day then Friday was an holy day now I trust no man will think that the primitiue Churches kept Friday for a Sabbath day no nor yet that they kept both these as Sabbathes the Friday the Lords day for so they should haue kept ij or iij Sabbathes in a weeke Thus you see their argument fetched from the practise of the primitiue Churches for the Lords day will doe them no good SECT XX. Their third argument from Testimony is the constant practise of the Church for many hundreth of yeeres togeather for say they the Church of God hath kept this Lords day for a Sabbath now this Sixtene hundreth yeeres vpwards can it be thought that Gods Church should laie in an errour so longe what Sixetene hundreth yeeres Herevnto I answer 1. that the Church of God hath not euer in all places kept the Lords day for it was neglected of thos Churches which succeeded the Apostles vntill it was established by Christian Emperours so as in all porbability it was not kept for 300 yeers by some Churches as you haue heard quoted out of Perkins in the last Section before this 2. In those Churches where it was kept it was not kept for a Sabbath but as an holy day remisly and with workes of husbandry done in it like as they kept their Friday as we haue showne in the former Section 3. Since those formost ages of the Church it hath bene kept by all Christian Churches being Romish but as an other holy day vntil Luther and many yeeres since for vntill Luther or thereabouts our Church hath lyen buried in the Romish Church as wheate in the chaffe now it is vvell knowne that the Church of Rome doe hould maintaine the Lords day to be but a Tradition of the Church and that it is to be kept but like an other holy day not by the 4th com herein they are neerer the trueth then wee are thus you see how the Church of Rome doth jumpe and agree vvith the Ancient Church in Constantins time how both in Constantins time and in the Church of Rome since vntill Luthers time the Lords day hath beene accounted but as an holy day the contrary whereto cannot be showne thus you see what account the Churches haue made of the Lords day vntill Luthers time vvhich is a matter of fiften hundreth yeeres And now let vs come vnto the times since Luther If we shall take a suruey of the Reformed Churches in France the lovv Countries it is apparant that they haue kept it remisly like an holy day not like a Sabbath day sauing that in the Low Countries at this time it is more solemnly kept much what as solemnly as we in England keepe it now but they haue not kept it so solemnly vntill now of late yeeres as within this 7 or 10 yeeres or thereaboutes as is well knowne Come we then vnto our owne Church which is the most famouse Church for keeping of the Lords day of any other I demaund how long our Church of England hath kept this day so zealously as now it doth it is well knowne by men of yeeres that can but remember 40 or 50 yeeres agone that then the Lords day was not kept as it is now I spare to make a Catalogue of the ordenary workes of mens caleings then done on the Lords day publikly frequently I cannot remember 40 yeers past and yet in my time I can remember such ordenary workes done generally of all sortes of men as are no Sabbath day workes I am suer but for the particulars I referr you to the memory of men of greater age more yeeres Thus I haue briefly giuen you a suruey of the times ages of the Church how the Lords day hath bene in account in practise from the Apostles times vntill now with in these 40 or 50 yeeres hitherto it hath not bene kept like a Sabbath day how then can the patrons of the Lords day boast that it bath bene kept as a Sabbath in the Churches constantly for Sixetene hundreth yeeres whereas they aske by way of admiration is it possible that the Church of God should lye in an errour so long what 1600 yeeres they bewray their owne errour ignorance to speake so for I haue showne that the Church neuer accounted it or kept it for a Sabbath day but for an holy day remisly for 1500 or 1600 yeeres together But admit that our Church or some in our Church rather haue accounted the Lords day for a Sabbath day by the 4th com for this 40 yeeres or 50 yeeres make they such a wonder that a Church may lye in such an errour as this is as if it were vnpossible what will they then say vnto the Churches that succeeded the Apostles that neglected the Lords day all together for a matter of 300 yeeres vntill it was reuiued by Christian Emperours as we haue formerly proued why may not our Church or some in our Church rather err in thinking the Lords day to be a Sabbath when it is not as well as those Churches which succeeded the Apostles did err as these men thinke that patronag the Lords day in thinking the Lords day was not to be kept at all if they might err for 300 yeeres togeather may it not be thought possible for our new Sabbatharians to err for 40 or 50 yeeres together Besids it is not the Church of God that hath erred so long it is the errour only of our nevv Sabbatharians who haue erred from their cradle they thinke therfore that the whole Church of God hath also euer bene in errour with them from the Apostles dayes vntill now indeed they would faine make the world beleeue that all Gods Church hath euer bene of their minde for the Lords day but you see they are foulely beguiled ther 's no such matter it is but their dreame when they awake they will see better It is to be lamented to see how by this golding conceipt that the Church of God hath euer constantly kept this Lords day for a Sabbath since the Apostles they haue ledd the world after them and now they haue bred such a firuent zeale of the Lords day in the hearts of many men as that they thinke it no lesse then blasphemy for a man to say any thing against it as they hold it But since they haue alleaged vnto vs the practise of the Church I wish they would stand to their owne argument and that they would subscribe vnto it that vve are no otherwise bound to the Lords day then can be proued the primitiue Churches practisedit for then should not all Churches be bound to keepe the Lords day but some might keepe it that pleased so to doe and other Churches might omit the keeping of it vvho pleased not to keepe it for so vvas it in the primitiue Churches some kept it but othersome kept it not no not for 300 yeeres together as vve haue
good cause hath not at all times good successe I haue laboured in vaine I haue spent my strength for naught but my iudgment is with the Lord and my worke with my God saith the Prophete Isai 49.4 A Minister therfore must goe on with courage ☜ though he seeth no fruite of his labours for his reward is with God Some mislike the vnceasonablesse of this motion they could wish in their hearts they say I had tarried longer waited for some more ceasonable opportunity for the diuulging of these points To whom I answer Gods truethes may not waite attendance till men be at leisure to receiue them and why not now as well as hereafter vnlesse these men thinke these times so desperatly euill as ther 's no hope left that they will giue eare vnto wholesome Doctrine But my feare is that their season is whē I am out of season after my death and so they hope the point should dye with mee but I haue peuented them I am by the mercy of God neither so afraid nor so ashamed of Gods cause as to deny it my best furtherance countenance in my life time were I ashamed of God this Trueth before men I might iustly susspect that God wold be ashamed of such a seruāt before his Angels in heauē Some say that there are others in the Church in many regards more fit then I for a matter of this weight and therefore they could wish that I had neuer stirred in it for now I haue marred the cause quite and cleane by my meannesse c. T is true indeede I freely confesse it there are many much more fit then I and I hartely wish it that any of them had taken my place labour but this wee know that the most fit and able men to doe God seruice they are not euer the most redy and willing to doe it had it bene a point the reuealing whereof might haue wone credit applause preferment and the like I beleeue you had heard of it long err now but it being a point of much and hard laboures the reward like to be nothing but danger reproch and heard censures and like to meete with greate enemies many in such a point wise men will take leisure and giue any body leaue to goe before them What hope could I haue that others of better worth would vndertake this taske when as before I published my former booke many men of greate lerning conscience to whom I communicated my Notes for confirmation or confutation they did neither but rather turned my vtter enemies for this cause sake wherefore I was not rash as some men count rashlinesse but after I had waited as Elihu did vpon the auncient and more lerned found no courage in their heartes nor word in their mouthes to speake for God then I spake in my turne shewed myne opinion let no man blame my zeale it was for God T is true the meannesse of my person will be a greate blocke in the way to the progresse of this cause especially in these clyming dayes wherein the word of God is so much receiued with respect of persons for men esteeme of the cause iust as they doe of the person hence it is that before many will giue audience to the matter they will first know of the man as whither he be one of their side or no approued of by them and whither learned witty eloquent and well red or no or whither honoured with Titles eminency and preferment or no in so much as if the Prophet Amos were now liuing and teaching Gods trueth it is to be feared his booke of prophecy would not be regarded being he was a Neat-heard and if S. Paul were now to preach the new doctrine of the gospell it may be thought it would not be entertained he being a Tayler or Tentmaker But where are those Noble Bereanes who serched the Scriptures and examined the cause without regard had to Pauls person where is that Eloquent and lerned Apollos that gaue heed vnto the instructions and matter which Aquilla and Priscilla his wife taught him of whom he lerned the way of God more perfectly without respect vnto their persones for the one was a woman that taught him and both were Taylers of Tentmakers If therefore A Trueth fareth the worse for the meannesse of the Author it shall be so but at the hands onely of such persons as doe not vnfeinedly desire the sincere milke of the word that they may growe thereby as did those Noble Bereanes and it shall be so but at the hands onely of such whose lerning is not sanctified and seasoned with Humility as Apollos his was Some obiect that the broching of this point will breed stirres and distractions in the Church c. To whom I answer t is a trueth they say when euer entred any new Trueth or was any old Trueth receiued but it came in with stirres and distractions at the first It fareth in these cases as it doth with phisicke which a sikly man takes to recouer his health at first it makes him sicker then he was before it causeth him pains in his belly head heart c and albeit the pacient know all this before hand yet will he take this potion in hope of a more perfect health afterwards and so I trust will it be in this case though for the present it occationeth stirres distractions distempers yet it will be so onely in the minds of some such as doe abound with euill humores neuerthelesse the conclusion will be good by the mercy of God a more perfect health will be obtained When Luther first stirred to reforme the second Commandement there was then greate stirres and distractions in the Church but by this time and long agone there hath bene a sweete accorde that vpon better conditions then formerly and why may wee not hope for like successe I mary say some scoffingly and we shall haue an other Luther now shall we what will you proue an other Luther now such a disdainfull enuiouse scoffing age we now liue in that that which shold be a mans greatest honour as to imitate the most virtuouse it is wrested as a matter of his reproch derision in other cases we desire to iustifie our actions by the like actions of the godly and wise that haue gone before vs and to make vse of them for our incouragement and why should I onely be denied this benefit I pray tell me is it not a laudable thing for any to become followers of Luther Caluîne Zwinglius of Paul Peter Christ When euer I propound examples to my selfe they shall euer be the best and most eminent let these scoffers imitate the worst for so they doe they are the sonnes of scoffing Ishmael Were it an infallible note of pride to imitate the most excellent Paul would neuer haue exhorted vs to become followers of him as he was of Christ Neither could Christians
for the desire to thy iudgements v. 20. Giuâ— me vnderstanding that I may learne thy commandements v. 37. J am thy seruant grant me vnderstanding that I may know thy Testimonies v. 125. By comparisons he setteth forth his loue vnto Gods law I haue had as great delite in the way of thy Testimonies as in all riches v. 14. The Law of thy mouth is better vnto mee then thousands of gold and silner v. 72. Thy Testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the â—oy of my heart v. 111. Therefore loue I thy commandements about gold yea aboue most fine gold v. 127. In a word the law of God it is the Churches inheritance possession Moses commanded vs a law for an inheritance of the Congregation of Iakob Deuter. 33. â— hence it was that Dauid had taken vnto him he law as his inheritance for euer Psâ— 119.111 hence no doubt it is that our Church hath taken this law also vnto hâ—r as hir inheâ—itance for euer causing it to be read publikly in the Congregation in most solemne manner the Assembly all vpon their knees praying to God to incline their hearts to keepe this Law Here be arguments and reasons enough without further amplification to moue euery Godly heart to loue the law of God for it is a royall law a righteouse law a light for our comfortable direction a law most louely oh how loue I thy law a law to be desired Mine heart breaketh for desire of thy iudgements It is better then thousands of gold and siluer it is an inheritance and the inheritance of the Church What neede of more As there is no Christian Church in the world which inioyeth this Law of God intirly in its perfection So is there no member of our Church that I know who inioyeth this Lavv in its integrity in his iudgment practise both albeit it were much to bewished it being the Inheritance of the Church wherin euery member may challeng his share I diuide our Church Congregations therfore in to two sortes purposing to make application of this doctrine vnto them both the one sorte that the fewest by infinite numbers are such as are informed in their iudgments inlightened in this Law of God in the integrity perfection of the partes therof The other sorte those the most remaine yet it darknesse ignorance of this their Inheritance the Law of God in its perfection Touching the former sorte is it so that thou louest his Law of God then let this thy loue to it appeare that by harty firuent prayers vnto Almightie God daily that he vvould be pleased to infuse the light of this knowledge in to the minds haerts of all men that it would please God to incline the heart of our soueraigne Lord King together with all the greate gouerners in Church Common weale to embrace this Law of God in its integrity perfection that so a reformaiion being made we may inioy the Lords Sabbath in practise as well as in iudgment To this end two things are required of thee who arte already inlightened doest loue this Lavv of God in the perfection thereof the one is that thou further disperse the knowledge thereof as farre forth as thy place calling will peremit vnto thy frends acquaintance thus did Dauid Teach me thy Statutes saith he then he addeth these words with my lipps haue I declared all the iudgments of thy mouth Ps 119.12.13 and againe I will speake of thy Testimones before Kings will not be a shamed Ps 119.46 Hereto accordeth S. Paul wherefore exhorte one an other edify one an other euen as you doe 1. Thes 5.12 and Exhorte one an other daily while it is called to day Heb. 3.13 he that loueth the Law must not onely loue it in the knowledge of it but also in the practise of it hovv shall he attaine the practise of it vnlese it be made knowne vnto all that so a generall reformation may be The other thing required of thee is that in loue to Gods Law thou beest redy in thy place to defend it the integrity perfection of it against all gainsayers as the Apostle Iude saith contend for the maintenance of the faith which was once giuen vnto the Saints Iud. 3. so should we contend for the maintenance of the integrity and perfection of the Law which vvas once giuen vnto the Saints and Church of God This is that vvhich God laied to the charge of his Church long since that No man contendeth for the trueth Isai 59.4 bevvare it be not laid to our charge also Moses had many brethren the Hebrewes yet vvould he not suffer any one of them to suffer vvrong of the Egyptianes but rose vp in their defence and defended them so one after an other that at last he vvas forced to flie for his ovvne liefe Exod. 2.11.15 so vve brethren if vve loue this Lavv of God it vvill Kindle in vs an holy zeale of Gods glory indignation against the enemies of Gods trueth so as vve shall rise vp to defend rescve any one and euery one of Gods commandements against those that would be shredding pareing some thing or other avvay from the same Dauid saith Gods testimonies they were the ioy of his harte and againe oh how lou I thy Law thinke vve that Dauid could vvith patience haue seene this Lavv vvhich he so loued mangled and hacked and so defaced as vve novv are forced to behould it I come novv to the other sorte of people in our Church they are those vvho be yet in darknesse ignorance vvho albeit they know much of this Lavv of God yea the most of it yet are ignerant of it in its integrity perfection for they are ignorant of Gods 7th day Sabbath conteined in his 4th com and so they knovv not all the Lavv they are not acquainted vvith the vvhole Lavv and vvill of God for number these are the most and therfore the case is the more lamentable yea and by so much also the more lamentable yet in that they are not fully instructed in a matter vvhich neerly concerneth them for this they must take speciall notice of to vvit that by this Lavv vve shall be iudged at that dreadfull day of iudgment as many as haue sinned in the Law shall hr iudged by Law Rom. 2.12 and againe so speake yee and so doe yee as they that shall beiudged by the Law of libertie Iam. 2.12 Now it is a fearefull thing for a man to be ignorant of any one parte ar percell of that Lavv vvhereby he shall be adiudged it concernes euery man therfore to study this Lavv and to take in information of it of all the partes of it that vvith speed But you may say hovv shall this exhortation to loue the Lavv of God in its perfection concerne such as you say are ignorant of the
for counsaile aboute the matter and all their vvites frends should be imployed for to find it out as they vvould haue it if it vvere possible but novv the Tyeth of Gods Lavv or a portion of the tieth at least is detayned from God and from themselues by themselues and here they vvill neither runne nor ride nor aske for Counsaile in this case no nor accept vvelcome it vvhen it is brought thrust in to their heades it giues a man to suspect that these loue more vnfeinedly a good liuing then Gods law Nay I cannot but thinke that if I had tendered vnto some Ministers a liuing of 50l. or 60l. a yeere that vpon no better euidence title then in my former booke I tendred them the Lords Sabbaths I cannot thinke I say that any man in the kingdome could wrest it out of their hands In a word these that are so mindelesse of Gods lavv vvhen they are so mindfull of their owne liuings like as God said vnto his people the Iewes when they neglected the building of the Temple yet were diligent to builde themselues houses Is it time for you to dwell in your seiled houses and this house lie waste Hagg. 1.4 So may I say vnto them Is it time for you yee Ministers to enioy your liuings when the Lords Sabbaths lie waste God must haue a rekoning of you for these things This rule being applied to common people will detect them also Is it so that whosoeuer loueth Gods law in trueth he will with all redinesse willingnesse imbrace the knowledge of the vnknowne partes thereof Then if I shall make it appeare that most men are vnwilling to imbrace the knowledge of the vnknovvne partes of Gods lavv it vvill follovv very suspiciously that most men doe not loue the law of God in trueth what euer they say thinke to the contrary Thus I make it good against them The doctrine of Gods Sabbaths is a parte of the lavv it is the vnknovvne part of Gods lavv Novv the knowledge of this being tendered vnto men they bevvray their vnwillingnesse to be taught instructed in it that two wayes the one is in that vvhen the matter cometh to tryall they admit of insufficient Artificiall arguments for they preferr feeble and weake reasons before strong and able reasones the other is in that they admit of insufficient Inartificiall argumēts for they admit and allow of dissallowable and vnsufficient Testimonyes to decide this controuercy by vvhen these two things are made plaine the case vvill goe cleere against them for a foundation first of all suppose we the point in controuercy to wit this vnknowne parte of Gods Law touching his Sabbathes is as disputable contingent questionable as doubtfull as you will in so much as in your very consciences you thinke it may be it may not be a trueth and that it is as likly not to be true as to be true let all this be granted perhaps there is some reason it shold be granted seeing that it is a point not heard of before by common people neither haue they euer spent any time in the study of the point Well be it so I proceed then For the first to vvit that vvhen the point of Gods Sabbaths comes to be argued people yea Ministers also admit of insufficient arguments preferring them before able strong reasons and this shall appeare by comparing together the reasons brought onboth sides the reasons brought for the Lords Sabbaths among others are these 1. Gods expresse Com. Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day and In it thou shalt not doe any worke 2. Christ ratified it vvhen he vvith so vehement an Asseueration auovvched the duration of euery iot and title of the Lavv vnto the vvorlds end saying Verily I say vnto you vntill heauen earth perish one iote or one title of the Law shall not escape vntill all things be fulfilled And againe whosoeuer therfore shall breake one of these least commandements and teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.18.19 On the other side the reasons brought against Gods Sabbathes by those which are the enemies therof are these Gal. 4.10 ye obserue dayes and moneths and times and yeeres c. and Col. 2.16 let no man condemne you in meate drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath dayes Novv let these argumēts on both sides be laid into the ballances they for the Lords Sabbath in to the one ballāce they against the Lords Sabbath in to the other ballance and then iudg thou good Reader vvhither hath the greater weight For breuitysake we wil compare onely these two textes Exo. 20.8 and Col. 2.16 The one thou seest is a Commandement and a Morall Commandement it toucheth the very point in question to vvit the 7th day Sabbath yea that the 4th Com. intendeth the seauenth day Saturday Sabbath is so plaine as vvas it neuer doubted of by any The other thou seest is a dissvvasion from Sabbath dayes indefinitly that is from some Sabbath dayes for the Apostle saith not all Sabbath dayes in generall but Sabbath dayes as of some Sabbath dayes in speciall so then this texte toucheth not the point in question to wit the 7th day Sabbath but other annuall ceremoniall Sabbaths if this Text did make ought against the Morall 7th day Sabbath it must speake of all Sabbathes generally in the largest sense that so the Morall Sabbath might be included condemned too but the text doth not mention the note of generallity all neither is it necessarily to be collected for 1. their owne expositers as Perkins Dod Greenham Elton Ames with diuerse others as shall be shovvne doe limite this text vnto some Sabbaths as vnto the ceremoniall yeerly Sabbaths and. 2. The text giueth light vnto it for it condemneth onely such things as neuer vvere vvrote in the Morall Law as meate and drinke and new moones c. and therefore vve iudge the Sabbaths condemned in this Text to be onely such Sabbaths also as vvere neuer vvrote in the 10 Commandements as their yeerly Sabbaths so the vveekly Sabbaths in the 4th Com. stand still vntoucht by this text 3 suppose vve that the Apostle had spake not onely of Sabbaths plurally but also of Sabbaths generally had vsed the particle all saying all Sabbaths yet vve knovv that the particle all is often times restrained in Scripture is not taken in the largest sense that may be witnesse these Scriptures 1. Cor. 6.12 1. Cor. 9.25 1. Corint 10.23.33 1. Cor. 13.2.7 1. Cor. 15.22 vvhereby vve see that this their text Col. 2.16 may be vnderstood of some Sabbaths onely as namely of the yeerly Sabbaths and so ther 's no necessity it should touch the morall vveekly Sabbaths at all Iudge novv good Reader whither of these two textes are more for the purpose for the 4th com it is vnderstood directly of the 7th
albeit the Court knovveth not hovv he is able to make good proue his information yet it being a matter probable seeing it is the Kings cause both the Iudge and all the Iustices euen the whole Court doe countenance the cause yea so farre forth take in vvith it as that if it be possible so as no iniustice be done nor any Lavv of the Realme thereby violated he that informeth for the King shall haue the day rather then a priuate subiect and good reason for it Well in the case of the Lords Sabbaths I informe for the King of kings the King of heauen earth it is novv the parte of all Gods Ministers both superiour as Bishops inferiour as common Preachers to take in with this cause of Gods Sabbaths as Gods cause their Lord King to countenance it to their vtmost yea so farre forth to backe it take part vvith it as Gods Sabbaths may haue the day if no law of God nor text in Scripture be thereby violated as I dare pawne my life for it there shall not If Ministers in the Church both superiours and inferiours doe not thus honour God before the people by giuing his cause the preeminence the Magistrates of the common weale shall rise vp in iudgement against them condemne them I come now to the last vse of the point Is it so that thou louest the lavv of God then take vp a daily lamentation for the lamenesse imperfection of Gods lavv for the vveekly violation of Gods 4th com and for the profanation of Gods Sabbaths if we haue not Gods Law in its integrity and perfection as we haue not if vve vvant his Sabbath therein commanded then haue vve but a lame imperfect lavv and if the Saturday be Gods Sabbath as I haue shovvne it is and shall further proue hereafter then is the 4th com vveekly broken and Gods Sabbaths weekly profaned As Dauid hath bene our President shevving vs hovv vve should loue Gods law so let him be our President to shevv vs hovv vve should mourne for the violation transgression of Gods Lavv Mine eyes gush out saieth he with riuers of waters because they keepe not thy Law Psal 119.136 And againe I saw the transgressours was grieued because they kept not thy word Psal 119.158 It is a property then of a Godly man to mourne and to grieue to see Gods Lavvs transgressed and the reason of that his sorrow griefe is because he loueth Gods Law as Dauid did Oh then that all sorts of people would bevvray their loue to Gods Lavv by their sorrow of heart to see it transgressed weekly in the profanation of Gods Sabbaths Againe doest thou indeed loue the Lavv of God how canst thou but take it to heart to see this holy and Diuine Lavv of thy God so mangled defaced so lame imperfect as in these dayes it is in all Christian Churches It is and euer hath bene a speciall fauour of God to betrust any Nation or people vvith his word and Oracles as we may see it in Rom. 3.1.2 What is the preferment of the Iew c. much enery way for chiefly because vnto them were of credit committed the Oracles of God Where the Apostle counteth it a preferment of the Iew and the chiefe preferment to haue the word of God committed vnto their custodie and it is reported of them that they haue bene euer very faithfull in keeping the letter of the text vncorrupted Among all Nations and people it hath pleased Almightie God to preferr this our English Nation with this chiefe preferment and to be trust vs with the custodie of his word and Oracles those 10 Commandements wrote with his owne finger our Church is now become the receptacle and House of God wherin he hath laid vp his word for its conseruation it is the grownd and pillar to supporte and beare vp this trueth as Paul caleth it 1. Tim. 3.15 hath God thus in speciall fauour to our Nation preferred vs aboue many Nations and that vvith his chiefe preferment to betrust vs vvith the custody of his Law and Oracles and shall we proue so vnfaithfull to him as to take care but of some peeces of these Oracles onely What Nation saith Moses is so greate that hath ordinances Lawes so righteouse as all this Law which I set before you this day Deut. 4.8 hath God betrusted vs with a righteouse Law and with a Law so righteouse as no Nation vnder heauen but such as know God and such as haue the very same hath the like to it Yea not onely are some peeces of this Law so righteouse but all the whole Law is of the same nature so saith Moses so righteouse as all this Law is which I set before you this day and shall not we preserue then all this Law the whole Law intirly in its perfection we should blush for shame to doe otherwise we should lament mourne to see it otherwise T is true we keepe these Oracles intirly in the letter so doe Papistes but vvhat 's the letter when we weaken diminish and abolish the binding force of it for vve say this parte of Gods Oracles But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke doth not bind vs Christians In it that is in it 7th day thou shalt not vvorke saith God I but this prohibition bindeth not novv say some Ministers no vvhat doe vve vvith Lavves if they bind vs not as good take avvay the sense of the vvords of the Lavv and so it shall be senslesse as to take away the binding of the Law wherby it is made forcelesse the binding povver of a Lavv is the life and soule of the Law take avvay then its binding povver it is but a deadlieflesse Lavv it is but a Cipher or a blanke and so the Church shall be but like the Lottery pot vvhich houldeth some blankes among the prises suppose vve should say of the other 9 Oracles that vve preserue the letter of them intirly but herevnto vve should add this that they binde not vs Christians now vvhat bauocke should we thus make of the Morall Lavv it is all one therfore to reiect the Lavv as to reiect its binding power vvherby it bindeth vs. We haue alredy shovvne hovv this Lavv of God is mangled and defaced oh that all people vvould bevvaile this oh that the King vvould take it to heart so did the good King Josiah vvhen the Lavv had bene lost for a time he rent his cloathes 2. King 22.11 oh that the Bishops of the Land would take it to heart so did Elie the Priest vvhen he heard that the Arke of God vvas taken from them 1. Sam. 4.17.18 he died for grief of heart vvhy the Lords Sabbaths vvere his hallovved times as the Arke his holy place Oh that the people of the land vvould take it to heart so did the people in Nehemiahs time for saith
threatened to such as breake the Lords Sabbaths The 6th and last cause of lamentation is to see the priests of the Lord of all men Gods Ministers turne enemies to Gods Law for they vvill needs vvithout any necessity at all make somthing in Gods Law ceremoniall and so abolished Iudaicall so to be hated they cannot abide that Gods 10. command should be like a chaine of 10. linkes all of pure gold one linke as vvell as an other but though all the 9. be pure gold yet some one of the 10. must be partly gold partly leade partly morall partly ceremoniall as if snovv could be partly vvhite partly blake or a shadovv and ceremony placed in the hearte of a morall Lavv thus they make Gods Lavv like vnto Nebukadnezzars Image which he savve in his dreame Dan. 2.32 partly gold and partly clay surely this their fiction is but a dreame Gods Lavv must be morall in euery iot and Title of it it must be all gold or none gold all clay or none clay but our Ministers will be partiall in the Lavv they will not endure it to be morall in all the partes therof they are enemies to the integrity perfection of it that servants should not take parte with the commandements of their Maisters but oppose them that children should not take parte with the command of their fathers but turne enemies to them that subiects should not take in vvith their King to defend his Lavves but set them selues against them it is vndutifulnesse disloyaltie and rebellion but that Ministers whom God hath taken so neere vnto him as to make them of his Counsaile and to make it their proper office to defend his Lavves to this end hath allowed them large maintenance as the Tyeth of the Realme c. that these kinde of men should refuse to defend his Lavv and turne enemies vnto it in whole or in parte what should I say it is high tyme the world were at an end as the Sabbath is Gods ordinance so the Decalogue is Gods Law novv were men professed enemies to God then if they should doe what in them lieth to abolish his Sabbaths to reiect as much of his Law as possiblie they could with any colour devise it were but sutable to their profession but that wee who are professed friends to God and to his Lavv therfore should imbrace as many of his ordinances and as much of his Lavv as possiblie vve could that wee I say should reiect any of Gods ordinances and desire and indeauour to reiect and abolish as much of Gods Lavv as possiblie by any wite we can deuise this is monstrously horrible and much to be lamented This I dare considently auowch that if our Ministers pleased but to take parte with God and vvould but speake for Gods Sabbaths what vvith a very little study they are inabled to speake both by partes of nature and Arte that all the world could neuer be able to vvithstand them they would victoriously beare downe all oppofition and is it not to be lamented when Ministers vvill not doe for God vvhat they can or may doe but in stead of their little studie in defence of this cause all their care and study is hovv they may be still ignorant of the point lest by knowledge of it they should speake for it and so indanger their liuings reputations and the like for generally they doe eschew the reading of my booke wherby they might be instructed in the point without their labour vnlesse it be some fewe vvho read it only to spie a mote in myne eye and that they may picke out somthing to say against it yea they eschevv also all arguing conferences among them selues in priuate wherby the point may be scanned and come to light they permit not any of their brethren to take vp a defence of the Lords Sabbaths to argue against the Lords day albeit he doth it but for argument sake the better to boult out the trueth if any in the company will be more ingenuouse and true harted then the rest as desirouse by opposeing of our tenets to find out the trueth the shall be snibed curbed some man of eminency in the place will put all to silence with such words as these no more of this point now no more of this argument in this place thus they are afraid least God should by theire conferences inlighten them these things haue bene related to me by credible persones and are not these things to be lamented any man shall haue free liberty heart and good will to speake in their company any thing he can invent against Gods Sabbaths for the Lords day but not on the contrary to speake for the Lords Sabbaths against the Lords day take my word for it you shall neuer heare 2. Ministers scann this point pro and con before any of the people as you shall heare them in some other pointes of doubt nay it were to be wished that any 2. Ministers vvould by themselues when none heare them argue the point seriously pro con the one taking the one parte the other its contrary that so Gods trueth may be found out but I feare me a man shall as soone dravv a Beare to the stake to be baited with dogges as dravv them to any such course as may bring the point to light they cannot but foresee the issue of this course vvould be what they would should not be is not this to be lamēted if I should not preuaile with them in so reasonable a request as this is I desire my brethren of the Ministri to take into deepest consideration Gods Sabbaths to study the point seriously to cast a side preiudice out of a loue to this ordinance of Gods study but vvhat may be found in its defence to study but with a like good will to defend this point as they doe other pointes and is not this to be lamented if I shal not preuaile When Paul was to take his last farvvell of the Church of Ephesus he could say with a good conscience that he was pure from the blood af all men because he had kept nothing backe but had shewed them all the counsaile of God Act. 20.26.27 But how many of our Ministers when they lye a dying shall be able thus comfortablie to pleade for themselues I know not can they say they haue kept nothing backe of Gods counsaile what not his Sabbaths can they say to their flocke they haue shewed them all the Counsaile of God what all the Lavv in its integrity and perfection what euery Iote Title of the Law haue they baulked nothing for feare carnall respectes or for vvant of that industry that might ought to haue bene in them in serching out euery iot title of Gods Lavv in its perfection for this let them knovv that they must be countable to God not onely for baulking concealing vvhat they knovv but also for not declaring vnto the people
be redy to reply say But Sir you giue too great liberty to our people you lay the reines vpon their necke you speake most profanly c. to whom I answer I know indeed that it is full sore against their wills that I haue discouered this secret vnto their people for they had rather haue ploded on in their old errour deceiuing the people still then this light should haue bene seene but for my part I had rather please God then please men Knovving that God cannot away with it that his Ministers shold teach for his Doctrines their owne inventiones Traditiones I Know well that they doe daily reuile me reproch me say all manner of euill against me falfly before their people that so my person being brought into contempt that which I speake against their new Sabbath may be contemned likewise but I desire them to forbeare such vnchristian cuning courses I desire them that they would no more backbite me slaunder me behind my backe vvhere I cannot come to ansvver for my selfe but this is a more faire course vvich I vvill propound vnto them if they thinke in deede in trueth that I haue giuen too greate libertie vnto their people haue done vvrong vnto their nevv Sabbath then let them put pen to paper confute this booke so they shall bevvray to the vvorld that they speake as they thinke vvhen they so bitterly inueigh against me against my booke euery silly creature can say t is an errour t is a foule errour t is an abominable errour t is a wicked booke an hundreth more but I would haue Ministers that are schollers leaue vvords fale to blovves let them confute the booke neither doe I exhorte them to this as a matter at their choise to doe it or not to doe it but I vrge it vpon them as a duetie both to man and to God it is their duetie in respect of men because they haue so confidently taught them that this day is the Sabbath day and that vpon payne of damnation they are bound to sanctify it in conscience of the 4th com vvherefore either they must acknovvledg that they haue bene in an errour labour so soone as they can to reforme it which is parte of amends an argument of an honest minde or else they must defend it that so their people may see that they play not fast loose with them that they teach them no more in the pulpit then they will be redy to defend by their pen if any oppose it I cannot see how they can defend themselues for honest men vnlesse they doe thus it is not enough for them to belch out now then some reprochfull words with a kinde of scorne and disdaine to vilifie the booke the Author of it euery foole can answer a booke so It is also their duetie in respect of God for they say that I am in a foule errour and that the Lords day is a constant Sabbath of Gods institution Well then and will they not defend Gods cause who should stand vp for God if Gods Ministers will not wherefore haue they both their liuings and their office of Ministrie but to manage Gods causes defend them against all oppositions vvill they thinke you giue their liues in defence of this Lords day as they tell their people they will who will not giue their labours to defend it when as Peter the Apostle did but by his example bring in Iudaisme into the Church of Antiochia Paul the Apostle withstood him to his face and reproued him before all men Gal. 2.11.14 If therefore I like Peter haue offended against the Lords day then they like Paul in zeale of Gods glorie should rise vp to confute me before all men else they cannot iustify themselues so farre as I can see to be faithfull in their places and to be followers of the Apostles As for the people me thinke they should neuer cease pressing of their Ministers by these the like arguments to the answer of this booke for the quieting of their consciences and for the cleering of the trueth in this point they should say vnto Archippus take heede vnto the ministerie that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it Col. 4.17 vnlesse they desire to liue in ignorance and errour and in doubt which is the trueth It is true it hath bene reported to me that some of these 10 Ministers haue bene thus moued by their people but they haue returned this answer Wee What wee shall vvee answer his vaine booke let some Cobler Tayler or Shomaker answer it c. and are not these loftie spirits who could forbeare to reproue them openly that knoweth them in an errour in a foule and grosse errour and after sufficient meanes of conuiction tendred vnto them both priuatly publikely and done also in all meeknesse and forbearance for all this they still persist carry it out in the height of pride scorning disdaining him that shall in loue respect vnto their persons admonish them as my former booke will witnesle for me So much be spoken touching the former question wherein you see that they cannot proue it that euery Lords day or Sunday was kept for a Sabbath in the Apostles dayes as now they are SECT III. I come now vnto the second maine question which is to know whither it can be proued that any one Lords day is a Sabbath day by Gods ordinance or not For I deny not only that euery Lords day is a Sabbath constantly and weeke by weeke but also I deny that there is so much as any one Lords day a Sabbath day For the better scaning of this point I will examine all their Scriptures all their reasons which they produce in this case First for their Scriptures I haue reade ouer many the workes and writings of the patrons of this Lords day to see their grownds for it but yet among all the textes of Scripture which they alleage I can no where find a Commandement for it alleaged by them out of any parte of the new Testament and this seemeth to me a straung thing if you demaund of them who is the Authour of this new Sabbath they will tell you Christ in the next place if you demaund of them where Christ left any commandement for it by himselfe or by his Apostles here they are at a non plus they can finde no com for it in all the new Testament no nor any exhortation to keepe it nor promise or threatening to those who keepe or profane it now this at the first entrance doth breede a shrewd suspition that this new Sabbath is but some forgery when there is neither commandement nor exhortation for it in the booke of God neither promise to them who keepe it nor threatening to them who profane it when the old Sabbath was set vp it was done by an expresse Commandement and can there a
did not set vp the Lords day for a Sabbath as many hold beleeue among vs. Yea he citeth S. Augustine to haue bene of the same iudgement also saying that the obseruation of these things are at our liberty XI My 11th Testimony shall be that of Chemnitius in his Examen Cons Triden de diebus festis pag. 151. who thus writeth The Apostles assembled on the first day of the weeke to breake breade to heare the word Act. 20.7 they gaue Almes 1 Cor. 16.2 because on the first day of the weeke Christ rose from the deade Mark 16. because therefore of the resurrection that day was iudged the more fit for Church assemblies in the new Testament yet for all that did not the Apostles ordaine by any law or precept the observation of that day with any opinion of necessitie tying mens consciences vndor the new Testament but the observation thereof was free and at libertie and for orders sake Here you see Chemnitius citeth those very textes out of which many in our dayes think to proue the Lords day to be a Sabbath to wit Act. 20.7 and 1 Cor. 16.2 yea moreouer he nameth the Resurrection as the occation of Church assemblies on that day yet for all these as things of no moment to proue the Lords day to be of diuine ordination he concludeth that the Apostles did neuer ordaine the Lords day to be sanctified as a thing necessary and tyeing mens consciences but that still its observation remained at liberty as a thing indifferent to be kept or not kept were it not for order sake to auoide confusion lest men should assemble some on one day some vpon an other without regard of the ordināce of the Magistrate c. You see then how this Authour estemeth the sanctificatiō of the Lords day but as a thing indifferent Againe Chemnitius in his Loc. Theolog de Lege Dei quarto praecepto pag. 55. thus writeth The Apostles tooke the first day of the weeke Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 in which Christ rose but not with this opinion that like as God at the Creation sanctified the 7th day c. So Christ by his resurrection did sanctifie the first day of the weeke that it should be observed vpon necessity of Salvation c. by by againe he thus saith that the Apostles might admonish vs that the Lords day in the N. Testament is to be kept not with that necessity as the Sabbath day was in the Law but at libertie only for order decency sake c. In which words besids that he concludeth that the Lords day is a thing of indifferent nature he layeth downe an other remarkable thing to wit that whereas the patrones of this new Sabbath doe affirme that like as God at the Creation did sanctifie the 7th day in memory of the Creation so Christ did sanctify the 8th day or first day of the weeke in memory of the Redemption the quite contrary doth Chemnitius affirme here saying but not like as God at the Creation sanctified the 7th day so Christ at his resurrection sanctified the first day of the weeke these two which they make to agree in similitude hee plainly saith are a dissimilitude XII My 12th Testimony shall be that of M. Perkins in his Exposition vpon Reuel 1.10 his third volume pag. 239. where he thus writeth It is commonly thought saith he that the Iewes Sabbath was changed into the Lords day by Christian Emperours longe after the ascention of Christ but it is more consonant to the new Testament to hold that Christ himselfe was the Author of this change then he brings his iij textes to proue it 1. Cor. 16.2 Act. 20.7 Ioh. 20.19.26 In which passage M. Perkins yeeldeth it to be the common opinion according to the Histories of the Church to thinke that the Lords day was not in vse for a longe time after Christ vntill Christian Emperours raised it vp as elsewhere he speakes out of Leo and Anton. Edict of holy dayes which was a matter of 300 yeeres the which bewrayes the nouelty and the weakenesse of this new Sabbath for had it bene any of Christs nevv ordinances as vvere Baptisme the Lords Supper can vve thinke it vvould haue bene forgotten so soone vvhat that the very next Churches vnto the Apostles shold so quickly forget it To mende the matter happily some vvill say that howbeit M. Perkins doth graunt it was the common opinion so to thinke of the change yet he addeth that it is more consonant to the New Testament to hold that Christ himselfe changed it so that Christ was the Author of this Lords day I grant indeed he saith so and indeauoreth to proue it to be so that by iij Textes of Scripture but then the question shall be whither M. Perkins iudged that it cold be proued by these Textes to be a necessary vndoubted trueth or but a contingent probable thing Now that he held was of opinion that it was but a probable trueth and somwhat likely onely himselfe else where shall expound himselfe for this purpose see his Cases of Conscience and second Volume pag. 106. vvhere the holy man speaking to the conscience of this new Sabbath durst not speake perēptorily as of a thing certainly infalliblie true but tremblingly as it were repeating ouer his doubtfull speeches three or fowre times in 6 or 8 lines writing these are his words The Sabbath day in the new Testament in all likelihood is tied to that we cale the Lords day that as I take it by Christ himselfe The reasons thereof are these 1. the Sabbath of the new Testament is called the Lords day Reuel 1.10 now J suppose for in these points still wee must goe by likelihoods it is called the Lords day as Christs last Supper is called the Lords Supper c. And then his second reason is taken out of 1. Cor. 16.2 and his third out of Ioh. 20.19 Now in prouing the Lords day to be the Sabbath he vttereth these doubtfull speeches in these fewe lines 1. in all likelyhood 2. As I take it 3. I suppose 4. For in these points we must still goe by likelyhoods Surely had there bene any sound and prouing arguments to be fetched out of these iij Textes Reuel 1.10 1. Cor. 16.2 Ioh. 20.19.26 M. Perkins would neuer haue gone so doubtfully to worke by suppositions thoughts and likelihods as here he doth So then it is manifest that when M. Perkins said it is more consonant to the tenour of Scripture to hold that Christ altered the Sabbath so instituted the Lords day that he spake these vvords not as of a certaine infallible trueth but as of a doubtfull disputable point The Lords day Sabbath then by M. Perkins iudgement when he had made the most and best of it that he could is but a probable thing a mere likelihood vncertaine whither euer Christ instituted it or not now tell me is
is this The time of the 7th day it was and also it may now againe if men so please be an helpe and a furtherance vnto these Morall dueties of Rest from laboures and the worship of God commanded in the 4th Comm. for the 7th day furthereth these dueties as time and place doe further all dueties and is it not to be wondered at that men will reiect and abolish such a thing or things as be helpes and furtherances vnto Gods worship and vnto Morall dueties Diuines teach that not onely the dueties expressed in the Decalogue are to be obserued but also all helpes and furtherances vnto those dueties but behold here they reiect as Iewish and Ceremoniall the 7th day which was in ancient time and may be againe an helpe vnto Gods worship and the other Sabbath dueties Yea such an helpe as no other day cā be so fit for no day but it is a sanctified day Genes 2.3 nor a commanded day Exod. 20.8.10 nor that hath Gods president Exod. 20.10.11 I might here alleage the Testimony of many but I will content my selfe with iij or iiij who though no friends to the ancient Sabbath yet herein iustify me Doctour Bownde in his booke of the Sabbath Pag. 40. saith That the 4th Com. can no more be partly Morall partly Ceremoniall then the same liuing creature can be partly a man partly a beast Yea as well may one suppose the second Com. also to be partly Morall partly Ceremoniall To the same effect hee in pag. 36. citeth Wolph Chron. lib. 2. ca. 1. saying but the 7th day is not to be rekoned among the figures ceremonies of the Iewes because it is commanded in the Decalogue which conteineth in it nothing ceremoniall nothing typicall nothing to be abrogated M. Richard Byfield in his Doctrine of the Sabbath vindicated against M. Brerewod pag. 88. saith the 4th com is parte of the law of nature and so parte of the Image of God and is no more capable of a ceremony to be in it then God is For conclusion you shall heare doctour Ames speake in the name of all best diuines In his Theologicall Thesis pag. 499. Thus he writeth This is a most certaine rule receiued by all the best Diuines that the morall commandements were thus differenced in their deliuery from the ceremoniales that all onely the morales were proclaimed publikly before the people of Israel from Mount Sinay by the voyce of God himselfe after also were written the second time written as it were by the finger of God that in Tables of stone to declare their perpetuall and immutable continuance Now doe you not heare how these mē affirme it that the 7th day is not to be rekoned among the figures ceremonies of the Iewes that all best diuines hold that all onely morales were wrote in the Tables of stone and that the 4th com is no more capable of a ceremony in it then God is and that you may as absurdly say the same liuing creature is partly a man partly a beast as to say the 4th com is partly morall partly ceremoniall Before I produce their argumēts I desire to propound iiij things more both vnto our opponentes also vnto my Reader The for most is this before they begine their opposition wicked worke I desire them to cast their eyes first vpon the vglinesse of it to viewe it well for they fight not for God blessed for euer but against God my warfare is for God to defend his Title touching his Sabbaths but theirs is alltogether to defeate God of his Title and Sabbaths my strift is to defend Gods law in the Integrity and perfection vnto a iot title of it but their strife is with might and maine to lame Gods law and to clype it as traitoures doe the Kings coyne they will none of the law in its integrity and perfection that so they may serue God by halues by peece-meale An other thing I would propound is this I desire to know of these who are such implacable enemies to the Lords Sabbaths if they haue any Countermand or contrary commandement vnto the 4th com and that in as plaine expresse termes as the 4th com you know that a law enacted in parliament cannot be reuoked but by an other law enacted for the reuersing of it in the court of parliament so it must be in this case for the 7th day Sabbath there was a law to wit the 4th com enacted from heauen in the old Testament they must therefore shew vs a law from heauen againe countermanding it in the new Testament against the 7th day Sabbath or if in case they cannot shew vs A law in exprese words against the Sabbath day the which they cannot doe then if they be enforced in stead of a commandement to flie to reasones consequences made out of textes of Scripture they must make suer that their reasones collectiones and consequences be so cleere and apparent so sound and so necessarily true that they may be as vndoubtedly true as a commandement it selfe the reason hereof is because these consequences must stand in the roome of a commandement for the reuoking of that Sabbath day which was commanded in the 4th com euery sleity probable reason therefore collected out of a text is not enough to ouerturne an expresse commandement yea a morall commandement shall a sleity collection or consequence fetched by mans feeble shallow reason out of these the like textes Exod. 31.13 Rom. 14.5 Colos 2.16.17 ouerturne a sacred time expresly commanded in the morall law Exod. 20.8 God forbid We must shew more loue and honour vnto those 10 commandements which God hath honoured aboue all portions of Scripture by writing them with his owne finger deliuering them by his owne voyce then to suffer them or any parte of them to be snached wrested out of our hands by probabilities likelihoods feeble reasones A man may well doubt of it whither any man or Church may abolish any things expresly commanded in the Morall Law by any collection or consequence of mans reason whatsoeuer yea albeit it be thought of all men to be a necessary consequence for how often doe men take that to be sound of necessary trueth which once within a fewe yeeres after the same men find to be faulty let men know therefore that they who dare attempt so bould an enterprise as to diminish any iot or title of the 10. morales by reasones fetched out of these the like textes Exod. 31.13 and Colos 2.16.17 they must be such reasons as be as cleere as the Sunne in its brightnesse so satisfactory as euery one that heareth them cannot but applaud imbrace them saying God is in these reasones and collectiones the reason hereof is because these reasones and consequences they must beare downe confront an expresse commandement written by the finger of God
themselues no neither can man else vse them vnto the day we now keepe for God did moue vnto the obseruation of the Saturday 7th day 1. Because him selfe at the Creation rested on it 2. Because he had blessed that day hallowed it so made it an Holy day now these two reasones neither are nor can be applied to our Lords day for God at the creation did not rest on our Lords day no neither did he then blesse sanctify the Lords day for the Lords day was not then knowne Thus you see how they baue made cleere worke for they haue taken away both the body of the 4th com the reasone annexed to it by God thus they haue taken away the whole 4th com head taile roote branch it stands for vs now onely to looke vpon Loe now we may say with the Prophet Dauid It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroied thy Law Psal 119.126 Thus since I haue faithfully plainly discouered this Notoriouse errour I haue done what in me lyeth towards a reformation onely this remaineth that with the residue of the congregation I make this prayer vnto God That it may please him to bring into the way of trueth all such as haue erred are deceiued CHAPT V. This Chapter conteineth sondry substanciall arguments out of the word of God proueing that the Lords Sabbath day written in the Morall Law is still in force so ought to be vnto the worlds end like as are the other morales I Haue now finished the fowre first partes of my booke the first whereof was in defence of the Morall Law The second was an exposition of the 4th com with a discouery of the corrupt expositiones thereof The third was an answer vnto those Scriptures reasones wich are vsually brought to proue the Lords day the Sabbath day The fowrth was an answer vnto those abused Scriptures which are brought against the Lords Sabbath day And now by order I am come vnto the fith parte of my booke and herein I am to proue vnto you the perpetuity of the Lords Sabbath and that it is still in force and so ought for euer to be Touching the Sabbath I note two things 1. I see many lerned and greate Diuines of late prime men and of the formost ranke in the Vniuersities both on this side and beyond the Seas disclaiming and wrighting against the Lords day Sabbath but I see none of them shew vs where we shall haue an other Sabbath in the absence of this as the former bewrayed their learning and iudgement so this latter bewrayed their forgetfulnesse what shall the Church of God be left without a Sabbath now shall we turne from Superstition to Anabaptistry I ioyne with them in throwing downe the Lords day for a Sabbath but I dare not put an end to the worke when it is but halfe done 2. As those Iewes of old cried the Temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord so I obserue the Patrons of the Lords day to cry out of the prophanation of the Lords Sabbaths the prophanatiō of the Lords Sabbaths as if they were the onely friends to Gods Sabbaths whereas in deed in trueth they are the chiefe enemies to them and are foulely mistaken in their iudgement for they are the Lords dayes which they meane not the Lords Sabbath dayes if therefore any man may in a right accompt be said to be a true friend to Gods Sabbaths it is not they it is hee that writeth for them and defendeth them against the world and corruptiones of the time hee may indede say with Eliah I haue bene very Ielouse for the Lord of hostes for they haue forsaken thy Couenant broken downe thy Sabbaths and I onely am left The Lords Sabbaths are still in force or Gods ancient 7th day Saturday Sabbath is still in force SECT I. IN defending the Lords Sabbath I purpose to obserue this method first I will proue the point by arguments lesse forcible and then by arguments more forcible first by arguments shewing that it is a thing meete convenient and very befiting vs to keepe the Lords Sabbath then by arguments shewing that it is a thing very necessary in regard of Gods appointment ordination By the way whereas there are many light and triuiall obiections vsually brought against the Lords Sabbath and some place would be reserued to answer them I think it vnfit to place them after the point is proued by necessary arguments for when Gods will is once knowne there is no place left for carnall and triuiall obiections against it and therefore I hold it better to place these obiections next after the point is proued by probable arguments and arguments of conveniency and so these triuiall obiections shall rather come in by way of opposition vnto arguments of conveniency then vnto arguments deriued from Gods ordination Wherefore I purpose to spend the first Section about arguments of conveniency and the second Section in answer vnto sondry obiections and then the third Section in arguments prouing the point necessarily from Gods ordination To begine with the first of these namly conveniency and arguments lesse forcible in handling of this point first I will proue by sondry arguments that it is meete we should keepe a Sabbath day one or other indefinitly and then I will proue that it is most meete fitest to keepe the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath before any other One reason mouing me to handle these two points is to preuent Prophane and carnall men thus to thinke why you haue throwne downe the Lords day Sabbath now therfore what need we any more Sabbaths c I procede therfore to giue such reasones as may take place in a carnall mind For the former of these I proue that it is meete we should keepe a Sabbath day because it is a worke of mercy that this may the better appeare we will consider of it in respect of man beast touching man we will consider of him generally and then particularly and first for man in generall it is a greate comforte and worke of mercy vnto all men to keepe a Sabbath day for therein their bodies are exceedingly refreshed and comforted for looke as the Bedd at night is a greate refreshment vnto man that hath bene occupied all the day before in his painfull calling so is the Sabbath day a sweete refreshment vnto men after that they haue bene exercised Sixe dayes one after an other in continuall laboures the trueth of this point euery man findeth by good experience We haue a prouerb that men must worke to day as they may worke too morrow that is that men doe not so ouerworke themselues in one day as they be vnfit for worke the next day this prouerb may well be applied to our present occation that men must worke this weeke so as they may worke the next weeke also that is they must not so worke and tyre out their
the Morall Law or Decalogue that had they seene it the Lords day cold not be proued to be a Sabbath day nor the old Sabbath to be abolished but by making it a ceremony and so defacing of the Integrity and perfection of the morall Law they would rather haue yeelded the old Sabbath to be still in force My 7th testimony shall be the iudgement of the best Diuines witnesse Doctour Ames in his Theologicall Tâ—esis Pag. 499. saying This is a most certaine Rule receiued by all the best Diuines that the morall commandements were thus differenced in their deliuerie from the ceremoniales that all onely the morales were proclaimed publikly before the people of Israel from Mount Sinay by the voyce of God himselfe after also were written the second time written as it were by the singer of God that in Tables of stone to declare their perpetuall immutable continuance If then this was a true marke of difference betwixt morals ceremoniales as it was tâ—at God wrote no ceremonies in the Tables of stone but onely norales then is the 7th day Sabbath a morall still in force for God proclaimed the 7th day Sabbath before all Israel wrot it in Tables of stone to dâ—clare its immutability and vnchangablnesse My 8th and last Testimony shall be the Iudgement of all Diuines wâ—o though â—o friends to the old Sabbath yet confesse this with one voyce tâ—at one day in Seauen is of Diuine institution from the 4th com now hence it followeth that as we haue formerly proued it since of all the seauen dayes in the weeke none of them can agree to the 4th com but Saturday the 7th day therefore of necessity their voyce must be vnderstod as giuen for this one day of the seauen to wit Saturday the 7th day so it must be morall ARGVM IV. My 4th Argument to proue that the 7th day Sabbath is still in force is because none other day of the weeke can be the Sabbath day but it onely thus it may be framed Jf no day of the weeke can be a Sabbath day by the 4th com but the 7th day onely Then must the 7th day be our Sabbath day But no day of the weeke can be a Sabbath day by the 4th com but the 7th day onely Therefore must the 7th day be our Sabbath day As for the Major or first Proposition no man will deny it for every man standeth to maintaine a Sabbath and also a Sabbath from the 4th com wherefore if no day of the 7 can be Sabbath by the 4. com bâ—t the 7th day then of necessity they must hold the 7th day to be our Sabbath day And so I come to the Minor or second proposition to wit that No day of the weeke can be a Sabbath day by the 4th com but the 7th day onely And this I proue from the 4th com it selfe where the Lord hath commanded vs to worke all the daies of the weeke saue the 7th day for there the Lord hath expresly commanded vs to worke and labour vpon the Sixe dayes saying Sixe daies shalt thou labour doe all thy worke Exod. 20.9 wherefore we cannot both worke vpon these Sixe dayes and also keepe one of them weekly for a Sabbath day therin resting from worke this were impossible to worke vpon euery one of the 6 dayes yet to rest from worke vpon some one of them Nay further this were to make God to contradict himselfe and that in one the same commandement if he should by this 4th com inioyne men to worke vpon the 6 dayes and yet for all that should inioyne men in the same commandement to rest from worke in one of those 6 dayes wherefore no day of these 6 dayes can be a Sabbath day by Gods 4th com this is most plaine vnlesse you would suppose foolishly that God should say vnsay it againe with the same breath wherefore since none of the 6 dayes of the weeke can be Sabbath day therefore the 7th day onely must be the Sabbath day I cannot deuise what euasiones they should finde against this trueth vnlesse these two the one is this t is true may they say Sixe dayes we must labour by the 4th com and doe we not labour Sixe dayes theÌ„ rest the 7th day constantly euery weeke MoÌ„day Tewsday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday in these 6 dayes we labour on Sunday the 7th day we rest from labour new the 4th com doth not tell vs which 6 dayes we are to labour in Herevnto I reply that this kind of answer is common indeede but it is idle foolish for this were to count the dayes of the weeke in a most absurd fashion differing both from the computation of our owne Church also of the Scriptures as for our Church wherin we liue doe they not all account Sunday or Lords day the first day of the 7 or of the weeke how then cometh it about that these men will begine at Monday for the first day of the weeke as if Monday were the first day of the weeke or of the 7 dayes 2. This account is differing from the Scripture account for the Scriptures haue euer rekoned our Sunday or Lords day for the first day of the weeke as we reade Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.1.2 Luk. 24.1 Io. 20.1 The day after the Iewes Sabbath was called the first day of the weeke Luk. 23.56 Ioh. 19.31 Mark 16.1 Mat. 28.1 compared with Luk. 24.1 Ioh. 20.1 Mark 16.2 and Mat. 28.1 Now it is knowne to all the world that Saturday is the Iewes Sabbath day so then Sunday must be the first day of the weeke because Saturday the Iewes Sabbath day is the 7th day the last day of the weeke It is also plaine by this that we all hold that Christ rose vpon our Sunday or Lords day now the Scripture calleth that day whereon Christ rose the first day of the weeke wherefore if these men will begine at Monday for the first day they haue reiected Gods account and therefore we may reiect this their account forasmuch as we are about Gods matters we must follow Gods account wherefore since this account to begine the weeke at Monday is a nouelty of mans deuise it is to be reiected as vnwarrantable there is none accounte warrantable but a Diuine accompt and that account is to rekone Sunday for the first day neither is there any accompt warrantable in the Church but the Churches accompt and the Church wherein we liue accounteth the Lords day or Sunday for the first day of the weeke and not Monday Furthermore if the Iewes might haue taken this libertie to begine the weeke where at what day they would as these men doe then might they haue disappointed God of his 7th day Saturday Sabbath before Christs coming in the flesh if they would haue begune at Monday for the first day as these doe they might haue laboured vpon that
Major I affirme that all the 10 commandements doe bind vs to obedience they make this vngodly answer by a distinction that all of them doe not bind vs will put me to proue that they doe bind vs. If this answer be lawfull why may not Papists deny that the 2d com bindeth vs or that it is still in force saying the 2d com touching Images it is Iewish concerned the Iewes onely and that it forbad onely Iewish Images that it concerneth not Christians Christian Images why may not Anabaptistes and Libertines our new sprung vp Eatonistes deny the whole Law euen all the 10 commandementes that vpon plausible pretenses also Furthermore such distinctiones are Blasphemouse therefore to be reiected for to deny that any thing commanded by God in his 10 com both bind vs to obedience is to deny that Gods will should be obeied by vs to reiect his Soueraignty gouernance as much as if we should say we will not that God shall Raigne ouer vs. is it not Blasphemy when the Creatour shall say doe this the creature shall answer He will not thus doe they who by distinctions will reiect any one thing commanded in the 10 commandements Further such answers as by distinctions deny any one thing commanded in the 10. commandements doe plainly bewray the Authoures thereof to be professed enemies to the Integrity perfection of God Lawe and would that God should be serued but by halues by peecemeale and therefore their such distinctiones are vnsound to be reiected by all men fearing God louing the Lawes of God Such answers are to be reiected and men are solely to rest contented with this that it is commanded in the Morall Law without demaunding any other proofes my reason hereof is because neither better proofes nor of higher authority can be possibly produced for the profe of any doctrine in Diuinity for vvhat better proofe can any man bring or any Christian man expect then Gods commandements amongst all Gods commandements then his 10 Morall commandements there is no Scripture of higher Authority then the Morall Lavv. The 10 Commandements the Creede and the Lords prayer these of all other Scriptures are holden as principles of our Christian Religion now how absurd a thing it is for any to deny principles in any Arte let all men iudge that haue any skill in Artes A man may as vvell be permitted by a distinction to deny that euery one of the 6 petitiones of the Lords prayer doe belong vnto vs or that some of the Articles of our faith doe belong vnto vs vpon some plausible reasones forged as by a distinction to deny that whatsoeuer is commanded in the 10 commandements doth belong vnto vs. Thus I haue proued that it is vnsufferable in A Christian Church that any man should vse a distinction or deniall against this Orthodox most cleere trueth that all things commanded in Gods 10 commandements are in force doe binde vs to obedience for this cause I neede not procede any further for the proofe of this Major orthodox trueth for if it be so cleere vndeniable a trueth as no man may deny it then I may very well spare the proofe of it Neuerthelesse for the truethes sake for its further confirmation I will proue it vnto you by many and sondry arguments but by the way one thing first I would should be taken into consideration which is this that Diuines and all others who are enemies vnto this most auncient ordinance of Gods Sabbath they are driuen to shrowd themselues from the force of this my 8th Argument by this abominable vngodly answer saying that all Gods commandements doe not binde vs to obedience or that some of the 10 commandements doe not bind vs to the obedience of them nay they must hold if they abolish the 7th day Sabbath that it is a sinne for vs to yeeld obedience vnto all the 10. commandements that it is Iudaisme I desire that all men would take speciall notice of this absurdety that so they may see what rockes these are forced to rune vpon who deny the Lords Sabbaths Should common people make such answers they deserued but a common censure but if Ministers yea Puritane Ministers shall make such vngodly answers what censure are they worthy of I haue greate reason to vrge this point because if they grant me this trueth to wit that all Gods commandementes doe binde vs to obedience the which no man fearing God can deny then of necessity they must grant me that the old Sabbath is still in force because it is one of Gods commandements An other thing I desire should be taken into consideration is that such as deny any thing in my Major by any distinctiō that so they may deny Gods 7th day Sabbath they rune into these other absurdeties 1. they hereby doe deface Gods royall Law making it a Morall-ceremoniall Law an euerlasting-temporary Law a very Monstre 2. They draw vs to Anabaptistry prophanesse that so we should haue none of Gods Sabbaths 3. They make an auncient holy prayer of our Church a mere babling with God to wit that prayer added to the 4th com in the Congregation 4. As the Sabbath is Gods ordinance so the Decalogue is Gods Law now were men professed enemies to God then if they should doe what in them is to abolish his Sabbaths to reiect as much of his Law as possibly they could denise it were but sutable to their profession but that wee who are professed friēds to God to his Law that wee I say should reiect desire to reiect as much of Gods Law as possibly by any wite we can deuise this is abhominable so I come to make profe of the point That all Gods commandements are now to be obserued and obeied I proue it by Testimony humane Diuine for humane Testimony the first shall be that of Reuerent Perkines who writing against our common aduersary the Papist he vndertaketh to proue that the religion of the Church of Rome agreeth to the corruption of mans nature amongst many other arguments he sheweth how that Papists doe repeale make of none effect all the 10 commandements of the Morall-Law and to this purpose he begineth on this wise The morall Law conteining perfect righteousnesse is flat opposite to mans corrupt nature therefore whatsoeuer religion shall repeale and make of none effect the commandements of the Morall Law the same religion must needs ioyne hands with the corruption of mās nature stand for themaintenance of it This doth the Religion of the Church of Rome it may beit doth not plainly repeale them yet in effect it doth and if it shall frustrate but any one point of any one commandement yea the whole Law thereby is made vaine Perkines in his first volume pag. 400. vnder the title A papist cannot goe beyond a reprobate I desire that these his words may
haue we done and said much more in defence of the Lords Sabbaths thē they haue said or can say in defence of the Lords day who are patrones of it this Lords day Sabbath were it not the Diana and darling of our time supported by men of learning holinesse and zeale I would say of it that it is the most idle friuolouse thing that cane be invented for besids other defects in it they cannot proue a constant practise of it no nor that it was euer kept weeke by weeke two Lords daies together one after an other in any place nor at any time I can but wonder therefore that any man that hath but either learninge or honesty should after the consideration of these things preferre the Lords day aboue the Sabbath day or neglect the ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath day to imbrace this nouill Sabbath of the the Lords day I haue now finished my 12th last argument as touching the first branch of it wherin I haue proued that the Apostles of Christ did constantly keepe the Sabbath day after Christs resurrection now I am to procede and to proue vnto you the second branch of my Minor or second proposition which is That the primitiue Churches which liued after the daies of the Apostles kept the Sabbath day for 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ And this trueth I shall confirme vnto you by sondry Testimonies 1. I will begine with that which M. Perkins reporteth saying The obseruatiō of the Sabbath was neglected of those Churches which succeeded the Apostles but afterwards it was established by Christian Emperours his Author for it is Leo Anton Edict of Holy daies Perk. in his first volume vpon the 4th com pag. 48. by the word Sabbath M. Perkins vnderstandeth the Lords day Sabbath Now of this Lords day he saith according to his author that the Churches which succeded the Apostles they neglected it vntill it vvas established by Christian Emperours now these Churches were the primitiue Churches for they liued immediatly after the Apostles they liued in the neglect of the Lords day Sabbath for about 300 yeeres after the daies of the Apostles as is gatherable by this that he saith it was established by Christian Emperoures now the first Emperour that established the Lords day was Constantine the greate as saith Hosp Cap. 9. pag. 27. this Constantine liued aboute 300 yeers after the Apostles now for asmuch as these Churches liued about 300 yeeres without the Lords day Sabbath it followeth that they all that time kept the 7th day Sabbath vnlesse we shall vncharitably censure them to haue liued profanly without any Sabbath day all that while which were absurd to thinke many Churches kept both Sabbaths together to wit the Sabbath day and the Lords day as you shall see by and by now can it be thought that some of the Primitiue Churches should be so zealouse as to keepe two daies other some so key could as to keepe none at at all wherefore since these Churches kept not the Lords day therefore it must follow that they kept the Sabbath day thus you see it followeth that the Sabbath day was in vse in the primitiue times for about 300 yeeres after the Apostles so then as the Apostles kept the Sabbath day constantly after Christs resurrection so the primitiue Churches that succeded next after the Apostles they kept it for a matter of 300 yeeres longer 2. My next Testimony shall be out of the Centuries where it is thus recorded Romae conventus ecclesiasticos non fuisse in Sabbato quemadmodum in aliarum terrarum ecclesiis Centur iiij Cap. vj. pag. 477. de ritibus ecclesiae Romanae The summe whereof is this that There was no Ecclesiasticall or Church assemblies vpon the Sabbath day at Rome as there was in other Churches In which words there is an opposition made betwixt the Church of Rome an other Churches to wit Christian Churches aboute keeping of the Sabbath day now it is recorded that there was no Church meetings vpon the Sabbathday at Rome but yet there was Church assemblies vpon the Sabbath day in other Churches abrode in the world so then by this Record it is plaine that the most Churches kept the Sabbath day albeit Rome did not and it is no maruaile that Rome had learned of the Laodicean Counsaile to reiect the yoke of Gods 4th com with the first further ' this Testimony was of what was done in these Churches for 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ so then you see that the Sabbath day was obserued in the most Churches 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ so much for this second Testimony 3. My third Testimony shall be from an acte made by the Laodicean Counsaile in the yeere of Christ 364. Laodicenum Concilium celebratum circa annum 364 sanxit Non oportere Iudaizare Christianos in Sabbatho vacare sed potius operari in eadem die Dominicam praeponendo Sabbatho quod si inventi fuerint Sabbathum Judaeorum observantes anahemate ibidem feriuntur Hospin de origin Fest Chap. 9. pag. 27. The summe whereof is this The Laodicean Counsaile held about the yeere 364 made a Law that Christianes should not Judaize rest vpon the Sabbath day but rather worke vpon it that they should praeferre the Lords day aboue the Sabbath day And if so be any were found obseruing the Iewes Sabbath they should be excommanciated or accursed By this Law then it appeareth that the Sabbath day was in vse in those times for else this Law had bene made in vaine which forbad Christians to kepe the Sabbath day any more vpon paine of excommunication for gouernes doe not enact Lawes against nothing 2. Note that as the Sabbath day was in vse in those times so also it was in vse amōgft Christianes for this law as you see was bent against the practise of Christianes forbidding Christianes to keepe the Sabbath day whereby we see that in these times the Sabbath day was honoured among Christianes 3. Note that vnto this time Christianes did honour the Sabbath day with or aboue the Lords day this I gather from hence because this Counsaile ordeined that for time to come Christianes should preferre the Lords day before the Sabbath now they neded not to haue made a law to bind Christiās to preferre the Lords day before the Sabbath day if they had done so before the making of this law this is a remarkabl thing that in these times the Sabbath day was had in such honour with Christiās as it was as highly or rather more highly set by then the Lords day was 4. Note the time this Law was made 364. yeeres or there about after Christ whereby we see that the Sabbath day was in vse amongst Christianes for nere 400 yeeres after Christ A digression by the way shewing 1. the Invalidity of this Laodicean Counsaile Decree made against the Lords Sabbaths 2. The Originall of the Lords day Sabbath 3.
whither it will stand with a good conscience for any man to abolish any parte of Gods worship vvhen he needes not vvhen there is no necessity by any thing in those textes to doe it I leaue it to all men to iudg of I come to the Minor here I am to proue that to sanctify the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath is a parte of the vvorship of God this I proue first in generall for it is a generall receiued trueth that all the things command in the first Table of the Decalogue are the partes of Gods vvorship yea they are Gods immdiate vvorship as Polanus in his Syntag. pag. 558. saith if then the first Table of the Decalogue commandeth the vvorship of God the sanctification of the Saturday and 7th day Sabbath must needes be a parte of the worship of God because it is commanded with the other partes of Gods worship in the first Table of the Decalogue 2. I proue it particularly and that by the Testimony of two worthy Diuines the one is Vrsinus in his Catech. on the 4th command pag. 637. where speaking of the old Sabbath day he expresly saith of it that it was tyed to the 7th day and that the obseruation thereof was necessary and it was the worship of God thus hee The other is M. Perkines in his cases of conscience pag. 108. where he expresly affirmeth that the Iewes Sabbath was both the time of Gods worship also a parte of Gods worship Thus I haue made good the Minor to wit that the Saturday 7th day Sabbath was commanded of God as a parte of his worship By the way it is to be noted that albeit men sleit this ordinance of Gods ancient Sabbath caling it but a circumstance of time and the like yet you see it cleerly proued that it is such a circumstance as is not to be sleited for it is a parte of Gods worship I conclude the Saturday Sabbath must be morall and still in vse because it is a parte of Gods worship and because if any deny it they are enemies to Gods intire and wholl worship and seruice for they doe diminish it and detracte from it they pare of from it clype it as Traitoures doe the Kings Coine making it lighter and lesser then his Maiestie coined it for ARGVM XVIII My 18th argument for the maintenance of the ancient Sabbath day is that it must be Morall and still in vse because it was obserued by Christians with the approbation of the holy Ghost after the death of Christ and abolition of all Ceremonies And thus I argue The obseruation of that thing by Christianes after the death of Christ and abolition of all Ceremonies which the Holy Ghost recordeth to posterity by way of approbation and commendation that is no ceremony but morall and still in force But the obseruation of the old Sabbath day was celebrated by Christians after the death of Christ and abolition of all Ceremonies and was recorded by the holy Ghost to all posterity by way of approbation commendation Therefore the obseruation of the old Sabbath day is no ceremony but a morall still in force For the Major there can be no doubt of it for since that all Ceremonies had their period and last date at Christs death vpon the Crosse it cannot be thought that the holy Ghost would giue the least commendation or approbation of any Ceremony practised after the death of Christ at which time all Ceremonies had their end vnlesse we should thinke the holy Ghost would build vp againe what Christ had throwne downe it cannot be thought the Holy Ghost would giue any approbation of a Ceremony vnto posterity and the Christian Churches succeding wherefore the obseruation of Chistians commended by the holy Ghost after the death of Christ and all Ceremonies must be iudged a Morall I come to the Minor the trueth of which I proue out of Luk. 23.56 And they returned and prepared odoures and ointments and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandement Jn which text we may note these particulers for the profe of our point 1. that the parties who rested this Sabbath day they were Christians namely Christian women as Mary Magdalen Ioanna Mary the mother of Iames and other women with them as the text speaketh Luk. 24.10 2dly we may note that this Sabbath day was sanctified after the death of Christ for Christ suffered the day before it 3dly it was sanctified after the abolition of all Ceremonies for all Ceremonies ended vpon Christs Crosse as we reade in Colos 2.14 So that an end was put vnto all Ceremonies on the day before this Sabbath was sanctified 4thly the sanctification of this Sabbath day was recorded by the Holy Ghost vnto all succeding Churches as we find it and reade it in this text at this day Yea which is remarkable these women preferred the Sabbath day before the embalming of the sacred body of our Lord Iesus for considering those hote countries it had bene very needfull to haue embalmed the dead body before it had bene 3 dayes dead yet as needfull as it was they neglected it preferring the sanctification of the Sabbath before it this zeale of these holy women hath the holy Ghost recorded vnto posterity 5thly that the holy Ghost recorded this by way of approbation and commendation of their fact appeareth hereby 1. because he doth ranke it together with other remarkable and commendable facts for he recordeth it with that commendable fact of Joseph of Arimathea who begged the body of Iesus of Pilate tooke it downe from the Crosse wrapped it in a linnen cloth and laid it in a new Tombe Luk. 23.50 c. And with that laudable facte of those women who obserued the place where they laid the body of Christ prepared odoures ointments and on the first day of the weeke erly in the morning they went vnto the Sepulchre to embalme the body of Christ Luk. 23.55.56 Luk. 24.1 now together with these laudable actiones is rekoned vp also the religiouse sanctification of the Sabbath day by those religiouse women 2. Had their obseruation of this Sabbath day bene any thing but morall or any thing lesse then laudable doubtlesse the holy Ghost would haue passed by this point and huried it in silence as God did the body of Moses Deut. 34.6 In a place vnknowne lest succeding Churches should hence take occation to honour sanctify it 3. The Holy Ghost commendeth in these women their obseruation of the Sabbath day most remarkablie in this that he doth not relate it barely thus they rested the Sabbath day but he further added the rule they did it by that which warranted their action which was that they did it according to the commandement that is the 4th commandement And rested the Sabbath day according to the commandement Had this their fact bene the obseruation of a ceremony a matter indifferent at that time so not deseruing