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
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
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
we not call the Lords Supper which is a new institution the Passeouer by an old name For as Baptisme and the Lords Supper are come in the roome of Circumcision and the Passeouer so it is said that the Lords day is come in the roome of the Sabbath day Neuerthelesse this nicknaming of dayes as full of confusion as it is and as improper as the speech is yet it might be borne if it were not of euill consequence for hereby the poore ignorant people are deluded and hereby they are brought off the more assuredly to beleeue that the 4th comm doth bind them to rest from their labours on the Lords day but to the contrary vve haue proued that the 4th com doth bind onely to the 7th day or Saturday Yea I adde that men may as vvel say they eat Sacramentall bread at their common Tables and that they celebrate the Lords Supper when they eat bread and drinke vvine at their common Tables as to say they sanctify the Sabbath day vvhen on the Lords day they heare a Sermon pray and sing 〈◊〉 for the difference betvvixt the Sabbath day and the Lords day is as great as is the difference betvvixt the Lords Supper and our common Suppers betvvixt Sacramentall bread and vvine and common bread and vvine as shall be showne The name Sabbath day may be considered as diuinly imposed by God him selfe vpon a certaine day or as humanly imposed by man novv of all the dayes in the weeke God imposed the name Sabbath day onely vpon saturday the seuenth day of the weeke if therefore we vvill take God for our guide vve are to call no day Sabbath day in reuerence to his 4th com but that day which God himselfe hath named Sabbath day but as for the Lords day it is no where in all the scriptures called Sabbath day let the patrones of this day shew where in all the New Testament the first day of the weeke or Sunday is called Sabbath day the which since they cannot doe it is altogether grovvndlesse so to name it yet further wheras it is supposed that the Lords day was set vp for a new Sabbath at Christ his resurrection yet as it is to be noted this day had no nevv name put vpon it of many yeeres after that but it was still called by its old name to wit the first day of the weeke as we read in all the 4. Euangelists yea and when it vvas named Lords day in Reu. 1.10 yet it was not named Sabbath day then nor at any time else this name then Sabbath day being put vpon our sunday it is not of Gods imposition but of mans imposition and so t is but humane it vvere to be wished then that men vvould rater conforme theire speech vnto God then vnto man calling Saturday the Sabbath day as God did and not Sunday the Sabbath day as man doth It vvere the more tollerable I confesse if there were such a penury of words and scarcety of names as vve had no other name for our Sunday but vve haue 3 seuerall names for it to wit 1. Sunday 2. the Lords day 3. the first day of the vveeke here are names enough for one day ther 's no necessity therefore to robb the seuenth day of its name that so we might haue 4. names for one day no no it is not penury of names but ther 's an other matter in it the name Sabbath day it is an auncient name and it is an honourable name and God had made his promises to such as kept his Sabbathes if thou turne away thy foore from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on myn Holy day c. Then I will cause thee to ride vpon the high places of the earth and feede the with the Heritag of Iacob c. Isa 58.13.14 And the violation of this Sabbath day God had seuerly punished as we reade Numb 15.32.35 and Nehem. 13.18 Whereby God from heauen hath shovvne in what esteeme he had this day yea this Sabbath day God him selfe kept it and also hee Sanctified it and blessed is Genes 2.3 yet further God hath giuen a speciall commandement for this day and put it in Tables of stone vttered it vvith his owne voice and vvrote it vvith his ovvne singer Exod. 20. thus hath God honoured this day wherefore the name of it is also honourable novv the Patrones of our Lords day seing all this and finding no such honour put vpon their Lords day hence it is that they might aduance the Lords day in the minds of the multitude they haue robbed the Saturday of all its honourable ornaments that there vvith all they might decke vp and trimme vp the Lords day and hence it is that our Sunday must needs be called the Sabbath day and so by this meanes all those Scriptures which mention any thing of the Lords Sabbathes any vvhere they are together vvith the name translated vnto the Lords day vvhat is this but to robb the Mistris of hir Iewels to bestow them vpon the handmaide to take the honour due vnto the Master and giue it vnto the seruant or to take the Crovvne from off the head of the King to sett it vpon a common subiect for as for the Lords day it is but a common working day in Gods account it being one of those six dayes vvherin God said Sixe dayes shalt thou labour Exod. 20.9 T is true vve receiued a greate blessing on that day because our Lord rose then from the dead and t is as true also that vve receiued a greate blessing on friday because on that day our Lord laid dovvne his liefe for vs and suffered vpon the Crosse and yet for al that friday is accounted but for a common vvorking day for one of the sixe dayes vvherin vve must labour yet further the Lords day is but a common day in respect of Saturday as touching all thos particulares mentioned before for the name Lords day it is but nevv and put vpon Sunday but since Christ and that many yeerers too since Christ but the name Sabbath day it is auncient and put vpon the Saturday thovvsands of yeeres before Christ againe you no vvhere read of any blessings promised by God in all the New Testament to those which Keepe the Lords day Holy nor of any iudgments inflicted or threatened vpon any that worke on the Lords day further you no where in all the Nevv Testament find any commandement to keep the Lords day Holy No nor can it be showne that Christ euer Kept it In a vvord God neuer hallovved the Lords day nor blessed and sanctified it vvhereby it shold become an holy day but all these and more God did to the Saterday therefore is the Saturday as the King or Mistrise to the Lords day as then the King and all good subiects wold think amisse of him that taketh the crowne off the King and set it vpon the head of a common subiect yea though he were aboue a common subiect as is
be vpholden by Antiquity vniuersality c there be other things vnknowne of Gods will the knowledge whereof would but tend to their reproch and shame and would be generally distasted of all the Ministry and might be a meanse to depriue them of their liuings they crossing all Antiquity vniuersality c in so much as if God should now demand of these petitioners what they would haue of him whither that he should bestow vpō them the whole knowledge of his will intirly whither it make with them or against them or onely that part thereof which might tend to their present commodety it is to be vehemently suspected they would choose this latter onely albeit they would blush to say so I appeale to their consciences examined if I hit not the marke the reason of my such suspicion is this in part The knowledge of this part of Gods law touching his Sabbaths it is not put vpon them to study it out with great paines but it is brought home to their dores redy studied for them 2. The point is most easy familiar to be vnderstood no difficulties in it saue what themselues doe voluntarily vnnecessarily put vpon it by their vaine distinctions friuolouse obiections as some thing may be obiected against any thing that it is easy I know it my selfe for I haue fathomed it diued good deepe into the bottome of it I know it also by others both of the Ministry and priuate men who can see it cleerly and without difficulty Wherefore I can impute their ignorāce to nothing else but that they are willing to be ignorant haue no desires to be acquainted with that vnprofitable incommodiouse part of Gods will for vvhat is there in this controuercy of the Sabbath that exceedeth the capacety euen of the meanest but especially if you speake of Ministers who haue a dexterity when they will in vnderstanding questions of Diuinity it is not possible for them to be ignorant had they a willing mind I am very confident that if they prayed to God out of an vnfeined sincere loue to Gods Law that he would informe them in the vnproffitable part of his will as vvell as in the proffitable part that God would soone send them a cleere light thereof especially since the way is now made so open easy I wish they vvould but make experience of God in this case according to my counsaile desire and if they doe not it will be bitternesse first or last In a word Ministers haue heard that Gods Sabbath is now in question but which of them haue gone into their studies and deeply minded the point out of a desire to find it defend it if it might be found and defended I appeale to their consciences Let vs novv try the people by this rule and see if there be not like Priest like people it is true these pray for an increase of knovvledge in Gods lawes also but doe they meane to obtaine a knowledge of all the law of God wholly or of so much onely as may serue the time and please their Ministers what their desire is shall appeare by their practise t is voiced abroade that the Lords Sabbaths are profaned the 4th comman weekly transgressed and that there is a booke newly come forth to that effect well how doe people now behaue themselues vpon these tidings If a man should cry fyer fyer in the night so in loue men are vvith their housen and so desirouse to preserue them that instantly they startle leape out their bedds make inquiry where and search round about their housen without and with in and will not be perswaded to bedd againe till they be suer all is safe Did men loue Gods lawes as they doe their housen and possessions they vvould not be at rest till they had scanned the point and examined the booke ouer againe and againe But I shall tell you one of the ordinary questions they moue vpon these tidings to wit what think you Sir may not a man goe to heauen in the ould opinion though he be ignorant of this parte of Gods word touching his proper Sabbath to passe by what I thinke of heauen let me tell you vvhat I know of hell I am suer a man may goe to hell in the ould opinion these questions way intimate that men resolue to giue to God no more seruice then what neglected they plung body soule in to hell fier this is no filiall but a seruile minde affection this is farre from Dauids prayer open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law Let me tell you also the successe which these tidinges produce vvith most others say they it were much to be wished this booke had neuer comne forth that this point bad neuer bene questioned I wish the Authour had bene better aduised it vvill cause much stirre in the Church before we vvere finly quiet this novv vvill cast rubbes in our vvay our consciences vvill be checking of vs c. All the ansvver these shall haue from me is to aduise them to see to it that by such obiections they be not like to those rebelliouse Ievves vvho vvould not receiue instruction vvhen God vvould haue taught them children that would not heare the Law of the Lord which say vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not vnto vs right things but speake stattering things vnto vs c. Isa 30.9.10 to conclude let these their common obiections speake for them if therby they doe not bevvray that in their prayers they intend to obtaine no more of God but a partiall knovvledge of his Lavv and this their partiality may breed a shrewd suspition their loue to Gods Law is not sound and sincere for if it vvere they vvould not reiect the meanes of knovvledge before they haue tasted it So much be spoken by vvay of vse from this that an vnfeined loue of Gods Lavv cannot but desire the knovvledge of the vnknovvne partes thereof I come novv to make some application of that other propertie is it so that vvho so loueth Gods Lavv in trueth he vvill vvith all redinesse cherefulnesse and vvillingnesse imbrace the knovvledge of the vnknovvn partes thereof vvhen the same is tendred vnto him if vve shall put men vpon the triall for this point also here vve shall in the first place find many in the Ministery guilty hovv vnvvilling they are that the knovvledge of this parte of Gods Lavv touching his Sabbaths should come abroade into the vvorld or into their owne heads both their ovvne consciences are priuy to and the vvorld takes knovvledge of vvere the knovvledge of a good liuing tendred them I dare say it fevve or none of them but vvould haue runne and ridd about it vvith all diligence long before this could any man informe thē though but doubtfully of some Tyeth vnpaid belonging to their liuings if Lavvyers vvould not bring them Counsaile they vvould ride make out to them
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
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
with S. Paul Act. 24.14 After the way which they call Haeresy so worship I the God of my fathers OBIECT VIII An other obiection is this that this point of the Sabbath it is no fundamentall pointe since it is a question but about the day onely therefore not much to be regarded Herevnto I answer that these men doe say vnsay againe as it may make for their aduātage for sometimes thus they argue the Sabbath day is a matter of greate consequence in the Church is it possible that Gods Church should haue bene ignorant in such a fundamentall point as is the Sabbath day thus sometimes when it may make for their aduantage then the Sabbath day must needs be a fundamentall point at an other time as here you see then it is no fundamentall point therfore not to be regarded 2. If the Lords day be in their account a fundamentall point thē must the Sabbath day be fundamētall also for both are questions about a day and the Lords day is come into the roome of the Sabbath day as they say therfore the one must needs be as fundamentall as the other 3. Albeit this be but a question about a day yet is it no lesse fundamētall then other things commanded in the Morall Law for this day is as well commanded there to be Sanctified as any thing else is there commanded yea this it is commanded not in the second Table but in the first Table that too with a Memento aboue all other things there cōmanded whereas they say it is a question but about a day onely I answer thus might a man extenuate any of the 10 com whereas in the 10th com the Lord forbiddeth coueting a neighbours house seruant or any thing that is his against this one might obiect saying this is no fundamentall point since it is a question but about an house peradventure some poore cottage or but about a mās servant or some smale thing that is my neighbors whereas the com saith Thou shalt not Couet may one say coueting it is but a thought thoughts are free or it is but a desire what 's my neighbour the worse for my desire of his house so be I take it not from him whereas we are commanded to loue our neighbour as our selues may we thus extenuate the matter saying my neighbour of whom the question is he is but a poore fellow a simple man c Lastly that the Sabbath day is a fundamentall point it appeareth by the iudgement of our Church who put it into our Catechismes amongst fundamentall points of Religion 2. as a worke of the Law so it is necessarily required in a iustified man Iam. 2.10.21.24 so it is a fundamentall OBIECT IX An other obiection is this that many thowsands of our forefathers haue liued and died ignorant of this point are gone to heauen without the knowledg of this Sabbath day so that a man may goe to heauen without the knowledge of it and further ther 's nothing required of vs but faith repentance and if we haue these all is well Herevnto I answer how can you be said to haue repentance when as yet you liue in the sinne of Sabbath breaking contrary to the 4th com yea refuseing to take knowledge of this your sinne when knowledge is tendred vnto you is this repentance I wish men to looke better to their Repentance then this comes too let them not flatter themselues Whereas they pleade that thowsands of our forefathers are gone to heauen ignorant of this point I answer and what is that vnto vs their case and ours differ as much as the day doth from the night their times were times of ignorance and darknesse for God had not reuealed this point vnto them neither was the knowledge thereof tendered vnto them but in our time we haue the day light in this point reuealed vnto vs Gods trueth is made manifest and tendered vnto vs now God is pleased to put a greate difference betwixt men in these two estates as we reade in the Actes of the Apostles The time of this ignorance God regarded not but now he admonisheth all men euery where to repent Act. 17.30 Now be it that God winked at the ignorance of our forefathers yet now when meanes of knowledge is tendred he will not so winke but admonisheth all men euery where to repent 2. Thus we may liue in the sinnes of our forefathers and pleade that thowsands of them that committed them are gone to heauen as Lot Noah that was drunke Dauid that committed adultery The Patriarches are in heauen and yet liued in Polygamie the beleeuing Iewes are in heauen yet they put away their wiues with a bill of diuor cement may we thinke to doe the like and goe to heauen since God hath now reuealed himselfe more fully to the contrary But suppose we that a man might get to heauen in the ignorance of this point is it a property of a child of God to goe to heauen as blind ignorant as he can possibly or rather to grow in knowledge daily as the Scripture admonisheth vs wilt thou bequeath vnto God a soule blind of one eye when thou maiest giue him thy soule with perfect sight of both eyes OBIECT X. An other obiection is this it is in euery mans mouth saying so be we giue God the dueties of the day it matters not so much for the day it selfe either this day or that day may serue the turne the dueties are to rest from our laboures and to worship God publikly priuatly now these are the things which God doth regard but as for the precise day that we thinke should not be so much regarded Herevnto I answer t is true indeed that this obiection possesseth the minds of many that are very Religiouse and well affected but herein they bewray their ignorance their halting and haluing with God the things which God hath ioyned together let no man put assunder did not God ioyne the day and the dueties of the day both together in one commandement and hath not the day the same Authority to countenance it that the dueties of the day hath in a Bond there is ij things inioyned the day of paymēt thesemme of money now is it not a most absurd thing for any man to reason thus it is the mony that my Creditour chiefly regardeth and so be I paye him his money it matters not so much for the day whither I pay it vpon the right day specified in the Bond or on some other day after it men dare make more bould with God bis Bonds then with a Creditour though man will not put it vp yet they make God to put vp any thing men think it enough to obey halfe of Gods 4th com and to leaue the other halfe vndone but God must haue an account giuen him one day for his whole 4th com as well as for the one halfe
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