an expresse commandement to the Iewes to keepe that Sabbath in memory of the Creation but there can be no commandement showne vs from Christ or his Apostles for vs to keepe the Lords day in remembrance of the redemption wherefore we are not bound vnto this new Sabbath as they were vnto the old Sabbath for there is not the like reason this sophistry euery man may see I come now to their reason they say the Redemption is greater then the vvorke of Creation Herevnto I answer to know vvhither it be greater or not vvould cost more labour then this their reason is worth vvherefore for argument sake I suppose it is greater but heere I demaund of them to whom it is greater Whither it be greater vnto all men or but vnto some men their answer vvill be that the vvorke of Redemption is greater vnto the elect vnto the redeemed and to those onely vvhich haue faith Well then the Redemption is neither greater nor great nor any thing at all to those vvhich are not elected not redeemed and vvhich liue dye vvithout faith of these ij sortes of people the elect are the fewer number the vnbeleeuers are the greater number Well then see how these things hange together the thing they must proue is that we Christians that is all we Christians euen euery one vvithin the pale of the Church that is baptised all these ought to keepe the Lords day for a Sabbath in memory of the redemption vvhen as the one halfe of these are not redeemed and their reason to bind all euery man thus to keepe a remembrance of this redemption is because the vvorke of redemption is greater vnto some onely of these men How absurd is this that euery man should be bound to keep a ioyfull memory of that thing which doth belong but vnto some of them onely as not to the one halfe of them this is as if they would vndertake to perswade not onely English men but also Dutch men French men to keepe a yeerly ioyfull remembrance vvith vs for our deliuerance from the Spanyard in 88 Why vvhat haue French Dutch to doe vvith our deliuerance in 88 this concerned not them it vvas not their deliuerance so vvhat haue such to doe to keepe a ioyfull remembrance euery Lords day for the redemption vvhen it belongeth not vnto them they being vnbeleeuers and such as loue not the Lord Iesus Wherefore they cannot presse this their new Sabbath of Lords day by this their reason vpon any but vpon such as they see by their fruits doe alredy beleeue such as doe not yet beleeue vvhich commonly are the greater number these are not tyed vnto the keeping of this Lords day behold vvhat a Sabbath they haue then to vvit such a one as onely the fewer number of the Church Parish are tied to keepe it as for the greater number of our Citties Townes Parishes these are not bound to keepe it this their reason therefore doth bewray the idlenesse of the cause for vve must haue such a Sabbath as the reason of it doth belong vnto all and to euery man none excepted and such is the Saturday Sabbath vvhich is to be kept in memory of the Creation now all euery man hath a benefit by the Creation and therefore all are bound to it none excepted but it is not so with the Sunday Sabbath for a fewe onely haue reason to keepe it Yet further to discouer the vanity of this argument since they vvill haue vs keepe a Sabbath in remembrance of the Redemption I demaund of them hovv often they vvould haue vs keepe a Sabbaah in memory of the Repemption once euery 7th day ofter or seldomer they vvill answer once euery 7th day vvhy say I that is Iewish and sauoureth of Iudaisme to obserue a 7th day this they haue learned from the Iewish Sabbath vvherefore since they doe so abhorre Iudaisme the 7th day Sabbath vvhy doe they imitate the Jewes herein and the 7th day Sabbath by choosing a 7th day the 7th day is in imitation of Gods rest on the 7th day and in memory of the Worlds creation finished at the 7th day but vve are Christians and as they say all things are become new old things are passed away vvell then vve must now imitate Christ the Redeemer as the Iewes did God the Creatour and we must fetch light from the vvorke of Redemption to know how often to keepe our new Sabbath as the Iewes did by Gods direction from the vvorke of Creation If then we must imitate Christ the Redeemer as did the Iewes God the Creatour then must we trauaile too fro vpon the Lords day for so did Christ himselfe 2. If we must fetch light hovv often to keepe our nevv Sabbath from the vvorke of redemption as the Iewes did from the worke of Creation then must we since all things are become new take vp a new account of time also vve must no longer regard a 7th day but now we must regard the third day for as God was sixe dayes in the worke of creation rested the 7th so Christ vvas three dayes in the worke of redemption rose rested the third day on good friday he suffred vpon the crosse on Saturday on a parte of the Lords day he lay in the graue so you see the vvorke of redemption cost Christ 3 dayes worke vvherefore if they vvill imitate Christ they must keepe euery third day for a Lords day for a new Sabbath so they shall keepe two Sabbathes in a weeke or thereabouts if they doe not thus they may talke vvhat they vvill that all things are become new that as the Iewes kept a Sabbath in imitation of God at the Creation so vve in imitation of Christ in the redemption but vvhere is their imitation of Christ doe they trauaile too fro follow their callings on the Lords day as Christ did doe they keepe euery third day a Lords day and Sabbath day as Christ rose vpon the third day no such matter Furthermore whereas they suppose that we haue as greate neede of a Sabbath to keepe a memory of the Redemption as the Iewes had of a Sabbath to keepe in memory the Creation I deny it for God had giuen the Jevves the Sabbath day and it alone to keepe in memory his Creation therfore it vvas necessary because they had no other helpes but for vs for the Redemption vve haue two Sacraments Baptisme the Lords Supper to keepe in memory the Redemption these are helps enough so as there is no necessity of a Sabbath day also for the same end Doe this in Remembrance of mee so hereby then the Redemption shall be kept in memory all though vve haue no Lords day Sabbath at all There is neede therfore to haue a Sabbath to keepe memory of the Creation when there is no neede to haue one to keepe memory of the Redemption They haue also an
enquire after other reasons ends vvhereof the Scripture is silent is prying curiosity to affirme any other ends is presumption Ezekiel the Prophet had a reuelation or a vision on the fifth day of the 4th moneth Ezek. 1.1 Novv vvho can tell me vvhy he had his vision on the fifth day rather then on the first or in the 4th moneth rather then in the 5th or 6th moneth Eliah had a reuelation in the third yeere 1. King 18.1 Hezekiah that godly King began to raigne on the third yeere 2. King 18.1 who can giue a reason why these notable workes fell out still vpon the third yeere In the 7th moneth the Arcke rested vpon the Mount Ararat Genes 8.4 on the 7th moneth they had a solemne fast day Leuit. 16.29 on the 7th moneth they had a Sabbath Leuit. 23.24 in the 7th moneth the trumpet for the Iubile was blowne Leuit. 25.9 now what wise man can tell why God did these things still on the 7th moneth rather then on the eight or nynth moneth vnlesse the Scripture had reuealed it these are idle braines vanities 2. I answer if these notable workes done in the Lords day should sanctify the day time for euer after why should they not haue power to sanctify the place also wherin they weredone for these workes should aswell sanctify place as time in common reason and so Ierusalem should be the Holy place still for Gods worship as well as the Lords day be the Holy time for Gods worship for were not all these notable workes done in the place of Ierusalem as well as in the time of Lords day did not Christ rise from the dead there did he not appeare to his Disciples there did not the Holy Ghost descend there in Ierusalem did not Peter preach convert thowsands there did not Christ suffer there But happily they may thinke that these notable workes had more power ouer the circumstance of the time then of the place and therfore to satisfy them in all their fopperies vve must speake of the time because the question is for sooth about time well then for time if these notable workes had power to sanctify or to declare as sanctified the Lords day the First day of the weeke then why should they not sanctify or declare as Sanctified the yeere that is the first yeere of euery seauen from the first yeere of our Lord hitherto and so vve should keepe euery first yeere of euery 7 yeeres for a Sabbath yeere in memory of the Redemption like as the Iewes kept euery 7th yeere a Sabbath yeere Leuit. 25.4 for the reason is the same as good that we should keepe euery first yeere in 7. as well as euery first day in 7. for the reason why they would haue euery first day a Sabbath is because such notable workes were done in the first day of the weeke the Lords day well then why should we not haue the first yeere of the 7 a Sabbath yeere also for the selfe same notable workes that were done in the Lords day or First day of the weeke the selfe same notable workes were done in the first yeere of our Lord for in this yeere Christ rose from the dead in this yeere he appeared to his Disciples very frequently in this yeere the Holy Ghost descended in this yeere Peter preached and converted thowsands in this yeere Christ ascended vp into heauen why therfore should we not haue this first yeere a Sabbath as vvell as the First day since the reason is one and the same in both 3. I answer they erre and that by applying these notable workes done on the Lords day to vses and ends whereof the Scripture giueth them not the least light for they apply all these notable vvorkes vnto the time day wherein they were done as if they did shew declare this time this day to be a more holy time and a more holy day then other dayes and times and by name that it must be a Sabbath day too whereas the Spirit of God intendeth no such matter in recording these vvorkes that we can find but thereby aimeth at other ends as for example the reason vvhy Christ rose on the Lords day rather then on any day after might be least that he should see corruption Act. 2.27 and a reason why hee appeared to his Disciples vpon this Lords day rather then vpō any day after might be least his Disciples should dispaire in him saying he is swallowed vp of death and also Christ appeared to them on that very day to put an end to their sorrow and mourning for him as soone as might be for vnto that very day the Disciples were sadd for him yea they mourned for him and wept Luk. 24.17 Mark 16.10 yea Christ appeared on the Lords day to fulfill make good his own prophecies of himselfe before his death as that Mat. 12.40 as Ionas was 3 dayes 3 nights in the whales belly so shall the sonne of man be 3 dayes 3 nights in the heart of the earth And Destroy this Temple and in 3 dayes I will raise it vp againe Ioh. 2.19.21 It was needfull therefore that both Christ should rise on the Lords day it being the third day from his Passion and also that he should shew himselfe being risen to his Disciples vpon this third day to make good his owne words And for the holy Ghosts descent vpon this day Act. 2.1 it being Pentecost day a great feast day of the Iewes wherein were mert at Ierusalem many strangers and on which day all the people of the Citty were at home not abroad in the fields and were more apt to assemble and gather together to take knovvledge of this myracle therefore as it is most likly did the holy Ghost choose this day rather then any other to shew this myracle to grace countenance the Gospell in the sight of all men and to add authority vnto the Apostles doctrine before all men that they might be wone to the faith and what notable effect it tooke you see for thowsands of the people assembling to see the myracle vpon Peters sermon instantly made vnto them were conuerted Act. 2.14.41 The like may be said of Peters sermon vpon this day it was meerly occationall as namely to take off the slaunder of drunkennesse cast vpon the Apostles Act. 2.13 and to informe those that doubted of this myracle what it should meane Act. 2.12 but to suppose the holy Ghost descended to make this day a Sabbath is an idle fiction fained inuention Hereby you may see how they wring and wrest the Scriptures vnto such vses as the holy Ghost neuer intended whereof the holy Scripture is altogether silent who made these men of Gods priuy Counsaile that they should be so well acquainted with such ends of the holy Ghosts actions as he hath concealed such interpreters of holy Scripture if they had their due would be sent backe to the Uniuersity againe to
Sabbath day to sanctify it and yet will not indure it that their people should Sanctify the Sabbath day but they vvill call it Iudaisme if they sanctifie it or they will haue one tricke or other one distinction or other to cast in their way whereby they will hinder them from sanctifying it They call vpon the people to keepe Gods 4th Com. and pray in vvith the Congregation to keepe this Law the 4th Com. yet they vvill not abide it that their people should doe the things commanded in this commandement one of the things commanded in this 4th com is that we should sanctify the 7th day but this they will none of vvhat an horrible kind of dissembling is this to call much frequently zealously vpon the people to kepe this Law of God and yet vvill not abide that their people should doe performe the things commanded in this Law Let me also speake a word or two vnto the people and first as touching their deuotions in the Congregation you heare the Minister reade thus Remember the Sabbath day c. But the 7th day is the Sabbath c. vnto the which you deuoutly add this prayer Lord haue mercy vpon vs and incline our hearts to keepe this Law By which prayer you doe yeeld your assent vnto what the Minister had vttered it is your dueties now also to see to it that you know what you pray else as the Minister saith one thing and meaneth an other so the people say they know not what you are loath to subscribe your name vnto a writing or put your seale vnto a bond vntill you haue read it ouer and vnderstand vvell vvhat it is that you put your hand or seale vnto Why this your prayer after the Minister hath recited Gods 4th com is as your handwriting or seale put vnto Gods com you must therefore vnderstand vvell vvhat you seale vnto When the Minister saith Remember the Sabbath day vvill you pray God to haue mercy on you incline your heart to keepe the Lords day and vvhen the Minister saith But the 7th day is the Sabbath Will you desire God to incline your heart to keepe the 8th day for the Sabbath I pray iudge in your selues vvhat this is better then babling before God vve must pray vvith the spirit and vve must pray vvith our vnderstanding also and that especially vvhen vve are redy to partake of the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper 2. Let me speake vnto the people as touching their keeping of this Lords day in conscience of this 4th com you see they cannot bring any proueing arguments to euince it that the 4th com belongeth vnto the Lords day besides you see I haue proued the contrary that the 4th com cannot belong vnto the Lords day vvherefore people may be as zealouse as they will in sanctifying of the Lords day and hope to please God thereby as a duety of the 4th com but let them beleeue it all this their zeale is as the Apostle speaketh a zeale without knowledge Rom. 10.2 All this their religion is but meere superstition they thinke to please God hereby but God may say vnto them who required this at your hands may not this truely be counted as a limme of that voluntarie religion and will worship condemned by S. Paul Col. 2.23 let men trye all things therefore and let them imitate the Bereanes to serch the Scriptures and pray to God for illumination then for reformation They may loose their Haye their Corne on the Lords day if they will in conscience of the 4th com but the 4th com calleth for no such matters on the Lords day they may neglect their seed time on the Lords day if they will in conscience of that comm Exod. 34.21 In the 7th day thou shalt rest both in earing time and in the haruest But let them know that this com concerneth the 7th day Saturday Sabbath not the 8th day Lords day Sabbath The like may be said of Brewers Malâ—sters they may if they will neglect to brewe tunn vp their beere to steepe dry their maulte on the Lords day in conscience of the 4th com but it is but their will worship and a voluntary religion it is altogether needlesse for them to make any such scruples The like I might speake to all other Tradsmen in Citties Townes I haue often heard many scruples questions moued touching the religiouse keeping of the Sabbath day meaning it of our Lords day as whither it be lawfull for Taylers to carry home fit new garments on the Sabbath day morning and whither Shoemakers may fit shoes in the morning c. and whither Water-men may row on the Sabbath day after Euening prayer and whither Marriners may set sayle begine a voyage on the Sabbath day and whither any May-games shooting and bowleing or like recreations be lawfull on our Sabbath day and I haue heard it much questioned vvhen the Sabbath day doth begine end at morning at midnight or on the Euening and the like To these the like questiones I answer 1. if the lawes of the Realme will permit these on the Lords day I answer the law of Gods 4th com is not against them but rather with them saying Sixe dayes shalt thou labour c. whereof the Lords day is one 2. I answer it is mens duty first of all to be inquisitive after the day it selfe to know which day is the Sabbath day before they inquire how the day should be spent what may be done on the day and what not there is a greater errour amongst vs then they are aware on their scruples questiones are like vnto the minte annise cummin but there is an other thing a weightier matter of the law neglected to be questioned that is to know whither the 7th day or the 8th day be the Sabbath day or to know whither we keepe the Lords Sabbath at all or not for I confidently auowch it that Gods Sabbaths commanded in his morall law are wholly neglected profaned I ernestly desire therfore that men would now for a season turne the current of their quaeries from these lesser matters vnto this weightier matter vntill by serching they haue found out the trueth the blessing of God be vpon their laboures Thus much for answer to the abused text of the 4th commandement for the Lords day SECT V. A second text produced to proue the Lords day a Sabbath day is Psal 118.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce be glad in it Here say some the word made may be translated Sanctified further this day here spoken of was a type of the very day of Christs resurrection on the Lords day or first day of the weeke therfore God made or Sanctified this day for a Sabbath Before I answer this text least some should obiect vnto me that I debase their cause by bringing in
it is to be noted that the vvord Euening in Scripture is vsed for the after-noone and so vntill day light befully ended according to our Engelish speech saying good Euen to you Sir when t is past noone and calling them Euening prayers vsed in the Church about 2. or 3. a clocke in the after-noone and so theire Euening Sacrifice in the Temple in the after-noone and in this sense see thes Scriptures Genes 24.11 Mark 15.42 Exod. 29.38.39 Deut. 23.11 Iosh 8.29 Ezra 9.4.5 Ierem. 6.4 Deut. 16.6 Wherefore according to the constant vse of the vvord Euening both amongst vs to this day and also in the Scriptures I wold interpret the word of the after-noone and so vvhereas it is said the Euening and the morning made the first day that is the after-noone and the forenoone made the first day vnderstanding by morning the fore noone as by euening the afternoone I knovv nothing against this interpretation vnlesse it be that some may obiect and say this is to make God put dovvne things misorderly for it had bene better to haue said so the forenoone and the afternoone made the first day rather then so the afternoone and the forenoone made the first day Whereto I answer 1. The darkenesse was for order before the light and yet God put the light before the darknesse in this very fifth verse and God called the light day and the darknesse he called night and why might he not also put the afternoone before the forenoone 2. Why might not God set the afternoone which is the latter before the forenoone which is the former as well as Christ our Sauiour setteth forth the Lord of the vineyard commanding his steward to call the labourers and giue them their hier beginning from the last vnto the first Matt. 20.8 and thus much touching the two formost erroures holding the Sabbath day to beginne at midnight and in the morning so as they will haue a night added to the day or light Now touching the third errour of those who would haue the Sabhath day to begin on the Euening before the day and so to conteine all that night that goeth before the day these seeme to haue many Scriptures to backe them as first Leuit. 23.32 from Euen to Euen shall ye celebrate your Sabbath Herevnto I answer this is a peculiar law for one of the annuall ceremoniall Sabbaths and it therefore concerneth not the weekly morall Sabbath in the fourth comm now we must not draw the law of this ceremoniall Sabbath vpon the morall Sabbath for then 1. must the morall Sabbath be annuall only 2. It must be vpon the teenth day of the moneth without regard had to the day of the vveeke for so it was with this ceremoniall Sabbath 3 It must last one wholl day and a parte of the day before it also for so it vvas vvith that ceremoniall Sabbath it vvas to hold vpon the teenth day and vpon a parte of the nineth day also Leuit. 23.27.32 An other text they produce out of Nehem. 13.19 And it came to passe that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be darke before the Sabbath I commanded that the gates should be shut and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath c. Here say they Nehemiah tooke order for the Sabbath to begin vvhen the gates of Ierusalem began to be darke and this is on the euening Whereto I answer it follovveth not that because the gates vvere commanded to be shut vvhen it began to be darke that this vvas done least that euening should be profaned by buying and selling for it may be very likely that such as came into the citty with their packes of wares and pedds of fish as v. 16. so late in the euening vvhen it vvas almost darke vvould not open their packes that night nor goe into the fish stales in the market place at that time of the day but rather Nehemiah foreseeing that if he permitted them to come into the citty laden so late in the euening that they minded to be at their marketing early the next morning vvherefore to preuent that he shut them out of the citty ouer night but not because the Sabbath began ouer night in the euening 2. I ansvver if the Sabbath day began in the euening at vvhat time Nehemiah caused the gates to be shut in then these absurdeties vvill follovv 1. that they began the Sabbath before it vvas Sabbath and they kept the Sabbath till after it vvas Sabbath for so saith the text that the gates vvere shut in before the Sabbath and that they vvere not opened againe till after the Sabbath 2. If the shutting in of the gates doe declare vnto vs the beginning of the Sabbath so must it declare vnto vs by like reason the end of the Sabbath then this absurdety follovveth that vve must keepe one day and tvvo nights for our Sabbath for so long vvere their gates shut in for if they shut the gates in on fry day tovvards night they opened them not againe on Saturday the Sabbath day tovvards night nor in all likely hoode vntill our Sunday morning so their gates remained shut one day and tvvo nights A third text they produce is Mark. 15.42 And now when the euen was come because it was the preparation that is the day before the Sabbath Hence they collect that the Sabbath began in the euening and that then vvas the preparation of the Sabbath for ansvver hereto vve must knovv that on Saturday the Sabbath day vvherein Christ lay in the graue there vvas tvvo Sabbaths mett together vpon that one day to vvit the morall Saturday and vveekly Sabbath day and also an annuall ceremoniall Sabbath day as Beza Piscator and others affirme this ceremoniall Sabbath day it vvas the 15th day of the moneth the day after the Passouer and by the lavv it vvas a Sabbath day for on it they had an holy conuocation and assembly vvherein they did no seruill vvorke Leuit. 23.6.7 Novv the Ievves keeping their Passeouer on good fryday it vvas the 14th day of the moneth and consequently Saturday vvherein Christ lay in the graue must be the 15th day of the moneth and so it vvas this annuall ceremoniall Sabbath day Novv then here being tvvo Sabbaths on this one day to vvit the morall Sabbath and a ceremoniall Sabbath hence it is that the text may be vnderstood of the ceremoniall Sabbath not of the morall Sabbath and so the preparation spoken of on the euening before may concerne the ceremoniall Sabbath which vvas called the first day of vnleauened bread and indeed vve reade of a preparation that was euer vpon the day before this ceremoniall Sabbath and it was the making ready of a lamb it must be slaine and dressed and rosted before it could be eaten and a conuenient place must be prouided for it to be eaten in Exod. 12.6.8 Luk. 22.8.9.11 yea that this preparation had respect of the two Sabbaths only vnto the ceremoniall
learne more Logicke or confined to their studies for a season that they might grow better acquainted with the holy Scriptures before they be permitted to make publike interpretatiōs of them they let not to damne men to the pit of hell for not keeping this Lords day constantly for a Sabbath and that vpon these idle grownds were it fit to put a sword into a mans hand that knovves not when or vvhere to vse it should these men be betrusted vvith the keyes to shut men out of heauen and to locke men into hell thus causlesly By what hath bene said it appeareth 1. that it can no where be proued that the Lords day was in Christs the Apostles times kept constantly weekly for a Sabbath day 2. That the first Lords day was not kept for a Sabbath day by Christ nor by his Apostles Disciples Wherefore it followeth that if this Lords day was not kept constantly vveekly in the dayes of Christ his Apostles then we are not tyed in conscience in imitation of their examples to keepe euery Lords day vveeke by vveeke as now we doe it is sufficient if vve keepe but some Lords day sometime as one in a yeere or one in thre moneths or one in 6 moneths or the like but a vveekly obseruation is a needlesse growndlesse obseruatiō since it cannot be showne nor proued in the holy Scriptures Thus much touching the Scriptures Novv a vvord or two out of the Histories of the Church We reade it mentioned by Mr. Perkins in his first Volume vpon the 4th com pag. 48. that the Lords day vvhich he there cales Sabbath day was neglected and not obserued by those primitiue Churches which liued next after the Apostles vntill it was established by Christian Emperours c. Thus you see the Lords day vvas not obserued by many of the primitiue Churches for 300 yeeres for so long it was ere Constantine enacted a law for it who was a Christian Emperour Now who can imagine that the Lords day was euer kept in the Apostles dayes weekly and constantly for a Sabbath day when as those Christian Churches who immediatly succeded the Apostles kept it not at all for 300 yeeres together is it credible that those purest Churches should neglect such an ordinance of Christ as the Lords day Sabbath if any such ordinance there had euer bene in the Church No no the vveekly constant obseruation of the Lords day Sabbath it is but a nouelty and lately sprung vp The vse I vvould make of this point is this is it so that the Scriptures doe not bind vs to a vveekly keping of the Lords day but that it is enough if vvee keepe it at some times onely Why then doe Ministers presse the people so hardly to keepe euery Lords day and euery Sunday none excepted may it not in this respect be said of these Ministers as the Lord spake of those Prophets I haue not sent these Prophets saith the Lord ye◠they ranne I haue not spoken to them and yet they prophecied Ier. 23.21 Why are these Ministers more strict then God himselfe why doe they presse to a vveekly practise when Gods vvord speaketh but of a seldome practise Why should vve be tied to keepe the Lords day oftener then did the Apostolike Churches Forasmuch as vve are bound to keepe but some Lords dayes in a yeere vvhy are people hindred in the time of haruest to gather in their corne on the Lords day that vpon payne of damnation if they doe vpon pretense of a breach of the 4th com since they may both worke on euery Lords day all the time of haruest yet keepe some Lords dayes after haruest is done Also in the time of wheat seile barly-seile why may not the husbandman plow his ground some his seede on the Lords day since he may keepe some Lords day in a yeere after these busy times be past In the time of Hay-seile vvhy should not men make their haye on the Lords day seeing they may keepe Lords dayes enough all the yeere after When a Fayer fales vpon the Lords day why may they not keepe it vpon that day or if it fale vpon the Monday why may they not ride to it driue cartes to it on the Lords day the day before it as vvell as Christs Disciples trauailed 15 myles vpon the Lords day and vpon the most eminent Lords day since they may keepe some Lords dayes on the other times of the yeere vvhen there is no fayer It is true I verily beleeue that the 7th day Saturday Sabbath is still in force and that I beare a reuerence a religiouse respect vnto that day and for the conscience and duety I ovve vnto it I doe sanctify the Lords day not for it selfe but for the Sabbath dayes sake vvhich goeth before it giuing God one day for an other by vvay of a change vntill the time of reformation as they did change the Passeouer day Numb 9.1.3.11 It is also true that most of our Ministers hould the 7th day Saturday Sabbath for a ceremony abolished novv could I be perswaded in my conscience that the 7th day Sabbath is abolished as they say they are I doe protest it that I vvould not make any conscience or scruple of doeing the ordenary vvorkes of the 6. dayes vpon the Lords day neither vvould I in any respect of any diuine institution or conscience of the 4th com vvithhold any of my family from doeing the like should I leese my haye in time of Hay-seile or my corne in time of haruest or but hinder my vvorkes there abouts or suffer my conscience to be in thraled for such nifling trifling reasons as these no I trust not the like I say vnto men of all trades occupationes in Citties Townes if they can be satisfied in their consciences before God that the old Sabbath day on the 7th day is abolished then let them not feare or doubt to doe any ordenary workes of their calings vpon the Lords dayes or Sundayes no more then vpon any other dayes of the weeke for there is nothing forbidding them so to doe in all the scriptures nay there is warrant for them so to doe by the Scriptures if they will harken to them rather then to their Ministers for God saith in the 4th com Sixe dayes thou shalt worke c this Lords day is the first day of these Sixe dayes neither vvas this law euer yet repealed 2. Christs Disciples made this Lords day a trauailing day also Christ him selfe trauailed in it too fro as hath bene proued wherefore if vve may receiue instruction from Gods 4th com or if vve may follovv the example of Christ of his Disciples then may vve safly doe the vvorkes of our calings on the Lords day as vvell as vpon any other day of the weeke But herevnto some of our Ministers as those who are so hote for the Lords day Sabbath will
one yeere vpon one day of the weeke and the next yeere vpon an other Wherefore since it is the most likely that Pentecost day then fell vpon some other day of the weeke as Saturday or the like hovv vvill they proue it fell novv vvhen Peter preached on the Lords day or Sunday 3. I answer but suppose we that it was the Lords day wherin all this vvas done it yet doth not follow that this day was therfore a Sabbath day for these actions were no proper actions of a Sabbath day done onely vpon Sabbath dayes for they were common weeke dayes actions such as might be may be and were done vpon any day of the weeke let vs rune thorough the particulars briefly and first for the Holy Ghostes descending how will they make it appeare that the Holy Ghost in his discent doth vvaite for a Sabbath day to come downe in vve reade of the Holy Ghosts descending in Act. 10.44 and in Act. 19.6 But not a vvord that these dayes were Sabbath dayes If notable actions done in a day must sanctify that day for a Sabbath day vvhy are not good Friday wherin Christ suffered Hallow Thursday vvherin Christ ascended made Sabbaths also for these workes vvere as behoofefull for the Church as was the descent of the Holy Ghost 2. For the Sacrament of Baptisme the administration of this is no proper worke for a Sabbath but may be done in any common day Else why doe vvee baptise children on any day of the vveeke and vvhy did Phillip Baptise the Eunuch on a trauailing day Act. 8.38.39 Paul baptized Lydia hir houshold vpō the Saturday Sabbath Act. 16.15 Sacraments were neuer appropriated to the Sabbath day as vve may see in Circumcision it vvas on the 8 day were it Sabbath day or not the Passeouer it was on the 14th day of the moneth were it Sabbath day or not Christ did eate the Lords Supper on Thursday night the night before he was crucified 3. For Peters sermon we know preaching is no worke so proper vnto the Sabbath day as it may not be on any day of the weeke also else why preach wee on Lecture dayes on any of the weeke dayes preaching may be on any day of the weeke according to that 2. Tim. 4.2 preach the word be instant in season and out of season Christ preached on a vvorking day to the Samaritan vvoman his Disciples being gone into the Citty to buy meate Ioh. 4.8 the Apostles preached daily in the Temple and from house to house Act. 5.42 thus it appeareth that these are such actions as may be done on any day of the weeke hovv then will it follow that this day of Pentecost was Sabbath day because these actions vvere done in that day these are farr from necessary consequences I am suer No maruaile they pretend necessary consequences for the Lords day and magnify their reason so highly in the want of a Commandement for the day I see novv ther is some cause indeede that they should set a good face vpon the matter and hauing no Com. from Christ for the day yet they should make the world beleeue that they haue good consequences for the purpose and doe you not see how good they are had they neither consequence nor Com. for the day they should haue iust nothing for it they had need therefore extoll their necessary consequences Doe not vve on a Christmas day vvhen it falleth on a working day or weeke day both pray preach vse the Sacraments and rest from laboures and sing Psalmes in the Congregation and vvill any wise man say ther 's necessary consequence in it that we keepe it for a Sabbath day what vanities are these The vtmost that can be collected by good consequence from this Text Act. 2. is that the Church kept this day of Pentecost for a Lecture day like as vve haue Lecture dayes euery vvhere on vveeke dayes on Tewsdayes or Thursdayes the like Further it is to be noted that Peters Sermon heere it vvas meerly occationall extraordenary therfore can not binde vs to ordenary practise For vpon the extraordenary Myracle of the Holy Ghosts deseent in clouen fiery tounges some people vvere amazed astonished doubting said what may this be Act. 2.12 Others mocked and said the Apostles vvere full of new wine and drunken Act. 2.13 now here vvas greate occation for Peter to preach a Sermon vnto them partly to informe instruct those that vvere amazed doubted partly to confute those vvho scosted at the Apostles as if they had bene drunken so heere was matter enough to moue Peter to preach though he had no respect vnto the day as a Sabbath day It is true hence a Minister by consequence may gather such a consequent or doctrine as this namely that it is the duety of Ministers to preach the vvord vpon all occations but for any to collect hence not onely that vve must preach vpon all occations but more then this as namely that vve must also euer more preach vpon the same day and in the same time vvherin the Apostle Peter preached that is vpon the Lords day vvhither there be extraordenaty occation or none this is idle absurde for the Text will not beare vs out in any such collections nor can it be gathered hence that vve are bound to preach at all vpon either one day or vpon an other vnlesse it be vpon extraordenary occationes such as vvere Peters here in this Texte Further vve may aswell coliect hence also concerning the place as the time saying that vve must euermore preach in a populouse and famouse Citty also as London Norwich and the like for Peter preached in Ierusalem a famouse Citty And also when vve preach there we must keepe that day for a Sabbath day too 4. My 4th last answer to this text is by shewing their absurd consequence hence for if that the coming downe of the holy Ghost Peters sermon the convertion of 3000. the baptizing of them c. did declare the day to be a Sabbath day wherein they were done then is Pentecost a Iewish ceremoniall feast day moralized made a Christian Sabbath day and so Iewish abrogated ceremonies shall be reuiued in the Church the reason thereof is because the holy Ghost doth not call this day here Lords day or first day of the weeke but he calleth it Pentecost day and when the day of Pentecost was come Act. 2.1 This day might be called by 3 seuerall names as 1. Lords day 2. The first day of the weeke and 3. Pentecost day Now in that the holy Ghost reiecteth both those names of Lords day and first day of the weeke which should make for their purpose chooseth this name Pentecost day which was a ceremoniall day it followeth that if these actions had any force or virtue to declare the day whereon they were done to be a Sabbath day they shewed vs that this day considered
see that our Sauiour would not haue them profane the Sabbath day by their flight vpon it for the further cleering of this point because it is of the greatest consequence I will proue vnto you that when our Sauiour bad them pray against flying on the Sabbath day hee spake it because he would not haue them profane the Sabbath day by that their flight For this purpose note that it is the common opinion of expositers vpon this text that when Christ spake of flight vpon the Sabbath day he spake of it in a religiouse respect this may be yet further confirmed vnto vs if we consider the Author of these words who was Christ who was a Phisitian for the soule all his Doctrine tended to the furtherance of the kingdome of God wherefore all his speeches are if possible to be vnderstod as concerning the soule the kingdome of God but especially when he mentioneth matters of Religion as is the Sabbath day then we cannot but thinke he spake of it in relation to the soule and to the 4th commandement for the furtherance of the kingdome of God the obseruation of the will of his heauenly father shewing what conscience men ought to make of doeing Gods will keeping of his Sabbaths yea the text giueth light herein for why should they pray not to flye in the Winter but because of discomodety of flight then by foulnesse couldnesse of weather c So why not on the Sabbath day but because of incommodiouse trauailing then by reason of the 4th com and mens consciences which is a religiouse respect Nay how can it enter into any mans head to thinke that Christ should command them to pray that they might not flie on the Sabbath day in any other sense then this because he would not haue them profane it and because he would haue the will of his heauenly father reuealed in the 4th com carefully obserued obeied and because he would not haue those his Disciples pollute their consciences with profanation of Gods Sabbath For the yet further cleering of this point let it be noted 1. what is comprised in this word flight suppose Christ had foreteld them that ouer a few yeeres such an house should be on fyer in one of the seauen dayes and had also bidden them pray that they might not be put to quench the fyer on the Sabbath day what could this imply but that Christ would not haue them worke labour moyle toile so on the Sabbath day â—eueÌ„ so it is here for this end consider that this is such a flight as is made out of a citty by the inhabitantes when the enemies haue beseiged it with souldiers as you may see Luk. 21.20.21 Now when the beseiged distressed Cittizens flie out from the violence of their enemies they vsually carry out with them whatsoeuer things of worth they haue in the citty euen as much as possible they can as their young infantes and children their best apparell and other things of price euery man carries forth euen as much as his backe can beare with his safety so that they goe laden out besids they doe not walke at ease as men doe on the Sabbath day for recreation but they flie and trauaile with all possible labour and speede so as the day of their flight it was a day of moyleing and exceeding toyleinge I need not mention the disquiet and distraction of the mind their careing how to saue their owne liues and the liues of their wiues and children how to saue their goods all which disinabled them for and were enemies to the sacred dueties of the Sabbath and the worship of God therein all this neglect and putting by of the sacred dueties of prayer reading heareing conference c. doth necessarily follow the labour of the body by flying on the Sabbath day Thus much is comprised in the word flight so that when our Sauiour bid them pray against flight on the Sabbath day it is all one as if he had bidden them pray that they might not be driuen to carry burdens on the Sabbath day and that they might not be put to laboriouse and painfull trauailes on the Sabbath day 2. Let it be noted that to beare burdens and to trauaile on the Sabbath day were euer accounted for breaches of the 4th com and for profanation of the Sabbath day as you may read plainly in Nehem. 13.15.17 For Nehemiah reproued the Rulers for bearing of burdens on the Sabbath day saying what euill is this that yee doe profane the Sabbath day see also Ioh. 5.10 Exod. 16.29 VVhereby you see it most apparent that when Christ bad them pray against flight on the Sabbath day he meante it that they should pray against profanation of the Sabbath day for these ij are both one to flie carry-burdens on the Sabbath day to profane the Sabbath as you see by Nehemiahs words and what doth the word Prophane signify but to make a thing common what doe they else by flight on the Sabbath but make it a common day to wit a trauailing a labouring day The will of Christ doubtlesse was none other then the will of God in the 4th com that is that his Disciples should be carefull to keepe an holy Rest on the Sabbath day to refraine all seruile laboures according as it is in the 4th com In it thou shalt not doe any worke c. But here I must take away a maine obiection they will be ready to say that it is no profanation of the Sabbath day to trauaile on it in a case of necessity and to flie to saue a mans life as they doe who are beseiged c. Herevnto I answer yis it is a prophanation of the Sabbath for what is it to prophane an Holy thing but to conuert it vnto common vse be it men trauaile to saue their liues yet since trauailing labouring are common workes by trauailing and labouring on the Sabbath day as they doe on common daies they make the Sabbath day a common day and so prophane it neither will it follow that because it is no sinne to trauaile on the Sabbath in a case of necessity therefore it is no prophanation of the Sabbath for God hath permitted vs to prophane make common the Sabbath in a case of necessity and so prophanation of it is no sinne as otherwise it would haue bene the prophanation remaines still but it is no sinfull prophanation 2. The consideration of this obiection doth strengthen my argument for if our Sauiour would not haue men to flie trauaile worke on the Sabbath day no not to saue their liues if possibly by means of prayer they might auoid it much lesse would he haue men doe any worke on the Sabbath when there is no necessity and in a common case it is a signe that Christ was maruailously zealouse of his fathers Sabbaths to haue them religiously carefully sanctified after his death when he
some other of the Apostles did so it is sufficient to bind vs to doe the like why then should we not be followers of them in this case also keeping that day for our Sabbath which they kept constantly kept also As for the other 2 branches of my Major they cannot be denied vnlesse men dare censure those purest and primitiue Churches which liued next after the Apostles as if they should liue in an errour of practise 300 or 400 yeeres together I should rather suspect our owne times then their times Nor vnlesse men would make frustrate an holy praier of our Church And so much for the Major I come now to the profe of the Minor or second proposition this consisteth of 3 branches which I will proue in order one after an other the first branch is this that the Apostles did constantly keepe the Sabbath day after Christs death for this purpose see Act. 13.14 But when they were departed from Perga they came to Antioch of Pisidia went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day c. Here you see the Sabbath day in vse and on this day Paul preached a Sermon to the congregation assembled as you may reade in the following partes of the Chapter Againe see Act. 13.42.44 And when they were come out of the Synagogue of the Iewes the Gentiles besought that they would preach those words to them the next Sabbath day and the next Sabbath day came almost the whole Citty together to heare the word of God Loe here againe was an other sermō preached vpon the Sabbath day and further note the constancy of keeping the Sabbath day for here were two Sabbath dayes together kept the one immediatly following after the other this is signifind by those words the next Sabbath day Againe see Act. 16.13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the Citty besids a riuer where they were wont to pray and we sate downe and spake vnto the women which were come together Loe here at an other time and in an other place or Citty the Sabbath day was kept also and further it is to be noted that on this Sabbath day was Lydia converted shee hir houshold Baptized Againe see Act. 17.2 And Paul as his manner was went in vnto them and three Sabbath daies Disputed with them by the Scriptures c. Loe here at an other time in an other place or Citty the Sabbath day was kept note also the constancy of their keeping the Sabbath that three Sabbath dayes together were here kept as the text speaketh note also that i◠was no rare and seldome thing for the Sabbath to be thus kept but that it was in the Apostles times a most ordenary constant thing so to doe and this is signified vnto vs by those words And Paul as his manner was So it was a custome with S. Paul to keepe the Sabbath day euermore wheresoeuer he came Againe see Act. 18.4 And he Disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabbath day exhorted the Iewes the Grecians Loe here againe at an other time and in an other place or Citty the Sabbath day was kept note the constācy of the keping the Sabbath day for in this citty Paul kept euery Sabbath day so saith the text euery Sabbath day not a Sabbath day once in a quarter of a yeere but euery Sabbath in a yeere What can be more plainly proued then this point is that the Sabbath day was kept yea and constantly kept in the dayes of the Apostles Furthermore it shall not be amisse to shew also by whom the Sabbath was kept and here I shall proue vnto you that this obseruation of the Sabbath day it was an Apostolicall practise and therefore the more to be regarded for this purpose let vs looke backe vnto the texts fore alleaged see Act. 13.13.14 Now when Paul and they that were with him c. Where you see that the Apostle Paul kept the Sabbath day and also other Christianes that accompanied him in his voyage namly those who were with Paul as the text speaketh Againe see Act. 13.43.44.46 Where mention is made of Barnabas the Apostle who ioyned himselfe with Paul those other Christianes in the obseruation of the Sabbath day Againe see Act. 16.1.3.13.19.20 Where is mention made of Timotheus of Silas both which ioyned with Paul in the sanctification of the Sabbath day Thus you haue seene that the Sabbath day was obserued after Christs resurrection by the Apostles Paul Barnabas by Timotheus Silas and by other Christians that accompanied Paul in his voyage wherefore we may safely cale the obseruation of the old Sabbath day an Apostolicall Christian practise for it was obserued by the Apostles of Christ and by such as were Preachers of the Gospell of Christ and therefore the obseruation of the old Sabbath hath Authority sufficient to backe it by those that published and preached the Gospell of Christ vnder the new Testament Thus you haue seene it proued that the Sabbath day was kept and constantly kept after Christs death resurrection 2. That it was kept by the Apostles themselues and by such as published and preached the Gospell 3 It shall not be amisse to shew you how vniuersallie the Sabbath was kept for it was kept in diuerse and sondry places as at Antiochia Act. 13.14.42 And at Philippi Act. 16 12.13 and at Thessalonica Act. 17.1.2 And at Corinth Act. 18.1.4 So you see the Sabbath day was kept in these 4 Christian Churches to wit in the Church at Antioch at Philippi at Thessalonica and at Corinth all these we know of Albeit we haue sufficiently proued both the Major and also the first branch of the Minor yet all is not done in this argument which some that are very scrupulouse require for say some it is true indeede that the Apostles kept the Sabbath after Christs resurrection but it was amongst the Jewes and in the Iewish Synagogues but proue vnto vs that euer the Apostles kept the Sabbath among the Gentiles But herevnto I reply This distinction of keeping the Sabbath among Iewes but not among Gentiles is fond and vaine for these men make doubtes differences where the Apostles made none as I shall proue vnto you for the Apostles kept the Sabbath day among both Iewes Gentiles ioyned in one congregation togeather see Act. 18.4 And he disputed in the Synagogue euery Sabbath day exhorted the Iewes and the Grecianes Here you see the Sabbath was kept both with Iewes Gentiles for the Grecianes were no Iewes but Gentiles see also Act. 17.2.4 And some of them beleeued ioyned in company with Paul Silas also of the Grecianes that feared God a greate multitude Here you see a multitude of Grecianes or Gentiles were present with the Iewes in the same congregation when Paul Silas kept the Sabbath day as in v. 2. so then the Apostles made no difference in keeping the Sabbath day betwixt Iewes
Gentiles Neuerthelesse I will proue vnto you that the Apostles kept the Sabbath with the Gentiles see Act. 13.42.44 And when they were come out of the Synagogue of the Iewes the Gentiles besought that they would preach these words to them the next Sabbath day the next Sabbath came almost the whole citty together to heare the word of God Loe here is a most pregnant text for the purpose for here the Apostles Paul Barnabas kept the Sabbath with Gentiles yea with the whole citty almost of the Antiochian Gentiles wherefore the Apostles made no difference of keeping the Sabbath betwene Iewes and Gentiles for they kept it indifferently as well amongst Gentiles as amongst Iewes An other text whereby I shall proue vnto you that the Apostles kept the Sabbath among the Gentiles is Act. 16.12.13 And from thence to Philippi which is the chiefe Citty in the partes of Macedonia and whose inhabitants came from Rome to dwell there and we weere in that Citty abiding certaine daies on the Sabbath day we went out of the Citty besids a riuer where they were wonte to pray we sate downe spake vnto the women which were come together c. In this text it is to be obserued that these at Philippi with whom Paul Timothie Silas kept the Sabbath day v. 3.19 they were Gentiles for 1. Lidia who was then converted she hir houshold baptized shee was a Gentile for she was of the Citty of Thyatira as the text speaketh v. 14. It doth not follow that shee was a Iewesse because the text saith shee was a worshiper of God as some thinke for so was Cornelius also a worshiper of God Act. 10.2 But yet he was no Iew no nor so much as a proselite for he then was vncircumcised Act. 11.3 secondly it is plaine in the text because the text saith that these Philippians were Romanes Whose inhabitants came from Rome to dwell there v. 12. now the Romanes were not Iewes but Gentiles which appeareth further in v. 20.21 by the opposition betwixt Iewes Romanes These men who are Iewes trouble our City and preach ordinances which are not lawfull for vs to receiue seing we are Romanes These philippians therefore were Romanes so Gentiles and so it is euident by this text also that the Sabbath day was kept among Gentiles that the Apostles were as redy to keepe the Sabbath when they came among the Gentiles with the Gentiles as they weere to keepe it when they came among the Iewes with the Iewes they made no difference betwixt Iew Gentile for this point Finally suppose it could not be proued that the Apostles kept the Sabbath with the Gentiles at all but onely with the Iewes is it lawfull therefore to reiect the examples and practise of the Apostles if it be then these absurdeties follow 1. That when the Apostles exhorte vs to become imitatores and followers of them as in 1. Cor. 11.1 and 1. Cor. 4-16 Phil. 3.17 then these textes must be vnderstod with this vaine limitation that we must imitate the Apostles onely in such actiones as they did doe among the Gentiles but not in those they did among the Iewes 2. If we must imitate the Apostles onely in such things as they did doe among the Gentiles then is the example of the Apostles of little or no vse for our direction for all their actiones well nigh were done among the Iewes onely or else among Iewes Gentiles mixed together as you may read euery where see Act. 2.14 Act. 13.14.42 Act. 14.5 Act. 17.4.5 Act. 18.4 So much for their first answer An other answer they vsually bring against the Apostles keeping the Sabbath day after Christs resurrection is that it was so done for a time onely to beare with the weakenesse of the Iewes who would not be suddainly weaned from the Sabbath day no more then they would from Circumcision Herevnto I reply 1. That it was no weakenesse in the Iewes I trust nor so to be esteemed of vs for thē to yeeld obediēce vnto a morall precept which inioyneth the Sabbath day neither are they to rank the Sabbath day with circumcision supposing the Iewes to be as superstitiouse in the one as in the other vntil they know how as well to proue the Sabbath day to be abolished as it is easy to proue Circumcision to be abolished If the Apostles keeping Sabbath was to beare with the weaknesse of the Jewes then I would gladly know why they kept Sabbath with the Gentiles this was not I trust to beare with the Iewes weaknesse see Act. 13.42.44 this repetition sermon or sermon preached againe at request of the Gentiles it was not made for the Iewes sake but for the Gentiles sake who requested it now what cause was there then that Paul Barnabas should preach this sermon vnto the Gentiles vpon the Sabbath day to beare with the weaknesse of the Iewes for whose sake it was not preached had this sermon bene preached at the request of the Iewes and so for their sakes happily this might haue had some better culler but it being prached for the Gentiles sakes at their request it is absurd therefore to thinke that the Apostles should haue regard to the Iewes in this case and so much for the Sabbath day kept among the Gentiles at Antioch Act. 13.14.42.44 The vanity of their answer will further appeare if we looke into that other Church where Paul Timothie Silas kept the Sabbath day also to wit at Philippi that too among the Romane Gentiles Act. 16.12.13 now forsomuch as we reade not of any Iewes dwelling at Philippi but haue proued the cōtrary nor can they proue that any dwelt there who could thinke that S. Paul and the rest should keepe the Sabbath there infauor of the Iewes or for the weaknesse of the Iewes since there were no Iewes either in that Citty or in their Assemblies of whom the Apostles should be afraied or for whose sakes they should doe it But here it is answered that albeit there were no Iewes in this Citty or Assembly yet if Paul had not kept the Sabbath here it would haue bene by one meanes or other carried to the Iewes where they dwelt whereat they would haue bene offended therefore Paul kept the Sabbath here at Philip. But how vaine this conceipt is appeareth 1. Because this supposeth that the Apostle durst not free the Gentiles from the obseruation of needlesse ceremonies in their owne Church for feare he should offend the superstitiouse Iewes in some other remote Church 2. By the like reason Paul should not haue reproued Peter for Iudaizing in the Church of Galatia Gal. 2.14 nor haue durst to speake against Circumcision nor to haue wrote to the Colossians against Meates and drinkes new Mones yeerly Sabbaths Colos 2.16 for by one meanes or other this would haue come to the hearing of the Iewes offended them 3. By this it should haue come to passe
remaining in vs doth allow of approue of This is one thing I desire may be in speciall manner obserued that such as reiect Gods Sabbath they reiect a most ancient ordinance of Gods expresly commanded in the Morall Law saying that very day and time is not morall nor concerneth our practise as doe the rest of the 10 commandements when as not withstanding our consciences and that light of naturall reason which is in vs doe consent vnto it approue it and allow of it as a thing very good and commodiouse for vs if we had it in vse among vs shall not such opposites be condemned by their guilty conscieÌ„ces for opposing of that ordinance of Gods which is no way against them but euery way good for them their consciences being witnesses thereof should we vrge the practise of any thing impossible to be kept or vnnaturall to be done the which nature riseth against abhorreth theÌ„ if it were opposed it were the lesse maruailouse but when we vrge stand to defeÌ„d nothing but a braÌ„ch of the morall law nothing that nature dissalloweth of but rather cheerefully imbraceth that such a thing should be opposed as no morall nor appertayning vnto vs but as Jewish and I cannot tell what this is the matter of wonder so much for this argument For conclusion let me goe a little further then my argument drawes me I see not but it might be proued that the 7th day Sabbath is a Law of nature euen in their owne sense who say they would imbrace it if it were a Law of nature for as the Gentiles some of them found out the true God so some of them found out the true 7th day Sabbath for the profe hereof I referre you to Walaeus de Sabbatho pag. 46. 47. who affirmeth the point himselfe also proueth it for he citeth diuerse ancient Authores as 1. Philo the Iew lib. 2. de vita Mosis Our custome saith Philo doth adominish all Barbarianes Graecianes Europianes and Asianes of duty for who doth not honour that sacred day which returneth euery weeke ij he citeth Iosephus lib. 2. aduersus Appionem circa fineÌ„ libri saying There is not any Citty Graecianes or Barbarianes nor any Nation vnto whom the obseruation of the 7th day in which the Iewes rested is not come Thus Iosephus iij He citeth a most ancient author Theophilus Antiochenus Patriarcha lib. 2. ad Autolicum As touching the 7th day saith hee which among all mortall men îs greatly famouse it is caled the Sabbath c. iiij He citeth Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 5. stromatum Not onely the Iewes saith hee but also the Gentiles knew that sacred 7th day c. 5. He citeth Eusebius praeparat Euangel lib. 13. who proueth the same out of Plato Hesiod Homer Callimachus and others for further proofe hereof I referre you to M. Richard Byfield on the Sabbath pag. 81. who there alleageth sondry Testimonies shewing that the Gentiles kept the 7th day or Saturday Sabbath amoÌ„g the rest these Seneca in his 95 Epist and Macrobius Saturn lib. 1. Cap. 7. And Aretius problem de Sabbathi obseru thus you see that the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath was found out by and in vse among the Gentiles wherefore the 7th day Sabbath stands firme by the Law and light of nature Thus much for my arguments whereby I haue proued the morallity and perpetuity of the Lords Sabbaths wherein as I trust I haue giuen satisfaction abundantly to the conscience of any man that is not vn-willing to see a trueth but as for such as reade with preiudicate opiniones resoluing before hand to stop their eares least they should hear shut their eyes least they should see which is a brand of an hearte hardened by the iust Iudgement of God I leaue them to him that shall iudge them an other day Consider what J haue saied and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things SECT IV. WHereas we haue made profe of the morallity perpetuity of the Lords Sabbath and finding that men haue sondry distinctiones and euasiones whereby they would shune the force of our arguments I haue therefore reserued this Section purposly to confute those distinctiones and to shew the vanity and absurdetie of such their euasiones that so all rubes scruples being remoued our arguments may haue free passage and be receiued without all doubtinges it is true I shall handle many of those distinctiones euasiones here which I haue touched before by way of vse in my Exposition of the 4th commandement but those things which there I did but touch cursorily here I shall handle more largly as the more proper place for them but say I should but repeate them it were not labour lost for being they are the common answers often beaten into the mindes of people there is need of an often confutation of them that so what is said it may sticke the faster remaine the longer in mens mindes I. The first euasion which I will deale withall shall be their distinction of a Sabbath the Sabbath for an argument being brought for the morallity of the Sabbath day out of the 4th com they are ready to blunt the force of it by this answer for one to wit that the word Sabbath may as well be translated a Sabbath as the Sabbath To discouer the vanity of this idle distinction for many care not how idlely and absurdly they answer so be they may say something against this sacred ordinance of Gods first we must know what is the difference betwixt a Sabbath and the Sabbath by the Sabbath is meant that common and well knowne Sabbath day to wit Saturday the 7th last day of the weeke the which the Iewes kept for thowsands of yeeres this I cale the Sabbath emphatically and by way of excellency and as a certaine well knowne day Now on the contrary by a Sabbath they would vnderstand some one day of the 7 but vncertainly which not any one rather then an other not any certaine standing knowne day of the weeke but so as the 4th commandement may indifferently be applied vnto any day as vnto Sunday or Monday or Tewsday c. The sense of this distinction being giuen the absurdety of it wil appeare by the like cases the Lord said let the earth bud forth the bud â—f the herb c. Genes 1.11 were it not a senslesse translation to render it thus Let a earth bud forth c againe then the man said the woman which thou gauest me shee gaue me of the tree c. Genes 3.12 were it not an absurd translation to render it thus then a man said a woman which thou gauest me c as well may they translate it a earth for the earth a man and a woman for the man and the woman as a Sabbath for the Sabbath for as there was but one earth and but one man and one woman so was there but one Sabbath day Againe
practise so long at the worst we can be censured but for an errour of frailty for aâ— errour of ignorance because we practise according to our iudgement but to brand vs with Hypocrisy is very vncharitably done for Hypocrites are commonly vnderstod to practise cuningly and guilfully wittingly and willfully contrary vnto their iudgements the which wee doe not Further whereas they say it is Hypocrisy in vs to hold one thing and practise an other Herein they misevnderstand vs grosely and propound our case most falsly for our iudgement and our practise doe most truely accord and goe together for howeuer we hold in iudgement that out of a case of necessity the Sabbath day must be presently practised yet in a case of necessity we hold that we are not bound to the present practise and this is our case so that our practise is all one with our iudgement sauing that malitiouse men who seeke occation against vs had rather misevnderstand vs then vnderstand vs these men if they should take in against the Apostles as they haue done against vs they could soone taxe them also with Hyprocrisy for they vsed Ceremonies in the Church as touching practise when in a sense their iudgement was contrary for they knew that Ceremonies were abolished And they might as well taxe Dauid for Hypocrisy who in practise did eate the Sewbread yet in iudgement he knew it was for the Priests onely Lastly let vs see how fitly they haue alleaged the example of Peters Hypocrisy against vs Gal. 2.12.13 For this purpose note that Peter did eate of prohibited meates with the Gentiles and so for a time liued as the Gentiles as the text speaketh But after a time vpon the coming of some Iewes into their assembly Peter for feare of them refrained and would no longer eate of those vncleane meates now for that Peter did thus through feare withdraw himselfe from his former practise with the Gentiles so drew other of the assemby after him to Iudaisme from the practise of Christianisme therefore Paul taxed him with Hypocrisy as you may see Gal. 2.11 c. Now herein lay his Hypocrisy that vnto the Iewes who were newly come into the Christian Assembly Peter made shew in outward apperance as if he had retained Iudaisme still for he refused to eate with the Gentiles howbeit indeed and in trueth he had forsaken Iudaisme for he had eaten with the Gentiles vntill their coming and had so done still had it not bene for feare of them Againe he bewrayed Hypocrisy toward the Gentiles for vntill these Iewes came into the Assembly Peter made shew as if he had renownced Iewish ceremonies for he did eate vncleane meates with the Gentiles but no sooner were a fewe Iewes come in amongst them but instantly for feare of them Peter withdrawes himselfe and will no longer eate with the Gentiles whereby he bewraies that he had not renownced Iewish ceremonies so that Peter vsed Hypocrisy both with Iewes and with Gentiles now can M. Yates or M. Chappell parallel our practise with this of Peters doe we in some company keepe the Sabbath day and in other company neglect the keeping of it we are alwaies the same in all companies or doe we make a shew vnto any of keeping the Sabbath day when it may be proued against vs that we in some places haue neglected it hath feare to displease men caused vs at any time to vse such dissimulation as Peter vsed these were the things whereof Peter was accused but they cannot accuse vs of these wherefore they haue done vs great wrong to accuse vs in publike place of this Hypocrisy in Peter when our case and his is nothing like Let any indifferent man lay our practise and iudgement first vnto this of Peters and then let him lay them againe vnto the practise of the Apostles who in iudgement misliked of ceremonies and yet in practise vsed theÌ„ Act. 21 20.21.22.23.24 theÌ„ let him tell me whither of the twaine we are to be paralleled with whither our case be more like vnto Peters dissimulation or rather vnto the Apostles cinserity for if our practise be more like vnto the honest conversation of the Apostles as it is then vnto Peters dissimulation theÌ„haue they bene iniuriouse to our good names to compare vs to Peter when they should haue compared vs vnto those other Apostles OBIECT VIII Some obiect saying that forasmuch as the Sabbath day is a Morall there can be no dispensation for it c. Herevnto I answer that we find dispensationes in the Scripture touching Moralles for example 1. The Patriarkes had a dispensation from the 7th com when they tooke them many wiues and so had the diuorced woman as hath bene showne Deut. 24.1 c. 2. There is a dispensation from the 5th com in case the Magistrate commandeth things contrary vnto God Act. 4.19 3. To take vsury of a poore man is a morall and against the Law of mercy yet there was a dispensaâ—ion granted vnto the Israelites in some case as that they might take vsury of a poore stranger that is of a poore Gentile Deut. 23.20 4. It is generally holden that to sanctify one day of seauen for Gods worship is morall as the Lords day euery weeke yet they will not deny a dispensation from this in some case as in case of necessity when an howse is on fyer and when an enemy makes an assault vpon one of our Cities c. The dueties of rest and performance of holy exercises prescribed in the 4th com are holden Morall by all and yet in cases of necessity there layes a dispensatioÌ„ they may be wholly omitted for one or two weekes together 5. Abraham had a dispensation from the sixte Com. to kill his sonne Genes 22 2. Neither did Dauid take vengeance for God in punishing Ioab the murtherer 1 King 2.5 which he ought to haue done which law is in force at this day Genes 9.6 Rom. 13.4 Finally why a dispensation should not be in a morall as well as in a ceremoniall they haue yeelded no reason nor doe I thinke they can An Exhortation to a speedy Reformation WE haue now done with the Dispensation and according to promise we are to end with an Exhortation now it is very requisit that an exhortation vnto reformation should be added to the Dispensation least that peraduenture lazie security and spirituall slouthfulnesse should possesse the soules of some men thinking all is well enough since we haue a Dispensation touching the practise we neede not put forwards vnto a reformation for the preuention whereof and also for the encouragment of all men feareing God to put forwards vnto a desired Reformation I haue added a fewe reasones and Motiues But happily some may aske of me what it is I would that they should doe in this case for may they say we are priuate persones c. I am but one c. what can we doe Wherevnto I answer it is true