for the dueties in the time either they haue vtterly abolished them also as hath bene showne or at the best they haue but counterfeit Sabbath dueties for true Sabbath dueties so much of the dueties Lastly they haue as hath bene showne taken away the very subiect matter of the 4th comm so as now God commandeth vs to Remember a nothing and to sanctify a nothing and so Gods commandement is made ridiculouse Loe this foule errour it is an errour worthy the discouery and high time it is that God should raise vp some man to discouer these things and to stand in defence of his 4th com and for this cause as I haue intitled my booke a defence of the Lords Sabbaths so haue I intitled it also a defence of the 4th com for you see how they haue by blotting out the Lords Sabbaths also defaced the whole commandement with them It is strang to see what violence this one finale portion of Scripture to wit Gods 4th com hath vndergone and it is the more strang considering the learning and knowledge of these times what vaine friuolouse distinctions of a Sabbath the Sabbath of one day in 7 of the Sabbath belonging to vs as it signifieth a Rest as it belongeth vnto all Nations that the time is a ceremony the duties in the time morall by all which they exclud the proper time in this 4th com and yet then againe to contradict themselues though the time of day be abolished yet still they will haue the day and a day out of the 4th com and a day too of 24 houres long and though the Sabbath day be abolished as they hold yet they vvill haue a Sabbath day still out of the 4th com too The 10. commandements they call them the Morall Law but bring them to this point of the Sabbath day and then they are become partly Morall partly ceremoniall they might as well say that that which in common speech they call white as the snovv that it is partly white partly blacke The Papists are blamed for making the 2d com Iewish and Ceremoniall and yet say we this 4th Comm. touching the Sabbath day is Iewish and Ceremoniall thus hauing contradicted our selues then vve fall to botching and cobling of the Commandement first it is fained that the Lords Sabbath day is abolished and vvorne out of vse and then to repaire the losse and breach againe that there may be a full number of ten Commandements the 4th comman wherein the breach vvas must be cobled vp againe the nevv leather where with all it must be amended it is the Lords day and it is put into the roome of the old and ouer vvorne Sabbath day so we haue now a new-old com or an old-new com whither you vvill for it is partly old and partly new Lastly as if all the former were not enough after sondry contradictions and after sondry fine distinctions whereby they haue violently torne a sunder what the Almightie hath inviolably and inseperablie ioyned together at last they cast them all quite away abolishing both time and dueties in the time and commandement all thes with others which I might reckone vp and with other violences and abuses which yet I am to discouer hath this one small portion of Scripture the 4th com vndergone I cannot thinke any one portion of Scripture in controversy betvvixt vs and Papists hath bene more wrested and abused by them then this by vs God amend it Paul telleth Timothy 1. Tim. 1.7 that there were some among them which desiring to be teachers of the law vnderstood not what they said nor whereof they affirmed This Scripture is verified of some Teachers in these dayes as may appeare by the premisses and as shall yet further appeare hereafter I come now to the word Remember and touching this word a reason may be demanded why the Lord should put a Memorandum vnto this com aboue any others of the 10 and why the Commandement should be expressed by this word Remember The common reason hereof rendered by diuins is to preuent carelesnes and forgetfulnesse on the six working dayes of the Sabbath day next ensuing least men should leaue some common workes of the six dayes to be done on the 7th day Sabbath this I confesse a trueth indeed but this is not all I suppose for if one demandeth a reason why God prefixed a Memento to this Com. more then vnto any other of the commandements this cannot be the reason because that by mens not forethinking of the Sabbath some vvorkes are left vndone on the six dayes to be done on the Sabbath day and so the Sabbath is profaned and the 4th com transgressed For seeing that vve are in like danger of breaking euery other of the Commandements by a carelesnes and a not forethinking of our dueties in them enioyned it should haue bene needfull therefore to haue had a Memorandum prefixed vnto euery one of the 10. Com. as vvell as vnto this 4th com least we breake them also through forgetfulnesse but since a Memorandum is put to this com and not vnto others such a reason therefore would be sought as agreeth to this com and not vnto others Novv in this point if I may take leaue to deliuer mine opinion I cannot finde out a better reason then this God foreseeing that after a long time that is about 364 yeeres after Christ for then was the Sabbath day abolished by the Laodicean Counsaile as afterwards you shall heare more this his Sabbath day vvould be not in part violated and profanely kept but that it vvould be vtterly and altogether blotted out of remembrance in all Christian Churches for 1200 yeeres together as it is to this day to preuent which forgetfulnesse and vtter neglect of his Sabbath day it pleased God to prefixe a Memento to this com that so if it be forgotten it might in time by one meanes or other be brought to remembrance againe which God graunt If we take a suruey of all the 10 Com. we shall find that nothing commanded in any of them is so wholly and vtterly buried and forgotten as is the Sabbath day commanded in the 4th com vvhen they had buried Christ they laid a stone vpon him and sealed it to make all sure that he might neuer rise againe so haue they buried the Lords Sabbath day and least it rise againe they haue cast an heape of stones vpon it calling it Iewish and Iudaisme and a signe and shaddow and a buried abolished ceremony and vvhat not and all to bring it out of remembrance Now though Papists haue foully forgotten the 2d com yet all Protestants remember it well enough God be thanked I know not any one thing in all the 10. Commandements forgotten by Reformed Churches but this one thing onely to vvit the Lords Sabbath day and as for this this is forgotten of all both Protestants and Papists it was very needfull therefore that the Lord should prefixe a Memorandum to this
it shall we haue no Law now against working on the Sabbath day 4. If these words But the 7th day is the Sabbath be not morall but abolished then this absurdety followeth that we are not tied by the 4th com to giue God a Sabbath once a weeke or one in 7 daies but it is enough if God hath a Sabbath once a moneth once a yeere one in 7 daies or one in 700 daies for in what parte of the commandement will you find on what day in 700 you shall keepe your first Sabbath if you abolish those words But the 7th day is the Sabbath c. were it not for these words might you not begine your first Sabbath at the 700th day as well as at the 7th day 5. If no more of the 4th com be morall but these words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it then is the commandement Sixe daies thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe Exod. 20.9 a bolished also now I maruaile what offence these words are vnto any that this command must be rased out too were these wordes typicall or ceremoniall at any time that they must be also abolished is it Judaisme too to obserue this commandement yet further take away the latter parte and words of the 4th com and then 1. you abolish the cause grownd of the Sabbath institution noted in these words And rested the 7th day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Exo 20.11 Genes 2.2.3 now it is very absurd to retaine the Sabbath and to reiect the grownd cause of its Institution 2. You abolish also that Matchlesse example and perswasiue president reason which God gaue vs taken from his owne example to moue vs to keepe the Sabbath Exod. 20.11 what is Gods example now become Jewish and to treade in his steppes Iudaifme may not Christians be followers of God as deere children as well as Iewes 3. You blot out the memory of the Creatiō in remembrance of which Myracle the 7th day Sabbath was solemnized Exod. 31.17 6. I alleage the Testimony of M. Perkins against him for of all the other words in the cō M. Perkins did iudge these words to be morall see his Comentary on the Galatians Chap. 4. v. 9. pag. 286. Jt may be saith he the first words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it and these words In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke are spoken of the Iewes Sabbath But the words sixe daies thou shalt labour c. And the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God are morall and containe a perpetuall trueth And againe see M. Perkins in his Cases of Conscience pag. 106. D. vpon these words for in sixe daies c. where he thus writeth The second reason is taken from Gods example That which the Lord himselfe hath done in persō the same must mā doe But the Lord himselfe rested the 7th day Therefore man must doe the same This reason made by God to the creature must stand in force till he reuerse it which yet he hath not done Thus M. Perkins doth expresly affirme it that this reason annexed to the 4th commandement is still in force In a word I might be infinite in alleaging Authores this way for what writer but holdeth these latter words of the Com. to be still in force as appeareth in that in theire Expositions on the 4th com they vnderstand by these words the 7th day is the Sabbath one day of 7 to be meant to be morall but M. Greenwod will be contrary to all Authores rather then God shall haue his Sabbaths againe 7. If onely those first words of the commandement Remember the Sabbath day be morall then is the 4th com vtterly abolished for they alleage these texts Exod. 31.15.16 Col. 2.16 where is mention made expresly of the Sabbath day for the abolishing of the Sabbath day in the 4th com as a signe and shaddow wherefore since by these textes they abolish the Remembrance of the Sabbath day mentioned in the begining of the 4th commandement it must nedes follow that those words in the begininge of the com Remember the Sabbath day are abolished and so if no other words be morall in the 4th com but those then are none at all morall but all abolished Now whereas some say all but the first words of the com are Application it is more likely that they are Explication now they will not reiect J trust the Explication of the commandement 2. to say they are application it doth imply that the words Sabbath day in the begining of the commandement are certaine generall words which may be applied vnto any day and so the latter parte of the commandement should apply them to the 7th day but their foundation is sandy for they cannot shew where at any time these words in the 4th commandement Sabbath day were taken generally or for any other day then Saturday the 7th day 3. Since that these words Sabbath day at the begining of the commandemēt these the 7th day is the Sabbath towards the end of the commandement are promiscuously vsed in Scripture the one for the other as hath bene proued it is absurd to suppose the one of these to be the Application of the other 4. Since that we are commanded to sanctifie the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8 and probibited to worke on the 7th day Exod. 20.10 It is absurd to say that this latter is an Application of the former is it not rather an Addition and that of one parte of the commandement to an other 5. If the after partes of the commandement be but Application and belonge not to vs why then doe all Diuines out of these after partes of the commandement determine that one day in 7 is morall And whereas some say that all the latter words of the com are appurtenāces to the com I reply if they be but such appurrenāces as may safely be seuered from the com then 1. we haue no neede now as those Iewes had of Gods insample reason mentioned in the 4th commandement Exod. 20.11 to moue vs to sanctifie the Sabbath day 2. Then need we not giue God a Sabbath once in 7 daies or once in 700 daies c. 3. Then doe we abolish Gods expresse prohibition of doeing seruile workes on the Sabbuth day Exod. 20.10 fourthly then why haue Diuines and Expositers affirmed that one day of 7 is morall out of these words the 7th day is the Sabbath 5. that these words the 7th day is the Sabbath are no appurtenances but of higher nature I haue proued in my 5th argument in defence of the Lords Sabbaths where I proued that these words are a parte of the 4th com and so cannot be seuered from the commandement as appurtenances may be To conclude there is a Tradition among vs that these words the 7th day is the Sabbath c. in it thou shalt doe no worke is but Application and Appurtenances
for so he thought Luther saith the Author should beginne all that hee deemed intollerable not to be indured Thus you see scandall hath formerly bene taken at the meanenesse of the person great Clerkes will neither attempt the reformation of abuses them selues nor yet can they beare it that their inferioures should doe any thing neither the reason I take to be because in the former they are in danger to loose their greatnesse in the latter to loose their goodnesse it is lamentable to see how now a dayes the word trueth of God is receined with respect of persones and that among the best both Ministers people they inquire not now a dayes vvhat hee saieth and hovv agreeablie to the rule of Gods vvord hee speaketh but vvhat is hee whence comes hee is hee a lofte in the vvorld benifised with a good liuing richly attired is hee a man of note can hee coutenance vs and the point he speakes for these the like carnall childish respectes haue Christians in receiuing Gods vvord it would discourage any man almost that is lesse then A Doctour of Diuinity of the highest ranke for honour vvorldly dignities to be industriouse in the study of the Scriptures so as thereby to ad further light vnto profession because vvhat he saith shall be as meanly accounted of as his person is S. Iames saith my brethren haue not the saith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persones Iam. 2.1 Who that looketh vpon these so many stumbling blockes with many others that might be showne can wonder that men of a sharp sight yea holy liefe should haue their eye sight dazâ—lled not see such a trueth as is encountered with so many difficulties were it such a trueth as the knovvledge publike profession thereof vvould stand vvith antiquity vniuersality publike applause approbation facility of reformation credit reputation liueings preferments then should I wonder vvonder againe if Ministers should not find it out presently professe it publikly but this is such a trueth as is at the first thoughts of it oppugned by a vvhole army of gaine saying obiections all vvhich are preualent vvith manes naturall corruptiones let not people therfore think it a thing altogether impossible for many Godly lerned Ministers to side it together against such a trueth to bewillingly ignorant of it and let such Ministers themselues serch out which of these obstacles here mentioned or the like to them hath so blinded their mindes dazelled their reason as neither Gods Memorandum prefixed to the Saturday Sabbath nor Gods Commandement nor Gods ensample no nor yet Gods reason perswasion all written in the Morall Lavv can preuaile with them to take in to Remembrance againe the Lords Sabbath day for doubtlesse there must besome beame or other in the eye of their reason which cannot see reason in Gods reason Before I conclud this section one thing more I would commend to your consideration this it is vvheras this 4th com generally considered hath two partes the one is the Commandement it selfe the other is the reason of the commandement as formerly I haue showne you that our Ministers haue by their renovvncing of the time in the Com. renownced abolished by iust consequence the whole 4th com also so much I am to discouer a further errour of theirs which is that by their abolishing of the time in 4th com to wit the Saturday 7th day Sabbath hereby also they haue nullified abolished the reason to the com which is taken from Gods owne example and conteined in these words For in sixe dayes the Lord made the heauen the earth the sea all that in them is rested the 7th day Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day hallowed it All these words I say they haue vtterly nullified so as now they stand but for a cipher to fill vp an empty place What I haue charged them with I thus make good The argutum thing which God would persvvade his people vnto it is the obseruation sanctification of the 7th day Sabbath as you may see in the com foregoeing this reason to this end it pleaseth God to frame propound vnto vs a most notable liuely reason taken from his owne example to this effect Remember you to sanctifie the Sabbath day for because I sanctified the Sabbath day Doe you rest from vvorke on the 7th day for because I rested from worke on the 7th day therefore I hallowed sanctified the 7th day Sabbath Now suppose we that the 7th day Sabbath were abolished as they say it is which is the argutum or thing argued wherevnto God did by this reason perswade then what vse can there be of this reason which God here propoundeth for example now that Circumcision the Passeouer Sacrifices are ceased what vse is there now of those reasons wherby Gods people the Iewes were then perswaded to those dueties of Circumcision the Passeouer Sacrifices such is the case here take away the Sabbath day you take away the reasons that belonged to it to perswade vnto the sanctification thereof for what need reasons motiues to perswad vnto that which is not But happily they will say though vntruely that the Sabbath day is not abolished it is only but changed vnto the Lords day Well say we for this time grant them this for argument sake then thus I make it good against them the reason of the 4th comm cannot possible be a reason vnto the Lords day for it is most absurd for any man to thinke God should perswade vs to keepe the Lords day because hee kept the Sabbath day or that God should perswade vs to keepe the first day of the weeke because kept the 7th last day of the weeke Thus the conclusion the premisses should not be of the same but of sondry things For the day vvhereof the question is as novv they would haue it to vvit the Lords day it differeth much from the day mentioned in the reason to the com that thus 1. The day in the reason God rested in it but the day in the question God vvrought in it 2. The day in the reason God sanctified it and hallovved it but the day in their question to vvit the Lords day vve no vvhere reade that God blessed it sanctified it so the one differeth from the other as much as an hallovved or holy day doth from an vnhallovved or vvorking day If it be so then that this reason proposed by God cannot be applied vnto the Lords day then it follovveth that this reason is made by such as oppose the Lords Sabbaths a very cipher of none vse but to fill vp a voide place A very vvicked fact it is vvhosoeuer are guilty of it Yet further that this reason stands now a dayes since our Lords day is come into vse and the Sabbath day abolished as a meere cipher it
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
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
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
lighted vpon men on the Lords day vnto their contempt of Gods ordinances of preaching and prayers performed in that day it is rather to be thought that God punisheth the contempt of his ordinances then the neglect of the day for such as profane the Lords day come not at Church then to serue God vvhen euery body doth serue God it is a signe that they be ordenary contemners of Gods worship seruice most iustly therefore may God plague them for contempt of his ordinances when they are growne to that height of impiety that they dare ordenarily neglect Gods worship yea and vpon solemne times also appointed by the Church and vvhen all men meete together to vvorship God then to shew a contempt is a greater sinne then otherwise so it is rather the contempt of Gods ordinances then the neglect of the day that God punisheth 3. Well nigh all men are perswaded in their consciences that the Lords day is the Sabbath day inioyned by the 4th Comm. albeit in trueth Saturday is the Sabbath day by the 4th Com. now if men doe neither giue God the right day through their ignorance nor yet will giue God a wrong day whereof they are notvvithstanding well persvvaded in their consciences that it is the right day then they sinne against conscience whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 now it is iust with God to plague men if they will neither giue him the 7th day for a Sabbath nor the 8th day neither for so they are guilty of the breach of the 4th Com. in that they giue God no day no Sabbath no not that day vvhich their consciences tell them is Sabbath day thus God may punish them for a sinne against conscience though not for the day sake and hereby it appeareth that their arguing is amisse when they say that God punisheth men for breach of the Lords day for it is rather to be thought that God punisheth for other causes SECT XIX Their second argument fetched from Testimony is from the practise of the primitiue Churches after the Apostles for the Histories of the Church say they make mention that they kept the Lords day constantly Herevnto I answer 1. that it seemeth this practise was not vniuersall in all Churches but onely in some places or not in all times but at some time onely for Mr. Perkins vpon the 4th Com. affirmeth out of the Histories of the Church that the Sabbath meaning it of the Lords day Sabbath was neglected of those Churches which succeeded the Apostles but afterwards it was reuiued established by Christian Emperours And for confirmation hereof he alleageth his Author Leo and Anton. Edict of Holy dayes Whereby it appeareth by the History of the Church also by confession of M. Perkins that this Lords day vvas not kept in the primitiue Churches constantly as now we keepe it in our Churches for it was not kept vntill Christian Emperours established it now the first Christian Emperour that enacted a Law for the Lords day as farr as I can find was Constantine this was about 300 yeeres after Christ so that this Lords day was not onely not kept by the primitiue Churches but also it was not kept in all probability not of 300 yeeres after Christ so that they haue no greate cause to alleage the practise of the primitiue Church for their Lords day 2. I ansvver but admit the primitiue Churches had kept it constātly in all places at all times alwaies yet there is a tvvofould keeping or solemnizing of a day the one is the keeping it a Sabbath day the other is the keeping of it for an Holy day now I deny that they kept it for a Sabbath day for it is most likly that they kept it for an holy day vvhich is more remise and slenderly kept then a Sabbath day and this appeareth 1. by Ignatius in his Epistle to the Magnesians where he exhorteth both to the keeping of the Sabbath day also to the keeping of the Lords day both in one the same page novv it is not likely that Ignatius did exhorte his people to keepe two Sabbath dayes in a vveeke the Saturday Sunday and therfore it is likely that the Lords day they kept it slenderly as an holy day Againe hee cales the Lords day there the Quene Princesse of dayes where you see he left an higher roome for the Sabbath day accounting it as the King prince of dayes therfore it is likly kept not the Lords day as they did the Sabbath day Yet furher it is to be noted that Ignatius exhorting his people to the keeping of both the Sabbath day the Lords day he refuseth to giue that word vnto the Lords day vvhich he giueth to the Sabbath day vvhich is most proper for a Sabbath day for in exhorting to the Sabbath day he vseth this vvord Sabbatizet but in exhorting to the Lords day he changeth the vvord and vseth this vvord celebret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in liklihood noteth a difference in the vse of these two dayes the one being kept as a Sabbath the other as a Festiuall day 2. It appeareth by a law made by Constantine as any may reade it reported by M. Fox in his booke of Martyres the new Edition pag. 93. thus The Sunday hee commanded to be kept holy of all men and free from all Iudiciary causes from markets Martes fayers all other manuall laboures onely hushandry excepted Where you see the workes of husbandry as plowing the like excepted this might be done in those dayes and in that Church on the Lords day Now Constantine was the most famouse defender of the Lords day of any Emperour would he thinke you haue giuen men leaue to goe to plough carte on the Lords day if hee had esteemed it as a Sabbath day no surely for this is plaine contrary to the very letter of the 4th com In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke no not in earing time nor in haruest Exod. 34.21 wherefore since Constantine gaue leaue to plough sowe the like workes of husbandry on the Lords day it is a manifest thing that in his time the Lords day was not kept for a Sabbath day but rather as a light holy day hereby it appeareth that the patrones of the Lords day haue little cause to glorie so much in the law that Constantine made for the keeping of the Lords day holy 3. It appeareth by this that Constantine made a law for the keeping holy of Friday of Sunday both the Friday because of Christ his passion the Sunday or Lords day because of Christs resurrection For this see Euseb de vita Constant lib. 4. Cap 18. and see Sozom. lib. 1. Cap. 8. these ij dayes were inacted in one the same law in one the same manner whereby you see that the Lords day vvas accounted in the primitiue Churches no more an holy
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
against them saying well ye reiect the commandement of God that ye may obserue your owne Tradition Mark 7.9 For they trample downe the Lords Sabbath day that they may keepe their owne Lords day My 4th reason disswasiue is because by the vphoulding of this Lords day Sabbath the sacred Scriptures vvord of God is profaned I make that appeare thus Ministers doe daily vrge the 4th Com. vpon the Lords day doe presse mens consciences to the Sanctifying of the Lords day by the 4th Comm. now the 4th Com. doth speake as he that hath but halfe an eye may see of the day called Sabbath day but this is a day called Lords day the 4th Com. was made for a sanctified hallowed day for God himselfe blessed it sanctified it Genes 2.3 but this Lords day is a profane day a common day neuer sanctified by God but on the contrary appointed for labour it being one of the sixe working dayes mentioned in the 4th Com. Christ himselfe trauailing on it c. Now for Ministers to apply this sacred word of Gods 4th Com. vnto a profane common and vnsanctified day time this or nothing is to profane the Sacred word of God Secondly many portions of Scripture in the New Testament with some also out of the old are hereby also wrested abused profaned the Spirit of God is made to speake for that which neuer came into his minde to thinke a most horrible vnsufferable thing in a Christian Church as for example these Texts Psal 118.24 Ioh. 20.1.19.26 Act. 1.2.3 Act. 2.1.14 c. Act. 20.7.1 Cor. 16.2 2. Cor. 5.17 and Reuel 1.10 these eight Textes at least besids the 4th Com. are abused for the maintenance of a forged new coined and counterfait Sabbath day who that hath any zeale of Gods glory or loue vnto his Holy word can endure it that Gods word and trueth should be thus profanly vsed profaned abused wherfore if you beare any reuerence vnto the sacred word of God let a reformation be made Looke vpon the third Com. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine now Gods word is a parte of his name wherby he is knowne Act. 9.15 therfore for men to abuse profane Gods word it is to abuse profane Gods name so a sinne against the third Com. now the reward of such profanation is this that God will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine hee shall surely therfore be punished vvithout repentance amendement But vvhat doe I speaking to deafe Adders men will not be charmed what they haue holden they will hold as for me I am but one meane they are many mighty so that I almost despaire of remedy howeuer I haue discouered their sinne vnto them at their perill be it whither they will amend it or not I abhorre to thinke of it yet this I am sure of that that is true amongst vs which the Lord once complained of by his Prophet Ieremiah that is that an horrible filthy thingis committed in the land the Prophets prphecy lies people delight therein Ierem. 5.30.31 that the Prophets prophecy lyes this is apparent as hath bene showne and the people delight therein this is manifest in asmuch as many that are both religiouse also counted wise are not ashamed to speake it that they wish from their hearts that I had neuer medled in this point so we haue for the most parte like Priest like people both delighting in this counterfait Sabbath both like vnto Nadab Abihu who offered straung fier before the Lord which hee had not commaunded them Leuit. 10.1 My 5th and last reason disswasiue is because it is a sinne for Ministers to preach for the Lords day This I proue because they cannot speake for it in faith now whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne saith the Apostle Rom. 14.23 now that they cannot preach for it in faith is plaine by this that they haue no word of God for the grownd of their faith we haue alredy showne that they haue no word of God for this Lords day Sabbath for they can not shew vs where Christ or any of his Apostles left any commandement for it no nor yet haue they any necessary consequences for it so often therefore as A Minister presseth the people to sanctify the Lords day Sabbath so often he sinneth And so much touching this Lords day Sabbath CHAP. IIII. An answer vnto all those textes of Scripture reasones arguments which are vsually profanly brought against the Sabbath day mentioned in the 4th com to wit the 7th day Sabbath I Haue now finished the 3 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 adiscouery of the corrupt expositiones thereof the third was an answer to those Scriptures reasones that are brought for the Lords day and now I am by order come vnto the fourth parte of my booke herein I am to answer to the Scriptures and reasons whereby the enemies of the Lords Sabbathes goe about most wickedly vngodlily to throw them downe and here my purpose is not onely to make answer vnto those textes reasones which these 10 Ministers or any of them in the name roome of the rest haue impiously obiected against the Lords Sabbathes but also I purpose to answer vnto all obiectiones generally what soeuer I can heare or reade of Gods Ancient Sabbaths are not abolished or The Lords ancient 7th day Saturday Sabbath is not abolished SECT I. IN the first place let me discouer an high point of folly in these Antisabbatharians for a seruant to forsake his old Master before he knows where to haue a new or for any man to pull downe his old house before he had found for certaine that he was able to build vp a new house is a greate folly into this folly are falne not onely those other 9 Ministers by caling the Lords Sabbaths Ceremonies Iewish Iudaisme to bring them into reproch but especially M. Chappel by preaching against them openly now what an egregiouse folly is this in them to throw downe the old Sabbath before they knew where to find a new Sabbath to abolish the 7th day before they were able to raise vp the 8th day me thinke a smale portion of discretion should haue taught them to haue made sure worke that they were well able to defend the Lords day before they had aduentured to debase and abolish the Sabbath day I wish all men to learne wisedome by their folly that is neuer to debase striue to abolish the old Sabbath vntill they know how to proue the Lords day to be a Sabbath so to set vp a new Sabbath That with the moreculler and shew of trueth men might abolish Gods Sabbathes besides their loading of them with reprochfull termes of Iudaisme and abolished Shaddowes and Ceremonies and
add which is vsually aleaged to the same purpose bake that to day which yee will bake and seeth that which yee will seeth and all that which remaineth lay it vp till the morning for you c. Exod. 16.23 heere say they the Iewes were commanded to dresse all their meate on the ffriday the day before their Sabbath so by consequence they might not dresse any meate on their Sabbath Herevnto I answer 1. for asmuch as we find that God hath added and expressed an exception to some Sabbaths we may therefore thinke that the same exception is to be vnderstod in all Sabbaths see Exod. 12.16 no worke shall be done saue about that which euery man must eate that only may yee doe in which words you see that albeit God forbad all manner of worke yet he gaue an exception allowing men to worke so farr forth as may cōcerne their present necessity that is to dresse their meate on that day which they must eate on that day I confesse this was a ceremoniall Sabbath but for asmuch as God put no difference betwixt the ceremoniall the Morall Sabbaths for strictnesse of rest for it was death to any man that did any worke on either of them both as you may see Leuit. 23.30 Exod. 31.15 therefore we may thinke that there is the same reason of both 2. I answer that this text is not rightly vnderstod applied for they suppose that Moses bad these Iewes bake to day that was on friday all the Manna which they had gathered that day to wit the ij omers so as none should be to bake on the next day being Sabbath day but it is to be noted that Moses left it to their will how much to bake that day how much to leaue vnbaked for saith the text bake that which yee will bake and seeth that which yee will seeth he said not bake all seeth all but bake seeth what ye will againe where he saith that which remanieth lay it vp vntill the morning they vnderstand these words thus that that which remanieth baked should be laied vp but so much cannot be collected out of this text but the contrary is rather the trueth namely that that which remained vnbaked was laid vp vnbaked vntill the morning this the context giueth light vnto for on other daies if they reserued any vntill the morning it stank v. 20. but on this day what they reserued it stank not v. 24. now forasmuch as Moses recordeth it as a wonderfull thing that it stanke not nor was full of wormes by reseruing it it giueth vs to vnderstand that it was laied vp vnbaked for what wonder had it bene that it stanke not nor had wormes in it if it had bene baked seing that baking doth preserue things from stinking and wormes breeding it is more likly therefore that as they baked euery other day so much as they did eate on that day so they did on the Sabbath day So this text proueth not that the Iewes baked boiled all their foode on friday One answer I heere giue vnto all their 4. texts together if the Rest commanded to the Iewes in the 4th com be a rigorouse Rest so ceremoniall then is the whole Sabbath 4th com vtterly abolished as rigorouse ceremoniall also for there is but one kind of Rest in the 4th com take away that and take away all Rest if that be rigorouse ceremoniall take away that and then may men follow their laboures in their seuerall housen and in the fields An other answer I giue vnto all their 4. textes which is this that if it could be proued that the Rest which the Iewes kept was rigorouse then might we more safely hold that the rigorousnesse of their Rest was Iewish and ceremoniall then that any thing commanded in the Morall Law is Iewish and ceremoniall for this Law of kindling a fier on the Sabbath being not mentioned in the Morall Law but written elsewhere it may be questioned rather whither it was any branch of the 4th com or exposition of it or whither it was some speciall Law peculiar vnto the Nation of the Iewe because in those hote countries they might better want a fier then wee in coulder rigiones can and better feed on cold meates dressed the day before then wee in these colder countries cane and so the Morall Law should be maintained still in its Integrity and perfection why may not these particular Lawes not being written in the Morall Law and Tables of stone be aduentitiouse and onely added to the 4th com as peculiar to the Iewes and those times Regiones as was that Reason prefixed to all the 10. com that God brought thē out of the land of Egypt which is also added to the 4th com Deut. 5.15 and as was that Law of offering ij Lambes on the Sabbath daies Numb 28.9.10 Thus then you haue seene their textes for the prouing of the Iewes Rest to be full of intollerable strictnesse rigour but you se how they faile in the matter wherefore I may safely conclud that it is but a slaunder raised vpon the Lords Sabbaths to make men afraide of them and to loath them for God required no more strictnesse of a Iew then he doth of a Christian nor any lesse of a Christian then he did of a Iew the 4th com it is one the same to Iew to Gentile as are all the other 9. commandements SECT V. Hauing made answer vnto their textes whereby they would proue the Rest of the Sabbath partly ceremoniall because rigorouse we are now to come vnto their textes wherby they would proue the time to wit the 7th day in the 4th com to be a ceremony so abolished but first this would be noted that since they cannot proue the Rest in the Sabbath rigorouse and ceremoniall now there is nothing commanded in all the 10 commandements which they can except against but onely the question it selfe betwixt vs to wit the time 7th day now how they will disproue this you shall see Their first texte which I will produce is that Mat. 12.8 for the sone of man is Lord of the Sabbath hence some argue thus that because Christ is called the Lord of the Sabbath day therefore he did alter chang the Sabbath day Herevnto I answer that admit the Heire of a Mannour house because he is Lord of that house he may destroy it and pull it downe yet it doth not therefore follow that he will or hath destroyed it pulled it downe so be it that Christs as Lord of the Sabbath might destroy it yet it followeth not that he did destroy it no the contrary rather followeth that because Christ was Lord of the Sabbath therefore he did and for euer will maintaine vphold the Sabbath for it is the property of Lords to vphold their mannour howsen to defend those things whereof they are Lords to the vtmost of their power
trueth of Gods and espetially his Majestie and if once God shallincline his heart to the loue of this trueth a word from his mouth may reforme it his Decree proclamation or the like were enough to make this impossible thing possible OBIECT IV. An other obiection is that Gods Church is now at a sweete peace and concord and the bringing of this point to light will but make a greate hurly burly and disturbance in the Church wherefore the Author might be better occupied or else be silent Herevnto I answer this obiection is indeed euery where heard of and indeed the peace of the Church is to be sought to the vtmost but yet we must not be so mindfull of peace as to forget holinesse for the Apostle hath ioyned these ij together saying Follow peace with all men and holinesse without the which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 peace with the Church in keeping the Lords day and warre with God in profaning of his Sabbath day is no comfortable nor safe peace Let me desire such as rest vpon thes obiection to reade perpend what the Lord spake by his Prophet Isaiah against the people that would not heare Gods Law but rather such things as might please them make no disturbance amongst them saying It is a rebelliouse people children that would not heare the Law of the Lord which say vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets Prophesy not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs Isa 30.9.10 The gloriouse Gospell the Gospell of peace the word of Trueth did it bringe peace into the world no I am come saieth our Sauiour to put fier on the earth Luk. 12.49 againe Thinke not that I am come to send peace into the earth but the sword to set a man at variance against his father the daughter against hir mother Mat. 10.34 such is the frowardnesse of mans nature as this trueth of Gods Sabbath will neuer enter neither with the peace of men OBIECT V. An other obiection is this what shall we doe say some Ministers are at variance one saith the old Sabbath day is in force still others say that it is abolished longe agone by the coming of Christ wherefore I shall giue no regard to this new Doctrine vntill Ministers can agree among themselues and till all men be at one accord in this matter for they bring reasones on both sids so as a man cannot tell which to beleeue Herevnto I answer if men shall tarry till all men are agreed so they shall professe no trueth nor any Religion for all men are not at accord in any Religion nor almost in any point of Religion wherefore it is a better way first to consider of the matter in question whither it be a difference about words or about things and whither about things substantiall or circumstanciall as ceremonies are and as the matter is of weight more or lesse so to regard it more or lesse for such may the controuercy be as it may concerne not some men but all men such it may be as may concerne all men very neerly now of this kind is this controuercy for it is not a difference about words or vnnecessary circumstances or about that which concerneth but some few men onely but it is about an ordinance of God expresly commanded in his morall Law and therefore it is a substanciall matter and concerneth all and euery man neerly like as doe all the 10 commandements and therefore people must not put off the matter vntill Ministers be agreed vnlesse they will be wilfully ignorāt in a matter off greate importance and which so nerely concerneth them as doth all the things commanded in the 10 commandements It is a Catechisme point to know Gods Sabbath day and a point of greate consequence neerly concerning vs all as appeareth not onely because it is an ordinance established by the Morall Law but also in this that it is put downe in euery Catechisme as behofefull for euery one to be acquainted with all now if such a point come into controuercy all men should giue attendance vnto it and study it vntill the trueth be boulted out Neither let this be any stumbling blocke because this Doctrine is new for albeit it be new vnto our times yet it is as old Doctrine as is any in the 10 commandements but what if it be new to thee the Doctrine of the Gospell was as new to the Bereanes as the Doctrine of the Sabbath can be to thee and yet they did not argue thus carelesly as you doe saying Paul hath broched a new point of one Christ c. And he is singular and all alone all our Doctoures teachers are contrary to him wherefore we will not harken to what he saith but contrarywise they tooke the matter presently into consideration they fell to serch and examine the Scriptures to see if the things Paul taught were so or not and are therefore commended by the holy Ghost vnto all Posterity oh that men in these times would turne Bereanes and serch the Scriptures to see if I speak according to them or not if I bring not an expresse commandement for that I cale for let me be reiected or try whither they or I come with Thus saith the Lord in our mouthes I bring you the plaine Scripture to wit the 4th com and they bring you nothing but their reasones and consequences which they say come out of Scripture if one may beleeue them but since their reasons and consequences doe thwart and crosse a plaine commandement of Almightie Gods therefore their reasons consequences against the Sabbath day are to be reiected for mans reason must not contradict Gods expresse word vnlesse we will set reason aboue Scripture would people but marke these things they should not be long in doubt vnlesse they will Neither should they neede care that Ministers are at variance for they might easily see which side to take parte withall side it with him which bringeth the expresse word of God rather then with them which haue no word but onely a fewe reasones in vented by mans cauilling braine OBIECT VI. An other obiection is this to say that the old Sabbath day is still in force is to say by consequence that our Church is in an errour now can it be thought that the Church of God can lay in such an errour as this touching Gods Sabbath day it is impossible Herevnto I answer that it is meete we should hold as honourable an opinion of our Church as may be and yet for all that we are not bound to beleeue that it is a thing impossible for our Church to be in an errour in as great an errour too as is this there are ij sortes of erroures there is an errour of maliciousnesse wilfulnesse against the light of conscience there is an errour of frailty ignorance this latter kindof errour may doth befale euery godly person and
Gods lawes this no man fearing God should doe 2. Since the Lords day is no Sabbath day they that defend the 7th day Sabbath to be abolished they cast downe all Sabbaths of Gods and so draw vs to Anabaptistry and open a flood gate to all impiety prophanesse among people which no man fearing God should doe 3. Since no day can be Sabbath day by the 4th com but the old Sabbath day as hath bene proued therefore they that hold and make it abolished they make that holy prayer of our Church a meere babling with God for the 4th com being rehearsed in vaine we say Lord haue mercy vpon vs and incline our heartes to keepe this Law now no man fearing God should make frustrate such a deuout and ancient prayer of our Church by his absurd tenentes I might mention other absurdeties but I list not to repeate them ARGVM III. My third argument to proue the 7th day Sabbath to be still in force is because so much is confessed by Diuines that are no friends but enemies vnto it thus it may be framed If such as are no friends but enemies vnto the 7th day Sabbath doe confesse that it is still in force then the 7th day Sabbath is still in force But such as are no friends but enemies vnto the old Sabbath doe confesse that it is still in force Therefore the 7th day Sabbath is still in force As for the consequence it is cleere for albeit the Testimony of a man in his owne case and for his owne aduantage be of smale esteeme yet a testimony which a man giues against himselfe is euer accounted strong wherefore if I shall proue that such as mislike of the 7th day Sabbath doe for all that affirme that it is still in force then the point must needes be yeelded to me And so I come vnto the Minor here I shall proue that such as are no friends to the 7th day Sabbath doe confesse that it is still in force and this I shall proue either by their expresse words or else by necessary consequence from their words for albeit they neuer intended to speake a word in defence of Gods Sabbath yet so cleere and apparent hath bene the trueth as they could not but speake for it albeit they fauoured it not my first Testimony shall be that of Doctour Prideaux in his booke of the Sabbath Pag. 140. It is manifest saith he that our Sauiour did often contend with the Pharisies about the superstitiouse obseruation of the Sabbath day but where is there any thing about the abrogation of it at vbi de abrogatione ipsius suspicio and where is there any mention of setting the Lords day in the roome of it did not the Apostles keepe the Sabbath of the Iewes with the Iewes without any scruple after the ascention of Christ did not the followinge Churches doe the like for many yeeres If then there be no suspicion of the abrogation of the Sabbath day in the new Testament as Doctour Prideaux saith then it necessarily followeth that the Sabbath day is still in force My second Testimony shall be that of M. Perkines on the Creede speaking of the Creation Pag. 152. where he speaketh of the place of Gods worship then to wit the garden of Eden also of the time of Gods worship to wit the Sabbath day Touching the time of Gods worship it was the 7th day from the begining of the Creation the Sabbath day And here we must note saith he that the keeping of the Sabbath is morall some indeed saith he doe pleade that it is but a ceremony yet falslie for it was ordeined before the fale of man at which time ceremonies signifying sanctification had no place Here is no speech of the Lords day the 8th day it was not knowne at the Creation but all this is spoken of the Sabbath day the 7th day and M. Perkins doth plainly affirme that this 7th day Sabbath is morall and contesteth against those who hold it to be a ceremony saying they speake falsly c. Now if it be morall no ceremony then it must needs be still in force My third Testimony shall be that of M. Dod on the commandements who in his exposition of the 4th com pag. 122. saith that the Sabbath is morall perpetuall againe Arguments to proue the Sabbath day to be perpetuall Now that all this must be true of the old Sabbath day not of the Lords day is plaine 1. Because he nameth the Sabbath day the SeaueÌ„th day 2. Because he fetcheth reasons to proue the morality froÌ„ Gods rest at the creatioÌ„ because it was a day blessed now these things cannot agre to our Lords day 3. In pag. 129. he thus concludeth So that these reasones doe most euidently confirme to the artes of all Gods childereÌ„ that the keeping of the Sabbath day is a morall Law and bindeth vs and all men to the end of the world as much as it did the Iewes afore Christ 4. In pag. 124. he brings an other reason for the morality of the Sabbath from the time of its first institution in Adams innocency saying Now then since it was instituted in Paradise c. it may not be reputed among ceremonies Now this cannot be vnderstod of the Lords day other reasons of his I spare well if the old Sabbath day be morall as it must be by these his words and reasones then it is still in force My 4th Testimony shall be that of Doctour Bownd in his booke of the Sabbath pag. 40. The 4th com saith he caÌ„ 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 saith he the second Commandement to be partly morall partly ceremoniall also If then the 4th com be not partly ceremoniall as touching the 7th day then is the 7th day still in force My 5th Testimony shall be that which I find quoted by Doctour Bownd in his booke of the Sabbath pag. 46. out of Wolph Chron. lib. 2. cap. 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 If the Decalogue conteineth nothing ceremoniall or to be abrogated then is not the 7th day ceremoniall but still inforce My 6th Testimony shall be that of M. Richard Byfield on the Sabbath against M. Brerewod pag. 88. where he thus writeth The 4th com is parte of the Law of nature so a parte of the Image of God 〈…〉 capable of a ceremony to be in it then God is If â—â—n there can be no ceremony in the 4th com then is not the 7th day therein a ceremony therefore it must be still in force so absurd it semeth to me it semed vnto these Diuines to suppose a ceremony to be in
of conscience for at the day when God shall iudge the secretes of men their consciences will beare witnesse their thoughtes accuse or excuse them Rom. 2.15 ARGVM IX My 9th argument to proue that the 7th day Sabbath is still in force is because vnlesse it be in force the whole 4th com with euery parte percell of it is abolished nullified altogether vselesse And thus it may be framed If the 7th day Sabbath be not now in force Then is the whole 4th com nullified altogether vselesse But the 4th com is not nullified become vselesse Therefore is the 7th day Sabbath now in force First a word or two of the minor or second proposition for the trueth of it namely that the 4th com is now in force this is plaine first by the Testimony of our Sauiour who ratifieth the very least of the commandements as you may see Math. 5.19 secondly it is ratified by our Church which hath ordered that the 4th com be reade in our Churches also that the people shall vse this prayer at the rehearsall of it by the Minister Lord haue mercy vpon vs and incline our hearts to keepe this Law Thirdly I know no Diuine one or other that denieth it or doubteth of it it were heinouse impiety for any to deny it for it were to deny one of the tenn Morall Lawes of Almighty God So much therefore for profe of the Minor I come then vnto the Major or first proposition wherein I affirmed that the abolishing of the 7th day Sabbath doth draw after it the nullifying of the whole 4th com now I proue it In the 4th com are ij things to be considered the one is the commandement it selfe the other is the reason of the com and I shall proue that both these are nullified by abolishing of the 7th day Sabbath or by denying that the 7th day Sabbath is still in force To begine with the commandement it selfe that I may shewhow this is nullified first we must see what it is which they deny namely the 7th day Sabbath in which words we will consider that they deny the Sabbath day that is the old Sabbath day to be in force now then we will consider how they deny the 7th day that is the 7th day from the Creation to be in force now for both these they doe deny in denying that the 7th day Sabbath is now in force of these two I will begine with the Sabbath day that is the old Sabbath day which they doe deny by these textes Exod. 31.13 Col. 2.16.17 now I proue that if the old Sabbath day specified in the 4th com be abolished not in force now then is the 4th com made nonsense and to stand for a Cipher and that this may appeare you shall see it made plaine to your very eyesight The Lord God said Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it Exod. 20.8 Now the Sabbath day here mentioned it was the old Sabbath day but this old Sabbath day say these new Sabbatharians is abolished not in force now which if it be so then in this commandement Exod. 20.8 the Lord God commandeth now at this time iust nothing at all for take away these ij words Sabbath day from out the commandement and in steade thereof put so many Ciphers as you haue letters in the two words as you may doe if those words or the thing meante by those words be abolished then the commandement is no more but thus much Remember the 0000000000 to sanctify it Thus you see by deniall of the old Sabbath day they haue made the word of God of none effect Gods commandement to become nonsense and a bundle of Ciphers this must be so vnlesse they can shew vs that God commanded vs two Sabbath dayes in his 4th com the one caled Sabbath day the other caled Lords day which all the Logick in their heads can neuer doe And so much for their deniall of the Sabbath day I come now vnto the other thing that they deny to wit the 7th day from the creation in this I will consider aparte these ij things first the word day then the word Seauenth first for the word day they say that the day to wit the old day is abolished as by other textes so also by these textes Rom. 14.5 Gal. 4.10 secondly for the word Seauenth they say that the 7th day in order of time is abolished to wit the 7th day from the Creation whence it followeth 1. That if the day be abolished then is there no day now inioyned in the 4th com for take away that day which was commanded to wit the old day then is there now no day required for a Sabbath in the 4th com so then now an howre in a day may be sufficient for a Sabhath so a Sabbath day may be turned into a Sabbath howre Loe then if by deniall of the 7th day they haue not nullified the 4th cō or as good as nullified it for the Lord was wont to haue an whole day celebrated for his worship by the 4th com but now we need giue him but an howre in a day for his worship by the 4th com thus Sabbath daies may be turned into Lecture daies is not this a manifest violence done vnto Gods Law and thus it must be by their denial vnlesse they can shew vs that God commanded ij daies in his 4th com an old day a new day the 7th day the 8th day 2dly it followeth that if the 7th day from the Creation be abolished as they say it is then now a daies we are not bound by the 4th com to giue God one day in euery 7 daies for a Sabbath but we may giue God one day in 7 or one day in 14 or one day in a moneth or one day in a yeere or one in 7 yeeres or one in a mans life time for being that the 7th day in the cō is abolished none other day there is specified or put into its roome we are now left at randome to take a day when we please for the 4th com doth not tell vs how often we should keepe a Sabbath since those words the 7th day are abolished which teld vs how often we should giue God a Sabbath now iudge thou good Reader if they haue not as good as nullified Gods 4th com by abolishing the 7th day since God was wont to haue a 7th day once a weeke by his 4th com but now we need not by that com giue him a Sabbath aboue once in a yeere or once in 7 yeeres or once in a mans life for the time how often being abolished there remaineth in the 4th com no more but the duty to keepe a Sabbath day and that we may performe if we keepe but one in our whole life But we haue not yet done In the 4th cō there is ij thinges to be obserued the one is
Against this distinction J conceiue these things 1. that by the same distinction we may still retaine all those Ceremoniall and anniuersary Sabbaths in Leuit. 23. holding them all morall in force still quoad genus as touching some time to be annually allotted for Gods worship but abolished as touching those speciall dayes quod ad Speciem attinet and so there shall be no more morallity in the 4th com then there is in those Ceremoniall commandements which is iust none at all or else the 4th com shall be euery white as much a Ceremoniall commandement as any of those commandements for those yeerly Sabbaths in Leuit. 23. Yea what morallity shall there be in Gods Sabbath more then is still in the Tabernacle or Temple for hence Diuines collect that some place must be assigned now for Church assemblies and publike worship and they collect no more from Gods Sabbath in the 4th com as namely that some time be allotted now for Gods worship 2. Since that the authores of this distinction doe grant that some day in generall is by the 4th com morall and perpetuall I will proue that that day must be Saturday the 7th day my reason is because the other Sixe dayes are commanded in the 4th com for the dayes of worke and labour Sixe daies thou shalt labour and doe all thou hast to doe Exod. 20. now this commandement of Sixe dayes labour is morall and perpetuall neuer yet altered and so saith M. Perkins in his commentary on the 4th Chap. to the Galatianes v. 9 pag. 286. But the words saith he Sixe daies thou shalt labour c the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord c are morall conteine a perpetuall trueth and in his Cases of conscience pag. 106. D. thus This reason made by God to the creature must stand in force till he reuerse it which yet he hath not And further the Sixe daies mentioned in the 4th com are Sunday Monday Tewsday VVednesday Thursday Friday namely those Sixe dayes wherein God himselfe wrought at the Creation Genes 1.5.8.13 c. Exod. 20.11 For Saturday neuer came into the number of the Sixe dayes neither by the commandement did the Iewes obserue or rekone any other daies for those Sixe but these I haue mentioned as I haue proued in my exposition on these words of the 4th com wherefore if one day of the 7 be morall by the 4th com and then the former 6 of those 7 daies be ordeined for worke by the 4th com then it must follow that that one day which is morall by the 4th com is Saturday the 7th day and the last of the number because of all the 7 dayes none is left vacant for a Sabbath but Saturday the 7th day all the other daies being appointed by the 4th com for worke Hereby it appeareth that this distinction is friuolouse saying that some one day is morall by the 4th com in generall but not that particular day which God commanded the Iewes constantly kept 3. That this distinction is absurd I proue it because it ouerturneth one of Gods tenn moralls to wit the 4th com for as for a time or day in generall this is commanded in the 2th com where Gods worship is inioyned for if God must be worshiped then of necessity a time or a day in generall one or other must be allotted therefore so then deny that speciall time to wit Saturday the 7th day and you abolish the 4th com vtterly and grant no more morall in the 4th com but a time in generall and you confound the 2th com with the 4th com make thâ— 4th com a needlesse repetition 4. If some one day in generall be morall by the 4th com and not determined which day then the Church may choose Saturday the Iewish Sabbath day againe But they hold it Iudaisme to keepe Saturday the Iewes Sabbath day Therefore is not some one day in generall vndeterminedly morall inioyned by the 4th com or the Church may appoint the day of Christs Natiuity Christmas day or the daies of Christs passion our Fridayes for Sabbath dayes by the 4th com since the 4th com is holden not to determine the speciall day and time 5. If some one day or some time in generall be all that is morall in the 4th com then are we not tyed to giue God a Sabbath weekly it may suffice if we giue God a day once a moneth one in a yeere or one in 7000 daies for thus there shall be a day and some time in generall allotted for Gods worship and this is an other absurdety whereof this distinction is guilty 6. If one day or some time in geneaall be all that is morall in the 4th commandement so as the speciall day time must be allotted and appointed by the Authority of the Church then this absurdety followeth that this sacred ordinance of Gods sabbath shall be partly Diuine partly humane a mingle mangle for God commands a time man commands the time Yea so one ordinance of God to wit his Sabbath it shall stand by virtue of two seuerall commandements as if one were not enough for it shall stand by the 4th com as it is a time and so commanded of God by the 5th com as it is the time and so commanded by the Magistrate 7. That the absurdety of this distinct on may yet further appeare let it be obserâ—ed the old Sabbath day which was expresly commanded in the 4th com and which the Iewes kept to wit Saturday they say that this speciall time and day was abrogated as appeareth by Exod. 31.13 and by Colos 2.16 and other like textes now they oppose these textes which speake of Sabbath daies not onely vnto those anniuersary Sabbath daies in Leuit. 23. but also to that weekly Sabbath day in the 4th com Exo. 20. and hereby they hold the 7th day Sabbath abolished now I would faine know of them if the word Sabbath in Colos 2.16 be not of as large a sense as the word Sabbath in the 4th com if there be no difference as none they can shew then if followeth that if the Sabbath day in the 4th com be abolished by this text Colos 2.16 which speakes of Sabbath daies then are all Sabbath daies and times in the 4th commandement abolished that both specially and generally for euery aniuersary Sabbath abolished by this text is abolished both generally and specially so then since they apply this text Colos 2.16 against the Sabbath mentioned in the 4th com it is a friuolouse tenet to say the time in the 4th com is morall quod ad genus attinet and to say that by the 4th coÌ„ some day or time in generall onely is morall this cannot be vnlesse it be vainly supposed that the name Sabbath day in the 4th com hath a genus but the same name in Colos 2.16 hath none 8. If onely the time commanded in the 4th com quod ad genus
account the sinne of Sabbath breaking heere no lesse heinouse fearefull then I accounted it there for it doth not follow that because there is a Dispensation from a commandement in a case of necessity that therefore the transgression of that commandement when there is no necessity is a light matter A Dispensation indeed maketh the breach of that commandement light for that time and to those persons vnto whom the Dispensation doth properly belong as the eating of the Sewbread in a case of necessity it was for that time light and vnto Dauid in hunger it was light but yet at other times and to such persons as were not in Dauids case at that time it had bene an heinouse and a fearefull sinne to haue eaten of that bread and thus it is with the Sabbath whilst there is a Dispensation in a case of necessity and to those persones vnto whom it doth belong it is light neuerthelesse out of this case of necessity and Dispensation to breake the Sabbath it is an heinouse and a fearefull sinne now in the exposition of the 4th commandement there we considered of the Sabbath day out of the case of necessity and so it is to be considered vnto all such as are enemies vnto it and to them it is an heinouse and fearefull sinne to profane it by working on it like as it had bene a greate sinne for Dauid himselfe to haue eateÌ„ the Shewbread out of the case of hunger but in the Dispensation there we consider of the Sabbath as in a case of necessity and so it is to be considered onely vnto such as make a conscience of it and are true friends vnto it and to these it is light for they may worke on the Sabbath as Dauid might eate the Shewbread in the case of hunger Wherefore to conclude when the breach of the Sabbath is to be esteemed light then it is to be considered as light onely vnto the true friends thereof but not vnto the enemies thereof let not them therefore take heart hereat as if God meant to fauour them for their Sabbath breaking is neuer a whit lessened or lightened from being vnto them an heinouse and a fearefull sinne by the Dispensation granted vnto others OBIECT VI. Sâ—me obiect thus by this Dispensation you haue answered confuted your selfe c others say you haue contradicted your selfe c. Herevnto I answer that these men speake as if they neither knew what a confutation or a contradiction meante for in the former parte of my booke where I disputed for the obseruation of the Sabbath there I considered the Sabbath absolutly and out of the case of necessity but in my Dispensation where I giue leaue to breake the Sabbath it is considered in the case of necessity like as if a man should first dispute in defence of the Shewbread that it ought not to be eaten by common persones that is out of the case of necessity and then he should againe dispute touching the Shewbread shewing that it may be eaten to wit in a case of necessity and hunger doth this man thinke you confute or confound himselfe or doth he contradict himselfe trow yee or rather doe not such as idlie so charg him bewray their weaknesse and ignorance that they know not what or where a contradiction is OBIECT VII Some obiect against vs and lay sorely to our charg Hypocrisy because our iudgement and our practise goe not together for we hold the 7th day to be the Sabbath day and yet keepe it not which must needs be no better theÌ„ Hypocrisy yea and these men being informed vpon what grownds we goe when and why we refraine the practise of the Sabbath yet so greate is their charity that nothing can please them but still it must needs be Hypocrisy And for the profe hereof the Hypocrisy of Peter is alleaged Gal. 2.12.13 And so we are condemned for Hypocrisy as Peter was For aÌ„swer hereto first we must know what Hypocrisy is Hypocrisy therefore in the common sense of the word is when a man doth make semblance shew to be that which in deede and in trueth he is not his outward appearance being one thing but his home and inward practise being an other In this sense our Sauiour denounceth a woe vnto the Scribes and Pharises caling them Hypocrits because they made cleane the outer side of the Cupp and Platter but within they were full of bribery and excesse and because they were like to whited Tombes which appeare beautifull outwardly but within they were full of dead mens bones and filthinesse and because outwardly they appeared righteouse to men but within were full of iniquity Mat. 23.25 c. Now this discription of Hypocrisy we are as free from it in this our practise as they are that taxe vs with it for where can they shew that we vse any of this Hypocriticall guile and dissimulation making a faire shew outwardly of that which we practise not indeed in trueth if indeed we did outwardly professe that we kept the Sabbath day in our families but when these men that so taxe vs come amongst vs they see no such matter then they might taxe vs for Hypocrisy but behold the quite contrary for we openly fairly and honestly professe it that in our iudgements we hold we are not bound vnto the present practise as the case standeth now according to this our open shew appearance and profession iust so is our practise at home for we keep not the Sabbath day but the Lords day let them taxe vs if they can where then is this Hypocriticall dissembling where is this guilfull dealing wherewithall they taxe vs so sorely before the people in their Pulpits can any men deale more fairly then we doe for our words and our deeds goe togeather It is a rule in Diuinity that if a brothers actiones may admit of a double sense the better sense is to be giuen but suer I am these men were farre from the practise of this rule of charity whilst so vncharitably they haue giuen the worser sense yea a false sense so farre off they are from charritable constructiones as they haue stretcht their wites vpon the Tainters to finde out as bade a censure as possiblie could be made to make vs to stinke befor the people odiouse to all that know vs. But they shall giue accomptes to God for such slaunders one day when we shall be blessed that haue bene so reuiled Mat. 5.11 Furthermore we cannot be censured with Hypocrisy if they looke but vpon our iudgements which we haue formerly reuealed to them for we openly professe it and so euer haue done that we thinke in our consciences that a Dispensation is good in our case and that we are not bound vnto the present practise dureing this case of necessity now suppose that this our iudgment were erroniouse and that there ought to be no Dispensation yet so long as we doe indeed thinke and beleeue that we may refraine the
indeed that Reformation must begine at the head His Maiestie the Reuerend Bishopes and ParliameÌ„t are they that cane doe this greate worke Neuerthelesse priuate persones and single persones may be helpers The Master builder layes the stone but inferiour persones hewe the stone and single persones carry stone to the building His Maiestie and ParliameÌ„t enacteth Lawes yet often and againe those Lawes take their originall in the Country from priuate persones and single persones who foreseeing the necessity of such Lawes acquainting their brethren therewith they rune from man to man till at length they come to the King himselfe All therefore I desire thee as a priuate person to doe is but this first pray to God instantly and constantly to make knowne this doctrine of his Sabbath to all persones and so in time vnto his Maiestie and other Reformers vnder him and that God would incline both His and all mens hearts vnto a publike and generall Reformation Secondly vse all meanes possible within the compasse of thy caleing that may any waies tend vnto a reformation to this end after thou hast well studied the pointe then speake of it freely as occation serueth vnto all whom it doth concerne let the Lords Sabbaths haue thy good word let them haue thy countenance and all possible furtherance that so the light of this trueth may be conveighed from man to man vntill it be spread all ouer the Kingdome vntill it hath reached vnto the Pallace of the King and Parliament house When the Lords Tabernacle was to be made euery one of a wiling heart brought something therevnto some brought gold siluer some blew silke skarlet some oyle for the light some rammes skines and badgers skinnes so euery one would haue an hand in that gloriouse and sacred worke Now the Lords Sabbaths are to be reedified let euery one bring something therevnto and if they cannot afford gold and siluer yet let them bring something a skine or two or a little oyle for the light a man cannot afford God and his cause lesse then his good word and countenance and his good word may proue as oyle for the light for it may procure much light this is all which I desire of priuate persones and thus they may serue very vsefully for the Lords building as hewers of stone for the building or as bearers of stone to the Master builders or as oyle for the light and this is all I desire of single persones who say I am but one c. why one may light a Candle which may giue light vnto twenty and one may kindle a fyer that may warme a greate many and so much for common persones Further we must know this Exhortation concerneth not onely common persons but it reacheth vnto the very chiefe it belongeth vnto Laiety and Clergy both it concerneth common Ministers neerly but it concerneth the Byshopes and Fathers of the Church more neerly it concerneth the Commons of the land neerly but it concerneth the Gentrie and Nobilitie more neerly and his Maiestie most neerly for by how much God hath aduanced any in Authority aboue others by so much this Reformation more neerly concerneth them or him and in case they neglect it the greater account they shall haue to render vnto God at that day The 4th com it was as hath been showne most principally giuen vnto Superiours c. And Nehemiah reproued the Nobles and Rulers of the land for the peoples profanation of the Lords Sabbaths Nehem. 13.17 Let the Commons speake for a reformation let the Magistrats make reformation and so I come vnto the Motiues I. In the first place we will consider of the greatnesse and so of the difficulty of this reformation that so many men may be moued to put too their helpe Since the daies of the Apostles I cannot call to minde that euer the Church of God made any reformation comparable to this of the Lords Sabbaths vnlesse it were that one remarkable reformation touching the second commandement begune by that worthy instrument of Gods glorie Martine Luther if the euill eye of the inviouse man will giue me leaue to say so The greatnesse whereof may appeare 1. Because it concerneth all men without exception for there is no man liuing in the Church but the obseruation of the Sabbath concerneth him and that in a speciall sorte 2. It will be the greater because it hath layne buried now aboute twelue hundreth yeeres euen since that wicked and Schismaticall decree of the Counsaile of Laodicea Anno 364 which rente the Churches a sunder one from an other the younger from the more ancient and pure Churches as touching the obseruation of the Lords Sabbaths Now an old sore is not easily cured the myracle of Christ was the greater vpon Lazarus because he raised him from the dead when he had bene so long buried that he stank againe the Lords Sabbaths haue bene now so long dead and buried that they stinke againe in mens nostriles through their want of a true Sente the reuiuing and raising of them vp againe therefore will be a worke of greate difficulty 3. It will be the greater because it is like to meete with mighty and greate oppositiones for what greate worke was euer attempted that had not as greate oppositiones when the Wales of Ierusalem were builded what oppositiones and when the Temple was reedified what oppâ—sitions and no doubt but at the reedifying and raising vp againe of the Lords Sabbaths there will be no smale oppositiones Now greate workes and difficult workes as they stand in neede of the helpe of greate men so they neede the helpe of many men to one Captaine or Generall there are hundreths and thowsands of common soldiers it is needfull therefore that euery priuate man should put to his hand and his voyce for the reedifying of the Lords Sabbaths and by how much the more difficult by so much the more neede there is of a generall assistance and the aide of all men II. In the second place we will consider of the Honourablenesse of this reformation and this will appeare by the Honourablenesse of the thing to be reformed to wit the Lords Sabbath touching which first we will consider of its antiquity this ordinance of Gods Sabbath of all others it is one of the most ancient for it is of the age of the world it being instituted at the Creation Genes 2.3 If therefore the honourablenesse may be valued by the antiquity what can be more honourable for nothing is more ancient who would not haue an hand and a voyce in the raising vp againe of so ancient and honourable an ordinance of Gods as is his sacred Sabbath Secondly we will consider of its constant obseruation a longe all times and ages from before the giuing of the Law vpon Mount Sinay vntill 300 or 400 yeeres after Christs ascention for as we haue formerly proued the Sabbath day was in vse in the Church before the giuing of the Law and so also