would be a Nazarene he must take a vow to perform the Law of the Nazarites not that any body was bound to be a Nazarite any more then Ananias and Saphira his wife were bound to sell all their Estates for to lay at the Apostles feet for to be disposed for the common good of the Church yet having made such a dedication voluntarily they were bound necessarily to perform it so Paul having a vow upon him at Censhrea was afterwards under a Law to perform it and so were those other Votaries mentioned with him Acts 21. vers 23. which vow the Apostles and Elders enjoyn them to discharge verse 24. but do expresly forbid the Gentiles the observation of any such thing therefore I have shewn that here was something enjoyned upon the Jews that was not enjoyned upon the Gentiles Mr. Coppinger I do say This was but an advice and that it was no preept Hereupon one that was a Hearer at this Dispute handed up a Note to Mr. Ives wherein he did affirm that Mr. Coppinger did confess at Worcester House that those words about which the Controversie did depend Acts 21.24 25. were binding precepts though he now said they were not precepts but advice Mr. Coppinger I never said the words in the 24 verse where the Apostles and Elders bid Paul and those men with him purifie themselves c. I say I never said those were precepts but indeed I said that the words in the 25 verse were precepts where the Gentiles are expresly forbidden the doing of any such thing I say these indeed are precepts and binding to believing Gentiles Mr. Ives Sir you have granted enough to confute your Argument for admit the words to the Jews in the 24 verse are no precept but an advice as you call it yet you have confessed that the 25 verse is a binding Law to the Gentiles that they should do NO SUCH THING Well then by your own confession the Gentiles are commanded not to do that which the Jews are advised to do and therefore there is a difference in point of precept and your Argument is confuted that saith There is no difference therefore I shall desire that the Moderator would call for a fresh Argument Moderator Sir I think enough hath been said to this Argument and therefore my advice is that you would proceed to another Mr. Coppinger All believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath I thus prove If it be the Doctrine of the new Testament that Gods people ought to keep the seventh day sabbath then all believing Gentiles ought to keep the seventh day sabbath But it is the Doctrine of the New Testament that Gods people ought to keep the seventh day sabbath Ergo all believing Gentiles ought to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Ives I pray what do you mean by the terms Gods people in your Argument because the Jews are called Gods people by way of distinction from other people Mr. Coppinger I mean such as are bound to hear every word and to observe the principles of Religion Repentance from dead works and faith towards God with the Doctrine of Baptisms c. Mr. Ives If you mean all Gods people and all believers without exception then there is no Medium in the Syllogism for then the Argument runs thus If all Gods people are required then they are all required Mr. Coppinger I then argue thus If the Church of the Hebrews by vertue of this Epistle to the Hebrews were bound to keep the seventh day sabbath then all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath But the Church of the Hebrews by vertue of this Epistle to the Hebrews were bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Ergo all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Ives I answer First if by Church of the Hebrews you mean Jews then it is but the same with the Argument we last dispatched for then you said If the believing Jews were commanded then the believing Gentiles were commanded And secondly if you mean Gentiles then I answer as before That there is no medium in the Syllogism Mr. Coppinger I mean onely that very Church as they were a particular Congregation distinguished from all other Churches and then there is a medium viz. If that Church were commanded to keep the seventh day then believing Churches are commanded to keep the seventh day sabbath But that Church was commanded to keep the seventh day sabbath Therefore all Believers and all other Churches are required and commanded to keep the seventh day sabbath And so consequently all believing Gentiles Mr. Ives I do deny both Major and Minor for both Propositions are justly to be excepted against Mr. Coppinger I have two things to do the first is to prove that the Church of the Hebrews were commanded to keep the seventh day sabbath and the second thing is That if this Church was commanded to keep the seventh day sabbath that then all believing Gentiles were commanded to keep the seventh day sabbath which two things I shall prove First then the text faith Heb. 4.9 That there remaineth a keeping of a sabbath to the people of God for so it is read in your Margent here then is a sabbath commanded and the third verse tells us that this was not commanded onely for the Hebrews but for Believers in general therefore it is said He that believeth hath entered into rest and that this was the seventh day rest appears because the text saith He ceaseth from his own works as God did from his now God ceased the seventh day from his works as the text tells us vers 4 therefore he doth admonish them to take heed that they did not fall after the same example of disobedience in breaking the Sabbath as the Israelites fell in the Wilderness therefore if you read Chap. 2. vers 15 16 17. you will find with whom he was grieved forty years was it not those whose Carcases fell in the wildernesse and that they fell for breaking the seventh day sabbath appears Ezek. 20.12 13. Moreover also I gave them my sabbath to be a signe between me and them c. But saith the 13 verse the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness c. and my sabbath they greatly polluted then I said I will pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness to consume them and ver 15. I lifted up my hand against them in the wilderness c. because they despised my Judgements and walked not in my Statutes but polluted my Sabbaths And therefore David admonisheth them in his time not to harden their hearts as in the wilderness Psal 95.7 but while it was called To day to hear his voice and not harden their hearts so here the Author to the Hebrews tells them there remains the keeping of a sabbath for them and all believers but doth bid them take heed of Israels sins in the wilderness which you see was Sabbath-breaking as well as
other sins lest as the eleventh verse saith they fall after the same example of unbelief or disobedience Mr. Ives I shall shew that you have wholly mistaken the text For First you are to prove a rest or sabbath commanded and this text speaks of a rest that is promised as appears vers 1. of Chap. 4. where the Author to the Hebrews bids them fear lest A PROMISE being left of entering into his Rest any should seem to come short through unbelief Secondly the text from the Greek ought rather to be read A Sabbatism then the keeping of a Sabbath however the word is not SABBATH DAY and when I did dispute with you last you would not allow that the word sabbaths in Col. 2.16 17. should be understood of a sabbath day though there was good reason to understand it so because the word day was not in the Original though it was in the English Text but here you will have it to be understood of sabbath day though the word be neither in the English nor Greek text and though there be no reason why you should so notion it But Thirdly this rest is not a rest commanded or a seventh day sabbath rest because the seventh day sabbath unbelievers and their cattel might have injoyed but the rest here promised is reserved onely for believers which none else shall share in Fourthly the rest here spoken of is a rest that Joshua could not give them but he did give them the seventh day rest therefore this could not be spoken of the seventh day see for this purpose the eighth verse of this fourth Chapter where it is said that if Joshua had given them rest he would not afterwards have spoken of another day and then adds that there remaines THEREFORE a rest to the people of God vers 9. Therefore Wherefore the eighth verse tells us because Joshua did not give them rest so that this if it prove any thing it proves against Mr. Coppinger because it supposes some other day then what they enjoyed in the time of Joshua Fifthly whereas Mr. Coppinger tells us That it must be meant of the seventh day sabbath because the text saith He that believeth ceaseth from his own work as God did from his I answer That this doth not prove a command for a man to forbear working upon the seventh day but it shews rather the priviledges that men shall enjoy through believing viz. that they shall rest from their labours so saith Christ Come unto me all ye that LABOUR and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 and vers 29 Christ promises that they shall find REST to their souls and Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they REST from their LABOURS and their works follow them Rev. 13.14 in like manner the Author to the Hebrews would be understood when he tells us that he that doth believe hath ceased from his labour as God did from his Sixthly though the Author to the Hebrews alludeth to the seventh day upon which God rested yet this doth not prove that therefore we must enter into the Jewish or seventh day rest no more then it proves we must enter into the Literal Canaan because he alludeth also to that Literal Canaan in which Joshua conducted Israel but he rather informs them that as they under the Law had a time of rest and a place of rest so they that did believe should have a day of Grace and a place of Glory in which they should be like God in rest for ever never to labour more even as God rested and wrought no more when he had ended his six dayes work therefore he bids them LABOVR to enter into his rest but the seventh day rest they might enter into without labour Seventhly whereas Mr. Coppinger tells us that the Author to the Hebrews exhorts that we should not fall after the same example of unbelief and disobedience that the Israelites fell into in the wilderness which saith he was sabbath-breaking as appears by Ezek. 20.16 as well as other sins therefore saith he by the same example must be understood that he cautions them to beware of breaking the seventh day sabbath To which I answer That this is a straining the text for it doth not follow that he doth admonish the Christians to beware of the same particular sins as Mr. Coppinger would notion it but of sins in general for first we cannot be guilty of loathing Manna nor of murmuring at the waters of Meribah and yet the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.6 That THESE were for our examples c. So in like manner we cannot be guilty of sin in not observing the seventh day sabbath any more then we can be guilty of loathing Manna and yet Gods judgments upon them for all their old Testament sins are set forth to us for examples not 〈◊〉 tye us to the same duties but to Gospel-Obedience in all things lest we incur the same of â—â—eater punishments by how much the more we 〈◊〉 against greater mercies Again the Apostle gives the like Exhortatiâ—â— 1 Cor. 9.13 14. Do ye not know that they that wait upon the altar should live of the altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel May not a man as reasonably infer from hence that because the maintenance of the Levitical priesthood is here set forth as an example to teach us to take care of Gospel-Ministers that therefore they must be maintained after the same manner as the Priests were maintained that waited upon the Altar as Mr. Coppinger may say Because Gods Judgments against Israels sins in the Wilderness are set forth to us for examples that therefore we who are believing Gentiles under the Gospel to avoid the like Judgements must do all the Commandments and believe all the promises that Israel suffered his displeasure for in the Wilderness for not obeying and believing Having thus answered you Paraphrase upon the text I do again call upon you to prove that the Rest or Sabbath spoken of Heb. 4. is a seventh day sabbath which we are commanded to observe for the sum of my Answer is that this is a Rest promised and not a Rest or seventh day sabbath commanded therefore pray let us have an Argument for the proof of it Mr. Coppinger My Exposition of the Text proves it well enough Mr. Ives Pray draw your sence upon the text into an Argument and let us see if you can prove that here is a seventh day sabbath commanded Mr. Coppinger I cannot put it into an Argument because it refers to several texts for the explaining of it Mr. Ives I have answered to your interpretation already and if you will not urge an Argument from hence I shall desire that you would proceed to an Argument from some other texts Mr. Coppinger If Christ did teach the observation of the seventh day sabbath then all believing Gentiles are bound to observe it But Christ did teach the observation of the
any man fall after the same example of unbeleef Thirdly Whereas it is said that the Author alludeth to the seventh day rest because it is said God rested the seventh day ver 4. I answer This Text doth no more prove that the Gentiles are commanded to observe that time of rest because the Author alludeth to the seventh day then it proves they were to observe that place or rest viz. the Land of Canaan because he alludeth to that place v 8. For if Joshua had given them rest he would not after wards have spoken of another day by which words the Author doth as truly allude to the place of rest that Joshua conducted Israel to in Canaan as he doth allude to the time of rest that God rested on and therefore this cleerly proves that both were typical for Joshua did give them the rest in Canaan and a rest upon the seventh day and yet he prophesies of another rest and another day which clearly proves this was neither the time of rest nor the place of rest that Israel did enjoy that the Author means but that place of rest and time of rest which under the Gospel the beleevers have in hope and which after all their labours and travels they shall at last have in hand and rest from all sorrow and labour when that great sabbath shall commence as God did from his labour when he had ended his work of Creation To this agrees Mat. 11 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and I will give you rest and Revel 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth faith the Spirit that they MAY rest from their labours and their works do follow them Arg. 10 I proceed to the next Text of Scripture which is much insisted on to prove the seventh day sabbath is in force to beleeving Gentiles by a Commandment and that is Jam. 2.8 10. where the whole Law is required and where it is said we should not offend in one point therefore the seventh day sabbath being a part and a point of the whole Law beleeving Gentiles are bound to observe it to this is added those words of Paul Rom. 3.31 We establish the Law Ans To which I answer first that this word Law and whole Law is variously taken in holy Scriptures and therefore it is not safe to conclude the seventh day Sabbath from such Texts lest we are forced at last to do as some did who some years since began to professe the Jewish Sabbath because it was a part of the Law and afterwards came by the force of the same reason to keep all the Jewish Ceremonies because they were parts of the whole Law and at last went over Sea and turned Jews and denied the Lord Christ to be the true Messiah And that the word Law is variously taken nothing is more manifest for there is a Law of Moses Mal. 4.4 and Acts 13.39 there is a Law of Christ Gal. 6.2 there is the Law of Nature Rom. 2.14 there is the Law of Works and the Law of Faith Rom. 3.27 there is the Law of Bondage Acts 15. and 10. Gal. 5.1 and there is a Law of Liberty James 1.25 and James 3.12 So speak and so de as they that shall be judged by the Law of LIBERTY Now the great Question will be which of these Laws James means when he tells us We must keep the whole law if he means the whole Law of Moses then we must as I have said observe Circumcision because the Jews did Circumcise that the Law of MOSES might not be broken Joh. 7.23 and the Apostle tells us Gal. 5.2 That be that was circumcised was bound to keep the WHOLE Law so that to understand this Text to be meant of Moses Law will necessarily introduce all Judaism but if we should understand it as indeed we ought for the Law of Liberty and the Law of Faith which is the Law that James speaks of in this Chapter and that Paul doth speak of when he saith Rom. 3.3 He doth establish the Law I say if we understand the word Law in this later fence for the Law of Christ the Law of Faith and the Law of Liberty I demand where any of these Laws do command a seventh day sabbath So that what ever the Law of Christ and the Law of Faith and Liberty and the Law of Nature do injoyn us to observe these we must observe in every point or we shall be guilty of all if we wilfully break the least Command required in these Laws which in no place commands a seventh-day sabbath and that James means the Law of Liberty the second Chapter 12 Verse will inform us For when he had in the 10 Verse told them that be that sinned in one point of the Law was guilty of all he tells them in the 12 Verse what Law he means and therefore bids so do as those that should be judged by the Law of Liberty so that unless any body can prove that the Law of Liberty doth command a seventh day sabbath they cannot prove from this Text that the believing Gentiles are bound to observe it any more then they are bound to observe all the Jewish rudiments the observation whereof experience tells us is the sad and evil consequence of this opinion Argum. 11 The eleventh Argument to prove the seventh day sabbath is more general then the former viz Because all Laws that were never repealed are in force therefore the seventh day sabbath is in force by a Law because it was once commanded and never repealed I answer if by the not repealing of a Law they do mean that which is not expresly and particularly repealed then we must keep the Passover for that was once a Law and was never repealed expresly and particularly Again we must keep the year of Jubilee for that was once a Law and it was never expresly and particularly repealed Furthermore by this Argument we must keep the seventh yeer for a sabbath and neither plow or sow our fields or do any work for that whole yeer because it was once commanded Levit. 25. and it was never expresly and particularly repealed but doth it therefore follow that we are bound to observe these things in like manner it doth not follow that the seventh day sabbath must be still observed because it was once commanded and in so many words was never repealed But lastly The seventh day sabbath is repealed in Col. 2. where it is called A shadow of things to come Argum. 12 We come now to those Texts that are urged for Examples and they are those that tell us that be Apostle preached in the Synagogue every SABBATH-day Act. 13.14 42. Act. 16.12 13. Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 Whence it is inferred that we ought to walk as we have them for an Example therefore if they kept the seventh day sabbath we must I answer Then we must meet in a Jewish Synagogue as well as the Apostles did every sabbath day if
15. compared with Act. 21. Now if the Holy Ghost had said in the case of days You may keep every day alike except the seventh day sabbath then there had been somewhat in your instance otherwise the instance confirms the Argument Mr. Coppinger Here the Apostle doth refer the Observation of days to their own mind and so he doth the eating of all things therefore Mr. Ives hath done my work for me by assigning Acts 15. where blood and things strangled and things offered to Idols are excepted If then I shew that the seventh-day sabbath is as expresly and particularly excepted I have answered his Argument by his own confession and that it is excepted you may see in Jam. 2. and Mat. 5.17 18. Mr. Ives That which you promised was That you would shew as particular an exception of the seventh-day sabbath out of every day as I had shewn you against eating all things and instead thereof you assigne me two general texts where the whole Law and every jot and tittle of the Law is required to be kept and observed both which texts have been denyed to include the seventh-day sabbath to be in force because offering of sacrifices is required in the fifth of Matthew as well as other things where Christ bids those to whom he preached to go and be reconciled to their brother and then come and offer their gift which Law is not binding to the believers in these days But is it not strange that a man in his right wits should tell us That he would assigne a text where the sabbath was excepted out of this word every day in as express terms as blood and things strangled are excepted out of every thing and instead of a particular exception he produceth two general texts that have not the least word of a Sabbath in them but doth not this leave the Argument unanswered for by the same rule he can say That the seventh-day sabbath is not intended in this text when the Apostle saith We may observe every day alike I say by the same rule and with much more strength of reason it may be denyed that the sabbath is included in those general terms All the Law and the whole Law but sure I am that it was never heard of that such general texts were ever called express and particular exceptions against a general term in a Syllogism by any that ever understood the difference between a particular and a general term Mr. Coppinger The texts I named tell us that the whole Law is to be observed and every tittle of it till it be fulfilled and the seventh-day sabbath was included therefore if any man teach otherwise he teacheth contrary to sound Doctrine And as touching bringing gifts to the Altar and offering sacrifices mentioned in that Text Matt 5. these things Christ hath fulfilled and nailed to his Cross * And lyet when Mr Ives did dispute the next time with Mr. Coppinger he said That Altar was not understood for a literal Altar But said The Altar and the Gift in Mat. 5. was both to be understood Allegorically and yet here he doth confess that the text speaks of such an Altar and such a Gift that were types of Christ and that ended at his death Compare therefore this saying with his Argument upon the fifth of Matthew in the next ensuing Dispute if not they shall remain as long as Heaven and Earth remain and so must the seventh-day sabbath unless Mr. Ives can shew us that it is fulfulled by Christ and that because it hath Heaven and Earth for its reason Mr. Ives All this while there is no particular exception made against my former Argument from the fourteenth of the Romans as you promised me but instead thereof you repeat the text Mat. 5. whence you infer That Heaven and Earth shall pass before the law shall pass till it be fulfilled of which law the sabbath say you must needs be a part What if that were granted doth that prove that all the law mentioned in Mat. 5. is in force have not you confessed that offerings mentioned in the same chapter were fulfilled and abolished by Christ which very Confession of yours hath made the text uncapable to do you that service for which you cited it For how can any man safely conclude any particular proposition to be binding from a general text when he himself shall say Some things intended in that general text cannot be concluded from it as binding so that the Argument yet remains unanswered viz. That believers have no tie upon them by vertue of Moses law to observe one day above another and therefore they are not tied by Moses law to keep the seventh-day sabbath And though we have this freedom by Christ from the Mosaical institutions it doth not therefore follow as some fondly do imagine that therefore we are not to set apart a time under the Gospel to worship and serve God Somewhat hath been spoken to this in the former Dispute with Mr. Tillam and more shall be spoken in the insuing Appendix But we proceed to the next Argument Mr. Ives Because Mr. Coppinger confessed that if the seventh-day sabbath was fulfilled by Christ 〈◊〉 the Altar and Gifts mentioned in Mat. 5. that then we were not to observe it otherwise it was to continue I shall therefore shew that the seventh-day sabbath is fulfilled by Christ thus If the seventh-day sabbath be a weak and beggerly Rudiment then Christ hath fulfilled it But the seventh-day sabbath is a weak and beggerly Rudiment Ergo Christ hath fulfilled it Mr. Coppinger I deny the Minor The seventh day is not a weak and beggerly Rudiment Mr. Ives If all the times commanded in the Law of Moses are weak and beggerly Rudiments then the seventh-day sabbath is a weak and beggerly Rudiment But all the times comanded in the Law of Moses are weak and beggerly Rudiments Ergo the seventh-day sabbath is a weak and beggerly Rudiment Mr. Coppinger I deny the Minor all the times commanded to be observed in the law are not weak and beggerly Rudiments Mr. Ives If there was no time commanded to be observed in the Law but dayes months times and years and all these were weak and beggerly Rudiments then all the times commanded in the law were weak and beggerly Rudiments But there was no time commanded to be observed in the law but days months times and years and all these were weak and beggerly Rudiments Ergo all the times commanded in the law were weak and beggerly Rudiments Mr. Coppinger I deny the Minor and put you to prove that the days months times and yeers that were commanded to be observed in the Law were weak and beggerly Rudiments Mr. Ives This I shall do from Gal. 4.9 10 11. the words are these How turn ye again to those weak and beggerly Rudiments whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage Ye observe days and months and times and yeers I am afraid of you lest I have
cast out as a stranger in the house of this Epistle unless Mr. Coppinger can find another Epistle to the Galatians to entertain it in therefore it is evident that these days moneths times and years were the times the Jews were to observe in the Law among which the seventh-day sabbath was included as shall be shewn more particularly in the ensuing Appendix Mr. Coppinger If the times here called weak and beggerly be the heathenish times then I have said something to your Argument for all you say it is not answered Mr. Ives I do confess you have said something but to what purpose I shall leave the people to judge and if it do appear that they were the Rudiments of the Law that the Christians were going back to then you have not answered my Argument whatever you have said I shall therefore leave it to the Judgment of the Audience and proceed to another Argument If the seventh-day sabbath was a shadow of good things to come the believing Gentiles are not bound to observe it But the seventh-day sabbath was a shadow of good things to come Ergo the believing Gentiles are not bound to observe the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Coppinger I deny the Minor the seventh-day sabbath was not called a shadow of things to come Mr. Ives The text in the second of the Col. 16 17 verses proves it where the Apostle saith The sabbath days were shadows of good things to come Mr. Coppinger The Apostle doth not say sabbath days the word days is put in by the Translators and it ought to be read sabbaths Mr. Ives I shall prove that the Translators did well to put in that supplement by shewing that the Apostle intends sabbath days My first Argument is this Wheresoever the word sabbath is put without reference to such and such sabbaths there the seventh-day sabbath is always intended or included But here it is so put Ergo. As for instance when the Scripture speaks of the Jews festival sabbath or their yearly sabbath there is ever some note of distinction to distinguish them from sabbath days therefore the yearly sabbaths were called Sabbaths of rest for the LAND Levit. 25.4 5 6. 2 Chron. 36.21 shewing thereby that for that year the Land was to lye still and not be plowed or sowen Mr. Coppinger I deny the Minor the word sabbaths is sometimes simply put without reference to such and such sabbaths when the seventh day is neither intended nor included Mr. Ives Pray assigne us that text where sabbaths is so understood Mr. Coppinger I shall cite Esay 1 13. where the text saith The new Moons and Sabbaths God could not away with Mr. Ives If you will answer my Argument you must shew me that the seventh-day sabbath is not intended in this text but I shall by another Argument make it appear that sabbath days is not onely intended in Col. 2.16 but in Esay 1 13 also which I thus do Wheresoever this word sabbaths is mentioned with new moons feasts and holy days there the seventh-day sabbath is intended But the word sabbaths is here so mentioned Therefore the seventh-day sabbath is here intended Shew me but one instance where the word sabbaths is joyned with new moons and feasts and holy days where the seventh-day sabbath is not intended and then I may have some reason to think the Apostle doth not intend the seventh-day sabbath in Col. 2.16 17. and if you do so I will give you the case Mr. Coppinger If this were true then the sabbath must always be joyned with new moons but I can shew you sabbath mentioned without new moons that exclude the seventh-day sabbath and if I do so then I have put in an exception against the universality of your Argument Mr. Ives If you can shew me sabbaths mentioned without new moons it is not an exception against the Argument for I have already shewn that the yearly sabbaths were mentioned without new moons Again their feasts were called sabbaths as the Jubilee and Feast of weeks therefore I must tye you to the enumeration in the text and Argument and do demand an instance where the sabbath is mentioned with new moons and feasts that is not understood of the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Coppinger There is in the text an Adjunct of distinction viz. Sabbaths which are shadows c. as if I should say Fetch me my books in such a room plainly distinguishing them from other books in other rooms and so these sabbaths are called a shadow to distinguish them from other sabbaths that were not shadows Now then Mr. Ives must shew us that the seventh-day sabbath is a shadow of the body of Christ and I will grant the case Mr. Ives If I prove the seventh-day sabbath a shadow of the Body of Christ Mr. Coppinger saith he will grant the case and he hath already granted that the sabbaths mentioned in this text Col. 2. are shadows of the Body of Christ it remains then that I prove this word Sabbaths to intend the seventh-day sabbath and then I have proved that the seventh-day sabbath is a shadow The Argument then that I have made already doth prove it because as I have said from the beginning of the Bible to the end of it where ever sabbaths are mentioned with new Moons and Feasts there the seventh-day sabbath is always intended and till Mr. Coppinger can shew us a text like this of Col. 2. where sabbaths is mentioned with new moons and the seventh-day sabbath not intended I have sufficiently proved that the seventh-day sabbath is here intended Mr. Coppinger I made an Epithet of the distinction in my former answer by shewing that the sabbaths in the text are called Sabbaths that are a shadow to distinguish them from sabbaths that were not shadows and that therefore it could not be meant of sabbath dayes And secondly I have instanced Isa 1.13 where the word Sabbath is mentioned with new Moons and it is not understood of the seventh day sabbath because the work which the text saith was done upon those sabbaths was contrary to the work of the seventh-day sabbaths Mr. Ives As for that which you call the Epithet of the distinction though I think it is scarce good sence yet I shall answer your meaning by shewing you that the Sabbaths in Col. 2. were not called shadows to Distinguish them from the seventh-day Sabbath as if that was no shadow because the seventh-day it self is called a signe Exod. 31.13 even as circumcision was called 〈◊〉 sign Rom. 4.11 Again it doth not follow because he saith Sabbaths that are a shadow that he excludes some Sabbaths that were not shadows no more then when he saith new Moons that are a shadow that he doth hereby intimate that some new Moons were not shadows to the Jews And as touching the text Isa 1.13 where you say Sabbaths are mentioned with new Moons which could not be understood of the sabbath dayes because say you there was such work to be
done which was contrary to the work of a sabbath day I answer that nothing is mentioned which 〈◊〉 lawfully done on those sabbaths that was contrary to the work of the seventh day Mr. Coppinger I shall shew you that these sabbaths in Isa 1.13 could not be the sabbath days as first they are said Isa 1. to tread in Gods Courts in the Temple which they did not do on the sabbath dayes for then they met in the Synagogue Secondly here is all the Sacrifices and burnt-offerings which they could not offer upon the sabbath dayes Mr. Ives First it doth not follow that all those religious duties mentioned with the sabbaths Isa 1. were to be performed upon the sabbath dayes any more then the celebrations of their new Moons were to be celebrated upon the sabbath dayes and therefore if the duties there mentioned could not be performed upon the sabbath dayes that doth not prove the sabbaths mentioned with new Moons in that text doth not intend the Sabbath day Secondly you say they trod the Courts of God this you call a work which they could not do upon the sabbath dayes because you say they met in the Synagogue upon sabbath dayes I answer That David magnifies the COVRTS of Gods house while as yet there was no temple which shews that other places were called the Courts of Gods house as well as the temple Thirdly they might tread Gods Courts in the Temple upon the Sabbath dayes and therefore you confessed that the priests in the Temple might offer the Sacrifice upon the sabbath-sabbath-day and be blameless which Christ supposes to be their constant custome but I believe never any seventh-seventh-day sabbath-keeper but Mr. Coppinger ever taught that it was a work that could not be done on the Sabbath day for People to tread in the Courts of Gods Temple Again you say here was ALL their Burnt-offerings and ALL their Sacrifices which you say could not be upon the seventh day sabbath offered and therefore Isaiah could not mean the seventh-day sabbath I answer That the text doth not say all their Sacrifices but the multitude of their Sacrifices and therefore you grosly abuse the text Just as if I should say Here is a multitude of People here assembled doth it reasonably follow from such a speech that ALL the People in England are here assembled Mr. Coppinger The text speaks of their SOLEMN Assemblies which was not wont to be upon their sabbath dayes Mr. Ives It doth not follow that because they were solemn Assemblies that they were such Assemblies that could not be upon the sabbath days for Mr. Coppinger meets upon the seventh-day sabbath and will they say when they are together that it is not a solemn Assembly But if the Sabbaths mentioned Isa 1.13 could not be the Sabbath dayes because they had solemn Assemblies upon it then the seventh-day Sabbath that Mr. Coppinger and those of his mind assembles on is not the true Sabbath day because they have a solemn Assembly upon it But I have shewed that the mentioning of these duties with the Sabbaths doth not prove they were all to be performed upon the Sabbath there mentioned but however that is most untrue to say that the sabbath mentioned Isa 1.13 is not the Sabbath day because those services there mentioned could not be done upon the sabbath days and that those religious duties there mentioned were contrary to the works of the Sabbath day then which nothing is more false Mr. Coppinger I have shewn you a text where sabbaths is mentioned with new Moons that is not understood of the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Ives I shall leave this Argument to the judgement of the Audience and your own conscience I have shewn that sabbaths were shadows of Christ and therefore not binding in these days to the believing Gentiles I have also given two reasons why the sabbath mentioned Col. 2.16 is to be understood of the seventh-day sabbath The one was because the word Sabbath is always understood for the seventh-day sabbath when it is mentioned without reference to their festival sabbaths And lastly I have more chiefly insisted and do still insist upon this reason viz. That the seventh-day sabbath is intended by the Apostle in Col. 2.16 because sabbath is there mentioned with new Moons and Feasts c. and throughout the whole Bible where-ever sabbaths is mentioned with new Moons and Feasts there the sabbath dayes are always intended and therefore I do again call upon my Respondent either to say that he cannot answer the Argument or else to shew me a text where sabbaths are mentioned with new Moons and the seventh-day sabbath not intended because no Scripture is of a private interpretation Mr. Coppinger I have shewed you Isa 1.13 where Sabbath is mentioned and the seventh-day sabbath not intended Mr. Ives I have shewed you that the reasons why you so conceive have no weight that the seventh-day sabbath is intended by the prophet Isaiah in the sabbath mentioned with new Moons Isa 1.13 and therefore unless you will assign any other instances to take off the force of my Argument I shall because the time and my strength is very much spent end the Disputation I come now to give an account of the fourth and last Disputation which was on the 22 of Feb. 1658. at the place aforesaid at which Dispute Mr. Coppinger was Opponent and Mr. Ives Respondent at which time and place the people being assembled Mr. Coppinger propounds the Question to be disputed on which take as followeth Mr. Coppinger THe Question to be disputed this day is Whether believing Gentiles are not bound to keep the seventh-day sabbath Mr. Ives The question was laid down in general terms and you have repeated it in indefinite terms not but that I could oppose it in those terms but because we have agreed upon terms let us not now alter them Mr. Coppinger When I say Believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh-day sabbath my meaning is all believing Gentiles Moderator Sir then I pray put in those words and proceed Mr. Coppinger I say then All believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Ives All believing Gentiles are not bound to keep the seventh day sabbath and pray prove they are Mr. Coppinger The first Argument I shall urge is this If all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the royal Law in the second of James then all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath But all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the royal Law in the second of James Ergo all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Ives I deny the consequence of the major Proposition for though all believers are bound to keep the royal Law mentioned in James the second yet they are not bound to keep the seventh day sabbath Mr. Coppinger If all believing Gentiles are bound to keep the royal Law in the second of James and that Law doth contain the seventh day
SATURDAY NO SABBATH Or the SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH Proved To be of no force to the Beleeving Gentiles in the times of the Gospel By the Law of Nature Moses Christ BEING An account of several publique Disputations held at Stone-Chappel by Pauls London Between Dr. Chamberlain Mr. Tillam and Mr. Coppinger of the one party And JER IVES of the other In which the Arguments and Answers on both sides are impartially recommended to publique view Together With an Appendix in which the said Question is more fully and plainly discussed for the better information of the weak and wherein all the Arguments levied for the defence of the Jewish Sabbath are answered By JER IVES Or of the New-moon or of the sabbath-SABBATH-days which are a SHADOW of things to come but the Body is of Christ Col. 2.16 17. Strangers not Circumcised may do any work for themselves on the Jews SABBATH-days for the uncircumcised stranger is not commanded to keep the Jews SABBATH-days Maim Treat of the Sab Chap. 6. Sect. 1. Ch. 20 Sect. 14. London Printed for Dan. White at the seven Stars in Pauls Churchyard and Fran Smith in flying-Horse Court in Fleetstreet 1659. To the Beleevers in Christ especially they who are in bondage to the Jewish Sabbath and more particularly to those in Colchester Grace and Peace be multiplyed from the God of Peace IF our Souls were but affected with the sad and deplorable condition of the Churches of Christ by reason of those great divisions that are among them upon the advancing of every novel opinion we should take up the wish of the Prophet and say Oh that our head were waters and our eyes a fountain of tears especially if we consider what great dishonour it brings to God who is and would be known to be a God of peace and not of confusion in all the Churches of the Saints and as God is dishonoured so the edification of the Churches are hindred whilst their Religious discords prove as great an obstruction to their spiritual building as the confusion of Languages did to the building of Babylon and as discord among Christians hinders their edification so it hinders the conversion of others for if a Jew or an Infidel come among Christians and observes the several Opinions that are among them may they not have just cause to say You are mad Oh then as you tender Gods honour and your own edification and the worlds conversion follow the things that make for peace And in order hereunto let me give you some Cautions First That you be careful how you take up an opinion or receive anything for truth before you have well weighed and considered of it The foolish saith Solomon beleeveth EVERY thing but the prudent will consider his steps Prov. 14.15 plainly shewing that some are so foolish that if they do but hear a thing they will inconsiderately and rashly receive it Too much of this folly is at this time among professors who run to receive every new thing that they hear of before they are able to give a Reason for the truth of the thing they so receive These men often prove troublers of the Churches peace and turn the joy she had of a sudden Proselite into great sorrow that either by their unruly and disorderly promoting their new received opinions to the disturbance of the peace and hinderance of the growth of the Churches or else by their sudden departing from those Notions that they hastily and inconsiderately received For it is worth observing that those that hastily imbrace a thing though it be truth seldom do remain permanent Professors of it this our Lord Christ teacheth us in the parable of the sower Mat. 13.5 compared with the 20. where it is observable of the seed that fell among stony ground how that ANON it sprung up but it SUDDENLY withered away for want of root which Christ interprets to be for want of understanding as appears if you but compare this hasty Professor with the professor who is said to receive with understanding ver 23. whereas the other is said to receive it incontinently ver 20. he departeth from it as suddenly ver 21. I speak not this to the end that I might discourage people from hasting to keep Gods commands but that according to the Proverb they should make no more hast then good speed for sad experience tells us that the Churches have sped very ill by such rash inconsiderate members who have proved disturbers of the peace while they have been in and many times have made havock of the Churches peace in their going out by drawing others after them Secondly As I would caution you to be careful in receiving so I would likewise have you careful in the promoting any thing that you have so received In the first place take heed of being too hasty in the venting that thou hast newly received for if once a man hath vented an opinion in publick it will be hard to recant though it prove very erronious how sad is it then to see men dispute in publick for that to day when they doubted of the truth of it but yesterday 2. Be careful in promoting of any thing thou hast received passionately and uncharitably branding all that differ from thee as Law-breakers and denyers of Scriptures calling all Ranters Quakers Papists Atheists c. that deny the truth of thy opinion as Mr. Tillam doth in his Treatise of the Sabbath pag. 6. accusers of Christ and reproachers of the Apostle Paul pag. 122 123. again he calls those that do not agree with him in this point about the keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath base-born muck-worms pag. 26. But no wonder Mr. Tillam speakes at this rate since as he confesseth in his Book That sometimes his affection did out-run his judgment Likewise Mr. Spittlehouse in his Book called Error blasted wherein he useth a great many words in Capital Letters instead of Capital Arguments taking that for granted which he ought to have proved viz. Thát the Seventh-day Sabbath is a moral precept then having shamefully begged the Question he manfully infers That all that are otherwise minded are breakers of Jehovahs Royal Law when he himself from that Text much insisted on by them Mat. 5.17 to prove the Seventh-day Sabbath a command to beleeving Gentiles faints in the way of his proof by saying It is PROBABLE Christ preached that Sermon to the multitude as well as to the twelve among whom there were Gentiles But what if one should say It is certain that this was preached while the first Tabernacle was standing and that it is improbable that he preached to Gentiles because preaching to the Gentiles seemed so strange to Peter Acts the 10 might not a man have better ground to evince the one then he hath to infer the other viz. because Christ preached to the multitude that therefore two of the twelve were Gentiles and yet for all he confesseth that it is but a PROBABLE conjecture yet he hath the confidence
seventh-day sabbath be not required by Moses Law it is not by your own confession required by the Law of Nature or the Law of Christ and that it is not required by Moses Law I have proved and shall prove further by this Argument If believing Gentiles are commanded to keep the seventh-day sabbath by vertue of Moses Law then they are commanded by that Law Exod 20. But the believing Gentiles are not required by that Law Exod. 20. to keep the seventh-day sabbath Ergo believing Gentiles are not required by Moses Law to keep the seventh-day sabbath Here Dr. Chamberlain forbears to respond to Mr. Ives his Arguments and thereupon Mr. Tillam takes upon him the place of a Respondent whose Answers follow Mr. Tillam For my part I am against this Syllogistical way of Disputation and I had though you and that Gentleman that stands by you * Meaning Mr. Denn had been against all Academical wayes and rules of Disputation also Mr. Ives Truly Sir we had more reason to think you should be FOR such a way of Disputation then you had to think we were against it because you pretend to make use of so much in your late book however See the Epistle give me my liberty to argue this way as I have given Doctor Chamberlain and when it comes to your turn to oppose take what way you will so you prove the thing denyed I pass not in the mean time answer my Argument Mr. Tillam I pray repeat it again Mr. Ives The Argument is as before If believing Gentiles by vertue of Moses Law are commanded to keep the seventh-day Sabbath then they are commanded by that Law Exod. 20. But believing Gentiles are not commanded by that Law Exod. 20. Ergo the believing Gentiles are not commanded by vertue of Moses Law to keep the seventh-day Sabbath Mr. Tillam The Gentiles were bound to keep the Law that was given by God to Israel and particularly that of the seventh-day Sabbath and yet not by Exod. 20. ONELY for they were commanded in Exod 16. also Mr. Ives My Argument doth not say they were bound by the 20th of Exod. ONELY but that if they are bound by Moses Law 〈◊〉 you say they are then they are bound by that Text Exod. 20 where the sabbath is required among other Laws to be observed 〈◊〉 but that the same things might be required elsewhere now if I prove this Text in Exod. 20. doth not command the believing Gentiles to keep the seventh-day sabbath then I have taken away the force of those Arguments you urge from thence in the behalf of it Mr. Tillam Well then I say the believing Gentiles are bound to keep the seventh-day sabbath by vertue of the Command Exod 20. Mr. Ives I prove the believing Gentiles by that Text are not bound to keep the seventh-day sabbath by this Argument If that Law that requireth the Observation of the seventh-day sabbath Exod. 20. be nor in force to believing Gentiles then believing Gentiles are not bound by that Law Exod. 20. to observe the seventh-day sabbath But that Law that requireth the Observation of the seventh day sabbath Exod. 20. is not in force to the believing Gentiles Ergo believing Gentiles are not bound by that Law Exod. 20. to keep the seventh-day sabbath Here Mr. Tillam refused to answer to the Argument because he would not be tyed to deny Maâ—or or Minor and therefore one among the Company calls upon Mr. Ives to prove the Minor viz. That the Law that requireth the Observation of the seventh day sabbath Exod. 20. is not in force to believing Gentiles Mr. Ives Well because I would improve the time for Edification though here I might break off and forbear to argue when my Respondent shall refuse to answer yet be cause I am desired by some that stand by I shall prove that that Law is not in force which I thus do If that Law which commandeth the observation of the seventh-day sabbath Exod. 20. be in force unto believing Gentiles then the punishment due to the Transgression of that Law by the Law-Makers appointment is in force unto the believing Gentiles also But the punishment due to the transgression of that Law by the Law-Makers appointment is not in force to the believing Gentiles Ergo that Law Exod. 20. that commandeth the Observation of the seventh-day sabbath is not in force to the believing Gentiles Here Mr. Tillam refuseth to answer and therefore one that stands by denyeth the Minor and prayes Mr. Ives to prove it Mr. Ives I prove the Minor viz. That the punishment that the Law-maker appointed to the breach of the Sabbath required Exod. 20. is not in force If the punishment due to the transgrassion of that Law Exod. 20. be in force to the believing Gentiles by the Law makers appointment then the Law-maker hath appointed some to other to inflict it But the Law-maker hath appointed none to inflict it Ergo the punishment due to the transgression of that Law Exod. 20. is not in force to the believing Gentiles by the Law-makers appointment If we look into the Law of Moses we shall find that whosoever did any work upon the Sabbath day was to be put to death Exod. 35.1 2. and Exod. 31.14 15. And when they had found a man breaking this Law in gathering sticks upon the Sabbath day they brought him to Noses and Aaron and to as the Congregation to see what should he done unto him Num. 15.32 33 34 35 36 and they put him in ward for it was not yet declared what should be done unto him then the Lord said unto Moses Thâ— mâ—n shâ—â—â— die the death 〈…〉 all the multitude 〈◊〉 him with â—ones without the hoâ—â— are we find a Law given to keep the Sabbath â—od 20. a punishment assigned by the Law-maker which is Death Exod. 31.14 15. the manner of â—e execution if prescribed by God Num. 19.35 â—â—ich is stoning with stones the Executioners of this â—â—nishment are likewise appointed by the same Law which is all the multitude And let all the MULTITUDE stone him with stones c. Jer. 35 36. â—w if the seventh day sabbath be in force by vertue of Moses Law then it followeth that the same punishment is in force the same Executioners are appoinâ—d unless that any body can shew where God hath freed the transgressors from the penalty of it or hath appointed any other punishment then what is appointed 〈◊〉 the Law of Moses Mr. Ives Because Sir you will not answer this Argument by denying either Major or Minor I shall 〈◊〉 on to prove that 〈◊〉 which seems most doubtful which is the Minor Proposition vz. That the Law-maker hath not appointed any to inflict the punishment provided in Moses Law for the seventh-day Sabbath breaking upon believing Gentiles If the Law-maker hath appointed any to inflict the punishment which by Moses Law was to be inflicted noon Sabbath-breakers it is either the civil Magistrate or the Ministers
Act. 21. be of a Ceremonial Law yet it is sufficient to shew that since the whole Law doth comprehend both Morals and Ceremonials that believing Gentiles who are not circumcised are not bound to keep the while since they are excused from observing the Ceremonial part of it by this text Act. 21. And whereas Mr. Tillam saith that if the Epistle of James were writ to believing Jews then here would be one Law for the believing Jews â—nother for the beleeving Gentiles To this I answer â—hat it doth not follow that because this Epistle was â—riten to Jews that THEREFORE there should be 〈◊〉 Law for them and another for the Gentiles but â—econdly this absurdity if it be an absurdity â—â—ay as well be drawn upon the text because it is â—â—id Jam. 2. that the Epistle was writ to the Twelve Tribes scattered abroad c. which were Jews And lastly it hath already been shewn that some â—hings were injoyned upon Paul that was a Jew which ought not to be injoyned upon the beleeving Gentiles Mr. Tillam Whereas Mr. Ives chargeth my Book for allowing that which I now call confusion I answer that I confess when I was first perswaded of the seventh-day sabbath I did also acknowledge the first day of the week but it was upon the reason of antiquity for as much as the seventh-day and the first day were both observed in the first three hundred yeers but when I observed the same contention about Easter-day I was convinced and I do now beleeve that the first day of the week is in common with all other days and whereas Mr. Ives saith the Apostles preached in the Synagogues on the Sabbath days and in the Christian assemblies on the first-days of the week I do say that that they never met in any Christian assemblies upon the first day of the week and Mr. Tinaâ— calleth the first day of the week the sabbath Act. 20.7 Mr. Ives I answer to the last first Whereas you 〈◊〉 Mr. Tindal calleth the first day of the week 〈◊〉 sabbath so he doth also call that day 〈◊〉 which John received his Revelation the Sunday which other translations call the Lordâ— day by which it appears that without confusion Mr. Tindal thought the Apostles might observe both days as the state of Christian â—â—fairs then stood and as your self have confesse that both the Sabbath-day and the Lords-daâ— were observed in the three first Centuries And if Mr. Tindals Authority may be allowed then the first day of the week is the Sabbath-day and then what becomes of your seventh day sabbath unless you will keep two sabbaths so that sinâ—â— you have cited Mr. Tindal let Mr. Tindal 〈◊〉 the Controversie who by your own confession caâ—â— the first day of the week the sabbath Again when I said the Apostles did meet on both days without confusion which you said they could not I spake this to shew what Christians may do in point of condescention to one another and also to shew that if meeting on both days was a practise which you say is full of confusion that then your Book was not empty of confusion in allowing both the one and the other though you now deny it Mr. Tillam It is a great confusion for one part of an â—ssembly to meet upon one day and another â—â—rt to meet upon another and if any of our â—â—iends do so they do evil for they ought all 〈◊〉 meet at one place and at one time and to â—â—rry one for another and not to vary hours â—uch less days Mr. Ives I still think I have reason for my opinion viz. that those that do pretend to keep the â—eventh-day may keep the first day of the week â—o the Lord without being guilty of sin and confusion although your sabbath now under debate were true but enough of this I shall â—herefore proceed to another Argument to â—rove that all beleeving Gentiles are not commanded to keep the seventh-day sabbath which I thus do If the seventh-day sabbath was a Law to none but Israel and such as were proselyted to their Religion then all beleeving Gentiles are not commanded to observe it But the seventh-day sabbath was a Law to none but Israel and such as were proselyted to their Religion Ergo. The Minor I thus prove That Law which was given as a sign between God and Israel was a Law to none but Israel But the seventh-day sabbath was given as a sign between God and Israel Exod. 31.15 17. Ergo The seventh-day sabbath was a Law to none but Israel Mr. Tillam To the sabbaths being a sign I answer that it is either of things past or of things present or of things to come if of things past then it is a sign of the Creation of the world or else it is a sign of his sanctifying presence which I have found in this observation but that the seventh-sabbath is a sign of good things to come I utterly deny Again If the sabbath was a sign so were all the Commandments and therefore its being a sign doth not make it void any more then the rest of the Commandments which are also called signs Mr. Ives Whereas Mr. Tillam saith the Sabbath was a sign of the Creation I say it was not for though Heaven and Earth be exprest in the command of the sabbath yet the sabbath is no where said to be given them for a sign that God made Heaven and Earth for though God's resting the seventh-day be a reason why Israel should rest yet this rest is no where called a sign of the Creation But there is more reason to beleeve from the text that it was one of the signs of the Covenant that God in a special manner had made with that people See Exod. 31 16 17. Eze. 20.12 But further is it not more rational to beleeve that the six days should be a sign of Gods creating Heaven and Earth then the seventh day on which he did not work which at the most can but signifie to us that then or on that time God rested from all his work But whoever considers of the signes that God gave to Israel shall find that they were given them to distinguish that people from all people in the world and therefore Mr. Ainsworth observes upon Exod. 13.9 The Jews saith he used on other dayes to wear their Phylacteries on their arms or foreheads for a Sign or a Token to them as the Lord commanded but they laid them by upon the sabbath because say they the sabbath it self is a signe And therefore Josephus calls it A Law peculiar to that People De bello lib. 2. cap. 16. And to this agrees the saying of Nehemiah Chap 9.13 Thou camest down upon mount Sinai and spakest with them the house of Israel and madest known to them thy Holy Sabbath Again whereas Mr. Tillam saith that the whole Law of the Ten Commandments was a Signe and therefore we may as well lay aside all upon the account of their
it no breach of a Law and so likewise upon the sabbath-day a man might lead an oxe or an ass to watering and not break it though it be a moral law but if the men in this generation may do that which the Jews and Disciples might not lawfully do on the sabbath-day then you have taken off my exceptions Mr. Ives Whereas you speak of a necessity to break a moral law when God countermand c. I answer that then it is not murder in Abraham to slay Isaak or theft in Israel to take from the Egyptians because they had an immediate law from heaven commanding those very particular things but doth it follow that this law given to Abraham was binding to all or that Gods allowing of Israel to spoil the Egyptians should give me an allowance to spoil my neighbour and would it not be a sin contrary to nature for me to sacrifice my child having no command because Abraham would have sacrificed his child by a command and in like manner there can be no moral necessity to break a moral law by your own confession without an immediate and particular command in the case as Abraham had in the case of Isaak and Israel in the case of spoyling the Egyptians Now then if the seventh-day sabbath be moral as you say it is then you can have no moral necessity by your own confession to break it unless you have an immediate countermand from Heaven so to do Now then since you say the law for the seven-day sabbath is a moral law how do you make it appear that God gave you an allowance to open your shop the next day after you challenged me to dispute for the seventh-day sabbath which was the sabbath-day you now plead for and whereas you did pretend a necessity so to do I demand Whether God ever gave you a command in obedience to which you did open your shop upon the seventh-day sabbath since you your self say that there must be a countermand to justifie the doing any thing that contradicts the letter of a moral law now you have broke the letter of the law which you say is moral and where is your countermand from God so to do And for the instances that you bring of mens leading an oxe to water upon the sabbath-day 〈◊〉 was not a moral necessity for they might have let the oxe stayed without water if the law for the seventh-day sabbath had been a moral law they ought not to have broken it to save the life of their oxe no more then a man may worship an Idol to save his own life and the life of his cattle so that this very instance confutes your opinion that the seventh-day sabbath is not a moral law Mr. Coppinger As touching my opening shop upon the seventh-day which I say is the sabbath Mr. Ives did allow me so to doe because I was under some promises to do some business that day in relation to my trade But suppose I did that which was unlawful this doth not prove what Mr. Ives saith that he may break the sabbath however this is reflection and uncharitableness Again I say the moral law makes no difference between murder and killing for it is written Exod. 20. Thou shalt not kill c. so that Abraham was a breaker of that law by going about to kill Isaak Also if a childe were born and the seventh-day of the week happened to be the eighth day after the birth then it was no breach of the law to circumcise the child but Mr. Ives hath broken his promise in that he promised to discourse the Argument he insisted on the last day but doth not Mr. Ives I answer to the last first that I have not broken any promise that I made for I laid down one general Argument which was the same I went upon the last day which I am yet prosecuting And secondly You did also agree that I should urge new Arguments if I pleased as well as those which had been formerly urged and whereas you charge me with reflections and uncharitableness I answer that what I spake did relate to the dispensation that Mr. Tillam gave you to open shop upon your sabbath after you had ingaged to dispute for it And I say if the seventh-day sabbath be moral then he could not dispense with your opening shop upon it for by this rule a man may plead a necessity to break moral laws although he hath no countermand from God so to do whereas you say I did allow you to open shop I answer So I might because I am so far from judging the observation of the saturday-sabbath a moral duty that I judge it no duty at all therefore I might dispense with your working upon it but how could Mr. Tillam that beleeves with you that the command for the seventh-day is moral give you a dispensation so to do and further how could your conscience dispense with such an action as to open your shop the next Saturday sabbath that came after you had ingaged in publick to dispute the morality of that day And whereas Mr. Coppinger saith the Moral law makes no difference between murder and killing he might as well have said that the moral law makes no difference between fornication and lying with a woman then which nothing is more absurd For the Moral law doth not call all killing murder though murder be killing he might as well have said because stealing is taking that therefore there is no difference between stealing and taking Here Mr. Tillam desireth liberty to speak for himself touching what Mr. Ives had objected against him for allowing Mr. Coppinger to open shop upon their Sabbath Mr. Tillam Mr. Ives hath done like cursed Cham in uncovering his brothers nakedness however I went to bid Mr. Coppinger shut up his shop beâ—ing very much troubled all that night about it and he answered me that if he should shut up shop he should be accounted broke which would be a scandal to his profession further he told me that he was under some promises which he was to perform relating to his trade however he told me he would do not work but what was of necessity to fulfil his promise and gave the like charge to his servants also Mr. Ives What if Mr. Coppinger had made a promise to murder or worship an Idol should he have broken these laws to keep his promise in like manner if working upon the Saturday-sabbath be a breach of a moral law as he saith it is then there is no reason why his promise should absolve him in the one rather then in the other and truly after this rate it is an easie matter for a man to make promises and thereby if this kind of arguing be good absolve himself from obeying any moral precept And whereas Mr. Tillam saith he went to Mr. Coppinger the night before to desire him to shut up his shop the next day I answer that what Mr. Tillam did after we parted
ver 3. God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it Because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made whence those things are urged first That God sanctified this day therefore all beleeving Gentiles ought to sanctifie it Secondly This was spoken while Adam was in innocencie and so consequently to all his posterity Ans To which I answer first that Gods example unless we have a command doth not binde all the world for God sanctified the Priests and the Temple and the Altar and yet we are not bound to sanctifie them See for this purpose Exod. 29.44 2 Chron. 7.16 Secondly whereas it is said this was spoken to Adam and therefore to all the world I answer that all that was commanded Adam did not bind all the world at all times as appears by the commandment given to Adam to eat of the tree of life Gen 2. and to forbear the tree of knowledge of good and evil these Laws are not now binding to all the world and yet they were given to Adam and so to all men had they continued in that estate So indeed Adam should have imitated God had he continued in innocency in keeping a perpetual sabbath for he should not have laboured to add any cubits to the stature of that perfect happiness no more then God wrought to add any thing to the six days work which was made perfect and good for Adam was only to dress and keep what was already made as God keeps and preserves the world by his Providence in this fence God works hitherto 〈◊〉 Christ saith John 5.17 and in some such cases Adam should have imitated his Creator if he had not sinned But thirdly these words And God sanctified the seventh-day are urged by Moses in Gen. 2. as a Reason why the Israelites in his time did keep the sabbath rather then to shew that God sanctified the seventh-day for Adam and his Posterity in innocencie my reasons are first because all the Patriarks from Adam to Moses did not keep the seventh-day sabbath which was two thousand yeers and upwards and in all this long tract of time not one word of the 7th-day sabbath-keeping or breaking Secondly Josephus himself a learned Jew speaking of this rest faith That Gods resting on the seventh day was the reason why the Israelites reposed or rested upon that day Lib. 1. Cap. 2. Now had the Jews understood the seventh-day had been sanctified before Moses Josephus would have mentioned it in his History of Amiquities from Adam to Moses as well as other things especially considering the great occasion which he had to defend the Antiquity of the sabbath from the great reproach that was cast upon it by Appion of Alexandria who tells the Jews that their sabbath was derived from the Egyptian word Sabbo which signifieth a disease in the Privy parts which saith he the Jews were smote with after they had travelled six days from Egypt whereupon they were forced to rest the seventh-day and therefore called it a Sabbath from the name of the disease which they called Sabbo Now Josephus could not have a better Argument to have vindicated the Jews sabbath against Appions foul aspersions but by shewing to the world that the sabbath was kept from the Creation of the world unto that time and not taken up by the Jews in the wilderness after they came out of Egypt Now though Josephus doth vindicate the sabbath from being derived of the Egyptian word Sabbo by shewing that it was derived from the Hebrew word Sabbath which signifieth rest yet he never vindicateth the Jews Sabbath from that other Allegation of Appions viz. that the first beginning of it was in the wilderness after that Israel came out of Egypt as any one may see that reads Josephus against Appion Lib. 2. which clearly shews that the sabbath was not kept before Israel came into the wilderness Thirdly The Scripture usually speaks at this rate for there is such a kind of expression used by Moses in this very chapter Gen. 2.11 where he tells us of the river Pison that compasseth the whole land of Havilah where there is gold c. not that this land was so called in Eden while Adam was in innocencie for Havilah was not born till after the flood by whose name this land was known and called and yet Moses by anticipation calls it the land of Havilah with reference unto that name which 1600 yeers afterwards it did receive and that Havilah was not born till after the flood appears Gen. 10.7 and that the flood was more then 1600 yeers after the Creation appears not only by what the Scriptures tell us but by the consent of Christian writers see August de Civitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 20. and lib. 15. cap. 12 14. and yet Moses calls a Country by this name in his describing of the garden of Eden which was no otherwise true but with respect to what it was afterwards called in like manner Moses saith God sanctified the seventh-day Gen. 2.3 which also refers to the Law that God gave to Israel by the hand of Moses for the sanctifying of it And lest this seem strange I shall give you another Text that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand see therefore Exod. 16.32 33 34. In the 32 verse the Lord did command that an Omâ—â— of the Manna should be put in a pot to be laid before the testimony of the Lord and the 34 v. saith That as the Lord commanded Moses so Aaron laid it up before the testimony of the Lord which was no otherwise true but with respect to what was done afterwards for as yet there was no Ark nor Testimony made as appears if we consider that at this time the Israelites were sojourning in the wilderness of Sin and the command for the Ark and the making of the Tabernacle was not given till they came to Sinai Exod 25.10 at which time the Testimony was given to them and yet mention is made of this before so in like manner when Moses saith Gen. 2. That God did sanctifie the seventh-day he is to be understood in the same sense as the other Text is understood where it is said Aaron laid up the Manna before the Testimony which relates to what was afterwards done when the Law was given even after the same manner doth Moses speak in Gen. 2. when he faith God did sanctifie the seventh-day not that he did sanctifie it in Eden any more then Aaron laid up the Manna in the wilderness of Sin before the Testimony but that he did sanctifie it when he gave his Law to Israel and this is further confirmed by what hath been spoken viz. that from the Creation of the world to the time of Moses which was above two thousand yeers there is not one word mentioned of the seventh-day sabbath though occasionally there is mention made of all other moral duties Argum. 2 The next Reason that is rendred
may be the same when the Law is not the same Mr. Coppinger As to your first instance namely that the seventh yeer was commanded for a Mora reason I answer This was not an universal reason for the text faith That the poor of THY people may eat which was not for all and as to your second instance I confess the reason doth remain and is universal viz. That God doth sanctifie us and therefore I say the Law remains that we should sanctifie Gods Ministers still Mr. Ives As for your Answer to my first instance it doth signifie little for I say refreshing the poor is a moral and universal duty and if than the seventh yeer of rest was commanded for the benefit of their poor and cattle then by your Argument if the reason of this Law viz. that the poor should be refreshed do remain then it must needs follow by your Logick thaâ— the seventh yeer sabbath must remain as well as the seventh day sabbath And as touching your answer to my second instance I must tell you that in your Answer you have confuted your self for you confess the reason of the Law remains which was given to Israel for sanctifying the priest Secondly you say that the Law remains that we must sanctifie Gods Ministers then by your favour if you can make the reason of the Law for sanctifying the Priest the sons of Aaron a reason why you should sanctifie not the same but another Priesthood then I may make the reasons for sanctifying the seventh day sabbath serve for the sanctifying not the same but another day Mr. Coppinger So you may if you can prove the abolishing of the seventh day sabbath as I can prove the abolishing the Levitical Priesthood Mr. Ives Then you have confuted your self again and answered your own Argument for your Argument was that where-ever the reason of a Law remains there the Law remains and you have confessed that the reason of the Law doth remain why God would have Israel sanctifie the Priest the sons of Aaron and now in your last answer tell me That that Priesthood is abolished So then if I could never shew you that the seventh day sabbath was abolished yet I have confuted your Argument by shewing that the reason of a Law doth remain when the Law doth not remain and you have confessed both for you say that the reason why Israel was to sanctifie that Priesthood is the same still viz. because God sanctifies his people and you confessed the Law is not the same for you say The Priesthood is abolished But lastly I have shewn you in the former Disputation that the seventh day sabbath was abolished as well as the Levitical Priesthood by an Argument which you could not answer which I raised from that text Col. 2.16 17. with which I shall conclude this Disputation Let no man therefore judge you in meats or in drinks or in respect of a holy day or of the new moons or of the SABBATH days which are ASHA DOW of things to come but the body is of Christ Thus having given a faithful account of all the Arguments and Answer that were insisted on in the several Disputations without omitting of any one text of Scripture Argument or Answer that was urged on either side I shall leave the whole to the judgement of those that are impartial desiring of God that it may answer the ends for which it is sent forth into the world which is the glory of Almighty GOD and the establishment of the Weak which is all that is herein aymed at by thy Friend J. I. FINIS POST-SCRIPT READER I Thought good to give notice that at the end of this last Dâ—spute I promised that which is now by the Providence of GOD performed viz. an acâ—ount of all the Arguments and Answers insisted on in the several Disputations this promise being made publickly before the meeting was dissolved Doctor Chamberlain and Mr. Tillam and Mr. Coppinger being then present at which time Doctor Chamberlain told me That if I would print but two Arguments that he would send to me with Answers to them I might print what I would I thereupon told him that I would not onely print and answer his two Arguments but also God assisting I would answer what other Arguments that either be or any of them should send to me provided they sent them within fourteen dayes after and for this 14 dayes I staid 21 days in all which time I heard not a word from any of them â—o nor so much as an excuse from Doctor chamberlain though he did publickly challenge me to answer his two Arguments and as faithfully promise to send them to my house which I wonder at seeing he hath divers times past by my door since then as I have been informed and yet never so much as left a word about it This I am provoked to certifie lest any that heard this promise from Doctor Chamberlain should think that I had received his Arguments and concealed them the thought of any such thing is far enough from the heart of him that is London March 17. 1658 9. Thy Friend in the Truth JER IVES An Appendix to the former Disputations I Have annexed this insuing Appendix for the information fo the weak and those that are not acquainted with the Laws and Terms of Disputation and it may also serve for the general use of all that do desire to be satisfied in the present controversie who perhaps may not have leasure or patience to read all the foregoing Arguments and Answers urged in the preceding Disputations and herein I shall observe this method First I shall lay down all those Arguments that I have ever met with which are levied for the defence of the Saturday-Sabbath with brief Answers thereunto Secondly I shall urge the Reasons why I am perswaded the Saturday-sabbath is not in force to the beleeving Gentiles Thirdly I shall shew some Reasons for the justifying the present practise of the Christians in their Religious observations of the first day of the week otherwise called the Lords-day And first to the first namely the Arguments that are urged by some Judaizing Christians for the defence of the seventh-day sabbath and they are of three sorts the first sort are taken from the Scriptures the second from some Reasons in Nature and the third sort of Reasons are taken from Tradition I shall plainly and briefly speak first to the first viz. those Arguments that are alledged for the Saturday-sabbath ouâ— of the Scriptures and these are some taken from Texts out of the Old and some from Texts out of the New Testament I shall first begin with those Arguments urged for the defence of the seventh-day sabbath out of the old Testament and they are of two sorts first such as are taken from example and secondly such as seem to be grounded upon a command Argum. 1 The first Reason is taken from Gods example Gen. 2.2 And God rested the seventh-seventh-day c. and