in those times and dayes for it was death to omit thes dayes Genes 17.14 Numb 9.13 Iust so in this fourth com God inioyneth vs expresly two things as essential parts of this comm the one is the duety of the day in these words Remember the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8 and the seuenth day is the Sabbath vers 10. the other is the dueties in the day in these words To keepe it holy vers 8. and in it thou shalt not doe any vvorke vers 10. and here the time and day as you see is no lesse commanded and that both affirmatiuely and negatiuely then are the dueties in the day The thing vvhich Almightie God intendeth in this com lesse principally is the duety of labouring sixe dayes seruing God in some honest calling for which God hath giuen a commandement also saying Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke Now this commandement as I conceiue it is subordinate to the former made for the Sanctification of the Sabbath day and made to backe it and to support it for because God wold haue his people to Sanctify his Sabbath day and to rest therin from labours that so a vacancy may be for holy dueties therefore hath God added an other precept commanding vs to doe all the workes we haue to doe with in the compasse of the sixe dayes that so no worke may be left to doe in the seuenth day Sabbath So then these tvvo Commandements to wit to Sanctify the seuenth day and to labour in the Sixe dayes may well goe in accompt but for one and be both called the fourth Comm. because they tend both to one thing that is to the sanctification of the seuenth day Sabbath a like case you haue in the 10th command in which are many commandements but because they agree all in this one of coueting therefore are they all counted but for one Thus much be spoken touching the generall suruey of the seuerales and particulares conteined in the fourth com In which passages for matter of vse we may note first what manner of computation of time God maketh when he speaketh of his Morall Sabbathes this may easily be gathered out of this fourth com for heere God diuideth all the dayes of the world into seauenes or weeks as thus Sixe dayes thou shalt labour but the seuenth day is the Sabbath and againe In Sixe dayes the Lord made heauen and earth c. and rested the seuenth day c And this account hath bene Kept in the Church all along from age to age both in the times of the Old Testament and of the New Testament see Genes 1.31 with Genes 2.2 see Exod. 16.22.23.26 Exod. 20.9.10 Mark 16.1.2 Act. 20.7 Luk. 13.14 Yet further because we are to be imitatores of God in this poinct it is needfull that vve diligently Marke which are those dayes the which in Gods account doe make vp a weeke or which of all the dayes in the yeere are those dayes which belong vnto this or that Number of Gods seauen the which if it be not well obserued vve may make a confusion of the account of Gods weeks and seauens and vvhereas he saith six dayes thou shalt labour if this be not obserued vve may so rekon our six dayes as vve may count the day peculiarly appointed for the Sabbath day for one of our sixe dayes and so make it a vvorking day quit against the mind of God and manie drifte and scope of his fourth comm yea if we haue no certaine rule where to begine our accompt then may we skipp ouer as many dayes as vve please before vve begine to rekon our sixe dayes and so God shall haue a Sabbath or seuenth day but once a moneth or once a quarter or once a yeere it is very needfull therefore that we learne this point of God to knovv vvhich day he counted for the first day of the weeke and vvhich for the seuenth day of the vveeke that so vve may knovv which are those dayes vvherein vve must labour and which for certaine is that day in which must rest from labour least the ignorant doe mistak one for an other and least the Cuning Sophisters of our times doe bequile the simple In this point we may be instructed from the reason in the fourth comm Exod. 20.11 For in six dayes the Lord made heauen and earth c. and rested the seuenth day if now you will know which dayes in the moneth or yeere those were which here God called the six dayes and the seuenth day looke but into the history of the Creation of heauen and earth whereof God speaketh in this reason and there you shall be satisfied see Gen. 1. That day God counted for the first day of the weeke or of the seauen wherein he created the light v. 4.5 and which was the first day that euer was this day is our Sunday or Lords day and called constantly by all the Euangelists and so by all Churches to this day the first day of the weeke it being the first day of the worlds creation see Matt. 28.1 Mark 16.2 Luk. 24.1 Ioh. 20.1 Act. 20.7 That day God counted for the second day of the weeke or of the seauen wherein he made the firmament v. 7.8 and this was the second day that euer was this day is our Monday That day God called the third day of the weeke or of the seauen dayes wherein he made the Earth to appeare and the Seas v. 10.13 and this vvas the third day from the Creation and this day is our Tewsday That day God called the fourth day of the weeke wherein he made the Sunne Moone and Starres v. 16.19 and this vvas the fourth day from the creation and this day is our Wednesday That day wherein God made the fishe in the Sea and the foule in the ayre he called the fifth day v. 21.23 and that day is our Thursday That day God called the sixt day of the weeke vvherein he made man v. 26.31 and this was the sixth day from the creation and this day is our Friday And that day God called and counted the seuenth day of the vveeke wherein he rested from the vvorks of Creation and which he blessed sanctified Gen. 2.1.2.3 this day is our saturday Forsomuh then as vve haue found out vvhich are those dayes which in the fourth comm God called the six dayes and which day he called the seuenth day it teacheth all ministres in expounding this fourth com to speake as God spake and to call count vnto the people the dayes of the weeke by those numerall names vvhich God hath put vpon them and therefore they must call our Sunday or Lords day the first day and our Saturday the Seuenth day And also as touching practise that they exhorte and perswade the people to be imitatours of God labouring on the first six dayes of the worlds creation and resting for the Sabbath day on the seuenth day from the creation vvhich is Saturday because God himselfe
fidelity in Exposition as novv they must for they might see by their ovvne eyes plainly For example suppose we the 4th Com. were thus translated Remember the Saturday-Rest to sanctifie it if novv any doubt could be vvhich shold be the day appointed of God for Sabbath day it vvould easily be decided and that by an vnlearned man if any shold offer to corrupt the text by distinguishing of a Saturday and the saturday as they doe of a Sabbath and the Sabbath and of a 7th day and the 7th day as if there were more saturdayes in a vveeke then one he vvould be laught at for his paines Againe if any would goe about to turne Gods Commandement from the Saturday to the Sunday by this deuise because the word Sabbath signifieth a Rest and vve doe Rest now from laboures on the Sunday he vvold presently be ansvvered that that 's a friuolouse reason for the 4th Com. inioyneth not a Sunday-Rest but a Saturday-Rest lastly if any would be so idle as to apply the 4th com to the Lords day and expound it of the Lords day why euery child would see his grosse abuse of the 4th com for it directly speaketh not of the Lords day but of Saturday For it is not the name Lords day that God hath put into the 4th com but the name Sabbath day or Saturday Thus I haue showne what light would come vnto Gods commandement by the translation of the Hebrew word Sabbath and what fruit would come vnto euery one in the Church of God thereby if this I cannot obtaine yet this at least let me preuaile in that Ministers would be pleased hereafter in exposition of those words Sabbathday to signify vnto the people that thereby is meant our Saturday For this I haue proued abundantly and vndeniably both by Scriptures and by the Testimonies of both Iewes and Christians of all sorts Protestants and Papists this duety therefore in the true and faithfull exposition of Gods word vnto the people I require of them as they will answer the contrary before Almighty God at that Day let them bevvare of Sophisticating with Gods lawes when they expound them In the 4th comm God said Remember the Sabbath day but he said not Remember the Sunday or the Lords day nor remember the Monday the Tewsday or the Wednesday c. but remember the Sabbath day Now looke which day of the weeke was euer in ancient time named and called Sabbath day that is the day commanded in the 4th com If then they can shew me that either Sunday Lords day Monday Tewsday Wednesday c. or any day besids Saturday was wont to be named and called Sabbath day then may they haue some culler for their errour but now haue they none A second vse shall be against sueh Ministers as doe either expound the 4th com to belong to the Lords day or Sunday because then we Rest or else when the 4th com is vrged vpon them as requiring the seuenth day rest or Saturday-Rest they turne it off thus the vvord Sabbath signifieth in English a Rest now vpon the Lords day or Sunday we rest wherevnto I reply 1. that thus when God appointed the 7th day for his Sabbath day in his 4th com the people of the Iewes might thus haue answered God that the vvord Sabbath in his 4th com signifieth a Rest now when they keepe any one of those yeerely Sabbaths in Leuit. 23. they might say this vveeke vve haue kept one of those annuall Sabbaths suppose it fell vpon Tewsday or Wensday and in this day we had a Rest by this faire gloose might not God loose in that vveeke his morall weekly Sabbath inioyned by the 4th com which fell vpon Saturday and that because they kept a ceremoniall yeerly Sabbath that weeke vpon the Tevvsday or Wensday for vpon this Tevvsday or Wensday they did Rest What iugling trickes are these vvould a man beleeue it that Puritane Ministers professing the feare of God vvould vse such dissimulation and handle the vvord of God so craftily pardon me good Reader hovv euer I reuerence their holy profession yet I cannot speake of this their vile abuse of Gods sacred vvord vvithout indignation of spirit vvho that sincerly loueth God and his sacred Scriptures can passe it ouer in silence to see his holy vvord thus vvrested and basely abused Christmas day vvhen it falleth vpon some one of the six working dayes and so the Coronation day and so thos common holy dayes S. Mathews day S. Iohns day and the rest t is true we Rest vpon these dayes from our labours and that by an ordinance of our Church but will any be so absurd as to say that these holy dayes stand by vertue of the 4th comm because we Rest on these dayes or suppose the patrones of the Lords day vvho presse the 4th comm vpon it should vrge me to sanctifie the Lords day by the 4th com might not I answer them in their owne answer that the word Sabbath in the 4th com it signifieth a Rest novv on Christmas day and on Coronation day and on S. Matthews day c. vve Rest Secondly I reply be it that on the Lords day we rest vvhy this is not the rest spoken of in the 4th com for this is a Lords-day-Rest but the com calleth for a Saturday-Rest this is a first-day-rest but the com calleth for a Seuenth-day-rest this difference is bigge enough to be seene Finally if such ansvvers be lavvfull then vvhen wee meete with the name Iesus in a text wherin it is manifestly meant of Christ our Lord yet then may vve say vvhy Iesus it signifieth a Sauiour now Ioshua vvas a Sauiour for he saued the Israelits from the Canaanites c. but shall such cauilles goe for currant as by these trickes some men turne off the Lords Sabbathes so by the like may they turne off also the Lord Iesus their Sauiour it is but to play the foole a little with the name Iesus as they doe with the name Sabbath A third vse shall be against such Ministers as doe not onely in priuate but also in publike in their Pulpites call or miscall rather the Lords day Sabbath day in reference to the 4th com by reason of whose errour the people also haue learned to nick-name the Lords day calling it the Sabbath day But vvhat an horrible confusion of times and the proper names of dayes is this If this may goe on err long vvee shall scarce know one day of the weeke from another may not vve as vvell call our Saturday Sunday or our Sunday Saturday as call our Sunday Sabbath day which is Saturday if we shall make proper names of things common names vvhat an intollerable confusion doe we bring in to the vvorld Yet further if vve may call the Lords day which is holden to be a new institution Sabbath day by an old name why may we not call Baptisme which is a nevv institution Circumcision by an old name and vvhy may
a knight or a Noble man and as Friday and Sunday in some sense are aboue the other of the sixe dayes So no doubt will God and so shold euery Godly man think amisse of it to heare Ministers take that name of honour from off the head of Saturday to set it vpon the head of Sunday By this translating of the name Sabbath day from Saturday to Sunday common people when they read in the Scriptures of any thing of note touching the Sabbath day presently they cast that in they re minds vpon the Lords day thinking that to be meant of it thus being meerly deluded they honour the subiect for the king the maide for hir Mistris and misapply and abuse all those Textes of Scripture is it not high time then that this abuse were Looked vnto and the rather also because by theire carrynig of the name Sabbath day from the Saturday vnto the Sunday they hereby doe subtilly carry also the 4th commandement from the Saturday vnto the Sunday and thus they robb the Saturday both of its diuine name and also of its Commandement for novv no man cales the Saturday Sabbath day nor applies the fourth com vnto it at all by this robbery God and his Sabbathes are leesers but they are greate gainers for novv they haue not only got that deuine name Sabbath day for theire Sunday but also they haue got though but by vsurpation a Commandement too for theire Lords day the which had no commandement before It bewraieth theire beggarlynesse in ornaments for the Lords day when they must thus robb and pull from an other day to clothe and attire it vvith all neither hath the Lords day any thing in the nevv Testament to tye mens consciences with all but only what the patrones there of haue vniustly taken out of the Old Testament from the Saturday Sabbath and out of whose ruines they haue erected a nevv day For conclusion let me exhorte Ministers and people to refraine putting the name Sabbath day vpon the Lords day for hereafter we haue names enough besids we may call it Sunday Lords day or First day of the weeke doe not mocke God and deceiue the world any longer vvith vse of the name Sabbath day vnlesse you meant to giue God his proper Sabbath day the Saturday why should you retaine the name with out the thing this is to mocke God with a shaddovv for the Substance And here I cannot but speake of that common fault of Ministers in the pulpit vvhose very words and vvorkes are at iarr the more is the pitty for in application of theire doctrines they are frequent in pressing the obseruation of the Sabbath day amongst other virtues and holy dueties and on the contrary in many of there vses of reprofe they are very zealouse in reprouing the breach of the Lords Sabbaths together vvith other sinnes of drunkennesse Svvearing lying oppression pride and the like vvherein they doe very well if their words and their vvorkes vvent together if their words and their mind did agree for aske them in priuate vvhat day of the vveeke they meant by the name Sabbath day and they vvill tell you Sunday or Lords day so then with their toungs they call for the Sabbath day which is Saturday in Gods account as hath bene proued but they meane an other thing then they speake of for they meane it of Sunday or Lords day like as if a man should talke much and ernestly of Saturday but meaneth it of friday or of Sunday and meaneth it of Moneday Nay their ovvne mouthes shall condemne them for they call for the Lords Sabbaths in the pulpit vvhen they profane them in theire families and teach men so to doe nay the Lords Sabbathes find no greater enemies then these who call so much for them for they at other times vvill beare the people in hand that they are abolished and they vvill and dare vndertake to proue that that Sabbath day once commanded in the 4th com is a ceremony and abolished and yet these men I will haue the Sabbath of the Lord still in their mouthes and make a great clamour for it the Prophet Ieremiah reprooued those of his time saying Trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Ierem. 7.4 And may not I say of our time forbeare your homonymiouse and double meaning speeches refraine your words of aequiuocation and of mentall reseruation saying the Sabbaths of the Lord the Sabbaths of the Lord either be right dovvne for the Lords Sabbaths before the people or else let them be no more heard in your mouths doe not abuse that proper name Sabbath day diuinely imposed by God vpon our Saturday and by your aequiuocations and mentall reseruations meane it of Sunday Happily I shall preuaile vvith some to forsake the abuse of this name and in stead of it they will call our Sunday the Lords day and so presse the sanctification of it vnder that name To such I say let them doe so then if they can find any grounds out of Gods vvord to vvarrant them to presse the Lords day to be kept as the Sabbath day but this let them take with it that they must with the forbearing of the name Sabbath day refraine the vse of the 4th com also for these goe inseparablie together they must not presse the 4th com vpon the Lords day for the 4th com speaketh of a day vvhich by diuine imposition is called the Sabbath day and not of a day vvhich by humane imposition is called so as hitherto many of their owne braines doe or not of a day called the Lords day the com runneth thus Remember the Sabbath day c. not thus Remember the Lords day c. Some there are vvho allredy of their ovvne accord doe call our Sunday Lords day and not Sabbath day but I maruaile of all the rest vvith vvhat face these men can presse the 4th comm vpon that day vvhich themselues confesse is named Lords day and not Sabbath day vvhen as the 4th comm doth expresly mention a day which is named Sabbath day and not Lords day The name Sabbath day therefore and the 4th com must goe inseperably together hold the one and hold the other renownce the one and renownce the other also A fourth vse shall be for the confutation of a common but very friuolouse answer let a man vrge the 4th com for the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath and presently their answere will be that the com may be vnderstood not of the Sabbath day but of a Sabbath day But that I may discouer the idlenesse of this dist inction and such as vse it first vve must vnderstand what they meane by it by the Sabbath day they meane that certaine knowne day called the 7th day from the creation which is our Saturday and by a Sabbath day they meane some vncertaine day as one or other of the 7 dayes but not determined which whither this or that novv say they
if Gods Sabbaths come into question they all forsake them like as the Disciples did Christ when he vvas apprehended nay vvorse they turne enemies vnto them they nickname them reprochfully and smite them with the tounge calling them Iuish Iudaisme and ceremonies shaddowes vvhy be it that this parte of Gods law touching his Sabbaths be not certainly knowne vnto thee to belong vnto thee only thou hast but some probabilities coniectures common presumptions that it doth belong vnto thee yet if thou doest not improue all these probable arguments and manage these common coniectures and presumptiones to the vtmost for god and for his Sabbaths it bewraieth that thou art not so faith full in executing the vvill of thy god as many Excecutors are in execution of the vvill of theire deceased friend for they vvil omit no debt that they can haue any inkling of but thou bast notice of a debt of the Sabbath day owing to god and yet vvilt not side it vvith god nor improue these tidings to the vtmost in behalfe of thy god It bevvraieth also that thou takest not Gods law to be thine Inheritance for if thoudidst thou couldest not sit still in silence when thou hast notice brought thee that some moitie and portion therof is vvrongfully detained from thee A 2d motiue is because a mans taking in vvith Gods Sabbaths vvill declare him to be a friend to the lavv of god euery man would be esteemed a frend vnto Gods lavv well then let it appeare thou atte so indeed and not in name only by taking in with this parte of Gods lavv which commandeth the Saturday Sabbath vse thy wites imploy thy study thy toung thy frends and vvhat thou canst for the furtherance of this part of Gods lavv concerning his Sabbath The Lords 7th day Sabbath it is lost as vvas the vvomans Groate luk 15.8 she had 10. groates and hauing lost but one of the 10. shee neuer leaues sweeping and seeking till shee hath found it so should we for this one command lost from the 10. if a man hath an 100. sheepe looseth but one of them saith our Sauiour he leaueth the nynty and nyne in the vvildernesse goeth after that one vntill he find it Luk 25.4 so should we take more paines and care study to regaine this Command touching the Lords Sabbaths then after all the other nyne and an halfe but how can they be esteemed frends to Gods lavv vvho side it vvith those that side it against Gods Sabbaths A 3d motiue is from the worth and excellency of Gods Law the Prophet Dauid telleth vs that it is to be loued aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold Ps 119.127 and it was vnto him better then thowsands of gold and siluer Ps 119.72 if therfore thou knowest not the price and vvorth of Gods Law the Sabbaths therin commanded learne it of Dauid who knew the value of it it is better then gold and siluer yea as good as all riches put together Ps 119.14 no man vvill be an enemy to gold to siluer be not thou then an enemy to Gods Sabbaths for they are better then thowsands of gold and siluer we may beleene the Prophet Dauid euery man vvill be a frend vnto riches why be thou a frend then vnto Gods Sabbaths for they are as good as all riches in the vvorld A 4th motiue to stirr the vp to side it with Gods Sabbaths is because in so doeing thou shalt side it take parte with God himselfe for the 7th day Sabbaths they are Gods and therfore he calleth them his saying mine holy day Isa 58.13 and the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Exo. 20.10 they are Gods because God commanded them Remember the Sabbath day Exod. 20.8 whosoeuer therfore taketh parte with the Lords Sabbaths hee taketh parte with God also whos 's those Sabbaths are it is vsuall vvith God man to take that as done to them selues which is done to that which by way of excellency they call theires euery man vvould be glad to take parte vvith God they say al though it were against all the world for God is strongest wisest able to reward a man well for his paines his fauour is better then liefe well then stand for Gods Sabbaths for they are Gods and so thou shalt take in with God fight vnder his Banner But woe to that man that opposeth Gods Sabbaths for as the other bewraieth him selfe to be a friend of Gods so this bewraieth him selfe to be an enemy to God and God wil destoy all his fees If this argument vvill not auaile with men I know not what will if they had rather take parte with men against God that which is Gods then with God that which is Gods against men then let them goe on if it goe vvell with such I shall not care how I liue heere It is houlden good pollicy to side it with the strongest for my parte I know none stronger then God I will therfore side it with him For that 's the safest vvherefore I haue resolued vpon it to take parte with Gods Sabbaths and with them to liue and to dye The 5th last motiue shall be from the consideration of the Title whose it is this is to be regarded for if the Title in controuercy be but a common mans then to oppose it is but common danger but if it be the Title of a King then men had need take heed how they take parts against it so the Title of the Sabbaths now in controuercy to be tried if they were called mans Sabbaths of mans institution then to oppose them the danger were not so great But these Sabbaths are called Gods Sabbaths of his institution therfore the Title here is not mans but Gods the King of kings here then take heed if euer thou tookest heed hovv thou oppose Gods Title if a father hath the Title of his land in triall before the Iudge though the bastard regardeth not whither he wine or loose because he knoweth that he shall neuer inherit yet the true borne sonne wisheth in his heart that his fathers Title may haue the day so long as he seeth there is a probability that it is his fathers So doubtlesse euery true borne sonne of God cannot but wish from his heart that the Title of God his father touching his Sabbaths may preuaile rather then goe downe but he that regardeth not which end goeth forward as we say he bewraieth himselfe to be no sonne but a bastard but he that not onely regardeth not which end goeth forvvard but vvhich is farre vvorse turneth himselfe enemy to his fathers Title insomuch as he dareth with an impudent face dispute and openly in Court plead against and in pulpit preach against his fathers Title what a one he bewraieth himselfe to be I haue no names bad enough to giue him If an informer cometh into the Court informeth for the King
all this it may remaine still as a sacred day and time for Gods worship as a day to keepe memory of the Creation still as a fit time to refresh man and beast in by Rest from the toilsome labours of the former Sixe dayes and so as an helpe and furtherance vnto these morall dueties of Rest from labour and performance of Religiouse exercises For the clereing of this I referre you to what hath bene said in Section the 18. onely here let me giue a touch Circumcision and the Passeouer hauing either of them a double type or signe when the one was fulfilled yet these Sacraments were vsed with respect to the other vnfulfilled and admit the Sabbath should abolish as a shaddow of Christ why may it not remaine as a signe of the Creation Exod. 31.17 The difference of meates is abolished as a shaddow of Christ but remaine as in a fast and admit the Sabbath be abolished as a shaddow of Christ why may it not remaine as an helpe and furtherance vnto morall dueties and if the Proselite Gentiles obserued the Passeouer with the Iewes neglecting such things therein as were peculiar vnto the Iewes and onely obserued such things therein as were common to Iew and Gentile both as hath bene showne in Sect. 18 why may not we Gentiles neglect the Sabbath as a sâ—addow of Christ wherein it was peculiar vnto the Iewes and obserue it still in such respects as it is common to Iew and Gentile both as it is a signe of the Creation and as it is an helpe and furtherance vnto other morall dueties so much for answer to this text Col. 2.16.17 And thus like a friend to God his law and ordinance therein I haue reconciled these two textes Exod. 20.8 Col. 2.16.17 the which other men doe make to fight together like deadly enemies Before I conclude this Section let me render a reason why I doe on all occationes distinguish betwixt the 7th day Sabbath the anniuersary Sabbathes my reasones are these 1. because the 7th day Sabbath is more auncient then the yeerly Sabbaths for these began but after the giuing of the Law but that begane before the giuing of the Law 2. Because God Sanctified and hallowed the 7th day Sabbath in a speciall manner Genes 2.3 the which honour he did not to the yeerly Sabbaths these were holy but by precept but that also by President these were holy but by destination onely but that was holy by consecration also 3. Because they are distinct in themselues the one being once euery weeke the other once euery yeere 4. Because God placed the weekly 7th day Sabbath in his morall Law and in the heart or first Table thereof but the yeerly Sabbaths were excluded thence and neuer came into the Tables of stone 5. Because the 7th day Sabbath was a signe of and kept in memory of the Creation which belongeth vnto all men alike but so was it not with the yeerly Sabbaths there is good reason therefore why I should distinguish the weekly Sabbath from the yeerly Sabbathes according as I haue done in all my answers SECT XX. Hauing in the former Sections of this Chapter answered all their arguments brought against the Lords Sabbath so as it manifestly appeareth that it cannot be proued that it is abolished but that it is still in force now in the last place I purpose to spend this last section of this Chapter in a Disswasory-declaration of the common sinne of our time to wit the sinne of Sabbath breaking And here I would not be mistaken at the very Threshold entry of my discourse for by the sinne of Sabbath-breaking I doe not vnderstand the sinne of profanation of the Lords day which now a daies is called the sinne of Sabbath-breaking by our Ministers for they in this point make more sinnes then euer God made they deale by the Lords day as players doe with some of their fellowes whom they make a Counterfait King in the sight of the people by putting vpon him some robes ornaments like those of the true King thus doe our Ministers that they might honour this Lords day in the eyes of the world they haue made it a counterfait Sabbath day and that by miscalling of it Sabbath day like as if a man should cale one man by an other mans name thus they haue robbed the 7th day of its proper honourable name that they might robe and decke with it the 8th day but to leaue them to their vanities counterfaitings by Sabbath day I meane the 7th day from the creation the Saturday day wher on God himselfe Rested which is mentioned in his Morall Law and by the sinne of Sabbath-breaking I vnderstand the violation and profanation of this day contrary to Gods expresse commandement The persones guilty of this sinne are both Ministers and people for the people first let them know take speciall notice of it that they lay vnder the guilte of the sinne of Sabbath-breaking vnto this day without repentance are liable to those curses threatened in the booke of God against transgressoures of the Lawes of God I speake what I thinke is the trueth in my soule conscience I haue good cause thus to thinke for you haue seene that it cannot be certainly infallibly proued to the vndoubted satisfaction of any mans conscience that euer God did abolish this Sabbath day now if it cannot be most euidently apparantly proued that it is abolished then though there could nothing be said for it more yet it is a sinne to profane it but I haue more to say for it as you shall heare in the next Chapter for time to come therefore let men beware that they doe no more profane the Lords Sabbath day it will be a dongerouse matter to sinne goe on in sinne after admonition and information this let them take notice of as being forewarned that they doe liue and lye in the weekly breach of one of Gods Lawes for euery 7th day or Saturday they doe not onely neglect the worship of God but also notoriously profane the Lords Sabbath day by buying and selling by riding and goeing too market and fro market by ploughing and carteing by working in their Shoppes and howsen euery man in his seuerall trade and occupation and by doeing the most base drudgery and kitching workes on this sacred day when God should be most in our minds then he is furthest from our thoughtes let this be thought on by all such as make any conscience of Gods commandements But herevnto the people will reply saying Alas what would you haue vs to doe we are no schollers if it be an errour it is in our Ministers and teachers not in vs you should doe well to apply this doctrine vnto our Ministers not vnto vs we cannot iudge in such matters of difference difficulty c. To whom I answer Alas indeed I pitty you from my heart this your errour
the Morall Law or Decalogue that had they seene it the Lords day cold not be proued to be a Sabbath day nor the old Sabbath to be abolished but by making it a ceremony and so defacing of the Integrity and perfection of the morall Law they would rather haue yeelded the old Sabbath to be still in force My 7th testimony shall be the iudgement of the best Diuines witnesse Doctour Ames in his Theologicall Tâ—esis Pag. 499. saying This is a most certaine Rule receiued by all the best Diuines that the morall commandements were thus differenced in their deliuerie from the ceremoniales that all onely the morales were proclaimed publikly before the people of Israel from Mount Sinay by the voyce of God himselfe after also were written the second time written as it were by the singer of God that in Tables of stone to declare their perpetuall immutable continuance If then this was a true marke of difference betwixt morals ceremoniales as it was tâ—at God wrote no ceremonies in the Tables of stone but onely norales then is the 7th day Sabbath a morall still in force for God proclaimed the 7th day Sabbath before all Israel wrot it in Tables of stone to dâ—clare its immutability and vnchangablnesse My 8th and last Testimony shall be the Iudgement of all Diuines wâ—o though â—o friends to the old Sabbath yet confesse this with one voyce tâ—at one day in Seauen is of Diuine institution from the 4th com now hence it followeth that as we haue formerly proued it since of all the seauen dayes in the weeke none of them can agree to the 4th com but Saturday the 7th day therefore of necessity their voyce must be vnderstod as giuen for this one day of the seauen to wit Saturday the 7th day so it must be morall ARGVM IV. My 4th Argument to proue that the 7th day Sabbath is still in force is because none other day of the weeke can be the Sabbath day but it onely thus it may be framed Jf no day of the weeke can be a Sabbath day by the 4th com but the 7th day onely Then must the 7th day be our Sabbath day But no day of the weeke can be a Sabbath day by the 4th com but the 7th day onely Therefore must the 7th day be our Sabbath day As for the Major or first Proposition no man will deny it for every man standeth to maintaine a Sabbath and also a Sabbath from the 4th com wherefore if no day of the 7 can be Sabbath by the 4. com bâ—t the 7th day then of necessity they must hold the 7th day to be our Sabbath day And so I come to the Minor or second proposition to wit that No day of the weeke can be a Sabbath day by the 4th com but the 7th day onely And this I proue from the 4th com it selfe where the Lord hath commanded vs to worke all the daies of the weeke saue the 7th day for there the Lord hath expresly commanded vs to worke and labour vpon the Sixe dayes saying Sixe daies shalt thou labour doe all thy worke Exod. 20.9 wherefore we cannot both worke vpon these Sixe dayes and also keepe one of them weekly for a Sabbath day therin resting from worke this were impossible to worke vpon euery one of the 6 dayes yet to rest from worke vpon some one of them Nay further this were to make God to contradict himselfe and that in one the same commandement if he should by this 4th com inioyne men to worke vpon the 6 dayes and yet for all that should inioyne men in the same commandement to rest from worke in one of those 6 dayes wherefore no day of these 6 dayes can be a Sabbath day by Gods 4th com this is most plaine vnlesse you would suppose foolishly that God should say vnsay it againe with the same breath wherefore since none of the 6 dayes of the weeke can be Sabbath day therefore the 7th day onely must be the Sabbath day I cannot deuise what euasiones they should finde against this trueth vnlesse these two the one is this t is true may they say Sixe dayes we must labour by the 4th com and doe we not labour Sixe dayes theÌ„ rest the 7th day constantly euery weeke MoÌ„day Tewsday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday in these 6 dayes we labour on Sunday the 7th day we rest from labour new the 4th com doth not tell vs which 6 dayes we are to labour in Herevnto I reply that this kind of answer is common indeede but it is idle foolish for this were to count the dayes of the weeke in a most absurd fashion differing both from the computation of our owne Church also of the Scriptures as for our Church wherin we liue doe they not all account Sunday or Lords day the first day of the 7 or of the weeke how then cometh it about that these men will begine at Monday for the first day of the weeke as if Monday were the first day of the weeke or of the 7 dayes 2. This account is differing from the Scripture account for the Scriptures haue euer rekoned our Sunday or Lords day for the first day of the weeke as we reade Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.1.2 Luk. 24.1 Io. 20.1 The day after the Iewes Sabbath was called the first day of the weeke Luk. 23.56 Ioh. 19.31 Mark 16.1 Mat. 28.1 compared with Luk. 24.1 Ioh. 20.1 Mark 16.2 and Mat. 28.1 Now it is knowne to all the world that Saturday is the Iewes Sabbath day so then Sunday must be the first day of the weeke because Saturday the Iewes Sabbath day is the 7th day the last day of the weeke It is also plaine by this that we all hold that Christ rose vpon our Sunday or Lords day now the Scripture calleth that day whereon Christ rose the first day of the weeke wherefore if these men will begine at Monday for the first day they haue reiected Gods account and therefore we may reiect this their account forasmuch as we are about Gods matters we must follow Gods account wherefore since this account to begine the weeke at Monday is a nouelty of mans deuise it is to be reiected as vnwarrantable there is none accounte warrantable but a Diuine accompt and that account is to rekone Sunday for the first day neither is there any accompt warrantable in the Church but the Churches accompt and the Church wherein we liue accounteth the Lords day or Sunday for the first day of the weeke and not Monday Furthermore if the Iewes might haue taken this libertie to begine the weeke where at what day they would as these men doe then might they haue disappointed God of his 7th day Saturday Sabbath before Christs coming in the flesh if they would haue begune at Monday for the first day as these doe they might haue laboured vpon that
33.4 and who should defend the Churches right if not your Maiestie King Dauid chose this Law for his inheritance as we reade Psal 119.111 and I beleeue so hath your sacred Maiestie defend it therefore Why should the corrupt expositions thereof which the ignorance of former ages haue hatched be still retained Why should one part of this sacred Scripture be retained an other part of the same reiected Why should not God haue his whole and intire worship prescribed in this Law as well as some partes of it you will not indure it that your Coyne be clypped or impaired but count him for a traitour that doth it how thē should you thinke well of him that will clippe impaire this current golden Law of God you cannot indure it that any part of your Royall inheritance of Crowne Lands should be detained from you And how should you indure it that any part of your Spirituall inheritance the Law of God should be withholden from you any longer Why should we serue God by halues any longer The Lords Sabbathes which are a portion of Gods Law and a part of your Maiesties the Churches inheritance now contemned as Iewish and ceremoniall and now prophaned trampled vnder foote I humblie beseech your Highnesse to take a care of As the 5th Commandement is directed vnto inferiours so is the obseruation of the Sabbath in the 4th Cōmandement directed vnto Superiours as M. Brerewood in his Treatise on the Sabbath hath well obserued the care therefore of Gods Sabbathes pertaineth vnto Kings and the 4th Comm. doth in a most eminent sorte oblige Kings Hence no doubt it was that Nehemiah that Godly Gouerner tooke the reformation of the prophaned Sabbath into his care charge Whose steppes may it please you to treade hauing finished the great worke you may to your eternall comfort with him petition Almighty God to be mindfull of this your care zeale for him saying Remember mee O my God concerning this c. Nehem. 13.22 How famouse vnto all ages are those Godly Kings Hezekiah Iosiah the rest for Reformers of Religion for Restorers of the worship of God! Oh that your zeale might equall theirs that it might be left as a monument vnto all posterity that you Restored the worship of God in his Sacred Sabbaths If I be able to compare them none of your Progenitours did euer leaue the like honourable fact to this vpon recorde vnlesse it were they that made the Reformation from Popish Idolatry and that indeed may be compared with this for that concerned the 2th Com. and this concernes the 4th Com. that was a Morall Law and so is this that was touching a parte of Gods worship in the first Table and so is this Two Morall Laws to wit the 2th Com. and the 4th Com. haue bene corrupted for many hundreth yeers together the one by Image worshiping the other by Sabbath breaking as for the former that hath by the Mercy of God bene reformed this hundreth yeers and vpwards euer since we departed from Rome and Gods blessing hath abundantly followed our Church euer since As for the latter we still sticke fast in the myre and remaine still in ignorance blindnesse togeather with Rome to this day and this waiteth for the Reformation of our English Nehemiah Hezekiah or Josiah As it was with the good Kings of Israel and Iudah in restauration of Religion still they left something vndone So our Ancestours though they reformed the corruptions about the 2th Com. yet they left the high places I meane the prophanatiō of the Lords Sabbaths still vntouched No doubt God foresaw it that the reformation of one of his Commandements was worke enough for those his seruants in those gaine-saying times the reformation of the other he hath reserued for these later times oh that these times might be so happie as to take the Time Let not posterity take this Crowne glory The restauration of the integrity of Gods worship and the raising vp againe of Gods Sabbathes call for your Maiesties helpe Helpe O King T is true innovations are dangerouse yet in some case necessary as we see by new lawes daily inacted But this is no innovation it is but the reuiuing of an old Law a long time laine dead and the putting into execution Gods 4th Comm. now and of long time out of vse Neither can it be thought a thing impossible to be done or disaduantageouse vnto your Realme for the change of the Sabbath from the Sunday backe againe to the Saturday that holy Day Gen. 2.3 will not proue I suppose one farthing losse vnto your Subiectes and for your Maiestie it is but your pleasure say the word onely it is done your Maiesties proclamation or the like workes a present Reformation Let me say vnto your Highnesse therefore as once those seruants of Naaman said vnto their Lord when the Prophet bad him but this smale easy thing Goe wash and be cleane If it were a great thing which the Lord requireth of thee wouldest thou not haue done it how much rather when he saith vnto thee wash be cleane 2. King 5.13 I leaue the application To conclude the counsaile of the Lord is to inquire for the old way Ier. 6.16 be pleased therefore to serch the Scriptures and to inquire of your reuerend Bishops and lerned Clergy as they will answer it before God if this be not the old way and the way wherein we must walke to the Worlds end Your Maiesties most humble Subiect THEOPHILUS BRABOURNE To the most Reuerent Arch-Bishops and Bishops of this Kingdome RIGHT Reuerent Fathers in God right graciouse honourable Lords I presume to offer this Treatise of the Sabbath day vnto your graue iudicious considerations as vnto whom it doth more principally appertaine to weigh determine of questions controuercies of such great consequence and whose it is in a most eminent manner to see that all corruptions in Gods worship be reformed all Truethes of God fostered cherished and all the partes of Gods worship duly religiously obserued Amongst other things in this Treatise I humbly desire your Lordshipes to take these fiue into your best deepest considerations 1. That that Sacred ordinance of Gods Sabbath then the which is not any in our Church more ancient commanded by God in his Morall Law ratified by Christ the Sonne of God practised by the Apostles also by the primitiue Churches after them for 300 or 400 yeeres together is now sinfully trampled vnder foote prophaned 2. That the Decalogue 10 Commandements of Almighty God are not wholly and fully taught and maintained in our Church but onely by partes by peeces 3. That God hath not his whole intire worship seruice prescribed in the first Table of the Decalogue but is denied one fourth part thereof weekly 4. That Gods 4th commandement is by the commō doctrine in our Church wholly frustrate and nullified both roote
Comman aboue and before all others that so his Churches might come into a remembrance of his Sabbath day againe The Lords Sabbaths are novv forgotten they ley buried in abhorred forgetfulnesse like as a mans body lieth stinking in the graue God graunt them a speedy and glorious resurrection they are forgotten God of his mercy bring them once againe to remembrance I am but a poore and meane one euery way low and little timorouse by nature stammering in toung vnfitted for a businesse of this nature so as I durst not aduenture vpon a businesse of this consequence if by any other meanes or persons I could haue foreseene any possibility of a reuiuing the Lords Sabbaths but looking about and seeing none that would set to his hands but that still the Lords Sabbaths must remaine in obliuion I haue aboue and beyond my vvonted courage as it is vvell knovvne taken vnto me a fiery zeale for the Lord of Hoastes if it be rashnesse I vvill be rash if it be folly I vvill be a foole vvith Dauid if I perish I perish that small mite and single Talent vvherevvith all God hath be trusted me I vvill improue it and imploy it to the vtmost for the reducing Gods Sabbaths into remembrance againe in his Churches hitherto in comparison of this cause of Gods I haue not counted deere vnto mee Wife nor Children Friends nor Country maintenance nor good name but cheerfully in regard of the goodnesse of the cause haue parted with them all more or lesse I haue now nothing left but life and liberty and these I trust the same God that hath inabled me will still I am in a readincsse to depart with these also or either of these for God and to seale vp his trueth with my liefe or liberty that so I may once at length attaine vnto that ioyfull Crowne of Martyrdome for bringing Gods Sabbathes into remembrance againe Remember the Sabbath day A greate worke requireth many hands and can you yee Trib of Leuie gaze on to se the issue whilst one singly and alone striueth beyond his strength and laboureth till out of breath in Gods quarrel you neither animating nor parte taking nor putting your least finger to the vvorke I know you can not plead ignorance vnlesse it be affected the point is easy and familiar were you but as willing as able I could not warr alone said the Angell of the Lord curse yee Meroz curse yee bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the helpe of the Lord to the helpe of the Lord against the mightie Iud. 5.23 why abidest thou Leuie among the sheepfoulds to heare the bleatings of the flockes v. 16. come forth come forth to helpe the Lord the worke is mightie to cause through all Curches a remembrance of the Sabbaths of the Lord it is not a priuate cause that a single one only should combate the wholl army of Gods hoast must take vp armes the cause is publike and vniuersally generall but if nothing will auaile vvhat shall I curse as said the Angell of the Lord no Christianes must not curse but blesse I pray God giue them better hartes it vvas Pauls case at my first answer quoth hee no man stood with mee but all men forsooke mee wherfore vvith Paul I pray God it be not laid to their charge 2 Tim. 4.16 in meane time I faint not but fight I doe and fight I will vhhither with many of with fevv vvhilst I haue any breath or being And thus farre of the Commandement and of the vvord Remember SECT VI. The next vvords vve purpose to speake of shall be these Six dayes thou shalt labour and doe all thy worke Touching these words I purpose to enquire but after two things the one is to know vvhither these vvords be a Commandement or no the other is to knovv which dayes of our weeke these sixe dayes here mentioned are for the former some take these vvords to be a permission but I determine vvith Perkins in his Cases of Conscience Pag 106. C. that they be a Commandement and his reason shall be my reason which is this that they are a Commandement because they are propounded in Commanding termes like as all Commandements are of the same iudgment also is Musculus fol. 62. these vvords also in the dayes of Christ were houlden for a commandement saith the Ruler of the Synagogue there are six dayes in which men ought to worke c. Luk. 13.14 Hee said men ought as of duety to vvorke in the six dayes If any shall obiect that then a man is bound to labour all the 6 dayes I ansvver it followeth not for so the Lord said of the Sabbathday in it thou shalt not doe any worke Exod. 20.10 and yet for all that workes of mercy and vvorkes of necessity may be done and so here albeit that God hath said sixe dayes thou shalt labour yet lawfull recreationes when necessity is may be taken in the sixe dayes Yet further if any shall obiect that then we must keepe no holy dayes if we must labour the 6 dayes I answer it followeth not for 1. the com addeth thes words and doe all that thou hast to doe so that if a man can so finish all his workes that he hath to doe in lesse then 6 dayes so as no vvorke be left to doe on the Sabbath day then he may keep that time which he can spare for an holy day 2. it is true that some holy dayes may be keept as Christmas day Coronation day Gunpovvder Treason day and the like dayes of publike thanksgiuing dayes of publike fast which are one day in a yeere not a day euery week for we haue examples for it in Scripture Esther 9.27 Joel 2.15 now these being extraordinary cases an exception or dispensation may be admitted in the com but what 's this to our case for the Com. is to be vnderstood of an ordinary weekly practise when there is no iust and weyghty cause to the contrary but the case of holy dayes is of a rare and seldome action and vpon extraordinary occasiones The second query shall be to knovv which dayes those are vvherin God hath commanded vs to labour the ansvver vvill be those six dayes vvhich were the first six dayes of the worlds creation to vvit those six dayes vvhereof vve read Genes 1.5.8.13.19.23.31 the vvhich went immediatly before the first Sabbath day that euer the vvorld saw the Sabbath day vvheron God himselfe rested where of vve read Genes 2.2.3 these sixe dayes are these 1. Sunday 2. Monday 3. Tevvsday 4. Wensday 5. Thursday 6. Friday Novv that these and none other are the six dayes inioyned in the 4th com is proued 1. Because else there would be a confusion of Gods 7th day wherin he rested vvith the other sixe dayes novv this must not be for then God shall be defeated of his end and purpose which vvas to haue the 7th day sanctified as appeareth by the 4th com and that because
himselfe rested on it Genes 2.2.3 but if vve keepe not the dayes of the weeke distinct it vvold come to passe that vve shold worke somtimes on that very day wheron God rested from vvorke and vvhich God blessed and Sanctified for an Holy day 2. The reason of the 4th com Exod. 20.11 vvhich God dravveth from his ovvne example is by vvay of similitude vrging vs to tread in Gods steppes to be imitatores and follovvers of him that is to labour vvhen God vvrought and to rest vvhen God rested novv if vve should labour on the 7th day then slould vve not be like but vnlike to God for vve should vvork vvhen God did rest so should we not imitate God Wherefore vve must choose thes six dayes which vvent before the first 7th day or Sabbath 3. It appeareth by the constant practise of the Ievves vntill Christ and by the Iewes now liuing at Amsterdam and elswhere that the 4th com vvas to be vnderstood of those very six dayes vvhich vvere the first in the vvorlds creation and vvhich goe before our Saturday for the Ievves euer made and still doe make these their six vvorking dayes Sunday Monday Tewsday Wednsday Tursday and Friday Yea since Sabbath day is a proper name and a standing day by it the other sixe dayes may be knovvne 4. It appeareth by the Nevv Testament for euery vvhere the day of Christs resurrection is called the first day of the vveek Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.2 novv the day of Christs resurtection is our Sunday confessed by all sides so then our Sunday is the first of those six dayes vvherin vve ought to labour by the com and Friday then vvill be the last of our six labouring dayes hauing thus fond out vvith dayes of the vveeke we ought to labour in vve come vnto vses of the pointe Here I might incist by way of confutation of that errour of Mr. Greenwood vvho stifly defendeth it that these vvordes in this 4th com Sixe dayes thou shalt labour c. they are no parte of the 4th com but a parte of the 8th com as if God had not knovvne hovv to place his commandementes but had mingled some parte of the second Table vvith the things of the first Table and vvrote some parte of the 8th Com. in the 4th Com. either God hath misplaced things or Mr. Greenvvood hath mistaken things but supposing no other diuines will second him and that the bare mention of this absurdety is enough to confute it I passe on The first vse of this point is for the discouery of the errour of many vvho being vrged by the 4th Com. to keepe the 7th day for the Sabbath they answer that Sunday or the Lords day is the 7th day to them for they labour the six dayes which goe before the Sunday To vvhom I reply that albeit Sunday is the 7th day to them yet is it not the 7th day to God for that day vvhich they count the 7th day the same day God euer counted for the first day our Sunday is the first day of the vveeke in a diuine accompt not the 7 day last as we haue proued wherefore vvhosoeuer rekoneth Sunday for the 7th day he follovveth an vnvvarrantable and humane account and forsaketh the Scripture account vvhich calleth Sunday the first day of the vveeke constantly now in diuine matters vve must follovv a diuine accompt and in Gods matters vve must take Gods account againe whosoeuer rekoneth Sunday for the 7th day and therfore resteth on Sunday he doth not imitate God in resting vvhen he rested and in vvorking when he vvrought according as is prescribed in the 4th comm but rather he crosseth and thwarteth God by resting when God vvrought and vvorking vvhen God rested for on our Sunday vve rest but on our Sunday God vvrought in that he began the first dayes vvork in the creation vpon our Sunday making the light on this day Genes 1.4.5 againe we crosse God on our Saturday for in it we worke but in it God rested yea this day God blessed it and sanctified it for an holy day Genes 2.2.3 and yet this day vve profane it and make it a working day Thus it is plaine that it is a foule errour in any to count our Sunday or Lords day the 7th day and so a Sabbath or resting day when as it is one of the Six labouring dayes and so a working day The second vse of this point is for information for if by the 4th Com. our six dayes to wit Sunday Monday Tewsday Wensday Thursday and Friday be those six dayes wherin we are to worke after the example of God then it follovveth that no day of the weeke can be the Sabbath day or Resting day but Saturday the 7th day This is to be noted against all those who by their vaine glosses would expound the 4th com so as if some other day of the weeke besids Saturday might be the Sabbath day by the 4th Com. now this cannot be seeing God hath appointed all the dayes of the weeke besids Saturday for working dayes The third vse of this point is for confutation is it so that our Sunday or Lords day is by Gods com a working day it being one of the sixe dayes and the first of them hovv vn aduised then are those which goe about to set vp and vphold the Sunday or Lords day for a Sabbath day and resting day weekly when God appointed it for a vvorking day and also gaue it vs vnder his ovvne example himselfe vvorking on it for our imitation neither can any ansvver that this lavv six dayes thou shalt labour vvas a Ceremony and shaddow and so abolished by Christ for there is no grownd for that in scripture the contrary is rather manifest for what God did at the creation in vvorking on our Sunday Christ our Sauiour ratefied at the redemption for being risen from the dead vpon our Sunday the day of his resurrection he trauailed and two of his disciples also a matter of 15 myles Luk. 24.13 wherefore Sunday is a trauailing day a working day whother you respect Gods example at the Creation or Gods 4th Comm. vpon Mount Sinay or Christs example and his Disciples after the Redemption But chiefly and principally I mind to urge this vse against some Ministers vvho doe againe notoriously abuse this 4th com by prouing out of it an institution for the Lords day or Sunday to be a Sabbath thes men seeme for the time to haue laid aside both wit and learning are they not ashamed to goe about to vvrest that Com. to speake for and command the Sunday to be kept for a Sabbath and resting day the vvhich doth expresly command the contrary For this branch of the com Six dayes thou shalt labour Doth command labour on the six dayes Novv the first of thes six labouring dayes is our Sunday or Lords day novv vvas it euer heard before that one commandement should command contrary things or that one part of a commandement
onwards Saturday though it greeueth them will be the 7th day from the Redemption wherefore if they will be like them selues Saturday must be their nevv Sabbath day if they vvill keepe a 7th day from the Redemption in remenbrance of it Saturday is not onely the 7th day from the Creation but also from the Redemption vvherefore vvhat day can be more fit for a nevv Sabbath then Saturday for it ansvvereth both to the Creation to the Redemption being the 7th day from both hovv fitly then might the memory of both Creation Redemption be celebrated both together vpon one day to wit Saturday euery vvay the 7th day To conclude suppose vve that Christ had left a commandement for the Lords day in these vvords Remember the Lords day to sanctifie it c. but the first day is the Lords day c. should not they be censured for corrupters wresters of the Scriptures who vvould attempt so to expound this first day which is Sunday or Lords day as it might be vnderstood of Monday the second day vvhich is the day after why iust so doe they novv deale vvith Gods 4th comm it saith Remember the Sabbath-day c. but the seaueuth day is the Sabbath day c. And yet they vvill make the 8th day which is the day after to be the Seauenth day vvhy might not the second day be vnderstood when Christ said the first day as vvell as the 8th day vvhen God said the 7th day SECT VIII The last thing in this 4th com to be handled is the reason of it in thes vvords for in sixe dayes the Lord made the heauen earth the sea all that in them is rested the 7th day wherfore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day hallowed it Exod. 20.11 In these words or in this reason to the com these things are considerable 1. That God blessed and hallowed the 7 h day 2. The reason mouing God to hallow it 3. How these words are a reason to the 4th comm as for this third thing it shall be handled in a Section by it selfe For the first that God sanctified the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath see this plainely in this 4th com Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Exod. 20.11 see it also Genes 2.3 So God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it So then this Saturday 7th day Sabbath is a blessed and a sanctified day looke vvhat God hath blessed it shall be blessed and what God hath sanctified it must be holy the Saturday 7th day Sabbath therefore is an holy Time an holy day Thus Musculus fol. 62. God might saith he haue commanded onely the actes and doings of the day but to set out the matter more pithilie he said Remember that thou sanctify the day of the Sabbath He chargeth that the day it selfe shall be reputed holy Where Musculus doth not onely affirme that the time and day was as well commanded as those dueties in the day of rest and holy exercises but also saith that the day it selfe is an holy day Neither is this day holy by any mans hallovving or sanctifying of it but by the proper worke of God himselfe for saith these textes the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it and God blessed the 7th day sanctified it Hereby we see hovv God hath chosen out the Saturday for an holy day aboue all dayes of the weeke and God hauing made it an holy day he hath thereby put as much difference betvvixt it other dayes of the weeke as vvas wont to be betwixt A Priest a common man the Temple their common housen as is now betwixt Sacramentall bread common bread at our tables Hence it is that Saturday the 7th day is called the Sabbath of the Lord Exod. 20.10 and the holy of the Lord Isa 58.13 and my holy day Isa 58.13 and my Sabbath Isa 56.4 How meanly soeuer times now count of this day yet you see by these names and Epithites how God estemed of it I come to the second thing considerable which is the reason vvhich moued God to hallovv this 7th day Saturday Sabbath the reason then why God sanctified this day it vvas because himselfe had rested on this day from his great miraculouse worke of the Worlds creation see this most euidently Genes 2.3 So God blessed the 7th day sanctified it because that in it he had rested from all his vvorke You see one reason then of the Sabbaths institution consecration thus A Kingdome doth solemnize the Coronation day because on that day the King came to his Crowne men keepe their Birth dayes and Marriage dayes because on those dayes they were borne married Those Iewes Ester 9. kept the dayes of Purim because of their deliuerance from Hamans conspiracy I come now to the vses of these two points and first is it so that therefore God sanctified the Saturday 7th day Sabbath because that in it he had rested from all his vvorke why then say some men it matters not which day we giue God for a Sabbath so be we giue him one c Here was a reason you see mouing God to set apart Saturday rather then Sunday or any other day to wit because he had rested on that day and had God a reason mouing him to make a choise of dayes then is there no reason at all now but one day may be as meete as an other hath length of time worne this reason out of vse will any say it matters not which day we keepe for Coronation day birth day or Marriage day for Christs Passion day resurrection day or ascention day Is there not some reason euen in thes for one day aboue all others euen so is there not a reason why the 7th day should be solemnized rested on aboue all others since that God solemnized it rested on it and did therefore blesse it sanctify it because himselfe had Rested in it I desire this may be obserued by such as expound the com to be meant of one of seuen that is of one day of the 7 or of some one day of the 7 or other as if God had made no choise or difference of dayes as if God had as well sanctified Sunday monday tewsday c. and made them Holy dayes as Saturday his sacred day There are besids others these reasons why we should celebrate this day rather then any other 1. because on this day God rested and not on any of the other 6 dayes vve must imitate God 2. God hallovved and sanctified this day so he did not honour any other of the six dayes but appointed them for worke 3. God had speciall reason to sanctifie this day because himselfe had rested on it but he had no reason so to sanctifie any of the six dayes for he rested not on thos but vvrought on them 4. God commanded this day in speciall to be sanctified by his 4th
paye it not till a quarter of an howre before Sune set so may they be said to mete on the first day albeit it vvas not till the very last point of the day Now I hold that the night is no parte of the day as formerly I haue showne in the exposition of the 4th comm nor is the night to be counted rekoned for any parte of the day goeing before it so then this text maketh nothing at all for the Lords day all that they can hence collect is no more but this that vve are bound to keepe euery 8th dayes night or euery Lords day night for a Sabbath night and that we must preach as Paul did till midnight c. Wherfore if they will haue it that Pauls sermon their assembling begane in the morning let them proue it for the text hath no such thing in it I know they are redy to say these were times of persecution and they could not meete till night for feare c. but the text hath nothing of any persecution now at Troas and againe since they mett to receiue the Lords Supper there was no neede for them to meete in the day time or morning for that the euening was soone enough let them proue that the Disciples would haue mett sooner but for feare if they can and lastly had feare of persecution hindred them then would they not haue mett on the first day c. in the day time least they should be seene walking in the streetes entring into the common house of assemblie they then vvould rather haue mett erly before day light or late after the day vvas shut in least they should be seene c. but they assembled in the day time therefore no feare of persecutors 3. I ansvver admit that they mett in the morning of the Lords day that the sermon the Lords Supper vvere administred in the day time yet what makes this for a Sabbath for these are euery dayes worke preaching is an euery dayes worke and Lords Supper is so too for Christ did eate the Lords Supper on a Thursday night all that can be hence collected is no more but this that the Lords day is a Lecture day like as Tewsdayes and Thursdayes be in many places of the kingdome Now ther 's great difference betwixt a Sabbath day a Lecture day Besides whereas they tell vs that this instance in Act. 20.7 is an example of a Sabbath day they are much mistaken for this is but a Sermon example it is not a Sabbath example great difference there is betwixt a Sermon example a Sabbath example for to proue a Sabbath example they must proue that these Disciples did Rest all day from morning to night and then secondly that they performed those holy actions in conscience of the day of the 4th com so then hitherto they haue not proued so much as any one Lords day kept for a Sabbath day in the Apostles times Onely they haue grosly abused this portion of Scripture also as they haue done the former to make the holy Ghost say what he neuer thought this abuse of Scripture would be reformed by such as make conscience 4. I answer vvhereas they plead that Paul tarried 7 dayes at Troas preached on the last day it being the Lords day and no mention of any sermon but on the Lords day if this will proue a Sabbath day then haue I learned a way how to proue Saturday to be the Sabbath day and that by the like arguing for Paul tarried certaine dayes at Philippie and preached on the Sabbath day to wit the Saturday Sabbath and baptized Lydia hir family on the same day but no mention there is of any preaching on the Lords day or an any other day Act. 16.12.13.14.15 therefore Saturday must be the Sabbath day 2. What though there be no mention that Paul preached in any of the 7 dayes till this Lords day doth it thereof follow that he did not preach on any of those dayes Were not many things done that were not mentioned else the world could not cōteine the bookes c. Yet it may be proued that Paul preached on the day before this first day or Lords day to wit on the Saturday Sabbath for S. Luke testifieth of S. Paul that vvhere Paul came it vvas his custome to preach euer vpon the Sabbath day Paul as his manner was went in vnto them iij Sabbath dayes disputed with them Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 And Paul who exhorted Timothie to preach the word in season and out of season himselfe I trust was not idle at Troas all those 6 dayes which went before the Lords day But then they turne to quaeries and why preached he on this day and why is this day mentioned and none of the other Thus when they can goe no further they fale to beging of questions of vs vvhen it is their part to proue it vvhy this day rather then any other is mentioned if any reason in it they can find that vvill helpe them let them produce it 5. I answer that this sermon of Pauls was occationall extraordenary and therefore no likelyhood that it was a Sabbath neither is it likely that this assembly at Troas was a Sabbath assembly for Sabbath assemblies are vvorkes of the day not of day night both Suppose therefore that the Church at Troas assembled in the morning of the Lords day and so held on their assemblie whilst midnight yea all night also for so much is plaine by the text Act. 20.7.11 and so they held society a whole day and a vvhole night also 24. howres is this to be deemed an ordenary Sabbath day worke if it be then must our Congregations assemble euery vveeke on the Lords day morning and so hold on vntill Moonday morning or else we are not like our patterne here the Church at Troas see if these mens eyes be in their heads who would draw this Lords day and action of the Church at Troas vnto the erecting institution of an ordenary Sabbath for if this Text be our President for our new Sabbath then it is good reason vve should keepe our new Sabbath as this text vvitnesseth they kept it Againe as for Pauls sermon Sabbath sermons are workes of the day not of day and night both Now if Paul begane his sermon in the morning the Text saith that he continued it vnto midnight v. 7. yea that he had spoken a long while to the dawning of the day v. 11. If this were a Sabbath sermon what a sacke full of troubles were our new Sabbatharians in for they must leaue their howre ij howre sermons and make sermons many howres long yea when they haue done preaching in the day time they must too it againe and preach in the night also euen to midnight As this example at Troas was extraordenary so was it occationall occationed by Pauls departure from them the next day for he had tarried with them 7
they say the Rest in the Sabbath day is a type of the reft in the Kingdome of Heauen Heb. 4. a signe of Christ Exod. 31.13 Col. 2.16 yet they hold the same Rest to be morall still in force why then may not the 7th day be abolished as a type and yet remaine as a sacred time for Gods worship as a time to exercise mercy in towards poore seruants by releasing them from their laboures wherein they haue bene spent the 6. daies before why I say may not the time remaine still as it is an helpe and a furtherance vnto those morall dueties of rest the worship of God it is to be wondered at to see men goe about to reiect abolish such things as were are in themselues and may be helpes furtherances of Morall dueties A 5th instance shall be the feast of Pentecost or Whit-Sunday which was a Iewish feast day or Sabbath day as you may read in Leuit. 23.15.16.21 it was also a signe or Shadow of Christ to come as you may see Col. 2.16.17 so it was abolished neuerthelesse we Christians doe keepe this feast day sanctify it as a Sabbath day once euery yeere for as Peter did preach vpon the day of Pentecost Act. 2.1.14 so doeth our Church vpon Whit-sunday onely we haue cast of that shaddowish respect which it had amongst the Iewes of being a signe of Christ to come wherefore by the constant practise of our Church it appeareth that a Iewish ceremoniall day may be retained in our Church so be the ceremonies of it be reiected if then pentecost a ceremoniall feast or Sabbath day may be retained in a Christiā Church why may not the 7th day Sabbath also be retained amongst vs yea if it could be proued a signe of Christ to come thus by this instance you see that a Sabbath day may remaine after its significatiue nature or quality be vanished Thus I haue finished my two generall answers the former shewing that the 7th day Sabbath is not spoken of in their text Exod. 31.13 but onely the yeerly Sabbaths the latter shewing that if the 7th day Sabbath were spokē of in their text Ex. 31.13 yet no more is abolished of this Sabbath but its significatiue typicall quality but the absolute nature of the Sabbath consisting of those 5 things foremētioned may still remaine to wit 1. rest 2. holy dueties 3. on the 7th day 4. because God rested on this 7th day sanctified it 5. because God commanded these thinges My third generall answer that I may defēd the morall Law with euery thing therin commanded vnto a iot and title and shune those foule and many absurdeties which my aduersaries rune into is this the Sabbath may be considered naturally orginally so I deny it was any signe for the signe was not put into the 4th com much lesse to its first institution Gen. 2.3 or it may be considered accidentally aduentitiously and so it became a signe after its institution as in Exod. 31.13 so as the signe was but accidentall and extrinsecall to the Sabbath it being added to it many hundreth yeeres after its prime institution and I know not how long after its promulgation on Mount Sinay in this latter sense I yeeld it abolished but in the former I deny it for as the Rocke after it lost its typicalnesse it still remained a Rocke so may the Sabbath after Christ had abolished its typicalnesse which was affixed to it it may still remaine a Sabbath as it was originally at its prime institution it may remaine still as a Sacred time for Gods worship as a fit time to refresh mā beast in spent with former 6 daies labour Thus much for answer vnto this their text Exod. 31.13 wherein we haue bene the larger because they stand so much vpon it as one of their strongest fortes and suerest houldes but how weake you see there remaineth now but one text more of theirs to answer and it is a maine and chiefe one also it followeth in this next section SECT XIX 15thly they fetch an other a maine argumēt against Gods 7th day Sabbath out of this text Col. 2.16.17 Let no man therefore cōdemne you in meate drinke or in respect of an Holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath daies which are a shaddow of things to come but the body is of Christ But before I come to shew you their arguments out of this text against the Sabbath let me first shew you how absurdly they behaue thēselues who would fetch arguments out of this text against Gods Sabbath The first absurdety is this that they doe voluntarily wilfully without any constraint set themselues in opposition to an ancient ordinance of Gods in his Church for this purpose it is to be obserued not onely that the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath was an ordinance of Gods and in high honour in his Church but also that it was one of the most ancient ordinances that euer God established in his Church for this Sabbath day it did not onely obtaine like priuiledges and honour equally with the residue of the Morales deliuered vpon Mount Sinay but also it pleased God to Sanctify this day at the very Creation of the world as we reade Genes 2.3 So God blessed the 7th day sanctified it God did sanctifie this day rested in it making him selfe our presidēt begining this holy Sabbath in his owne person now for any man to oppose any of Gods ordinances wilfully not compelled therevnto is an euill but to oppose so ancient an ordinance as is this Sabbath is a farre greater euill Baptisme and the Lords supper are ancient ordinances in the Church yet are they nothing so ancient as be the Lords Sabbaths whereby you see that these patrones of nouelty are enemies to antiquity I meane those who defend the Lords day for a Sabbath which is a nouill thing they are enemies to the Sabbath day which is a most ancient thing were it some nouelty or new vpstart point in religion which I speake for it were tollerable that they should oppose it but being so ancient an ordinance in Gods Church as that it is backed with the greatest antiquity here to oppose that causlesly is most absurd Were they compelled herevnto or constrained by the vrgeing necessity of some portion of Scripture in the new Testament or more specially were they compelled herevnto by this one text of Scripture Col. 2.16.17 or by any thing therein conteined they might be excused but seing this text as well as all others may be so expounded as it shall not any whit oppose this ancient Sabbath and ordinance of God and seing there is no collection or consequence that is thence deduced against this ordinance of Gods which necessarily must follow from this text therefore they are altogether vnexcusable that oppose it make it so odiouse before the people of God Wherefore their
themselues no neither can man else vse them vnto the day we now keepe for God did moue vnto the obseruation of the Saturday 7th day 1. Because him selfe at the Creation rested on it 2. Because he had blessed that day hallowed it so made it an Holy day now these two reasones neither are nor can be applied to our Lords day for God at the creation did not rest on our Lords day no neither did he then blesse sanctify the Lords day for the Lords day was not then knowne Thus you see how they baue made cleere worke for they haue taken away both the body of the 4th com the reasone annexed to it by God thus they haue taken away the whole 4th com head taile roote branch it stands for vs now onely to looke vpon Loe now we may say with the Prophet Dauid It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroied thy Law Psal 119.126 Thus since I haue faithfully plainly discouered this Notoriouse errour I haue done what in me lyeth towards a reformation onely this remaineth that with the residue of the congregation I make this prayer vnto God That it may please him to bring into the way of trueth all such as haue erred are deceiued CHAPT V. This Chapter conteineth sondry substanciall arguments out of the word of God proueing that the Lords Sabbath day written in the Morall Law is still in force so ought to be vnto the worlds end like as are the other morales I Haue now finished the fowre first partes of my booke the first whereof was in defence of the Morall Law The second was an exposition of the 4th com with a discouery of the corrupt expositiones thereof The third was an answer vnto those Scriptures reasones wich are vsually brought to proue the Lords day the Sabbath day The fowrth was an answer vnto those abused Scriptures which are brought against the Lords Sabbath day And now by order I am come vnto the fith parte of my booke and herein I am to proue vnto you the perpetuity of the Lords Sabbath and that it is still in force and so ought for euer to be Touching the Sabbath I note two things 1. I see many lerned and greate Diuines of late prime men and of the formost ranke in the Vniuersities both on this side and beyond the Seas disclaiming and wrighting against the Lords day Sabbath but I see none of them shew vs where we shall haue an other Sabbath in the absence of this as the former bewrayed their learning and iudgement so this latter bewrayed their forgetfulnesse what shall the Church of God be left without a Sabbath now shall we turne from Superstition to Anabaptistry I ioyne with them in throwing downe the Lords day for a Sabbath but I dare not put an end to the worke when it is but halfe done 2. As those Iewes of old cried the Temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord so I obserue the Patrons of the Lords day to cry out of the prophanation of the Lords Sabbaths the prophanatiō of the Lords Sabbaths as if they were the onely friends to Gods Sabbaths whereas in deed in trueth they are the chiefe enemies to them and are foulely mistaken in their iudgement for they are the Lords dayes which they meane not the Lords Sabbath dayes if therefore any man may in a right accompt be said to be a true friend to Gods Sabbaths it is not they it is hee that writeth for them and defendeth them against the world and corruptiones of the time hee may indede say with Eliah I haue bene very Ielouse for the Lord of hostes for they haue forsaken thy Couenant broken downe thy Sabbaths and I onely am left The Lords Sabbaths are still in force or Gods ancient 7th day Saturday Sabbath is still in force SECT I. IN defending the Lords Sabbath I purpose to obserue this method first I will proue the point by arguments lesse forcible and then by arguments more forcible first by arguments shewing that it is a thing meete convenient and very befiting vs to keepe the Lords Sabbath then by arguments shewing that it is a thing very necessary in regard of Gods appointment ordination By the way whereas there are many light and triuiall obiections vsually brought against the Lords Sabbath and some place would be reserued to answer them I think it vnfit to place them after the point is proued by necessary arguments for when Gods will is once knowne there is no place left for carnall and triuiall obiections against it and therefore I hold it better to place these obiections next after the point is proued by probable arguments and arguments of conveniency and so these triuiall obiections shall rather come in by way of opposition vnto arguments of conveniency then vnto arguments deriued from Gods ordination Wherefore I purpose to spend the first Section about arguments of conveniency and the second Section in answer vnto sondry obiections and then the third Section in arguments prouing the point necessarily from Gods ordination To begine with the first of these namly conveniency and arguments lesse forcible in handling of this point first I will proue by sondry arguments that it is meete we should keepe a Sabbath day one or other indefinitly and then I will proue that it is most meete fitest to keepe the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath before any other One reason mouing me to handle these two points is to preuent Prophane and carnall men thus to thinke why you haue throwne downe the Lords day Sabbath now therfore what need we any more Sabbaths c I procede therfore to giue such reasones as may take place in a carnall mind For the former of these I proue that it is meete we should keepe a Sabbath day because it is a worke of mercy that this may the better appeare we will consider of it in respect of man beast touching man we will consider of him generally and then particularly and first for man in generall it is a greate comforte and worke of mercy vnto all men to keepe a Sabbath day for therein their bodies are exceedingly refreshed and comforted for looke as the Bedd at night is a greate refreshment vnto man that hath bene occupied all the day before in his painfull calling so is the Sabbath day a sweete refreshment vnto men after that they haue bene exercised Sixe dayes one after an other in continuall laboures the trueth of this point euery man findeth by good experience We haue a prouerb that men must worke to day as they may worke too morrow that is that men doe not so ouerworke themselues in one day as they be vnfit for worke the next day this prouerb may well be applied to our present occation that men must worke this weeke so as they may worke the next weeke also that is they must not so worke and tyre out their
accounteth no day the first day of the weeke but one to wit our Sunday therefore besids Saturday there can be none other 7th day in a Diuine accompt Further as Saturday is a 7th day besids which there is no 7th day in a Diuine accompt so is Saturday the 7th parte of time in a Diuine accompt besids which there is no 7th parte of time Thus you haue seene the Minor proued to wit that Saturday the 7th day is a 7th day besids which there is no 7th day and it is proued to be a 7th day both in the account Naturall Diuine Further if we shall come to the computation of all Christian Churches whither Protestants or Papists still Saturday will be both the 7th day beside which there is no 7th day also the 7th parte of time for doe not all Churches account our Lords day or Sunday for the first day of the weeke if then Sunday be the first day Saturday must be the 7th day also if there be no first day of the weeke but one to wit Sunday then can there be no 7th day of the weeke but one to wit Saturday One thing be pleased to note that since Saturday is as well the onely 7th parte of time as the onely 7th day as appeareth formerly therefore I might frame an other argument concluding Saturday to be the Sabbath day because it is the onely 7th parte of time as well as because it is the onely 7th day as thus That day which is the 7th parte of time besids which there is no 7th parte of time that day must be Sabbath day But Saturday is the 7th parte of time besids which there is no 7th parte of time Therefore Saturday must be our Sabbath day Let me heere demand of those Diuines who hold that a 7th parte of time is to be consecrated to Gods worship as Morall which time they would make to be the 7th parte of time besides our Saturday which is the 7th day from the Creation I desire to know where they would begine or which day shall be their first parte of time besids our Sunday which is the first day of the worlds Creation it cannot enter into my head as yet where they should begine their account of time vnlesse it be from the Creation or from the Redemption there is none other famouse action in the world that I can conceiue of the which Christians should make their computation of time by then these two the Creation the Redemption Now if they will account from the Creation which is the Naturall account yea or by the Diuine accompt then Sunday must be the first parte of time Saturday must be the 7th parte of time but if they will account from the Redemption then suer I am in the first place that they cannot make our Sunday or Lords day which now we consecrate to Gods worship to be a 7th parte of time secondly if they will rekone our Lords day to be the first day of the weeke and so the first day first parte of time it being the first day of the Redemption Then they must hould our Saturday to be the 7th parte of time and so to be consecrated to Gods worship Thus let them rekone either from the Creation or from the Redemption they must acknowledg Saturday to be the day to be consecrated to God It is meete that all Diuines who acknowledge a 7th parte of time to be Gods for his worship as I think the most Diuines doe should tell vs also which is that day which is that 7th parte of time in particular that so we may know it and keepe it it is meete also that they tell vs from whence they begine theire account whither from the Creation or Redemption or whence else so shew vs which day is the first parte of time in their accompt Let me also demand of all Diuines who expound the 4th com of a 7th day which day of the weeke that a 7th day is whereof they speake I desire of them that they shew vs which day of the weeke they will count for their first day of the 7 so shall we see where they will begine their account whither from the Creation or from the Redemption or rather from neither of of them but from some new deuise of their owne braine suer I am if they will follow that account which is naturall or that which is Diuine they must rekone our Sunday for their first day then they must fale vpon Saturday for their 7th To conclude this argument whereas all Protestant Diuines that I either know or heare of doe maintaine these ij Positiones the one that a 7th parte of time is Gods to be consecrated to his worship seruice the other that a 7th day is to be sanctified for a Sabbath day whereas it is now discouered vnto them that there is none other 7th parte of time or 7th day in any approued Authenticall accompt besides our Saturday the 7th day my petition heere vnto them all is that henceforth they would imbrace that auncient ordinance of God the Saturday Sabbath or else their owne Doctrine positiones shall rise vp in iudgement against them And so much for my 6th argument ARGVM VII My 7th argument to proue that the 7th day Sabbath is still in force is because it is a singular helpe meanes to keepe in the Courch of God the memory of that wonderfull and miraculouse worke the Creation of the world by Almightie God thus it may beframed That thing which was ordeined of God to be a speciall meanes a singular helpe to keepe in his Church the memory of that most wonderfull miraculouse worke to wit the Creation of the world by Almightie God That meanes and helpe ought still to be in vse in the Church of God But the 7th day Sabbath was ordeined of God to be a speciall meanes a singular helpe to keepe in his Church the memory of that most wonderfull miraculouse worke to wit the Creation of the world by Almightie God Therefore the 7th day Sabbath ought still to be in vse in the Church of God For profe of the Major or first proposition The Almighty hath done many and maruailouse workes in the world hee hath done many Miracles hee caused the Sea to diuid stand vpon heapes to be a wale on either hād vntill his people went thorow on dry land hee caused the Sunne to stand still in the midest of the heauens for an whole day hee caused the Earth to tremble and quake the Sunne to loose hir light many dead bodies of the Saints to awake at the passion of our Lord Christ with many other wonderfull miracles recorded in the Scriptures but amongst them all there is none that doth excell this Myracle of Myracles the Creation of the world how well then doth it beseeme vs to keepe a memory of such a
haue we done and said much more in defence of the Lords Sabbaths thē they haue said or can say in defence of the Lords day who are patrones of it this Lords day Sabbath were it not the Diana and darling of our time supported by men of learning holinesse and zeale I would say of it that it is the most idle friuolouse thing that cane be invented for besids other defects in it they cannot proue a constant practise of it no nor that it was euer kept weeke by weeke two Lords daies together one after an other in any place nor at any time I can but wonder therefore that any man that hath but either learninge or honesty should after the consideration of these things preferre the Lords day aboue the Sabbath day or neglect the ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath day to imbrace this nouill Sabbath of the the Lords day I haue now finished my 12th last argument as touching the first branch of it wherin I haue proued that the Apostles of Christ did constantly keepe the Sabbath day after Christs resurrection now I am to procede and to proue vnto you the second branch of my Minor or second proposition which is That the primitiue Churches which liued after the daies of the Apostles kept the Sabbath day for 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ And this trueth I shall confirme vnto you by sondry Testimonies 1. I will begine with that which M. Perkins reporteth saying The obseruatiō of the Sabbath was neglected of those Churches which succeeded the Apostles but afterwards it was established by Christian Emperours his Author for it is Leo Anton Edict of Holy daies Perk. in his first volume vpon the 4th com pag. 48. by the word Sabbath M. Perkins vnderstandeth the Lords day Sabbath Now of this Lords day he saith according to his author that the Churches which succeded the Apostles they neglected it vntill it vvas established by Christian Emperours now these Churches were the primitiue Churches for they liued immediatly after the Apostles they liued in the neglect of the Lords day Sabbath for about 300 yeeres after the daies of the Apostles as is gatherable by this that he saith it was established by Christian Emperoures now the first Emperour that established the Lords day was Constantine the greate as saith Hosp Cap. 9. pag. 27. this Constantine liued aboute 300 yeers after the Apostles now for asmuch as these Churches liued about 300 yeeres without the Lords day Sabbath it followeth that they all that time kept the 7th day Sabbath vnlesse we shall vncharitably censure them to haue liued profanly without any Sabbath day all that while which were absurd to thinke many Churches kept both Sabbaths together to wit the Sabbath day and the Lords day as you shall see by and by now can it be thought that some of the Primitiue Churches should be so zealouse as to keepe two daies other some so key could as to keepe none at at all wherefore since these Churches kept not the Lords day therefore it must follow that they kept the Sabbath day thus you see it followeth that the Sabbath day was in vse in the primitiue times for about 300 yeeres after the Apostles so then as the Apostles kept the Sabbath day constantly after Christs resurrection so the primitiue Churches that succeded next after the Apostles they kept it for a matter of 300 yeeres longer 2. My next Testimony shall be out of the Centuries where it is thus recorded Romae conventus ecclesiasticos non fuisse in Sabbato quemadmodum in aliarum terrarum ecclesiis Centur iiij Cap. vj. pag. 477. de ritibus ecclesiae Romanae The summe whereof is this that There was no Ecclesiasticall or Church assemblies vpon the Sabbath day at Rome as there was in other Churches In which words there is an opposition made betwixt the Church of Rome an other Churches to wit Christian Churches aboute keeping of the Sabbath day now it is recorded that there was no Church meetings vpon the Sabbathday at Rome but yet there was Church assemblies vpon the Sabbath day in other Churches abrode in the world so then by this Record it is plaine that the most Churches kept the Sabbath day albeit Rome did not and it is no maruaile that Rome had learned of the Laodicean Counsaile to reiect the yoke of Gods 4th com with the first further ' this Testimony was of what was done in these Churches for 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ so then you see that the Sabbath day was obserued in the most Churches 300 or 400 yeeres after Christ so much for this second Testimony 3. My third Testimony shall be from an acte made by the Laodicean Counsaile in the yeere of Christ 364. Laodicenum Concilium celebratum circa annum 364 sanxit Non oportere Iudaizare Christianos in Sabbatho vacare sed potius operari in eadem die Dominicam praeponendo Sabbatho quod si inventi fuerint Sabbathum Judaeorum observantes anahemate ibidem feriuntur Hospin de origin Fest Chap. 9. pag. 27. The summe whereof is this The Laodicean Counsaile held about the yeere 364 made a Law that Christianes should not Judaize rest vpon the Sabbath day but rather worke vpon it that they should praeferre the Lords day aboue the Sabbath day And if so be any were found obseruing the Iewes Sabbath they should be excommanciated or accursed By this Law then it appeareth that the Sabbath day was in vse in those times for else this Law had bene made in vaine which forbad Christians to kepe the Sabbath day any more vpon paine of excommunication for gouernes doe not enact Lawes against nothing 2. Note that as the Sabbath day was in vse in those times so also it was in vse amōgft Christianes for this law as you see was bent against the practise of Christianes forbidding Christianes to keepe the Sabbath day whereby we see that in these times the Sabbath day was honoured among Christianes 3. Note that vnto this time Christianes did honour the Sabbath day with or aboue the Lords day this I gather from hence because this Counsaile ordeined that for time to come Christianes should preferre the Lords day before the Sabbath now they neded not to haue made a law to bind Christiās to preferre the Lords day before the Sabbath day if they had done so before the making of this law this is a remarkabl thing that in these times the Sabbath day was had in such honour with Christiās as it was as highly or rather more highly set by then the Lords day was 4. Note the time this Law was made 364. yeeres or there about after Christ whereby we see that the Sabbath day was in vse amongst Christianes for nere 400 yeeres after Christ A digression by the way shewing 1. the Invalidity of this Laodicean Counsaile Decree made against the Lords Sabbaths 2. The Originall of the Lords day Sabbath 3.
plaine termes for Christianes to keepe the Sabbath day but see how this famouse Athanasius godly Bishop foreseeing this mischeife meeteth with the priuy obiectiones of some in his time who were alredy infected with this leauen saying not as if we were infected with Iudaisme The iudgement therfore of this Godly Bishop was that a Christian Church might sanctify the Sabbath day without any tainte or tincture of Iudaisme I wish all Ministers now would learne to know of Athanasius that to keepe Gods Sabbath it is no Iudaisme but how is it to be lamented to see the most diuines rather to follow that Schismaticall decree of the counsaile of Laodicea caling the keeping of Gods Sabbath Judaisme then to follow that famouse Athanasius who defendeth it that the keeping of the Sabbath day is no Iudaisme Further it is to be noted that the Christian Churches in the time of Athanasius kept the Sabbath day and that this was about 300 yeeres after Christ so that the Sabbath day was in vse with Christianes for 300 yeeres after Christ Now the first 300 yeeres after Christ are accounted for the most pure times the freest from corruptiones and the after times were lesse puer abateing of their purity daily as the Church grew elder now forasmuch as the Sabbath day was honourable amongst Christianes and religiously obserued in the most puer times this is much to be regarded for what if the Sabbath day begane to be trampled vpon and counted for Iudaisme 60 or 100 yeeres after these puer times what 's that to vs for if we follow any we will choose rather to imitate the more puer Churches I trust so then those that were lesse puer now the more puer Churches as you haue seene it abundantly proued they kept the Sabbath day To conclude so long as the Churches retained their best purity so long the Lords Sabbaths were in vse honour but when the Churches begane to decline and fale away as to set vp Images to adore the Crosse to pray to Saints to pray for the deade to beleeue a purgatory and the like then they begane to esteeme the Lords Sabbath Iudaisme that so they might forsake them and set vp dayes of their owne invention but my trust in God is that as he hath caused a reformation of the abuses of the second commandement which crept into the Church in those times so the same God will find a time to reforme the abuses of the 4th com also which crept in then too but remaine to this day vnreformed 8. My eight last Testimony shall be that of Ignatius who liued about an 100 yeeres after Christ Let not vs saith hee keepe the Sabbath day in a Iewish manner pleasing our selues with a rest or idlenesse for he that will not labour let him not eate c But let euery one of vs keepe the Sabbath day Spiritually reioyceing in the meditation of the lawe not in a remisnesse or idlenesse of the body but in an admiration of the workemanship of God not reioyceing in daunceings and vnciuill Showtinges c. And after the Sabbath day let euery one that loueth Christ celebrate the Lords day beinge the quene of dayes c. Ignat. in his Epistle to the Magnesianes In this exhortation of Ignatius we may note 1. That hee speaking both of the Sabbath day and also of the Lords day doth insinuate a plaine difference betwixt them as touching their estimation for the Lords day he counteth as the queene of daies and so leaueth a place for the Sabbath day to be in account as the King of dayes yea speaking of the Sabbath day he vseth the word Sabbathizare but speaking of the Lords day he vseth the word celebrare 2. We may note that hee speaking of the Sabbath day doth consider it doublie first as the Iewes in those dayes did vse it or abouse it rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reioyceing in idlenesse or slothfulnesse as hee speaketh And secondly as Christianes ought to vse it for the former we may note by Ignatius his words that the Iewes in his dayes did keepe the Sabbath day indeed but yet they kept it profanly as a feast of Bacchus with idlenesse with daunceings with showteing and the like now this kind of Sabbath keeping Ignatius did abhorre saying it is better for the Iewes to labour on the Sabbath day then thus to keepe it for he that will not worke saith hee let him not eate which words are to be referred vnto the Iewes not vnto the Christianes to whom he wrote vnlesse they would ioyne with these profane Iewes in reuelling and roioting on the Sabbath day by which manner of speaking Ignatius alludeth vnto a like forme of speech vsed by God himselfe in a like case saying I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabbaths c. My soule hateth them c. Isa 1.3 Now God did not simply hate their Sabbaths since he had commanded them but he hated their irreligiouse hypocriticale obseruation of the Sabbaths and so Ignatius did not meane simply that the Iewes should worke vpon the Sabbath day or else they should not eate but comparatiuly and respectiuly as if he had thus said rather then men should keepe the Sabbath as doe the Iewes in reuelling sporting idlenesse let them be forced to labour worke in it by denying them foode for it is better to worke on the Sabbath day according to that commandement which inioyneth labour 2. Thes 3.10 then to rest according to that commandement Exod. 20.10 when a man dothit onely to please the flesh and not to further him in the worship of God it is better to keepe no Sabbath then to keepe it onely in a carnall manner honest labour is better on the Sabbath then carnall slouthfull reuelling rest Now this kind of profane carnall keeping of Gods Sabbath is that which Ignatius doth admonish Christians of and doth dehorte them from saying Let not vs keepe the Sabbath as doe the Iewes or in a Iewish manner c. In the next place Ignatius speaketh of the Sabbath as Christianes ought to keepe it that is not profanly and carnally but religiously and Spiritually But let euery one of vs saith hee keepe the Sabbath Spiritually and then he proceedeth to mention the dueties of the Sabbath particularly the one whereof is to reioyce in the meditation and Diuine contemplation of the Law of God reioyceing in the meditation of the Law the other is to make an holy admiration of the Creation of the world of the prouidence of God in the gouernance of the same c. In an admiration of the workmanship of God Now vnto this Holy Spirituall religiouse obseruation of the Sabbath day did Ignatius exhorte those Christians vnto whom he wrote saying But let euery one of vs keepe the Sabbath day c. In which exhortation you see that Ignatius did not onely permit the keeping of the Sabbath day among Christianes but he goeth
the Seruants by right from God Thus you see it cleere that to rest on the 7th day is a worke of mercy vnto maÌ„ beasâ— a worke greatly tending to the furtherance of all the dueties of piety and charity In a word the obseruation of the Sabbath day must needs be a thing greatly tending to the good of mankind because it was made for them The Sabbath was made for man Mark 2.27 vnlesse therefore we will accuse God of vnskilfulnesse in making things for men which are not good and proffitable for them we must needs yeeld that the obseruation of the Sabbath is a thing tending vnto and a furtherance of mans good in generall What answer may be framed to this argument I cannot foresee vnlesse it be some such as this that the rest from labour is it onely which tendeth vnto piety and is a worke of mercy but not the day to wit the 7th day this helpeth not c. But contrarywise 1. The day helpeth vnto a religiouse sanctification of the rest because it is a sacred day aboue all others in the weeke for God hallowed it at the creation and it onely Genes 2.3 therefore it doth best besuite sacred actioÌ„s addeth a kind of a more reuereÌ„t respect vnto them thus a man is touched with a more sublime and honourable regard of the duety of prayer in the Church as of ancient in the Temple then in a common house see Genes 28.16.17 Eccles 4.17 Leuit 19.30 ij Chron. 8.11 Mark 11.15.16.17 And Moses must put off his shoes because the place was Holy grownd Exod. 3.5 Thus Nehemiah required of the people behauiour sutable vnto the day the people must not weepe because the day was Holy Nehem. 8.9.10 and This is the day which the Lord had made let vs reioyce be glad in it Psal 118.24 Here the day minded them of the dueties in and of the day to wite ioy and gladnesse like as the Coronation day when it cometh it mindes vs of the dueties of the day that in a more liuely maner then any other day if therefore sacred places did further men in sacred dueties by touching their heartes with a more then ordenary reuerence and religion channge of behauiour and if daies doe mind vs of the dueties of the daies then why should not also the sacred day of the Sabbath when it cometh be of like vse it being of like kinde why should not the presence of this sacred day the more moue vs to be holy because the day is holy if Moses must put off his shoes because the grownd where on he stoode was holy grownd why should not we be the more moued to put off all carnall and sinnefull affectiones because the day wherein we are is an holy day if the people in Nehemiahs time must not weepe because the day was holy must not we learne to absteine from worke the rather because the day is holy So thus we see sacred places sanctified daies haue added somewhat vnto the increase of holy affectiones reasones haue bene fetched from the holinesse of the places and daies to mâ—ue vnto more reuerence in gesture outwardly in body inwardly in heart and to decline such things as doe not besâ—te these places or times this may yet further appeare in the Lords day for it being supposed a sacred day and of Diuine institution the day thus considered doth not a little further our rest from laboures so helpe vs to a more proffitable vse of all holy exercises in the day which would not be so if the day were in esteeme but a common day 2. One duety of the Sabbath is to sing Psalmes vnto the praise of God as we may see by the title of the 92 Psalme and among other things the Church doth praise God for that his marvailouse miraculouse worke of the CreatioÌ„ of the world whereof the Sabbath day or 7th day is a signe Exod. 31.17.15 Now this very day doth not a little further this sacred duety of praising God for the Creation of the world that 1. Because this day being the same day in the weke for order whereon God rested at the Creation it doth more liuely represent vnto vs Gods rest then can any other day of the weeke 2. Because God made this day to be a signe of the Creation Exod. 31.17.15 as the Elements of bread wine and water in the Sacraments be signes of the redemption now signes doe further the remembrance of the things signified by them therefore the Sabbath day being a signe of the Creation it doth further the thankfull remembrance thereof and our cheerefull praises of God for it since by it wee haue life being wel being without which should haue had no being at all 3. The 7th day being that day whereon God himselfe rested at the Creation Genes 2.2 this day hath a force in it aboue all daies in the weeke to perswad men to rest themselues and giue rest vnto their seruants on that day in an imitation of God because God rested on it and thus it furthereth 1. The work of mercy in afording rest vnto poore seruants and 2. It furthereth the workes of piety religion for the more freely that men rest the more cheerefully they worship God this efficacy no other day hath 4. As a place so the time of the 7th day is a furtherance to Gods worship for thereby we haue time to serue God in without which God cannot be serued yea further this time day doth further the continuance and frequency of Gods worship for were it not for this some men would thinke it enough to giue God but one howre or two in a day and one day in a moneth or quarter of a yeere 5. The time and day was commanded at once together with the duety of rest both in one commandement both in one sentence in that commandement both with one breath Exod. 20.10 The one as a duety the other as the proper time for the performance thereof now it is consentaneus and agreable to all reason to thinke that these two things being thus inioyned immediatly together should both tend together vnto one and the same end each after its manner and kind so as if the one tendeth vnto the worship of God so should the other also and it is absurd to thinke that the one should tend vnto oen end the other vnto another and diuerse end A decre is made that one the 5th of Nouember the day should be kept in a thankfull remembrance for that deliuerance c. that people shall refraine their laboures resorte to their parish Churches where the Ministers shall publikly praise God c. now who cold imagine but that as the duety of resting from worke tendeth vnto the publike praise of God so doth the place appointed thereto to wit the Church and so doe the persones to wit the Ministers and so doth the time and day also
is not aboue one day older this ordinance it is well nigh as ancient as the world it selfe So much for the Antiquity of the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath CHAPT VI. THis Chapter conteineth a Dispensation touching the present practise shewing that a Christian is not necessarily bound in conscience to make a rente from our Church in his present practise but that he may waite for the fitnesse of season opportunity and the publike reformation of the Magistrate And then it concludeth with an Exhortation to vse all possible and lawfull meanes for a publike generall Reformation A Dispensation touching the present practise SECT I. WHen I had founde out by diligent study Christian Reader that this most ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath is still in force in the next place I gaue my selfe seriously to thinke of the practise of it whither to fale to present practise or to waite some more fit season When I thought of a present practise then these inconveniences presented themselues 1. If we fale vpon the present practise then the Magistrate will be offended because we make a schisme and rente in the Church 2. Our Christian brethren will be offēded because we diuid separate from their fellowship both of these will take it the worse when they thinke of our rashnesse inconsideracy that we will forsake the practise fellowship of the Church before we haue giuen them time sufficient to consider of the matter as we our selues haue had whereby we should haue waited for their approbation in iudgement reformation together with vs in practise and herevpon may arise greate diuisiones of heart much hartburning betwixt brethren who should liue in amity godly loue 3. As in the two former we should doe that which would be euill to our brethren so also should we doe that which would proue euill vnto our selues that in a double respect 1. in regard of our bodies 2. in respect of our soules for the former we liue not as they doe in some parte of the world who are at liberty to practise what they will in matter of conscience but we liue vnder an established gouernment where we cannot transgresse the lawes thereof without perill to our persones goods For the latter if we enter vpon a present practise of the Sabbath then we rune into this spirituall inconuenience that we shall pine our soules for want of that spirituall food which we were wont to inioy vpon the Lords day which is needfull vpon the Sabbath day for the lawes of our kingdome will not permit priuat conuēticles or that a minister should preach in priuate therfore we cannot haue the benefite of an able Ministry to helpe vs in the sinctification of the Sabbath to feede our soules with the bread of life these are the inconveniences which attend vpon the present practise But when I thought of a delay and to waite some more fit season for the practise then this euill presented it selfe that by the neglect of a present practise we fale into sinne and transgression of the 4th commandement by prophanation of the Sabbath day we should be guilty thereof vntill that sit season of reformation cometh so whither soeuer I turned me I saw my selfe in a straite for the former inconveniences would be auoided but this latter of necessity must be shuned VVhilst I was at a stand it pleased God to cause me thinke of a dispensation the which after J had seriously considered of I resolued that the word of God would beare a dispensation in this case so it should come to passe that we should shune the inconveniencies on the one side the sinne on the other so we might walke on comfortablie without offence either to God or to man or iniury to our selues Let vs now therefore addresse our selues vnto this Dispensation touching which first we will handle this question in generall whither a man is bound in conscience to conforme his practise at all times without dispensation or exception to the doeing of that which the word of God saieth must be done hee knoweth must be done or noe 2. we will handle this question in particular whither the Sabbath day may not be neglected in a case of necessity for a season vntill the time of reformation by those who are verily perswaded that it is still in force if in case they giue God for it an other day in the meane space as the Lords day by way of change And first of the former of these two questiones SECT II. In this section I shall proue vnto you that by sondry iustifiable examples that a man is not bound at all times without dispensation exception to the doeing of that thing which the word of God saieth must be done and hee knoweth must be done For this purpose note that God hath giuen vs a morall Law touching wedlocke to wit the 7th commandement Thou shalt not commit adultery now our Sauiour saith that whosoeuer marrieth a diuorced woman committeth adultery the woman committeth adultery also in case shee was diuorced for any thing besids hir adultery Mat. 5.32 Neuerthelesse for the hardnesse of the Iewes heartes in a case of necessity to auoid cruelty towards their wiues or the like Mat. 19.8 a marriage was permitted to with the diuorced woman as you may reade Deut. 24.2.3.4 Where the Lord by Moses speaking of the diuorced womans second marriage speaketh not of it by way of prohibition but by way of a permission and it were strang if the woman being an innocent party should be denyed that remedy of marriage for the hardnesse of hir husbands heart for his default onely Here then we see is a dispensation in a case of necessity The consideration of this may be of vse to stopp the mouths of such as cry out saying what a dispensation from a Morall Law if the Sabbath be a morall then there can be no dispensation but loe here they see the contrary the 7th commandement is a Morall yet there was a dispensation touching it for Moses permitted that for the hardnesse of the lewes hearts which from the begining was not so which our Sauiour accounted to be adultery so against the 7th commandement but we shall touch this point further by by in answering to an obiection A second instance shall be that of Dauid it was a law of God that whoso sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Genes 9 6. Now Dauid being king Ioab murthered two Captaines 1 King 2.5 here it was the duety of Dauid to haue executed vengeāce for he was Gods minister to take vengeance R. 13.14 Neuerthelesse Dauid finding Ioab too strong for him ij Sam. 3.27.39 Omitted the execution of Ioab gaue it in charg to his sonne Salomon to doe it after his death 1 King 2.6 Here Dauid knew well that it was his office to haue put Ioab to death he was willing so to
worship of God and when common and vnhallowed dayes are offred and consecrated vnto God in stead of pure and sanctified dayes Loe how Gods worship is polluted XI Yet further if I shall make it appeare that multitudes I doe not say all are guilty of Idolatry vntill a Reformation cometh then you will say with me it is high time indeed to seeke for a reformation For this purpose you must know that there is as well a puritane Idolatry as a Popish Idolatry for as when A Crucifix the Breaden God the Images of Christ the virgine Mary the rest come in presence instantly Papists vncouer the head and performe much honour in respect of them So no sooner doth the Lords day Sabbath come but forthwith Puritanes vncloth themselues of their base aray and attire themselues in their best apparell and they lay aside all seruile laboures for that time as a profanation of that sacred time and much religiouse honour and deuotion is performed in respect of this daies presence yea greate conscience is made of it Pardon me beloued the sinnes of Gods children must not be clocked neither must I be partiall no neither must I deale ouerly but tell euery man or ranke of men of their sinne without baulking I cale it Puritane Idolatry because these are the greate Patrones thereof That I may discouer it vnto you first we will begine with the word Idolatry this word is a greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is compounded of two wordes the one whereof signifieth an image and likenesse of a thing or an imagination and fiction of the braine the other signifieth honour and reuerence now put both these together and they signify an honour and reuerence of an image and liknesse of a thing or of an imagination and fiction of the braine thus you haue the signification of the word Idolatry Now when diuine and religiouse honour is giuen to a similitude or fiction of the mind then it is a dangerouse matter and when the conscience stands in awe of a similitude or fiction of the braine reuerencing it for a diuine ordinance then it is Idolary Now to apply this The Lords day is this Idoll and they that preach for it and practise it are the Idolaters to make this good you shall see how fitly these may be caled Idolaters and their practise Idolatry first touching that parte of Idolatry which consisteth in imagery liknesse you shall see how like they haue framed the Lords day to the Sabbath day made it a very image similitude liknesse of the Sabbath day consequently an Idoll for 1. They haue giuen the very name the proper name of the Lords Sabbath vnto it for doe they not vsually cale the Sunday or Lords day the Sabbath day 2. They sanctify and keepe the Lords day like vnto the Sabbath day with a resting from all seruile laboures with preaching and prayers and the like 3. they keepe it in conscience of the 4th com like as the Sabbath day was 4. They apply all those textes of Scripture vnto the Lords day which were wont to be applied to the Sabbath day and which indeed are proper to the Sabbath day as Neh. 13.15 Isa 58.13 Math. 12.1.2.3 c. with others behold then if they haue not made the Lords day as like as like may be to the Sabbath day an image or picture cannot be more like a man then they haue framed this Lords day vnto the Sabbath day nay the images similitudes which Papists make of God of Christ or of Saintes are not so like vnto God Christ Saints as this Lords day is made fashoned like the Lords Sabbath day like as idolatrouse Jeroboam made a feast vnto his calues like vnto the feast that was in Iudah 1. King 12.32 so haue these made a new Sabbath like vnto the Lords Sabbath in the Morall Law 2. Touching that other acception of the word where it is taken for an imagination or fiction of the minde or braine And in this sense an Idoll is Nothing as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 8.4 An Jdoll is nothing in the world that is it is no such thing as it is imagined fansied to be in this sense also the Lords day is an Idoll the obseruers of it are Idolaters their sanctification of it Idolatry for 1. whereas they cale the Lords day Sabbath day it is a mere fiction for they neuer found it so named in the Holy Scriptures 2. That the Lords day should be kept like the Sabbath day with a rest from laboures all day long is an imaginary conceipt for they find no such obseruation of it by Christ nor by his Apostles 3. That the Lords day should be obserued by virtue of the 4th com is not onely a fiction but an absurd foolery 4. That Christ instituted the Lords day is a mere forgery and fansy of mens braine as hath bene formerly showne and thus you see that the Lords day is a mere Idoll or a very Nothing that is nothing but a fansie fiction of mens braine of this day therefore we may say as the Lord said of Ieroboames Moneth which he had consecrated vnto his Idoles that it was the moneth which hee had forged of his owne heart 1 King 12 33. so this Lords day is the Sabbath day which men haue forged of their owne hearts And thus we haue cleered and made apparent the two first things in this Idolatry to wit that the Lords day is an Image and liknesse and that the Lords day is an imagination and fiction or an Idoll and Nothing I come now to the third thing which maketh compleate Idolatry and that is Honour and Reuerence for that is properly Idolatry when religiouse honour and reuerence is attributed vnto Images and similitudes or vnto Imaginations and fictions of the braine or vnto Idoles and Nothing as when men reuerence these as Diuine things and as ordinances of God Now I shall easily demonstrate vnto you that men giue Honour Reuerence vnto this Lords day yea no ciuill honour but diuine religiouse Honour For 1. The patrones of the Lords day they doe esteeme one day aboue an other the Lords day aboue and before any other day in the weeke and that in a religiouse manner thus they honour it by aduancing it aboue all other daies yea by holding the cause of the institutiō of the Lords day to be greater then the cause of the institution of the Sabbath day they must hold that the Lords day is an higher more honourable day then was the Sabbath day for they say that the worke of the Redemption was the cause of the institution of the Lords day now the worke of Redemption they hold to be a greater worke then was the worke of the Creation which was the cause of the institution of the Sabbath day and thus you see they must haue the Lords day in more honour then the Sabbath day was
persons nor yet to stop the eare and winke with the eye least we should see and vnderstand for so thou shalt both wrong thy selfe and thy Author Remember thou art now in the place of a Iudge for thou must reade the Controuercy of the Lords Sabbathes pleaded pro con betwixt these 10 Ministers and mee they against Gods Title and I for Gods Title they against Gods Sabbaths and I for them and betwixt them and mee thou must Iudge passe sentence now a Iudge must not be carried away with partiality and respect to persons nor suffer his minde to be prepossessed with an ill will to the cause before he heareth it these things are but equall and right which I craue of thee wherefore I trust I shall obtaine with thee This onely note that if thou wiâ—t suffer thy selfe to be swaied rather on the one side then on the other thou oughtest rather to take in with mee then with them for the Sabbath day it being an ancient ordinance of Gods a long time in vse in his Church therefore the cause and Title it is Gods and since I stand in defence of this Sabbath day therfore I stand in defence of Gods cause and Gods Title so side it with God but they setting themselues against Gods Sabbath set themselues not onely against me but also against Gods cause Gods Title wherfore iudge thou whither it were better for thee to take in with them or with mee against Gods cause Title or with Gods cause Title And so I commend thee to the grace of him who is able to build vs vp further in the knowledge and loue of his Trueth Thine in Christ Jesus THEOPHILUS BRABOURNE The Contentes of this Booke Chapt. I. This Chapter conteineth A defence of the Morall Law or 10 Commandements of Almightie God wherin for the defence of Gods Sabbathes it is proued that this Law is in force vnto Christianes and here Libertines Anabaptists Antinomians are confuted who deny that the Law of God consequently his Sabbaths doe belong vnto Christians and their obiectones to the contrary are answered Chapt. II. This Chapter conteineth an Exposition of the 4th Commandement together with a discouery of the manifould shamefull corruptiones abuses of this diuine Law by many Diuines of these times who doe wrest it mancle it corrupt it by their idle answers distinctions false glosses most absurd Expositiones from all which this Holy Law is vindicated by the Authour restored to its proper genuine ancient sense againe Here also it is made apparent that the whole 4th Commandement is abolisbed nullified by the common doctrine of these times Furthermore and by the way here it is showne how long a Sabbath day is as namely that it is but the time of Day light onely here is discouered the errour of such diuines as hold teach that the Sabbath day is to begine at midnight or in the Euening before or to last from morning to morning 2. By the way also here it is showne that there is no such preparation to the Sabbath to be made on the euening before by a cessation from the workes of our callings the like as some Ministers doe wright call for Lastly this Chapter is concluded with an Exhortation to the loue of Gods Law the Integrity perfection thereof Chapt. III. This Chapter conteineth A discouery of the vanity of all their Arguments brought for the maintenance of the Lords day to be a Sabbath day of their abuse of sondry Scriptures to that end This is handled in two questions the one shewing that it can neuer be proued that the Lords day was in the Apostles dayes constantly weekly obsâ—rued weeke by weeke as we now obserue it The other That it cannot be proued that so much as any one Lords day was euer kept in the Apostles dayes for a Sabbath day and that therfore it is no sinne against God but Lawfull for Husbandmen to make Hay in Hay seile to sow corne in wheat seile to reape corne in Haruest for all sortes of Tradsmen Taylers Shomakers Brewares Bakers Weauers and the rest to doe the ordenary workes of their callings as well vpon the Lords day as vpon any other day of the weeke Yet further here it is proued that the Lords day is but an indifferent thing that by the Testimony of the best writers some lerned Godly Martyrs the State and Church of England assembled in Parliament Here also the Lords day is discouered to be but A Popish Tradition so all Romish reliques are not yet remoued Finally it concludeth with an Admonition Dehortation from Superstition voluntary-religion will-worship Chapt. IV. This Chapter conteineth an Answer vnto all those Textes of Scripture reasons and arguments profanly impiously brought against the 7th day Sabbath commanded in the Morall Law It sheweth the absurdeties which the vndertakers against Gods Sabbath doe fale into And it wipeth off that slaunder of rigorousnesse of the Iewish Sabbath and sheweth that God required no more stricktnesse of Iewes then then the patrones of the Lords day doe require of Christians on the Lords day now Chapt. V. This Chapter conteineth sondry Substanciall Arguments prouing vndeniably that the 7th day Sabbath mentioned in the Morall Law is still in force ought to be to the worlds end This is proued both out of the Old Testament out of the New Testament also out of the ancient Records of the Church For 1. God Commanded it 2. Christ the Sonne of God ratified it 3. The Apostles after Christ practised it 4. The Primitiue Churchs religiously obserued it And in this last passage by the way it is showne 1. when the Lords day first sprang vp to be a sole Sabbath day and who were the founders thereof 2. When the Lords ancient Sabbath was first throwne downe who were the wicked Authors thereof Occationally in this Chapter the obseruation of the old Sabbath is freed from the uniust slaunder of being Iewish and Iudasme with the like Here also are confuted the vaine Euasions distinctions which are vsually framed against the ancient Sabbath day Lastly here is a discourse of the Antiquity of the Sabbath where it is proued that the Sabbath day it from the Creation so as ancient as the world Chapt. VI. This Chapter conteineth A dispensation shewing that Christians who desire the Ancient Sabbath are not necessarily bound in conscience to make A rent from our Church in their present obseruation of it but that they may waite for the opportunity of a publike Reformation by the Magistrate prouided they keepe the Lords day for the Sabbath day by way of a change in the meane season 2. It concludeth with an Exhortation to vse all possible lawfull meanes for a speedy publike generall Reformation amongst other Motiues therevnto these are touched that vntill A Reformation 1. The Decalogue is defaced of
4th com make it senselesse as you see of like nature are all their distinctions therefore worthily to be abhorred of all such as loue Gods lawes God will vndoubtedly one day accurse all such distinctions expositions of any text of Scripture as are made in opposition to his Lawes is there no way to expound the Gospell but so as it must needs quite ouerturne the law or some part of it and is it meete to receiue such vnnecessary distinctions as shall rend out rase out some portion of Gods law the Decalogue or 10 Com. I meane But it may be obiected that vve doe not make such hauocke with the 4th com nor make it so voide senselesse but that we doe still retaine it doe presse it vpon mens consciences vvell nigh euery sermon c. True indeed you vrge the 4th com but how absurdly let all men iudge like as if a man should cancell a bond plucke off the seales yet stifly plead his bond still so these after by their doctrine they haue made the comman a peece of senselese ridiculouse stuffe yet still they call and cry out the 4th com the 4th com yee transgresse Gods 4th com Furthermore the reason annexed to it by God as most effectuall to perswade men to obedience of this com taken from Gods ensample this you altogether omit neglect For when are you heard to perswade the people thus Let vs rest from our workes on the Lords day because God rested on the 7th day Gen. 2.2 Exod. 20.11 Let vs sanctifie the Lords day because God sanctified hallowed the 7th day Gen. 2.3 Exod. 20.11 Let vs be imitators followers of God as deere children and keepe that day vveekly for an holy day vvhich God himselfe made kept an holy day at the Creation No no such matter for so they should contradict themselues If they should persvvad men to follovv Gods example so the mysterie of their iniquity vvould be discouered for God kept the 7th day from the creation but our Lords day is the 8th day from the creation the day vvhich God kept vvas kept in memory of the Creation but our Lords day is kept in memory of the Redemption thus as the com is nullified so the reason to the com is made a meere superfluouse cipher altogether vselesse let them say what they vvill to the contrary As for the law it selfe you vrge it indeed vpon mens consciences but vvith small conscience you vrge it for you abuse prefane Gods word as hath bene showne by applying that to the Lords day which is a common vvorking day as fryday is vvhich should be applied by Gods ordinance to an holy day vvhich himselfe had hallovved as to the 7th day as well might you profanely apply those Sacramentall vvords of institution to common bread to common water as Gods 4th comm to a common day not sanctified by God And thus much for Exposition of the 4th Commandement THus I haue endeavoured to make it appeare hovv they haue corrupted abused the lavv and thereby corrupted abused the people also What remaineth but that they may be driuen to repentance I minde them of that fearefull denuntiation vttered by our Sauiour Christ after that he had ratified the law in the integrity perfection of partes euen to a iot title of it Mat. 5.18 Whereto he addeth these words Whosoeuer therfore shall breake one of these least Commandements teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of heauen but whosoeuer shall obserue teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdome of heauen Matth. 5.19 In which words our blessed Sauiour doth perswade to the keeping of the Morall Lavv in euery iote title of it vnto the worlds end Further our Sauiour sheweth wherein or in what manner he would haue euery iot title of the Law kept and this is two wayes the one by doctrine noted in these words and teach men so The other by practise noted in these words Whosoeuer shall obserue c. whereby wee see it was the minde of Christ to haue euery title of the lavv not onely obserued practised but also he would haue euery title of it taught vnto the people vrged pressed vpon them and on the other side because the bare doctrine of the Minister is forcelesse it many men vvithout his practise least they should say he layeth heauy burthens vpon other men but himselfe vvill not touch them vvith one of his fingers therefore Christ ioyneth practise to doctrine saying Whosoeuer shall obserue teach c. Furthermore vve are in speciall manner to note vnto what manner of persones these words are directed not vnto lay men as they call them but vnto the Clergie vnto Ministers in speciall as vve may vnderstand by the vvords teach men so so then this portion of Scripture it is directed vnto the Ministry the vvill of Christ to them is that they shall both teach to the people and also practise before them vnto the worlds end euery iot and title of the Law Now in the next place we haue Christ his arguments to moue perswade Ministers to these tvvo dueties and because Ministers are of tvvo sortes some though but a smale some vvill teach and practise euery iot title of the Lavv to the vtmost of theire povver but others vvill neither teach nor practise the same therefore hath Christ fitted his Arguments to both sorts by name to such Ministers as doe both teach practise to them our Sauiour promiseth this blessing that they shall be called greate in the Kingdome of heauen oh that there vvere yet many more that would couet this greatenesse in Gods fauour by teaching reuealing the whole counsaile of God euen all his Ten commandements intirly in euery iot title of them But now as for those other Ministers vvho refuse either to teach or to practise this Lavv of God intirly to these our Sauiour threateneth a Cursse to vvite that these shall be called least in the Kingdome of heauen novv vvheras our Sauiour denounceth this cursse vnto them vvhich breake one of the least of these commandements suppose vve the Time commanded in the 4th com vvhere the very least of the commandements because they vse to cale it but a circumstance and the like vvhy yet for all that so long as it is a commandement though the least of all the commandements yet Christ denounceth this Cursse vnto such Ministers as refuse to teach the people this least com and refuse to practise it before the people they haue pleased to miscale it a ceremony Iudaisme the like but let them try if this vvill free them before Christ his Iudgment seate from this Cursse of Christ vvhich he denounced being on earth I beleeue all they re subtilties shiftes vvherby they blind the eyes of men here vvill hardly so blind the eyes of Christ
threatened to such as breake the Lords Sabbaths The 6th and last cause of lamentation is to see the priests of the Lord of all men Gods Ministers turne enemies to Gods Law for they vvill needs vvithout any necessity at all make somthing in Gods Law ceremoniall and so abolished Iudaicall so to be hated they cannot abide that Gods 10. command should be like a chaine of 10. linkes all of pure gold one linke as vvell as an other but though all the 9. be pure gold yet some one of the 10. must be partly gold partly leade partly morall partly ceremoniall as if snovv could be partly vvhite partly blake or a shadovv and ceremony placed in the hearte of a morall Lavv thus they make Gods Lavv like vnto Nebukadnezzars Image which he savve in his dreame Dan. 2.32 partly gold and partly clay surely this their fiction is but a dreame Gods Lavv must be morall in euery iot and Title of it it must be all gold or none gold all clay or none clay but our Ministers will be partiall in the Lavv they will not endure it to be morall in all the partes therof they are enemies to the integrity perfection of it that servants should not take parte with the commandements of their Maisters but oppose them that children should not take parte with the command of their fathers but turne enemies to them that subiects should not take in vvith their King to defend his Lavves but set them selues against them it is vndutifulnesse disloyaltie and rebellion but that Ministers whom God hath taken so neere vnto him as to make them of his Counsaile and to make it their proper office to defend his Lavves to this end hath allowed them large maintenance as the Tyeth of the Realme c. that these kinde of men should refuse to defend his Lavv and turne enemies vnto it in whole or in parte what should I say it is high tyme the world were at an end as the Sabbath is Gods ordinance so the Decalogue is Gods Law novv were men professed enemies to God then if they should doe what in them lieth to abolish his Sabbaths to reiect as much of his Law as possiblie they could with any colour devise it were but sutable to their profession but that wee who are professed friends to God and to his Lavv therfore should imbrace as many of his ordinances and as much of his Lavv as possiblie vve could that wee I say should reiect any of Gods ordinances and desire and indeauour to reiect and abolish as much of Gods Lavv as possiblie by any wite we can deuise this is monstrously horrible and much to be lamented This I dare considently auowch that if our Ministers pleased but to take parte with God and vvould but speake for Gods Sabbaths what vvith a very little study they are inabled to speake both by partes of nature and Arte that all the world could neuer be able to vvithstand them they would victoriously beare downe all oppofition and is it not to be lamented when Ministers vvill not doe for God vvhat they can or may doe but in stead of their little studie in defence of this cause all their care and study is hovv they may be still ignorant of the point lest by knowledge of it they should speake for it and so indanger their liuings reputations and the like for generally they doe eschew the reading of my booke wherby they might be instructed in the point without their labour vnlesse it be some fewe vvho read it only to spie a mote in myne eye and that they may picke out somthing to say against it yea they eschevv also all arguing conferences among them selues in priuate wherby the point may be scanned and come to light they permit not any of their brethren to take vp a defence of the Lords Sabbaths to argue against the Lords day albeit he doth it but for argument sake the better to boult out the trueth if any in the company will be more ingenuouse and true harted then the rest as desirouse by opposeing of our tenets to find out the trueth the shall be snibed curbed some man of eminency in the place will put all to silence with such words as these no more of this point now no more of this argument in this place thus they are afraid least God should by theire conferences inlighten them these things haue bene related to me by credible persones and are not these things to be lamented any man shall haue free liberty heart and good will to speake in their company any thing he can invent against Gods Sabbaths for the Lords day but not on the contrary to speake for the Lords Sabbaths against the Lords day take my word for it you shall neuer heare 2. Ministers scann this point pro and con before any of the people as you shall heare them in some other pointes of doubt nay it were to be wished that any 2. Ministers vvould by themselues when none heare them argue the point seriously pro con the one taking the one parte the other its contrary that so Gods trueth may be found out but I feare me a man shall as soone dravv a Beare to the stake to be baited with dogges as dravv them to any such course as may bring the point to light they cannot but foresee the issue of this course vvould be what they would should not be is not this to be lamēted if I should not preuaile with them in so reasonable a request as this is I desire my brethren of the Ministri to take into deepest consideration Gods Sabbaths to study the point seriously to cast a side preiudice out of a loue to this ordinance of Gods study but vvhat may be found in its defence to study but with a like good will to defend this point as they doe other pointes and is not this to be lamented if I shal not preuaile When Paul was to take his last farvvell of the Church of Ephesus he could say with a good conscience that he was pure from the blood af all men because he had kept nothing backe but had shewed them all the counsaile of God Act. 20.26.27 But how many of our Ministers when they lye a dying shall be able thus comfortablie to pleade for themselues I know not can they say they haue kept nothing backe of Gods counsaile what not his Sabbaths can they say to their flocke they haue shewed them all the Counsaile of God what all the Lavv in its integrity and perfection what euery Iote Title of the Law haue they baulked nothing for feare carnall respectes or for vvant of that industry that might ought to haue bene in them in serching out euery iot title of Gods Lavv in its perfection for this let them knovv that they must be countable to God not onely for baulking concealing vvhat they knovv but also for not declaring vnto the people
but in regard of Christs pouerty it is not vnlikly that he vsed browne or corse bread 2. By the like the Iewes might haue thus absurdly reasoned also whereas the Sabbath day was commanded on Mount Sinay Exod. 20. yea one moneths iourney before they came to Mount Sinay in the wildernesse of Sin Exod. 16.1.23 yea and in an other remote place as in that parte of the world where about Paradise was since the Sabbath was from the Creation hence the Iewes might thus peruersly haue argued saying wee are now in Canaan or in Captiuity in a country that is farr remote from Mount Sinay where the Sabbath was commanded or from the wildernesse of Sin or that parte of the world where Paradise was and where the Patriarkes kept the Sabbath and therfore we here cannot keepe the Sabbath for our Sabbath in this country begineth not at that point of time iust when the Sabbath begineth at Mount Sinay the wildernesse of Sin or about Paradise loe their folly God requireth not a people to begine his 7th day Sabbath when other remote Nations begine theirs but onely thē when by the light of the Sunne which rules the day God begineth to that people his Seauenth day This point is further prosecuted in my former booke but enough too much hath bene here said to this idle argument men haue so little reuerence of God and of his lawes and of his ancient ordinance the Sabbath that they thinke any thing is good enough how idle and ridiculouse soeuer to throw against the same euery frothie conception of an idle braine is matter sound enough to buze and make a noise in peoples eares against that sacred time which God himselfe hath hallowed sanctified honoured amongst his morales SECT VIII A 4th text is that Isa 66.23 From moneth to moneth or from new Moone to new Moone from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord. Whence some collect that the Sabbath here was made a Signe of the euerlasting Sabbath in heauen others would haue it a Signe of the Church vnder the new Testament and of the Church triumphant in heauen both so it being a signe it is abolished Herevnto I answer 1. it is doubtfull what may be the proper sense of this text it being a Prophecy deliuered in Metaphoricall and Allegoricall speeches for instance what shall be meant by these words from new Moone to new Moone it is doubtfull wherefore this text being difficult it is not fit to haue a controuercy decided by it much lesse to haue it vsed to the abolishing of any thing commanded in a morall law it is not meete that the 4th com being vttered in plaine proper speeches should be contradicted countermanded by a Prophecy which is vttered in difficult improper speeches what is this but petitio principij 2. I answer by the word Sabbath here may be vnderstod not the weekly 7th day morall Sabbath inioyned in the morall law but some of the anniuersary ceremoniall Sabbathes which neuer came into the morall law as that Sabbath of the Seauenth yeere or of the fiftith yeere Leuit. 25.10.4 for since the text speaketh of a continuall worshiping of God vnder the new Testament therefore the Sabbath of a yeere is more fit to be a type of it then the Sabbath of a day the 7th day 3. I answer the Sabbath day here mentioned is not made a Signe but rather the other 6 dayes which goe betwence Sabbath and Sabbath for so the text saith from Sabbath to Sabbath that is all the dayes betwene the Sabbaths shall all flesh come to worship c. so then it is not the Sabbath day that was made a Signe but those Six dayes which went betwene the Sabbathes SECT IX A 5th text of theirs is Heb. 4.10.11 where there is mention of a Rest and in v. 9. there remaineth therefore a Rest vnto the people of God Here say they the Sabbath or Rest is made a type of the Rest in the Kingdome of heauen now all types are abolished as ceremonies Herevnto I answer 1. many thinke indeed that here is some greate matter in this text for their purpose but it will proue vpon better examination nothing so for if this Rest here mentioned be a type of heauen it is so farr off from making any thing against the Sabbath day as that it rather maketh for it for the nature of types is to last in the Church vntill the thing typed out by them be come thus all sacrifices lasted vntill Christ our pascall Lamb was comne sacrificed for vs wherefore by like reason if this Rest or Sabbath heere be a type of the kingdome of heauens rest then may this Rest and Sabbath last in the Church vntill we all come to a rest in the kingdome of heauen so then all the time we liue on earth this Sabbath may be kept 2. I answer if the aduersaries to this ordinance of Gods Sabbath could tell how to proue the Rest in the 4th com a ceremony by this text then hereby they must wholly ouerthrow the 4th com for take away rest from laboures as an abolished ceremony and then may men labour in their caleings euery man in his seuerall family in his seuerall field and how then can there be any publike assemblies of the people together in the Church to keepe a Sabbath 3. I answer suppose we that there was a type in the word Rest yet since it speaketh not of a dayes rest but of an euerlasting rest therfore may the yeere of Iubile the 50th yeere be made a type here rather thē the 7th day for there is greater similitude betwene the 50th yeere Leuit. 25.10.11.4.1 and the euerlasting rest then betwene the 7th day Exod 20.8 and the euerlasting rest SECT X. A 6th text they vse which is Numb 28.9.10 where it was commanded vnto the Iewes to offer ij lambes for a Sacrifice on the Sabbath day whence they would collect that if the Sacrifices being a duety of the Sabbath be abolished then is the Sabbath it selfe aboiished Herevnto I answer 1. if the Sabbath day be abolished togeather with the sacrificing of the ij lambes then must for the same reason also be abolished rest from laboures and the morall worship of God in the Sabbath for the sacrificing of the lambes on the Sabbath day hath as much respect vnto rest from labour Gods worship to declare them also to be ceremonies as vnto the time to declare it to be a ceremony abolished 2. I answer that this law of offering ij lambes on the Sabbath day it was aduentitiouse onely added to the 4th com to the Sabbath for a time and therefore no parte of the 4th com nor essentiall Sabbath duety for it was neuer wrote by God in Tables of stone but wrote by Moses as were other ceremonies all after the writing of the moral law was finished and therefore no parte of
word day in Exod. 31.13.14 for it mentioneth onely the word Sabbaths whenc I gather that though the word day be implied yet because it is not mentioned therefore if any thing be made a signe of Christ it is rather the Sabbaths then the day wherefore if the Sabbaths be a signe of Christ which signify Restes then are the Restes ceremonies and abolished signes of Christ so the Rest in the 4th com which they hold to be morall by this text they make to be ceremoniall so we haue a morall ceremoniall Rest a contraicted Rest A third absurdety that these meÌ„ fale into who will haue God serued by halues and by peecemeale is this that whilst they make a gloriouse shew to the people that they stand for the 4th com as well as for the rest of the commandements they doe notwithstanding so gelde it picke out the life soule of it as they leaue it but like a deade corpse for by their consequences such as they are they would out of this text Exod. 31.13 make the Sabbath day a signe so a ceremony and so then abolished well then be it so hence then I argue If that Sabbath day commanded in the 4th com be an abolished signe ceremony theÌ„ is the 4th com nullified like a dead corpse for it standeth for a cipher and commandeth iust nothing for the cleering of this point let vs see the 4th com thus it is written Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifi it Exod. 20.8 let any man now take out of these words in this commandement these ij words Sabbath day then let him tell me what it is which the 4th com commandeth you may as well take away these ij words Sabbath day which they say are a signe and ceremony and abolished in stead of them put so many ciphers in the commandement as there be letters in these ij words that is tenn then we may write this commande thus Remember the 0000000000 to sanctifie it Exod. 20.8 I remember our Sauiour Christ hath a similitude wherin he likeneth such hearers as heare but doe not vnto a foolish man who builded his howse vpon the sande Mat. 7.26 but I now tell you of builders builders in Gods house too who are more foolish then this foolish man for he built though not vpon a rocke yet he built vpon the Sande so as his house might stand vntill the floodes came the winds blewe but these meÌ„ would build Gods 4th com vpon worse then sand for they build it vpon nothing 0000000000 and make it to command nothing 0000000000. all this must needs be true against them vnlesse they can shew vs that there were two Sabbath daies spoken of in the 4th com one vpon the 7th day an other vpon the 8th day and this they cannot doe seing the Lord spake in the singular number in his 4th com saying Remember the Sabbath day and not in the plurall number Remember the Sabbaths or Remember the Sabbath daies now forasmuch as they haue robbed the 4th com of one Sabbath day there must now be no Sabbath day in the 4th com vnlesse they cane by helpe of their magnified reason consequences proue vnto vs that God commanded ij Sabbaths in his 4th com A fourth absurdety that these men fale into who are aduersaries to the Integrity perfection of Gods Law by reiecting his Sabbaths is this that they set Scriptures togeather by the eares text against text and God against himselfe for whereas it is a rule that no exposition by like reason no consequeÌ„ce or collectioÌ„ is to be giuen of and from any text which is contrary vnto other plaine texts of Scripture as for example the 10. commandements the analogie of faith c. yet these aduersaries of Gods trueth haue giuen such expositiones of consequences from this one text Exod. 31.13 as whereby they doe vtterly nullify something plainly expresly commanded in the 10 commandements as for example the 7th day Sabbaths First then their absurdety appeareth in sweruing from the common receiued approued rule secondly in making one portion of holy write to contradict an other yea to contradict an ordinance commanded in the Morall Law which is yet worst of all they make their owne idle brained consequences fetched out of this text which neuer were in it to contradict an expresse commandement of the greate Gods so that now mans sawcy reason friuolouse collections shall confront a plaine commandement of his Gods yea it shall sit in equall throne with God I which is worse it shall take the right hand of God also for their consequences doe more auaile with men then Gods expresse commandement their collections shall be a Counter mand to Gods commandement yea they shall take the vpper hand of it shoulder it qui e out of place as we see to our hearts astonisâ—ment it doth when we looke vpon the ruined 7th day Sabbath on times oh manners oh wicked manners of these sinefull times some men doe so pride themselues in their wit beare themselues so strongly vpon their lerning as by these they dare make an assault vpon God and Syllogistically crush to nothing what God once establisht in his Church with terrible thunder and lightening were this done by some profane person it were not so much to be thought on but the Authores stife Agents in this most horrible fact are such as drawe nere vnto God and called puritane Ministers oh that they shewed more purity then this comes to it grieueth me thus to blow vp the Skirtes of my bethren but I haue none other way left vnto me now but onely this one to discouer them vnto the world that they may be ashamed of their folly to preuent men in following them else they will leade the world after them so mad they are in their dotages so vnmouable the Prophet Dauid hath a passage which will beare me out in this fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name o Lord. Psal 83.16 I might for these reasons absurdeties of theirs reiect their arguments as vnworthy any answer at all for they deserue none yet as Salomon saith Least they be wise in their owne conceit Pro. 26.5 and thinke there is worth and excellency in their arguments I will misespend some time and waste some paper and inke to shew them their vanity so I come to their arguments I conceiue they may argue out of this text Exod. 31.13 these wayes the first whereof is this All Signes are abolished But the 7th day Sabbath is a Signe Exod. 31.13 Therefore the 7th day Sabbath is abolished To this argument I answer as for the minor it shall be answered in the after passages but as for their Major I deny it for they can not proue it I giue instances to the contrary shewing that all Signes are not abolished for example the Raine bow God made it
in v. 15.16.17 which was kept in memory of the Creation and was a signe that God created the world v. 17. must also be abolished and so much for the formost of my generall answers My other generall answer to this text Exod. 31.13 and te all their arguments hence deduced is this suppose we that be the word Sabbathes in v. 13. is meante the 7th day Sabbath yet it followeth not that because it is made a signe or a signe of Christ that therefore the Sabbath day must be abolished for we must know that the signe of the Sabbath may vanish yet the Sabbath may remaine still for the cleering of this consider with me that the Sabbath may be considered abosolutly or relatiuly absolutly without any signe or relatiuly with its signe like as an Iuey bush or the like signe hung vp at a Vineteners house you may consider its absolute nature as it is no signe but as it is an Iuey bush onely you may consider it relatiuely as it it is a signe that wyne is to be sould at that house these two may be parted for take downe the Iuey bush then it is no longer a signe it hath lost its relatiue nature but yet it is a bush still so it retaineth its absolute nature thus the Sabbath it hath an absolute nature it hath a relatiue signifificatiue nature now these two may be parted for it may leese its relatiue nature as a signe yet retaine its absolute nature as a Sabbath iust as in the similitude of the Iuey bush But here happily some may aske of me what it is which I cale the absolute nature of the Sabbath what the relatiue nature To whome I answer I count that to be the absolute nature of the Sabbath which is not considered typically relatiuly significatiuly euen all that is to be considered in the Sabbath ouer besids its typicall significatiue nature that is its absolute inature more particularly the absolute nature of the Sabbath t is an holy rest vpon the 7th day because God rested vpon the 7th day and all this as commanded by God in which absolute nature are comprised these particulars 1. a rest from laboures 2. a performance of sacred and holy actiones 3. that both these be done on the 7th day 4. that these three be done in imitation of God because God rested on the same day blessed it and sanctified it Exod. 20.11 fiftly that all these be so done because God commanded them Exod. 20.8.10 these 5. things are the absolute nature of the Sabbath now for the relatiue nature of the Sabbath it is whatsoeuer is added vnto these 5. things significatiuly to signe signifie any thing thus the Sabbath was made a signe of the Creation of Gods Rest on the 7th day at the worlds creation Exod. 31.17 thus was the Sabbath made a signe also of the Redemption or of Christs sanctification of vs as they would haue it out of Exod. 31.13 which being supposed the Sabbath had a double relatiue nature the one to signify the Creation as past the other to signify the sanctification of Christ as to come which double signe being considered my insueing instances might be a litle more distinctly carried but as they are it may suffice to giue you a taste and thus you haue the absolute nature of the Sabbath declared and also its relatiue or typicall nature I come now to shew that the Sabbath may leese its typicall nature yet it may retaine its absolute nature first I shall giue you instances where things had a double type or signe the one of them vanisheing neuerthelesse the thing was obserued still with a respect vnto the other signe that remained The first instance for this purpose shall be that Sacrament of Circumcision cōsidered as vsed after the children of Israel were come into the land of Canaan here we are to note that circumcision typed out two things the one was that God would giue vnto the Israelites the land of Canaan Genes 17.8 the other was that God would make Abraham a father of many nationes Gen. 17.7.4 that God would be God vnto Abraham to his seede after him Genes 17.7 now after that the Isralits the posterity of Abrahā were come into the land of Canaan did inherit it then was one of these things typed out by circumcision fulfilled then was circumcision to loose its relatiue significatiue nature as typing out Canaan to come for it was come they were in it yet this signe of circumcision remained still in the Church for many hundreth yeers that as hauing reference vnto the other thing typed out by it to wit that God would be God vnto the seede of Abraham that hee should be a father of many nationes thus you see the action of circumcision remained in the Church still when one of the antitypes was come why then may not the duty of the Sabbath day remaine still in the Church after one of its antitypes be come so long as an other of its antitypes is still in force admit the Sabbath was a signe of Christ to come and so therefore it be no more kept as a type of Christ to come yet may it still be kept in the Church and so for euer as a type or signe of the Creation for our ages and so all posterity vnto the worlds end may as well keepe the Sabbath as a signe of the Creation as the Iewes and people of God did at any time Why may not the Sabbath be retained for one of its antitypes sake as well as circumcision was retained for one of its antitypes sake A second instance for this purpose shall be that other Sacrament the Passeouer considered as it was vsed after the Angel had smitten dead the first borne of the Egyptians and passed by the housen of the Isralites and here we are to note as before that the Passeouer was a type or signe of two things the one was that God would passe ouer the housen of the children of Israels spare them when at midnight he would destroy others Exod 12.11.12.13 The other was that it was a signe of Christ our Passeouer 1. Cor. 5.7 Now after that the Angell had destroyed the first borne of the Egyptians spared the Isralites then one of the types of the Passeouer was fulfilled neuerthelesse the Passeouer was retained in the Church for many hundreth yeeres after and this was because of the other type which was not then fulfilled 2 The Passeouer cold not be a signe vnto those Proselytes who ioyned to the Iewish religion when they were in Canaan of their deliuerance from the destroying Angell who smote all the first borne of Egypt and yet it remained as a signe to them of Christ their Passeouer to come these Proselite Gentiles left the Iewes in that which was proper and peculiar vnto the Iew that is to
against not onely something in the 10 commandements but also against euery thing in the 10 com againe Hebr. 7.12 Jf the priesthod be changed then of necessity must there be a chang of the Law whence a man might also say something against the whole Law bring Scripture to backe him too but forasmuch as the Law that is the Law Morall is an excellent Rule of our liues a notable Rule for the expounding of other hard darksome places of Scripture therefore we will not be so absurd as to question it least so we fale to question euery thing leaue no certainty in the Scriptures nor any thing that migt be a Rule a light vnto other Scriptures in conclusion be driuen to the Pope againe to determine of the sense of Scripture for vs. So much for this their absurdety that they deny Maximes in Religion and Principles in Diuinity who deny the 7th day Sabbath dispute against it One absurdety more is that they who alleage this text Col. 2.16 or any other against the Sabbath day mentioned in the Morall Law they herein shake hands ioyne with lawlesse Libertines Anabaptistes who doe by these textes oppose Gods Sabbaths so liue profanly without any Sabbath conscience of this diuine ordinance shall wee Protestantes shake hands with Anabaptistes in ouerturning Gods Sabbaths God forbid Thus hauing showne the diuerse sondry grosse absurdeties which they rune into who bring this text Col. 2.16.17 or any other against the Sabbath day written in the Morall Law now in the next place let vs see their arguments out of this text that so we may answer them their arguments are two the one of them is this that by the word Sabbaths or Sabbath daies in this text Col. 2.16 is meant all Sabbath daies vniuersally generally so if all Sabbath daies be abolished then the 7th day Sabbath also is abolished Herevnto I answer there is a Law Morall a Law ceremoniall now when we read that Christ hath abolished the Law of cōmandements Ephe. 2.15 againe that Of necessitie there must be a chang of the Law Heb. 7.12 if any man should presse these textes to the abolishing of all lawes we would answer them by distinguishing of Lawes into Morall ceremoniall saying that these textes doe abolish onely the Law ceremoniall but not the Law Morall So may I answer them in this point for the Sabbath day is a branch of the Morall Law for it is written in the Morall Law commanded in the Morall Law wherefore I answer them by distinguishing thus there be weekly Sabbath daies commanded in the Morall Law there are yeerly Sabbath daies which were neuer written in the Morall Law Leuit. 23.24.39 now this their text may be vnderstod onely of these yeerly ceremoniall Sabbaths not of the Morall weekly Sabbath thus are these two scriptures Exod. 20.8 Col. 2.16 reconciled And whereas they say that all Sabbaths are meante in this text I answer that this all may be meant of the ceremoniall Sabbaths that all those Sabbaths are abolished for there is an all of them for they are many so then we may vnderstād this text to abolish all Sabbaths generally that is the generality of all yeerly Sabbaths since there is a generallity of them or by all we may vnderstand all these Sabbaths excluded the Morall-Law or Tables of stone that is all the Sabbaths written in the ceremoniall Lawes so the 7th day Sabbath is not touched in this text thus you see there is no necessity at all why they should hale in the 7th day Sabbath into this text for a fit distinction may salue all wherefore if they will violently wring the 7th day Sabbath into this text it is wilfully done of them to satisfy some corrupt humour or other you see this text may safely soundly be expounded of the annuall Sabbaths onely without any the least violence offered vnto this text Furthermore I answer it is to be obserued that the Apostle speaking heere of Sabbaths which are a Shaddow he doth not say all Sabbaths vseing the generall particle all but he speaketh indefinitly saying Sabbaths or Sabbath daies without this word all therefore may be vnderstod but of some Sabbath daies particularly It is true indeed that the Apostle speaketh of Sabbath daies in the plurall number but yet it doth not thereof follow that therefore he spake of all Sabbath daies generally ther 's a differēce betwixt a plurality a generality betwene Sabbahts plurally Sabbaths generally for the Apostle may make Sabbaths plurally that is many Sabbaths to be Shaddowes yet not make Sabbaths generally that is all Sabbaths to be Shaddowes for example a man may say the Trees doe shaddow mee and yet all Trees in the world doe not shaddow mee Againe Ministers teach that the bread in the Sacrament is the very body of Christ yet it followeth not that all Ministers doe teach so for protestant Diuines teach the contrary so might Paul say that Sabbaths were a shaddow yet neither say nor thinke that all Sabbaths were a shaddow and thus is their former argument answered By the weaknesse of which argument we may see the weaknesse of their loue to God his ordinance to his Lawes for strong loue would neuer permit them to rase downe to the grownd so honourable an ordinance as Gods Sabbath to oppose Gods Law the 4th com with so weake an argument and what would be the issue if they might obtaine their desires why this Gods Law shall be mangled defaced it shall be denied its integrity perfection it shall be made a Monstre partly morall partly ceremoniall way made for Anabaptistry the floud of prophanesse to flowe in vpon vs by the want of Gods Sabbath An other argument they draw out of this text against the Lords 7th day Sabbath for they are wonderouse eagre vpon it desire exceedingly to find or make if they cannot find something to defeate God his Church of the Sabbath day for this purpose they will faine a necessity vpon it that by Sabbaths in this text we must of necessity vnderstand the 7th day Sabbath for one because say they vnder the words Holy day is meant all the ceremoniall yeerly Sabbaths so then vnder the words Sabbath daies must be meante the weekly Sabbaths Herevnto I answer that it cannot be proued that vnder these words Holy day all yeerly Sabbaths are comprised for it may be that none of the yeerly Sabbaths are therin cōprised to make this appeare let it be obserued that the word translated Holy day doeth signify also a feast the words translated in respect may be translated in parte so for these words in respect of an holy day you may haue in roome of them these words in parte of a feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the text should rune thus Let no man condemne
of it yea why should we not yeeld God obedience to the one halfe of his 4th com as well as to the other halfe this is not to haue respect vnto all Gods commandements with Dauid Psal 119.6 God will haue an account as well for the least of his commandements as for the greatest Who soeuer shall breake one of these least commandements saith our Sauiour shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.19 Now be it that that parte of the 4th com which commandeth the day time be neuer so little in your account yet is it not lesse then the least of all the things commanded in the Morall Law Yet further full little doe men thinke what a deale of inconveniēce doth follow vpon this obiection in sleiting of the time day specified in the Morall Law for since this sleiting of the 7th day hath crept into the Church what a deale of instability and profanesse hath crept in with it yea it is to be noted that since this sleiting of the old Sabbath hath bene receiued Sabbaths neuer did thriue in Churches for the discouery whereof let vs take a suruey of the Christian Churches looke we first into the Church of Rome how doe they keepe the Sabbath in these dayes as for the right day to wit the 7th day they hould that abolished and therefore they keepe not that day well then come we to the Lords day and how keepe they that why the Lords day they keepe indeed but like a Common Holy day but as a Tradition of the Church now had they retained the auncient purity of the 4th com holding themselues closse vnto the 7th day as it is written in the 4th com durst they haue kept the Sabhath day so profanly as now they keepe the Lords day Since we are vpon the point we may by the way discouermore of Romes abominations we vse to charge hir with blotting our and raseing the second com so as they haue but 9 commandements but if we looke vpon the matter a little better we shall finde that they haue blotted out and rased also the 4th com and so they haue but 8 commādements for they keepe no day by virtue of the 4th com neither the 7th day nor the 8 day so as the 4th com standeth with them for a Cipher and whereas there are but 4 commandements in the first Table they haue rased out two of them haue lest but ij of them remayning so then the Church of Rome hath reiected two of Gods Tenn commandements and retaineth but eight of them and whereas there be fowre com in the first Table they haue reiected two of those fowre and retaine but two still Againe looke we vpon the Anabaptistes of whom there be greate multitudes in the Low Countries and they keepe no Sabbath day in conscience of any commandement from God but onely for order sake this their profanesse I must impute vnto this sleiting of the day mentioned in the 4th com as for their neglect of the Lords day any man may see they doe not that without a cause since there is no institution for it left by Christ and as for their neglect of the 7th day this I impute vnto the general sleiting of the 7th day made by all Churches the which they being nusled vp in haue growne to sleit it also neuerthelesse this they will confesse vpon argument that if any day ought to be kept for a Sabbath it must be the 7th day so thus we see what euill effectes haue followed since the sleiting of the 7th day hath crept into the Church for Papistes keepe no Sabbath according to the 4th com and Anabaptistes keepe no Sabbaths at all as instituted of God but count euery day a Sabbath or all dayes a like Lastly come we vnto Protestants amongst our selues we shall find that much euill hath crept into Churches since the sleit opinion of the 7th day hath invaded the world for the Church at Geneua it is in euery mans mouth how sleitily they haue kept all Sabbaths for the Churches in the Low Countries vp into Germany it is well knowne how light an esteeme they haue had of Sabbaths for our owne Church of England it is yet in the memory of man how sleit an esteeme hath bene made of Sabbaths not many yeeres past now can we thinke that these so famouse Churches would haue bene so sleitey in a matter so seriouse were is not hence that that speciall time of the 7th day written in the morall Law is sleited as deemed a ceremony which being taken for granted they all saw full well that the 4th com could not be pressed vpon the Lords day hence it was that they gaue liberty tooke liberty on the Lords day thus Gods time being sleited all Sabbaths were neglected so in conclusion you see Sabbaths did neuer thriue prosper in the Church as they would haue done if this time had not bene sleited Come we vnto some particular men since the day to wit the 7th day hath bene sleited no stability could be found out for any Sabbath day but euen Diuines of the chiefest ranke haue staggered bene in a mamering what to say or thinke of the point for example worthy Perkines we can speake in these pointes saith he but by likelihoodes I but had the 7th day bene still in vse he could haue gone beyond likelyhoodes and haue spoken peremptorily without doubtings what should I rekone vp Caluine Zanchie Vrsinus with many others forecited all which haue so sleited all Sabbaths since this sleit esteeme of the old day hath invaded the Church as that their iudgments are that now there is no Sabbath day of higher nature then an indifferent thing that our present Sabbath is to be kept but for order sake Loe these are the fruites that come from this obiection of sleiting the time as if God regarded nothing but the dueties in the day but not the day it selfe these I say are the fruites of sleiting the time in the 4th com to wit Instability doubtfullnesse in Iudgement touching the Sabbath profanesse in sanctifying Gods Sabbath where these two take place Sabbaths shall neuer thriue nor prosper longe I neuer looke to see either Diuines stable in iudgment vnanimouse in consent touching Sabbaths or Churches zealouse in Sanctifying them vntill first all agree to honour that very day time commanded in the 4th com sleight not this time therefore since the fruites of such doings hath bene will be of so euill consequence OBIECT XI Some obiect thus saying why now all times are alike vnder the gospell there is no time more holy then other or more fit for the worship of God then other now I answer 1. Why may there not be some time now vnder the gospel more Holy then other as well as there are now some persones more honourable then other if by the 5th com we hold some
Gods lawes this no man fearing God should doe 2. Since the Lords day is no Sabbath day they that defend the 7th day Sabbath to be abolished they cast downe all Sabbaths of Gods and so draw vs to Anabaptistry and open a flood gate to all impiety prophanesse among people which no man fearing God should doe 3. Since no day can be Sabbath day by the 4th com but the old Sabbath day as hath bene proued therefore they that hold and make it abolished they make that holy prayer of our Church a meere babling with God for the 4th com being rehearsed in vaine we say Lord haue mercy vpon vs and incline our heartes to keepe this Law now no man fearing God should make frustrate such a deuout and ancient prayer of our Church by his absurd tenentes I might mention other absurdeties but I list not to repeate them ARGVM III. My third argument to proue the 7th day Sabbath to be still in force is because so much is confessed by Diuines that are no friends but enemies vnto it thus it may be framed If such as are no friends but enemies vnto the 7th day Sabbath doe confesse that it is still in force then the 7th day Sabbath is still in force But such as are no friends but enemies vnto the old Sabbath doe confesse that it is still in force Therefore the 7th day Sabbath is still in force As for the consequence it is cleere for albeit the Testimony of a man in his owne case and for his owne aduantage be of smale esteeme yet a testimony which a man giues against himselfe is euer accounted strong wherefore if I shall proue that such as mislike of the 7th day Sabbath doe for all that affirme that it is still in force then the point must needes be yeelded to me And so I come vnto the Minor here I shall proue that such as are no friends to the 7th day Sabbath doe confesse that it is still in force and this I shall proue either by their expresse words or else by necessary consequence from their words for albeit they neuer intended to speake a word in defence of Gods Sabbath yet so cleere and apparent hath bene the trueth as they could not but speake for it albeit they fauoured it not my first Testimony shall be that of Doctour Prideaux in his booke of the Sabbath Pag. 140. It is manifest saith he that our Sauiour did often contend with the Pharisies about the superstitiouse obseruation of the Sabbath day but where is there any thing about the abrogation of it at vbi de abrogatione ipsius suspicio and where is there any mention of setting the Lords day in the roome of it did not the Apostles keepe the Sabbath of the Iewes with the Iewes without any scruple after the ascention of Christ did not the followinge Churches doe the like for many yeeres If then there be no suspicion of the abrogation of the Sabbath day in the new Testament as Doctour Prideaux saith then it necessarily followeth that the Sabbath day is still in force My second Testimony shall be that of M. Perkines on the Creede speaking of the Creation Pag. 152. where he speaketh of the place of Gods worship then to wit the garden of Eden also of the time of Gods worship to wit the Sabbath day Touching the time of Gods worship it was the 7th day from the begining of the Creation the Sabbath day And here we must note saith he that the keeping of the Sabbath is morall some indeed saith he doe pleade that it is but a ceremony yet falslie for it was ordeined before the fale of man at which time ceremonies signifying sanctification had no place Here is no speech of the Lords day the 8th day it was not knowne at the Creation but all this is spoken of the Sabbath day the 7th day and M. Perkins doth plainly affirme that this 7th day Sabbath is morall and contesteth against those who hold it to be a ceremony saying they speake falsly c. Now if it be morall no ceremony then it must needs be still in force My third Testimony shall be that of M. Dod on the commandements who in his exposition of the 4th com pag. 122. saith that the Sabbath is morall perpetuall againe Arguments to proue the Sabbath day to be perpetuall Now that all this must be true of the old Sabbath day not of the Lords day is plaine 1. Because he nameth the Sabbath day the SeaueÌ„th day 2. Because he fetcheth reasons to proue the morality froÌ„ Gods rest at the creatioÌ„ because it was a day blessed now these things cannot agre to our Lords day 3. In pag. 129. he thus concludeth So that these reasones doe most euidently confirme to the artes of all Gods childereÌ„ that the keeping of the Sabbath day is a morall Law and bindeth vs and all men to the end of the world as much as it did the Iewes afore Christ 4. In pag. 124. he brings an other reason for the morality of the Sabbath from the time of its first institution in Adams innocency saying Now then since it was instituted in Paradise c. it may not be reputed among ceremonies Now this cannot be vnderstod of the Lords day other reasons of his I spare well if the old Sabbath day be morall as it must be by these his words and reasones then it is still in force My 4th Testimony shall be that of Doctour Bownd in his booke of the Sabbath pag. 40. The 4th com saith he caÌ„ no more be partly morall partly ceremoniall then the same liuing creature can be partly a man partly a beast yea as well may one suppose saith he the second Commandement to be partly morall partly ceremoniall also If then the 4th com be not partly ceremoniall as touching the 7th day then is the 7th day still in force My 5th Testimony shall be that which I find quoted by Doctour Bownd in his booke of the Sabbath pag. 46. out of Wolph Chron. lib. 2. cap. 1. saying But the 7th day is not to be rekoned among the figures ceremonies of the Iewes because it is commanded in the Decalogue which conteineth in it nothing ceremoniall nothing Typicall nothing to be abrogated If the Decalogue conteineth nothing ceremoniall or to be abrogated then is not the 7th day ceremoniall but still inforce My 6th Testimony shall be that of M. Richard Byfield on the Sabbath against M. Brerewod pag. 88. where he thus writeth The 4th com is parte of the Law of nature so a parte of the Image of God 〈…〉 capable of a ceremony to be in it then God is If â—â—n there can be no ceremony in the 4th com then is not the 7th day therein a ceremony therefore it must be still in force so absurd it semeth to me it semed vnto these Diuines to suppose a ceremony to be in
doth ratify and confirme all the lawes of God written in the Tables of stone as they are rehearsed by the Minister without mutilating or curtailing of any of them they are no children of the Church therefore who deny my Major and thus I haue abundantly proued the point by humane Testimony and so I come to proue it also by Diuine Testimony But me thinke euer anone as I am writing that some body should wonder at me that I should spend so many words to proue a point so plaine as this that all Gods commandements are now to be obeyed why may they say it is a point we neuer till now heard doubted of we euer tooke it as an Article of our faith that all things commanded in the Morall Law did binde vs to the obedience thereof and is it now become a question amongst Diuines if this principle be doubted of now we shall scarce know what to doe in Religion what not to doe what to beleeue what not to beleeue but surely Sir you are mistaken ther 's no Minister that hath any feare of God before his eyes that will doubt of this point and for common people they are as farre from doubting of it as the heauens are from the earth Wherevnto I answer that when I seriously enter into the consideration of it it maketh my very heart to tremble within me to thinke that any man that professeth godlinesse should be so farre in loue with old errour as to deny so cleere a trueth as this neuerthelesse not onely Ministers but puritane Ministers goe about to doubt of and deny this trueth for by their distinctiones they will deny that all the commandements written in the Decalogue doe binde vs to obedience which if they did not deny I should saue this labour they must imbrace that most ancient ordinance of Gods Sabbath day wherefore good Reader wonder not at me but rather wonder at such your Ministers who are become so vnfaithfull to God as that rather then they will confesse an old errour they will stifly deny a manifest trueth My first argument then of Diuine authority is this that euery thingonce commanded in the Morall Law standeth still vnrepealed is therefore still in force For these enemies to Gods Sabbaths they cannot proue that any one thing once commanded in the Decalogue was euer since reuoked abolished now whatsoeuer thing God hath once commanded in his 10 comman that thing is to staÌ„d euerlastingly vnlesse it can be showne that God hath reuoked reuersed it like as Statute Lawes in our Realme though made long since are neuerthelesse in force still vnlesse it can be showne that they haue bene repealed since by the same Authority that first inacted them For the further strengthening of which argument let these Scriptures be perpended What soeuer things are written aforetime are written for our lerning that we through patience comforte of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15.4 and againe For the whole Scripture is giueÌ„ by inspiratioÌ„ of God is proffitable to teach to convince to correct to instruct in righteousnesse c. 2. Tym. 3.16 In which two portiones of Scripture you see the Apostle doth ratify an vninersallity of things written in the old Testament and an Integrity and wholenesse of the Scriptures of the old Testament now if we shall not apply these ij textes to the maintenance of the Morall Law or 10 commandements to maintaine the vniuersallity of all things written in the 10 commandements and to maintaine the Integrity perfection wolenesse of the 10 commandements then wherevnto shall we apply them for what portion of Scripture is there besids this Law in all the old Testament whereof it cane besaid that all things therin written concerne our practise that that whole Scripture is proffitable to teach vs to convince vs to correct vs and to instruct vs What scriptures of the old Testament I say can be the adaequate Subiect or Obiect of these ij Scriptures but the morall Law My 2d argument to proue that all the 10 commandements and euery commandement therin doe bind vs still to the obedience of them is this that the Apostle S. Paul doth ratifie this Law in the new Testament saying Doe we then make the Law of none effect through faith God forbid yea wee establish the Law Rom. 3.31 Where you see the Apostle affirmeth that hee did establish the Law now the word Law in this text is not to be restrained to some partes of it onely but to be taken in the largest sense seeing thers nothing in the context to hinder it now this Law is knowne to containe 10 commandements Then he wrote vpon the Tables according to the first writing the tenne commandements Deut. 10.4 the which were numbered by God least the number thereof should be diminished by meÌ„ againe Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 Here againe all things written in the Law are ratified Furthermore S. Iames thus writeth whosoeuer shall kepe the whole Law yet faileth in one point hee is guilty of all Iam. 2.10 In which words S. Iames ratifieth all the Law or the whole Law so then S. Paul hath ratified the Law in its generality S. Iames in its Integrity yea S. Iames goeth further ratifieth all and euery parte pointe of the Law in as much as he would not haue vs faile in any one point of it as the text speaketh yet further see what our Sauiour Christ saith touching this matter whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least commandements teach men so he shall be caled the least in the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.19 Here then our Sauiour ratifieth that to the worlds end as you may see in the verse before v. 18. the very least thing commanded in the 10 commandements In all which Scriptures you haue seene 1. That the Law is still inforce 2. That all things written in this Law are still in force 3. That the wholl Law is still in force 4. That the very least thing commanded in the law is still in force what can be desired more My 3d argument to proue that euery commandement in the Decalogue doth bind vs to obedience is because God hath ioyned the commandements togeather now that which our Sauiour saith in an other case is true in this also Let no man put a sunder that which God hath coupled together Mat. 19.6 Now behold how God hath coupled all these 10 commandements together 1. They were câ—upled together when God spake them all together Then God spake all these words saying Exod. 20.1 2dly they were coupâ—ed together when God wrote them together in the Tables of stone Deut. 10.4 3dly they were coupled together by number Thus God Almighty coupled them when he teld vs that wrote Tenn coÌ„mandements Deut. 10.4 4thly Our Sauiour Christ coupled them together when he
that there should haue bene no place left in the world for the Apostles to haue begune a reformation of Iewish ceremonies if they durst not refaine them for feare it should come to the hearing of the Iewes wherfore the Apostles kept not the Sabbath at Philippi for to please the Iewes onely nor onely for feare of offending them Yet further there is not want of good reason to shew that the Apostles kept not the Sabbath for the weaknesse of the Jewes onely this being laied for a grownd that if they be supposed to keepe it for the weaknesse of the Iewes onely that then it was a ceremony so abolished my reasons are these 1. Because the Apostles kept it voluntarily when they might haue auoided it as appeareth 1. Because the Apostles remained certaine daies with the Church at Antioch Act. 13.42 44. and with the Church at Philippi Act. 16.12 Now any day of the Sixe had bene as fit for the Gentiles as the Sabbath if the Sabbath was a ceremony 2. Because the Gentiles besought the Apostles to preach to them the next Sabbath day Act. 13 42. Now what is obtained by request of Superiors is at their liberty to grant now can any thinke the Apostles would vse an abolished ceremony when it was at their choise and libertie to vse it or not forasmuch as the strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake it was a burden for an Apostle to vse a Iewish Ceremony and would the Apostles then take an vnproffitable burden on their backes when they might auoide it 2. If the Sabbath was kept for the weaknesse of the Iewes and so appeared to be but a Ceremony then had the Apostles rune vpon ij dangerouse rockes 1. As touching the Iewes how could this but harden the heart of the Iewes in their Iudaisme and retaining still of Ceremonies when they saw S. Paul the greatest enemy to Ceremonies of all the Apostles to obserue the Sabbath day still not onely when he was among them but whersoeuer be came yea among the Gentiles also 2 As touching the Gentiles if the Sabbath had bene kept for the weaknesse of the Iewes onely as a ceremony then had S. Paul by keeping the Sabbath among the Gentiles infected them with Judaisme by his practise yea so taught them that now in practise which he must afterwards beate downe vnteach againe by Doctrine Thus the Apostles should be supposed to make themselues worke first to infect then to heale cure further if their answer be good then was Paul bound to permit suffer the Christian Churches in Iudaisme for the strong ought to beare the â—â—firmities of the weake Rom. 15.1 Now Paul was strong those Iewes were weake 3. To suppose the Apostles to keepe the Sabbath among the Gentiles for the weaknes of the Iewes is absurd for by so doing the Gospell should receiue no aduantage for looke what a superstitiouse Iew was eased therby by so much a beleeuing Gentile was burdened combered he being intangled with a Iewish Ceremony now what were this better then if the Apostles should pull a thorne out of the foote of a Iew and thrust it into the foote of a Gentile 4. Obserue that S. Paul was the Doctour of the Gentiles Gal. 2.7 Now by Gentiles here we must not vnderstand such congregations as consisted only of Gentiles for of all the Churches which Paul planted there were fewe such but for the most parte they were all a mixed people of Iewes Gentiles both as you may see Act. 17.2.4 Act. 18.4 Act. 19.10 Act. 13.14.42 Act. 14.5 wherefore suppose yee that the Sabbath had no where bene kept among the Gentiles that is in such a congregatioÌ„ wherin there were none but GeÌ„tiles yet is the cause the same still for first it is plaine that Paul kept the Sabbath frequently in these Churches which were mixed of Iewes and Gentiles see Act. 17.2.3 Act. 18.4 And secondly it is plaine that these were the Churches which Paul planted ouer whom he was set now if the keping of the Sabbath had bene a ceremony as meats drinkes were then had Paul committed a foule errour by vsing of this Ceremony in his Churches the Churches of the Gentiles for he had constrained therby the Gentiles vnto Iudaisme the which fault he sorely reproued Peter for Gal. 2.14.12 For Pauls keeping the Sabbath must as well constraine the Gentiles to Sabbathizing as Peters refraining of Meates did constraine these Gentiles to doe the like 5. If Paul did Sabbathize among the Gentiles for the weaknes of the Iewes onely and that ordenarily and customarily for so he did Act. 13.14.42.44 Act. 17.1.2 Act. 18.4 Then this absurdety followeth that Paul did also circumcise the Gentiles for the weaknesse of the Iewes and that ordenarily and customarily for there is as greate reason that Paul should haue vsed circumcision among the Gentiles in fauor of the Iewes as to haue vsed the Sabbath day among the Gentiles in fauor of the Iewes for the Iewes were as zealouse for circumcision as they were for the Sabbath Herevnto I might also add that Paul must as well haue vsed their new moones abstinance from prohibited meates among the Gentiles for the sake of the Iewes as the Sabbath day if these were all alike Ceremonies and if there were no more morallity in the Sabbath then in the new moones and prohibited meates 6. As touching things indifferent and the Ceremoniall Law Paul became all things vnto all men c. Vnto the Iewe who had the Ceremoniall Law he became a Iewe vnto the Geâ—tile who were without this Law he became a Gentile that is when he was among the Iewes then he vsed the ceremoniall Law but when he was among the Gentiles then he behaued himseâ—fe without Law he vsed no Ceremonies from this text then thus expounded it is plaine that Pauls Sabbathizing among the Gentiles it was no Ceremony nor done for the weaknesse of the Iewes for among the Gentiles he was without law that is he vsed no Ceremonies To thinke otherwise were to thinke that Paul did not onely vnto the Iewe become a Iewe but absurdly that vnto the Gentile also he became a Iewe. 7. If the Sabbath was a Ceremony and obserued by the Apostle in those Churches where he kept it for the weaknesse of the Iewes then this absurdety followeth that he did not roote out Ceremonies or refraine Iudaisme in those Churches consequently that he left behind him many famouse Christian Churches pestered with Ceremonies infected with Iudaisme for he kept the Sabbath day in many famouse Churches see Act. 13.14.42.44 Act. 16.12 Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 Now if Paul was forced to obserue Ceremonies for the weaknesse of the Iewes at that time then so must he for the same cause haue done euer after during his life for the Iewes remained weake in this matter of Ceremonies to Pauls dying day since that all confesse it that Ceremonies had for their
If by the 7th day may be vnderstod one of 7 indifferently theÌ„ might the Iewes haue kept any one day in the weeke without difference for their Sabbath as Sunday Monday or some other but this is absurd to imagine yea a greater absurdety for since all meÌ„ coÌ„fesse that the Iewes with their Prophets Christ himselfe vnderstod by the words Sabbath day one certaine day of the weeke as Saturday if now we will expound the same words in the 4th com of a day vncertaine then shall the words of scripture chang their sense as the times chaÌ„g the same words for 2000. yeeres shall signifie one thing and euer after that an other thing oh manstrouse absurdety 4. If by the 7th day may be vnderstod some one day of the 7 without difference then may we Christianes keepe the Saturday Sabbath againe with the Iewes for this is one day of the 7 but this they hold a fowle errour to keepe the Iewes Sabbath therefore by the 7th day we must not vnderstand one day of the 7 indifferently 5. If by the 7th day in the 4th com be vnderstod one day of 7 then is there no ceremony in the 4th com for if one of 7 be the true exposition of the 4th com it was euer the true sense of it if one of 7 indifferently both was now is the true exposition of the Com. where I pray is the ceremony where is the time which we say was abolished by Christ since the sense of the com is euery way the same now which it was But our new Sabbatharians all say there is a ceremony in the time Therefore is not one of 7 the true sense exposition of the 7th day in the 4th com 6. The 4th com it inioyneth one day of 7 but one one day of 7 to wit the last of the 7 now since they oppose this text Colos 2.16 which abolisheth Sabbaths to the 4th com against that Sabbath there hereby they abolish that one day of 7 in the 4th com how absurd then is it for them to talke of one day of 7 as if still one day of 7 were morall by the 4th com when themselues haue abolished that one day of 7 there commanded by Colos 2.16 they will abolish a thing and yet maintaine it still 7. That by these words in the com the 7th day must be vnderstod the 7th day as of a knowne certaine day and not one of 7 indifferently and indefinitly I haue proued it in my Exposition of the 4th coÌ„ vpon these words But the 7th day is the Sabbath c. whither I referre my Reader and thus much for this euasion that by the 7th day they say may be vnderstod one of seauen or some one day of the 7. IIII. Some seing how hardly they are beset in the former distinctiones haue found out an other new euasion and they seing that these words of the coÌ„ beare so strongly against them to wit But the 7th day is the Sabbath they therfore haue thought it fit to reiect these words alltogether and so all the after parts of 4th com also therefore they answer thus that ther is no more of the 4th com morall but these words at the begining of it Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it and as for all the residue of the com that they reiect altogeather as appurtenances to the com and as application I must confesse I neuer heard any man so impudent saue one M. Greenwood a silenced Minister one of my 10 professed aduersaries and one man more whose name I spare neither would I haue iudged it worth the confutation but that I feare the rest of my aduersaries may be take them to this refuge when they be hardly put too it When I looke vpon this mans answer togeather with those forementioned me thinkes they haue dealt very honourably with Gods Law for they haue not dared to deny any parte of it in right downe termes but this man as they say without feare or witt layes violent hands on Gods Law rendeth or teareth away the greater parte thereof at once me thinke he that makes conscience of a Surplisseâ— should make some conscience of doeing violence to a Morall Law and of denying such a portion of Sacred Scripture I heare indeed of much conscience vsed in other matters I see too little vsed in disputation woe is me that it is so any thing shall be said or done yea Gods Lawes shall be mancled quartered rather then God shall haue his Sabbathes againe But first it is absurd for any man to put asunder what God hath ioyned togeather could any thing be more neerly ioyned to other then the latter parte of the 4th Com. is to the former and yet this man dares sunder them Our Sauiour said that the Law in euery iotâ— tittle of it should last for euer Mat. 5.18 But M. Greenwood saith not onely that some iote or title of it is abolished but also that many letters yea words of it are abolished the Lavv of the 4th Comm. had not one hundreth vvords in it and be hath here reiected aboue Fovvre score of them is that a contrite spirite that trembleth at Gods word Isai 66.2 vvhich reiecteth his vvord 2. The latter parte of the Comm. naming the Seauenth day hath as good right to be Morall as the former parte naming the Sabbath day for like as the Lords day and Sunday be tvvo names both notifying one the same day to vvit our present Sabbath day so are Sabbath day Seauenth day tvvo other names both notâ—fying the Saturday and therfore the Holy Ghost vseth them promiscuously the one for the other for that vvhich in one place is named the Sabbath day as in Exod. 20.11 in an other is named the Seauenth day as in Genes 2.3 Exod. 23.12 Exod. 34.21 yea it is so in one and the same verse Exo 20.11 if therefore the Sabbath day be morall then must the 7th day be morall too 3. As the other commandements haue two partes an affirmatiue and a negatiue so hath this 4th com the affirmatiue you haue in these words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it The Negatiue you haue expressed also in these words The 7th day is the Sabbath c. in it thou shalt not doe any worke c. Now this man by denying these words he denieth a parte yea the Negatiue parte of the 4th coÌ„ and is it not absurd to imbrace the affirmatiue parte of a commandement and to reiect the negatiue parte thereof yet nothing is so fowle but it may be said to abolish Gods Sabbaths Where is rest commanded and seruile labour forbiddeÌ„ if not in this latter parte of the com take away then this latter parte of the Com. you take away Gods commandement which forbiddeth all seruile laboures on the Sabbath day now shall the duety of rest from labour be morall not that parte of the Com. which expresly inioyneth
to rest in or for man if not for both I rather thinke for man for as for God he rested no more on the 7th day then on the 8th 9th and 10th daies and so euery day after but to man it might be otherwise he might rest on the 7th day and worke on the 8th 9th and 10th daies c. yea many holy daies God hath made since the Creation Leuit. 23. but it can no where be showne that he made any for himselfe but alwaies for man yet more plainly that God sanctified the 7th day for mans vse it shall appeare by the 4th com Exod. 20.11 where the Lord vseth a reason to perswade vs to rest on the 7th day and it is this because God himselfe rested on the 7th day blessed it and hallowed it which reason is drawne from the Sanctification of the 7th day at the Creation Genes 2.3 as if the Lord had said you shall rest on the 7th day because I blessed it and sanctified it at the Creation for the selfe same end hereby then it appeareth that the 7th day at the Creation was sanctified with reference vnto man yet further it shall appeare by the words of our Sauiour Mark 2.27 saying The Sabbath was made for man c. it is plaine then that when God made the Sabbath at the Creation he made it for man thus it appeareth that the Sabbath was from the Creation Herevnto some answer that the Sabbath at the Creation was exemplary indeede but not obligatory vntill the 4th com was deliuered in the wildernesse But the vanity of this distinction shall thus appeare 1. If the law of the Sabbath the 4th com did not bind vntill it was deliuered on Mount Sinay then did none of the other Nyne com bind neither vntill they were deliuered on Mount Sinay vnlesse you will say that the Law had not euer tenn commandements in it and that the law is not of a Copulatiue nature 2. It were most strange to suppose that God should giue an example more then 2000 yeeres before any should follow it for wherefore are examples but for to be imitated 3. When our Sauiour said The Sabbath was made for man Mark 2.27 he meaneth not that it was made at the Creation for an example vselesse but for mans vse as to rest in it c. 4. Can any man thinke it that God should sanctify the 7th day and so make it an holy day at the Creation and then suffer it to be profaned and polluted for 2000 yeeres after vntill the Isralites came into the wildernesse or can any man thinke that God should make a Sabbath day at the Creation for the people of the Iewes onely who were not a people distinct of nere 2000 yeeres after and not for the Patriarkes also who liued before the flood or can we thinke that the Fathers before the flood had Sacrifices and no Sabbaths that they had the worship of God and no time allotted for it or can we thinke that the Church of God from the Creation had no day set aparte for a thankfull holy remembrance of the Creation of the world vntill they were come into the wildernesse II. My second reason to proue that the Sabbath was from the Creation is because the 4th com must be supposed to be as ancient as are the other nyne commandements of the Decalogue for the Decalogue is holden of all to be as ancient as the world and so it must be for else the Law were not of a copulatiue nature the 10 commandements were not linked together as a chaine of many linkes for one linke to wit the 4th in midest of the chaine should be wanting contrary vnto Iam. 2.10 contrary to the doctrine of all Diuines 2. If the 4th cō were not as ancient as the other 9 commandements then it must be absurdly supposed that the Decalogue had not alwaies 10 commandements in it as it had Deut. 10.4 If then the 4th com be as ancient as are the other 9 commandements then the Sabbath therein commanded must be as ancient as is the Morall Law which is for antiquity from the Creation It may be obiected that there is no mention of the Sabbath day vntill the Law was giuen vpon Mount Sinay Exod. 20. or at soonest in the wildernesse of Sin Exo 16.1.23 well be it so but doth it follow that because it was not sooner mentioned it was not therefore sooner in vse the Law against murther it is not mentioned at the soonest vntill after the murther of Abell Genes 4.15 but will it thereof follow that there was no Law against murther before Kaine killed Habel we know many things there were which were not recorded for else the world could not conteine the bookes Ioh. 21.25 on the contrary for so much as we find that the Sabbath was in vse Exo. 16.23 before the 4th com was giuen on mount Sinay Ex. 20.1.8 it is therefore the most likly that it was from the Creation for if it had not its first originall at Mount Sinay when can it be thought to haue its begining but at the Creation together with the other commandements of the Decalogue III. My third reason that the Sabbath was from the Creation is because we find not the Spirituall workes of the Sabbath day particularly expressed in the 4th com giuen vpon Mount Sinay Exod. 20. nor yet in the mention of the same Law before in the wildernesse of Sin Exo. 16. which is an argument that the Sabbath day was in vse and the manner how to sanctify it was well knowne vnto the Iewes before either of these Lawes were written Exod. 20. or Exod. 16.5.23.28 otherwise God himselfe would in some of these textes haue expressed particularly vnto them after what manner and where withall they should sanctifie this day The same is also confirmed by the first word of the 4th com Remember Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it signifying that they knew before and could cale it to minde againe how to Sanctify the Sabbath day and therefore touching this point the Lord needed not say any more vnto them but Remember it c. I haue often maruailed in my selfe why it should please God so punctually expresly to mention the corporall obseruation of the Sabbath in resting from bodily laboures and be so silent as it were in the Spirituall dueties of the Sabbath which are the more excellent doubtlesse the reason is because the Sanctification of the Sabbath did not then begine when the Law was giuen Exod. 20. or Exo. 16. but that it was an ancient ordinance of Gods long before in the Church in the memory of all men before the giuing of the Law as were the other Morales in the Decalogue so as they knew how to sanctify the day and with what dueties I confesse it that the Lord vseth the word Sanctify in the 4th com which doth in generall imply the particular meanes and waies of sanctifying the day but it doth not
day of its payment mentioned in the bond or where as our Sauiour taught the Iewes his Disciples in the 4th petition of his prayer saying giue vs this day our daily bread to beg for two things the one is bread the other is the day and time when to haue it to wite this day some Ministers should imagine that indede the petition concerning bread is Morall and concerneth vs Christian Gentiles but for the day and time that they vvould haue it this day that 's Ceremoniall and belonged onely vnto those Iewes the Disciples of Christ not vnto vs iust thus deale our Ministers novv vvith Gods 4th Comm. the dueties belong to vs say they but the time concernd the Iewes onely not vs neuer were there any Expositions more absurd then are our Expositions of the 4th Com. no for absurdety popish Iesuites themselues cannot out stripp vs rather then faile a parte of the Com. shall be denied too A second vse may be for confutation of such Ministers as will by one means or other so falsly expound these vvords in the Negatiue parte of the Com. vvhich mention the 7th day as they will make the people strongly beleeue that God meaneth the 8th day or the first day as if God had not knovvne hovv to speake but vvhen he nameth the 7th day he meaneth the 8th day vvhen he speaketh of the 7th and last day of the vveeke yet he meaneth the 8th or first day of the vveeke who would think these to be faithfull expounders of Gods vvord there are arguments lights enough in the Com. as hath bene shovvn wherby one that is but vvilling may see vvhich day of the vveeke God meant Neuerthelesse vvhatsoeuer can be said to the contrary thes men vvil apply vrge this 4th com hardly vpon mens consciences for the 8th day or Lords day as if the 7th day the 8th day were all one may it not truly be said of such Ministers as once the Lord spake of those priests Her priests haue wrested the Law Zepha 3.4 This vse may also be pressed against the people for suffering them selues to be thus deluded blinded it semeth they obserue not the rule of the Apostle to Trie al things nor the practise of the Bereanes to serch the Scriptures to see if the things be so or not but they handouer head take all that is spoken for gospell if the Minister be an honest man in their repute As S. Paul said O ye folish Galatians who hath bewiched you that yee should not obey the trueth so may I say to many English people O folish Auditoures who hath bevvitched you that yee should not vnderstand the trueth doe yee not knovv the right hand from the lefte the 7th day from the 8th the beginnig of the weeke from the end vvil you suffer your selues so to be abused that a Com. for the 7th day you should be brought to beleeue that it bindeth your consciences to the 8th day finally it seemeth you choose rather to beleeue man then God for God saith in expresse words the 7th day is the Sabbath but many Ministers say the 8th day is the Sabbath novv vvhither of these tvvaine you giue more credit vnto your selues shall be Iudges I know well they think to salue vp the matter with a distinction of a 7th the 7th and so our 8th day may be a 7th day though not the 7th day But we must know there is a Diuine accompt and an humane accompt now in diuine matters vve are to hould vs to a diuine scripture accompt not to such a one as vve may forge out of our ovvne braines beginnig at what day of the weeke vve please for the first of our 7. Novv forasmuch as God vseth to begine at our Sunday or Lords day for the first of the 7 both at the Creation Genes 1.5 and after the Redemption Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.2 Luk. 24.1 Ioh. 20.1 Act. 20.7 if vve vvill rekone the dayes of the weeke as God rekoneth them and beginne where he beginneth vve must count our Sunday or Lords day for the first day of the vveeke or of the Seauen vvhich being so rekone forwards and you cannot possiblie make any day of the weeke the 7th besids Saturday yea Saturday is the 7th day euen in Nature for it is the 7th day from the Creation yea Saturday is also the 7th day in a Christian accompt if you rekone from the Redemption for Sunday or our Lords day being the day of Christ his Resurrection vvherin he had finished our Redemption and this Lords day being the first day of the vveeke in a Christian account for all Christianes so counte it so did the 4 Euangelists Mat. 28.1 Mark 16.2 Luk. 24.1 Ioh. 20.1.19 count forvvards and Saturday must needs be the 7th day to wit the 7th day from the Redemption so that Saturday is the 7th day euery vvay both from the Creation from the Redemption wherfore they vvho talke so of a 7th day as if any day of the weeke might be a 7th day they are neuer able to shew vs any day of the weeke to be a 7th in Scriptures accompt but Saturday what a folly is it then for them to talke of a 7th day as if Sunday might beit yet so they talke saying wee keepe a 7th day on Sunday though not the 7th day it is a 7th day indeed but a 7th of their ovvne deuise but neuer of Gods allovvance Some expound thes words the seuenth day to be meant thus one of seauen some one day of the 7. but what is this better or other then to say a 7th for both wayes they make Gods certaine time to be vncertaine for God spake of the 7th day which is for certaine the last day of the number weeke not of some one day or other vncertainely This one thing is to be noted as a greate folly in the Patrones of the Lords day they vvill haue a Sabbath in Remembrance of the Redemption as the Iewes had in memory of the Creation this their new Sabbath also that it may stand by the 4th Comm. it must be on a 7th day yet they cannot tell vvhere to find a 7th day in any diuine accompt for it vnles it be Saturday which they abhorre therfore in roome of a 7th day vvheron they tell vs they haue at last lighted on a first day are they not neere the matter think you furthermore they abhorr the 7th day from the Creation for their nevv Sabbath well then I would gladly knovv of them vvhence they vvould haue a 7th day it must be either a 7th day from the Creation or a 7th day from the Redemption there is no third to be imagined I knovv they vvill choose a 7th day from the Redemption vvell then since Sunday or Lords day is the day vvheron Christ rose and so the first day of Redemption vvherin he brought light liefe into the vvorld let them rekone
make their Lords day Sabbath to become a 7th day so accord to the 4th com they must skip ouer Sunday in their accompt not rekoning it for the first day of the number so begine their rekoning at Monday counting Monday for the first day of the weeke then the Sunday or Lords day following will be a 7th day thus by their distinction cuning iugling together that day which our Church all Churches cales dies octavus the 8th day these haue made it a 7th day that day which the Scriptures cale the first day the same they haue made a 7th day I abhorr with my heart soule to see Gods people thus deluded and his sacred Scripture I meane his 4th com thus abused and made a nose of waxe to be turned hither and thither as the times please I know some are redy to wish I had spent my time better then to haue medled in this point of the Sabbath so in loue they are with their wonted erroures and others haue wished me and my booke hanged vp together with the like so rash is their furiouse zeale for their new Sabbath and so madd they are and enraged against me for discouering this their abhominable abuse both of Gods people and the sacred Scriptures but whither I haue done well or euill in this point and whither they or I doe rather deserue this censure I leaue to the indifferent and vnpartiall reader 3. An other absurdety against this distinction is that if a 7th day may be vnderstod in the 4th commandement indefinitly vncertainly then were not the Iewes tied to sanctify the Saturday Sabbath no more then any other day in the weeke 4. All Translatores both new and old are against them for they constantly translate it the 7th day as the most fit not a 7th day 5. Since there is no more 7th daies then there is Saturdaies in a weeke it is a foolish distinction to talke of a 7th day as if there were or could be more 7th daies in a weeke then one for since our Sunday or Lords day is the first day in a Diuine account as hath bene proued and also in all other approued computationes therefore Saturday following and onely Saturday must be both the 7th day and a 7th day without difference 6. That it must be translated and also expounded of the 7th day to wit Saturday and not of a 7th day vncertainly which day I haue proued it in my Exposition of these words of the 4th com But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord c. Vnto which place I referre my reader 7. The absurdety of this distinction appeareth thus if the word seauenth may be translated a 7th as of a day vncertaine then one and the same word in one and the same commandement should haue diuerse senses for the word seauenth at the latter end of the commandement Exod. 20.11 must be trāslated the 7th as of a day certaine for God rested the 7th day to wit on Saturday Genes 2.3 it is absurd therefore to translate the word seauenth in the former parte of the commandement Exod. 20.10 a 7th as a day vncertaine And so much for this distinction III. A third euasion they haue this is very frequent in all mens mouthes let a man vrge the 4th com for the Saturday Sabbath your answer shall be this One of Seauen the 4th com it inioyneth one day of 7 so they reiect the 7th day and will haue one of 7. Thus they leane vpon this false exposition of the com that by the 7th day is to be vnsterstod one day of the 7 by one of 7 they meane any one of the 7 or some one day of the 7 or other with out difference Thus these enemies to Gods Sabbath doe corrupt the proper sense of the scriptures rather then they will see their old erroures and be take them to a reformation glad they are if they can inuent any thing for the subuersion of this sacred ordinance Gods Sabbath day My first argument against this euasion shall be this that the word Seauenth vsed in the 4th com it is not a Cardinall as they cale it but an Ordinall word of number it noteth but one of that number and its order also as that it is the last for order of that number named thus the Tēth is not any one of the 10 but the last for order of the 10. The fowrth moneth of the yeere it is not any one moneth of the 4 but the last moneth of the 4 so the Seauenth day of the weeke it is not any day of the 7 but the last for order of all the 7. they doe therefore most shamefully corrupt the word of God who when they heare God say But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord which 7th is the last day of the number or weeke then they will come in with their deuices to defeate God of his day and time saying by the 7th may be meante one of 7 or some one day of the 7 that is as well the first day of the weeke or any other as the last day 2. The absurdety of this answer and exposition may appeare by the like cases The passeouer was by the Law to be eaten vpon the 14th day of the moneth now according to these Expositers of Gods Law a man might haue eaten the passouer vpon one of the 14 daies as on the 5th or 8th or 12th daie and iustifiably too for their Exposition of Gods law is by 14th to vnderstand one of 14 or some one day of the 14 that is any one day of the 14. Againe they were to circumcise a child on the 8th day I say these men that is vpon one or vpon some one of the 8 daies so they might at their choise circumcise a child on the 4th or 6th day of its age thus by their exposititiones they make Gods Lawes of none effect for God made choise of one certaine day aboue all others and these haue made all daies common God would haue the 7th day which is the last of the 7 for his Sabbath but these tell vs one of 7 some one of 7 or any one of the 7 may suffice as if God had not made his choise of the day but left vs the prerogatiue to make the choise good Lord deliuer vs from such Expositers and such Expositiones I could haue borne this griefe with silence as a long time I did if these Antisabbatharians or enemies to Gods Sabbaths would haue taken knowledge of these their erroures in loue and the spirit of meeknesse either in priuate before I printed my former booke or in publike by my former booke but now they maintaine thē with an high hand vtterly cōdēning me protesting against me both in publike and in priuate wherefore I doe the world to know how I abhorre these their vngodly proceedings in abusing Gods people and in corruption the sacred Scriptures 3.