they shall be a Sign between Me and You that ye may know that I am the Lord your God Ezek. 20.20 Blessed is the Man that doth this and the Son of man that layeth bold on it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it Isa 56.2 Also the sons of the Stranger that Joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him Every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it even them will I bring to my hold Mountain and make them joyfull in my House of Prayer Ver. 6 7. And he saw that Rest was Good and the Land that it was Pleasant and bowed his shoulder to bear and became a Servant unto tribute Gen. 49.15 LONDON Printed by J A for the Author 1681. The General Contents of the Third Dialogue THE Parents complaint of himselfe The Parents complaint of Mr S Mr A Mr L. Mr A with his Every day Sabbath confuted Mr L with his Never a day Sabbath confuted The change of the Sabbath for Mr S's conviction The beginning of the Sabbath the times contended for descoursed viz Morning Noon Even Midnight Six Objections against the true time Answered The time of Christs Resurrection occasionally discoursed The day of Adams fall occasionally discoursed Satans old enmity against the Sabbath Noted The month-day and week-day of Christs death discoursed The next day no Sabbath proved The Jews various division of the day into hours Of the Passeover Wave-day Seven-weeks Pentecost The Jews custom in Translating the Passeover The opinion of Pentecost on the first day disproved Of the Disciples meeting on the Pentecost Of Gods countenancing the Pentecost Of Jesus's exact observation of the Passeover and Sabbaths Moral and Ceremonial and the whole Law The day of Jesus's death declared and proved Divers Questions arising thereupon Answered An account of the Authors way in this work The Parent Cautioned and Counselled Ten Directions dropped for the Sabbath day Wherein we have an account Of The Day of Adams fall The day of Jesus's death Of The Sabbath ensuing the Wave-day the Pentecost Of The time of Jesus's burial The time Jesus lay dead Of The time of Jesus's Resurrection The beginning of the Sabbath All contrary to the Common Account A THIRD DIALOGUE Concerning the SABBATH-DAY Min. BEN BEN BEN Ben. Where what who calls me before I can see Min. O! Sleepy-head hear you not low hastily some one knocks at the door Pray rise and know the matter Ben. Sir I have been down to know his name and his businesse and he tells me it s he that sat so long with you under the Tree and he desires to speak with you Presently Min. Strike a light and let him in and tell him I will rise Fath. God Save you Sir I am compelled to come and visit you at an unseasonable time I hope you will hold me excused Min. Sir you are welcome to me but I wonder to see you in Town so Soon and am surprized to see you look so Sad. Pray what is the matter is all well at home Fath. All in health praised be God Parents complaint of Self but I am under Grief upon Grief It hath been a Sad time with me since we sat under the Tree though I concealed it from you in our last conference SAD I have Reason to be Sad indeed to think how sadly I have neglected my poor children Souls O to think how many times we have walked by the way and not a word of God! to think how many times they have been twatling about me in the house and not a word how many times they have been packed to bed and pulled out and not a Word of God have I spoken for their good O it hath cut me to the quick and put me upon prayer for pardon space and grace to do my duty And I did addict my self to it and began to find peace in it But yesterday after the afternoon Sermon as I was instructing my children about the Sabbath Parents complaint of Mr S Mr A Mr L. in came Mr S in anger and told me I kept the wrong day and said I should keep the Seventh day first appointed and never reprealed When he was gone Mr A came in and Laughed at me and my practice as a low thing viz to keep One day in a week and told me I should keep Every day as He did When he was gone Mr L came in and told me I should keep Never a day Sabbath for that command for a Sabbath was Ceremonial and long since ceased at Christ's death And my Children listened to this last with delight and now they slight the Sabbath and whatever I say for it and tell me Mr L is counted a wise man And under this Sorrow upon Sorrow I am so disquieted I am almost distracted In your last conference at end of the Tenth Note when you pressed it upon me to learn my Children to reverence the Sabbath I had a mind to ask you what Scripture proof we have for the change of the Day but I was loth to interrupt you but now being driven out in distresse I pray let me hear your reply to all these Opinions but chiefly for the change of the Sabbath Day Min. Did they use to be thus Opposite Fath. A little by the By when other businesse brought us together but now they came on Purpose and assaulted me as Never before Min. Just now as soon as you are set upon a Solemn work when the good seed is sown then comes the Devil †Lu. 8.12 Indeed you are to be pitied and so are they but I fear some of them will be plagued As for your former Sorrow it s Alway better than laughter * Ecl. 7.3 Sometimes better than joy there is sorrow that Dries the spirit this will Water it and so I praise God for it and passe it But this Last is the Pest that carries the Poyson in it for which I must provide some Antidote to expell it As for my reply to these persons Mr A who keeps every day Sabbath and Mr L who keeps never a day Sabbath Every day Never a day you may put them together for he that keeps Every day keeps Never a day and so look on them as two persons possessed by Satan above the dominion of God and under the dominiof the Devil But let us take them asunder again and speak to them apart ¶ 1 This Every day Sabbath is none of God's ordinance Mr A consuted for God's command is Six dayes shalt thou labour †Exo. 20.9 it must therefore be the Devils ordinance and to him it s observed as the Priests which God did not appoint are said to be ordained for the Devils * 2 Chro. 11 15. Mr A is blown up into the Air with a blast from the bottomlesse pit and puft up with Pride a Sabbath day a week is a weak thing with him he is a 7-fold Saint or under a 7-fold Deceit in the border of Heaven whence he is like
for his Author I leave it with you to look That Jesus was virtually slain as soon as Adam sinned Ideny not no doubt he undertook for man before man was †Pro. 8.23 Rev. 3.14 but that Jesus's death which was 4000 years after mans fall must needs be on that day and hour of the week on which man fell I reject as ridiculous If such had said Jesus Rose on the week day and hour that Adam Fell it had carried a fairer colour If men must search as far as the foundation of the world for a foundation to falsifie the day of Christs death it is pity they are not better busied But if Adam's fall on the Sixth day be a proof for Christs death on the Sixth day let us lay aside the day of Christs death a little and begin with Adams fall ¶ 1 Adam was a glorious piece of Gods creation Adam's Fall his Soul and Body was an Epitomy of Heaven and Earth and an house for God to inhabit To say Adam fell on the Sixth day is to liken God his Maker to a foolish Builder who lets the house fall under his hand before he can finish it ¶ 2 It seems by Sacred Scripture that neither Adam nor Angels fell on the Sixth day for in the conclusion of the Creation at the Close of the Sixth day God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good and the evening and the morning were the Sixth day * Gen. 1.31 There is the Close up of the whole Creation complete ¶ 3 As it seems by Scripture Adam fell not on the Sixth day so it seems by Scripture he fell on the Seventh day and that is my perswasion And I will produce no other proof for it than the same Scripture your Author brings to prove Adam fell on the Sixth day viz that Hebrew Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam in honour did not abide a night †Ps 49.12 It seems he fell that first night which was on the first Sabbath day natural which began at Even ¶ Note Satans old enmity against the Sabbath Satans enmity at the Sabbath 1 He mystically murdered Adam and all his posterity on the first Sabbath that ever was 2 The first Bodily murder we know of in the world Satan acted by the hand of his servant Cain on the Sabbath day and for a Sabbath dayes service as I suppose by this Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the end of dayes * Gen. 4.3 the Seventh day was the end of dayes for there never was more than 7 dayes 3 Satan sets his Servants a work many wayes to break the Sabbath And this enmity is not onely against Gods Sabbath but also against mans Soul In indignation against both this great governour drives on as if he would drive all before him into Hell fire At his command they curse swear whore pot pipe prate sport work play walk at pleasure all which paths lead to the Lake of fire The Sabbath is spent as if it was the Devils day and not Gods day It is the Devils great Trading day for Hell and the wickeds great Treasuring day for Wrath for sin on Other dayes does not fill the Vials of Gods wrath so fast as it doth on This day Adde to all Satans provoking his servants to persecute Saints on Sabbath dayes for the Service of God disturbing them in their meetings haling them to Prisions for using the liberty Christ hath given them 4 Satan is very busie with Saints on Sabbath dayes He tempts them to work and buy and sell when the Sabbath is begun in the Evening To lay in Bed in the morning To trifle away time when they are Up. To talk of controversies Saints both sleep and wake to Satan and impertineneies to absent from Sermons to Sleep to him at Sermons to Wake to him at Sermons by wandring thoughts a thousands wayes Here you may see by what spirit they are acted that are opposite to the Sabbath day Mr A and Mr L did not tell you they came with a message from the Devil yesterday to disturb you in your duty But let us proceed to the day of Christs death ¶ Here let me premise a few Cautions Cautions premised 1 Do not reflect on any thing that seems improbable for it may be True though at first it seem false Nor any thing that seems impertinent q d to what purpose is this prove the Point for it may be to some purpose though it presently appear not 2 This being an intricate point for its clearing some Scriptures must be opened and some reconciled which cannot be done with few words in which I must crosse my Self for I affect to contract things in few words 3 It being new and contrary to the commmon Creed you will Object your All against it your Objections you must hear orderly answered or it will be in vain to offer them 4 Be very punctual in observing the day of the month I shall have occasion to speak of with its beginning and ending else I speak into the Air. If I digresse or go forward or back ward from any Day or Thing before I have done with it care not to carry it in your head for I shall bring you to it again In a word before I proceed resolve to hear all or none at all Fath. I will hear what you have to say Min. To introduce the day of Christs death Of the day of Christs Death I must begin with its lively Type viz The Lords Passe-over This from its first institution was on the 14 day of the first month Abib or Nisan according to that Sacred account from the time of Israel's deliverance out of Egypt †Ex. 12.2 The Paschal lamb was to be taken up on the 10 day * Ver. 3. and kept till the 14 day †Ver. 6. probably that the sight of it might occasion Soul preparation And it was to be killed in the Evening * Ver. 6. Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between the two Evenings i e say some Sun-set and Dark night Short work though they eat it in hast I do not think they prepared it in Post-hast Fath. What 2 Evens else had they Min. The division of the day by hours was not used when the Passeover was commanded the word hour except in Daniel is not in the O T. But they divided the day into 3 parts called Morning Noon Even †Ps 55.17 from 6 to 10 was Morning from 10 to 2 was Noon from 2 to 6 at night was Even The beginning and end of this last part were the two Evens between which the Lamb was killed and it was eat at night * Ex. 12.8 Our Lord Jesus who came to fulfill the Law kept this Passeover according to Law he commanded his Disciples to kill and prepare it upon the 14 day and he eat it with them at Night when the 15 day began †Mat. 26.17
the Fathers My Son hear the Instruction of thy Father and forsake not the Law of thy Mother * Pro. 1.8 My Son keep thy Fathers Commandments and forsake not the Low of thy Mother †Ch. 6.20 The Law of GOD is called the Law of the Mother And she commanding her Child according to that Law Her Law is the Law of GOD. Of the neglect of which Duty let the Mother take heed lest there come a time when torment makes her Tare the Hair off her Head Ninth Doc 9. Of Faith Teach them to know the Necessity of True Faith Learn them to know it is the Gift of GOD. And the Work of GOD. And that God makes Preparation for Faith by a threefold Conviction of Unbelief 1 Of the utter Deficiency of Faith 2 Of the absolute Necessity of Faith 3 Of the utter Impossibility of Faith in ones Own Power Acquaint them with a threefold Effect of Faith where it s wrought 1 It makes the Heart Pure †Act. 15.9 2 The Conscience Peaceable * Ro. 15.13 3 It makes Christ Precious †1 Pet. 2.7 This Faith is an One thing necessary For by a Fair Profession without Faith a Soul may seem to be Not Far from the Kingdom of Heaven and yet Never the near Civility gilds Fair sets Off a Man Grace only makes a Golden Chris-ti-an Tenth Doc 10. Of Repentance Teach them the necessity of Speedy Repentance That it s not a Work to be put Off for a Year a Month or a Day Let them know its the Gift of CHRIST †Act. 5.31 And that a Sinner can No more Repent himself than he can Pardon himselfe Putting off Repentance proves that the Sinner thinks he can Repent at his Pleasure Like him who put off Faith till Death And being reproved for his Loose Life replyed It 's but believing in Christ at Last But at Last when Dying he lay ROARING OH I have made a Plaister but I cannot make it Stick Shew your Children how the Devil Steals away a Sinners Dayes by a Day at once Should Satan suggest Thus Come Sinner serve me to the Death Live and Die in my sweet service Without Repentance At this a Sinner would Startle q d Satans Subtiltie So I may go to Hell No but Come serve me a Day more Next morning Away without Prayer to pleasure to Day it s but a Day This is easily granted And so on to the End And when the Last Day of life begins Come go on it s but a Day By and by Down drops the Soul into the Dungeon of Hell And then it will be Cold Comfort to hear Satan say Come be quiet thou hast but an Eternitie to spend in Repenting thy daily delay of Repentance in time N B. Without True and Timely Repentance For Sin and From Sin there is Nothing to be expected but a Certain Fearfull Intolerable and Eternal Damning for Sin Eleventh Doc 11. Of Truth Teach them the Excellency of Truth in Tongue i e Truth in Word that hath Truth in Heart for its Root and Truth in Deed for its Fruit. Though this Truth be not the Original Cause of Salvation yet such Shall be Saved And God hath left you Winning Words to entice them to Truth in Tongue Surely they are my People Children that will not Lie so he was their Saviour * Isa 63.8 The lip of Truth shall be established for Ever †Pro. 12.19 The rest read at leasure * Psal 34.12 N B. The good government of the Tongue is a Great Task And that you had need begin to Guide 1 Pet. 3.10 as soon as it begins to Go. 2 Jo. 4. For if long neglected you may more easily weild a Wild Horse or a Weighty Ship driven with Fierce Winds †Ja. 3.2 to 10. Augustus gave a Schollar this Lesson I said I would take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my Tongue * Ps 39.1 And bid him go and learn that Lesson and come again for another His Scholar goes A hard task and comes again 19 years after and Complains of his Lesson viz that it was So Hard he had not well learned it Yet There are Many Christians in Citie and Country of more than 19 years Standing who have this Lesson still to learn Twelth Doc 12. Of Early Piety Teach them the Excellency of Early Piety Of being Quickly Converted and made good Betimes The Lesse time between the First and Second Birth the Better 1 Tell them Such are under that Sweet Promise They that seek me early shall Find me †Pro. 8.17 2 Of Such God hath a Sweet Remembrance viz I remember Thee the kindnesse of thy Youth * Jer. 2.2 3 Such have not that Mountainous Temptation to clime which Old Converts hardly Ever get Over viz You come too Late 4 It s the way to be Eminent with God and Prevalent in Prayer eg The Child Samuel Ministred unto the Lord * 1 Sam. 3.1 MOSES and AARON and SAMUEL among them that call upon his name they called upon the Lord and he answered Them †Psal 99.6 Though MOSES and SAMVEL stood before me yet my mind could not be toward this People * Jer. 15.1 q d If any Persons in the World prevail with Me They are the Men. And how Lamentable is the Losse of Such When all the Congregation saw that Aaron was Dead they mourned for Aaron 30 dayes even ALL the house of Israel †Nu. 20.29 The Children of Israel wept for Moses 30 dayes * Deu. 34.8 They Murmur against them while they Live but Mourn for them when they are Dead Samuel died and All Israel gathered together and lamented him †1 Sa. 25.1 Jeremiah lamented for good young Josiah and All the Singing Men and Singing Women spake of Josiah in their Lamentations to this day * 2 Chro. 35.25 The First ripe Fruits were Precious to God †Exo. 22.29 And they were so to man * Micha 7.1 The Devil in his Old Enmity against Early Piety hath Tipt the Tongues of some with this Taunt A young Saint and an old Devil Which Satanical Saying and Pestilent Proverb I shall not ask Satan leave to turn thus A young Saint and an old ANGEL Let Satan say his Worst to be Good betimes is Best Mistake me not it 's Being good and not Knowing good only that I plead for One may Know good and Be evil One may Know evil and Be good It s not ones Knowing Good or Evil that makes one Good or Evil but it s ones Loving of Good or Evil which proves one Good or Evil. If a man would know what City he belongs to Zion or Babilon and whether he is going to Heaven or Hell let him ask his love Thirteenth Doc 13. Of Gods eye Teach them to Know that they are Alway under the Open Eye and Open Ear of God Tell
do no good now Alas said he I therefore weep because weeping will do on good And with the woman who was so busied in saving her Stuffe that her child in the Cradle was forgot till the house on fire was Down and the child Dead and then she remembred it Roaring O my child my child And with Jacob when he supposed Joseph was torn in pieces I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning thus his father wept for him * Gen. 37.35 If Joseph had been torn in pieces with a wild beast as Jacob supposed what had that been to a childs being torn by Devils in Hell to all Eternity Ninth Coroll 9. Dooms-day Dolour Consider the Dolefull out-cries of Damned children in Dooms-day against their carnal carelesse prophane Parents who have Lamentably lost Themselves and their Children too When poor children with Pale faces yet as Flames and hearts full Horrour shall ROAR out O Father Mother what have You done I must Burn for ever in Hell for the Sins you learned me to live in by your Sinfull example The oaths I have Sworn will Cursing of men God will Curse me for ever You set me to Work and let me Play on the Sabbath day I had no rest from Sin and now I must have no rest from Sorrow but Roar for ever Now Gods wrath will be Poured out upon me because I did not Pray To pray you would Never learn me except to say the Creed the 10 Commands and the Lords Prayer by which you learned me to Lie for which I must Lay in the Lake †Rev. 21.8 You learned me to neglect Salvation now I have Lost it You learned me to Mock the godly now God Mocks at my misery You led me after our Blind Guide who called us Christians and Gods children now we are in the ditch of Damnation together * Mat. 15.14 You let me Game away my time by which I have lost Heaven and won Hell I would have heard good Sermons which I heard folks Commend and say Sinners were Saved by them but you would not Suffer me but Shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against me OH that Dreadfull Judge will presently passe the Sentence Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire †Mat. 25.41 and then we shall be a Hell in Hell to each other for Ever It will be a Hell to me to behold You in Hell you Cursed father and murderer And it will be a Hell to you to hear me Howl and Roar and Curse you to your Face for Ever And a Thousand such Dolorous ditties Ten thousand times more Terrible than tongue can tell Sir though it be not your Portion to perish with a child lost by your neglect yet is it nothing Now to think that when you are in Heaven you shall have a child to Howl in Hell and curse you there for Ever or will it be Nothing to you in the judgment Day seeing as the Scripture signifies some Saints shall then be subject to Shame Sorrow and saved so as by Fire * 1 Cor. 3.15 Last Coroll 10. Sweet fruit of good Successe Consider the comfortable joyfull effect and Sweet fruit of such godly Education as ends in Salvation and that both in Time and in Eternity It may be a comfort to you in Any condition on Earth to think your children are Heaven-born Pardoned Justified Sanctified and shall be Glorified If they should be Poor yet they are Rich and will be the Richer for their Poverty to all Eternity Whatsoever they Do or Suffer or Lose for God he will Richly reward them Whosoever is their Enemy God will be their Friend and will Never fail them If they be Sick or in any Adversity Still they are Happy If You be sick or in any trouble they will Pray for you If they Die while you live you may be more comforted in their Death than a man can be in a childs Birth or wicked Life If You die while they live you may Sweetly say with Jacob Behold I die but GOD shall be with you †Gen. 48.21 In the Judgment day how Sweet to stand at Jesus Right hand saying Behold I and the Children which God hath given me * Heb. 2.13 none Lost by my negligence all Saved by my diligence How sweet to be the Subjects of this Golden Sentence Come ye blessed of my Father O festus dies while others are the Subjects of that most Direfull Doom Depart ye Cursed How Sweet to be for Ever in Heaven to Trumpet out Eternal Praises and Sing Halelujahs for joy of Heart while others howl for Sorrow of Heart in Hell How Sweet for you and your children to be a Heaven in Heaven to each other while others shall be a Hell in Hell to each other for Ever Yea how Sweet may this dayes Dialogue under this tree be to you in Eternity if it may Issue in what I aim at And what shall I more Say shall I Yet plead with you for pity to your Own Children if I was pleading with you for some small kindnesse for my self methinks I should prevail If I was pleading with you to pity an Enemy who is ready to Perish for want of a Penny me thinks I should prevail And shall I not prevail with you to pity your own poor perishing Children what is your Reply Fath. What shall one do who hath long neglected his duty to his Children till they be hardened in Sin Min. Bewail it to GOD. Implore his Pardon Confesse it to your Children with Sorrow that you are so far in their Debt Set upon your work with Shame If they reject your Counsel bear it patiently Lay their Disobedience at your Own Door And follow God with Petition and your children with Instruction till if possible you Prevail for their Conversion Fath. I hope I shall set about this Solemn Work of so Great Concern God grant I may for I am much troubled at my long neglect Min. I perceive what I have said shakes your Head but GOD knowes whether it shakes your Heart However I hope you will not spend your time in talking to your children of Church-Steeples and Brick Chimneys by the way back Conclusive Caution But Take heed you do not deceive Me nor your Self nor your Children God is not Mocked If you do indeed perform your part Parent-like to the Purpose then may these children here Present and the children which are yet Unborn arise up and Call you Blessed To which more might be added but it 's Time to Retire for I see the Sun is walked far into the West And so Sir I shall take my Leave of You and Yours wishing you all Well for this World and for that which is to Come Fath. Sir we wish You and Yours the like Welfare And we do give GOD and You thanks for this Godly Advice ΤΕΛΟΣ POST-SCRIPT IN the Epistle I direct to know Emphatical words by Capital letters and speak of beginning them