts killed for sacrifice aswell upon the Sabbath as upon other daies Yea the Hebrew Masters themselves shew the mutability of this law when they say that by the Prophets appointment and command a worke may be rightly done upon the Sabbath day And this they prove by the taking of Ierico upon the Sabbath according to the commandement of Ioshuah And some of them not unfitly shew that the distinction of dayes shall bee taken away in the time of the Messias namely from that place in Isaiah chap. 66. 〈…〉 it is 〈◊〉 it shall c●me to passe that from one new Moone to another from one Sabbath to another all flesh shall come to worship before the Lord. SECT XI Also of outward Circumcision IN the next place let us come to circumcision which certainly is Elder than Moses For it was given in command to Abraham and his posterity Howbeit the commandement thereof was the introduction o● beginning of the covenant published by Moses For thus we read that God spake unto Abraham Gen. 17. saying I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God And God said unto Abraham Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee every man-child among you shall be circumcise● But now we know by what hath bin already said that in the place of this covenant a new covenant was to succeed which should bee common to all people Wherefore the necessity therof which is the note of distinction ought to cease Besides in the precept of circumcision there was a mysticall and more excellent significations contained which the Prophets doe plainely shew in that they command the circumcision of the heart which all the commandements of Iesus aime at Wherefore the promises annexed to the circumcision are in like manner to bee referred to some greater thing As namely that of earthly possessions is referred to the possession of eteruity in the heavens which was never made more manifest than by Iesus So that promise of making Abraham a father of many nations hath reference to that time when not a few onely but an infinite number of people dispersed thorowout the whole world should imitate Abrahams faith and confidence in God which is so often mentioned in seripture and this can onely bee in the time of ●●e Gospell Now it is no marvell if the shadowes of an intended matter be taken away when the matter it selfe is accomplishe Lastly that the grace of God was not tyed to this signe wee may casily discerne because not onely the ancients but Abraham himselfe having not as yet received circumcision pleased God The Hebrewes also dining all the time of their journey through the desarts of Arabia omitted circumcision and yet God found no fault with them for it SECT XII And yet the Apostles of Iesus were gentle in the toleration of these things NO doubt but the Hebrewes had cause to yeeld many thankes to Iesus and his disciples or Ambassadors for that by Christ they might bee freed from that heavy yoke of ceremonies and should bee assured of this their freedome both by gifts and miracles such as were not inferiour to those that were wrought by Moses aforesaid Neither did the first publishers of our Christian doctrine exact so much of them as to acknowledge this their happinesse But if they would admit of the Commandements of Christ which were full of all honesty they freely and willingly suffered them to follow what course of life they pleased in matters of indifferency Thus neither were the strangers to whom this law of rites was never given bound of necessity to observe the same Which one thing is sufficiēt to make it plainly appeare that the Iewes doe unjustly reject the doctrine of Christ under that pretence of the ceremoniall law Having then answered this objection which chiefly is alleaged against the miracles of Iesus we will now come to other arguments which may fitly serve for the consutation of the Iewes SECT XIII A proofe against the Iewes from the promised Messias IT is agreed upon betweene us and the Iewes about the predictions of the Prophets that amongst the many authors and donors of great good things to the Hebrewes there was one man promised farre more excellent than the rest whom by a common name they call a Messias which appellation is proper unto him after a singular manner This Messias we say is come long agoe but they expect him as yet for to come It remaines then that that we enquire the truth hereof out of those bookes the authority whereof wee both doe joyntly acknowledge SECT XIIII Who is proved to bee already come by the limitted time of his comming which was fore told THe Prophet Daniel whose singular piety is commended by Ezekiel neither would willingly deceive us nor was hee himselfe deceived by the Angell Gabriel yet being taught by the same Angell in the ninth chapter of his Prophecie hee hath left it recorded that before the space of five hundred

once lookt into revealed were found to be full of all kinde of wantonnesse and uncleannesse as Clemens Alex. others have showne at large Those Festivall dayes consecrated to the honour of the Gods were celebrated with such solemnity of Pageants and wanton shewes that grave Ca●o was a shamed to bee present at them But in the Iewish Religion there was nothing unseemely nothing dishonest or unlawfull Howbeit to the end the people that were prone to Idolatry might not decline or fall backe from the same true religion it was loaded and burdened with many precepts even concerning such things as in themselves were neither good nor evill such were the sacrificing of beasts the Circumcision an exact rest from labour upon the Sabbath and the prohibition of eating some kinde of meats come of which customes the Turkes have borrowed from them adding further a prohibition for drinking wine But the Christian Religion teacheth that as God is a most pure Spirit So is hee to be worshipped with purenesse of minde and Spirit together with such workes a●… their owne nature without a precept are most laudible and honest Thus the professors thereof are not to circumcise the flesh but their carnall lusts and desires they are not to keep holi-day and refraine from all kinde of worke whatsoever but onely from that which is unlawfull Nor are wee to offe● unto God the bloud and fat of beasts but if need bee even our owne blood for the testimony of the truth And what bounty or liberality soever wee bestow upon poore and necessito●s persons the same wee must thinke is given to God himselfe Wee need not now abstaine from any kind of meat or drinke but may and ought to use them both with moderation so that our health bee not thereby impaired sometimes notwithstanding subduing our bodies to our mindes by fasting that the same thereby may be the better fitted and prepared for more cheerefull devotion But the chiefe point of this Religion consists in a holy confidence whereby wee doe wholly yeeld our selves in obedience unto God and rely upon his promises by a stedfast and lively faith whence ariseth both hope and true love of God and our neighbour And hereupon it is that we doe observe his Commandements not after a servile manner for feare of punishment but that wee may please him and that hee may out of his goodnesse be unto us a loving father and gracious rewarder Moreover wee are taught to pray not for riches or honours or such things as doe little good to any that wish for them but in our prayers wee must first and and chiefely crave that which tends to Gods glory then such necessaries for our selves as are requisite to the sustaining of nature resting upon Gods providence for temporall affaires being not too much solicitous how the same shall fall out but very carefull and desirous of such things as lead us to eternall life and that by petitioning pardon for sinnes by-past together with the assistance of Gods holy Spirit that we may be preserved hereafter in the way of godlinesse against all perils and temptations whatsoever This is the true worship of God in Christian religion than the which nothing can be invented more honourable for the Almighty SECT XIIII Concerning the offices of humanity which wee owe unto our neighbour LIke to these are the duties we owe unto our neighbour As for Mahumets Religion it was hatcht in wars it breaths nothing but warres it is propagated by warres and hostility Aristotle condemnes the lawes statutes of the Lace demonians which were so much applauded among the Grecians even by the Oracle of Apollo Yet the same Aristotle allowes and approves of warre against the Barbarians for a thing naturall whereas indeed the contrary rather is true namely that by nature there ought friendship and amity to be established in all societies of men For what is more cruell than to delight in murder or in a bravery to vaunt and triumph in the slaughter of Nations as in some glorious exploit Yet such was the custome anciently amongst the Romanes that none was dignified with the title of any honour unlesse they had deserved and purchased the same in warres which notwithstanding were apparantly unjust as themselves confesse of the wars against Sardinia and Ciprus And indeed generally amongst the heathen it was accounted no disgrace no crime or offence to pilfer and spoile those that were not within their owne dominions as wee finde it recorded by worthy Historians Aristotle and Cicero made the desire of revenging a part of vertue It was a fine sport and publike recreation for Pagans to behold sword-players slash and wound one another and to expose their children was an ordinary thing with them But the Hebrewes had better lawes and more holy discipline though notwithstanding they bare a mortall hatred a-against all those that differed from them in opinion as at this day appeares by their prayers that they make against us Christians And yet againe their law suffered them to render like for like and to have equall recompence for any hurt offered and thereby any man was permitted in his owne person to kill or bee revenged upon him that had slaine any one of his kindred But the Commandement and law of Christ forbids us to revenge any kinde of injury whatsoever whether it be offered in word or deed that so we may not seeme to allow that wickednesse in our selves which we condemne in others Nay wee ought to bee so farre from malice that on the contrary wee must be kinde and well-affectioned unto all not onely though chiefly to good men but also to the very wicked like to God our heavenly father who makes the Sun and Starres the aire and winds the raine and other common benefits to descend upon all sorts of men good and bad SECT XV. Of the bond of Wedlocke THe bond or unity of man wife whereby mankind is propagated is a thing most holy and honorable by our law which being neglected by the Pagan is no marvell if they talkt of the whoredomes and adulteries of those Gods they worshipped by whose examples they thought it not unlawfull for one man to have the filthy use of another as 〈…〉 is reported of Ganymed and Antinous which filthinesse at this day is ordinarily practised among the Turkes the Sinanses and other Gentiles as a thing with them not unlawfull The Philosophers of Greece seeme to be a little more modest ●n labouring to give an honest ●ame to so lewd a crime and indeed but a little for what else is that which the best of them commends touching the community of women but even to make one common stewes or bawdy-house of the whole common-wealth To avoid which ●urpitude and confusion there is ●s it were a kinde of wedlocke among the bruit beasts How much more requisite is this league or bond for man so holy a creature to the end there may not be a mingle mangle of issues

Answerable to this place is that in Ier. 〈◊〉 Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices and eat flesh For I spake not unto your fathers nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices But this thing commanded I them saying Obey my voice and I will bee your God and ye shall be my people and walke yee in all the wayes that I have commanded you that it may bee well unto you Agreeing with this is that in Hosea 6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings Lastly in the sixth o● Micah when the question wa● made how a man might reconcile God unto himselfe best whether by comming before him with a great number of rammes or with a great quantity of oyle or with calves of a yeare old to this God answers and saith I wil● tell thee what is truly good and acceptable unto mee namely to do● justly and to love mercy and t● walke humbly with thy God By all which places seeing i● is evident that sacrifices are no● put in the number of such things as God primarily and chiefly requires but that the people by little and little as commonly they doe out of a wicked superstition placed the greatest part o● godlinesse therein what wonder is it then if at length God tooke away that which being indifferent in its owne nature yet by 〈◊〉 was abused like as when ●ing Hezekiah demolished the 〈◊〉 serpent which was set up by Moses when the people began to worship the same with re●igious worship Moreover there are divers Prophecies that foretold these sa●rifices whereof we speak should come to an end which any one may easily conceive considering ●hat according to the law of Moses onely the posterity of Aa●… was to doe sacrifice and that onely in their fathers countrey Thus in the 110 Psalme there is a King promised whose dominion should be most ample the beginning whereof should bee out of Si●… and this same King was to be 〈◊〉 Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck So Isai●… saith ●hap 19. That there shall be an al●ar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt where not only the Egyptians but the Assyrians also and the Israelites shall worship God And in the ●6 chapter he● saith that the people of all nations and languages which are farre and widely distant shall come as well as the Israelites and offer gifts unto God and of them also there shall be ordained Priests and Levites All which could not come to passe so long as the law of Moses remained in force Adde unto these that which in the first of Malachy God foretelleth of the Hebrewes saying I have no pleasure in you ne●●her will I accept an offering at your hand For from the rising of the Sunne even unto the going downe of the same my name shall bee great among the Gentiles and in every place in●e●se shall bee offered unto my name and a pure offering for my name shall be great among the heathen saith the Lord of hosts Lastly Daniel in his 9. chapter rehearsing the Prophecie of the Angel Gabriel concerning Christ ●…ith that hee shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease And ●ot by words only but really and indeed God plainely shewes that hee likes not of those sacrifices which were prescribed by Moses seeing that hee hath suffered the lewes for the space of one thousand six hundred years and more to bee without Temple without Altar and without any certaine distinction of their Tribes or ly●age whence it might appeare who they were that should lawfully offer sacrifice SECT IX The difference of meats NOw what we have declared concerning the law of sacrifices the same may bee proved of that law which forbids the use of some kinds of meats For it is plain that after Noahs great flood God gave licence unto his posterity to use any sort of victuall This law or licence passed not only to Iaphet and Cham but also unto Sem and his posterity to wit Abraham Isaac and Iacob But afterward when the people being in Egypt were addicted to vaine superstitions of that Countrey then began God to forbid them the eating of some kinde of living creatures either because the Egyptians offered the same creatures unto their Gods and made d●vination by them or because in that ceremoniall law men sundry ●…es were shadowed out by divers kinde of living creatures Againe that these precepts were not universall it is manifest by that stature which was made touching the flesh of a beast that ●ied of it selfe Deut. 14. which to ●●t was not lawfull for the Israelites but it was lawfull for the ●●rangers unto whom the Iewes by divine command were to performe all offices of courtesie as being inhabitants after a sort commended by God Likewise the ancient Hebrew Doctors doe plainely teach that in the time of the Messias the law concerning forbidden meats should cease when the Sow should be as clean and pure as the Oxe And verily in as much as God out of all nations would collect unto himselfe ●●e Church it was more just and equitable to have a common liberty than a bondage in such things SECT X. And of dayes IT followes that we consider of festivall dayes all which were instituted and ordained in remembrance of that benefit received of God to wit when they were freed from Egyptian calamity and afterward brought into the promised land Now the Prophet Ieremy in the 16. and 2● chapters saith that the time wou●● come when more new and great● benefits should so obscure there membrance of that benefit as th●… afterward there should scarce b●… any mention thereof Besides tha● which but now was said concerning sacrifices is true also of festivall dayes the people began to put confidence in them thinking that if they kept and observe● them well it were no matte●… though they transgressed in other matters whereupon in the fir●… chapter of Isaiah God saith that his soule hated their new Moone and appointed feasts and that they were such a trouble unto him 〈…〉 that he was weary to beare them More particularly it is objected concerning the Sabbath that the law thereof is universall and perpetuall because it was not given 〈◊〉 one peculiar people onely but 〈◊〉 Adam the Parent of all man●… at the very beginning of the world I answer with the most learned of the Hebrewes that there is a two fold precept concerning the Sabbath the first is a precept for commemoration Exod. ●0 8. and the second is a precept for observation Exod. 31. 31. The former is fulfilled by a holy remembrance of the worlds creation and the latter consists in 〈…〉 exact refraining from all kinds of worke-a-day labour The former was giv●● 〈…〉 gi●ning which d●… godly men before the law did obey to wit Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac and Iacob