and truly since God hath so eminently crowned my weak but willing endeavours among you we cannot without ingratitude for get the many fatherly favours and constant encouragements of that worthy instrument who first invited me to serve you The good Lord strengthen us by the choice graces of his precious spirit that we may never forfeit our interest in this honoured Patriot or in the least blemish our most holy profession Your gracious submission to gospel truth hath filled my soul with joy and I am sure God hath enriched your hearts with gifts and grace since your souls were set towards his Sabbath T is very much for yoar sakes who have earnestly desired it that I have thus far engaged wherefore with endeared bowels of love I present it to you the good Spirit engrave it in your hearts that you may honour it in your lives till the Lord of the Sabbath crown all your services and sufferings with everlasting rest Dear Brethren cease not to pour out your souls on the be half of Your faithful and affectionate Minister Tho. Tillam THE Seventh Day SABBATH Sought out and celebrated BY Saints obtaining Victory over the Mark of the Beast THe first Royal Law that ever Jehovah instituted and for our Example celebrated namely his blessed Seventh-day Sabbath is in these very last days become the last great controversie between the Saints and the Man of sin The Changer of Times and Laws Awake ye slumbring Virgins the fig-tree is apparently budded the signs of his second coming who is The Lord of this Sabbath are so fairly visible that although the day and hour be not known yet doubtless this generation shall not pass till new Ierusalems glory shall crown obedient Saints with everlasting Rest Wherefore rouze up your selves ye spirited Citizens of Sion shake off the dust and trash of beastly Babylon and whiles that imperious Harlot shames not to assert that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion let heavenly wisdome be your sole design with raised expectations of his faithfull performance Hab. 2.14 who hath promised That the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Many shall run to and fro Dan. 12.4 2 Thes 1.8 and knowledge shall be encreased Whiles vengeance in fiery flames shall be the portion of such as are disobedient and willingly ignorant Remember the slights and deceits of imposing Pope and Prelate their Altars Pictures Gossips kneeling at the Rail Surplice with the whole Systeme of invented service and let this consideration quicken all that fear the Lord That the very same Horn who thus imposed his Canons upon our consciences must change our Times no less then our Laws Dan. 7.25 or else he is not Antichrist Since therefore 't is undeniable that we have been deceived by his Laws 't is worthy our enquiry whether we have been cheated of the appointed Times of Gods worship 'T will be said to that soul that after warning shall be found in the weekly pollution of Gods Sabbath 't is not one day in seven will serve turn Rev. 2â— when the books shall be opened and that very seventh day on which God himself rested shall be found expresly commanded The Beasts Wafer câ—kes and Water in stead of enjoyned Bread and Wine will be as excusable one day as the change of Gods holy Sabbath As for such professors who surpass the late Prelates in scoffing at Gods Sabbath as an empty form a trifle c. let New-England however mistaken in the precise time mourn over their licentiousness in these sorrowfull strains No measure of tears are sufficient to lament the present estate of times that when the Lord Jesus was come forth to vindicate the cause and controversie of Sion there should rise up other instruments of spiritual wickedness in high places to blot out the name and sweet remembrance of this day from off the face of the earth The enemies of the Sabbath are now not so much negligent time servers and aspiring brambles whom preferment principally byassed to knock at the Sabbath but those who have eaten bread with Christ a generation of professing people do lift up their heel against the Sabbath So that what could formerly not be done by Angels of darkness the old Serpent takes another course to effect by seeming Angels of light And what enlightened soul can cease to câ—st in a heart full of sighs not onely for such frothy professors whose earthly minds under spiritual pretences contemn Gods hallowed time without fear or trembling but even for those whose ignorance hurries them hood-wink'd from week to week to wallow in wickedness being that day most busily imployed about their perishing bodies which God hath solemnly designed for his honour and health of their immortal souls Never more cause of mourning then to see Saints in these days of light still honouring the little Horn in the gross abuse of the Lords Sabbath time and the Lords Supper-time Why Christians will you stick here Have you got victory over the Beast and beheld the Holy One tumble down his Image and will you now lose all your labours for want of a compleat victory over the Marke of the Beast Rev. 15.2 20.4 which is so visible and legible in the head of the little Horn The changer of Times and Laws Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth Isa 24.5 Because they have transgressed the Laws changed the Ordinance broken the everlasting Covenant You are assured Christians the Horn hath changed the Laws and he cannot be that Horn unless he change your Times also will you therefore wisely weigh that he had no Times to change save the Lords Sabbath-time and the Lords Supper-time and these he and none but he hath changed as I shall plainly prove under this Position The seventh day Sabbath is a perpetual royal Rule for the righteous established by precept and president to Gods praise and Saints priviledge And to prevent a sudden censure of singularity let the ingenuous know that this Conclusion contains not a tittle different from the professed doctrine of the esteemed Orthodox of this age as will appear in its parts as so many heads of the ensuing Treatise 1. 1 The Rest The Sabbath is one of the Assemblies approved points Art Relig. p. 35. 2. 2 The Time Thes Sab. p. 100. Large Cat. p. 34 The time is confessed to be the very seventh day determined by God for thus write the Elders of New England with whom accord our English Synod Not onely a day not onely a rest day but the rest day or Sabbath day which is expressed and expresly interpreted in the Commandement to be the 7th day or a 7th day of Gods determining and therefore called the Sabbath of the Lord our God is here also enjoyned and commanded as generally moral Here is a full and free confession and all I shall crave of Christians is but to observe the true seventh day Sabbath
the Father Established by the Son Approved by the Spirit and Observed by the Saints And if these will not prevail with Christians so called to break off their weekly prophanation of this sanctified Sabbath I shall leave them to the righteous judgement of the great day and for their sakes who obtain the grace of self-denial to cast off their carnal encumbrances and joyn with the ancient Gospel Saints in observing the Sabbath I shall now descend to the 4th part of my general Pofition and as I have confirmed the Sabbaths Authority so I doubt not through Christ strengthening me to prove its Porpetuity THE Fourth head Perpetuity of the seventh day Sabbath The infinite wisdome who is Lord of the Sabbath foreseeing the high presumption of the little horn such as to change both times and lawes and knowing that all truths ebbe and flow in the sonls esteeme as holy time is sleighted and observed was graciously pleased most strongly to secure that law against which Satan and his eldest Son would make their first and fiercest assault For t is to be observed that the horn attempted first to change times and then laws well knowing that holy laws are taught and learned especially in holy times and therefore he first prevailed with Constantine as is declared to change the Sabbath time into the first day But against this designe doth the good God graciously guard his Sabbath and Alarm his Saints to be especially mindfull of this truth setting a superscription as it were a watchword upon the portall of this precept REMEMBER the Sabbath day to keep it holy telling us expresly what day it is The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God so that if the Lord be indeed thy God thou must observe that seventh day for his Sabbath which he hath so carefully required thee to remember as knowing that Antichrist would doe his utmost to cause thee to forget it either in slighting of it as a ceremony or else in changing this blessed day Jeroboam-like and burying its very name under the odious and most detestable name of Saturday that it may therefore be known to his Saints as no ceremony but a perpetual unchangeable Royall Law the Lord hath fenced it above all other Laws first positively keep it holy Secondly negatively doe not work upon it and that thou maist never be insnared to change or alter it I charge thee carefully to Remember this Law in a speciall singular manner This may for ever silence their conceits who would slight the seventh day Sabbath as a jewish ceremony though their consciences know it was instituted before any Jew or ceremony had being Ten Royall Laws the Lord delivers to his Saints and knowing that all of them would be more or lesse observed as his Sabbath should be sanctified or slighted he bids he forbids he marks it above all the rest that it may be remembred and yet disobedient spirits dare reject it as ceremoniall and put upon the highest an absurdity as grosse as likely can be imagined As if wisdome it selfe should with so much care command the exact remembrance of a ceremony above all his morall Laws for thus vaine man would render his maker I your Lord God doe here deliver you ten precents nine of which are perpetuall but one â—s a changeable ceremony wherefore I chang you to observe all my nine royall precepts but especially observe my perishing Sabbath which is but a meer ceremony besure you sanctifie that besure you doe not prophane that besure you remember that I lay it as a speciall command upon your souls to remember my mutable ceremoniall seventh day Sabbath more especially Me thinks gracious hearts should tremble to put such an absurdity upon God himselfe as binding us to remember that which as a mutable ceremony should be forgotten and buried in oblivion yea and which is yet more absurd if more may be they render the reason of sanctifying the seventh day Sabbath on this wise For in six dayes the Lord made Heaven and Earth and rested the first day wherefore the Lord blessed the first day for his Sabbath and sanctified it either we must put this absurdity also upon our God or else we must cast off the fourth commandement at least the reason of it must be rejected or else which is better then a thousand shifts we must returne from the little horn to our first husband and do the Saints first works and religiously remember the seventh day Sabbath to sanctifie it Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse Isa 64.5 those that remember thee in thy wayes If it be objected that not Christians but Jewes are commanded to remember and observe the seventh day Sabbath I answer 1. That not the Christians but the Jewes were first commanded the rest of the ten commandements If Christians are to walke by the Jewes nine commandements as a righteous rule they are no lesse oblieged to every jott and tittle of the Jewes ten commandements The Royall Law of God was dispenced to the Jewes not only for themselves Act. 7.38 But to give unto us as that first faithfull martyr of the Lord Jesus taught in his funerall sermon when filled with the irresistable wisdome of the holy Spirit he sealed the faith of the Gospell with his blood and amongst the rest of those Evangelicall verities which the protomartyr prized as the Christians priviledges this is undeniably an eternall truth That the Jewes did receive those lively Oracles from mount Sinai to give unto us Here then 't is evident first what Lawes are Gods lively Oracles namely those precious precepts which God himselfe by the Angell of his presence delivered with a lively voice in the mount Sinai one of which lively Oracles is the seventh day Sabbath 2. To whom these lively Oracles were delivered and this is agreed on all hands that the only people so highly priviledged above all the world were the beloved Israelites 3. For whom and to what end were these lively Oracles from mount Sinai delivered to Israel And this is as cleare by blessed Stephens divine Testimony They received the lively Oracles from the mount Sinai to give unto us that is unto me Stephen an Officer in the church of Christ and to all my brethren for whose faith in the true Messiah I am now pleading my last they received the lively Oracles to give unto us Christians this is cleare that the Jewes received the lively Oracles from the Mount Sinai to give unto us though we have no heart to receive them yet God hath a heart of love to give them not only to the Jewes but even to us Christians 4. Then the fourth inquiry will be whether these lively Oracles from Sinai were given us to be broken or kept to be slighted or observed If to be kept and observed then either we must deny the seventh day Sabbath to be one of Sinai's lively Oracles or deny Stephens doctrine of their being delivered to the Jewes to
whereunto the Apostle presseth v. 11. Let us therefore labour to enter into that Rest Heb. 4.11 lest any man fall after Israels example of Disobedience And thus in opening the five-sold rest contained though promiscuously in the third and fourth to the Hebrews I hope it is convincingly manifested that the seventh day Sabbath by a double obligation remaines to the people of God And indeed it is impossible to change it without violation to the confessed morality of the commandement for whereas our adversaries assert a just seventh part of time yea and a seventh day as truly Moral they know the seventh day from the Creation was instituted in Paradise and the same day commanded from Mount Sinai and certain it is that if the Jewes had observed any other day they had destroyed the morality neither can the wisest Christian in the World contrive a change but he destroys the morality for let him change the Sabbath to the sixth day and that cannot be a seventh day or seventh part of time Let him translate it to the eighth day and then seven daies passe without any one Sabbath Let him keep the seventh day and the eighth or first day at his change of the sabbath and then he keeps two sabbaths within the circuit of seven daies So that do what he can the morality is subverted either he must deny the morality of a seventh day or seventh part of time or else he must stick to the good old seventh-day-Sabbath I would not smother any objection that might carry the least shew for any other Sabbath then this lively oracle of the Seventh day knowing therefore that some endeavours have been used by such my soul honours for the image of God upon them I shall weigh their apprehensions as they are declared and first from Mark 16.1 Object 1 Object Mark 16.1 1. T is supposed that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie being dissolved and so it may be rendred when the Sabbath was dissolved Answ Answ T is strange that any tender conscience should take liberty from a strained participle to live in the weekly pollution of the Royall Sabbath but the word is fairly translated when the Sabbath was past or the sabbath being passed over or compleatly finished 2. It onely intends the passing over and compleat finishing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that one individual sabbath there is not the least appearance of abolishing that lively oracle which enjoines the seventh day sabbath Behold the Wisdome of the spirit overturning this device while he secures what the Objectors strike at for it is not the Sabbath they contend against but the seventh day now if they will strain at the word let them stick to the word which mentions not the seventh day at all but the sabbath St. Mark doth not say the seventh day was finished but when the sabbath was ended so that they cannot hence reject the seventh day and retain the sabbath 4. The scope of the Evangelist is to hold forth the passing over of that rest which prevented the womens applications of their spices Luke 23. ult and that was the sabbathday or the duty not one syllable expressed of the time or seventh day and though I am aboundantly satisfyed that the sabbath and the seventh day are unseparable never to be divided yet the objectors can distinguish as clearly as my self between the seventh day which is the time and the sabbath which is the duty so that if they 'l dissolve any thing from a squeezed participle it must not be the seventh day which lies unmentioned but the sabbath duty which is expressed And doubtless many great professors had rather cashier the sabbath duty morality of the fourth commandement yea and the morality of all the commandements as no way concerning Christians then set to the celebration of the seventh daie The Lord pity them whiles I return to another precious to the Lord and faithfull amongst the Saints who yet objecteth Object that Saint Matthews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie the ultimate end of the sabbath Math. 18.1 never to be celebrated more amongst Christians 1 Answ This may receive the same answer with the former for if it destroy any thing it must be the duty which is expresly in the word sabbaths and not the day and time of the rest which is not mentioned If persons will strain at expressions they must keep to these expressions This adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not primarily or properly signifie the end but the genuine signification of it is vespere the evening and to it should be rendred viz. the evening of the Sabbaths Let the scriptures be consulted where this advâ—â—b is used which is but twice that I can find in the new testament Mark 11.19 and 13.25 in both which places it signifies the evening for the sence would be mar'd to render it other wise and so here the evening of the Sabbaths termed Sabbath in the plural as being not onely the seventh day sabbath but the Jews passover sabbath as is evident well I hope it is not possible for Satan to delude tender consciences long with such sory slights Luke 23. with John 19.24.31 as to neglect a royal statute of Jehovah upon such slender terms But since the seventh day sabbath is undoubtedly one of those lively oracles which Israel received from Sina to give unto us O Christians embrace it love it lay it in your bosomes it in vites and will conduct you weekly into the Princes presence where it will open unto you all the rest of those lively oracles and divine mysteries that are coupled with it while such as slight and reject this heavenly law and still assert a chang without book shall run themselves upon many dangerous rocks and sands which tender hearts should tremble at As first they must affront the holy spirit who was most punctual in sundry scriptures for the solemn repeal and abrogation of circumcision and all those typical Sabbaths which were against us and contrary to us shaddowing good things to come with the visible burial of the whole body of the ceremonial law and yet this blessed spirit purposely appointed to lead us into all truth was so far from repealing the seventh day Sabbath that he constantly calls that and none other the Sabbath day that is the Lords holy rest-day and pours down his graces in most abundant measure that day So that if the sabbath day be altered Gods holy spirit cannot escape an affront for concealing the change from us Certainly there is need of a clear word for the change or repeal of such a royall Law and lively oracle Next to their traducing of Gods spirit Acts 20. The sabbath changers must needs bring a high charge against the Apostle for calling God to record that he had not shunned to declare all the counsel of God and yet never opened his mouth about the change of the royal seventh day sabbath He manifestly
calamities of his rebellious Nation he directs his dear Disciples when to depart from those direfull miseries but especially to be importunate in prayer for forty years together Mat. 24 15. that they might not be forced to fly in the Winter for then the foul ways and short days would make it irksome to their bodies especially to breeding and nursing mothers and no less was the care of this tender shepheard to the souls of his Saints whom he bears in his bosome as also to the sanctity of his Sabbath and therefore adds this petition to their forty years Prayer that they might not be put to fly on the Sabbath day to the dishonour of God and trouble of their spirits in prophaning the sacred season for the preservation of their bodies which was designed for the sweetening of their souls in Hearing Prayer and Praise amiddest the precious societies of Gospell Saints It cannot easily be imagined that Christ should be so carefull in securing his Sabbath had it been ceremonial Col. 2.16 17. at such time as all ceremonies were abolished by Apostolical Proclamation Object And yet it is imagined and the best is but imagined that the Disciples were onely warned of fleeing on the Sabbath by way of prevention of Jewish persecution Answ And can it be conceived rationally that Vespatians Armies and Titus Ensigns should strike no more terrour then that the Jews in stead of securing themselves should trifle away their time in persecuting the Christians Had their flight been on the Sabbath yet seeing they were not to carry any thing no not their clothes they could not be counted transgressours Moreover so superstitious were the Jews that they durst not fight for their life much less persecute others and therefore this could not be intended by our Saviour but his sole designe was to have his seventh day Sabbath sanctified by his Disciples And as our Redeemer thus generally and particularly owned this Sabbath by his holy word so he gloriously crowned it above all other dayes by his mighty works viz. such miracles as never man wrought Mat. 11 20 11 20 If then those Cities were most honoured and engaged where his mighty works were done upon the same account is that day to bee most highly esteemed which Christ crowned with his greatest wonders God forbid that Gospel Saints should side with envious Sadduces in reproaching our Saviour for putting forth his glory on that blessed day but rather with heighthened affections let that Sabbath be religiously celebrated wheron such divine vertue was shewed Neither doth our great exemplar cease here to honour his Sabbath but having owned it by his word and crowned it with his works his constant care both in life and death was to leave a lively president for his people His constant custome during life is visible to all that can read the fourth Chapter of Saint Lukes Gospel and for his cessation from his work of redemption the same day of the week and time of the day that the father ceased from his work of creation entring exactly into his rest on the Sabbath as God did this is such a misterious discovery and full confirmation of the seventh day Sabbath as for ever binds all believers by a double obligation to this sweet soul-refreshing duty of which more may be spoken in due time This may suffice abundantly for the confirmation of the seventh day Sabbath by our blessed Saviour The third thing promised 3 Approbation is his approbation of that holy spirit which was appointed by the Saviour of souls to be a constant guide to Gods people So that whatsoever this blessed spirit shall approve of we may safely receive as tried gold weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary and rest upon 〈◊〉 as infallible truth Three things will fully evince the holy spirits approbation of the seventh day Sabbath 1. Luk. 23. ult His high Encomium 2. His mighty operation 3. His constant appellation 1. His high applause given to the pious womens practise of resting according to the Commandement is a full proof of divine approbation For though they celebrated the Sabbath upon Christs crucifixion yet Saint Luke was not inspired to write his Gospel till after Christs ascension as is evident in his preface and confessed by our learned adversaties Luk. 1.2 3 4. Leigh Syst p. 822. That divers years after when all Levitical institutions lost their power of binding the whole Law and each principle thereof doth binde all under the Gospel If then such praise were given to the holy womens celebration that the spirit so long after records it to their honour That they rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandement let the conclusion of the parable be the obedient souls instruction Luk. 10.37 Go and do thou likewise set to the Sabbaths observation according to the Commandement if thou wouldst have like praise of Gods spirit Though this might satisfie a willing soul yet others see such a measure of self-denial required in this duty that either God must stoop to their arms in recording the celebration of the 7th day Sabbath after Christs ascension or else they will not obey Well the blessed spirit sweetly condiscends and by the most glorious manifestation and wonderful operation that ever visited the earth confirms the seventh day Sabbath For it was upon this blessed day that he gloriously descended upon the Apostles to the amazement of men Act. 2. for though Antichrist hath long deceived us and we have taken it upon trust that Pentecost was upon the first day of the Week which he hath long honoured with Whitson Ales Wakes and May games yet in plowing up the truth with Gods heifer we shall finde such treasures of long-unveiled misteries in this renowned day as can never sufficiently be admired And the first mistery that displayeth it self Ez. 13.6 waâ— 19.1 11. lieth in the institution of the Feast called Pentecost or the fiftieth day for as the fiftieth day after the first Passeover and wonderfull deliverance from the Egyptian â—urnace the spirit descended in fire upon Sinai to instruct the twelve Tribes of Israel even so the fiftieth day most exactly after Christ our Passeover was sacrificed for us and had wrought our mighty deliverance from that worse then Egyptian bondage Heb. 2.14 15. did the same eternal spirit descend in fire upon Sion to inspire the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. And surely this harmonious descent upon the fiftieth day both at Sinai and Sion Barthol de propr rerum p. 152. cannot but be soul-ravishing satisfaction to the religious Christian for the confirmation of his faith in the true Messiah As also this marvellous dispensation upon the seventh day Sabbath cannot but affect his heart with this royal rest which the spirit so eminently approves by his superlative presence And the clearing of this fiftieth day to be the seventh day Sabbath will open more divine misteries as so many coals from the Altar to
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH Sought out and celebrated OR The Saints last Design upon the man of sin with their advance of Gods first institution to its primitive perfection being a clear discovery of that black character in the head of the little Horn Dan. 7.25 THE Change of TIMES LAWS With the Christians glorious Conquest over that mark of the Beast and recovery of the long-slighted seventh day to its antient glory wherein Mr. Aspinwal may receive full answer to his late piece against the SABBATH By Tho. Tillam Minister of the Gospel Psalm 102.13 14. Thou shalt arise have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1637. To the Church of Christ which is at Colchester gathered by Gods grace with the Authors Ministry into the beautiful order of the Gospel Precious and therefore Beloved WHat hath the holy one done for you what hath Gospel grace wrought in you who are these that flie as a cloud and as doves to their winâ—ows Isa 60.8 Happy day when the eternal spirit broke open your doors and led you through the pangs of the new birth into the favour of God by Christ Blessed season when the Almighty displayed his bright beams of evangelical light forming Christ in your souls by the same way that the blessed virgin conceived viz. by the ear alluring you out of Bâ—bylonish abominations worldlly pollutions and unscriptural mazes to follow the Lamb in all his pretious appointments Look my beloved from the top of the mountain to which grace hath advanced you and behold the woful world still wallowing in wickedness and weltring in blood under the wrath of a jealous God 1 Cor. 6.11 in a hopeless graceless christless condition And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified no more strangers and forreiners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshould of God founded upon your Rock of Ages whose mysterious habitation and temple ye are Now what shall we return to the Lord for these invaluable benefits I hope there is not a soul of you that dare slight such unsearchable riches of grace I trust you are truly enlightned purely principled which with the sence of your former weight of sin the intolerable burthen of an awakened conscience will cause you for ever to delight in Christs shadow and sit with soul-satisfaction under the spread wings of the eternal Saviour that soul hath onely a name to live that loves not such a Lord. Amongst all the blessings bestowed upon man God made for him a holy sabbath and this of old was the honour of Gods Israel and shall be again the glory of such as stand in the antient path enquiring for the good old way Now since Jehovah hath graciously revealed Sabbath lâ—ght amongst you and laid you under many endearments let each soul that is indeed a Saint take up with the Psalmist Return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee for truly you have need of rest amidst all your reproaches for the Law of your God and to strengthen you for new trials especially if you and I who have hitherto enjoyed our pretious liberty should experience what we hear namely that the present powers make no conscience of Oaths or Acts if this should prove so indeed what can be expected to Sabbath-keepers but new prelatical persecution There is a solumn Oath taken before God and men to protect such as professe faith in God by Jesus Christ though differing from the doctrine or discipline of the nation which is seconded by the present Parlament who have enacted Inster for Gover. Artic. 36 37. That such as professe faith in God Father Son and Spirit and own the scriptures Parl. Petit. advic 1657. pag. 13. shall not be compelled by penalties nor restrained from their profession though differing from the publick Doctrine and discipline but shall be protected in the peacable exercise of their religion But notwithstanding these great engagements there would be little prohability of peace should their principles be as some are perswaded Wherefore flie with speed to your experienced City of resuge and improve your interest in heaven for the suppression of Jeroboams sin 1 Ring 32.33 who did not onely advance the device of his own heart in the time of worship but imposed it on the people and so made Israel to sin Strive with your prayers against the remaining corruptions rising oppressions appearing persecutions a manifold enormities of a revolting nation God hath eminently punished the princes and the Kings children and threatens all such as are clothed in strange Apparrel Zeph. 1.8 and yet how this abomination abounds amongst us yea t is feared that as Jehu pulled down one Baal and advanced two golden Calves In Hebr. Lord. so the suppression of one proud Prelate may be attended with the promotion of many persecuting Presbyters and then farwell our precious Gospel priviledges if ever our liberty should be at their allowance They have already put forth their sting by underhand attempts to obstruct this great truth of Gods sabbath Their contentious Lecture at Colchester termed your Gospel Baptism an infant damning doctrine and the minsters thereof the Devils Factors stirring up Rulers against us which prebably may prove their strongest arguments in opposing the Sabbath As for such either Presbyterian or any other opinion who are of a Gospel frame of Spirit free from Ishmaelitish persecuting principles I do not in the least reflect upon them but highly prize all the lovely appearances of Christ in them knowing that such though our elder Brethren dare not murmure at our fathers love who hath enlightened our minds with the revived glory of his Royal Sabbath but will like noble Bereans weigh this serious and I hope sober work in the balance of the sanctuary If such as would have a precept of this high import smothered or concealed under a bed of security or Bushel of plenty were throughly a wakened by the whisperings of Christ they would readily proclaim this glorious truth upon the house top If this lively oracle of Gods seventh day Sabbath be not clearly Instituted by the Father Ratified by the Son Approved by the spirit and observed by the Saints Let it be confuted and rejected but if this Royal Law be thus established how dreadful must be the continued weekly pollution of it after Christs call to repentance and reformation God hath long winked at the dayes of our ignorance but he will not long bear with wilfulness As for you the beloved spouse of Christ Elders Deacons and Brethren I do bless the Almighty for you I can never sufficiently admire that unexpected passage of providence that made plain my path unto you
chiefly engaged was a Tradesman a sad Omen to the decayed Clergy who silently admired his invenâ—on whiles he opposed his own Nâ—w England princlples manifestly sinning against his light in rendring the Sabbath ceremoâ—aâ— bâ—cause given to the Jewes for a signt over whose deplorable condition New England thus laments It may affect ones heart with great mourning to see the many inventions of mens hearts to blot out this remembrance of the Sabbath day Shep. Sab. they first cast it out of Parâ—dâ—se and shut it out of the world until Moses time when in Moses time 't is published as a Law and crowned in the same manner as all Moral Laws yet then they make it to be but a ceremonial Law continuing onely till the comming of Christ Jesus Thus New England mourns over such impieties and 't is cause of grief indeed that one of their own professed Members should so openly oppose their impregnable doctrine of the morality of the Sabbath It is truth that the Sabbath was given to the Jews for a sign Exo. 31.13 and so was Christ himself Isa 7.14 Euk. 2.11,34 but it followes not that either Sabbath or Saviour must be therefore ceremonial The Saints are set for signes so is the holy spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 Isa 8.18 Eze. 20.12 20. yea for the very same sign as the Sabbath is viz. That you may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you There the same honour is put upon the Sabbath as upon the holy Spirit yea let the self-denying Disciple know that in the conscientious observance of Gods Sabbath he shall not long want the blessed sign of Gods sanctifying presence The Sabbath is indeed a signe of goed things formerly produced Exo. 20. 31.13 as the worlds creation or else of good things at present enjoyed as Gods sanctifying grace but never was it set for a sign of good things to come like the ceremonial * Compare Col. 2.17 18. with Lu. 4.18 19 21. Deut. 6.5 6 7 8. 13.18 c. Mat. 22.17 Sabbaths I might here retort the vaunting language of the Preacher of Peters of cutting off Goliahs head with his own sword for if the Morality of the Sabbath cease by being a sign to the Jews in their generations upon the same account must the whole Law cease to bee Moral since Gods spirit hath set it also for such a sign Thus while vain man findes out inventions to slight Gods Sabbath as a Jewish ceremony because given to that people for a sign he rejects the Holy spirit Scriptures Christ and all as so many Jewish ceremonies Neither is it possble to escape the Dilâ—â—â—ma by saying that the Sabbath is Moral but the seventh day Ceremonial for though the seventh day and Sabbath be terms convertible in the fourth Commandement yet even in the place mentioned the term seventh day is not set for the sign but the term Sabbath And whereas the same person puzzled the people by a third inwention but without the Book Object That if we observe the Jews Sabbath we must also offer the Jâ—ws sacrifices 1. Answ Now England Divinity might have instructed him That if sacrifices could make the Sabbath ceremonial then they may make that day and every day ceremonial but sacrifices make not the Sabbath ceremonial therefore not the day 2. Heb. 7. All sacrifices were recorded types of Christ and therefore abolished but the Sabbath did never type out Christ therefore never abolished nor changed 3. The seventh day Sabbath is part of the Law Moral where no syllable is found of sacrifices 't is therefore as absurd to conclude we must offer sacrifice if we will keep the Sabbath as to say we must keep the Ceremonial Law if we observe the Moral When these fancies fail and the Sabbath can neither be expelled Paradise nor confined to Canaan A third invention is found to make Christ a bolster to disobedience by proclaiming him a Sabbath-breaker Who never transgressed no not a tittle of the least Ceremony For had he failed of the smallest service he could never have been the Saviour of the world God must have a Lamb without spot or blemish The charge brought against Christ is 〈◊〉 1. That he justified his Disciples in plucking Ears of Corn as well he might when the Law expresly allows it Deut. 23 25. without restraint of time and where no Law is there 's no transgression If the Phariseos were righteous over much who had so deeply suffered for slighting the Sabbath formerly shall the Lord of the Sabbath be censured for allowing that to his hungry Disciples which even the Hipocâ—ites themselves did not deny their beasts that is Luk. 3.15 Necessary food If Professors are not ashamed to joyn with Scribes and Pharisees in censuring our Saviour as a Sabbath-breaker yet let not these continue bold whiles Christs words make the others blush Luke 13.17 And whiles our Advocate performs his office in pleading the cause of his Disciples let Christians learn to content themselves by the Apostles examples with a slender Sabbath days Dinner rather then prophane the sanctified feason to make provision for their perishing bodies Trust to his word who hath promised to such as first seek his King dome that all things needfull shall be supplied he will never leave thee nor forsake thee but rather then fail Mar. 6.34 he will put forth a beam of his Divinity to feed thee who dost faithfully follow him Wherefore resolve to serve him though he feed thee but with Ears of Corn and this also be grudged by superstitious Pharisees A second charge jointly brought by the Hipocrites of old and present Professours against our innocent Saviour is about the Cripples miraculous cure Jâ—â— â—â— 8 and carrying his Bed on the Sabbath Whereas they were no more capable of understanding the supposed violated Scripture then of discerning the person they quarrelled with The scope of the Scripture is onely to restrain traffick and travel for gain in our ordinary callings Jer. 13.21 Neh. 13 11 c. but not to obstruct any work simply for Gods glory and spiritual profit neither did the man transgress any letter of the Law for 't is Thy work the Law forbids but this was properly the Lords work to confirm the miracle wrought upon a helpless and almost hopeless creature The Word of God freely allowes bearing Mat. 12 5. of Burdens for his own honour even on the Sabbath Joh. 7.21 23. Josh 6.12 c. 1 Kin 20 28 29. as in Circumcsion and Sacrifiees in the miraculous taking of Jericho and in * Heb. 2.1 2 3 4. war And so lar was our dear Redeemer from slighting the Sabbath that he singled out that Sanctified season to honour it with his chief miracles Gods spirit enjoyns exact obedience to those truths that were confirmed by * Heb. 2.1 2 3 4. maricles and as the wo was greater to those ungratefull Cities where his chief maracles
Sabbath and the Lords day I know not why this term of Lords day should offend Christians now more then of old if some sabbath-keepers shall scruple it yet I hope they can religiously embrace those Gospel-opportunities and precious priviledges that the first day affords Let us beware of a censorious spirit towards persons of different perswasions Our God waited long upon us whiles living in disobedience to the Law of the seventh day Sabbath and he looks for a spirit of forbearance towards others till Sabbath light break in upon their souls unless sathan prevail with them to deprive us of our hopes by their forsaking of our assemblies as the manner of some is whose practice proclaims they will learn no more nor suffer sabbath-light to take possession of their souis We shall leave such to that drerdfull doom which attends Heb. 10.25 26.27 Those that wilfully sin in forsaking the assemblies of the Saints for whom there remains no more sacrifice but a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation to devour the adversaries who will not have the Lord of the Sabbath reign over them but will follow their earthly enjoyments and imployments till he return to tell them they have already received their good things i. e. the things they esteemed so and preferred before the celebration of his Sabbath and therefore must never look for more But for the enlightened Saint who sees the abiding glory of Gods seventh day Sabbath in its morality exact measure of time beginning and end let him proceed in the power of Gods spirit what ever he pay for it Though parents forsake him he hath a God to go to who will willingly receive him into a bosome of grace and after a few more weekly returns to the Gospel noon-tide Rest he and I shall be translated into New Jerusalems glory to joyn in songs of praise to the honour of the Lord of the Sabbath in the Saints everlasting rest Thus through Divine assistance I have to the full satisfaction of my own foul vindicated the morality of the holy Rest of Saints or the Sabbath of the Lord our God which is undeniably the solemn Season for Gospel worship The next thing is the special warrant for Christians to celebrate this holy day which is sour-fold 1. The Creators institution 2. The Redeemers confirmation 3. The Spirits approbation 4. The Saints observation Which being confirmed by clear Scripture will undoubtedly be fully satisfactory to all that are willing to imbrace truth The third Head VIZ. The AUTHORITY THough the Great God be not engaged to give any account of his matters yet behold his marvailous condiscentions in giving his creature not onely a command but the reason why he requires the solemn observation of this seventh day Sabbath which cannot possibly for this reason be changed to any other day For in six dayes Jehovah made the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore Jehovah blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it As our Lord Jesus sets forth the excellency of that universal decree of marriage made in Paradise for Adam which is therefore honourable amongst men even so doth Jehovah lay the Basis of our obedience to his holy Sabbath in the first institution reducing us to the beginning when first as his first and his Saints best ordinance he made the Sabbath for man thereby engaging all mankinde both Jews and Gentiles to observe it upon which account the Israelites were bound not onely to sanctifie it themselves but to see that all strangers within their gates did observe the same a practise exemplary in holy Nehemiah Neh. 13. If then all Gentiles when but resident in Palestina were required to rest on Gods Sabbath whiles they were Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel much more are we now engaged being fellow Citizens with the Saints and of Gods family The Authority then with its equity universally obliging all Adams posterity to observe the seventh day Sabbath purely springs from Gods holy Rest and Divine institution 1 Point Institution after the Worlds creation which being not made onely for Israel but for all people I appeal to all conscientious understanding Christians that presume not to destroy the reason of the fourth Commandement whether all mankinde be not hence obliged to observe that very 7th day Sabbath who enjoy the benefit of the creation God hath not only vouchsafed his children such a precious precept with the ground of it 1 Precept 2 President But is graciously pleased to make himself a perfect president in observing this seventh day Sabbath A most pure pattern for his Saints to work by a most clear coppy for his schollers to write after and lot such as desire to be Godly that is God-like follow their first and fairest example The spirit of Christ in the Gospel enjoyns us to Be followers of God as dear children Eph. 5.1 To be holy as he is holy pure as he is pure Impure persons pollute the Sabbath but the holy God sanctifies and observes it that his dear children may follow him in it Shall we pretend to press after God-like purity and yet slight Gods example in this sweet solemnity Why Gods president is the most absolute pattern of all perfection the best of men may fail and be outstript by their folfollowers but who so makes the perfect God his pattern still presseth forward and hath still more perfections before him which allures the growing mounting soul from grace to grace and so to glory Since then the blessed Creator so compleated every creature in six days that he might immediately consecrate and celebrate the seventh day Sabbath for mans example let not man think to be wiser then his Maker either in presuming to change his holy day or pretending a spiritual observance in a literal disobedience Can poor worms dust and ashes contrive a way to be more spiritual then the Father of spirits Can Satan suggest a president more perfect then Perfection it self Be not righteous overmuch but learn of the Lawgiver who in expounding his own Law sums up all in this instruction Be ye therefore perfect Mat. 5.48 even as your heavenly Father is perfect that is in quelity though equality is utterly impossible Wherefore let that very seventh day which your heavenly Faâ—her hath separated by his institution benediction and celebration be your constant observation that in this point you may be perfect EVEN As your heavenly Father is perfect Here it appeareth plainly with what full authority the blessed seventh day Sabbath is established even from the Worlds foundation Heb. 4.3 4. So that it may well be owned as a foundation Oracle instituted and observed by God himself The royal Psalmist elegantly sings Ps 87.1 That Gods foundations are in the holy mountains and certainly this toyal Law is thus gloriously founded For as it was the first statute decreed by Jehovah so its foundation
as hath been shewed was first laid in that pure pleasant Paradise Eden where God rested and inseparably united the Sabbath to the seventh day The second holy Mountain wherein God established this foundation truth Sinai was Mount Sinat made glorious by the terrible Majesty of the Lord descending with shrill trumpet in dreadful tempests thunder and lightening where with a lively voice he immediately delivered this lively Oracle crowning this seventh day Sabbath with the very same honour and dignity as the other nine Royal statutes and recording the same in Tables of stone which by his new Covenant he writes in renewed hearts so that if Christians stand obliged to those ten Commandements as so many lively Oracles committed to the Jews to be given unto us Rom. 3.2 Act. 7.38 Iam. 2.8 and that we shall do well in observing these royal Laws according to the Scripture that is according as God himself hath written them then must this very seventh day Sabbath as one of those Royal Laws be for ever observed by saints without alteration or diminution and the rather since this foundation oracle obtains confirmation in the third glorious holy Mountain even in the heighths of Gospel Sion where the very same seventh day Sabbath instituted by the Father is established by the Son which is the second point proposed wherein I shall prove 2 Confirmation That the seventh day Sabbath sanctified by Iehovah is ratified by Iesus upon a two-fold account 1. He owns it by his Words 2. He crowns it by his Works And if this be cleared then surely Christians should carefully observe it both in word and work 1. Our blessed Redeemer confirms the seventh day Sabbath by his Word more generally amongst the rest of those Royal statutes which he assures us shall continue in every tittle not so much as one Hebrew point to be diminished or altered til the heavens be no more and the earth be removed and all be compleated and fulfilled Christian turn to thy Bible and behold with horror the dreadful doom which thy Redeemer hath denounced against such as shall transgress the least of his Laws and teach others to be disobedient Mat. 5.18 19. O how dangerous is the disobedience to this duty seeing it is undeniable that the seventh day Sabbath is a tittle and more then a tittle of that royal Law the wilfull offence of one point whereof renders the Rebel a transgressor of all Gods Laws Iam. 2.10 Suppose the Sabbath were the least Commandement yet saith Christ our King Comp. Mat. 5.19 with Act. 3.23 He that breaketh and bids others break the least of these Commandements shall be cut off from Gods Kingdome Neither doth Christ in flesh whiles the ceremonial Law was in full fore onely confirm the whole moral Law but even since his ascention by his holy spirit he moves his Apostles to establish the whole every part of the ten words Rom. 3. Do we then make void the law through faith saith Paul God forbid yea we establish the law Which cannot be the ceremonial Law Christ having utterly abolished all those beggarly elements It must be onely that * holy Rom. 7.7 12 14. just good spiritual Law which ends with this Command Thou shalt not covet And not in part is this Law perpetuated but in every point saith the other Apostle Jam. 2.10 And therefore let such as after warning slight the seventh day Sabbath make sure work that it be no point of that Law whose every jot and tittle is established by Christ and his Apostles And yet after this full confirmation how fain would vain contentious flesh find out a device to live in disobedience to that precious heavenly Law Object for 't is objected That Christ hath not expresly and particularly established the fourth Commandement and therefore it may be no sin to slight the seventh day Sabbath Answ By this reasoning the Papists may excuse all their Idolatry since Christ hath not expresly and particularly confirmed the second Commandement and therefore they may as lawfully make and worship Images as we may prophane the seventh day Sabbath 'T is sad to strengthen Antichrists lewdness by weakening Christs Law 2. Christ hath confirmed every tittle and his Apostles every point of the Royal Law will not this suffice if not behold the kindness of Christ condescending to our weakness shewing us as it were the very print of the nails fastening his seventh day Sabbath for ever as a foundation Oracle not onely in Eden and Sinai but in the beauty of Sion for he doth expresly own the seventh day Sabbath particularly with the honour that none other Law enjoys professedly acknowledging it to be his Sabbath proclaiming himself Lord of it and most punctually observing it yea solemnly averring that he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And indeed this spotless Lamb did faithfully fulfil this Law of the Sabbath as the rest without the least violation of any tittle even then when those presumptuous spirits charged him Mar. 2.27 28. He cheeking their blind conceit who thought belike that Man was made for the Sabbath and informs them that the Sabbath was made for Man and not Man for the Sabbath that is for mans benefit and comfort both body and soul even as the Laws of a Nation are made for the subjects and not subjects for the Laws And further be compleats his answer to their false accusation by proclaiming himself Lord of the Sabbath as if he should say The Sabbath is mine I am the Lord of it I made it for Man that he should sanctifie it and therefore having given Man a precept and pattern to keep it I shall not make my self a president to prophane it as you superstitiously suppose Certainly Christs engagement to fulfil it to the least jot or tittle with his professed owning of it claim to it and care for it as its Lord is the fullest confirmation that can possibly be desired That which Christ lays claim to as Lord must needs be confessed to be his esteemed and honoured as his the Bride is his for he is her Lord Psal 45.11 the Harvest is his Heaven and Earth is his the Angels are his and all to be esteemed his who is proclaimed Lord of all Therefore we celebrate the holy Supper because 't is the Lords Supper and therefore we ought to sanctifie the holy Sabbath because he declares himself Lord of the Sabbath He gave it the institution when he made the world he gave it confirmation when he redeemed the world and his Saints must endeavour to observe every jot and tittle of it to the end of the world For as he doth expresly own his holy day in asserting himself Lord of the Sabbath so he takes special care by particular instruction that his Saints might avoid the violation of this rest on earth even whiles he himself should rest triumphantly in Heaven wherefore after his predictions of the approaching
secret hand of providence eminently appears in preserving the honourable memory of the seventh day Sabbath for whereas the Heathenish names of Weeks daies are still retained in the decrees of the highest Courts passed on the seventh day the Acts have the proper appellation Die Sabbati But 't is sad that such as so honour it with their Pen should prophane it so openly in their practise And though Satan should prevail with them to become my persecutors I cannot but in faithfulness remember them That as their Laws look for obedience till by the same power that enacted them they shall be repealed so it is most equal they should cease from prophanation of this royal Law of Jehovah till a repeal form the same power can be proved or that the blessed spirit hath any way altered or changed it How sad would a sentence of this import be when 't is too late to reform O thou Prince and Parliament Out of thy own acts I will judge thee who hast recorded the seventh day Die Sabbati and yet hast proclaimed thy chief Markets upon this my Sabbath You profess it in words but prophane it in works you honour it in your Laws but shame it in your lives Oh can it be hoped that a Josiah-like spirit should set upon reformation instead of persecution 2 Rin. 22 8 10 1â— ca. 23 instead of penalties to begin with Sabbath practise Is there no other way to confute Sabbath Keepers then by fine or imprisonments Must Prelatical principles appear after so many Engagements and solemn Protestations of liberty why yet here 's this remedy The will of the Lord be done And so I have done with my three first Proposals for the authority of this truth 1 The Father Institution 2 The Sons confirmation 3 The Spirits approbation And now proceed to the fourth namely 4. The Saints observation 4 Saints observation whereinto I have already made some entrance As first the precious womens practice after our Saviours sufferings when all ceremonies were abolished They rested the seventh day according to the Commandement And doubtless 't is a blessed thing to be found obedient to Gods Commandements 2. It hath been clearly and plainly shewed that even after our Lords highest exaltation the most glorious assembly of saints that ever the world saw was upon the seventh day Sabbath most exemplarily celebrated with prayer preaching baptizing incorporating communicating and all this eminently approved and sealed by the spirits miraculous and special grace in the conversion of thousands suâ—â— a day no Age ever produced Well may this day deserve the honour of a pattern in the Mount and to be exemplary to all posterity 3. The great wisdome of God eminently shines in concealing the practice of the Apostles deputed to serve the Circumcision Gal. 2.9 2 Tim. 1.11 since it must be acknowledged that if the Apostle of the Gentiles who was the great rejecter of ceremonies did constantly celebrate the seventh day Sabbath then much more those Apostles among the Jews whose forbearance was much even in ceremonials The Gospel then being the Epitome of things most necessary onely presents us with Pauls practice for our Christian pattern who expresly requires our conformity in these words Phil. 4.9 Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you Here 's a general injunction which must be observed only with these limitations That Pauls practise be plain possible peaceable Evaugelical and unrepealed or else it binds not 1. It must be plain such as our Lord hath promised to his Lambs Joh. 16.25 2 Cor. 3.12 Col. 2.8 We must take heed of Philosophy and vain deceits of men who set up Ordinances by consequences and have some plain precept or president for our practice and such is the seventh day Sabbath There 's not a plainer precept in all the scripture not any thing more plain then Pauls practice herein and therefore to be observed by saints who desire the presence of the God of peace 2. It must be possible for some things Paul practised impossible for saints as mighty miracles travels c. But for the seventh day Sabbath though flesh and bloud think it a bondage to be detained a day from the Dunghil yet to the self denying Saint 't is a most pleasant season and his soul can seal to it as an easie yoke a light burthen a day exceeding a thousand therefore in this Paul is to be followed 3. His practise must be peaceable if we tread in his steps for Paul was but a man Acts 13.39 and sometimes a very angry man his precept may possibly exceed his practise herein If it be possible as much as in you lieth live peaceably with all men Rom. 12.18 and let the peace of God rule in your hearts Now the seventh day Sabbath is a day of rest and peace which sweetly calms the perplexed spirit so that thus far wee may freely follow Pauls practise 4. It must be Evangelical for we may not follow Paul in his compliance with the Jews in ceremonials no not to gain the Jews 1 Cor. 9.20 and therefore let Paul pass into the Temple to purifie himself with his Votaries this is no president for me But for the sacred seventh day Sabbath as it was instituted before any ceremonie was in the world for was confirmed Evangelically by the Son of God and by his holy Spirit and therefore in this Evangelical duty I shall attend Paul 5. It must be unrepealed if it oblige Saints for something Paul did which himself after repealed Gal. 5.1 2 3. as the Circumcision of Timothy which he solemnly declares to be utterly destructive to Christianity and therfore waving that let Christians conform to the Apostles practise of the seventh day Sabbath which is proved to be plain possible peaceable truly Evangelical and never in the least tittle repealed or any way altered And thus doing we shall follow Paul as Paul followed Christ 1 Cor. 11 1 2. For as it was undeniably Christs custome to celebâ—ate the seventh day Sabbath so it was Pauls mannet to observe the same day The words are the fame in the Greek both of Christs practise * Luk. 4.16 Acts 17.2 and Pauls the Penman is the same and all the difference in English is onely this Christs custome and Pauls manner Christ as his custome was went went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day Luk. 4.16 And Paul as his manner was did the same thing Acts 17.2 Christ preached and Paul preached and where lies the difference between Christs obsetvation of the seventh day Sabbath and Pauls observation of the seventh day Sabbath It is made a great argument for the observation of the first day Act. 20.7 That Paul once preached on that day but it is as clearly declared Acts. 18.4 that Paul preached every Sabbath day onely the Translators have not dealt so clearly
into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. O the clear communion saints enjoyed that blessed sabbath on which the spirit descended 4. 4. Can. 5 1. 1 Iohn 1.3 4 5. Thou art invited to a compleat communion Eat O friends drink abundantly O beloved The saints have fulnesse of joy in their fellowship with God 5. Thy communion must be constant Never leave loving thy loving Lord for he hath said he will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. Rev. 14. the virgins that are redeemed from the earth follow Christ constantly and shall the love of this world interrupt thy communion with thy God Psal 42.12.14 That famous Psalm for the sabbath sets forth the constancy of saints communion with their God day and night and let this be the measure of thy souls devotion the holy Sabbath And if thus thou obtain a choice close clear compleat constant communion with thy God I am sure thy communion will be very comfortable so that having thus sanctified Jehovahs Sabbath he will send thee home with a sanctified soul and renewed strength wherewith every Sabbath thy vessel shall be replenished till at last thou shalt enjoy immediate communion with thy God in rest eternal The sixth Head The Rule THis royal Law was unto Israel a severe School-master Gal. 4. 3. Rom. 7. and strict husband requiring exact and punctual obedience and denouncing dreadfull curses upon the least transgression But Christ having drawn out that terrible sting Rev. 11.1 2. and turned it from a fiery Serpent to a friendly Scepter thereby measuring the Temple the Altar and them that worship therein Psal 23. it is now the joy and solace of a sanctified soul Thy rod thy staffe shall comfort me As a staffe oâ— Beauty it directs the new creature to obedience Zech. 11.14 As a staff of Bands it only engageth as a rule of Righteousness shewing our defects that we may see our need of a Saviour The thunders of Sinai the blackness darkness and terrible trumpet Heb. 12. are now by Christ so sweetned that all it can speak or say to Saints is If ye fulfill the Royal Law according to the Scripture Ja. 1 8. ye shall do well But what if we should fail of fulfilling it through humane frailty Why if any man Sin we have an advocate with the father Well may we say here is an easie yoak 1 Jo. 2.1 a light burden indeed and yet too hard and heavy for Ranters Quakers Notionists Antinomians c. who though contrary to each other will not admit of the royal Law no not as a rule of righteousness but pervert the Scripture which saies the Law was not made for a righteous man and Pharisee like concluding themselves righteous 1 Tim. 1.9 Luke 16.15 they utterly reject the pretious Law of God as not made for them to which I answer 1. T is true the Law is not made to bind over the righteous man to its curse and malediction but to be sure the law was made for Christs disciples and whosoever speaks not according to the Law though he boast of his light within Isa 8.16.20 yet he has no light in him nay more especially this very Law of the Sabbath Mar. 2.27 was made for Christs Disciples and surely they were righteous men 2. In the very same Scripture from whence this objection is made It is manifest That the Law is good and to be used by Saints if they use it lawfully Now the Objectors will not use it at all but though it be proclaimed a good law a holy just spiritual Law yet they will have none of it but will join with Antichrist in breaking bands asunder Psal 2. and casting away Christs cords from them after he has told them that whosoever breaks and teacheth to break the least of these lively Oracles given unto us shall be least in the Kingdom I shall leave these Libertines to their lusts and shew the orderly Saints how this good Law may be lawfully used and how it is not made for a righteous man It is not made for a righteous man in Christ as a ministration of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit It is not a covenant binding us to obedience without any ability given to obey for we are now delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held as a covenant that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter Rom. 7.6 he does not undervalue the letter of the Law no not the least point or title but rejects the oldness of the Letter as a covenant The Law is not a foundation for our faith Gal. 3.12 it is neither under us nor over us we are not under the Law but under grace Ro. 6.14 neither are we above the Law except we belong to that Lawless one As we must nor reject the least point of the Law 2 Thes 2. unless we would be least in the Kingdome of God Ro. 8.3 1 Cor. 3.11 12. neither must we rest upon the greatest duty of the Law no nor of the Gospel since all rests short of Christ are but Egyptian Reeds The Law is not made for the righteous man to give him life or righteousness But Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to all them that believe He saies not that Christ is the end of the Law but that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness for the Law can neither give us life nor righteousnes but Christ is made unto us of God Wisdom and Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Gal. 3 1â— 1 Cor. 1â— 30 in none of these respects is the law made for a righteous man and yet we know the Law is good and may and must be used lawfully Then it is utterly unlawful to destroy one Letter of the Law under a pretence of worshipping God in spirit he that worships God in spirit must worship him also in truth by the Law of truth it is a strong delusion for Papists to say they know God is a spirit whilles they make his image it is absurd to say we keep our hearts in the Spirit if we transgresse the letter and commit corporal Fornication it is no lesse ridiculous to assert we keep the Sabbath in the spirit whiles we live in the weekly pollution of the Letter The lawful use of the Law is 1. To make known sin to the most righteous soul for saith that excellent Apostle I had not known sin but by the law if there be no Law there can be no sin if there be no sin there is no Saviour for such a Soul Rom. 7.7 4.15 Mat. 9.13 The lawful use of the Law is to direct a righteous soul to be a rule not a School-master
beginning although the Patriachs transgressed but were not reproved Gods Laws do not stand or fall as man either keeps them or is reproved for the transgression But whether men observe them or not the moral Lawes of God are still in force Object It is further objected That Gospel Saints are not reproved or admonished about the Sabbath as probably they would had it been a duty incumbent upon them 1. Answ Possibly it needed not seeing we find even the Apostle of the Gentiles and his companions constantly observing the sabbath yea and the Gentiles themselves desiring to serve on the sabbath Acts 13. 2. Had any of the Christians prcphaned the sabbath doubtless the priests and legal professors that were so hot about ceremonies would have made the Worldâ—ring with their clamours Acts 21.27.28 The Priests universal silence a notable Argument that Christians kept the seventh daysabbath they that made such noise against Christ for doing what was lawful on the sabbath-day would not have spared Christians had they done any thing unlawfull It is evident that for almost five hundred yeares during the Judges in Israel we hear nothing either of them Acts 13.20 keeping of the sabbath or the reproof for not observing it and yet that person must renounce his reason and Religion that shall deny their keeping the sabbath much more if he shall reject the sabbath because in five hundred years no mention is made of it 4. But if a doubting Dydimus will not believe unless he see the print of some admonition to Christians about the Sabbath lo the spirit condiscends and upon serious search we shall find Christians admonished to beware of Sabbath polution 1 Cor. 6.10 to 12. for the Apostle presents the Christians at Corinth with several instances of Israels miseries in the wilderness and plainly declares That all these things hapned unto them for our ensamples and are written for our admonition therefore it behoves us to search the Scriptures for the cause of their calamity Ezek. 20.13 and in searching we shall sind that the special cause of all their plagues was sabbath prophanation as I have already proved by another warning peal to professors out of Heb. 3â— and 4â— Well Christians if Israel be set for our ensample and their sad story be written for our admonition as is plain then let us be warned that we partake not of their sins least we partake of their plagues Neh. 9.14.15 13 17.18 wherewith they were destroyed in the Wildernesse and afterwards captivated in Babylon as godly Nehemiah sadly bewailes setting forth the special cause of both to be Sabbath-breaking And therefore let this be a seasonable warning to all that fear the Lord that they no longer provoke him with Israels Sabbath pollution least they bring Israels punishment upon themselves for God will at length wound the hairy scalp of such as go on in their wickedness after warning Ps 64.21 It is objected Object That God doth not plague Sabbath breakers but hath poured down judgements upon such as have slighted the first day 1. Answ It is true God doth wounderfully forbear Sabbath breakers it is his great goodness to wink at persons in the days of their ignorance but shall the delay of his judgements set thy heart fully to do evil Eccles 8.11 Because God is so patient art thou resolved to be still profane build upon it That after a Seal is opened and Gods trumpet proclaimes the truth and gives warning the next to be expected is the out-powring of a vial of wrath 2. If any humane testimony be produced of Judgements upon the first day we have both humane and divine of high displeasure of seventh day-sabbath breakers As for Divine vengeance poured forth by Scripture proof enough hath been shewed for our ensample and admonition to which this may be added Lev. 26.33 34 35.2 Cor. 36.20 21. that as the cause of Israels desolation for one generation was Sabbath polution so the grand cause of the woful desolations for many generations in treading under foot the Temple the Altar and Worshippers was the little horns presumption in changing the Saints time and laws Rev. 11.2 Dan. 7.25 Here are Judgements with a witness and now the only way to raise the desolation of many generations is to advance those holy times and Laws changed by ANTICHRIST There are already since this truth sounded many signs of high displeasure upon Sabbath-breakers No plague like that of a hard heart no judgement like those strong delusions which have already seised upon Ranters and Quakers whose enmity never appeared so eminently against any one ordinance nor scarce against all that ever I knew as against this glorious Oracle of God labouring with all their might against it in the very birth And as for sundry hypocrites who masked and marched in profession as far as their gifts would carry them The Lord hath notably unhooded them by this glorious truth so that the Sabbath being too hot for them Satan hath drawn them from the worship of the Lord to wallow again in the world neer upon twenty persons hath the enemy thus ensnared out of two hundred and fifty Let all take heed by the sad example of a yong man one William Sloat who upon hearing of this Doctrine that Gods commandments are not grevious to gratious souls was brought under self-condemnation being convinced 1 John 15.13 that this lively oracle of the true sabbath was most grevious to him through fear of relations and losse of earthly advantages so that he fell into a dreadful Agony like unto what is related of Francis Spira the terrors of his eternal state tormenting him for a season till at last with the advice of carnall relations he Apostatized not only from the Sabbath but from all that ever he professed in the way of Church worship declaring that all he had done was in hypocrisie and so with a raging tortur'd spirit he was hurried up and down to perswade all he could meet with that they were hypocrites like himself exclam against the ordinances of the Gospel and returning to the parish profession like the dog to his vomit and to the filth of the world like the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire where we shall leave him under the unpardonable sin to the judgement of the great day Heb. 6. S 5 9. 10.26 27. for if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries As for external judgements it is hard to conclude love or hatred from thence suppose ye that these Galileans were the greatest sinners I tell you nay but except you repent ye shall likewise perish Luke 13.2.3 1 Cor. 11 30. Rev. 2. 3. for though sometimes the Lord doth externally afflict yet usually gospel judgments are spiritual
Miserable Sabbath breakers that will not take warning I shall leave you to the hardness of your own hearts till you bring your own blood upon your heads I expect nothing from you but scoffes reproaches persecutions the worst you can do t is your nature you must act up to your principles and to the height of your power 2 Pet. 3.3 I pity you and pray that God may give you grace to pity your selves before it be too late He that overcometh shall sit with Christ in his throne when the Sabbaths weekly returns have wasted his obedient soul from strength to strength to keep a joyful Jubile in Messiahs Mansions of majesty Days shal be changed into years yea the Lords Sabbath of grace to a thousand years rest with the Lord of the Sabbath in glory Then those that carefully keep Gods Sabbath through reproaches as Jew turning back to Moses shall find a heavenly harmony between Jew and Gentile joyning in continual Alelujah to Jesus Rev. 19. then they shall find Christ and Moses friends and none honoured to sing his praise who have contemned Moses musick then those and only those that have obtained victory over the Beast his image his Mark and the number of his name Rev. 15.2.3 shall sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb happy souls who shall be found in the possession and faithful profession of Moses lively oracles and the oracles of the Lamb together Moses's ten precepts received from Sina Acts 7â— 38. and the Lambs six principles delivered in Sion are equally honoured by the Spirit of truth as the oracles of God Heb 5.12 Heb. 1.2 6.1.2 1 Pet. 4.11 and equally given to the Saints and therefore let such as would approve themselves Saints be careful to speak as the oracles of God This is the very day of singing the song of Moses the Lamb that is of reviving the ten precepts and six pinciples as through Gods grace I shall fairly prove in another peece wherein it will appear how the sixth seal opened the six principles of Christian Religon in their primitive puritie which many precious souls have with joy embraced and that of the opening the seventh seal hath now discovered the long concealed mystery of the seven pillars of wisdoms palace which I shall demonstrate by good authority to be the seven sorts of Officers that Christ hath appointed in his house As 1. Prov. 9.1 Prophets 2 Apostles 3. Evangelists 4. Pastors 5. Teachers 6. Elders 7. Deacons all which were brought to open view upon the late terrible commotion wherein the tenth part of the City fell with the tenth horn Re. 11.13 So the Greek and 7000 names of men in whose ruines all the seven stars oâ— heaven ascended our horizâ—n to trumpet forth the long concealed seventh day sabbath which with the foremenâ—ioned precepts and principles make up the melodious harmony of Moses and the Lamb. But look about you unbelievers for whiles the Saints stand on a sea of glass mingled with the oracles of Moses and the oracles of the Lamb in their hearts and mouthes professing the precepts and principles of Law and Gospel Rev. 15.1.23.4 Behold 7 Angels having the 7 last plagues full of the wrath of God to pour upon the heads and hearts of such as joyn not in the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Observe as you desire your souls good that the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb are the JUST AND TRUE WAYES of the Lord handed forth by Moses and the Lamb. Rev. 15.3 Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy name for thou alone art holy Vers 4. for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest High praises to thy glorious majesty for thy special grace O God in the glorious discovery of thy pure precepts and precious principles those lively oracles left unto the Saints by Moses and the Lamb honour and glory unto thy great Name in revealing the high presumption of that little horn in changing times and Lawes for ever magnified be thy mercy in making this precious truth manifest to the souls of many of thy Saints That there remaineth the celebration of the Sabbath to the People of God Sweet spirit of Holiness do thou sanctifie our hearts that we may Religiously sanctifie thy blessed Sabbath till thou bring us to thy Palace in peace and receive us into our Masters joy where we shall enjoy everlasting rest Aleluâ—ah Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city Rev. 22.14 Amen FINIS