Tables of stone to notify its perpetuity they hauing no plaine and direct Text of Scripture necessarily abolishing it it can be nothing then but their bare vvilles and pleasures to haue it abolisht and this grownded vpon the custome of the church because shee hath abolisht it now a long tyme. They haue not thus done vvith it though for they haue also certain reasons argumēts more vvhich vve novv come to my minde against the tyme and day where by they would proue the Sabbath day abolisht The first is taken from Christ himselfe Say some men vvhy Christ himselfe abolished the Sabbath day and that euen in his owne tyme whilst he vvas vpon the earth for He gaue leaue to vvork vpon the Sabbath as to leade beastes to water to toile about lifting a beast out of a ditche yea himselfe made clay on the Sabbath to open the eyes of the blinde man in so much as the Pharises taxed him for a breaker of the Sabbath and for a godlesse man for it saying This man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabbath day Ioh. 9.16.14 Hereto I answer 1. what matters it what those superstitious Pharises censured of Christ vvho were the blind leaders of the blinde and of enuy could not endure Christ should doe any thing but they would carpe and cauill at it if possiblie they could though here they would not endure Christ so much as to cure a blinde man on the Sabbath yet it appeareth it was but enuy but superstition in them for Christ approued his owne facte of healing on the Sabbath day by a common practise among the Jewes themselues at that day of the like saying what man among you if his sheepe fall on the Sabbath into a pitt doth not take it and lift it out Mat. 12.10.11 yea it appeareth the Pharises and Doctoures of the Law euen vnder the Law allowed other men though not Christ nor his Disciples to doe works of charity and necessity on the Sabbath as to lift a sheep out of the ditch and for the Priest to kill the Sacrifices on the Sabbath Matt. 12.5.11 I answere 2. let not vs attend to the Scribes and Pharises censures but hearken we to Christ the true expounder obseruer of the Law now he allowed workes of mercy and workes of necessity to be done on the Sabbath day as those instances afore mentioned doe proue but for any to suppose Christ meante hereby to abolish the Sabbath is a simple conceipte for Christ saith of the Morall Law vvhereof the Sabbath day is a branch He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it Mat. 5.17 But suppose the Sabbath had beene a branch of the ceremoniall Law why yet t is absurde to think that Christ would abrogate any thing of it so long as he liued for the ceremoniall Law was equally in force with the Morall Law vntill Christs death So then these things did not argue any abolition of the Sabbath day then but rather giues vs to vnderstand how we Christians are to keepe the Lords Sabbath to the worlds end not in any superstitious strictnes as if vve might not on that day doe works of mercy and necessity but the contrary for if Christ allowed it to the Jewes euen before his death whilst no man doubtes but all Lawes morall ceremoniall were in force why should vve thinke but that he allowed as much libertie to Christians to the vvorlds end 2. A 2d reason is fetcht from that phrase Mat. 12.8 The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath day whence it is thought that since Christ is called the Lord of the Sabbath that therefore Christ may change the Sabbath day secondly that Christ as Lord of the day did abolish the day I answere first to the former Say I should graunt that Christ the Lord of the Sabbath may or might change the Sabbath what 's that to our question vve dispute not of what Christ may or might doe but what Christ did doe I answere to the latter that neither the context nor yet the phrase of Christ being Lord of the Sabbath will afforde any such matter see the absurdety of such collections from a like phrase Rom. 14.9 Christ died and rose againe that he might be Lord both of the deade and of the liuing can any hence collect that because Christ is called Lord of the liuing that therfore Christ might or did abolish or destroy the liuing 2. to suppose Christ here did abolish the Sabbath day as a ceremony is altogether growndlesse for both at this tyme when Christ spake these vvordes all ceremonies vvere in full force and also so they remained euer after vntill the day of his death and passion for not vntill then was the handwriting of ordinances taken out of the vvay Col. 2.14 nor vntill his death did Christ euer abolish any ordinance formerly in vse in the Iewish church To conclude no more can be gathered out of this text Mat 12.8 but the right vse of the Sabbath Christ freeing it from the superstitions of the Pharises who held that no worke might be done in no case vpon the Sabbath day but Christ shewed that in a case of necessity his Disciples might plucke and rubb a fewe eares of corne to satisfie present hunger Christ did beare them out in it allowing a dispensation in such a ease for as he vvas Lord of all the commandements as touching his Godhead so of the Sabbath day also and therfore he might dispense vvith that law and that day or rather he might therfore be betrusted to haue giuen the true sense and exposition of the commandement and to haue showne them the right vse of a Sabbath day as if he had thus said since I am Lord of the Sabbath doe not you Pharisies think that I vvill giue way no not to my Disciples to doe any vnlawfull facte on this day nor suffer them to prophane this sacred tyme for it is myne I am Lord of it if therfore their plucking eares of corne had bene blame worthy you should haue found me so farre from defending them as I vvould haue bene the first that would haue rebuked them for it but herein I see they haue done no more then I doe allowe them to doe the Lord of a corne field vvill allow his seruants to make a footpath through his corne in case of a necessity 3. A 3d reason is because all things are become new now in the Kingdome of Christ 2. Cor. 5.17 and therfore the ould Sabbath is abolished say they Where vnto I answere 1. if all things be become new now in Christs Kingdome I pray shew me then vvhere you haue a new commandement for the 8th day or first day of the weeke or for the Lords day in steade of the ould 4th commandement for the 7th day or Sabbath day and where the Israelites vvere commanded in the first comm to serue the true God only shew me vvhere now we are commanded to serue any
God and for vvhose sake the Sabbath it selfe vvas made Mark 2.27 To conclude did not our blessed Sauiour in his tyme approue of fyer making on the Sabbath think you or at least of as great vvorks and so of that by like reason vvhen he vowchsafed his presence at a feast of the Iewes on the Sabbath Luk. 14.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 c vvhere were many guestes now at a feast and many guests could not but be a fyer to dresse meat or as great labour in dressing meat and tendance of the guests as is the bare kindling of a fyer 3 The 3d thing is that the Iewe might carry no burdenes on the Sabbath day Ierem. 17.21 Nehem 13.15 I answere 1. If this be a part of the rigorous precise and strict rest required only of the Jewe vvhy doe all diuines now a dayes presse this rigorousnes vpon Christians forbidding vs novv to carry burdnes on the Sabbath day if this vvas a ceremony and to ende with Christ then vve Christians may freely beare burdenes vpō backs of men or beasts or on cartes novv on our Lords day is not this goodly stuffe hereby you may haue a taste vvhat it is for vvorthy diuines to captiuate their judgments to yeeld to much confidence to the labours of our forefathers if of Note or to take points of diuinity by tradition vpon trust from others for had this learned man vsed his owne judgment in these points he had neuer ouershot himselfe so farr as to put downe such things as these so vndigested 2. In this text God forbad carrying of burdenes only as an vnnecessary seruile vvork but he forbade not carrying burdnes in case of necessity as a vvork of charity for Christ allowed the sicke man to carry his bed on the Sabbath day Ioh. 5.8.9.10 now vvhere then vvas God so rigorous and straight vnto the Jewe since he permitted them burthens bearing if and vvhen necessity so required and so we haue examined these 3. things aboue mentioned 4 A 4th Text I may add vvhich I haue often heard alleaged for the former purpose and t is vvritten Exod. 16.23 Bake that to day vvhich ye vvill bake and seeth that vvhich ye vvill seeth and all that vvhich remaineth lay it vp till the morning for you c. vvhere say they here the Iewes vvere commanded to dresse all their meate on the Friday the day before their Sabbath day and by consequence they were forbidden to dresse any on the Sabbath I answere 1. To this I oppose an other Text Exod. 12.16 vvhere the Lord forbade the Isralites to doe any work but with this exception Saue about that which euery man must eate that only may ye doe this text so playnly giuing leaue to dresse such and so much meate on the day as a man should eat vpon the day giues me to thinke no other text should forbid the same but hereto it will be said the Text Exod. 16.23 treats of the Morall Sabbath but your Text Exod. 12.16 treats of the holy dayes of the passeouer I answere t is true this text speaks of the first and of the 7th dayes of the feast of vnleauened bread only but this must also be noted that these festiuall dayes had their holy conuocations and assemblies and wherein they were forbidden to doe any work as the text shewes just as on the Sabbath dayes yea these festiuall dayes were also called Sabbath dayes and threatened with death also if they wrought on these dayes Leuit. 23.30.32 now if God as strictly bound the Iewe to rest on these festiuall Sabbaths which were annuall as on the morall Sabbath weekly then looke what libertie God gaue vpon one of these Sabbaths vve are to judge I suppose that God gaue the like libertie on the other Sabbath the cases being a like and the ceremoniall Sabbath being as strictly to be rested in from all manner of seruile works as vvas the morall Sabbath 2. I answere to the text directly This Text in my thinking is vvonderously mis-vnderstood they suppose that Moses lade the Isralites bake vpon Friday both the two Omers gathered on that day and then by these words all that remayneth lay vp c. they vnderstand all that remaineth of the 2. omers backt and vneaten so as that which remained vneaten was backed But first they erre in supposing Moses bad them bake on the day before the Sabbath both these two omers vvhich they had that day gathered where as Moses left it free to their choise to backe as the text faith vvhat they vvould more or lesse Bake that which ye vvill bake and seeth that which ye vvill seeth c. and so t is most likly they baked that day about one omer of the two they had gathered just as they did on the other 5. vvorking dayes they gathered euery day one world So then the Sabbath if it must last till heauen comes it must then last to euery particular saint and beleeuer so long as he liues on earth abides in the church militant and it must last to the church generally to this worlds end and if so then I trust the Sabbath is no ceremony temporary and abolisht long since I answere 2. Admit the Sabbath here were a type yet is not the Sabbath as men keepe it made a type of heauen but as God kept it at creation as v. 4. Now if only Gods keeping Sabbath rt creation was a type of heaueu what is this to make the Iewes keeping Sabbath any type of heauen for our question is of the Sabbath in reference to men I answere 3. Gods rest at the creation is not a type properly as hauing relation to Christ incarnate but a similitude only as shadowing out Heauen and such similitudes are not ceremonious and temporary but perpetuall and eternall for instance Heb. 4.10 He that is entred into his rest hath ceased from his workes as God did from his if then Gods rest because a similitude to be a ceremony and temporary then also is the perfection in God a temporary ceremony for t is made a similitude of our perfection Mat. 5.48 ye shall therfore be perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as your heauenly father is perfect see a like example Joh. 5 21. And these are the textes vvhich are vsually brought to make the Rest of the 4th Comm in parte eighther too strict and rigorous or else typicall and so ceremoniall and so the 4th Com it selfe to be partly a ceremony and all to this end the better to make way for the downe fale and vtter ruine of Gods 7th day Sabbath the vvhich by Gods Mercy they haue not yet attained but you see are frustrat of their purposes so I trust shall euer be hereafter And now I come to the tyme of the Sabbath the 7th day vvhich is the maine of all and against which they haue bent all their forces and if it fall so out they haue no better successe against this 7th day Sabbath then they haue had against the Rest
sacred tyme of the Lords Sabbath Beware ye be not found fighters against God and to side it vvith that branded vvicked one in Dan. 7.25 vvho thought he might change tymes and the law It is not to be passed by vvithout obseruation that the Apostle condemnes Sabbathes but indefinitly he said not all Sabbaths generally but Sabbaths indefinitly as of some Sabbathes only but say now that an indefinite axion may be conserued eighther generally or particularly aâ— the matter and circumstances of the place requireth why shew me now vvhat occasion this context giueth you to vnderstand here Sabbathes of all Sabbathes morall and ceremoniall or of any but ceremoniall or if you haue grownds so to doe from some other text I pray shew the text or if from som reasons I pray shew the reasons and let them be necessarily sounde and demonstratiuly true for there is great cause it should be so since by force thereof you vvill confront one of Gods expresse commandements you had need looke you goe on sure grownde vvhen you attempt to altar any branch of those commandements vvhich God himselfe tooke care to wright in Tables of stone for my part I trust it shall euer be my care to death to maintaine the inviolable and eternall Law of God those is commandements and euery iett and title of them so as not to departe with any of them nor suffer a title to be snatcht from me by any light distinctions or humane vnnecessary enlargement of the sense of words I trust God vvill euer giue me to make conscience of that Commandement Deut. 12.32 vvhatsoeuer I command you take heede you doe it Thou shalt put nothing there to nor take ought there from if I must not take any thing from the Law of God then resolue I not to consent to or yeelde that the Lords Sabbath should be rente from Gods Law vpon euery or any light coniecture and probable argument I answere 3d. if by Sabbathes here must be meante all Sabbathes as well the Morall as the Ceremoniall Sabbathes then by like reason may I gather an abolition not only of the ceremoniall Law but also of the morall Law for Ephes 2.15 t is said Christ hath abrogated the law of commandements and Heb. 7.12 of necessety there must be a change of the Law now vvhy may not I by the word Law vnderstand both morall and Ceremoniall Law as vvell as you by the vvord Sabbathes to vnderstande the Morall and ceremoniall Sabbathes see therfore vvhat absurdetyes would follow if it were lawfull thus to extende vvords but happily some thinke it no absurdety to say that Christ by his death abolisht both Lawes the ceremoniall and the morall but if such thoughtes and sayings be not blasphemouse against the Law of God I know not vvhat are if such collections be not of most perniciouse dangerouse consequence in Gods Church I cannot tell what be did not the same Christ whom they vvould make to abolish the morall Law renounce this facte and also contrariwise establish this morall Law Mat. 5.17.18 saying I came not to destroy the Law c. and then vntill heauen and earth perish one iotte or title of this Law shall not passe but they vvill say it vvas reestablished againe after by the in the 4th Comm and then you giue liberty for men to exercise themselues in seruile labours at home in their families and a part a brode in the fields in ploughing dikeing carteing and the like now these exercises doe vtterly abolish Holines I doe not say Holines absolutly for a man may be holy in a calling but I say it abolisheth a Sabbaths Holinesse vvhich is to be exercised in holy performances without labour and a whole day and in holy assemblies but how can they be in the congregation in the assemblie togeather who be euery man at his owne house seuerally or in the field scatteredly at their labours the same whereof is that take away Sabbaths and you take away Rest which is signified by the vvord Sabbath againe take away Rest and you necessarily take away Holinesse that other dutie also And againe if you by this text of Col. 2.16 doe abolish the very duties of the Sabbath Rest and Holines as you doe haue you not made faire worke think you by abolishing that which you call the morality of the Sabbath euer Rest and Holinesse 7. The 7th and last text they produce for the abolishing of the 7th day Sabbath is that in Exo. 31.13 where the Sabbath are said to be a signe that the Lord did sanctifie his people now they say all signes be abrogated and therfore the Sabbath day I answere 1. The Lord God doth not say expresly in this text you shall not hereafter as namly after the death of Christ keepe the Sabbath day any more because I haue made it a signe now no but thus much is collected by humane reason because God made the Sabbath a signe now I can but vvonder how mortall man dareth by bare force of his blind feeble reason thus to confront his God God said in his 4th Comm which he wrote aboue all Scripture by his owne finger Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it The 7th day is the Sabbath in it thou shalt not work Now the quite contrary to God men now a dayes blushe not by bare force of reason to anowche Namly that the Sabbath day is abolished and therfore not to be remembred any more nor to refraine seruile work in it yea they contradict their Sauiour too who said of the Morall Law one iott or title of it should not passe to the vvorlds end Mat. 5.18 but they say yis that one iott to vvit the 7th day Sabbath may passe c. now choose you vvhither it be safer to leaue the vveight of your soules vpon Gods and Christes expresse wordes or vpon mens force of reason by way of collections and consequentes we haue formerly showne how blinde a thing mans reason is in matter of religion and especially in the duties of the first Table vvhich conserueth God and that therfore Diuines in other are signes and yet in vse still I answere 5. by distinguishing of signes and that two wayes first there be signes of things present as is the Sabbath Exod. 31.13 it is a signe c. that I the Lord doe sanctify you here the signe the thing signified are together in tyme and there be signes of things to come and such vvas the signe of circumcision Genes 17.11 vvhich aimed at Christ to come now though I grant that signes of things to come be abrogate yet I deny that signes of things present be abrogate such are the Sabbaths mentioned Exod. 31.13 a difference must be put twixt the signes of things present and future since that vvhen a signe and thing signified futurly doe mete together in tyme then the signe vanisheth as vvhen circumcision and Christs death came together then the signe circumcision vanished but t is other vvise vvith
Argument is because there can be no day for a Sabbath vveekly and ordenarily but the 7th day and it may thus be framed If no day of the 7. can be Sabbath vveekly but the 7th day Then must the 7th day now be Sabbath day But no day of the 7. can be Sabbath weekly but the 7th day Therfore must the 7th day now be Sabbath day the consequence is cleere of it selfe and needs no proofe to him that howlds there ought to be a Sabbath as we all doe The Minor I thus proue because God without repeale or exception hath commanded vs or at least permitted and freely giuen vs leaue to labour and vvorke and doe all that we haue to doe in those 6. dayes whichgoe next before the Sabbath or 7th day Exod. 20.9.11 sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke for in sixe dayes the Lord made Heauen Earth c. so then we may worke vpon the Lords day or any other of the sixe dayes and that by Gods authority by his Morall Law neither may it be thought that this branch of the 4th Comm is repealed for the 6. dayes for labour were neuer made typicall and ceremoniall these were neuer shadowes of Chtist yea the Lords day it selfe vvas neuer excepted for Christ himselfe after his resurrection did both trauaile vpon the first day of the 6. namly the Lords day a matter of 15. myles and also approued of the like facte in the two disciples by his iournying together with them to Emmaus that day Luk. 24.13 as hath beene more largly declared in the former parte of this booke now looke what Christ did the like we may doe safely follow me as I follow Christ 1. Cor. 11.1 said Paul so then Christs example is our pattorne and president so as we may worke still vpon the first day of the weeke or on the Lords day if then we may work vpon any of the 6. dayes then are we not tyed to keep any of those dayes a Sabbath in resting from vvorke If any shall thinke we now keepe the 7th day and that day which followeth these dayes labour to him I say that our Lords day vvhich we keepe is the 8th day or first day in the vveeke by Diuine accounte and the 6. dayes labour spoken of in 4th Com are those 6. dayes vvhich goe next before our Saturday for those are the dayes we are to imitate God by working in them since we all confesse Saturday was the 7th day and that day whereon God rested after his 6. dayes work and since vve confesse those were the dayes the Jewes till and at Christs death did labour in 6. My 6th Argument is because God must haue one day in euery 7. dayes from the creation to the vvorlds end and it may be thus framed If God must haue one day in euery 7. dayes for a Sabbath Then must he haue Saturday the 7th day for a Sabbath and not Sunday the first day of the vveeke But God must haue one day in euery 7. dayes for a Sabbath Therfore must God haue Saturday the 7th day for a Sabbath and not Sunday the first day of the vveeke For the Minor it is confessed of all and it may be proued by the 4th Comm vvhere the Lord said Remember the Sabbath that is euery Sabbath Againe The 7th day is the Sabbath that is euery 7th day is the Sabbath like as Thou shalt not kill that is euery thou Loue thy neighbour that is euery neighbour c. For the Maior I proue its consequence Saturday the 7th day it being the last day of that vveeke if you omitte it making a change for you say that day is changed and if so then it is omitted by just consequence giue God Sunday the first day of the next vveeke for it then it is plaine God hath not a Sabbath in euery vveeke or 7. dayes for the wanted one Sabbath in that vveeke wherin the change vvas made from Saturday to Sunday now this lacke and want of a Sabbath in that vveeke can no wayes be supplied but by returning backe to giue God Saturday the 7th day againe So then if God must haue one day in euery 7 you must giue him Saturday which is the last of 7. vvithout any change to the day after or else you both deny that in practise vvhich euery man houldes in judgement to wit that God must haue one day in euery 7. and also liue in the breach of the 4th Com vvhich enioyneth euery 7th day neither vvill it serue your turne to say this change vvas made by others many 100. yeeres a gone for so long as you vphould their day and change you treade in their steppes and justify their facte and are accessary to it 7. My 7th argument is because God had expresly commanded vs the 7th day Sabbath in his Morall Law it may be thus framed Whatsoeuer God hath commanded in this Morall Law that is now in force But the 7th day Sabbath God hath commanded in his Morall Law Therefore the 7th day Sabbath is now in force For the Minor see it expresly proued Exod. 20.8.10 Exod. 23.12 Exod. 31.14.15 Exod. 35.2 Exod. 16.29 Leuit. 23.3 vvhere both the Sabbath day is commanded and likewise the 7th day is commanded equally and if any shall answere a 7th day is commanded but not the 7th day I referre him to my exposition vpon the 4th Comm and vnto the 2d thing ther in vvhere I haue sufficiently proued that God pointed at one singular vvell knowne day from all others and left vs not at rouers to take any day For the Maior namely that vvhatsoeuer God hath commanded in his Morall Law that is now in force this Maxime is so Orthodoxe as it should trouble the conscience of any man once to heare it questioned fearing men hereby goe about to serue God by halues and by peeces to take and to leaue out vvhat they lost not hauing respect vnto all Gods Commandements the very naming and mention that a thing is commanded and that in the 10. Commandements it beares downe all contradiction Hereby vve controule the Atheist the Papist the vaine swearer the Sabbath breaker the disobedient childe the murtherer adulterer theife false witnes bearer and the couetuouse person but now if any begin to question this truth and once to make one breache the flood of iniquity vvill flowe in amaine and if any exception be giuen vvay too for the 7th day commanded vnder what pretense soeuer why other sinners and prophane persons will and may be looke for the like and so the vvhole Law shall be of no force to binde vs now vvhy may not the Papist cauile against 2d Com and say that I indeed it forbad Images to the Jewes but not to Christians vvhy may not the Atheist cauill at first Command Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart Matt. 22.37 I sayes he this belongs not to vs for t is impossible so intirely to loue God as with all
at an other tyme therfore I thinke it the more likely that we are tyed only to the day naturall in Winter though it be shorter then then the other Neuertheles because the safest vvay is best and an errour on the right hand rather to be admitted then one the lefte if any man judge it better for the depth of vvinter to keepe his Sabbath by the artificiall day I say not to the contrary yea I say for myne owne particular I purpose to accompany him whoesouer he be in performance of Sabbath dayes exercises and refrayning all seruile laboures not onely for the artificiall day but after it is ended vntill it be tyme to goe to rest sleepe Here an other question ariseth if we be tyed but to the day tyme and light onely for our Sabbath vvhat then shall become of the tyme of night before or after the Sabbath I answere nature teacheth that God hath made the night for man to rest in and sleepe and so necessarily he that tyme resteth from all labours as in the Sabbath day tyme but you may say againe what and if a man be not disposed to sleepe as not to goe to bedd so soone as the artificiall day in depth of Winter be done may he set vpon the duties of his ordenary calling vntill he goe to rest heretoo I answere where God hath left no order what to doe as in this case here then it is left to Christian discretion In this case then I should judge it very behoofefull that we deale vvith God in this night as vve doe by our selues on other nightes of the 6. working dayes in these if we be not disposed to goe to bedd vve vvill spend that parte of the night vve please to sett vp in in the vvorkes of the day before so let vs be as mindfull of our soules as of our bodies on the Sabbath night if vve please to rise before day let that parte of the night be spent in a holy preparation to the duties of the day following to set forwards them if we please to sett vp after the day light be spent then againe let this parte of the night be spent sutable to the day before in reading conference meditation singing of Psalmes and Prayer To this may I fitly apply that of Holy Dauid who spent much of the night in prayer and praises Ps 42.8 The Lord will graunte his louing kindnes in the day and in the night shall I sing of him c. The first vse of this point may be for confutation of an errour of some diuines houlding the Sabbath doth begine ouer night on Saturday at night or on Saturday Euening If God enioyneth only the day Remember the Sabbath day c. by what authoritie can any say we be bound to sanctify more then a day as namly to sanctify the Sabbath day and also a parte of the day or night goeing before the Sabbath day I know well the end these diuines aime at is holy and good and their argumentes carry a strong shew of truth yet not strong enough me thinketh the best that I could ere meete withall are these 3. the formost Taken from Genes 1.5 The euening the morning were the first day where by Euening they vnderstand the Night from about after Sune set forwards by morning all the day after now hence they thus argue That looke as God made the day at creation so we must after keepe it But God made the day to begine at Euening Ergo c. I answere the grownd of this argument is from a common indeed but mise vnderstanding of that text Genes 1.5 as I haue formerly showne so I deny that by Euening in the Text is meant an Euening which begines the night and comprises the night in it as the argument vnderstands it for by Euening is meante only the afternoone till Sune sett as formerly I haue showne but against this it may be said this sense is to make God to speake of things mise orderly if by euening you vnderstand the afternoone and by morning the forenoone then t is as if God had said So the afternoone and the forenoone vvere the first day whereas it had beene more orderly to a said So the forenoone and the afternoone were the first day since the forenoone is in order before the afternoone I answere such liberty though God doth take in speeche for instance to goe no farther for an example see Genes 1.2.3.4.5 darkenesse was for order before light and yet in v. 4.5 God mentiones the light before the darkenesse and why not then the after noone before the forenoone Their 2d argument is taken from Levit. 23.32 from Euene to Euene shall ye celebrate your Sabbath Hereto I answere this a peculiar law to the ceremoniall Sabbathes annually not common to the morall Sabbath weekly now we must not drawe the law of ceremoniall Sabbaths vpon the morall Sabbath for then must the morall Sabbath on 7th day be annualy onely and on the 10th day of the month as Leuit. 23.27 without regard to the day of the weeke besides many other differences twixt the morall and ceremoniall Sabbaths that might be showne but cheifly note in the 4th Com is but one day only mentioned to wit the 7th day but in Leui. 23. is two distinct dayes commanded to wit the 10th day v. 27. and the 9th day apart of it v. 32. now would any inferre hence that we should giue God the Sabbath day and a parte also of the day goeing next before it euery weeke vvere not this to giue God more then one day when in his 4th Com he required but one day A 3d to enforce the begining of the Sabbath on the Euening is taken from Mark 15.42 It was the day of the preparation that is before the Sabbath whence it is gathered by many that the Jewes vsed on the Euening before the Sabbath to haue a preparation to the Sabbath by setting a parte that euening for holy exercises refraying ordenary workes as they did on the Sabbath where vnto I answere more is gathered out this text then it vvill afforde and that preparation vvhich was proper to a ceremoniall Sabbath is applied to our Morall Sabbath To this purpose it must be obserued that at this tyme of Christs passion and on that day whereon he lay in the graue our Saturday there fell out two Sabbaths a morall and a ceremoniall vpon that day as Beza Piscator and others affirme and as euery diuine knowes and as must needes be for our Saturday wherein Christ lay in the graue vvas Jewes Sabbath day of the 4th Comm so there is one now againe the day before this namly good friday was the day the Iewes kept for their passeouer day Ioh. 18.28 Ioh. 19.14 now the Law of the passeouer was that the passeouer should be killed and eaten on the 14th day of the month Leuit. 23.5 and on the next day the 15th of the month they had an holy conuocation and
assembly wherein they did no seruile labour v. 6.7 and this was a Sabbath day to wit a ceremoniall Sabbath day now the Iewes killing their passeouer on good friday as the 14th day then Saturday must be the 15th day and so an holy convocation and Sabbath by the Leuiticall Law and so here is an other Sabbath fell on and with the weekly Sabbath now to come to the point the parascue or preparation spoken of Mark 15.42 hath respect of these two Sabbathes only to this latter that is to the Ceremoniall Sabbath which was on the first day of vnleauened bread or on the 15th day of the month and it hath not respect vnto the Morall Sabbath now the reasons mouing me to say so are 1. because this parascue or preparation is not any vvhere applied to the Morall Sabbath but only it stands in reference to the ceremoniall and therfore we reade the Euangelist Ioh. 19.14 calling it the preparation of the passeouer not the preparation to the Sabbath as they would 2. we reade of a preparation euer on the day before the 15th day of the month the Sabbath on the first day of vnleauened bread but of none before the vveekly Sabbath see Luk. 22.8.9 and ye know there must be a preparation of the passeouer before it be eaten for it must be killed and rosted first Exod. 12.6.8 and a place where it must be eaten in must be prepared too Luk. 22.11 and to winde vp all in a word the parascue or preparation whereof Scripture speakes so oft is nothing else but the preparation and making ready of the passeouer to be eaten the which labour fell as now vpon the day before the Sabbath vnderstand whither Sabbath you will Mark. 15.42 so then this preparation ouer night being proper to the Ceremoniall Sabbath of the passeouer it belonged not to the weekly Sabbath so the weekly Sabbath began not ouer night ere the more for this Text Mark 15.42 Finally the cleering of this text Mark 15.42 by the way may be vsefull to shew their opinion is growndlesse vvho vrge a preparation to the Sabbath on Saturday afternoone or on Saturday euen pressing vs then to refraine our weekly labours and to spend that portion of tyme in holy exercises for my part I know no other preparation to the Sabbath to be performed more on Saturday after noone than in the forenoone or then on Friday or Thursday before that is I know none but this that we should remember it afore hand and so to be more and more mindfull of it as it drawes nerer and nerer vnto vs lest vvhen t is come we profane it You haue heard the first vse shewing vvhen the Sabbath doth not begine as namly not ouer night c. The 2d vse shall be to shew by vvay of instruction vvhen the Sabbath doth begine The Sabbath is to begin in the morning vvhen the day begines as breake of day this flowes naturally from the Comm for if God commanded vs to keepe holy the Day then must we begine vvith the day then vvhen the day begines to begin it afore the day as at midnight or the like is growndlesse and is more then God euer required so to delay the beginning an howre 2. or 3. after day breake is to robbe God of a part of his day by sanctifying to the Lord not a day but a peece of a day 6 The 6th and last point in the Comm as touching tyme and day is to enquire 1. vvhat day God sanctified but this nedeth no labour since t is apparant God sanctified the 7th day and last day of the vveeke that day vvhich followed his 6. dayes vvorke 2. vve are to enquire after the reason mouing God to sanctify this day of the vveeke before any other and this is plainly laid downe in the last clause of the 4th Comm and againe in Genes 2.3 So God plessed the 7th day and sanctified it Because that in it he had rested from all his vvork vvhere you see God renders the speciall reason mouing him to blesse and to sanctify the Sabbath day and it vvas Because that on that day himselfe had rested Use 1. may be to shew vs that God in his 4th Comm enioyneth not a day at randome but a particular day such a day as hath this reason of Gods Rest belonging to it now this belonged only to the 7th day of the vveeke not to the 8th day nor to the first day of the vveeke our Lords day for God the creatour rested not vpon our Lords day vvhen he had finished the vvorke of creatiō but vpon our Saturday the 7th day which goeth next before the Lords day Use 2. may be to shevv vs that the 4th Com can not be vrged or applied to the first day of the vveeke our Lords day because that reason of Gods Rest vpon the 7th day vvhich moued him to sanctify it neither doth nor can belong to the Lords day now since that reason of Gods Rest vvhich is a parte of the 4th Com can not belong to our Lords day no more can the whole Com belonge vnto it Use 3. and me thinks the reason of Gods Institution should say some thing for the morality and perpetuity of the Sabbath for as sine moued God to bringe death into the vvorld at the first vpon Adam Rom. 5.12 so the same continuing moues God still to continue death in the world vpon Adams posterity So Gods Rest vpon the 7th day mouing him at first to sanctify it the same reason remayning to vvorlds end should moue God to continue the sanctification of the 7th day for euer the ground of which consequence is taken from that axiome That God is immutable and vnchangable euer the same so as if things be the same towards him he againe is the same towards them Hence it is vve thus argue did God so to Abraham to David to Pharaoh c. if thou be to God as they were so God vvill be to thee as he vvas to them now as God is euer the same so is Gods rest on the 7th day And so we haue spake of the duty of the day and of the tyme next we should come to speake of the duties in the day and in the tyme the duties in the day are 2. Holines and Rest Remember to keepe the Sabbath day Holy and in it thou shalt not doe any worke but as touching exposition of these two Holines and Rest I purpose to desiste for asmuch as vve differ not in these sauing about the latter that it is houlden partly morall partly ceremoniall but of that by and by Hauing spoken of the duty of the day and mentioned the duties in the day here a question would be scanned touching both these comparatiuly to know whither is the more excellent that which God did first and principally aime at the duty of the day or the duties in the day a question at first sight I confesse it seemes friuolouse the rather I moue it
in the Sabbath all their labour vvill be lost as I trust in God it will appeare at the last what they say against the 7th day Sabbath I reduce to two heades the former shall consist of textes of Scripture and artificiall arguments the latter of testimonies and authorities of men for their Textes of Scripture whereby they would proue the 7th day Sabbath is abolisht 1. The first text shall be that of Isai 66.23 from month to month or from new Moone to new Moone and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before me c. whence it is collected by them that the weekly 7th day Sabbath was a signe and that of the euerlasting Sabbath in Heauen and therfore the ceremoniall and temporary Hereto I answere 1. that this phrase of speech in this text is obscure and dark some to vs for vvhat shall be meante by these words from Month to Month whereof are these a signe now t is vnmeet that so plaine a text as is the 4th Com touching the Sabbath which is deliured in plaine and proper vvords should be contradicted and blotted out by an other text which is in Metaphoricale phrases of a doubtfull sense 2. if this Sabbath was a signe of heauen it is so farre from being a temporary ceremony as rather it is perpetuall Morall to last till Heauen comes as hath beene said before for the signe or shadowe is to last vntill the body a substance be comne or admit this Sabbath a signe both of the whole tyme of the Church of the New Testament on earth and also of the Church triumphant in heauen as some would why yet I hope the body of Heauen hath as much force to moralize the Sabbath as hath the body of the new Church on earth to ceremonialize and temporize it yea more by how much better but it is not worth our labour to spend more words about this text it hauing so little culler to any thing in it for their purpose 2. A 2d text to proue the Sabbath a ceremony and so abolisht is Numb 28.9.10 where it was commanded the Isralites to offer two lambes for for a sacrifice on the Sabbath day Hereto I answere 1. why should the sacrificing of two lambes on the Sabbath make the Sabbath a ceremony and abolisht any more then the sacrificing of one lambe euery day for a daily burnt offring Numb 28.4.6 make the working dayes of the weeke ceremoniall and abolisht 2. Hath not the Morall works in the Sabbath as Rest and Holinesse and remembrance of Gods Rest after creation as much and more power ouer the tyme and day wherein they were done to moralize and eternize the Sabbath as hath the sacrificing two lambes to ceremonize and temporize the Sabbath or if sacrifices could abolish the tyme of the Sabbath which was commanded why did they not also abolish the duties in the tyme as Rest and Holinesse 3. The Sabbath was a Sabbath in nature and institution before there was any sacrifices for it was in tyme of Adams innocency before the fall wherfore as the Apostle Gal. 3.17 reasoneth of the promise and of the Law that the Law could not disanulle the promise to Abraham which came 430. yeeres after the promise so say I Sacrifices cannot disanulle the Sabbath since the Sabbath was before any Sacrifices and since Sacrifices came after the Sabbath as therfore the Sabbath had a being before sacrifices and ceremonies so may it haue its being after all sacrifices and ceremonies be abolisht 3. A 3d Text is in Deuter. 5.15 where the Lord telleth the Israelites He brought them out of Egypte and therfore the Lord commanded them to keepe the Sabbath vvhence they would argue to this effect since that the Sabbath is an effect of or hath necessary dependance vpō their deliuerance out of Egypt it followeth if that deliuerance out of Egypt be but ceremoniall as a thing proper to the Iewe Then so is the Sabbath also I answere 1. The Sabbath may be said to be an effect or haue dependance of an other thing two wayes one as touching its obseruation the other as touching its institution now this deliuerance out of Egypt was not cause of the Sabbaths institution for the Sabbath was before they euer went downe into Egypt Genes 2.3 neither vvas or could the deliverance out of Egypt be the sole cause nor the cheife cause of the Sabbaths institution for Gods owne rest vpon that day Genes 2.3 was the cheife cause and next the Sabbath was made for man Mark. 2.27 that is for the ease and benifite of his body and for the good and edification of his soule in duties of holinesse But as touching the Sabbaths obseruation the deliuerance from Egypt might be a cause and was and ought to be a motiue to obedience in obseruance keeping the Sabbath day and so all blessings whatsoeuer should be motiues to obedience as Deut. 6.20.21.23.24 Deuter. 28.47.48 but vvhat if these blessings faile and God giue others in roome of them shall our obedience and obseruance faile and vanishe vvhat and if we Christians haue not that one particular blessing of deliuerance from Egypt which the Jewe had haue vve no many other blessings and deliuerance to moue vs to obedience as from that Armade in 88. from the Gunpowder plott and I know not how many more I conclude that since the deliuerance out of Egypt vvas not the cause of the Sabbaths institution but only of its after obseruation therfore though that deliuerance was ceremoniall yet was not the Sabbath ceremoniall 2. I answere if this motiue of Isralites deliuerance from Egypt because not belonging to vs Christians therfore shewes the Sabbath belongs not to vs neither Then may we by as good reason abolish not the Sabbath alone but the whole morall law also and then as vve vvill none of the Jewes Sabbath to be ours no more need vve vvill the Iewes God to be ours commanded in the first Com for the reason to induce to obedience and hauing the true God for their God was this I Law as therfore vvhen the Apostle saith Ephes 2.15 Christ abrogated the Law of Commandements vve vnderstand it only of the ceremoniall law of commandements not of the morall So vvhere here the Apostle takes away the difference of dayes I vnderstand him to abolish only ceremoniall dayes but not the Morall 7th day Sabbath I answere 3d. if all difference of all dayes be abolisht vvhy then keepe we the Lords day now for a Sabbath in a religiouse manner if you say you keep it not as a ceremony or type shaddow of Christ to come which was the reason of the Sabbaths abolition but in other respects as in remembrance of Christ alredy comne vvhy then by like reason may not the 7th day Sabbath be now kept by vs so be we lay aside that supposed typicall shaddowish respect vvhich it had of Christ to come and vve keeping it in other respects as in remembrance of
Gods Rest on the same day after the vvork of creation and as it is a day for the benefit of both our bodies for rest and our soules for holinesse Thus none of those former textes you see can proue that the 7th day Sabbath vvas euer ceremoniall or yet abolisht but yet they haue two textes more behinde vvherein they put great confidence and especially in the former of the two and if they faile in these two as I trust in God they shall then are they quite gone and for euer to hould their peace for speaking more against the Lord Gods Sabbath 6. The 6th text is that Colos 2.16.17 let no man condemne you in meate and drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath dayes vvhich are a shaddow of things to come but the body is of Christ Loe say they here you haue Sabbath dayes forbidden the very point in question they are counted a shaddaw of Christ and therfore abolisht I answere 1. as there is two Lavves a morall Lavv consisting of 10. Comm all vvritten by the finger of God vpon Tables of stone and a ceremoniall Law vvritten by Moses and deliuered to the people so are there Sabbaths morall that is such as God engraued vpon the Tables of stone vvith other 9. preceptes and there are Sabbaths ceremoniall that is such as you finde no mention of in the Decalogue but such as you finde recorded by Moses dispersed here there in the 5. bookes of Moses specially in Leuit. 23.4 c. to the end of the chapter Novv as vvhen you reade Heb. 7.12 Ephes 2.15 If the priesthode be changed then must there be a change of the lavv you vvill not here permite any man to iumble confusedly together the lavv morall and Law ceremoniall and say both these lawes are here changed but you vvill distinguish of Lawes granting them the ceremoniall Law to be meante here but not the morall so doe I in answere to this text Col. 2.16 distinguish of Sabbaths granting them here is meante only ceremoniall Sabbaths denying that here is meante the Morall Sabbath of 7th day That this distinction is good and that by Sabbaths here is meant only ceremoniall Sabbaths doe beare witnesse to me euen vvorthy diuines of their owne side as Greenham in his vvorke vpon the Sabbath day and Perkins in his cases of conscience booke 2. chapt 16. Sect. 3. and Dod vpon the 4th Comm pag. 133. and Elton vpon the Colossians 2.16 and Ames in his Thesis touching the Sabbath 2. That here is meante only ceremoniall Sabbaths is plaine by the context and that by two reasons the former in that these Sabbathes are ranked vvith other things all vvhich be ceremonies as meates and drinkes and new Moones and holy dayes so that all other things in this text vvhich the Apostle abolisheth being ceremonies it giues vs cause to thinke the Sabbaths placed and ioyned vvith them be only ceremoniall Sabbaths as M. Dod vvell obserueth vpon the 4th Com the latter reason is for that this 16th verse is as you may see by the vvord of inference Therfore a conclusion vvhose premise you haue in the 14th verse and here the Apostles discourse is on this wise If the hand wrighting of ordinances which is the Law that commanded meates drinkes and Holy dayes new Moones Sabbath dayes be put out and taken away Then let no man condemne you in meates and drinkes in Holy dayes new Moones or Sabbaths dayes But the handwrighting of ordinances is put out and taken away Therfore let no man condemne you in meates and drinkes in Holy dayes new Moones or Sabbath dayes The minor you haue v. 14. the conclusion in v. 16. Now for asmuch as it is a rule vvith Logicians that there should not be more in the conclusion then vvas in the premisses Hence it followeth that if by the vvord Sabbathes in v. 16. you vvill vnderstand the morall Sabbath of the 7th day then by handvvrighting of ordinances in v. 14. you must vnderstand at least that parte of the Morall Law vvhich is the 4th Com the vvhich commanded that Sabbath The vvhich if you doe then you rune vpon this absurdety that you make the Apostle to abolish in this text a branch of morall Law as the vvhole or at least a parte of the 4th Com and so wheras the Lord wrote vpon the Table tenne commandements Deut. 10.4 you make by this interpretation but nyne commandements or at most but nyne and an halfe or but nyne and three quarters or there abouts for tenne compleate there is not I am sure Against my distinction they say by Sabbaths in this text of necessity must morall Sabbaths be meante because vnder the name of Holy dayes is comprised all ceremoniall Sabbathes so that then the word Sabbaths must meane the morall Sabbath whereto I answere that I vvill lay you out for euery word its proper day it signifies and yet the morall Sabbath excepted 1. by nevv Moones is meante only the first day of month Numb 28.11 2. Holy day is in the originall feast day or a feaste or in parte of a feaste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now the Lord had commanded the Jewes a feast of 7. dayes Leuit. 23.34.39 of vvhich feast the first day and also the last day were Sabbaths now the dayes goeing betwene the first and last day these vvere the parte of a feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and these the Apostle aimed at by holy day and then 3d. and lastly by Sabbaths are meante those annuall Sabbaths vvhich vvere on the first and last day of the Feast of 7. dayes now least ye think this distinction and application but a conceipte see Leuit. 23.37.38 where the Lord himselfe distinguisheth twixt Feastes and Sabbathes vvhen he said These are the Feastes c. besides the Sabbathes c. Or if by Holy day or Feast you vvill vnderstand all these 7. dayes with the first and last dayes which were Sabbathes then by the vvord Sabbathes in Col. 2.16 may be vnderstood these Sabbathes Leuit. 23.24.32 which were feastes but of one single day a peece and eighther of them called Sabbathes and these vvere the Sabbathes vvhich Paul abolished so you see there is no necessity by Sabbathes to vnderstand the Morall Sabbath at all I answere 2. to the text Col. 2.16 that hereby vve ought not to vnderstand the Morall Sabbath as if that were abolisht for this vvere to set Paul against Christ the seruant against his Lord for Christ established the morall Law and euery iott and title of it to the vvorlds end Math. 5.18 now the 7th day Sabbath vvas not lesse than a iott or title of the Law and did Christ please to ratifie it to the vvorlds end and shall vve make Paul with in a fewe yeeres after to abolish it vvhat necessety is there of such large vnderstanding of the vvord Sabbathes is there any besides mens pleasures so to haue it that they might throw downe the