permitteth Apocrypha Scriptures to be reade sometymes in our congregations yet it permitteth them not to be vsed and alleaged as a sole ground to establishe any doctrine of our church and what I pray is our reason better then Apocrypha Scriptures that wee shuld leane more to tone then to other vvere it meete we should receiue doctrines into the church vvhich haue a binding power ouer the conscience tying the whole man to obedience of them vpon payne of damnation vvhich are framed and maintainede only by force of our reason wherfore to conclude let reasons be subseruient and handmaide to the Holy Scriptures and euer follow them neuer to goe before them nor to goe vvithout them and therfore since our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles be auouched to be the founders of our new Sabbath I pray in the first place shewe vs where euer Christ or any of his Apostles gaue any commandement for it or whereas you say collection for the poore preaching be markes of a Sabbath shew me your text of Scripture vvhere it is said that collections preaching be proper infallible markes of any Sabbath day or which is yet lesse let it be showne where euer they said or did any thing which necessarily and infallibly doth giue vs notice that it was but their minde that euer after the churches should euery weeke keepe the Lords day a Sabbath in conscience of the 4th Com and since God at creation gaue a commandement for that Sabbath vvhy should we not thinke Christ would a giuen a commandement too for this Sabbath if euer he had intended to haue had it kept as a Sabbath vvould God giue a commandement for his Sabbath and Christ leaue his Sabbath without a commandement and to be collected by feeble reason vvas our Sauiour so carefull to giue a commandement for the Lords Supper to be done in remembrance of him and did he forget thinke you to leaue a commandement for the Lords day to be kept in remembrance of him could it be possible a matter of so great importance as is a Sabbath and such a Sabbath as would make so much for his remembrance to the worlds ende should be passed ouer in deepe silence not only by Christ himselfe but also by his succeeding Apostles so as not only not to commande it but which yet is lesse not so much as mention it by the name of a Sabbath whoe that considereth of this would or could euer thinke that Christ did institute and appointe this Lords day for a Sabbath vvas not these those considerations which made Calvin vpon Col. 2.16 say it is not vnlawfull to labour worke on our Sabbathes thus in effecte hee was not this it also which moued zanchie vpon the 4th com Thesis 1. to say The Apostles left the Lords day at liberty and that we are not bounde to keepe it for a Sabbath by any bonde or tye of conscience thus hee To come yet nerer home to our owne diuines was it not hence that Perkins though a greate frend to the Lords day for Sabbath as Walaeus on the 4th com quoteth him thus Perkins ingenuously saith he confesseth that as touching Christs institution the argumentes he bringes for our Lords day they be not necessary but only probable ones c. and see Perk cases of conscience chapt 16. vvhere the holy man durst not speake to the conscience peremptorily as of a thing for certaine true but tremblingly as it were repeatinge his doubtfull speeches 3. or 4. tymes ouer in 6. or 8. lines wrighting as 1. In all likely hoode saith he 2. as I take it c. 3. now I suppose c. 4. for in these pointes stil we must goe by likely hoodes c. surely had there beene any sufficient grounds for our new Sabbath this holy man durst not haue concealed them no nor would he haue spake so doubtfully whoe in other pointes speakes peremptorily and confidently and was it not hence that Doctour Prideaux in his worke vpon the Sabbath saith where is there the least mention of surrogation of the Lords day in roome of the Sabbath pag. 140. Againe where saith he amongst the Euangelists or Apostles is there any distinct institution of the Lords day yea further where is the texte whence you will necessarily proue it vvhat should I reckone vp particular men is it not the doctrine of our churche very lately a booke came to my hands printed at Oxford in the yeere 1621. written by M. Broad touching the Sabbath where on the margent pag. 2. thus he wrighteth Christian people chose the first day of the weeke and made it their Sabbath saith the booke of Homilies By the doctrine then of our church saith M. Broad the obseruation of the Lords day is an Ecclesiasticall ordinance and not an Apostolicall precept againe pag. 21. It is not by any expresse command from Christ or his Apostles but by an ordinance of the church as is the doctrine of many great diuines and of our church in the booke of Homilies that we sanctify the Lords day rather then any other day of the weeke thus wrighteth M. Broade of the Lords day and of its institution as being in the judgement of our owne church not from God nor from Christ but from certaine Godly christian and well disposed people One obiection remaineth to be remoued which is That the Church of God hath kept this Lords day for a Sabbath many hundreds of yeeres and can it be thought Gods whole church should erre and that so long I answere t is true indeed we ought to hould a reuerent regard of the tenentes of our Mother the church so as not lightely nor rashely to receiue any opinions which blemishe hir practise Neuerthelesse this we must know also that the church whilst on earth is liable to miscariages through ignorance for as much as God doth not reueale his whole truth to hir at once but successiuely now on thing and then another as she is able to beare it as the tymes may permite and as it seemes good to his Godly pleasure doe we not see daily light is brought into the church and God reueales himselfe more and more and what doth this argue but what we cannot deny that is that before such light came we were in darkenes and error as touching those pointes yea we must grante the church may doth erre in some things vnles we will affirme that shee is growne to fulnesse of stature and perfection in knowledge so as nothing more can be added I verily perswade my selfe these very cōceipts that the true Church of God cannot erre in any maine thing is the very foundation of errour in those mindes where such conceipts rule for vvhoe would be so idle to spend labour and tyme to try all thinges and with the Bereanes to serch the Scriptures if alredy our curch hath tryed all and serched all to perfection so as they haue no vvayes erred more humble thoughts of our
church doth better become vs all that I aime at hereby is no more but this that we alleage not the practise of our church as an infallible rule touch stone of truth but though a Paul preacht it yet with these Bareanes Act. 17.11 rather to serche the Scriptures then to rely vpon the Testimony of man Finally that our church hath kept this Lords day so longe and therfore the more strange it should be an errour I answere t is true the Lords day hath beene kept for about this 1200. yeeres as nere as I can guesse from about the yeere 364. at which tyme the Laodicean counsaile enacted a Law for the abolishing the Sabbath day and for the sole setting vp the Lords day till then both dayes were in vse saue that as hath beene showne the Lords day was sometymes omitted since then only the Lords day hath beene in request and that is about a 1200. yeeres but here it is to be noted what church it is that principally ground of our future discourse I thinke it needfull therfore in the first place to stay a while vpon the exposition of it or rather of some such things in it as may make way for our future discourse First as touching the substance of the Com note that as in a bonde you haue two essentiall things th one is the summe of mony to be paide the other is the day when it is to be paide and as in circumcision there was two things commanded the one vvas the acte of circumcision the other was the tyme and day when to be done that is on the 8th day Genes 17.12 and as in that other Sacrament the passeouer two things were commanded the one was the slaying and eating of the passeouer the other was the tyme and day when to be done that is on the 14th day of the month Exod. 12.6.8 Iust so in this 4th Com God commandeth vs expresly two things as essentiall partes of his Com the one is Holinesse and Rest the other is the tyme when these ought to be performed and that is in the Sabbath day which is the 7th day the former may be called the duties in the day the latter the dutie of the day the duties in the day ye haue in these wordes To keepe it holy Exod. 20.8 the other duty in these wordes In it thou shalt not doe any worke v. 10. the duty of the day ye haue in these wordes Remember the Sabbath day v. 8. the 7th day is the Sabbath v. 10. The vse of this point serues for confutation Is it so that God in his 4th Com straightly chargeth vs two things that is the duties in the day and the dutie of the day or thus the duties to be performed and the tyme when they be to be performed how is it then that so many say of the tyme of the 4th com oh the tyme that is but an accident but a circumstance God regards not circumstances so much it is the substance of the duties to be performed in the tyme that God lookes at c. and therfore you are but superstitiouse and vaine to stand so much vpon tyme where to I answere 1. tyme may here be considered two wayes 1. in relation to the duties of Holinesse and Rest and so I grant the tyme is an adiuncte wherein these duties were to be performed 2. in relation to the commandement it selfe considered as a thing commanded together with Holines and Rest and thus it is no adjuncte but thus it is an essentiall part of the Com the tyme being no lesse commanded then the duties of Holines and Rest I answere 2. but admite that tyme here were an accident or adjuncte to the Com and that you esteeme of adjunctes as light and triuiale matters little or nothing to be regard for their nature as in them selues in comparison of things substātiall c. I say be it the tyme here were as mynte and annyse and commine and the duties to be performed Sabbath day Remember the Sabbath day c. vvhere it is to be noted that this phrase Sabbath day was emong the Iewes a proper name for one of theire weeke dayes namly for that weeke day which is the last of the weeke as Saturday is with vs and it answeres to our Saturday in so much as if we shold translate the Hebrew words Sabbath day we shold reade it Saturday Remember Saturday to keepe it holy c. now that Sabbath day was a proper name of one of their weeke dayes is apparant to all since they counted all the other 6. dayes of the weeke by the Sabbath day thus the 7th and last day of the weeke they called Sabbath day the first day of the vveeke our Suneday they called the first of the Sabbath the second day of the weeke our Moonday they called the seconde of the Sabbath our Tewsday the thirde of the Sabbath c. so as you see no day of the weeke was called Sabbath day but this one only I confesse the word Sabbath signifieth a Rest but it also signifieth a proper name of the last day of their weeke Secondly if this be not enough to shew that God had sett aparte one certaine well knowne day afore any of the other 6. dayes for Holy duties Then marke what the Lord saith further in this Com The Seaventh day is the Sabbath c. not the third day nor the 4th day nor the first day of the weeke but the 7th day is the Sabbath where to take hence all scruples aboute the order of the day it hath pleased God for our certaine information to pointe directly and distinctly to the day which he wold haue kept as by the finger saying The Seaventh day Thouchinge which word of number Seaventh it is to be noted that it is not a Cardinall number but an Ordinall notifying which for order the propertie whereof is to denote 1. one and one only 2. it notes that indiuiduall particular one which for order is the last of that number for instance The Thirde it is not any of the three as the second nor the first but it is the last of the three so the fifthe it is not the 4th nor the second but it is the last of the 5 so the Seaventh day is the Sabbath not the 6th day nor the third day nor the first day of the weeke but the last day of the weeke the 7th is the Sabbath so againe you see the Lord hath culled out the last day of the 7. for his Sabbath and hath not lefte it indefinitly and vndetermined Furthermore left any shold thinke the 7th day may be separated from that day called the Sabbath day as is vsually thought therefore note 1. the Lord God hath ioyned them together in his Comm. The 7th day is the Sabbath see Levit 23.3 and Exod 35.2 Luk 13.14 not the 8th nor the first now what God hath ioyned let noe man put asunder 2. Note that these two The 7th day and
the Lords day c. Hence it is thus argued this day is called the Lords day as the last Supper of Christ is called the Lords Supper now as Christ did substitute the last Supper in roome of the Passeouer so he substituted the Lords day in roome of the Sabbath I answere 1. it doth not followe it must be called the Lords day in the same sense as Christs Supper is called the Lords Supper for it may be called the Lords day 1. in reference to God the Creator meaninge there by the Lords Sabbath of the 7th day since thes Sabbathes were caled the Lords dayes as the lords Holy day Isa 58 13. now if the Sabbath be the Lords holy day then is it the Lords day 2. In reference to God the Redeemer it might be called the Lords day as the day is wherein Christ will come to Indgment Luk 17 24 30. that is a day wherein Christ will shewe himselfe Maruailouse to the world so did Christ in the day of his Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Ascention in euery of thes he did a remarkable worke and euery of thes might be called the Lords day and which of them Iohn had respect vnto Scripture is altogether silent and therfore can we not builde vpon infallible growndes herein and we must not set vp Sabbathes tyeinge mens consciences vpon probabilities and contingencies furthermore who wold argue from Luk 17 24. that because the day of Iudgment is called Christs day Therfore that day must then be kept for a Sabbath day but admit S. Iohn meant the day of Christs Resurrection that is a day wherein he would declare himselfe mightely to be the Sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead Rom 1 4. What is this to a Sabbath which men must celebrate how doth it appeare Christ rose one this day and called it the Lords day with this intendement that men shold for euer after keepe it a Sabbath shewe me an institution of a Sabbath day by Christs riseing one this day or by S. Iohns calling it the Lords day finally say it were a Sabbath day how will it appeare in the Canon of Holy Scripture that the Lords day was in the Apostles dayes a weekly day kept euery 7th day as now it is or rather an annuall day as Easter day is for properly Easter day is the Lords day I answere further there is not like reason of thes two the Lords day and the Lords Supper for a day and a Supper differ much so as a day may be called the Lords in one sense and a Supper may be called the Lords in an other sense I answere secondly it will not follow that there must be the same reason and likenesse betweene the Lords day and the Sabbath which was betwene the Lords Supper and the Passeouer for the Passeouer was a branche of the Ceremoniall Law and a Ceremony and a type of Christ and therfore to be abolisht at Christs comeing But the Sabbath was a branch of the Morall Law and a Morall neither euer was it made a death to life now that God Sanctified the first day of the weeke for Christ to rise on I deny not nor doe I refuse to reioyce there on and be thankfull to God for so greate a worke euen euery day in the weeke and yeere or more solemnely once in a yeere as at Easter or ofter if the Church see it expedient But that this Text doth prophecy of this day for euer to be kept for our sole Sabbath in a Rest all day long and in holy duties euery 7th day this I denye since this Text saith not this day was Sanctified for men but it was Sanctified for Christ yea we may reioyce and be glad in it annually as the Iewes were in theire annuall dayes of purim Ester 9.26.27 and yet not keepe it in a stricte Rest all day long as on a Sabbath I answer secondly by day in the Psalme is not necessarily vnderstod a shorte ordinary day of 12. or 24. howres but rather a long space of tyme as all the tyme after Dauid came to the Crowne and so it may be applied to type out the whole tyme of Christ vpon the earth ruleing as King in the Kingdom of his Church thus Abraham sawe Christs day Ioh. 8.56 thus t is called the day of Saluation 2. Cor. 6.2 If then by day here be meante the day of grace or the tyme of Christs abode one the earth then heer is no footing for a Sabbath day of 12. or 24. howres long 4. A 4th Text they produce is Act. 2.1.14 where Peter preached one Pentecost which is one our white Sunday and administred the Sacramentes of Baptisme and the Lords Supper after he had converted 3000. soules wherfore this must nedes be a Sabbath day because in it were performed the workes of a Sabbath c. Here to I answere 1. That Peters actions are no diuine institutions vnlesse backt by some precept now nor Christ nor his Apostles gaue any precept for performance of thes duties one this day 2. Peters sermone was extraordenary for it was vpon the extraordenary comeing downe of the Holy Ghost then and to remoue away the false slander of drunkenesse v. 13. and it was occasioned by the greate concourse of people extraordenarily met and assembled not to heare a sermone but to heare the Apostles myraculously speake straunge tounges v. 6. now extraordenary things binde not to ordenary practise 3. Preaching and administration of Sacraments be not proper duties of a Sabbath but commone to any day of the weeke Christ administred Lords Supper one a Thursday night the night before he was Crucified Phillip baptized the Eunuch one a trauileing day Act. 8.38.39 and for preaching it was an euery dayes worke if occation serued preach the word in season and our of season 2. Timoth. 4.2 Christ preached to the Samaritane Ioh. 4. on a working day for his Disciples were gone in to the citty to buye meate v. 8. He preached one the Mountaine Mat. 5.1 and out of a shippe at an other tyme Luk. 5.1.2.3 which dayes were no Sabbaths for on the Sabbaths Christ and the people mett in theire Synagogues Luk. 4.14 Paul preacht daily in the Temple and from house to house Act. 5.42 and daily in the schoole of Tyrannus Act. 19.9 Now vnles thes duties of preaching and administration of the Sacraments were so proper to the Sabbath as they were vsed vpon no day else how can thes duties be markes of a Sabbath no no nothing but a Commandement will establish a Sabbath day doe not we preache reade Scriptures praye administer the Sacrament and performe as many Sabbath duties on Christmas day when it falls on a weeke day as we doe on any Sabbath day and yet vvho vvill therfore gather vve keepe that Christmas day for a Sabbath 4. Note Walaeus vpon the 4th Com pag. 161. saith it is called in to question of some whither this day of Pentecost then fell vpon the Lords day
still liuing and so vvhat if 4th Comm did not binde that country vvhere they haue not night a day so successiuely and commodiously in short tyme following eache other to a day light doth it not therfore binde vs vvho haue not the like case And thus you haue seene their artificiall reasons against the tyme and day of the Sabbath answered now it remaineth that vve answere to their inartificiall reasons and testimonies the vvhich are fetched from the Primitiue Churchs 1. The first Testimony and Authority they produce against the 7th day Sabbath is that of Ignatius in his Epistle to the Magnesianes saith he Let not vs keepe Sabbath in a Jewish sorte reioycing in idlenesse for who so doth not work let not him eate as saith the Scripture vvhere Ignatius vvould haue them not Sabbatize but work rather on that day I answere let the vvords be well weighed and they make nothing at all against the Sabbath to this end note a little before he had dehorted the Magnesians that they would not suffer themselues to be seduced or deceiued with other doctrines nor with fables nor vvith genealogies nor vvith Jewish smoke thus in generall next he descends to particulares first he inueighes against the Iudiciall Law and Circumcision c. and this done next he bringes in the vvords citod aboue Let not vs keepe Sabbath c. now it is to be noted vnto vvhich of those generalles aboue said from which Ignatius dehorted the Magnesians these words haue relation for my part I must thinke they haue reference to those words fables and Iewish smoke as if he had ioyned them thus Suffer not your selues to be seduced with fables nor Iewish smoke or vanity but cleaue vnto Christ and let not vs keepe Sabbath as doe the Iewes c. thus he counted their Sabbatizing such as it was there no cleaning to Christ but a vaine Iudiciall vanity now that this relation must stand thus I proue 1. Because he spake of other doctrines and of fables now its fitest to referre Circumcision to Doctrines because it vvas a Drctrine once and to referre those things he dehortes from on the Sabbath as idlenesse and daunceinges to the words fables and Iewish smoke 2. Because he dehorted them from obseruance of the Iudaicall Law now those fables Iewish vanities of idlenesse and daunceinges on the Sabbath were neuer any ceremoniall Law and therfore cannot be referred to that forespoken of the Law Now if Ignatius in this passage did not dehorte from any thing vvritten in the Law touching the Sabbath but from other fables and traditions of their owne then Ignatius did not disswade from keeping the Sabbath as it is commanded in the Law of 4th Com but from keeping of it according to their fabulouse and vaine manner let these two things therfore be noted 1. that Ignatius did dehorte from things neuer commanded the Iewes in the Morall Law 2. That the things he did disswade from they vvere fabulouse and vaine things as from eating meates dressed the day before and from drinking lukewarme drinkes what he meanes by lukewarme drinkes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot imagine I neuer reade of any such drinkes forbiden in the Law and from reioycing in dauncinges and vnciuill howtings or clapping of hands in the Sabbath day and other like he disswades from vvhich things are meerely Iewish fables and neuer found in Gods Law vvherfore I conclude that Ignatius did not forbidd an holy keeping of the Sabbath day such as stood with the Law of God but he only forbad that carnall and superstitious keeping of it fore mentioned such as vvas neuer commanded by any law That this is so yet more plainly appeares in that 1. in this very place and text He doth exhorte the Magnesians to keepe the Sabbath Spiritually in meditation of Gods Law and in admiration of the workes of God 2. In that Iguatius doth not disswade from keeping the Sabbath simply but after a sorte and in some manner He saith not Let not vs keep Sabbath but thus Let not vs keepe Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a Iewish sorte and fashion as reioycing in idlenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so you see it is a carnall sensuall rest from labours that this good man inuaigheth against Only one thing in his disswasion vvould be cleered vvhich is that he addeth these words Who so doth not labour let not him eate c. these vvords are not to be taken simply as if he would they should work in their ordenary callings on the Sabbath day for so we make him contrary to himselfe who exhorted them to keep the Sabbath day Spiritually by meditation of Gods Law and Gods vvorkes now to work and to rest from vvorke which the word Sabbatizing signifieth are contraries besides how can a man so meditate on Gods Law and the vvorks of God as in a Sabbath one should whilst the boby is in vnquiet labour yea in many callings mens workes are such as they cannot at all both doe their works and also meditate Gods Law as in the trades of grocers and other retailing shopkeepers who sell by little parcelles and are euer in bargayning so scriueners who are euer wrighting and the like trades which occupie the minde specially if they kept market on Sabbath day as we doe how could their mindes in the market be occupied about Gods Lawes and it is to be noted Ignatius did not oppose Spirituall Sabbatizing or Resting to Sabbatizing or Resting simply but thus he opposed Spirituall Sabbatizing to Judiciall Sabbatizing fabulously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvherfore to salue all seming contradiction a fit sense may be giuē of the words taking them to be comparatiuely spoken as that they should rather work on the Sabbath in an honest calling then so fabulously carnally and irreligiously to spend the Sabbath in daunceing and vnciuile showting and the like and here it seemes to me he alludeth to the like manner of speech in Isa 1.13 I cannot suffer saith the Lord your new Moones nor Sabbathes my soule hateth your appointed Feastes c. now here God did not simply forbid Sabbaths but that irreligiouse prophane judiciall keeping of Sabbaths Thus you see Ignatius his vvordes makes nothing against the Sabbath being vvell considered of but rather nesse of the abolishing of this Sabbath because these had their hands in it then I should haue done if I neuer had heard that they had any hand in it Thus you see neither their textes alleaged out of Scripture nor yet their reasons nor their testimonies can proue the Rest in the Lords Sabbath day to be partly ceremoniall nor yet the tyme and 7th day to be abrogated So then in the last place I addresse my selfe to giue some possitiue reasons to shew that the 7th day Sabbath is still in force euen to this day and so consequently must be to the worlds end The 7th day Sabbath is still in force IN the first place I would free the Sabbath day from
if the Scribes and Pharises vvere superstitious in keeping the 4th Com and forbad vvorkes of charity to be done on the Sabbath vvere they not erroniouse too in expounding and obseruing other of the Commandements But sure I am our Sauiour Christ the true expounder of the Law he gaue leaue euen to the Iewes in his tyme before any Ceremonies were abolisht to doe vvorks of charity and works of necessity euen vpon the Sabbath day as to rubbe eares of corne to carry a bedd to lift a beast out of a ditch and the like yea doe not vve hold our selues now thus strictly tyed vpon the Lords day as not to doe any vvorks thereon saue works of necessity and charity I finde not that a beleeuing Iewe vvas any thing more strictly tyed then so For my parte I see no difference twixt the doctrine of our Church of Engeland touching keeping the Lords day for strictnesse and the doctrine of Moses and of Christ touching the keeping of the Sabbath day nor can I see how a beleeuing Iewe vvas more strictly tyed then a beleeuing Christian is in right account 3. Saith a 3d. Should vve embrace the Sabbath day then should vve be accused of nouelty and the neighbour Churches of Papists vvould vpbraide vs Here too I answere vvhat if man accuseth where God commendeth it vvas new doctrine that Paul brought to Berea but it vvas theire commendations that they receiued the word vvith all readinesse and serched the Scriptures daily to see vvhither those things vvere so or not it vvas not the newenesse of the Gospell nor the singularity of Paul the teacher that cold daunte them and for Papistes it is not the first tyme that they haue vpbraided vs for nouelty if they thinke it a matter of reproche to confesse vve know but in parte and that the best Church and purest may be more pure and growe nerer to God in knowledge and reformation daily let them scoffe on what Dauid vvill regard a Michal or Isaack an Ishmael what and if vve offend the Church of Papistes if vve may gaine the Church of the Iewes doe vve not vvright of speake of and pray for and hope for conversion of the Iewes and can there be a better vvay for their entrance into our Church then by remouing a way this great stumbling blocke that is our prophanation of the Lords Sabbath day said not the Iewes of Christ this man is not of God because he keept not the Sabbath day Ioh. 9.16 can the Jewes say any better of vs at this day who are not causelesly taxed as vvas Christ why these Christians may they say vvere their religion good they vvold neuer liue in so manifest a breache of the 4th Commandement vveekly as they doe prophaning the Lords Sabbathes 4. Saith a 4th This vvere to bringe an imputation vpon our Church that haue not seene this of 1600. yeeres c. I answere for 300. or 400. yeeres after Christ this Sabbath vvas kept and that by the purest Churches of the primitine tymes so the ouer sight vvas not aboue a matter of 1200 yeeres Againe at these tyme when the Lords Sabbath vvas abolisht by the Laodicean counsaile in the yeere 364. euen then the churches began to decline strangly and then began superstition popery to creep into the Church and by little little it ouerspreade the Christian world vntill about Luthers tyme all vvhich tyme our Church vvas couered in the Romish Church as corne in the chaffe and vve vvere as captiues in a forraine nation vvhere we vvere kept from knowledge of the Lawes of our Lawfull and rightfull soueraigne the Lord our God now vvhat imputation is it to our Church that the Romish Church did ouersee this and blott out the 4th Com as they had done the 2d Com Since Luthers tyme indeed by the mercy of God the chaffe hath beene fanned away yet haue we not had a setteled constant shine of the Sune of the Gospell but twixt tymes it hath beene elouded as in the raigne of Quene Mary c. and for this short breating tyme since Quene Elizabeth of blessed memory hath not our Church had worke enough to hould the ground which our forefathers wone for vs haue vve not beene in a continued warfare battailing vvith Romish doctrine both by penne and by preaching euen vntill now of late yeeres during vvhich conflict our church hath had scarce leisure to bethinke hir selfe of any further purification but now since God hath in some sorte giuen vs rest from our enemies labour vve to growe in grace both in knowledge and in obedience labour vve to perfect Holinesse daily more and more let vs rather imitate the more pure primitiue churchs from vvhom the Church of Roome is fled in practise of the Sabbath day then the corrupted Romish church from whom vve suckte this euill milke Neither is it to be thought a thing vnpossible for a Church of God ignorantly to lye in the breache of one branch of Gods Law for a season for did not the Church of God in Iosiah his tyme as much vvhen the booke of the Law of God it selfe had beene lost for I know not how long tyme 2. King 22. now to vvhom vvas this great sine of carelesnes in loosing the booke of Gods Law to be imputed vvas it not vnto the Idolatrous tymes and church vvhich vvent last before the Raigne of Iosiah so who is mostly to be blamed for our ignorance in this but the idolatry and superstition irreligion of former tymes which began at the Counsaill held at Laodicea Anno 364. for they first puft out this light There are two sortes of people to vvhom this discourse doth pertaine the Laitie and the Clergye as for the Laity God he knoweth they can doe no more then they can doe though of vviling minds that all should goe vvell and that God might haue this owne tymes and t is not a farr thing gaine to them whither they giue God the Saturday or the Sunday but since they want the Artes tounges those instruments of knowledge in this points they must be guided by their Ministers The Priests lippes must preserue knowledge and they must aske the Law of their mouths I say the lesser care of this matter pertaines to the people I doe not say no care for their is a spurre for them in Ezek. 33.6 and a president in those Noble men of Berea for serching the Scriptures and let them in Gods feare both priuately pray to God to direct their Ministers vvith Spirituall illumination and also let them often call vpon them to see to their Ministry shewing them the price of their soules is in their hands and if Ministers neglect the soules of people pay for it As for these of the Ministry these doe knowe this matter mostly conserueth them to knovv vvhither Saturday or Sunday or Sabbath day by Gods appointement And hereof it is that our Sauiour Christ hauing ratified the Law and euery iote and
creation or at the first day of the worlds redemption t is groundlesse to set any other beginning now Sunday is the common reputed day for the first day of the vvorlds creation and the 7th from it is Saturday the Lords Sabbath day but if you refuse this beginning and vvill fetche a first from the redemption then good Friday vvhereon Christ suffred must be the first day of your 7 and then Thursday will be your 7th day and so your Sabbath day or else Sunday vvhereon Christ rose must be your first day and then Saturday the Jewes Sabbath day vvill be your 7th day and new Sabbath day now behold though you seeme to stande to a 7th day for your Sabbath yet you cannot any approued vvay make the Lords day a 7th day vnles you take Mooneday for your first day of the weeke which no approued Authores doe and vvhich computation is not Diuine in ould or new Testaments but is merely humane and deuised and by like reason if you groundlesly begine at Mooneday may not vve begine at Tewsday or Wensday or Thursday c. and so skippe ouer as many dayes as vve please so as no man shall knovv vvhere or vvhen to begine nor vvhat day shall be his 7th day for a Sabbath if we may skipe ouer as many dayes as we please before vve take one for our first day may vve not skipp ouer as vvell 7. dayes as one day and if vve may skipp ouer 7. dayes why not 700. or 7000 dayes and so many vveekes yea yeeres may be vvithout any Sabbath 6 A 6th last reason they fetcht from practise of the primitiue Churches for the Historyes of the Church say they relate that they kept the Lords day for a Sabbath constantly I answere 1. I finde the contrary and that alleadged too by M. Perkins vpon the 4th Com vvhoe thus speakes The Sabbath meaning it the Lords day was neglected of those Churches vvhich succeded the Apostles vntill afterwards it vvas established by Christian Emperoures this he proues to be so by alleaging his author for it Leo and Anton. Edict of holy dayes now if Mr. Perkins vvhoe vvas so well seene in history of our churches vvould affirme this and that too whē he pleaded vvhat he could for our nevv Sabbath then surely in his judgement it vvas a cleere case that the primitiue churches kept not our Lords day euer or constantly 2. Ignatius vvhere he exhorted to keepe the Lords day there he exhorted to keepe the Sabbath day too now it is not likly both these dayes vvere kept for Sabbathes but that one only and that was the Sabbath day as is gatherable in that Ignatius calles the Lords day the Queene and Princesse of all dayes vvhere he left out a higher place for the Sabbath day as the Kings Prince of all dayes it is likly therfore that our Lords day was kept as we keepe an holy day with vs vvhen those Christian Emperoures did establishe by Lawes our Lords day to be solemnized at which tymes it flourished most yet euen then they kept it not as a Sabbath day but as vve keepe an Holy day for Constantin the Emperour most religiouse patrone of our Lords day as is vvell knowne in his Edicte for the celebrating of the Lords day yet therein gaue liberty for men to doe vvorkes of Husbandry on the Lords day now ploughing and sowing and reaping and the like worke of husbandry be quite against the very letter of the 4th Comm and against and contrary to that rest from all seruile vvorkes in earing in haruest and at other tymes enioyned in the Law for Sabbath day duties can we thinke Constantin directed by his reuerēd Clergy would can giuen such liberty had they counted the Lords day for the Sabbath day and to stand by the 4th Comm finally if vve should imitate the primitiue churches as touching dayes vve should weekely keepe holy Friday vvhereon Christ suffered as vvell as Sunday whereon Christ rose for Constantin did by one and the same Law commande his whole Empire to sanctifye the Friday and the Sunday the day before the Iewes Sabbath the day after it see Euseb de vita Constant lib. 4. cap. 18. and see Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 8. the Lords day because of Christs resurrection the Friday because of Christs passion as saith the text and here againe it appeareth the primitiue church kept not the Lords day for their Sabbath no more then they kept Friday for their Sabbath but both of them as we keepe holy dayes Hauing answered all their reasons that I can finde or heare of in next place let me passe my censure of reasons in generall How feeble a thing our best and refined reason is euery man may knovv that vseth reason S. Paul shall speake for vs vve know but in parte we see through a glasse darkely 1. Cor. 12.9.12 saith he 2. let all our lerned Diuines speake vvhoe not only in publique prayers to God confesse our blindnesse of minde but moreouer in their Sermons they dare not deliuer a doctrine collected by reason out of their text vnles they can soundly proue the same by some plaine text or other as you see their constant and laudable practise is and this they doe least they should deliuer for doctrines mens preceptes vvhereby you see what an holy ielousy they haue of their reason that though in their priuate studies they haue collected a doctrine by helpes both of nature and artes with great diligence yet dare they not trust to their reason vntill they finde God in his word to backe them 3. let Logicianes speake vvhoe are the masters in reason doe not they in their bookes of Logicke shew how many and sondry wayes reason is subiect to be corrupted by fallacies and Sophisticall arguments all which testimonies of the dimenesse and weakenesse of our reason teacheth vs thus much that as it is too great boldnesse vvith God and ouergreate confidence in our reason by bare force of it to dispute against any thing which God hath set vp as the 7th day Sabbath So it is a matter of no lesse dispraise and presumption by only force of reason consequence to innouate and set vp a new Sabbath and yet for all this doe I not exclude the vse of reason about the Holy Scriptures so be it be but to finde out vvhat God saith in his vvord I only exclude the vse of reason as by collections to add any thing to Gods vvord wherfore I reiect all reasons and consequences touching in nouation and bringing in a new Sabbath vnlesse as diuines backe their doctrines in sermons by plaine textes so these doe backe euery collection and consequence by a cleere text of Scripture or at least if I may be bould to grante so much that euery collection and consequence be such as is necessarily and demonstratiuely true so as it apparantly cannot but be true Hence is that laudable vsage of our church which though it