this point of the more strict part yet with subiection to the spirits of the Prophets in the Church of God Beeing ready to yeelde to any man that will refell my reasons and instruct mee better hauing by Gods mercy learned in modesty to iudge of my self and others and to follow the truth in loue peace as in the presence of the iudge of all the world 25 The ground of my perswasion is the euidence of Truth appearing to my conscience being chayned to the iudgement of the present Church of England of the which body I reioyce I am a member The which kind of motiue is to me of double force I say the authority of the visible Church of God being ioyned to the truth which is no lesse waighty with then it is light without the truth of God It is contayned in the second Tome of Homilyes the which is mentioned in the booke of Articles 26 And this mention of the differing iudgements of most reuerend men agreeing in the substance of Religion is not proposed to set them together by the eares or to try the titles of eyther sides authority For how should one escape the note of insolence and pride and want of humble charity and sober wisedome But onely to acquaint the Reader vvith the needefull grounds and simply to propose this matter as rather seeking truth then victory or cause of wrangling 27 Neither dooth this difference of iudgement praeiudice the doctrine of the Gospel For by the one part the Iew gets none aduantage seeing they vtterly renounce their legall Ceremonies strict rest and seuenth day counting from the Creation Neither the Libertine by the other seeing they make it morall and perpetuall to obserue set daies and themselues haue alwayes kept the Lords day holy counting it impious to profane or breake it by contempte or negligence vntill the Church hath greater cause to alter it then the Apostles had to appoint it and command it 28 Nor of this diuision or the like hath the deluded Papist any thing to boast For if they speak but one halfe word heerein wee will presently intreate them to keepe them on their dung hill and first pull out the beame from Bellarmine Bellarm Tom. 1. lib. 3. cap. 10. dâ— cultu sanctorum Tolet Instruct sacerdot li. 4. ca 24. fol. 542. Perkins probleÌ„ tit dâ—â—s festâ— fo 231. Chemnitius loc com â—ars secunda ad 3. praecept fol 61. 62 and Tolets eye who sway with Thomas and Caietane against the streame of Scotus Soto Abulensis and the other Schoolemen about this very matter of the Christian Sabbaoth So might wee deale with them in matters of controuersies for there are few or none depending betweene them and vs wherein they differ not among themselues and like the foure windes blowe in one anothers face Aske Bellarmines three Tomes whether I lye or not and aske withall where is the Catholique vnity they boast of 29 But you shall obserue about this controuersie of the Lords day the former sort company of reuereÌ„d godly Writers for most part liuing in the times next aboue vs of the more remisse and weaker iudgement and the later of the more sincere and strict God as it were rewarding the diligence paines of euery age with the reuealing of some part of truth and alwaies fiery and pearcing wits omitting nothing to oppose or to defeÌ„d the truth which by thaâ— means hath by degrees been manifested The which thing as he did to them in other times before reuealing to theÌ„ sundry truths whereof their Predecessours neuer were acquainted each faithfull one professing purely the holy truth he saw so dealt he with the primitiue Fathers in their seuerall times and so perhaps will doe with them that followe vs so hath hee done vnto this age of ours and as he hath reuealed sundry other truths so also this of the Christian Sabbaoth 30 The occasion of this difference in the former was the opposition that they bare against the Papists the maine and only aduersaries in a manner of those times who imposing on the conscience a necessitie of all the rabblement of their superstitious and Idoll dayes and the like Will-worships and meere humane Traditions by the Church authority Our reuerend VVriters oppose to them againe the Christian liberty Caluin Bullinger Bâ—â—ter BreÌ„tius Chemnitius Vrsinus c. by the which liberty say they the Apostles and Apostolicall Church altered the Iewes Sabbaoth into the Lords day by which the present Church may alter it on iust occasion into another day and by which wee are freede say they from obseruation of all dayes other then such as serue for necessarie seruice of GOD and order in the Church 31 The later iudgement doth arise from the opposition of another kind of Aduersary cleane differing from the Papist I meane the Atheist Libertine and carnall Gospeller inseperable vermine of euery established and slourishing free Church arising chiefely from the sweate and ranknesse of plenty and prosperitie and absence of the Crosse for as the one is choaked with the smoake of superstition and is prodigious in the number and quality of dayes and other Ceremonies so the other is drowned in profanenesse and breake the cordes and bands of God himselfe asunder and will not haue the Christ of God ro reigne ouer them From hence the later writers abounding in another sense presse Beza Iunius Piscator Rollock Fulke c. a necessity of a Christian Sabbaoth and so do differ from the former Necessity compelling thereunto For as the Papist blotteth out the 2. Commaundement and sayth it is but ceremoniall * Catharinus li. de imaginibus apud Bellar. tom 1. li. 2. de imag cap. 7. Beza thes Genev ca. 36. §. 15 positiue and temporall euen so the carnall Gospeller straining the bands of Christian liberty till they be burst blotteth out the fourth Commandement and sayth it is but ceremoniall Why might not now the Atheist and periured person blot out the 1. and 3. and like wise say they be but ceremoniall 32 And so hauing vnfolded the state of the quaestion and spoken of these other needfull circumstances I will proceed to establish the truth of my perswasion and then will answer the obiections 33 The first member of the truth in this controuersie is this That the keeping holy vnto God of one day of the 7. of euerie weeke is apart of the Morall lawe of God and by all Christians to be obserued to the end of the world 34 This proposition is affirmed by a Vide annotata ad §. 20. Bullinger in Rom. 14. 5 Musculus Martyr Beza Iunius Hemingius Bucer Wolphius Piscator Rollock Fulke Perkins Nowell Babington and by the Church of England in the 2. Tome of Homilyes But is denyed by some others by affirming that the Church may alter the obseruation of the seauenth day into the number of the 10. or 14. or any other day as iust occasion is offered 35 The affirmatiue is prooued by
the Lords day or appointing of any other in the steade thereof And finally vnlesse the Church hath the same infallible warrant to bee led into all truth as the inspired Apostles had which the Papists falsly affirme but wee constantly deny the Church can neuer haue equall power in abolishing the obseruation of the first day of the weeke as the Apostles had in ordayning and so by consequence can it neuer be lawfully accomplished for want of due power to performe the same So that it followeth by ineuitable consequence that the keeping holy of the Lords day or first day of the weeke must vnremoouedly stand vnto the end of the World And so an end of this third and last question 74 Now touching the obiections that are alleaged against the keeping holy of the Lords day they are of sundry sorts as are the various apprehensions and opinions of men erring on the right and left hand of the truth The which their differing cauillations albeit it were not quite amisse to haue cōfuted on either side yet I haue thought it fitter at this time to let them passe least the Reader might be rather tyred then instructed the rather because the most of them in very deed are but of froathy feeble nature and are not able to stand or to maintaine themselues the day reuealing them to bee but false and the fire but stubble being grounded on an euill conscience maintained by more subtilty then truth or art answered by sundry others and are aboundantly confuted by the former reasons Only I purpose to take notice and giue answere vnto the cauillations of our present times vvhich beare the greatest shewe both against the things alleaged for the truth as also for establishment of their owne errour 75 Against the places of Scripture alleaged for the Christian Sabbaoth They say that the reasons drawn from Act. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 2. make nothing for the confirmation of the Lords day For that the Greeke word soundeth in both places one of the Sabbaoths which being literally vnderstood must needs haue reference to the Iewes Sabbaoth not to the first day of the weeke which is our Lords daie To vvhich obiection first I oppose the maine streame of all Interpreters that euer vvere both olde and newe that vnderstand them for the first day of the vveeke and doe so translate them Secondly I say it is an Hebraisme or Hebrewe kinde of speech vsuall in the Scriptures to set downe One insteade of the first as Gen. 1. 5. Mat. 28. 1. Mark 16 9. Luke 24. 1. Io 20. 1. And the word Sabbaoth for a Weeke As Leuiticus 25. 8. Luke 18. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus doe Caluin Martyr Beza B B. Hooper and euen the learned Papists Erasmus Iansenius Bellarmine Emanuel Sa and sundry others obserue vpon these places And further for the place of the 1. Corinth 16. 2. It is very euident out of the Fathers Iustinus Tertullian and others that from the ordinance of the Apostles grounded on this place the primitiue times did make collections for the poore on this very day vvhich vvas the first day of the vveeke celebrated by them to the honour of Christ his resurrection and publique vvorship of God as Zanchius that most learned and iudiciall Diuine doth soundly conclude Besides ther want not ancient manuscripts to make this place more manifest by adding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Text as Beza noteth and Cryspine in his greeke Testament together vvith Wechelus in his edition of the Septuaginta doe expresse Touching the place of Apoc. 1. 10. vvhich maketh cleere mention of the Lords day the obseruation whereof is seconded by the Primitiue Fathers and Churches immediatly succeeding the writer of that book they haue nothing to alleage but that they holde it doubtfull whether that book be Canonicall or not Which cauill albeit it bee vnanswerably confuted by Beza and sundry others yet I iudge it sitter to be decided by a cudgell of the Magistrates owne faggot or the hatchet rather then to be notized or vouchsafed the peaceable or quiet answere of sober men for that it must needs be an opinion of insolent and palpable lewdnesse that cannot stand but by calling the vndoubted Scriptures of canonical authority and principles of the Christian faith in quaestion 76 For the confirmation of their most weake and bad opiniō they brokenly alleage certaine Scriptures from which they draw euen by the eares against their wils three seuerall conclusions The first conclusion is this The fourth Cōmandement is meerely Ceremoniall and therfore vtterly abolished and is Iewish to obserue To this I say in generall it crosseth all mens iudgemens that euer were of any note as in parte appeareth These 20. and therfore is actually absurde and a very Nouel and is besides the doore to Atheisme carnall liberty and all profanenesse a manifest disabling of the other 9. Commandements occasion of neglect giuen to them especially that care for none For further answere to this bare Assertion Look Thes 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. But for the Scriptures they alleage for the ground of this their Conclusion as Exodus 31. 13. 16. and 35. 2. Ezechiel 20. 12 They are too short for their position for these places prooue the Iewish Sabbaoth to haue in it something ceremoniall transitory and as the shadowe abolished by Christ the substance Coloss 2. 16. 17. in that parte wherein it was ceremoniall which was meerly proper to the Iewe but by this they disproue not the Sabbaoth dayes politicall respecte of rest of the bodies of ourselues our seruants and our Cattell Exodus 20. 17. with Deu. 5. 14. and morall part therof which is the publick worship of God Exo. 20. 9. 10. which are perpetually to remain as the other laws of like equity nature being especially by Christ confirmed and by his Apostles and Primitiue Churches continued and by vs therefore to bee practised to the Worlds end VVherefore the stricte obseruation also of a holy rest or Sabbaoth vnto God in the new Testament is not a Iewish thing For seeing the Iewe did rest by a mixt reason Iunius de polit Mosis cap. 8. partly morall partly politicall and partly ceremoniall We rest in no sense for the later but the former two Namely first for the Morall and then for the politicall respect which seeing they are commaunded vs as strictly and concerne vs at neerely as they did the Iewes wee ought with no lesse conscience to obserue them then the Iews And seeing the actions of men are really distinguished by their ends for which they are done and wee proposing not the Ceremoniall or end proper to the Iewe but onely the Morall common to vs vvith them our stricte obseruing of the Lords day cannot bee counted Iewish though hereby also wee forbid the verie gathering of any sticke or kindling of anie fire that shall hinder the seruice of GOD in our selues or others 77 The second Conclusion that they frame
ordinance of the Christian Sabbaoth Therefore it is according to the will and ordinaunce of God The proposition is grounded on 1. Cor. 10. 11. 15. 14. 32. Mat. 13. 11. Dan. 12. 3. Psal 107. 43. Io. 5. 20. Io. 7. 17. The assumption is confirmed on the euidence and truth of such effectes in all the godly of all places and times since the Apostles to our times And the serious and iudiciall Considerer shall obserue them both Ministers and people among us in this Land to go no further to be the most religious zealous conscionable and faithfull Christians and most of all profiting and growing in all grace and knowledge that with conscience delight and diligence doe effectually sanctify the Lords day 2. Again That ordinance tending to Gods publicke seruice and glory and mans instruction and building vp in godlinesse and is grounded on Gods word the which is disliked disputed against cauilled at withstood broken and profaned by the most carnall vngodly irreligious corrupt and vaine persons must needs be most agreeing to the wisdome will of God Such is the ordinaunce of the holy obseruation of the Lords day Therefore it is most agreeing to the wisdome and will of God The Maior or first proposition is grounded on 1. Cor. 1. 18. and 2. 14. and 3. 19. Mat. 13. 11. Io. 3. 3. Rom. 8. 5. 7. The assumption or Minor is grounded on Psa 92. 1. 2. 6. and confirmed by experience For he that shall vnpartially obserue this truth shall finde that the Sabbaoth euery where is onely disliked withstood disgraced disputed against rayled at scorned profaned by the most profane carnal couetous Atheists libertines men of no conscience holiness◠or truth in them and such as eyther liue in vnlawfull callings or vnlawfully in their honest callings such as fidlers stage-players beare and bull-baiters gamesters drunkards vsurers papists families of loue theeues vagrantrogues wearers oppressors coseners Epicures and voluptuous liuers 3. Againe That doctrine practise and perswasion the vvhich is grounded in the Scripture and is most agreeable to godlines peace of a good conscience and fits a Christian best to appeare with security of hart ioy before the iudgemēt seate of Christ that doctrine perswasiō must needs be more agreeable to Gods wil then contrary such is the doctrine practise and perswasiō of keeping holy the Christiā Sabbaoth or Lords day therfore the keeping holy of the lords day togither with the doctrine and perswasion of the same is most agreeable to the will of God 4. And last of all that doctrine practise and perswasion differing from the practise of the Apostles and all Apostolicall Churches and teachers yea from the doctrine practise of the Church wherin they liue the which is most agreeable to the will of man the wisdome of the fleshe the manners of the wicked the state of ignorance and sinne and of an euill conscience the hindrance of the Gospell the the breach of all good Discipline and order in the Church and the very high way to Atheisme carnall liberty and all impious licentiousnesse and confusion and so by consequence procuring and increasing the wrath and iudgement of God or euen but tending therunto or any part therof is impious and vngodly Such is the iudgement and practise of the deniers or disgracers or opposite disputers or omitters or profaneners of the Lords day and of those also that teach a liberty of breaking or omitting of the Lords day Therfore such iudgement practise or perswasion is impious wicked And so much of the second Quaestion 66 The third Quaestion and the last concerning this Controuersie of the Christian Sabbaoth is this VVhether the Church of GOD might haue chosen at the first another day or hath yet authority or Christian libertie to abrogate or alter the Lords day into any other certaine or vncertaine day or whether it be not of necessity to be obserued to the end of the World 67 This Quaestion because it dependeth on the former therfore the affirmation and proofe of the former prooueth also the negation of the former part hereof and the affirmation of the later the which I therfore will the more briefely handle as a point sufficiently confirmed 68 The first Reason The Church hath no Christian liberty to alter any day the which hath absolute Commaundement in the Word The Christian Sabbaoth or Lords day hath absolute Commaundement in the Word as alreadie hath been proued Therefore the Church hath no Christian liberty to alter the Lords day into any other 69 The second Reason The Church could neuer alter any part of the Morall law or of the lawe of Nature nor cannot alter the morall ordinances and constitutions of the inspired Apostles The obseruation or keeping holy of one day of euery seauen is of the Morall lawe and law of Nature and besides the keeping holy of the first day of the weeke is a constitution and commaundement of the inspired Apostles Therefore the Church coulde not nor cannot alter the keeping holy of one day of seauen vnto God nor the keeping holy of the first day of the weeke to Christ 70 The third Reason whatsoeuer Christ ascribeth as his owne and proper to himselfe no Church or Christian ought or may ascribe vnto themselues But Christ ascribeth as proper to himselfe that he is the Lord of the Sabbaoth Therefore no church or person may ascribe the Sabbaoth of Christ to himselfe and so by consequence may not profane nor alter the Lords day into any other 71 The fourth Reason By whatsoeuer onely power the Iewish Sabbaoth was abrogated the Christian Sabbaoth instituted by the same power and none other can it be abrogated againe But by the only power of Christ his Consummatum est or sacrifice was the Iewish Sabbaoth abrogated and by vertue of his resurrection the Lords day originally instituted and by Apostolicall power and authority the one relinquished and the other practiced Therefore by the only power of Christ and his Apostles and by none other can the Lords day be abolished againe 72 The fift Reason If there cannot come so long as the world lasteth so great a cause of changing the Lords day as the Apostles had of ordaining it Then the Church cannot abolish the Lords day to the end of the world But so great cause of abolishing the Lords day the Church can neuer haue as the Apostles had of ordayning namely the resurrection and rest of Christ Therefore the Church cannot abolish the Lords day to the end of the world 73 The sixth and last Reason If the Church haue no farther aucthority then by the word of God either in generall or speciall to appoint or alter any thing established then the Church can neuer alter the Lords day nor appoint any other in the steade thereof But the former is true and therefore also the later For there is no shadowe of authority or ground eyther generall or speciall in the word touching the alteratiō of