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
it for a Lecture day if that that is that they preached a Sermon sometimes vpon the Lords day but a lecture day is no Sabbath day 3. I answer if the practise of the Apostles after Christ his Ascention be a sure note that Christ whilst he was vpon the earth gaue the Apostles a Commandement for that practise then surely Christ gaue the Apostles a Commandement to keepe the Saturday Sabbath for Paul Barnabas the Rest with them kept the Saturday Sabbath constantly after Christ his Ascention se for this purpose Act. 13.14.42.44 and Act. 16.13 and Act. 17.2 and Act. 18.4 thus it appeareth by their owne arguments that the Saturday Sabbath is still in force commanded by Christ too yet they will not acknowledge it but oppose it 4. I answer that it is absurd for any to imagine once that Christ gaue his Apostles a commandement for the Lords day for this were to cast a foule blurr on the Apostles that Christ their Master should giue them a Commandement to deliuer vnto the Churches and they shold conceale it wher 's then their fidelity how could they say with Paul Act. 20.27 that they had reuealed the whole counsaile of God kept nothing back vvhen they had kept back a precept for the Lords day Sabbath SECT X. A 5th text out of the New Testament alleaged and abused for the Lords day is 2. Cor. 5.17 and this text as t is vsed by others so it is stifly defended by Mr. Greenwood the words are these If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new Whence he thus argueth what saith he can be plainer to proue that if all things be new then a new day of worship also Hereunto I answer 1. if all things in Christs kingdome be become new then shew me vvhere Christ hath giuen you a new commandement for your nevv Lords day I am suer you can finde none in all the nevv Testament in the steade of the old 4th com 2. They say all things in Christ kingdome are become new yet they vvill needs hau the old 4th com to strengthen their nevv Lords day by it do they not contradict them selues if all things be nevv then let them no more vrge the 4th old com for the Lords day 3. the Isralites vvere commanded to vvorship the true God that by the first old com shevv me then vvhat other God or vvhat nevv God vve must vvorshipp if all things are become nevv 4. S. Iohn saith he wrote no nâ—w commandement but an old commandement vnto them 1. Ioh. 2.7 Paul telleth vs that whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our lerning Ro. 15.4 our Sauiour telleth vs that vntill heauen earth passe one iot or one title of the law shall not escape c. Mat. 5.18 so then all things in Christs kingdome are not become nevv 4. This Text is ignorantly vvrested vnto a sense the which the holy Ghost neuer meant for the holy Ghost speaketh not in this text of old of new lawes ordinances in the Church as if this text were for the abolishing of the old Ceremonies of Circumcision the Passeouer and the like and for the establishing of new ordinances as of Baptisme the Lords Supper the like as they wrest abuse it grosly but it treateth of the old corruptions in men vnregenerate and of new grace in men sanctified and that a man in Christ is not an old man but a new man in conuersation this is the true sense laying open to euery eye and yet for all this they be not ashamed to vvring wrest this portion of Scripture to old Sabbaths to new Sabbaths what a shamefull abuse is this of Scripture me thinkes men that make conscience of other things should also make conscience of this to giue the vvord of God its due and proper sense to report a mans vvords in an other sense then he meant them is in estimation false witnesse bearing a finne of the 9th Com. but to misreport the sacred word of God and to giue such a sense of it as the holy Ghost neuer intended this is a sinne not against man but against God this is to be a false witnesse not against man but against God What haue they no body to father their falshoodes vpon but vpon God the God of trueth vvill not the Lords day be vpholden for a Sabbath vvithout such vile vngodly courses as these SECT XI A 6th Text out of the New Testament alleaged and abused for the Lords day is 1. Cor. 16.2 Vpon the first day of the weeke let euery on of you put aside by himselfe and lay vp as God hath prospered him that then there be no gatherings when I come Loe here say they was a collection for the poore which collection was an ordinance of the Apostle as I haue ordeined in the Churches of Galatia so doe yee Now when there were collections for the poore there must be assemblies and when there were assemblies then there vvere sermons and on those dayes in which were collections for the poore and assemblies sermons those were Sabbath dayes This text M. Yates hath vrged vpon me Herevnto I answer 1. Here you see the foundation of all this argument is from hence that there vvas at Corinth a collection for the poore and that there was also an Assembly if therefore I shall make it appeare that there vvas neither collection nor assembly then you will say this text is grosly abused and that herein is no foundation for any new Sabbath And first touching the assembly that here was no assembly or congregation ordeined by Paul is plaine from the vvords of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apudseipsum reponat or apud se seponat let euery one of you put aside by himselfe the Apostle speaketh not here of putting vp mony in the congregation or assembly but of putting it aside by himselfe Now it is one thing to lay vp mony by a mans selfe and an other to lay it vp with others in an assembly for a man may lay vp mony by himselfe when he is at home alone by himselfe and this is that vvhich the text speaketh of and this is not done in an assembly as they suppose but out of an assembly if here vvere any grownd for them for any assembly the Apostle must haue said Let euery one of you contribute vvith others or in the assembly or let euery one of you put aside from himselfe as men doe to Collectors in the Church but he saith the quite contrary let euery one put aside by himselfe vvherefore this ordinance of Pauls vvas a duety to be done by euery man singlie alone by himselfe at home here then you see is no grownd for any assembly or Congregation Now I come to the collection and I shall make it appeare that Paul made no ordinance here at Corinth
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
A Defence Of that most Ancient and Sacred ordinance of GODS the SABBATH DAY Consequently and together with it 2. A Defence of the iiijth Commandement 3. A Defence of the integrity and perfection of the Decalogue Morall Law or X. Commandements 4. A Defence also of the whole and intire worship of God in all the partes thereof as it is prescribed in the first Table of the Decalogue 5. A Discouery of the Superstition impurity and corruption of Gods worship yea and Idolatry committed by multitudes in sanctifying the Lords Day for a Sabbath Day by the iiijth Commandement Vndertaken against all Anti-Sabbatharians both of Protestants Papists Antinomians and Anabaptists and by name and especially against these X Ministers M. Greenwod M. Hutchinson M. Furnace M. Benton M. Gallard M. Yates M. Chappel M. Stinnet M. Iohnson and M. Warde The second Edition corrected and amended with a supply of many things formerly omitted BY THEOPHILUS BRABOURNE Printed ANNO DOM. 1632. Thus saieth the Lord stand in the wayes and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way and walke therein and yee shall finde Rest for your soules Ierem. 6.16 This is that old and that good way Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy c. The vijth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke c. for on the vijth day the Lord Rested Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it Exod. xx viij x. xj Obserue it walke in it For verily I say vnto you vntill heauen earth passe one iote or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law vntill all things be fulfilled Mat. 5.18 Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least Commandements and teach men so hee shall be called the least in the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.19 Whatsoeuer thing I commaund you take heede you doe it Thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought there from Deut. 12.32 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 To the Kings most excellent Maiestie CHARLES by the grace of God King of Great-Brittaine Fraunce and Ireland Defender of the Christian faith c. MOST dread and renowned Soueraigne may it please your excellent Maiestie such is the power of Trueth and specially in Religion that they which haue once tasted it cleaue vnto it more then vnto all the hopes of this life besides The Law of thy mouth saith Dauid is better vnto mee then thowsands of gold siluer Psal 119.72 Yea such is the excellency of Gods blessed Trueth as his meekest seruants will stirr in the defence of it the mildest fight before it shall be indamaged by their forbearance I durst not petition your Highnesse nor aduenture these lines vnto your Maiesties consideration vntill I had by diligent studie first so setled my conscience in the certaine trueth of them as my minde gaue me that I am tied in conscience rather to departe with my life then with this Trueth so captiuated is my conscience inthraled to the Law of my God Here therefore I tender this Trueth with my life vnto your Maiestie that vnto your Godly consideration this vnto your clemency mercy and both to the pleasure of the Almighty I remember when the Booke of the Law had bene lost and was found againe by Hilkiah the Priest in the Raigne of Iosiah 2. King 22. that Hilkiah sent it by Shaphan the Chaunteller vnto the King which giueth me to vnderstand that in matters of Gods worship in case failings and corruptions be found out the Supreme power the King is to haue knowledge of it More particularly when the Lords Sabbath was thought to be prophaned by the Disciples of Christ by plucking eares of corne Mat. 12. to whom did the Pharises complaine but vnto Christ the Lord and Master of the Disciples And when in Nehemiahs time the Sabbath was prophaned by treading the Winepresse bearing of burdens Nehem. 13. to whom did Nehemiah turne himselfe but vnto the Rulers Nobles of Iudah for redresse I addresse my selfe therefore vnto your Maiestie humblie beseeching you to take it into consideration 1. That that most ancient sacred ordinance of Gods Sabbath prescribed in the Morall Law and religiously practised by the most anciët primitiue Churches neere 400 yeeres after the Ascention of Christ euen so longe as they retained their brightest purity and which ought religiously to be sanctified to the worlds end it is now prophaned trampled vnder foote 2. That the Decalogue Law of God is not taught maintained in our Church in its fulnesse integrity and perfection but onely partially by peeces 3. That God hath not his whole intire worship seruice prescribed in the first Table of the Decalogue but is denied one quarter or fowrth part thereof weekly 4. That by the common doctrine in our Church the 4th Commandement is wholly frustrate altogether nullified both roote and branch 5. That by most men in our Church there is grosse superstition committed Gods worship is corrupted and by many plain idolatry wrought by keeping the Lords day for a Sabbath by the 4th Com. Amongst other things I haue as I beleeue made these fiue things manifestly appeare in this Booke and now I humbly present them vnto your Highnesse consideration trusting the cause will speake for it selfe and its bare mention will call for a Reformation It was the laudable and Godly care of your deere Father to cause in his time a new Translation of the sacred Bible for the correction of but here and there a word how much more I trust will his suruiuing Sonne Heire be mindfull of such weighty matters as these are Almighty God hath honoured this eternall Law of the 10 Commandements with such honour as he vouchsafed not to any one portion of Scripture besids in all the Sacred Bible for hee deliuered it in most Maiesticall and terrible manner in flaming fyer the earth trembling Moses the people quaking hee spake it proclaimed it with his owne voyce and wrote it with his owne finger in Tables of stone The Eternall Sonne of God whilst on earth bewraied such care of this Law as that hee ratified it and euery iote title of it to the worlds end saying Verily I say vnto you that vntill heauen earth passe one iote or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all things be fulfilled Mat. 5.18 The Church of God in this Christian Kingdome honoureth at this day this Law of God for shee hath inrouled it in hir Booke of Common Prayers and ordered that it be deuoutly reade at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper at other times of holy Assemblies I trust therefore your Maiestie will afford this sacred honourable portion of Gods Word your best protection The Law it is the inheritance of the Church as wee reade Deut.
the integrity and perfection thereof vnto a iott and title These things premised I come vnto the first thing propounded namely the Defense of the Morall law against Anabaptistes Libertines and Antinomianes SECT II. TOuching the defense of the morall law and consequently of Gods Sabbathes therein conteined be pleased to note that both Anabaptistes beyond the sea and Antinomians on this side the sea all of them that euer I haue spake withall doe freely confesse it that if any day must be a Sabbath day it must be not the Lords day but Saturday the ould Sabbath day now that this Sabbath day is now in force they deny because they suppose the whole law to be abolished and so the Sabbath day therein also wherefore if I shall proue vnto these that the law is still in force I haue obtained my desire with them to wit that the seuenth day Sabbath is still in force First then as touching these who deny the morall law I can but wonder how any heart that hath the feare of God in it can without trembling and astonishment admit so blasphemous a thought as this to enter it as to thinke that that most holy and righteouse Law of God hath nothing to doe with him to command him and to direct him how to order his liefe Moses speaketh thus in commendation of this Law saying And what Nation is so great that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day Deuteru 4.8 and is it so righteous a law how is it then that these men will attempt to abolish it and deny obedience vnto it our Sauiour telleth vs that the summe of this Law is to loue the Lord our God with all our hearts soules and might and to loue our neighbour as our selues Matt. 22.37 Can they shew vs any other law in steade of this that is better more holy or more iust Loue is the summe of this law and loue is the law we shall vvalke by in the kingdome of heauen 1. Corint 13.8.13 and vvill they reiect that lavv on earth vvhich vve shall vvalke by in the kingdome of heauen It may be they vvill say for themselues but the Morall lavv it is Moses lavv novv vve haue forsaken Moses vve cleaue vnto Christ and vnto his Lavves in the Nevv Testament c. But 1. the ceremoniall lavv being vvritten by Moses it may be termed Moses lavv but the Morall Lavv being vvritten by the finger of God it must be called Gods Lavv. 2. Make they a difference betvvixt the lavv vvritten in Exod. 20.1 c. and the same lavv ratified by Christ in the Nevv Testament let them then shevv me a difference betvvixt these tvvo Honour thy father thy mother c. Ex. 20.12 and Children obey your parentes c. Eph. 6.1 and betwixt these tvvo Ex. 20.13 Thou shalt not kill Ro. 13.9 If there then be no difference of the Morall lavv vvhither in the ould or nevv Testament in vaine doe they reiect the one to embrace the other Happily they vvill say againe I but the lavv is of a compulsiue nature compelling men to obedience but Christianes are indued vvith a free spirit doeing things of loue the loue of Christ constraineth them c. it is true indeed Christians are set at liberty and are indued vvith a free spirit but not vvith such a freedome as freeth them from being the Lords seruantes and exempteth them from obedience vnto his Commandements Rom. 6.18.22 nor are vve so perfectly free here but that vve stand in neede of the spurr to quicken our dulnesse see for this purpose Matt. 10.28 Matt. 6.15 Ierem. 32.40 Phil. 2.12 But they will haue no commandements No why then did Christ giue Commandements see Ioh. 13.34 1. Cor. 7.19 Ioh. 14.15 Matth. 6.9.15 Furthermore they say the loue of Christ constraineth them 2. Corin. 5.14 and this loue may and doth compell them to the obedience of the commandements of Christ Ioh. 14.15 Joh. 13.34 well and why then may not the loue of God likewise constraine them to obey his commandements in Exod. 20.1 c. will they loue Christ and will they not loue God if constraint in respect of Christs commādements will stand with the libertie and freedome of Christianes why may it not stand also in respect of Gods commandements One thing I would adde more and it is an admonition vnto any fearing God and honouring his Sabbathes who be leaning and but somewhat inclining vnto this wicked opinion that as they loue and reuerence Gods Sabbathes so they would beware of and shune this dangerous opinion of abolishing the law of God for this I dare confidently affirme take away this morall law and away goeth all Sabbathes also now take away Gods Sabbathes and what a floud of iniquity and prophannesse will forth with flovv in vpon vs I leaue to be considered of by all the Godly wise happily they may thinke to find ground and warrant enough in the New Testament for a Sabbath as namely for the Lords day though the fourth comman were abollshed but that herein they are much mistaken and that no day can be vrged to be sanctified for a Sabbath vnlesse it be by and from the fourth comm shall abundantly appeare hereafter Vnlesse therefore you intend to turne Anabaptistes and keepe no Sabbath auoid this pestilent opinion I come now to the profe of the point but first for the state of the question These Anabaptisticall-Antinomianes hould that the law is not in force to beleeuers and such as are in Christ And wee hould that the law is in force to beleeuers and men in Christ Furthermore whereas the law may be considered two wayes either with respect vnto Iustification or vnto obseruation vvee doe not defend the lavv to be in force vnto Iustification for by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified Rom. 3.20 we defend the lavv to be in force only vnto obseruation and for direction of vs how to walke and to please God Now then that the law is in force vnto beleeuers as a rule of obseruation and direction I proue it by these insuing arguments and Scriptures 1. For verely I say vnto you vntill heauen and earth passe one iote or one title shall in no wise passe from the law vntill all things be fulfilled Matt. 5.18 In which words our Sauiour prophecieth of the duration and continuance of the law euen vnto the worlds end 2. By the law here he vnderstandeth the morall law for the same it is which he expoundeth in the following verses as the sixt comm in v. 22. the seuenth comm in v. 27. the third comm in v. 33. lastly note that all this is pressed vpon beleeuers for obseruation as you may see v. 14.20.45.48 where our Sauiour directeth his speech vnto those which were the light of the world and to those whom God is called their father and therefore these were beleeuers Wee see then that the law belongeth vnto Christians as
well as anciently vnto Ievves yea our Sauiour testifieth in an other place that it is more easie for heauen and earth to passe away then that one title of the law should fall Luk. 16.17 sooner then shall the earth be remoued and the sunne fall from heauen then this law be abolished 2. Children obey your parents in the Lord c. Honour thy father and thy Mother which is the first commandement with promise c. Eph. 6.1.2 Here wee haue one branch of the lavv vrged to wit the fifth comm and it is vrged with respect to obseruation and obedience yea it is also vrged vpon the Children of Christians or Christians Children for as this whole Epistle to the Ephesians was directed vnto the Saintes Ephes 1.1 so this whole sixt chapter is likewise I know they are ready to say that these exhortations were sent vnto the multitude as Sermons are preached vnto a mixed company of good and bad but this precept is vrged vpon the good to wit beleevers for as the duety of children is a branch of the fifth comm so is the duety of seruants now the Apostle in v. 5. speaketh vnto beleeuing seruants for he vrgeth them to obedience to their masters as vnto Christ implying thereby that they did obey Christ and now he exhorteth them to like obedience vnto their masters as they did performe vnto Christ Eph. 5.24 now if they did obey Christ then surely they were beleeuers and did beleeue in Christ and such as these seruants were on whom this fifth command was vrged such wee are to thinke the children were to whom the same comm was vrged at the same time in the same place and all in one breath as it were 3. Doe wee then make the law of none effect through faith God forbid yea wee establish the law Rom. 3.31 In the former parte of this chapter the Apostle had disputed of faith and the faith of Iesus and of remission of sinnes and iustification by faith in Christ for these he stood a maine but as for the lavv and iustification by the workes of the law these he stood against stifly these things being laid downe the Apostle foreseeing some Anabaptisticall spirit ready to snach and to abuse this his doctrine to the subuertion of the lavv he vvisely preuenteth it by a God forbid As if he had said doe you thinke that because I deny iustification by the law and affirme it to be by faith that I intend thereby to abolish the law vtterly no God forbid for I establish the law the law must stand still in force c. that is for obseruation though not for iustification for Paul must be vnderstood so to abolish the lavv in some sense as for all that he ratifieth the lavv in another sense Hereby we see then that the doctrine of faith and iustification by faith doe not abolish the law yea so much the Apostle saith expresly doe wee then saith he make the law of none effect through faith Whence I thus argue that if faith doth not make void the law what should make it voide for our Antinomians say that it is faith and being in Christ that freeth vs from the law the law say they is a scholemaster to bring vs vnto Christ and being in Christ once which is by faith then we are no longer vnder this schoolmaster of the law in any respect we are freed from the law wholly and altogether but the cleane contrary S. Paul affirmeth here namely that faith doth not abolish the lavv that is in all respects Furthermore if faith doeth not abolish the law then the faithfull man is not freed from the lavv So thē when the Apostle saith that he established the lavv it followeth that he established it to the faithfull yea they were the persones of whom Paul spake as you may see by Rom. 3.30 for there circumcision of faith is put for the circumcised and faithfull 4. Owe nothing to any man but to loue one another for hee that loueth another hath fulfilled the law for this Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not couet and if there be any other commandement it is briefly comprehended in this saying Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Rom. 13.8.9 Behold hovv the Apostle presseth the obseruation of the law and hovv that he repeateth 5 or 6 of the seuerall commandements thereof one after an other yea further that all this is vrged vpon beleeuers is plaine in v. 11. vvhere the Apostle vseth a reason to moue to the obseruation of these commandements saying for now is our saluation neerer then when wee beleeued it therefore he spake to them vvhich beleeued vnlesse absurdely you vvill say the question vvas concerning one sorte of people and the argument concerned an other 5. For brethren yee haue bene called vnto liberty only vse not your liberty as an occasion vnto the flesh but by loue serue one an other for all the law is fulfilled in one word which is this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Gal. 5.13.14 In these words the Apostle presseth the duty of loue vvhich is the summe of the lavv and hee presseth it for obseruation and that he doth by this reason because in so doing the lavv shall be fulfilled now vvhy should the Apostle moue the Galatians to the duety of loue because of or in respect of the lavv if the lavv did not at all appertaine to these beleeuing Galatians Furthermore the Apostle presseth the lavv here vpon beleeuers for hee calleth them brethren and such brethren also as had obtained a liberty by Christ stand fast therefore in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free Gal. 5.1 of this liberty by Christ he speaketh againe in v. 13. saying brethren yee haue bene called vnto libertie c. Wherefore since they to vvhom the Apostle spake had abtained vvere called vnto a liberty by Christ it is more then manifest that they vvere beleeuers to vvhom he spake here then it is plaine that they that had obtained liberty by Christ from the ceremoniall lavv stood yet bound still vnto the Morall lavv In a vvord it is manifest that Paul spake here vnto beleeuers for he spake vnto them that did runne well v. 7. who were they that did runne vvell but the beleeuers and he spake vnto them that did waite for the hope of righteousnesse by faith v. 5. and who were they but beleeuers and he spake vnto them in vvhom vvas the combate betvvixt the flesh and the spirit v. 17. and vvere not these beleeuers 6. But if yee fulfill the royall law according to the scriptures which saith Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe yee doe well Iam. 2.8 So speake yee and so doe as they that shall be iudged by the law of libertie Iam. 2.12 Was not Abraham our father iustified through workes when he offred Isaack his sonne c. yee see then how that
that they profane Gods ancient Sabbath against the fourth Comm. of this Lavv and this shall be their ansvver that the fourth Comm. is partly Ceremoniall and that the old Sabbathday is Iewish and pertaineth to the Ievves only As for Protestantes vve tread in their steppes vp and dovvne saue that vve are not so impudently audacious as they for vve acknovvledge the second Comm. for Morall but come vnto the fourth Comm. and here vve iumpe vvith them saying the fourth Comm. is partly Morall partly Ceremoniall and the old Sabbath enioyned in the fourth Com. is Ievvish c. In respect therefore of Gods Sabbathes vvhich both they and vve deny vvee yeeld obedience to Gods Lavv but by halues and saying the fourth Comm. is partly Ceremoniall thereby vve are partiall in Gods Lavv against therefore this partiall dealing vvith God in his Lavves and ordinances shall the following partes of this booke be spent SECT II. The thing vvhich Almightie God intendeth generally in this Com. is hovv all the time and dayes of our liues should be spent and imployed in his seruice the vvhich is backed vvith an effectuall reason for my purpose is first to handle the commandement generally as in this second Section and then more particularly as in the thirth Section c. As for the time we haue a distribution of it in the comm and that into the Sixe dayes and into the seuenth day touching both of these God hath ordered it in this comm hovv he vvould be serued to vvit on the seuenth day by Sanctifying and Hallovving of it in the partes of his vvorship and seruice and a cessation from all seruile vvorkes on the sixt dayes by following some lavvfull calling or other vvich may redovvnd to the glorie of God according to that 1 Cor. 10.31 Whither therefore ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe doe all to the glory of God As for the reason it is a liuely mouing one it being fetched from God him selfe and from his owne ensample In this reason conteined in Exod. 20.11 vve haue also a distribution of time in to the sixe dayes and into the seuenth day vvherein it pleaseth God to declare vnto vs hovv he spent and imployed his time to vvit the first vveeke or seuenth dayes that euer the vvorld savv or heard of the sixe dayes that is those sixe dayes vvhich for order of number order of nature vvent immediatly before the first seuenth day or first Saturday that euer vvas these God spent in vvorking and in making the heauens and the earth and all the hoste of them This God hath reuealed vnto vs vnto this end for one that vve should in imitation of him make choyse of those same sixe dayes vvherin God vvrought that in them and none other vve should vvorke as God vvrought and in them vve should finish all our vvorkes as God in them finished all his vvorkes The seuenth day that is the seuenth day from the Creation or the first Saturday that euer vvas this day God spent in an holy cessation and resting from the vvorkes of creation and therefore this time this day aboue and before all other times dayes God blessed sanctified and this hath reuealed vnto vs to this end and purpose that we should in an holy imitation of God cease from the workes of the sixe dayes before and rest from all seruil labour and that we shold make choise of this very day to Sanctifie it and to hallow it like as God blessed it and hallovved it Novv that we are not left to our liberty in this imployment of the time and dayes of our liefe appeareth here by first because God hath commanded it and secondly God hath backed his commandement by a strong forcible reason dravvne from his owne ensample that we shold so imploy the dayes of the weeke as God him selfe at the Creation imployed them and this is noted by that rationall particle for Exod. 20.11 And this is that which God aimeth at in this com generally namely that we shold spend and imploy euery day and all the dayes of the weeke after the ensample of God or as God himselfe spent them The thing which Almightie God intendeth in this com specially and principally is the hallowing of that sacred time and day called the Sabbath day and the Seuenth day as in the third Comm. God inioyned the hallowing of his Sacred Name so in this fourth com God inioyned the hallowing of his Sacred day to wit the seuenth day the which him selfe had made holy aboue all dayes by his blessing of it and Sanctifying of it as we reade Genes 2.3 like as the king might say to his subiectes Remember my Coronation day to keepe it an holy day or Remember the Gunpowder Treason day to Keepe it an holy day so saith the king of kings Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy Exod. 20.8 Secondly the Sanctification of this day it is inioyned both affirmatiuely and negatiuely affirmatiuely in these words Remember the Sabbath day to Sanctifie it Negatiuely in these words In it thou sholt not doe any worke the affirmatiue parte of the precept requireth sanctity and the parformance of holy duties the Negatiue parte of the precept requireth a resting from laboures in our ordenary callings which hinder and thrust out those holy duties Thirdly the Lord God inioyneth vs in this comm tvvo things the one is the duety of the day the other is the dueties of rest from labours and the perfermance of sondry the parts of Gods worship and seruice in the day I call it the duety of the day because we are no lesse bound in duety to God to that day then to the dueties of rest and holinesse in the day or we are no lesse bound to performe the dueties of rest and holinesse on that day then we are tyed to performe the dueties of rest and holinesse them selues I cleere the point by these examples as in a bond you haue two essentiall parts the one is the some of mony to be paied the other is the day and time when it is to be paied and a man is equally and alike bound to both of these that is as well to the day as to the some of mony as appeareth by this that al though a man bring the full some of mony yet if he omit the day and come the day after his bond is forfeited And as in circumcision there was two things inioyned the one was the cutting off of the foreskine the other was the time and day when it was to be done namely vpon the 8th day Genes 17.12 and as in that other Sacrament of the passouer there was tvvo things commanded the one vvas the slaying and eating of the passouer lamb the other was the time and day when to bedone namely vpon the 14th day of the moneth Exod. 12.6.8 in both which Sacraments of circumcision and passouer the day time was no lesse a duety then were the actions to be performed
did so for in six dayes the Lord made heauen and earth and rested the seuenth day vvhich is our Saturday Exo. 20.11 It is as you see the very reason and president vvhich God himselfe hath set before our eyes and if vve like to doe as God did and to treade in his steppes then must vve speake as God spake in our account and doe as God did in our practise This is that which Musculus hath in his exposition vpon the fourth comm fol. 66. The imitation of the example of God saith hee standeth in this that in the same six dayes in which God wrought all his workes we worke ours and in the seuenth day when hee rested from his we doe rest also from our works according to his example It is to be noted that hee saith that our imitation of God standeth in this that we vvorke on the same six dayes in which God vvrought and that we Rest on the same seuenth day in vvhich God himselfe rested This is the true exposition of this fourth comm Here then is discouered the errour of many vvho thus pleade for themselues Doe not vve according to the Commandement vvorke six dayes rest the seuenth day this is a trueth they say indeed but it is not Gods trueth they labour six dayes indeed but they labour not on those same six dayes which God spake of and which God set them a sample of in his ovvne person nay they profanely labour vpon that day for one vvhich God set them a patterne to rest on and that is vpon the Saturday T is true as they say also they rest the seuenth day but not on that seuenth day vvhich God counted for the seuenth day but on that seuenth day vvhich God euer counted for the first day of the weeke vvhich is our Sunday Novv no maruaile God set himselfe out for our patterne that vve shold imitate him see hovv nere vve follovv him on our Saturday God rested from vvorke and sanctified it and vve in imitation of him vvorke on that day and profane it againe on our Sunday God vvrought as vpon the first of his six working dayes and vve in imitation of God doe cease from vvorke and sanctify it thus vvhen God rest vve vvorke and vvhen hee vvorketh then vve rest is this to imitate God or can vve oppose and thvvart him more and yet these men vvold thinke vve doe them vvrong to say they doe not imitate God but rather mocke God pretending indeed to imitate him according to his fourth comm vvhen in very trueth vve cold not deuise on the suddaine hovv to thvvart and crosse Gods example more then vve doe Now vvhence comes this erronious practise amōg the people but from the erronious doctrine of some Ministers vvho besides other errours touching the Sabbath doe falsly expound the fourth command to the people by nicknaming of dayes as if the six dayes mentioned in the Comm. might be vnderstood of other six dayes then God euer spake of or vvrought in or then the Church for thousands of yeeres vnderstood the fourth comm to speake of and as if the seuenth day might be attributed to some other day then the seuenth day from the creation vvherein God rested and for this purpose they haue inuented a distinction of a seuenth day and the seuenth day making the ignorant people beleeue that the fourth com speaketh not of the seuenth day but of a seuenth day that is of any day of the seuen whereby God is plainly defeated of his purpose which vvas to haue that one seuenth day sanctified vvhich he had therefore blessed and sanctified and which himselfe rested on and left vs for a patterne and hereby an other day is foisted in and intruded into its roome This idle distinction giues vs to learne novv that there is a first day of the vveeke and the first day of the vveeke that there is a Lords day and the Lords day and that there might haue beene in the Church of the Iewes had they beene so skillfull as vve are become a eigth day for circumcision and the eigth day and a fourteenth day of the moneth for the passouer and the fourteenth day and these vnderstood not of one and the same day but of diuers dayes and vvhy not all these as vvell as a seuenth day the seuenth day and if they please too vve may haue a Christ and the Christ a Mathevv and the Mathevv a Iohn and the Iohn a Paul and the Paul and sometimes these shall be expounded in one of these senses and aftervvard at an other time in the other of these senses Distinctions they be more fit for children then for men of yeeres for Iesuites then Protestants for Iuglers then honest meaning men A second thing out of our generall suruey of the partes of this com is that vve haue proued that the time and day specified in the fourth com is no lesse commanded by God then the dueties of rest and holinesse which being so here cometh to be reproued an other errour of our Ministers they vse to Answer it thus vvhen the duety of the very day and time is vrged vpon them oh say they the time that 's but an adiunct but an accident but a circumstance and t is not the circumstance so much vvhich God lookes at but it is the substance which God regardeth novv see hovv these men haue learned an arte to extenuate Gods commandements by calling them lightly and regardlesly but an accident but a circumstance who could thinke that Ministers yea Puritane Ministers vvho shold back Gods commandements and reuerence the things commanded shold but at them and as it were push at them vvith a but saying t is but a circumstance c is not this a contempt offered to the Holy one of Israel thus to sleight him in his ordinance durst euer the Church of the Ievves thus but at the eigth day appointed of God for circumcision saying the strict day is but time but a circumstance what if we neglect it and circumcise on the nineth day the day after it is the Substance of cutting off the foreskine which God lookes at might they then haue thus sleighted the time ordeined of God for the passouer to be eaten on the 14th day of the moneth by saying the precise time was but a circumstance and so be we eate the passouer it matters not if we eate it on the 15th or 16th day of the moneth were any of vs bound in a bond to paie vnto his Maiestie a certaine some of mony vpon the seuenth day of May durst we aduenture it to sleyght the precise day of payment vpon this idle pretense that the day and time in the bond it is but an adiunct but a circumstance all will be well enough therefore if I tender the some of mony vpon the eigth day or ninth day of May vvere this but a common bond betwixt subiect and subiect sure I am no Lawyer no Iudge no nor any common man but vvold
say this were a plaine forfeiture of the bond and that the debitor his calling the time but a circumstance vvas but a pore shifte this vvere a silly plea before the Iudg of Assises to say the time my Lord it was but a circumstance c. well hovv euer men dare not dally thus before an earthly Iudge and with an earthly king yet men dare palter thus with the king of kings were a man summoned to appeare at a day apponinted but in an inferiour courte who durst sleight that day They are only Gods dayes and Gods times then that may besleighted this bewraies that God is not reuerenced as is a mortall king or Iudg men dare not sleight the precise day of appearance in the Courtes of men but men dare sleight the precise day of appearance before the Lord chiefe Iustice of heauen earth in the Courtes of his fanctuary nor are men so afraid to make a forfeiture of the bond of Gods fourth comm by neglect of the day as they are a fraid to forfeite abond of 10. or 20. to a man by neglect of the day Thus much for the time and day in generall we shall hereafter come to the particularity of the time to shew how more specially what day it is which God requireth SECT III. Hauing laied forth the seuerall partes of this Com. in the foregoing Section detected some of the errours of our time in abusing the sense meaning of the Spirit of God in this Com. it now remaineth that I come to the Exposition of the same and whereas the com is laid downe partly affirmatiuely and partly negatiuely we will in the former place speake of the affirmatiue parte the which is conteined in these words Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke In this affirmatiue parte first we will speake of the word day secondly of these words Sabbath day thirdly of the Commandement in this word Remember c. For the word Day to giue an Exposition of it according to the minde of the holy ghost we must serch how the holy Ghost vseth this vvord in Scripture for this purpose see Genes 1.5 And God called the light day but no where hath he called the darknesse day wherefore the light only is the day in Gods accounte see also 1 Cor. 3.13 euery mans worke shal be made manifest for the day shall declare it Where by the word Day the holy Ghost meaneth the light see 1 Thes 5.8 But let vs who are of the day be sober Where by day is meant light as appeareth by the Opposition of the word night in the former verse se Joh. 11.9 are there not 12 howres in the day if any man walke in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light the day therefore is the time of light by Scriptures accompt wherefore by the word day in the fourth Com. I vnderstand the time of light and of light only A second querie may be to know how long this day is and when it beginneth and when it endeth For the beginning of it we are to giue it the largest extent as to begin early in the morning by day breake or day peepe euen whilst it is but a little light and much darknesse see Ioh. 20.1 and Mark 1.35 this last text is to be reade as Chemnitius well obserues thus In the morning whilst it was very much night c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so Beza readeth it also Now as the day beginneth with the least light appearing in the skie so we are to thinke it lasteth so long as there is any sunne light in the skie or vntill the day be quite off the skie thus much be spoken of the word day shewing 1. what is meant by it to wit the time of light 2. How long this day is to wit from the first approch of the sunne light vnto the last departure of its light The consideration of these twoo Points discouereth vnto vs a threefold errour of our times the one is of such as hould that the Sabbath day beginneth at midnight and lasteth to the next midnight the other is of those who hould the Sabbath day beginneth in the morning lasteth to the next morning the other of such as hould it beginneth on the Euening of Saturday night al which opinions in they hould as well a night as a day to be a parte of the sabbath day but these are all erroniouse because growndlesse for the word day in the com signifieth the time of light this is the frequent vse of the word in scriptures that the word day must signify darknesse as wel as light I thinke cannot be showne in the Scriptures Wherefore as to giue God lesse then the wholl tyme of light is to giue God not a day but a peece of a day so to giue God more then the wholl time of light it to giue God more then a wholl day and so more then God hath commanded But against this it may be said that there it a day naturall a day artificiall the one cōsisting of 24 howres the other of 12 howres now we must giue God the largest day of 24. hovvres But for this pointe how euer this distinction may haue its vse in ciuill affaires yet is it not founded in Scripture the Scriptures indeed mention a day of 12. howres Ioh. 11.9 but of a day of 24. hovvres I no where reade it is not safe therefore to expound the word day in the fourth Comm. of a day of 24 hovvres Further it may be said that by the word day we must vnderstand the night and darknesse also euen the wholl time of 24. howres for so it is taken Genes 1.5 And the euening and morning were the first day where the euening is put for the darknesse and the morning is put for the light and both these are called the first day Where to I answer that this exposition is growndlesse to say that the Euening is put for the night or darknesse for it cannot be shovvne in Scripture that any where the word Euening is put for the night or darknesse Herevnto assenteth Mr. Perkins in his cases of conscience at the end of the second booke Secondly I answer to giue such an exposition of the Text Genes 1.5 as maketh a confusion of things is not safe for to vnderstand by the Euening the darknesse and so making the vvord day to signify or comprize both light and darknesse is to make a vvofull confusion for so one and the same vvord shall signifie things quite contrary as vvel might one suppose hell to be signified vnder the vvord heauen as night vnder the vvord day God hath distinguished the light from the darknesse as in nature so by sondry proper names calling the light day and the darknesse he called night Genes 1.5 let not vs then confound them a better exposition of the vvord Euening is therefore to be sought for this end
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
comm which vvere reason enough for vs to put a difference of dayes if we had none other We see then it is a friuolouse obiection to say the least of it for men to say it matters not so much which day we giue God for his Sabbath so be he hath one God is in loue with his owne choise no day can so please him as his owne chosen day The Iewes might as well haue said so be we offer Sacrifice in an house by a man it matters not which house nor what man yet God had chosen his Temple before all Housen his Priests aboue all men therefore they durst not alter Gods choise Might not we as well say now it matters not so much what man ministreth the Sacraments so be a man doth it nor what we drinke at the Lords Supper so it be liquor doe wee not abhorre such obiections If vve will keepe a Sabbath by the 4th com vve must betake vs to such a day onely vnto vvhich this reason of the Sabbaths institution mentioned in the 4th com doth properly belong it cannot be said of any of the other 6 dayes Sunday Monday Tewsday Wednesday Thursday or Friday that God blessed or sanctified any of them because he had Rested on them if therefore vve choose any of these 6 dayes 1. vve keepe a day vvhich God did not blesse nor sanctify for that end 2. We defeate disapoint God of his maine reason end vvhich moued him to ordaine command the Sabbath to blesse it and to sanctify it for because God had rested on the 7th day which is Saturday Therefore the Lord blessed the 7th day hallowed it Genes 2.2.3 I pray let this point be well obserued for it is of great consequence Vse 2. is it so that God hath sanctified hallowed this 7th day Saturday Sabbath hovv is it come about that this sacred time is novv euery where in all Churches so strangly profaned for as those Iewes dealt then with the Temple they bought in it sould in it changed their money in it Mat. 21.12 So doe we now profane the Saturday Sabbath by hauing markets therein by buying selling therein yea vve refuse not to doe the most base seruill drudgery vvorkes that the Kitchine hath on the Lords Sabbath day vve are farre vnlike our heauenly Father in the vse of this day he sanctified it we profane it he rested on it we worke on it he commanded vs to Remember it we forget it These things considered it is high time for euery man to make a serch inquisition to know what 's become of the Lords Sabbath and to be well informed of the reason why the Lords Sabbaths are now forgotten so strangly profaned The Priests lippes must preserue knowledge and people must seeke the law at their mouths Mal. 2.7 Wherefore I aduise people to haue recourse to their Ministers in this matter and in most seriouse manner demand of them what 's become of the Lords Sabbaths by what warrant this sacred time is now so profaned and if they cannot for the present giue you a sound reason desire them to take it into consideration to study the point better that so a full satisfaction may be giuen to Gods people in this matter or else a reformation may be sought it is no dallying the matter is weightie that a sacred day so hallowed by God should be now so profaned it standeth euery man vpon to haue sound arguments for it vnlesse he will be guilty of the sinne of profaning Gods Sabbaths weekly and transgression of the 4th com sleiting Gods example and president This one thing I dare confidently auovvch that no Minister is able to shew any text of holy writ which doth necessarily abolish this 7th day Sabbath as for those textes Coloss 2.16 Exod. 31.13 vvhich are their maine textes ther 's no necessity at all in them for abolition of the Morall Sabbath for there be ansvvers enough to them sufficient enough as shall be seene hereafter when we come to ansvver to all their obiections if those that oppose God in his Sabbaths did but please to retaine them and to sanctify them I am confident therefore that it is nothing but their meere willes pleasures that makes them inueigh against the Lords Sabbaths Let people therefore see to it what manner of arguments reasons they admit of from their Ministers for their profaning of the Lords Sabbaths which he hath hallowed sanctified let not euery trifling probable argument be auailable hauing but some liklihod to be so but let them call for such solid substantiall reasons as doe proue the abolishing of the Sabbath day necessarily cleerly vndeniably to the full satisfying of their consciences let Ministers giue them no reasons here for their iustifiable profaning of the Lords hallowed Sabbath but such as will hould currant before God at the day of iudgement when God shall call for an account of his sacred time holy Sabbaths neither let the people rest satisfied till they haue such reasons for their profanation of the Sanctified 7th day Sabbath as they doe verily beleeue are sound warrantable such as God will accept at their hands vvhen they shall be questioned therefore before his Tribunall for no probable contingent doubtfull arguments will then passe for current against an expresse commandement and so ancient sacred an ordinance as is Gods Sabbath I conclud this point with those words of the voyce from heauen to Peter Act. 10.15 The things that God hath purified pollute thou not So say I to Ministers when your people repaire vnto you for reasons to iustify them in the profanation of the Lords sacred holy Sabbaths haue a care least you dravv all the guilt of Sabbath breaking the sinne of transgression of the 4th com vpon your owne soules and that by your reasons you doe not pollute the things which God hath sanctified purified the Lords Sabbaths I meane the things that God hath sanctified pollute thou not SECT IX I come novv to the 3d thing considerable in the reason to the 4th com mentioned in these vvords For in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen earth the sea all that in them is rested the 7th day Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day hallowed it These words sixe dayes you haue them tvvise mentioned in this 4th com the first time they are mentioned is in Exod. 20.9 and there they are to be considered as a commandement for they are deliuered in commanding termes The second time you haue them mentioned is in Exod. 20.11 and here they are to be considered as a reason and so much is manifest by the rationall particle for prefixed as you see Wherefore novv vve are to consider of these vvords as they are a reason vrged by God to induce vs to the Sanctifying of his Saturday 7th day Sabbath commanded in this 4th comm the reason is
for so he thought Luther saith the Author should beginne all that hee deemed intollerable not to be indured Thus you see scandall hath formerly bene taken at the meanenesse of the person great Clerkes will neither attempt the reformation of abuses them selues nor yet can they beare it that their inferioures should doe any thing neither the reason I take to be because in the former they are in danger to loose their greatnesse in the latter to loose their goodnesse it is lamentable to see how now a dayes the word trueth of God is receined with respect of persones and that among the best both Ministers people they inquire not now a dayes vvhat hee saieth and hovv agreeablie to the rule of Gods vvord hee speaketh but vvhat is hee whence comes hee is hee a lofte in the vvorld benifised with a good liuing richly attired is hee a man of note can hee coutenance vs and the point he speakes for these the like carnall childish respectes haue Christians in receiuing Gods vvord it would discourage any man almost that is lesse then A Doctour of Diuinity of the highest ranke for honour vvorldly dignities to be industriouse in the study of the Scriptures so as thereby to ad further light vnto profession because vvhat he saith shall be as meanly accounted of as his person is S. Iames saith my brethren haue not the saith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persones Iam. 2.1 Who that looketh vpon these so many stumbling blockes with many others that might be showne can wonder that men of a sharp sight yea holy liefe should haue their eye sight dazâ—lled not see such a trueth as is encountered with so many difficulties were it such a trueth as the knovvledge publike profession thereof vvould stand vvith antiquity vniuersality publike applause approbation facility of reformation credit reputation liueings preferments then should I wonder vvonder againe if Ministers should not find it out presently professe it publikly but this is such a trueth as is at the first thoughts of it oppugned by a vvhole army of gaine saying obiections all vvhich are preualent vvith manes naturall corruptiones let not people therfore think it a thing altogether impossible for many Godly lerned Ministers to side it together against such a trueth to bewillingly ignorant of it and let such Ministers themselues serch out which of these obstacles here mentioned or the like to them hath so blinded their mindes dazelled their reason as neither Gods Memorandum prefixed to the Saturday Sabbath nor Gods Commandement nor Gods ensample no nor yet Gods reason perswasion all written in the Morall Lavv can preuaile with them to take in to Remembrance againe the Lords Sabbath day for doubtlesse there must besome beame or other in the eye of their reason which cannot see reason in Gods reason Before I conclud this section one thing more I would commend to your consideration this it is vvheras this 4th com generally considered hath two partes the one is the Commandement it selfe the other is the reason of the commandement as formerly I haue showne you that our Ministers haue by their renovvncing of the time in the Com. renownced abolished by iust consequence the whole 4th com also so much I am to discouer a further errour of theirs which is that by their abolishing of the time in 4th com to wit the Saturday 7th day Sabbath hereby also they haue nullified abolished the reason to the com which is taken from Gods owne example and conteined in these words For in sixe dayes the Lord made the heauen the earth the sea all that in them is rested the 7th day Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day hallowed it All these words I say they haue vtterly nullified so as now they stand but for a cipher to fill vp an empty place What I haue charged them with I thus make good The argutum thing which God would persvvade his people vnto it is the obseruation sanctification of the 7th day Sabbath as you may see in the com foregoeing this reason to this end it pleaseth God to frame propound vnto vs a most notable liuely reason taken from his owne example to this effect Remember you to sanctifie the Sabbath day for because I sanctified the Sabbath day Doe you rest from vvorke on the 7th day for because I rested from worke on the 7th day therefore I hallowed sanctified the 7th day Sabbath Now suppose we that the 7th day Sabbath were abolished as they say it is which is the argutum or thing argued wherevnto God did by this reason perswade then what vse can there be of this reason which God here propoundeth for example now that Circumcision the Passeouer Sacrifices are ceased what vse is there now of those reasons wherby Gods people the Iewes were then perswaded to those dueties of Circumcision the Passeouer Sacrifices such is the case here take away the Sabbath day you take away the reasons that belonged to it to perswade vnto the sanctification thereof for what need reasons motiues to perswad vnto that which is not But happily they will say though vntruely that the Sabbath day is not abolished it is only but changed vnto the Lords day Well say we for this time grant them this for argument sake then thus I make it good against them the reason of the 4th comm cannot possible be a reason vnto the Lords day for it is most absurd for any man to thinke God should perswade vs to keepe the Lords day because hee kept the Sabbath day or that God should perswade vs to keepe the first day of the weeke because kept the 7th last day of the weeke Thus the conclusion the premisses should not be of the same but of sondry things For the day vvhereof the question is as novv they would haue it to vvit the Lords day it differeth much from the day mentioned in the reason to the com that thus 1. The day in the reason God rested in it but the day in the question God vvrought in it 2. The day in the reason God sanctified it and hallovved it but the day in their question to vvit the Lords day vve no vvhere reade that God blessed it sanctified it so the one differeth from the other as much as an hallovved or holy day doth from an vnhallovved or vvorking day If it be so then that this reason proposed by God cannot be applied vnto the Lords day then it follovveth that this reason is made by such as oppose the Lords Sabbaths a very cipher of none vse but to fill vp a voide place A very vvicked fact it is vvhosoeuer are guilty of it Yet further that this reason stands now a dayes since our Lords day is come into vse and the Sabbath day abolished as a meere cipher it
is with in thy gates For in sixe dayes the Lord made heauen earth the sea all that in them is rested the 7th day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day hollowedit Now presently thes words being vttered by the Minister the wholl Congregation confirmeth them by this deuour godly prayer vnto Almightie God saying Lord haue mercy vpon vs incline our hartes to keepe this Law The charg of the Minister standing in Gods roome the Ecchoing voice of the people by there prayers as an answer confirming putteth in my minde to thinke what a lamentable Dialogue would be betvvixt Almightie God vs if he should call vs to an accounte for the breach of his 4th Com. for albeit we dravv nigh to God in the Congregation vvith our lippes saying Amen to all Gods preceptes yet in our liues is no such matter and because we all one day must come to this accompt it shall not be amisse to haue the state of it presented before our eyes here that so if we cannot acquite our selues we may know it in time vvhilst there is space for repentance Suppose we therfore Almightie God examining vs vve againe answering for our selues thus Question 1. Haue you remembred my Sabbath day as I commanded you by my Minister in the Congregation vnto which you did subscrib assent by your prayer Answer no Lord we haue in deede forgotten that day but vve haue bene mindfull of the day after it to wit the Lords day Question 2. But haue you Sanctified my Sabbath day as I commanded you Answer no Lord vve haue vve must confesse it profaned that very day but vve haue sanctified the Lords day which is but the day after it Quest 3. But as for the 7th day vvhere as I certified you that the 7th day is the Sabbath day Exod. 2â— 8 charged you that in it thou should est doe no manner of worke c. haue you novv refrained your laboures rested from worke on this 7th day Answ no Lord vve confesse indeed that how euer vve haue done our vvorkes on this 7th day yet haue vve rested from our vvorkes on the 8th day Quest 4. wheras I sanctified hallowed the 7th day also set you myne ovvne president for your example in asmuch as I Rested on the 7th day moued you by a reason drawne from myne owne example which I annexed to my 4th Com. haue you novv imitated myne example and regarded my reason vvher by I persvvaded you Ansvv no Lord vve haue neglected thy example thy reason But vve haue imitated Christ his Apostles in preaching and hearing of sermones the like on a day vvhereof vve reade not that euer thou didest Sanctify it namely on the first day of the vveeke vvhich thou didest command for labour Novv thinke of this matter good brethren in time least you leese your hoped for revvard of keeping the Lords Sabbathes for vvill this ansvver goe for current thinke you before God at that day of Rekoning But this answer is too right downe for some for these haue ingenuously confessed the trueth wherfore vve must lay downe an other answer for them for they like Saul vvho contrary to Gods Commandement spared Agag the best of the Sheepe c. yet said I haue obeied the voice of the Lord 1 Sam. 15.20 so these stand to iustifie it defend it that they doe obey the voice of God according to his 4th Com. well let these be tryed saieth the Almightie Quest 1. Haue you Remembred my Sabbath day Answer yis Lord for as for that day we neuer thought of it but we remembred the Lords day the day after Quest 2. And haue you sanctified my Sabbath day as I commammanded you Ansvv yis Lord for vve profaned it vvith seruile laboures but vve haue sanctified the Lords day Quest 3. And haue your rested on the 7th day for the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lard c. Exod. 20.10 Ansvv yis Lord we haue laboured on the 7th day haue rested on the 8th day Quest 4. But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Exod. 20.10 haue you novv kept the Sabbath of the Lord your God Ansvver yis Lord vve haue profaned it but we haue kept the Sabbath of the Lord Christ Quest 5. haue you kept the 7th day Sabbath in imitation of mee the day which I set you for a patterne the day solemnized in remembrence of the Creation Ansvv yis Lord for vve haue kept the 8th day or first day of the vveeke in imitation of Christ and his Apostles the day solemnized in remembrance of the Redemption Iudge novv good brethren if these men may not besaid to dally mocke vvith God in a most seriouse vveightie matter Yet further there are but tvvo eminent places in the Church vvherin the Minister performeth his seruice to God to vvit the Delike the Pulpit loe hovv these varie are at iarre In the Deske the Minister readeing the 10 Commandemets saith the people must sanctify the Sabbath day but the same Minister in the same Church to the same people being but gotten vp in to the Pulpit saith they must sanctify the Lords day In the Deske hee saith the 7th day is the Sabbath but gone but a farre as the pulpit there he saith the 8th day is the Sabbath Think you these men are not gone from their Text vvhen they reade one thing preach an other is it meete that the Deske the Pulpit shold be at such oddes I confesse they haue some idle distinctions friuolouse ansvvers vvhereby for the present they stoppe vp the month of conscience and blind the eyes of the simple but let them try if they cane by the same answers distinctions bleare the eyes of Almightie God at that day In the dayes of blindnesse popery before Luther brought light vnto the second com I verily beleeue it that Popish Priests had not more nor more grosse ansvvers distinctions obiections to maintaine their Idolatry and Image worshiping against the second Comm. then now a dayes our Ministers haue to mainteiue their syne of Sabbath-breaking against the 4th Com. but what should I say I vvish I knew how else to informe Gods people of his will how they I might sanctify Gods Sabbaths in priuate with out the publike assemblies of the Church helpes of a Minister disturbance of the Church as we may cane yeeld obedience to any euery of the other 9 com singly alone euery man by himselfe with out the helpe company of others although they would not ioyne with vs could I I say haue deuised this it shold well haue bene seene that I would neuer haue blotted paper to informe or contended with these cuning Sophisters who by their wittes such as they are will make any thing good they please to vndertake they should for me haue goneon till they
for counsaile aboute the matter and all their vvites frends should be imployed for to find it out as they vvould haue it if it vvere possible but novv the Tyeth of Gods Lavv or a portion of the tieth at least is detayned from God and from themselues by themselues and here they vvill neither runne nor ride nor aske for Counsaile in this case no nor accept vvelcome it vvhen it is brought thrust in to their heades it giues a man to suspect that these loue more vnfeinedly a good liuing then Gods law Nay I cannot but thinke that if I had tendered vnto some Ministers a liuing of 50l. or 60l. a yeere that vpon no better euidence title then in my former booke I tendred them the Lords Sabbaths I cannot thinke I say that any man in the kingdome could wrest it out of their hands In a word these that are so mindelesse of Gods lavv vvhen they are so mindfull of their owne liuings like as God said vnto his people the Iewes when they neglected the building of the Temple yet were diligent to builde themselues houses Is it time for you to dwell in your seiled houses and this house lie waste Hagg. 1.4 So may I say vnto them Is it time for you yee Ministers to enioy your liuings when the Lords Sabbaths lie waste God must haue a rekoning of you for these things This rule being applied to common people will detect them also Is it so that whosoeuer loueth Gods law in trueth he will with all redinesse willingnesse imbrace the knowledge of the vnknowne partes thereof Then if I shall make it appeare that most men are vnwilling to imbrace the knowledge of the vnknovvne partes of Gods lavv it vvill follovv very suspiciously that most men doe not loue the law of God in trueth what euer they say thinke to the contrary Thus I make it good against them The doctrine of Gods Sabbaths is a parte of the lavv it is the vnknovvne part of Gods lavv Novv the knowledge of this being tendered vnto men they bevvray their vnwillingnesse to be taught instructed in it that two wayes the one is in that vvhen the matter cometh to tryall they admit of insufficient Artificiall arguments for they preferr feeble and weake reasons before strong and able reasones the other is in that they admit of insufficient Inartificiall argumēts for they admit and allow of dissallowable and vnsufficient Testimonyes to decide this controuercy by vvhen these two things are made plaine the case vvill goe cleere against them for a foundation first of all suppose we the point in controuercy to wit this vnknowne parte of Gods Law touching his Sabbathes is as disputable contingent questionable as doubtfull as you will in so much as in your very consciences you thinke it may be it may not be a trueth and that it is as likly not to be true as to be true let all this be granted perhaps there is some reason it shold be granted seeing that it is a point not heard of before by common people neither haue they euer spent any time in the study of the point Well be it so I proceed then For the first to vvit that vvhen the point of Gods Sabbaths comes to be argued people yea Ministers also admit of insufficient arguments preferring them before able strong reasons and this shall appeare by comparing together the reasons brought onboth sides the reasons brought for the Lords Sabbaths among others are these 1. Gods expresse Com. Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day and In it thou shalt not doe any worke 2. Christ ratified it vvhen he vvith so vehement an Asseueration auovvched the duration of euery iot and title of the Lavv vnto the vvorlds end saying Verily I say vnto you vntill heauen earth perish one iote or one title of the Law shall not escape vntill all things be fulfilled And againe whosoeuer therfore shall breake one of these least commandements and teach men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.18.19 On the other side the reasons brought against Gods Sabbathes by those which are the enemies therof are these Gal. 4.10 ye obserue dayes and moneths and times and yeeres c. and Col. 2.16 let no man condemne you in meate drinke or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moone or of the Sabbath dayes Novv let these argumēts on both sides be laid into the ballances they for the Lords Sabbath in to the one ballāce they against the Lords Sabbath in to the other ballance and then iudg thou good Reader vvhither hath the greater weight For breuitysake we wil compare onely these two textes Exo. 20.8 and Col. 2.16 The one thou seest is a Commandement and a Morall Commandement it toucheth the very point in question to vvit the 7th day Sabbath yea that the 4th Com. intendeth the seauenth day Saturday Sabbath is so plaine as vvas it neuer doubted of by any The other thou seest is a dissvvasion from Sabbath dayes indefinitly that is from some Sabbath dayes for the Apostle saith not all Sabbath dayes in generall but Sabbath dayes as of some Sabbath dayes in speciall so then this texte toucheth not the point in question to wit the 7th day Sabbath but other annuall ceremoniall Sabbaths if this Text did make ought against the Morall 7th day Sabbath it must speake of all Sabbathes generally in the largest sense that so the Morall Sabbath might be included condemned too but the text doth not mention the note of generallity all neither is it necessarily to be collected for 1. their owne expositers as Perkins Dod Greenham Elton Ames with diuerse others as shall be shovvne doe limite this text vnto some Sabbaths as vnto the ceremoniall yeerly Sabbaths and. 2. The text giueth light vnto it for it condemneth onely such things as neuer vvere vvrote in the Morall Law as meate and drinke and new moones c. and therefore vve iudge the Sabbaths condemned in this Text to be onely such Sabbaths also as vvere neuer vvrote in the 10 Commandements as their yeerly Sabbaths so the vveekly Sabbaths in the 4th Com. stand still vntoucht by this text 3 suppose vve that the Apostle had spake not onely of Sabbaths plurally but also of Sabbaths generally had vsed the particle all saying all Sabbaths yet vve knovv that the particle all is often times restrained in Scripture is not taken in the largest sense that may be witnesse these Scriptures 1. Cor. 6.12 1. Cor. 9.25 1. Corint 10.23.33 1. Cor. 13.2.7 1. Cor. 15.22 vvhereby vve see that this their text Col. 2.16 may be vnderstood of some Sabbaths onely as namely of the yeerly Sabbaths and so ther 's no necessity it should touch the morall vveekly Sabbaths at all Iudge novv good Reader whither of these two textes are more for the purpose for the 4th com it is vnderstood directly of the 7th
albeit the Court knovveth not hovv he is able to make good proue his information yet it being a matter probable seeing it is the Kings cause both the Iudge and all the Iustices euen the whole Court doe countenance the cause yea so farre forth take in vvith it as that if it be possible so as no iniustice be done nor any Lavv of the Realme thereby violated he that informeth for the King shall haue the day rather then a priuate subiect and good reason for it Well in the case of the Lords Sabbaths I informe for the King of kings the King of heauen earth it is novv the parte of all Gods Ministers both superiour as Bishops inferiour as common Preachers to take in with this cause of Gods Sabbaths as Gods cause their Lord King to countenance it to their vtmost yea so farre forth to backe it take part vvith it as Gods Sabbaths may haue the day if no law of God nor text in Scripture be thereby violated as I dare pawne my life for it there shall not If Ministers in the Church both superiours and inferiours doe not thus honour God before the people by giuing his cause the preeminence the Magistrates of the common weale shall rise vp in iudgement against them condemne them I come now to the last vse of the point Is it so that thou louest the lavv of God then take vp a daily lamentation for the lamenesse imperfection of Gods lavv for the vveekly violation of Gods 4th com and for the profanation of Gods Sabbaths if we haue not Gods Law in its integrity and perfection as we haue not if vve vvant his Sabbath therein commanded then haue vve but a lame imperfect lavv and if the Saturday be Gods Sabbath as I haue shovvne it is and shall further proue hereafter then is the 4th com vveekly broken and Gods Sabbaths weekly profaned As Dauid hath bene our President shevving vs hovv vve should loue Gods law so let him be our President to shevv vs hovv vve should mourne for the violation transgression of Gods Lavv Mine eyes gush out saieth he with riuers of waters because they keepe not thy Law Psal 119.136 And againe I saw the transgressours was grieued because they kept not thy word Psal 119.158 It is a property then of a Godly man to mourne and to grieue to see Gods Lavvs transgressed and the reason of that his sorrow griefe is because he loueth Gods Law as Dauid did Oh then that all sorts of people would bevvray their loue to Gods Lavv by their sorrow of heart to see it transgressed weekly in the profanation of Gods Sabbaths Againe doest thou indeed loue the Lavv of God how canst thou but take it to heart to see this holy and Diuine Lavv of thy God so mangled defaced so lame imperfect as in these dayes it is in all Christian Churches It is and euer hath bene a speciall fauour of God to betrust any Nation or people vvith his word and Oracles as we may see it in Rom. 3.1.2 What is the preferment of the Iew c. much enery way for chiefly because vnto them were of credit committed the Oracles of God Where the Apostle counteth it a preferment of the Iew and the chiefe preferment to haue the word of God committed vnto their custodie and it is reported of them that they haue bene euer very faithfull in keeping the letter of the text vncorrupted Among all Nations and people it hath pleased Almightie God to preferr this our English Nation with this chiefe preferment and to be trust vs with the custodie of his word and Oracles those 10 Commandements wrote with his owne finger our Church is now become the receptacle and House of God wherin he hath laid vp his word for its conseruation it is the grownd and pillar to supporte and beare vp this trueth as Paul caleth it 1. Tim. 3.15 hath God thus in speciall fauour to our Nation preferred vs aboue many Nations and that vvith his chiefe preferment to betrust vs vvith the custody of his Law and Oracles and shall we proue so vnfaithfull to him as to take care but of some peeces of these Oracles onely What Nation saith Moses is so greate that hath ordinances Lawes so righteouse as all this Law which I set before you this day Deut. 4.8 hath God betrusted vs with a righteouse Law and with a Law so righteouse as no Nation vnder heauen but such as know God and such as haue the very same hath the like to it Yea not onely are some peeces of this Law so righteouse but all the whole Law is of the same nature so saith Moses so righteouse as all this Law is which I set before you this day and shall not we preserue then all this Law the whole Law intirly in its perfection we should blush for shame to doe otherwise we should lament mourne to see it otherwise T is true we keepe these Oracles intirly in the letter so doe Papistes but vvhat 's the letter when we weaken diminish and abolish the binding force of it for vve say this parte of Gods Oracles But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke doth not bind vs Christians In it that is in it 7th day thou shalt not vvorke saith God I but this prohibition bindeth not novv say some Ministers no vvhat doe vve vvith Lavves if they bind vs not as good take avvay the sense of the vvords of the Lavv and so it shall be senslesse as to take away the binding of the Law wherby it is made forcelesse the binding povver of a Lavv is the life and soule of the Law take avvay then its binding povver it is but a deadlieflesse Lavv it is but a Cipher or a blanke and so the Church shall be but like the Lottery pot vvhich houldeth some blankes among the prises suppose vve should say of the other 9 Oracles that vve preserue the letter of them intirly but herevnto vve should add this that they binde not vs Christians now vvhat bauocke should we thus make of the Morall Lavv it is all one therfore to reiect the Lavv as to reiect its binding power vvherby it bindeth vs. We haue alredy shovvne hovv this Lavv of God is mangled and defaced oh that all people vvould bevvaile this oh that the King vvould take it to heart so did the good King Josiah vvhen the Lavv had bene lost for a time he rent his cloathes 2. King 22.11 oh that the Bishops of the Land would take it to heart so did Elie the Priest vvhen he heard that the Arke of God vvas taken from them 1. Sam. 4.17.18 he died for grief of heart vvhy the Lords Sabbaths vvere his hallovved times as the Arke his holy place Oh that the people of the land vvould take it to heart so did the people in Nehemiahs time for saith
and in his returne he deliuered the Decrees of the Apostles to seuerall Churches where he came Act. 16.4 and so as he went along he preached as at Philippi Act. 16.12.13 and at Thessalonica Act. 17.1.2 and at Corinth Act. 18.1.4 and at last he came to Troas where he preached this sermon of which we doe inquire Act. 20.7 So then count these it will be found about a matter of 17. yeeres difference betvvixt the sermon of Peter at Pentecost and the sermon of Paul at Troas vvhere then is the constancy of the Lords day Sabbath vvhen vve can finde none kept for a matter of 17. yeeres together The 3d text wherein is mention of our new Sabbath it is 1. Cor. 16.2 vvhere Paul ordeined a collection to be made on the first day of the vveeke c. Novv how many weekes moneths or yeeres this collection was ordeined after Pauls sermon at Troas Act. 20.7 I cannot tell nor can they proue that it was the next Lords day after the sermon Paul preached at Troas so then as yet there can no constant vveekly Sabbath be proued The last text is Reu. 1.10 where S. Iohn receiued a reuelation on the Lords day now how many yeeres difference there was betvvixt the ordination for that Collection for the poore 1. Cor. 16.2 and S. Iohns Reuelation I know not neither can they proue I presume that it was on the next Lords day after that Collection So still there appeareth no constant and weekly celebration of the Lords day let their textes be considered this way or that vvay Whereas they talke so much of the constant practise of the Apostles this I dare auowch that it cannot be showne that euer Peter or Paul or any other of the Apostles of Christ did euer preach any sermons vpon tvvo Lords dayes immediatly following one an other Nay vvhich is more it cannot be shovvne that any one Apostle did euer preach tvvise in all his life time vpon the Lords day nay vvhich is yet more it can not be shovvne that all the Apostles put them all together did euer among them all preach tvvo Lords dayes together one after an other Who that considereth these things could be so blinded as to thinke this Lords day can be established proued to be a weekly Sabbath from the Apostles practise surely he that celebrateth a weekly Sabbath on the Lords day as he hath no commandement for it from Christ in the new Testament so he hath not so much as the vveekly practise of the Apostles for his warrant But my Brethren if you vvill vvalke in a vvarrantable vvay vvherein you shall haue both an expresse commandement from God and also the vveekly and constant practise of the Apostles then forsake the Lords day the Sunday Sabbath and keepe the Sabbath day the Saturday Sabbath for for it you haue the 4th com expresly and then for practise of the Apostles be pleased but to pervse these textes of Scripture and you shall find the Apostles constantly keeping the Sabbath day see Act. 13.14 42.44 Act. 16.13 Act. 17.2 Act. 18.4 and this was all after Christ his resurrection Now iudge thou that readest whither the practise of the Lords day weekly or the practise of the Sabbath day weekly be more soundly proued and follow the better Be no more children wanering carried about with euery wind of doctrine by the deceit of men and with craftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue Eph. 4.14 But try all things and keepe that which is good 1. Thess 5.21 Furthermore whereas it is supposed that this Lords day was kept constantly for A Sabbath I will giue instance to the contrary of all Lords dayes that euer were that first Lords day wherein Christ rose from the dead and then appeared vnto his Disciples that Lords day was the most eminent and chiefe for from this day all after Lords dayes take their name excellency this being the substance as it were and all others but shaddowes ressemblances of this for on this first Lords day was the worke of the Resurrection performed not on the others of all Coronation dayes in the Kings reigne none is so properly called Coronation day nor so excellent ioyfull as is the first Coronation day in which the Crowne is set vpon the Kings head Many keepe their Marriage dayes but of them all none is so excellent and so solemnly kept as is the first Marriage day wherein the Bride Bridgrome were ioyned together euen so it is betweene the first Lords day and other Lords dayes following after it The difference is as the body from the shaddow and as the life from the picture if therefore I shall shevv that this first Lords day vvas not kept as a Sabbath day it is more then if I should shevv that 20 Lords dayes together were omitted in the Apostles dayes after Christs ascention Further if I shall shevv that Christ himselfe and his Disciples whilst hee vvas on earth and resident vvith his Church did not keepe this first most eminent Lords day who then vvill imagine that these Disciples of Christ and this Church vvould keepe the Lords day a Sabbath after Christs departure from them ascention into heauen for vndoubtedly the Church would imitate Christ follovv his example looke vvhat they saw him doe whilst he was on earth vvith them the same vvould they doe after he was departed from them follow me saith Paul as I follow Christ 1. Cor. 11.1 Novv I shevve that this first Lords day vvas not kept as a Sabbath and Resting day because it vvas vsed for a trauailing day for this purpose see Luk. 24.1.13 vvhere you haue mention of two of Christs Disciples vvho trauailed vpon this first Lords day whereon Christ rose a matter of 15 myles and this I make good thus they went from Ierusalem for there the Disciples were resident v. 9. and they trauailed to Emmaus which Towne vvas threescore furlongs from Ierusalem as the Text saith v. 13. novv 8. furlongs make a myle so then 60. furlongs make Seauen myles and an halfe this done they returned the same day backe againe to Ierusalem v. 33. vvhich is seauen myles an halfe more so add these together they trauailed that day fiftene myles it cannot be thought that these spent lesse time then all the vvhole after noone of this first Lords day in trauailing for tvvo myles an hovvre is an ordenary tranailers pase so that fiftene myles cost them neere 8. hovvres vvorke Novv can it be thought that these two of Christs Disciples vvould haue made this day of all dayes in the yeere a trauailing day if the Church of Christ had solemnized this day as a Sabbath day at Ierusalem these two vvere two of Christs Disciples follovvers vvherefore they vvould haue laid a side all vvorkes that they might vvith ioyfulnesse haue solemnized this day in a most thankfull remembrance of Christs resurrectiō if any fame or report they had heard at
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
may befale any Church of God on earth for it is a property of the Church Triumphant in heauen to be freed from all erroures Now that A Church of God on earth may faile I proue by theise instances The Patriarkes they liued in polygamie hauing many wines which for any man now to doe were a sinne against the 7th com Againe the Iewes vsed to put away their wiues giuing them a bill of diuorce now that Church liued a long time in this errour against the 7th commandement vntill Christ came who reformed it Mat. 19.7.8.9 Againe did not the Church of Galatia fale into a greate errour when the Apostle taxed them as if they had bene remoued away vnto an other gospell Gal. 1.6 Againe did not Christ reproue the Churches of Pergamus and of Thyatira for corruptiones in them by suffering them that maintained the doctrine of Balaam of the Nicholaitanes and the woman Iezabell Reuel 2.12 13.14.15.18.20 Lastly and to add no more how came it about if a Church of God cannot erre about such a point as the Sabbath day that those purest and primitiue Churches which liued immediatly after the Apostles did neglect to keepe this Lords day Sabbath for diuerse hundreth of yeeres for so saith M. Perkins they did and citeth his author Leo Anton Edict see Perk in his first volume vpō the 4th com pag. 48. surely my aduersaries will iudge this a foule errour in those Churches by all which examples it is too too apparent that a Church of God may erre that too in Morall dueties commanded in the Morall Law whence it is plaine that they erre who build their faith vpon this fundation that the Church of God cannot erre OBIECT VII An other obiection against the Lords Sabbath is this that if we admit of the old Sabbath againe thē we shall bring Iudaisme into the Church and be guilty of a kind of Heresy c. Wherevnto I answer it followeth not for the Primitiue Churches were of a contrary iudgement as it appeareth by Athanasius in his Homilie de semente wee assemble togheter saith Athanasius in the Sabbath day not as if we weere sicke of Iudaisme but therefore we meete on the Sabbath that we may worship Iesus the Lord of the Sabbath Where you see that Athanasius in the name of the Church testifieth that they were not infected with Iudaisme because they kept the Sabbath day the same may also be true of our Church we may keepe the Sabbath day and yet be free from Iudaisme It is to be noted that not euery thing which the Iewes practised was to be accounted for Iudaisme for then the whole Morall Law should be Iudaisme wherefore those things onely are to be accounted for Iudaisme which neuer came into the Morall Law or 10 com and which were written by Moses of which number were their Sacrifices Priestes meate new moones feastes annuall Sabbaths but as for this old Sabbath wherin God himselfe rested this was put into the Morall Law and written by the finger of God and to sanctify this Sabbath is no more Iudaisme then to honour our Superioures is Iudaisme for why should the things commanded in the 4th com be more Iudaisme then the things commanded in the 5th com Since they cannot proue this Sabbath to be a ceremony and abolished as you haue seene in the 4th part of this booke it is therefore absurd for them to call the Sanctification of the Sabbath Iudaisme Yet further since they onely who keepe the Sabbath doe obserue yeeld obedience to the Law in the integrity perfection therof and doe giue God his wholl worship in all the parts thereof they may as well say it is Iudaisme for a man to be intire and pefect in the Law and to giue God his wholl worship intirly and brand him with Iudaisme vnlesse he will mancle Gods Law and be partiall in the Law and in Gods worship seruing God by halues And further if it be Iewish and Iudaisme to keepe the Sabbath day to wit the old Sabbath day then 1. the 4th com is Iewish for it commands nothing but Sanctification of the old Sabbath day 2. If it be Iudaisme to keepe the old Sabbath then is it Iudaisme for Ministers to call in the Pulpit for the Sanctification of the Lords Sabbaths to vse the name Sabbath day for this is as well a Iewish name as the keeping of it is a Iewish practise if we may vse the name without tincture of Iudaisme why not the thing named also 3. What is the keeping of the Lords day better then Iewish for doe not we resemble the Jewes by setting a part on wholl day in euery weeke for Gods worship as they did 4. Since the Sabbath day was commanded to be kept in imitation of God as that we should Rest on the 7th day because God rested on the same day Exod. 20.10.11 men may therefore say it is Iewish Iudaisme to become followers of God 5. Since the Sabbath was kept in memory of the Creation men may say it is Iewish to celebrate weekly a thankfull remembrance of the Creation For matter of Haeresy both Athanasius Ignatius and the primitiue Churches obseruation of the Sabbath day will cleere vs of Haeresy to obserue the Sabbath with its typicall shadowish quality as a signe Shaddow of Christ if euer it were so this were Haeresy but renowncing all shadowish respectes to keepe it onely as a signe of the Creation remembrance thereof as a sacred time for the worship of God as a fit time to exercise mercy in to man beast by a rest from laboures so as an helpe vnto these morall dueties of rest God worship this can be no Haeresy for we refraine those meates in a fast which were shadowish obserue Whie-Sunday or Pentecost day which was a shaddow of Christ yet are farre enough from Haeresy see Act. 21.20.26 Rom. 14.5 hereto I might add the Testimonies of all those Diuines iustifying this point for orthodox which you shall find hereafter in my third argument for the defence of the ancient Sabbath I grant the Laodicean Counsaile anathematized it but the more ancient more pure Churches Sanctified it If it be Haeresy to keepe Gods Sabbaths then 1. it is Haeresy for Ministers in Pulpits to vse the name Sabbath day 2. It is Haeresy to celebrate a day weekly in a thankfull remembrance of the Creation 3. It is heresy for the Church and people of God to become followers of God by working whē he wrought resting when he rested 4. It is heresy to walke in obedience to the 4th cō 5. It is heresy to be intire perfect in Gods Law to haue an vnpartiall respect vnto all Gods commandements yea it is heresy to giue God his wholl worship intirly In a word since the Sanctification of the Sabbath is a part of Gods worship if for all that men will call it heresy I say
day whereon God rested profaned the Saturday Sabbath and giuen God the Sunday Sabbath as we doe now for if they had rekoned Monday for the first day then Sunday after would haue bene the 7th day Finally whereas they say that the 4th com hath not declared vnto vs which 6 dayes we should labour in this is false for God hath plainly discouered it in his 4th com which are the 6 dayes that these wayes 1. they are those 6 dayes we should labour in which God himselfe laboured or wrought in to wit the first 6 dayes from the Creation as you may see by the reason added to the com for in 6 daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth c. Exod. 20.11 so God setting himselfe as a patterne vnto vs we are to follow his ensample which is to worke on those 6 dayes wherein God himselfe wrought which point we haue further proued in the exposition of this parte of the 4th com formerly 2. God hath reuealed it in his 4th com by commanding vs to sanctify the Sabbath day now the Sabbath day was on the 7th day on our Saturday wherefore seing we know which day is the resting day thereby we know which are the labouring dayes for all the 6 daies which goe before the Sabbath day resting day or Saturday those are the 6 working dayes So you see it is but an idle cauill to raise doubtes about the 6 daies which God appointed out for labour 3. If we will not imitate God labouring those very 6 daies wherein God wrought then we fale into these absurdeties 1. that as they begine make Monday the first so may I begine at Tewsday for the first or Thursday or Friday or skip ouer 100 or 10â—0 daies before I set a first day and so God shall haue a Sabbath but once in an 100 or 1000 dayes 2. To say the 4th com hath not declared vnto vs which 6 daies we should labour in since it is manifest by the constant practise of the Church of the Iewes one may as well say that the 4th com hath not declared by the word day whither we must keepe a naturall day or an artificiall day or the day of grace which is a day concisting of many yeeres as we must haue recourse to the practise of the Iewes for the one so for the other And thus much for their first euasion An other euasion they haue it is this that these words in the 4th com Sixe daies thou shalt labour They are not a commandement but a permission as if the Lord had said Sixe daies mayest thou labour if thou wilt Herevnto I reply 1. that these words are an expresse commandement as well as any other for they are deliuered in commanding termes as well as any other this point I haue formerly proued in the expositioÌ„ of these words in the 4th com therefore here I omit to repeate it 2. Admit that these words be but a permission yet so they will make enough for my purpose that thus for if God did in his 4th com permit vs and giue vs leaue to worke in those 6 daies wherein himselfe wrought at the Creation then cannot any wise man thinke that God would in the very same commandement forbid vs to labour in some one of those 6 daies vnlese you will thinke that God permitted vs to worke vpon a day and reuoked his permission againe and all vnder one breath Wherefore seing that God gaue vs leaue to worke by his 4th com vpon all those 6 daies which goe before the Iewes Sabbath day our Saturday the 7th day therefore if we will haue any Sabbath day from the 4th com we must betake vs to the 7th day our Saturday the Iewes Sabbath day that because God hath permitted vs to worke vpon any day saue the Saturday Thus much for my 4th argument ARGVM V. My 5th argument to proue that the 7th day Sabbath is still in force is because to sanctify the 7th day Sabbath is a parte of the 4th com or a parte of the Decalogue and 10 Commandements and thus it may be framed Euery parte of the Law is still in force But to sanctify the 7th day Sabbath is a parte of the Law Therefore to sanctify the 7th day Sabbath is still inforce I haue purposly framed this argument for the sake of those who doe so dote vpon this fiction that the Time in the 4th com it is but a circumstance and an accident and I cannot tell what other triuall thing they make of it but say they if it could be once proued vnto vs that this Time of the 7th day were a parte of the Law or of the 4th com then would we soone imbrace it well they shall see it therefore proued to be a parte of the Law of God For the Major or first proposition I thus proue it Euery parte of the Law is still in force because the Law is still in force for if the Law be in force then of necessity the partes of the Law must be in force this followeth necessarily by the rule of Logicianes Posito aut remoto toto necesse est poni vel remoueri partes But the Law is in force as you may reade Rom. 3.31 Rom 13.8.9.10 yea the whole Law is in force as you may see Mat. 5.18 Iam. 2.10 for whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Lawe yet faileth in one point he is guilty of all Therefore all the partes or euery parte and persell of the Law is in force In a word whosoeuer denieth this Maior he is an enemy to the Integritie perfection of Gods Law he must be partiall in the Law yea he must hold it Jewish Iudaisme for any to be intire perfect in the Law that is to haue an indifferent vnpartiall respect vnto all the parts of Gods Law for whosoeuer is intire perfect in his obedience to Gods Law he will sanctifie his Sabbaths as one part of his Law which these men must account for Iudaisme so much for proofe of the Maior I come now vnto th profe of the Minor or second proposition here I proue that to sanctify the 7th day Sabbath is a parte of the Law my first reason is because the Sanctification of the 7th day Sabbath is as well as much commanded in the Law as any other duetie therin mentioned is for other dueties are deliuered but in commanding termes so is this for the Lord saieth But the 7th day is the Sabbath c. in it thou shalt not doe any worke Where you see that God expresly mentioneth the Time day to wit the 7th day of this Time and day hee saith In it thou shalt not doe any worke so that God hath as well forbidden men to labour worke vpon the 7th day as he hath forbidden men to kill to Commit adultery or to steale and therefore the 7th day the sanctification of it is no lesse a
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
to the Redemption but we speake of a Sabbath that was a signe of the Creation therefore the Sabbath we heere speake for it differeth from those Sabbaths which the Apostle abolished as farre as the Creation differeth from the Redemption this yet further appeareth in their text for it speaketh of a Shaddow of thinges to come so that those abolished Sabbaths had respect vnto things to come afterwards as vnto Christ but this Sabbath for which we plead it was a signe of things past done before as of the Creation so that this Sabbath differeth from those abolished Sabbaths as farre as things past doe differ from things to come so then it doth not appeare that any thing once made an helpe to keepe in memory the Creation was euer abolisâ—ed indeed it were contrary vnto all reason that it should for albeit that such signes should vanish as had respect vnto things future when once the substance was come in presence yet is it farre otherwise with such signes as had respect vnto things past for here the substance or thing signified should neuer be come any neerer then at first it was vnto the signe but rather farther off still so as the longer the signe lasted the more vse neede there would be of it so much for answer to this fond obiection I come now vnto the profe of the minor or second proposition to wit that the 7th day Sabbath was a speciall helpe meanes to preserue the memory of the Creation in the Church of God this I proue because the Sabbath day was made a signe of the Creation signes are helpes meanes to keepe memory of those things whereof they are signes here then my taske is to proue vnto you for the confirmation of my Minor these two propositiones the one that the Sabbath day was once a signe of the Creation the other that signes are helpes meanes to keepe memory of the things they signify For the former of these to wit that the Sabbath day was once a signe of the Creation This I proue first by the Testimony of all men and secondly by the Testimony of the Sriptures For the Testimony of men that the 7th day Sabbath is a signe this all of them grant when they alleage that text Exod. 31.13 against the Sabbath as an abolished signe further that this signe respected the Creation as the thing signified by it is found to be the iudgement of Diuines euery wherein their writings as might be showne if it were needfull yea this is plaine by the common arguments in euery mans mouth for when they would proue that the Lords day must be a Sabbath they thus argue if the Iewes kept a Sabbath in memory of the Creation then so ought we Christians to keepe a Sabbath in memory of the Redemption againe the Lords day was instituted say they in memory of the resurrection like as the Sabbath day was instituted for me mory of the Creation by which kind of reasoning they doe confesse it that the Sabbath day was instituted for the memory of the Creation So much for the Testimony of men next I come to proue it by diuine Testimony from the Scripture for this purpose see Ex. 31.17 where the Lord speakeing of our 6 daies labour of our 7th day Sabbath saith thus It is a signe betwene mee the children of Israel for euer for in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen the earth in the 7th day he ceased rested as if the Lord had thus said because I laboured in the 6 daies at the Creation rested on the 7th day therefore your 6 daies labour 7th daies rest is a signe betwene mee you of my 6 daies labour 7th daies rest thus the sense must be rendered if we take the words as they are translated but because this kind of sense making is difficult not so familiar vnto our vnderstandings by reason the thing signified by the signe is not expressed but collected therefore to make the sense of the text appeare more cleerly it is better to put the word that in the roome of the rationall partice for then the sense will be very familiar easy for so the thing signified by the signe shall be expressed in the text then the text should be read thus Jt is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for euer that in sixe daies the Lord made heauen earth in the 7th day he ceased rested Thus you see it plaine that as all men hold the 7th day Sabbath was kept in remembrance of the Creation so this text confirmeth it saying that it is a signe that God laboured 6 daies rested on the 7th day Now that this particle translated for may be translated that it appeareth 1. By the Septuagint which rendereth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be indifferently translated for or that according as may best fit the text 2. In sondry other textes our Translatores haue translated the same Hebrew word that rather then for as you may see Deut. 29.6 That yee may know that I am the Lord your God Thus I haue proued the one of the propositiones to wit that the 7th day Sabbath was a signe of the Creation The other proposition which I am to proue is that Signes are helpes and meanes to keepe in memory the things they signify and this is so plaine as I might spare the labour toproue it for it is the very nature propertie of a signe to be a meanes to bring to minde the thing fignified by it wherefore serues the picture of a mans absent frieÌ„d but to helpe to bring him to minde The raine bowe in the clowds it is called a signe or a token Genes 4.13 the Lord said he would looke vpon the bowe that he might remember the CoueaÌ„t which was the thing signified by the bowe v. 16. The passeouer was a signe or tokeÌ„ which when the Angell saw he remeÌ„bred the Couenant spared the Isralites Exod. 12.13 The Lords Supper it is a Sacramentall signe it is of this vse to be an helpe meanes to remember vs of the death of Christ 1. Cor. 11.24 you may reade the like also in Gen. 17.11 Exo. 31.13 by all which instances it is plaine that signes are helpes and meanes to bring to mind preserue in memory the thing absent signified by those signes Thus much for the Minor or second proposition also for my 7th argument whereby you haue seene it proued that the 7th day Sabbath must still be in force because it is a singular meanes to preserue in memory the myraculouse worke of Gods Creation ARGVM VIII My 8th argument to proue that the 7th day Sabbath is still in force is because God hath expresly commanded it in his morall Law thus it may be framed Whatsoeuer God hath expresly commanded to be done in his Morall Law or
the reason of the 4th Com. to shew you how they haue nullified made voide that also for they haue made most horrible hauocke with Gods Commandement by reiecting the Saturday Sabbath The body of the 4th Com. is conteined in iij. verses Exod. 20.8.9.10 and I haue showne how these iij. verses of the xx Chapter of Exodus are made voide and nullified and now I come to shew how they haue made frustrate also an other whole verse to wit verse the 11th and so they shall haue filled vp the mesure of their iniquity fulâ— by a sacrilegiouse robbing God of iiij whole verses out of his Morall Law by taking away the key of knowledge from them for I account it all as one to rend iiij verses of sacred Scripture out of the Bible to peruert the sense of them or to turne the sense vse of them into Ciphers That I may shew you how by denying and abolishing the 7th day Sabbath they haue nullified made voide the reason of the 4th Com. also first I will recite the reason for in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen the earth the sea all that in them is and rested the 7th day Therfore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day hallowed it Exod. 20.11 This 11th verse is a reason giuen by Almightie God thereby to perswade vnto the obedience of the 4th Com. The Commandement was this that we should worke vpon those sixe daies which were the first sixe daies from the begining of the Creation that we should rest from labour on the 7th day from the Creation now the reason whereby God would perswade vs herevnto is a reason drawne from his owne example because that in those sixe daies God himselfe laboured and in the same 7th day God himselfe rested yea and therfore hallowed sanctified this 7th day Now what reason can be more liuly then a reason drawne from Gods example what argument can be more moueing with the sonnes daughters of God then an argumeÌ„t fetched from the example of their heauenly fathers but let the oldest man liuing tell me if euer he heard any Minister in the pulpit presse the keeping of the 4th com by this reason which God hath here added vnto his 4th com or let any man tell me if euer he heard the sanctification of the Lords day which is the first day of the weeke pressed by this reason here added by God vnto his 4th com Nay what Minister will not be ashamed to perswade men either to the keeping of the 4th com or to keeping of the Lords day by this reason which heere God hath propounded for we neither worke on those 6 dayes wherin God wrought neither doe we rest on that 7th day wherein God rested for we rest on the 8th day or first day not as God did on the 7th day our Lords day God did not rest on it for our imitation but he laboured on it for our imitation so as there is no correspondency betwixt our Lords day Sabbath our now keeping of the 4th com Gods example reason propounded vnto vs. When did you euer heare any Minister say thus Let vs rest from our laboures on the Lords day because God himselfe as our Patterne rested on the Lords day and let vs sanctify hallow the first day because God blessed sanctified the first day you see how God hath added a most liuely effectuall reason to his 4th com drawne from his owne example to moue vs to rest on the Lords day to sanctify the first day tell me if euer you heard any Minister thus presse this reason Gods example or if yee haue heard any houer aboute it as loath to touch it he hath nicknamed dayes caling the Lords day Sabbath day the 8th or first day the 7th day wherefore because Ministers cannot deuise how to make Gods example and exemplary reason to fit square to our new Sabbath therefore they are mute sileÌ„t touching it and thus you see the reason of the 4th com standeth in our Bibles but for a Cipher men are a shamed to vse it least they should shame themselues is it not a lamentable thing that Ministers are ashamed to deliuer the whole will counsaile of God least thereby they should both shame themselues bewray vnto the people their foule errour in abolishing of Gods Sabbaths for if this reason were vsed men would easily see how wide we are from the marke in keeping the Lords day in conscience of the 4th com when as the very reason of the 4th com would plainly â—each vs that it is the 7th day Sabbath wherein God himselfe rested that we should rest and not on the 8th day Sabbath To summe vp all you haue seene how they that abolish the 7th day Sabbath they haue turned the body of the 4th com into a company of Ciphers this hath bene declared proued many wayes yea they haue also turned the reason to the 4th com into so many words so many Ciphers for it standeth in the booke of God for a mute and is like a blanke in a Lottery no Minister vseing this reason of God before his people to perswade them to the keeping of the Lords day or of the Sabbath day by it So then since they haue not onely nullified the commandement but also made voyde and vselesse the reason annexed to the commandemeÌ„t hereby you see they haue by reiecting Gods hallowed and sanctified time the Saturday Sabbath reiected also the whole 4th com with euery parte and persell of it roote and branch There are not many verses in the Morall Law and behold how of those fewe verses they haue turned into Ciphers made voyde vselesse no lesse then iiij whole verses v. 8.9.10.11 there are not aboue 15 or 16 verses in all the Morall law now whosoeuer reiecteth the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath you see he maketh voyde frustrate no lesse then 4 of those verses it is an errour caling for deepest consideration a speedy reformation Thus much for my 9th argument ARGVM X. My 10th Argument to proue that the 7th day Sabbath mentioned in the law is still in force is because our Sauiour Christ ratified the very least thing commanded in the Law to endure for euer Mat. 5.18 thus it may be framed He that ratified the very least thing commanded in the Law vnto the least letter to last for euer he ratified the 7th day Sabbath to be still in force But Christ ratified the very least thing commanded in the Law vnto the least letter to last for euer Therefore Christ ratified the 7th day Sabbath to be still in force As for the Major or first proposition it is cleere of it selfe for nothing therin can be doubted of for admit that the 7th day Sabbath be the least thing commanded in the Morall Law why then hee that ratified euery thing commanded in the Law vnto the very least
thing therein call it an accident or a circumstance of time or what else diminutily you will he did ratifie this litle thing also the 7th day Sabbath the argument is good a minori for if Christ would not haue a title of a letter in the Law altered much lesse an ordinance commanded in the Law as is the 7th day Sabbath I come next vnto the Minor or second proposition and this is most cleerly proued by the words of our Sauiour Christ For truly I say vnto you vntill heauen earth perish one iote or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law vntill all things be fulfilled Mat. 5.18 In which words our Sauiour Christ plainly ratified the very least things commanded in the Law to last for euer for as Chemnitius saith vpon this text iote is a letter of the Hebrew Alphabet of the least value of all other letters in the Alphabet title saith hee is as a pricke to a letter or as a comma to a seÌ„tence whereby we see that inasmuch as Christ would not haue one of the least letters of the Law no nor so much a title of a letter as a pricke is vpon the letter i in no wise to departe from the Law hereby he ratified the very least thing commanded in the Law that Christ ratified the Law vnto a iot and title extendeth to the very least things in the Law more emphatically more voide of exception then if he had said nothing shall passe from the Law Had the 7th day Sabbath bene to be abolished a while after Christ should haue forknowne it well enough then remembring that he would neuer haue here ratified the Law so vniuersally vnto a very iot and title of it This is plaine if we looke but vpon the very next verse vers 19. Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least commandements and teach men so he shall be caled the least in the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.19 So here then in plaine words you see our Sauiour ratifieth the very least coÌ„mandement yet further Christ intended to ratify not onely the least comman but also the least branch of euery commandement for he ratified not onely the 6th com touching murther but also the least thing therin conteined as rash anger and caling an other foole v. 22. the 7th com hee ratified it to the least iot title of it euen to the adultery of the heart and to a lustfull looke v. 28. the seconp Table of loue Christ ratified it to the vtmost extending it euen to the loue of our enemies v. 44. by all which it is most apparent that our blessed Sauiour intended to ratify this Diuine Law of his heauenly father to the very vtmost vnto the very least thing therin commanded neither can any man I think invent should he study 7 yeeres for it how to expresse himselfe in words more vniuersally emphatically to comprize euery thing vnto the very least of all so as his words should be liable to no exceptions then our Sauiour Christ hath expressed himselfe heere so emphatically so vniuersally and so full are his words heere spoken to that end Thus you haue sene this argument firmly proued neither can I deuise what should be more plaine pregnant for the maintenaÌ„ce of this ordinance of Gods morall Sabbath then this text vttered by our Sauiour Christ but by how much it is the cleerer by so much the more Sathan stirreth vp opposition againstit let vs therefore see what trickes and quillets the wit of man can deuise against it that so all rubbs being remoued our faith may rest vpon this rocke of Christs word the more firmly and securly 1. One answer brought against this argument is this that by the word Law may be vnderstod both the morall and Ceremoniall Lawes But this is an vnwarrantable enlargment of the word law for it is a rule that generall words must be restrained vnto the Subiect matter in hand as in Heb. 7.12 if by the word Law there we should vnderstand both morall and ceremoniall Lawes we should make foule worke wherefore as the word Law in Heb. 7.12 is to be rastained vnto the Leuiticall ceremoniall Law according to the matter there spoken of so must we by the word Law in Mat. 5.18 vnderstaÌ„d onely the morall Law according to the matter here spoken of for as you may se plainly by the context our Sauior speaketh of the morall Law for our Sauiour hauing ratified the Law in generall in v. 18.19 then he descendeth vnto particulars giuinge examples in the 6th com touching murther as in v. 21. in the 7th com touching adultery as in v. 27. in the third com touching swearing as in v. 3. the latter parte of the Chapter is spent in dueties of loue towards our neighbour conteined in the second Table whereby we see our Sauiour spake onely of the morall Law 2. I proue that the ceremoniall Law cannot be here meante for Christ said but in the verse a forgoing that he came not to destroy the Law or the Prâ—phets which phrase our Saniour vseth in this Sermon for the Morall Law onely Mat. 7.12 and neuer otherwise Mat. 22.40 secondly then should Christ haue ratified the ceremoniall Law vnto the worlds end in Mat. 5.18 which is contrary vnto all Scriptures and therfore Christ spake nothing of the ceremoniall Law in this place 3. Since Christ spake here of the duration continuance of the Law for euer it is absurd to thinke that in this case he would ioyne the Morall and the Ceremoniall Laws together as if they were both of a like perpetuity lasting nature and therfore onelie the Morall Law was here meante 4. Can it be thought that Christ should make here in v. 17. an Apologie for the Ceremoniall Law when elswhere he preached against it Ioh. 4.21 Besids since Christ intended a little after to abolish the Ceremoniall Law he would rather haue bene silent now then to say ought that might ratifye it 2. An other answer made against this argument is that the duration of the Law here spoken of by Christ is but vntill Christ his passion noted in those words vntill all things be fulfilled v. 18. for at Christ his passion all things were fulfilled But this answer is very absurd for these words of Christ are a prophecy of the continuance of the Law which prophecy was ratified by a greate Asseueration saying verily or truly I say vnto you c. Now the time when Christ made this prophecy it was not aboue a matter of two yeeres before his passion or there about now who could thinke that Christ should make a prophecy that in such solemne a maner with such an Asseueration that the Law should last continue yet two yeers longer Further if this answer exposition be iustifiable then by the same answer may we now reiect a greate parte of Christs sermon in the mount especially his exposition vpon the Morall
Law for whereas our Sauiour ratifieth the very least of the commandements in v. 19. expoundeth the 6th Com. to forbid rash anger calleing a mans brother foole v. 22. and expoundeth the 7th Com. to forbid a lustfull looke ver 28. and the 3d Com. to forbid swearing by the creature v. 34.36 and the 2d table to command loue to our enemies v. 44. a man may at once cut off all these from binding vs if he will but suppose that these enlargments of the Law being so strict rigorouse were Iewish and pertaine not vnto Christians for the better auoiding of them he may answer that Christ ratified the Law thus expounded but vntill his death passion were not this a goodly answer 2. It is false which they say that all things were fulfilled at Christ his passion It is true indeed that Christ vpon the Crosse said it is finished Ioh. 19.30 that is his death passion was finished but yet all things were not finished for the Resurrection was behind Wherefore the truer sense is by these words till all things be fulfilled to vnderstand euen all things whatsoeuer Christ was to doe for his Church and all things which were any way prophecied of him or of his Church militant as this for one Christ tarrieth now at the right hand of God vntill his enemies be made his footestoole Hebr. 10.12.13 This one thing is not yet fulfilled see 1 Cor. 15.25 an other thing is that the heauens must containe Christ vntill the time that all things be restored Act. 3.21 this other thing is not yet fulfilled to wit Christ his second comeing and the restauration of all things A third thing is that the Church shall sing A triumphant song ouer death the graue sinne 1 Cor. 15.55.56 this thing is not yet fulfilled neither now since all these things shall not be fulfilled vntill the worlds end therfore the Law is to last vnto the worlds end for it must last vntill all things be fulfilled Yet further the same is euident and apparent in the Text it selfe for our Sauiour saith that the Law shall last vntill heauen earth perish or passe away that is vntill the end of the world for then shall the heauens the earth passe away and be dissolued as saith S. Peter the heauens shall passe away with a noise the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp c. 2. Pet. 3.10 so long therfore as the heauens the earth last so long shall the Law euery iot and title of it last the same is ratifyed by S. Luk saying It is more easy that heauen earth should passe away then that one title of the Law should fall Luk. 16.17 Lastly suppose we that in this text there were no Prophecy at all touching the duration continuance of the Law yet forasmuch as we imbrace this Sermon which Christ preached vpon the Mount as concerning vs our times we must therefore imbrace this parte of his Sermon wherein he preached and taught that the Law with the least commandement thereof yea euery branch of this Law vnto a iot title must goe together for Christ did not onely presse the Law vpon his Disciples but also euery title of it wherefore by the same right that we imbrace the other partes passages of Christs Sermon by the same right we must imbrace also the Law euery iot and title of the Law this Diuine Sermon of Christ it is iij Chapters long it begane Mat. 5.1.4 It lasted vnto Mat. 8.1 If you may reiect some partes of this Sermon as not belonging vnto vs then may you reiect all the Sermon if you imbrace some partes then must you imbrace all thus you see their answer is vaine in goeing about to confine the duration of the Law vnto the time of Christs liuing vpon the earth or vnto his death and Passion onely 3. A third answer is that not euery iot title of the Law is now in force for there be some things in the Law that be not in force as in the preface to the commandements I am the Lord thy God that brought the out of the Land of Egypt this deliuerance out of Egypt belongeth not vnto vs Christians for we neuer were in bondagein Egypt also the reason annexed vnto the 5th com that thy dayes may be longe in the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee this Land was Canaan therefore the promise of this Land cannot belong vnto vs Christians Herevnto I answer that the Apostle doth apply this promise vnto Christianes that liued not in Canaan as you may reade Eph. 6.1.2.3 neither doth the Lord say that thy dayes may be long in the Land of Canaan but generally thus that thy dayes may be long in the Land which God shall giue thee that is any Land into which God should bring them wherefore the promise to the 5th com is not to be restrained vnto Canaan onely but may belong vnto any Land And as for the preface touching the deliuerance out of Egypt this belongeth to this day vnto those people vnto whome it did at any time belong that is vnto the Israelites Furthermore I giue one answer seruing vnto both these which is this admit that there be some titles of the Law that doe not belong vnto vs as these two reasones annexed to the Law yet they cannot shew any titles of the Law that doe not belong vnto vs which are partes of the Law for we must distinguish betwixt the law the appurtenāces belonging to the law the law is that parte of the Decalogue which command or forbiddeth something the appurtenances of this Law are the preface to the Law the motiues or reasones to perswade to the obedience of this Law these are not deliuered in commanding or forbiddeing termes now I stand to defend by my argument nothing more in the Law then what is Law expresly commanded or forbidden neither doe I expound Christs words Mat. 5.18 Any larger then so howbeit Iiudge that Christ his words ought to be extended not onely vnto the Law but also to the appurtenances of the Law if possiblie they may where necessity absurdety doe not hinder To conclud since my argument speaketh onely of such iotes in the Law as are Law deliuered in commanding or forbidding termes their obiection is impertinent besids the matter in question to bring exceptiones of such iotes as are no law nor parte of Law bur onely appendixes to the Law for all the appurtenances belonging to the Law might possiblie be of no force yet the law it selfe may stand safely still like as a mans apparell may be worne out or burned yet his body may be safe still For a conclusion let me add one thing in generall which maketh against all their 3 answers which is this All Orthodox and sound Diuines when they haue
be morall and perpetuall or else those dueties performed in that time by the 4th com to wit rest from labour and holy exercises these must be ceremoniall and abolished as in the former argument we haue proued that if they abolish the 7th day they abolish also the Law of the 4th com so in this we shall proue that if they a bolish the 7th day they doe also abolish the dueties inioyned in the Law of the 4th coÌ„ and so farrewell Law dueties both Thus I argue If by direction from the Scriptures you make the time to wit that 7th day in the 4th com ceremoniall and abolished then must you by the same direction make those dueties performed in that time to wit rest from laboures religiouse exercises ceremoniall abolished also But noe man will make those dueties of rest religiouse exercises ceremoniall abolished Therefore may no man make that time of the 7th day in the 4th com ceremoniall abolished As for the Minor it is gaine said by none J come therefore to the Maior the consequence whereof J proue to be sound from the practise of the Holy Ghost in Scripture who wheÌ„ he abolisheth the day time once commanded he thereby inferreth the abolition also of those dueties to be done in that day and time For example on the first day of euery moneth which was their New moone the Isralites were bound to rest from laboures Amos 8.5 to be conuersant about religiouse exercises ij king 4.23 now wheÌ„ the Holy Ghost did put an end to these dueties he did onely mention the time day as Let no man condemne you in respect of the New mone Colos 2.16 Gal. 4.10 and by abolition of the time hee inferred the abolition of those dueties also performed in that time Againe the Isralites had many yeerly Sabbaths wherein they were to rest from labour to be conuersant in holy dueties as you may reade at large Leuit. 23. now when the Holy Ghost would put an end to these dueties he did onely mention the time day as yee obserue times and daies and yeeres c. Gal. 4.10 Rom. 14.5 Colos 2.16 and by his abolition of the times and daies he inferred the abolition also of those dueties of rest holy exercises performed in those times now this practise of the holy Ghost giueth vs to vnderstand that where the time is abolished there those dueties vsually performed in that time are abolisned also wherfore if you will abolish the time and day to wit the Iewish Sabbath day as some call it then if you will fetch light from the Scriptures you must learne of the Holy Ghost to abolish also those Iewish dueties of rest religiouse exercises performed in that day and Iewish time Thus you see vnlesse you hold the old Sabbath day morall you cannot hold the dueties of a Sabbath morall if you condemne the time day for a ceremony you must also relinguish those dueties which you would faine haue be morall ARGVM XVII My 17th argument for defence of the Saturday Sabbath prouing that it must be morall and still in vse is because it is a parte of Gods worship and thus I argue All the partes of Gods worship comprised in the first Table of the morall Law which were written by the finger of God in Tables of stone are morall now in force But the sanstification of the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath is a parte of Gods worship comprized in the first Table of the morall Law and was written by the finger of God in Tables of stone Therefore the Sanctification of the Saturday or 7th day Sabbath is morall and now in force For the Major it is not onely a trueth but also a trueth of that importance and consequence that there should be no Christian found me think dareing to deny it for he that denieth it doth deny God some parte of his worship he denieth that God should haue his wholl worship and will giue God but some peeces thereof onely now what God hath ioyned together how dare any man to put them assunder the Almightie in setting man a platforme of his worship diuided it into fowre partes commanded it by fowre seuerall commandements which make vp together the first Table of the Decalogue or Morall Law and so the wholl worship of God compleate in all the partes thereof now how shall any man dare by his deniall of this trueth to put these asunder and to plucke any one of these partes from its fellowes but that he must be guilty of heinouse impiety horrible Sacriledge if it was so heinouse to rob God of his Tithes Offerings Mal. 3.8 what is it to rob him of his worship and seruice if not one iote or title of the Law shall faile so long as heauen and earth endure Mat. 5.18 with what warrant may any man say that a parte of Gods worship prescribed in that Law is abolished as safely may a man clipe the Kings coyne as clipe pare off or diminish any parte of Gods worship the highest worst degree of impiety and vngodlinesse in a Christian is to turne Athiest and to deny God and the next vnto it is to deny God his worship and seruice in wholl or in parte now this they must doe who deny my Major Nay which is worse they doe not onely deny God a part of his worship but also they must accovnt it Iewâ—sh Iudaisme in any that are intire and perfect in Gods worship that is in such as giue God all the partes of his worship for such as performe vnto God all his worship intirly and perfectly they will sanctifie his Sabbaths as one parte thereof which these men must account Iudaisme I confesse indeed some textes are brought to proue the abolition of one parte of Gods worship to wit the old Sabbath day as Exod. 31.13 Colos 2.16.17 But these are but clokes to couer their euill dealing with God vnder a pretense of Scripture because this parte of Gods worship hath bene out of vse in the Church now a longe time because it is now growne through neglect of it into reproch as to be called Iewish Ceremoniall and a circumstance with the like therefore to colour the matter ouer men haue abused these textes of Scripture but suer I am it is more out of a desire and will men haue to reiect this parte of Gods worship then any thing else that these Scriptures are alleaged for there is nothing in these textes for that purpose necessarily prouing so much but onely that they who alleage them are wilfull and will make them of larger extent then they neede to doe I desire these words necessarily prouing may be well obserued since I place greate Emphasis in them for an ancient ordinance of Gods is not to be vnnecessarily voluntarily abolished as if men were weary of Gods worship and did study how to abolish reiect his ordinances and lay wast Religion Now