3. 9 10. If then thy state be not yet so desperate but that thou canst plead ignorance before God of any such due conuiction beware now of selfe-loue and desire of singularity leane not ouer much to thine owne iudgement shew thy true humilitie by esteeming others better then thy selfe Withstand not Gods grace oppose him not any longer be not like the deafe Adder which stoppeth her eares and will not bee charmed Despise not thy mother the holy Church in which thou hast receiued all the good thou hast if any at all Consider how she gaue thee entertainement at first by Baptisme hath since that called thee by the voice of her Teachers powerfull ministers of the Word and Sacraments doth daily stretch out her hand to afford the bread of life and water of life offers thee the holy Scriptures with their true interpretation and doth now wait for thy returne to her vnitie with many a grieuous groane and salt teare being readie euerie moment to receiue thee in the lap of her mercie and to dandle thee on the knees of her loue Bee not then the Author of thine owne woe plunge thee not wilfully into needlesse miserie Blame not thy Mistresse for giuing thee some correction for thy pride Heare the Angel speaking to thee in Hagars person Whence camest thou And whither wilt thou goe Returne to thy Mistresse and humble thy selfe vnder her hands Gen. 16. 8 9. How long I say wilt thou loue simplicitie take thy pleasure in scorning hate sound knowledge And vnlesse thou canst proue that thy calling is extraordinarie and that by the ceasing of all ordinarie sending and calling and canst cleare it either to be of God himselfe or of some extraordinarie person or by extraordinarie motion of Gods holy Spirit as Moses Aaron and Phineas and canst confirme it by that thou teacheth no other doctrine then what hath beene taught by former holy men by that thy life is beyond all other mens in the glorie of an humble meeke bold patient quiet and discreet conuersation by the furniture of admirable guifts beyond all of that time without any exception and by the manifest attendance of Gods immediate power in thy protection and aide as Ieremie Iohn Baptist Paul and all extraordinarie men If not I doe testifie vnto thee that thou shalt rue thy obstinacie and bewaile thy stubbornnesse here to Gods glorie in thy blessed change or else be ruined by thy folly and howle for euermore without any remedie Then shalt thou say in the anguish of thy soule and bitternesse of thy Spirit How haue I hated instruction and my heart despised reproofe and haue not obeyed the voyce of my teachers nor inclined mine eare to them that instructed mee Suspect thy selfe then in time while it is yet called to day feare thine estate in respect of thy being alone Thou knowest the Prouerbe Woe to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to helpe him vp First thou separatest and then thou sallest and who shall thenceforth lend thee his hand Consider that the holy Scriptures are not left to euerie priuate mans interpretation 2. Pet. 1. But when the same holy Spirit interprets them by whose holy motion they were first spoken and penned men indued with the same holy Spirit shall not oppose that interpretation Dost thou thinke that thou onely and such as thou art haue the Spirit of God I hope thou art not so absurd and if others haue the same Spirit of God why doe they not assent at all vnto you And let mee mind thee of that Euangelicall proclamation of the Church her peace through the true knowledge of God so that the Wolfe the Lambe the Leopard the Kid the Calfe the yong Lion and the fatling shall dwell and lye downe together and a little child shall lead them Isa 11. And the Church Officers shall be Peace and her exactors Righteousnesse Isa 60. yea and Peace shall be extended to her like a Riuer Isa 66. The perfect worke of Righteousnesse shall be Peace Isa 32. and Righteousnesse and Peace are inseparable companions And let me wish Mercy and Peace to all the Israel of God and aduise you all to liue in peace and if it be possible as much as in you lyeth liue peaceably with all men Rom. 12. that the God of loue and peace may bee with vs and abide with vs for euermore And let me say to all that liue yet in the bosome of Gods Church We are Brethren why should there be any strife amongst vs What is the reason we are so deuided in affection why doe we bite and deuoure one another why are there any inclinations to Sects and Schismes Diuisions and Tumults and so great Wrath Is not Ignorance the cause of all Whence is Contention but from Pride and where resteth Pride but in the bosome of Fooles As then we desire to approue our selues wise and well instructed in the wayes of peace Let vs submit one to another in the feare of God according to that decent order and comelinesse in which wee are set Let vs in giuing honour preferre one another let vs first make sure at home cast the beames out of our owne eyes proue our selues to be in the Faith This being done we shall soone take notice where it is effected and so come to the true knowledge and due acknowledgement of the Church whose worke we are No member would then exalt it selfe against the bodie but rather shew it selfe to bee of God who is not the author of confusion but peace And for my part I haue resolued for time to come to leaue Kingdomes to the guidance of Kings themselues and Churches to the gouernment of Chiefe Church-men And I know that in indifferent things there is such a thing as Mos populi Dei to be regarded The Church her custome was of some credit in Pauls time 1. Cor. 11. 16. And I acknowledge that in doubtful things controuerted in the Church totum est parte maius Vniuersality may beare it when onely bare Consequences are vrged that may bee paralleld with like Consequences by the greater part And I say that Turpis pars omnis toti non congrua That part is deformed which agrees not with the whole and in all things not to bee decided by euident Scriptures I doe also say with those Fathers of the first Nicene Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mos antiquus obtineat Let old Customes carrie it And if any say I doe hereby vilifie my selfe I answer I will be yet more vile if humble submission to my holy Mothers Authoritie be to be esteemed basenesse And I doe heartily desire all that beare good will to Sion to pray feruently for mee that as I am now happily returned to the vnitie of Gods Church so I may continue stedfastly in the valiant and constant defence of the peace thereof that so my last fruits may be more then the first and my last workes better then the first that if euer I suffer againe as I am most readie it may bee for the Church and not in the least shew against it and for no trifles but for the Truth and power of Godlinesse And that as I haue beene stout for Moses and Christ together so I may bee as resolute for Christ alone That I may neuer separate what God hath ioyned nor ioyne what he hath seuered And the same doe I wish to all my Countrimen that all quarrels may bee ended for such outward things as are not of the essence of true Religion and that all our strife may bee to out-strip one another in the power of sound Loue that being alreadie fellowes of one Family sonnes of one Father children of one Mother liuely stones of one buildings branches of one Vine Sheep of one Fold members of one body yea one bodie and one spirit so wee may discouer the truth of this by remaining of one minde and the same iudgement and the rather because we liue in the last times wherein the day hasteneth and is euen at hand wherein we shall be all tryed whether wee be Gold or Drosse Wheate or Chaffe precious Stones or Stubble Now neuer did God rise earlier to send his Seruants vnto vs then hee doth at this day Let vs all striue to make a right vse of this precious time while it is yet called to day Let all clense themselues from all manner of troublesome and contentious thoughts that we may declare our selues to bee at true peace with God with all his people and to keepe a true Sabbath within vs. That the God of peace may dwell in our Tabernacles and the Graces of his Spirit not bee quenched in vs which God grant vnto vs all euen for Iesus CHRISTS sake To whom with the blessed Spirit bee ascribed all Glory Honour Dominion Power Maiestie and heartie Thansgiuing now and for euermore Amen Non est graue cadere luctantem sed iacere deiectum Non est perniciosum in praelio vulnerari sed post vulnus acceptum desperatione curandi medelam vulneri denegare Saepe etiam athletas videmus post frequentes lapsus deiectiones plurimas coronatos militem scimus post multas fugas virum fortem fuisse vicisse victores Gloriae cedant cuncta diuinae FINIS
A TREATISE OF LIBERTIE FROM IVDAISME OR An Acknowledgement of true Christian LIBERTIE indited and published By IOHN TRASKE Of late stumbling now happily running againe in the Race of Christianitie ISID in MAT. 11. 29. Quid iugo Christi suauius quid onere leuius à scelere abstinere bonum velle omnes amare nullum odisse aeterna consequi praesentibus non capi nolle inferre alteri quod sibi perpeti sit molestum LONDON Printed by W. Stansby for N. Butter and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the pyde Bull neere S. Austens gate 1620. TO MY HOLY AND TENDER MOTHER THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND ALL INCREASE OF Peace Prosperitie and holy Vigilancy vnto the glorious appearing of IESVS CHRIST To whome ON Earth rather then to you blessed blessing Mother should I direct my Supplications Deprecations and my Thankes Seeing by Gods grace and your prudent patience amidst so many sore tryals I haue yet a breathing time left may for a while sit downe contemplate and admire O the vnspeakeable loue of God in reducing me into nesse of my pollutions made mee both afraid and ashamed to point at mine owne deformities Incumbred I was with many thoughts how to discouer my minds change how to walke for the time to come and yet after a few daies I could not but disclose it It was within me like a fire in my bones I was weary with forbearing and could not stay and I resolued that it was both my duty and safetie to addresse my selfe to those whose lips preserue knowledge and hands authoritie If a Leaper was to shew himselfe to the Priest and such as were full of vncured Blaines and Sores to shew themselues to the High Priest why should I bee afraid to present my selfe in my Scars to the Guides and Gouernours of this Church for the glorifying of that grace which purged my Corruptions and healed my Sores I therfore forthwith addressed mee to the most Reuerend Father of this renowmed Church by him imploring reconciliation to my iustly offended Mother And since how open hath her bosome beene to her returning sonne how ioyfully hath shee receiued readily instructed and willingly restored me to my sacred Office againe and how blessedly haue some beene reduced by my weake helpe into the the way of peace from which they had swerued with me though not all by me I am not able to expresse with Pen. Neither shall I cease to vse all my industrie to bring again all that haue straied by my word or example as by my Mothers leaue I shall bee authorized so to doe seeing through Gods Mercie they are not manie and those that are no way dangerous being such as haue little force to perswade any and the most such as imbraced those things without my aduice and some contrarie to my iudgement at that time and as I haue publiquely by preaching againe proclaimed my true change so shall I priuately by practise confirme it to all with whom I shall conuerse by Gods grace vnto my liues end And who am I that I should be any more troublesome to so indulgent and gracious a Mother No verily I shal neuer forget her mercie wisdome bountie and meekenesse towards one so farre gone though I should participate no more of her loue And I am the more bold to disclose my whole heart vnto her because she knowes that greater more eminent learned and glorious members haue had their foule slips And though I for beare to name any lest some should think I doe parallel my selfe with them nor had we any to name either vnder the Law or Gospel as examples to induce vs to be willing to acknowledge own our deformities for the magnifying Gods Mercie edifying his Church and humbling our selues yet we cannot but know that there is nothing so couered that shall not be reueiled nor hidden that shall not be knowne Neither shall hidden things of darkenesse lurke alwaies in secret The Lord will come and all mens sinnes shall be layed open such as goe not before to iudgement to their sauing they must follow after to their eternall torment Neither can I conceiue that in this light and loue of the Gospel in the middest of true Israelites in whom is no guile especially in the knowledge of my tender Mother any derider shall be suffered to disport himselfe with the nakednesse not of a father but a failing brother or any scoffing Ismaclite to mocke at Isaacs minoritie or any vncharitable inconsiderate brother to vpbraid with what hath beene formerly done much lesse any Idolatrous Rabsakeh to raile on the least seruant of God But that on any such iust occasion giuen it shal be lawful for such as haue an heart to the combate to enter the lists againe in the spirit of Meekenesse though onely with a sling and such smooth stones as may be chosen in our holy riuer of life And in the confidence of this later with the excitement of those former motiues I am incouraged to penne what is done concerning the Christian Libertie I doe now vnderstand And though I am yet farre short of what my most iudicious Mother may expect for my large time yet well knowing that she is so like our Lord of glorie that she hath learned long since to accept of weak works where she perceiues willing mindes according to what her children haue and not according to what they haue not I now rest and am resolued to reremaine though of late seemingly departed for a season yet sincerely returned for euer And at this time thy dutifull and obedient sonne IOHN TRASKE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Courteous READER IF I may not question thy Christianitie then I hope not suspect thy charitie in the view of this short Treatise And though it bee somewhat confused yet better is a tattered habite where the body is sound and the heart sincere then gorgeous and well set attire on a false heart and rotten carkasse And what euer this booke may seeme to portend yet I aime at nothing but mine owne discharge of dutie in the free acknowledgement of all my failings I meddle not with the instruction of any but the helpe of such as haue beene hurt by mee and that all may know that I haue done with Iudaisme Helpe mee therefore as I should helpe thee against secret slanders and willing mistakings of some maleuolent ones And tell them that with me that Pentameter is so true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euerie forced businesse is grieuous That I should neuer haue done ought by costraint Yea I know certainly that Nemo inuitus bene agit etiamsi bonum est quod facit No man vnwillingly doth any thing well though that which he doth he verie good It is almost a whole yeare since God graciously relieued mee in so great a straite And though some pennes haue runne as I since perceiue and tongues beene exercised in wounding mee causelesly in other things yet God is sufficient to take iust reuenge
if my obedience were once fulfilled Which vengeance God auert if it be his will by giuing them hearts to raze out some vntruths out of their more then satyricall Inuectiues and forbeare reproches for time to come And desiring thy patience to reade the whole ouer passing by the quotations in reading though not in trying the truth of them all I rest Thy brother that prayeth for thee IOH TRA. May 5. 1620. A TREATISE OF LIBERTIE Against Judaisme CHAP. I. The Authors preparation of himselfe to write and helpe to some others to read profitably what followeth in this Booke AMongst the manifold fruits of the holy Spirit there is one which is often read freely acknowledged much commended yet least practised by the most that should be the greatest proficients in Christs Schoole and it is Meekenesse which is expresly required of all whether Instructors or instructed in authoritie or vnder gouernement Pastors or people men or women and hath beene euer of great price with God in the time of the Law as it is now much set by and highly valued in the Gospels peace As beneficiall it is as any other grace attended with as many pretious promises as manifest a signe of the truth of Gods grace as may be had So that though a Lyons boldnesse a Serpents wisdome a Doues simplicitie or rather innocencie be true badges of sound Christianitie yet it may be said and that truly that a Lambe-like meekenesse surmounts them all Neither is it left to euerie mans choyce to be meeke or no but the man of God is inioyned it and to all other men it is commanded in plain words as to Timothie Thou O man of God flie these things namely doting about questions strife of words peruerse disputings the loue of money and follow after righteousnesse godlinesse faith loue patience and meekenesse 1. Tim. 6. 11. And The seruant of God must not striue but be gentle to all men apt to teach patient in meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselues if God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2. Tim. 2. 24 25. And to Titus the first Bishop of that Church of the Cretians he saith Put them in mind to be subiect to principalities and authorities to obey Magistrates to be readie to euerie good worke to speake euill of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meekenesse to all men Tit. 3. 1 2. So that such as set light by this duetie are no better then Rebells against God and what euer pretence they may haue Rebellion is written in all their fore-heads Besides Christ himselfe hath pronounced them blessed Math. 5. 5. They shall inherit the earth when ianglers and such as are contentious and full of strife shall be authors of their owne woe and plunge themselues into much miserie and be an occasion of rooting themselues out of their habitations meeke ones shall peaceably possesse the places where God hath graciously planted them so saith the Psalmist Yet a little while and the wicked shall not be thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be But the meeke shall inherite the earth and delight themselues in aboundance of peace Psal 37. 10 11. Neither shall meeke ones erre in iudgement but they shall be taught Gods way Psal 25. 9. Yea such is the excellencie of their condition that Gods Kingdome is their vndoubted possession seeing against them there is no Law Gal. 5. 23. And it is an euident note of election Col. 3. 12. And a notable helpe to make Gods Word a sauing Word to such as heare it Iam 1. 21. And a meeke and quiet spirit God highly prizeth 1. Pet. 3. 4. Meeke ones of all others haue a possibility of being hidden in the day of the Lords wrath Zephan 2. 2 3. Who then is he or where is he that will be slacke at all in labouring to be as meeke as a Lambe in all his conuersation And that such as are desirous may attain it the blessed Spirit hath left directions how such may be holpen thereunto As first by the due and serious view of what we our selues haue beene and at left our pronenes to the same or like euils with which others are or haue beene intangled and ouercome So Paul willing Titus to teach his Disciples to shew all Meekenesse to all men vseth this as a reason or motiue thereto We our selues also were vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lusts and pleasures liuing in malice and enuie hatefull and hating one another Tit. 3. 3. As if he should haue said Why should we behaue vs angerly or proceed bitterly or disdainfully against any seeing none are so odious but we haue beene as vile as they They be foolish and haue not wee beene vnwise they rebellious and we were disobedient they deceiued and intangled with errours and we once knew not the way of peace they serue lusts and pleasures and wee haue beene as base slaues to our owne desires they are now malicious and we haue liued in malice and enuie they deserue contempt and we haue been worthie of all manner of hatred Moreouer if we consider that which may yet befall our selues seeing we stand not by any power or strength of our owne this will much auaile vs to worke in vs Meekenesse Not onely to open prophane and such as are not yet called but to failing brethren especially as haue beene ouertaken by some subtile and strong temptations that they may bee restored againe to their former standing and that in the Spirit of Meekenesse Gal. 6. 1. If spirituall men did but weigh this duely there would not be so bitter inueighing against others in the state of lapse much lesse in the case of recouerie when men are knowne to acknowledge willingly all their failings or haue in them a good forwardnesse to confesse and forsake them as they daily perceiue them to be faults indeed And if we set before our eyes examples it may helpe much thereto Seeing it is left as Moses chiefe praise that he was a verie meeke man aboue all the men that were on the face of the earth Numb 12. 3. And our Lord proposeth his owne example in this aboue all other things where he saith Learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart and addeth a promise vnto it You shall finde rest to your soules Matth. 11. 29. And if these helpe not pray for it earnestly as Zephany willeth where he saith Seek the Lord ye meek of the earth seeke righteousnesse seeke meeknesse Zeph. 2. 3. So that to shut vp all This Meeknesse is an excellent ornament to all and the proper liuery of Gods Elect whereby they may bee discerned from such as are filled with gall and wormewood By this the penne that is truely guided is kept from dropping downe any poyson of bitternesse to grieue any from all proud scorning of failing brethen and by it men are holpen to reade things written with such respect as if they had
And whosoeeuer is not free from the Lawes rigour must needes be subiect to sinnes tyranny Free then we are from the Law as it is wraths Minister as it can doe vs no good as it is weake through the flesh Rom. 8. 4. Neither doth it at all auaile vs to iustification though for obedience it still serueth to curbe our old man and to quicken the new man though the flesh bee now become so contrarie to it as it is not nor can euer bee subiect thereto Rom. 8. 7. And Christ in vs doth the will of God for vs in truth and without vs hath satisfied Gods wrath for vs and also performed that formall obedience which God requireth so that within and without all our perfection is nothing else but the perfection of Christ himselfe If then wee are free from the morall Law in respect of Iustification how much more from that Law of Commandements contayned in Ordinances Ephes 2. 15. called also the hand-writing of Ordinances Col. 2. 14. which was against vs and contrarie to vs being a middle wall of partition to keepe vs that are Gentiles in the flesh from any fellowship with Israels Common-wealth and from all participation in their glorious priuiledges Ephes 2. 14. The bond-woman that Law and her Sonne the flesh is now cast out and quite expelled by true Beleeuers and the free-woman the Promise with her Sonne the Spirit is onely to bee respected for that the inheritance is now by promise The Law as Hagar was added after the promise was made And as Abraham after the Promise that he should haue a Sonne tooke Hagar Gen. 16. and of her begat Ismael who was not the Seed who must inherit so also long after the free Promise of Saluation made to Mankinde through Christ alone and that onely by Faith in him Abrahams Seed tooke the Law and by the works thereof sought to inherit but found the Law not it by which any inheritance could bee obtayned From all this learne we not to burden our selues beyond our power nor to hold fellowship with one that is mightier and richer then our selues for that the Earthen Pot and the Kettle agree not together nor our outward man the flesh with the spirituall Law and for vs in the point of Iustification to seeke to bring our old man the Lawes obedience is to bring drosse to fire to put a weake Infant or a liuelesse Carrion to the Combate with a mightie Giant yea to bring the Lawes workes to the corrupt mans practice is to set a new piece in an old Garment to put new Wine into old Bottels neither can such an earthen Pot as is our olde man and the Kettle the Law bee smitten one against another without the Pots danger for as the euent of these would bee the greater rent of the garment so fondly patched the bursting of the Bottels so ignorantly filled and the dashing of the earthen Pot in pieces so all that euer indeuour to yeeld that Law-obedience as to seeke to be righteous therby with this dead body though a delight they may haue in the inward man and a desire and indeuour so to doe with the outward man yet the good they would they shall neuer perfectly effect and the euill they would not that shall they performe Rom. 7. This was that made Paul cry out for our example to bee deliuered or set free from so dead a bodie And concludes also that from it hee is freed by CHRISTS owne death God hath deliuered him from his dead bodie by Iesus Christ and so from the Law from sin and consequently from Hell and this is that Liberty of which we are possessors of this onely this it may be said If the Sonne hath made you free you shall bee free indeed If then the flesh be crucified the Law is satisfied If the flesh haue obeyed the Law is fulfilled And this is done euen in our owne whole nature and that as it is said by Iesus Christ wee liue now no more the life of the flesh For that all such as so liue are all their life time subiect to bondage and in feare of death and damnation And yet that this Libertie may the better appeare we may consider in the next place the persons set free And they are all such as are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor yet of the will of man but of GOD Iohn 1. 12. For that which is borne of the flesh is flesh Iohn 3. 6. And flesh and bloud can neuer enter the Kingdome of GOD neither may corruption inherit incorruption 1. Cor. 15. 50. And wee haue learned that all flesh is as grasse and all the glorie of man as the flower of grasse the grasse must wither and the flower fall away but the Word of the Lord indureth for euer Isa 40. 1. Pet. 1. 24 25. And wee are borne againe not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of GOD which liueth and abideth for euer So that the free men and such as are set at Libertie are not such as are borne of men but those that are borne of God they onely know this Libertie and are truely acquainted with the priuiledges thereof they are such as doe now finde in them the power of the Spirit of Life they doe mind heauenly and spirituall things are quickened in their dead bodies Col. 2. 13. in part to yeeld true and sound obedience to the spirituall Law They haue the Spirit of the Sonne inabling them with boldnesse to call God Father and the same Spirit witnesseth to their spirits that they are the children of GOD Rom. 8. 15 16. They can deny themselues groaning in themselues to be set free in body as they are in spirit from the bondage of corruption and yet can wait patiently for that full Redemption they haue the spirit of Prayer and Prayse and are conformable in a great measure to Christ himselfe These are called to Liberty and entred into the glorious Liberty of the sonnes of GOD Rom. 8. 21. Neither are such free men Lawlesse or at all fruitlesse for as sinne that is serue sinne they can neuer as they haue formerly done Rom. 6. 1. Iohn 3. 9. So are they exercised in the spirits fruites and in them they abound Loue Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnes Faith Meeknesse Temperance they can now declare Gal. 5. 22 23. These enuy not vaunt not themselues are not puffed vp behaue not themselues vnseemly seeke not their owne are not easily prouoked thinke no euill reioyce not ininiquitie but reioyce in the Truth beare all things beleeue all things hope all things and indure all things And if this be lawlessenesse such lawlesse persons are wee become yet are we sure that such are not without Law to God but in the Law to Christ It is the royall and perfect Law of Libertie which these haue attayned and in it they walke That is their mirror and continuall glasse in which they behold
fulfilled by the flesh but by Faith onely So that by Christ wee doe fulfill both the Forme and the Truth the Letter and Spirit the olde and new Couenant By Faith wee are formally righteous according to the Lawes exact rule by Loue truly righteous according to the Morall Truth of the same Law So that by this the Morall Law is confessed to be still holy iust and good if lawfully vsed 1. Tim. 1. 8 9. It serues still to conuince all men of sinne and to bring them to Christ for perfect obedience and full satisfaction yea so farre are wee from granting the Laws abolishing in part or in whole that we still affirme God will bee euer iust and transgressors shall neuer escape his terrible and powerfull hand Neither shall this Law lose its force in all sorts of men yea in the godly themselues to weaken the old-man and to humble them daily vntill it may bee triumphantly said O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But thankes bee vnto God who hath giuen vs the Victory through our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 15 55 56 57. And this is that by which all Enmitie is slaine and Peace made yea all that beleeue whether Iewes or Greekes Male or Female bond or free haue free accesse by one Spirit to worship the Father through the Sonnes mediation and this Liberty is part of that Glorie which the very Angels themselues desire to behold 1. Pet. 1. 22. CHAP. III. Answeres to some Obiections which seeme to be against this Libertie HAuing now expounded and testified there are some Questions to bee examined that doe concerne this Liberty that all lets being remooued the imbracing thereof may be the more boldly perswaded to all that shall acknowledge so glorious a condition and the contrarie appeare as it is an intollerable bondage too heauie for any to vndergoe Obiect And first some say If it bee so that the Law Morall is still of force why then haue wee left off the Seuenth Day Sabbath which that Law expresly inioynes our Lord obserued the Apostles were taught to keepe and did obserue after Christs death and Resurrection Resol The answere is That a Sabbath wee doe keepe and a Seuenth Day wee doe still obserue vnto the Lord yet not that Sabbath not that Seuenth Day so wee haue learned to obserue no dayes nor moneths nor times nor yeeres as that Law inioyned Gal. 4. 10. But wee haue learned to esteeme all dayes alike in respect of that Law that olde Letters seruice Rom. 14. 5. wee are not now so to serue God Rom. 7. 6. A new spirituall seruice wee are to yeeld And that a Sabbath Day we doe still acknowledge it is by vertue of the Commandement it selfe as farre as it is Morall which saith Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath Day or remember the Sabbath Day to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee Exod. 20. 8. Deut. 5. 12. But all the strife is what day it must be kept seeing the seuenth from the creation was blessed to that end and made holy for that purpose And what God hath blessed is blessed for euer what he hath made holy no man may pollute He is not as man that hee should repeat he hath spoken and it cannot be reuersed This is granted to be vndoubtedly true but withall the end must be considered why that day was instituted vpon the ground of creation to be also obserued in that manner And for this let vs heare the doctrine of the Lord of the Sabbath where hee saith That the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Mat. 2. Matt. 12. If then man were not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for man God may also dispose and change it for mans good for whom it was made as well in the day it selfe as the manner of keeping it Neither may it be said that the day remaineth any longer blessed and holy then man for whom it was made and whom it serueth can receiue holinesse and happinesse thereby Seeing man is not subiect to it but it is subiect to man by vertue of Christs Lordship which as the Sonne of man he hath of the Sabbath Mark 2. 27 28. And as it partly appeareth by some bodily labours which Christ himselfe commanded some to doe in case of necessitie as to take vp their beds and goe to their houses which some held vtterly vnlawfull at that time and by that the Priests might without scandall kill and dresse and offer the sacrifices on that day Mat 12. And Children were also circumcised on that very day Iohn 5. 8. 9. Iohn 7. 22 23. Now then as with the destruction of Israels common-wealth the holy temple which serued their vse was destroyed and the holinesse vanished and Canaans blessednesse is also gone as it stood distinguished from other lands And all mans holinesse and happinesse naturall is now vanished the Iewes prerogatiue aboue all other nations abolished So also the holinesse and blessednesse of that seuenth day is vanished and quite done away with the death and destruction of man himselfe Indeed had man to this day retained and continued in his first estate that day had retained its first blessednesse and continued its holinesse still but as little comfort as man hath left in himselfe at this day of any holinesse or blisse by vertue of creation so little benefit shall man find in that daies obseruation on that ground and in that manner as it was inioyned And in steed of blessednesse and holinesse which he may for a while fondly expect by obseruing that day he will soone find the great arerages of curses which he runs daily into by that laws transgression So that if God at this day did require that dayes obseruation in that manner no flesh could stand with any comfort before his maiestie As for their Argument à principio from the beginning Man himselfe hath beene also from the beginning yea mans creation is more ancient then that daies institution yet as that proues not mans blessednesse now by that his creation is so ancient vnlesse he seek it another way so is that no sound reason to proue that day to bee now obserued by man seeing wee haue many probabilities that it was neuer obserued resurrection Mat. 13. 34. Ioh. 16. 25. And it might parabolically denote that they should pray that they might not be vtterly extirpate and rooted out as they must be if surprized in the Winter when they cannot flie farre or on the Sabbath day when they were secure and not willing to escape or take filght at all For that if they be set vpon when they were either vnwilling or vnable to escape they must then perish and be vtterly destroyed for euermore The sum then of that Prayer is that God would lay no more vpon them then they were able to beare but giue them an issue with the triall