inflame our affections for hence we shall behold the sheaf of first fruits waved and that Lamb without spot so fairly sacrificed in our blessed Saviour as will make every Babe in Christ a sufficient Arithmetician in numbring the fiftie dayes to finde out the seventh day Sabbath Lev. 23.9.15 So Diodation Lev. 23. The institution of this Feast of Pentecost is recorded by Moses who from God appointed Israel to bring on the morrow after their Passcover Sabbath a sheaf of of their first fruits to bee waved by the Priest before the Lord and to offer the same day a Lamb without blemish to the Lord. Deu. 16.9 And from that very day to count seasen Sabbath or Weeks and the morrow after the seventh Week was the Feast of Pentecost or the fiftieth day And this numbring of seven Weeks or fifty dayes is still observed by the Jews who every night when the starres arise Chilm p. 132. Ross view 300. 1 Cor. 15.23 say a prayer and conclude To day are so many dayes past of the Omer And here let the Believer who sees all types ended in Christ with confidence behold his dying Redeemer as the undoubted sheaf of first fruits waved upon the Cross by the crucifying Priests the very morrow after he had eaten the Passeover and for the Lamb without blemish to be offered the same day behold the spotless Lamb of God taking away the sins of the world And after admiration of this compleat Saviour in whom all these misteries which point out this true Messiah are fully accomplished Let us number fifty dayes or seven full Weeks according to the rule that is Lev. 23.15 16.11 c. from the day that the sheaf and Lamb were offered Now our sheaf of first fruits and Lamb without spot is known to every Babe to be offered up on the sixth day of the Week commonly called Good-Friday from which day we must number fifty dayes or seven full Weeks and the morrow after the seventh Week is the fiftieth day called Pentecost and because we have been so long deceived of our true Sabbath by Antichrist and that his Image would still perswade us his Whitsunday is the day of Pentecost I shall take the tender Lambs of Christ by the hand and if they have no readier Arithmetick let them but take an Almanack and number seven weeks or fifty daies and see with their own eyes whether the fiftieth day be the seventh day Sabbath from the day that our sheaf of first fruits and Lamb without spot was offered As thus Good Friday so called is the known day from which we must begin our account of seaven compleate weekes or fifty dayes and the first of these fifty daies is Saturday as Heathens term it and the following Friday is the end of the first week which makes seven compleat daies The second Friday is the 14th day The third Friday is the 21th day The fourth Friday is the 28th day The fifth Friday is the 35th day The sixth Friday is the 42th day The seventh Friday is the 49th day Making up seven compleat weeks And the fiftieth day being the morrow after the seventh week must undeniable be granted the Worlds Saturday and the Saints seventh day Sabbath upon which Sabbath the Apostles were assembled with one accord in one place Acts 2. when the eternal Spirit gave full testimony to that Royal solemnitie with the highest approbation that ever was given to any assembly of Saints and the unspotted Virgin-spouse of the Lambe did sweetly celebrate the most glorious Sabbath that ever Church enjoyed for here heaven and earth accord mutually inviting each other Here the promised Spirit saith come with his quickening motions inviting the Saints to assemble themselves upon his holy Sabbath And here the lovely Bride saith come purposely presenting her self on Gods seventh day Sabbath in expectation of this glorious power from on high What then should hinder the desired inspiration Christs promise is engaged his saints are solemnly assembled in a season sanctified their unanimous supplications are continued Acts 1.14 their hopes are heightened and down comes the eternal Dove with a sudden sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind filling the house and furnishing all their hearts with Divine abilities to publish the Gospel of Christ to all Nations under heaven Thus while the saints are acted by the spirits operation the seventh day Sabbath is crowned with the highest approbation thousands this day were convinced converted baptized incorporated and with transcendant joys transported feeding like Lambs in fresh pastures closing this blessed seventh day Sabbath with the incomparable feast of the Lords Supper and sacramental union into one entire body by breaking of bread O what a day of wonders is the Lords true Sabbath instituted in Eden advanced at Sinai owned and crowned by Christ and thus highly approved by his spirit in Sion A day of marvellous mysteries a day of manifold mercies Was ever day honoured like Iehovah's Sabbath the Lord Iesus's Sabbath the Holy Spirits Sabbath which therefore must be the Saints Sabbath I have been the more exact and free even to the shallowest capacity in opening these mysteries that Christians may clearly discern the deceits of the little Hom in changing Times as well as Laws perswading poor souls to live by an implicite faith in taking his Whitsunday upon trust for the day of Pentecost as is still pressed by Parish preachers to shuffle off the renowned seventh day Sabbath But some seeing they can no longer delude the people it being so apparent that the day of Pentecost was the very seventh day Sabbath yet devise to detain them longer in disobedience objecting Object That though the day of Pentecost was the Sabbath yet the Saints assembled upon the other days as appears Act. 1.14 Answ It 's indeed declared that they continued with one accord in prayer but it 's not assertted they were constantly together in one place 2. 'T is not likely they did watch all those ten nights and as improbable that they all lodged together 3. But this is manifest That very early upon the fiftieth day they were unanimously solemnly assembled in one place which is not affirmed in that solemn manner of the other days neither was any day like this honoured with the glorious presence of the Holy Spirit This Sabbath was the first honoured with the conversion of souls this and no day before did they break bread together yea many signal tokens of Divine approbation have beyond all dispute advanced the glory of this day above all other days But 't is further objected Object That the ceremonial day of Pentecost is as much honoured as the seventh day Sabbath 1. Answ The Apostles might observe Pentecost as a ceremony not yet buried yet undeniably they would much more honour the Royal Sabbath No ceremony was ever esteemed like the Law of ten Commandements 2. This objection was never made against Whitsunday till the glory of Gods Sabbath discovered
have considerable first the continued duty that is The celebration of the Sabbath 2. The persons exhorted to the duty and they are such as by entring into the spirituall rest through faith are the people of God 3. Here 's the ground and reason of the duty and this is twofold 1. Gods rest from Creation 2. Christs rest from Redemption First as to the remaining duty the celebrating of the Sabbath I need say little having already shewed that the seventh day Sabbath is one of those lively Oracles that Israel received from Sinai to give unto us And that our God hath especially commanded us to whom these Oracles are given to REMEMBER his seventh day Sabbath to sanctifie it and t is our mercy that his holy spirit doth here record what the translators were loath to reveale in english That there remaineth the keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God I know t is set downe in the margin of our Bibles the keeping of a Sabbath whence they would evade the seventh day Sabbath and set up a Sabbath of their own although the Dictionaries and Lexicons render it plainly the keeping of the Sabbath But let the people of God celebrate the seventh day Sabbath untill they can find the holy Spirit calling any other day a Sabbath and then let them change The second thing is the persons exhorted to this duty and they are believers entred into their spirituall rest and therefore t is most irrationall to affirm this remaining Sabbath to be nothing but a spirituall rest into which believers enter verse 3. and so become the people of God and as Gods people they are to celebrate the Sabbath There remaineth therefore the celebration of the Sabbath to those that are already the people of God And I hope such as are the people of God will remember to observe it as being under a double obligation I Gods institution and observation making himselfe our president of which I have already spoken 2. Christs cessation from his great works and entring thereupon into his rest and this is laid down as the Gospel reason why the Sabbath remaines to the people of God For he that is entred into his rest he also hath ceased from his works as God did from his owne works Some conceive That believers are here said to enter into rest but then it would be needless to excite them to enter in the verse following It is Christ only * Heb. 4.12 whose entrance into rest is here intended who ceased from his works as God did from his and therefore there remaineth che celebration of the Sabbath to the people of God Here then the mysterious payment of mans Ransome is matter of high admiration being the same day that man was made and that very day and time of the day whereon God finished the glorious work of creation and so ceasing from his labours our Saviour exactly entered into his rest that very day and time as God began his rest povidentially ordering his body to be taken down and laid to rest in his Sepulchre in the Close of the sixth day that no part of his Sabbath should be violated and thus ceasing from his works as God did and entering into his Rest exactly as God did it laies believers under a double engagement to sanctifie the seventh day Sabbath That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father i.e. As the Father engageth us to honour him in celebrating the sabbath because he rested on it from the works of Creation John 5.23 So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even so the Son engageth us to sanctifie the same holy sabbath because he rested in it from the works of our redemption There remaineth therefore the keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God Mr Aspinwall and others would perswade us without one word from God that Christ entred into his rest upon the day of his Resurrection whereas he journeyed fifteen miles that very day which was no faire president for celebrating a Sabbath But that he entred into rest the true seventh day Sabbath when he had finished his great worke of Redemption the Scripture gives full evidence Our deare Redeemers soule was no sooner seperated from his body but his better part immediately entred into glory by his own resignation of it into Gods custody saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And now the converted theife reaped his promised fruits To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And soon after our Saviours soul had taken possession for us of glory his blessed body was laid to rest in the grave the quiet cell of a weary soul There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest Job 17.3 There are some that deny Christs rest in the grave mistaking that text of Gods loosing The pains of death As if God had not then loosed the pains of death Luke 24 25 26. when Christ resigned his spirit into his protection and for his body that also was far from pains for having finished his work John 19.30 Heb. 1.14 Rev. 14.13 and by one offering for ever perfected them that are sanctified he enjoyed that rest from his labours which is the lot of those that dy in the Lord yea the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the grave his heart rejoiced his tongue was glad and his flesh did Rest in hope Act. 2.26 Whiles the Deity held Christs body and soul asunder like a man with a drawn sword in one hand and a Scabberd in the other which the third day he again put into his sheath Since then it is so fully manifest that Christ ceased from his works as God did from his own works and so entring into his rest exactly celebrated the seventh-day Sabbath quietly and out of the reach of desperate enemies his soul in glory his body in the grave we must conclude that there remaineth therefore the celebration of the Sabbath to the people of God And so according to our pretious Saviours example let us resolve through grace with the close of the sixt day to recall our better part and resign it to Gods service saying Return unto thy Rest O my soul Psa 116. for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee and likewise with the burial of Christs body burying all our earthly business in the grave of oblivion Let us at last begin to consecrate the true seventh day-Sal bath as a day of delights to the Lord and so obtain mercy for the Sabbath pollution of our daies of ignorance and Christ will not fail to pour oyl and wine into those wounds our souls have received amongst Thieves who have stollen and taught us to steal holy time from God And thus grace by weekly returns from Sabbath to Sabbath shall so strengthen our hearts that at last we shall arrive at our expected home our joyfull jubilee a Sabbath whose Sun shall never set 5 Rest eternal which is that true eternal rest
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH Sought out and celebrated OR The Saints last Design upon the man of sin with their advance of Gods first institution to its primitive perfection being a clear discovery of that black character in the head of the little Horn Dan. 7.25 THE Change of TIMES LAWS With the Christians glorious Conquest over that mark of the Beast and recovery of the long-slighted seventh day to its antient glory wherein Mr. Aspinwal may receive full answer to his late piece against the SABBATH By Tho. Tillam Minister of the Gospel Psalm 102.13 14. Thou shalt arise have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1637. To the Church of Christ which is at Colchester gathered by Gods grace with the Authors Ministry into the beautiful order of the Gospel Precious and therefore Beloved WHat hath the holy one done for you what hath Gospel grace wrought in you who are these that flie as a cloud and as doves to their winâ—ows Isa 60.8 Happy day when the eternal spirit broke open your doors and led you through the pangs of the new birth into the favour of God by Christ Blessed season when the Almighty displayed his bright beams of evangelical light forming Christ in your souls by the same way that the blessed virgin conceived viz. by the ear alluring you out of Bâ—bylonish abominations worldlly pollutions and unscriptural mazes to follow the Lamb in all his pretious appointments Look my beloved from the top of the mountain to which grace hath advanced you and behold the woful world still wallowing in wickedness and weltring in blood under the wrath of a jealous God 1 Cor. 6.11 in a hopeless graceless christless condition And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified no more strangers and forreiners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshould of God founded upon your Rock of Ages whose mysterious habitation and temple ye are Now what shall we return to the Lord for these invaluable benefits I hope there is not a soul of you that dare slight such unsearchable riches of grace I trust you are truly enlightned purely principled which with the sence of your former weight of sin the intolerable burthen of an awakened conscience will cause you for ever to delight in Christs shadow and sit with soul-satisfaction under the spread wings of the eternal Saviour that soul hath onely a name to live that loves not such a Lord. Amongst all the blessings bestowed upon man God made for him a holy sabbath and this of old was the honour of Gods Israel and shall be again the glory of such as stand in the antient path enquiring for the good old way Now since Jehovah hath graciously revealed Sabbath lâ—ght amongst you and laid you under many endearments let each soul that is indeed a Saint take up with the Psalmist Return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee for truly you have need of rest amidst all your reproaches for the Law of your God and to strengthen you for new trials especially if you and I who have hitherto enjoyed our pretious liberty should experience what we hear namely that the present powers make no conscience of Oaths or Acts if this should prove so indeed what can be expected to Sabbath-keepers but new prelatical persecution There is a solumn Oath taken before God and men to protect such as professe faith in God by Jesus Christ though differing from the doctrine or discipline of the nation which is seconded by the present Parlament who have enacted Inster for Gover. Artic. 36 37. That such as professe faith in God Father Son and Spirit and own the scriptures Parl. Petit. advic 1657. pag. 13. shall not be compelled by penalties nor restrained from their profession though differing from the publick Doctrine and discipline but shall be protected in the peacable exercise of their religion But notwithstanding these great engagements there would be little prohability of peace should their principles be as some are perswaded Wherefore flie with speed to your experienced City of resuge and improve your interest in heaven for the suppression of Jeroboams sin 1 Ring 32.33 who did not onely advance the device of his own heart in the time of worship but imposed it on the people and so made Israel to sin Strive with your prayers against the remaining corruptions rising oppressions appearing persecutions a manifold enormities of a revolting nation God hath eminently punished the princes and the Kings children and threatens all such as are clothed in strange Apparrel Zeph. 1.8 and yet how this abomination abounds amongst us yea t is feared that as Jehu pulled down one Baal and advanced two golden Calves In Hebr. Lord. so the suppression of one proud Prelate may be attended with the promotion of many persecuting Presbyters and then farwell our precious Gospel priviledges if ever our liberty should be at their allowance They have already put forth their sting by underhand attempts to obstruct this great truth of Gods sabbath Their contentious Lecture at Colchester termed your Gospel Baptism an infant damning doctrine and the minsters thereof the Devils Factors stirring up Rulers against us which prebably may prove their strongest arguments in opposing the Sabbath As for such either Presbyterian or any other opinion who are of a Gospel frame of Spirit free from Ishmaelitish persecuting principles I do not in the least reflect upon them but highly prize all the lovely appearances of Christ in them knowing that such though our elder Brethren dare not murmure at our fathers love who hath enlightened our minds with the revived glory of his Royal Sabbath but will like noble Bereans weigh this serious and I hope sober work in the balance of the sanctuary If such as would have a precept of this high import smothered or concealed under a bed of security or Bushel of plenty were throughly a wakened by the whisperings of Christ they would readily proclaim this glorious truth upon the house top If this lively oracle of Gods seventh day Sabbath be not clearly Instituted by the Father Ratified by the Son Approved by the spirit and observed by the Saints Let it be confuted and rejected but if this Royal Law be thus established how dreadful must be the continued weekly pollution of it after Christs call to repentance and reformation God hath long winked at the dayes of our ignorance but he will not long bear with wilfulness As for you the beloved spouse of Christ Elders Deacons and Brethren I do bless the Almighty for you I can never sufficiently admire that unexpected passage of providence that made plain my path unto you
and given to the Jews and will shortly come in his glory to make them a glorious people neither will any thing more hasten mercy to Sion Ps 102.13 14. then Christians taking pleasure in her stones and favouring the dust thereof that is the times and Laws changed by Antichrist For 't is impossible that ever that beloved people should receive the Messiah while they see his Disciples disobedient to Gods royal commands We who were once drown'd in the delusion can now discern and detest that Popish impiety of image-worship in defiance of the second Commandement and yet they can plead as plausibly for Idolatry by their wretched distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as wee can possibly for change of the Sabbath As their image-worship is one great stumbling-block to long forsaken Israel so our weekly wallowing in Sabbath pollutions sadly obstructs the hopes of their conversion Heb. 6.6 and indeed puts our dear Saviour to an open shame as may appear by a passage lately communicated which exceedingly affects my soul and so I hope it will my Readers thus The Jews in London are very much affected with our keeping of the Sabbath and do frequent our meeting places every Sabbath in the latter part of the day and truly I hope the Lord will in time awake upon them to imbrace the truth As yet they keep on their Hats in the time of prayer I am well acquainted with their Rabbi He and the rest of the Jews with him were so taken with Brother Sallars prayer for the restauration of the Kingdome to Israel Acts 1.6 as that they desired that they might have it in writing promising that they would print it and send it to all the places where the Jews inhabit I told them also your resolution to preach up the Sabbath and they are very much taken therewith desiring the Lord to prosper you in your endeavours therein I perceive it is a great stumbling block to them as to believe Christ to be the Messiah because Christians violate the Sabbath for say they if Christ were not a Sabbath-breaker why are Christians and if Christ were a Sabbath breaker then he was a sinner and if a sinner what benefit can we expect by the death of an evil doer And thus you see what evil consequents follow the non-observance of the Lords holy Sabbath I hope this may be usefull to your Auditors especially to those of your society Reader doth not thy heart with mine tremble before the Lord in the perusal of these lines why if the offence of one little one deserve so great punishment Mat. 18.6 what will be the doom of Sabbath-breakers after warning whose weekly disobedience so much dishonours Christ and stumbles all the Tribes of Israel how vain are their petitions for Israels conversion whose practise so much obstructs the glorious work Cast ye up Isa 57.14 cast ye up prepare the way take up the stumbling blocks out of the way of my people Awake awake Saints the seventh seal is opened and the seventh day Sabbath breaks through those Romish fogs that long obscured it under the Heathenish title of saturday or Saturns day The same blasphemous Horn that rob'd us of the Holy Scriptures hath long deprived us of the Holy SABBATH telling us that it was Jewish 'T is high time wholly to depart from Popish pollutions Zech. 8.13 and fulfill part of that Prophesie in taking such hold on the skirts of the Jews as to observe all their Moral Laws with delight Let nor the unscriptural odium of a jewish Sabbath startle us any more then a jewish SAVIOUR But let us put on Ruths resolution in meeting the Jews saying Thy Scriptures shall be my Scriptures thy Promises shall be my portion thy salvation shall be my expectation thy seventh day shall be my Sabbath thy Messiah shall be my SAVIOUR and thy God my God And thus shall we take up the stumbling blocks obstructing their return who can neither brook Babels abominations in the breach of Gods second Royal Law nor Protestants weekly prophanation of the Sabbath with deep disobediance to the fourth Commandement Which is most dreadfull in such as continue sabbath-breakers for earthly advantage after some light of Gods Law hath broken in upon their souls at least to suspect that it may be Gods Sabbath So that they have nothing to say against it and yet through the worlds snares and love of relations dare continue to act against it wallowing Weeke after Weeke in Sabbath pollutions till the just judgement of GOD at last leave them through custome of sin to a scared conscience Another odium cast upon the seventh day Sabbath by Gallio like indifferents and luke-warm Laodiceans is that 't is but a circumstance of time But the wise experienced Preacher doth speedily confute their folly in a sentence worthy our observation Who so keepeth the Commandement shall feel no evil thing and a wise mans heart discerneth both TIME and judgement Eccl. 3.5 Such as dare be careless of keeping the Commandements and judge themselves so wise as to contemn that TIME which God hath ordained to make men wiser we shall leave to that wisdome which is meer foolishness with God 1 Cor. 3.19 even to trifle with that precious time which weekly conveys precious plants into the Palace and special presence of their Prince But whereas 't is objected That holy time and holy place were both of like force Let such shew us the least syllable in Gods moral Law enjoyning holy place 2 Tim. 4.1.2 Joh. 4.20 21. 1 Tim. 2.8 and we shall well weigh it and in the mean time do our duty in that holy time which is expresly commanded us of God knowing that our Law-giver hath as fully confirmed this holy time as he hath laid common all holy place Thus these devices fail as not able to foyl this shining season Gods sanctified seventh day Sabbath which stands with strength in Gospel times Let our next business therefore be to know when to enter upon this holy rest for it cannot be conceived that God who hath been so punctual in prescribing the precise time of Circumcision the Passeover Penticost and other ceremonies should leave us to our liberty for the beginning of his holy Sabbath But oh the amusing Meanders perplexing and distracting Labyrinths that do even drink up their spirits who assert the Sabbaths change to the first week-day being not able to find when to begin their supposed Sabbath Some affirming it beins in the morning when the Lord arose but what hour they are not able to say since God hath purposely concealed Christs rising as he did Moses burial place to prevent our sin so that whether to begin their Sabbath at break of day or Sun-rising they are uncertain and know not what to do Others are moved but by what rule or reason I know not to appoint midnight for the entrance of their Sabbath when most are asleep
wilt or shalt labour or as it is rendred elsewhere six days may work be done God gives us leave to serve our selves six days Exo. 31.15 that we may not murmur or repine in devoting the seventh wholly to his service but he is no Aegyptian Task-master to bind us to six days incessant labour for then Paul sinned in such a charge to preach in season out of season and God himselfe should cross his own Command in requiring Israel to observe the Passeover Penticost Feast of Tabernacles c. taking up as many days as the year hath weeks which ceremonial days Christ hath abolished and therefore we should not grudge to give unto God every first day as an addition to the Sabbath with thankfulness for our double benefit Creation and Redemption especially if both days be anthorized by the word of truth As for the scriptures quoted in the New Testament for the change of the seventh day Sabbath to the first day of the week I shall demonstrate in due time that not any one of them nor all together can make up an argument to satisfie a truly enlightened soul But that the Resurrection day is designed for a rejoycing day to Christs Disciples seems undeniable by the Psalmists saying Ps 118.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it Which being compared with Peters speech * Act. 4.10 11. must needs be meant the Resurrection day And whereas some who are loath to appear in Gods presence too often do suppose this rejoycing day to be onely Easter day once in a year I shal forbear to answer them til they can better agree about the celebration of their traditional Easter and excite Gods people to rejoice and be glad on the Resurrection day as oft as the week brings it about But is this impossible to be done unless we reject Gods ancient 7th day Sabbath why may not the Sabbath stand with the first day amongst Christians as it stood with so many holy days amongst the Jews especially since the mercy of a free Redeemer is added to the blessings of a bountifull Creator 'T is sad to see persons spend more time in sin to satisfie their lusts then Profestors can part with to serve the Lord. Welf it seems to be Scriptural that the Lord made the Resurrection day a rejoyoing day but he never made it a Sabbath day and if it be allowed that honourable title of the Lords Day Rev. 1. yet doth it no more cashier the seventh day Sabbath then did the ceremonial Feasts called Sabbaths of old Those many Jewish holy dayes honoured with the title of Sabbaths did not then weaken the Royal Sabbath nor can the supposed title given to the first week-day now do it seeing Christ hath for ever confirmed each point and parcel of the Moral Law Jam. 2.8 10 11. Both days may lovingly live amongst Christians redeemed from the earth And though many would be accounted Saints that think they should be undone in so doing yet the spotless Spouse of Christ whiles arayed in those royal robes of Sun-like Majesty Rev. 12. and decked with that diadem of infallibility trampling under feet all sublunary fading mutable glories I say in this her primitive purity during the first three Centuries she constantly observed both these dayes in honour of her Creator and Redeemer till the little Horn changed her Times and Laws This is so generally confessed even by the adversaries of the seventh day Sabbath that other proof would be needless in this place It cannot be denied that the primitive saints did honour the Resurrection day with the honourable title of their Lord so that it became a proverbial question in their greetings Servasti Dominicum hast thou kept the Lords day to which the other would answer Christianâ—â— sum intermittere non possum I am a Christian I may not omit it This I conceive is a second ground for observing the first day and although the decree of Constantine with the Councel of Laodicea do not any way concern us in this point 2 Chr. 10.10.3 Neh. 9.27 Est. 9.20 yet the statutes enacted by a just authority for the observation of daies should be observed provided that such decrees be no way destructive to the Sabbath of the Lord our God Matth. 15.2 3. This I offer as a third ground of rejoycing on the Resurrection day commonly called the Lords day which we should more readily embrace then any Lecture day According to the good old Christian custom of Saints and it may be fitly termed the Lords day Rom. 14.6 when with delight we observe it to the Lord. Reasons for observing both daies are these 1. Christians have more engagements upon them then ever ancient Israel had to devote as much of their time to God shall the greatness of his graces straighten us in the advancement of his glory 2. We have as frequent necessity of heavenly supplies as they had why should we be seldomer at the throne of grace 3. We are set free from those great burdens and bondages long journeys and vast expences sacrifices and ceremonies under which they groaned and are two daies in seven such a task Is our fathers presence and saints fellowship so itksome Doubtless 't is so to drossie Disciples whose love extends no further then the Leaves why we are invited into the holy of holies to make sure work of eternal mansions to bear up Gods standard and honour in the world for a little season and are two daies for God and our souls so tedious and troublesome when we have more then twice two for our perishing bodies we should not be weary to approach the presence of an earthy Prince so often for wealth and honour 4. The highest pretender to spirituality had need enough to get often into Gods Courts and Saints company to shake off his earthy shackles the durty face of our earthly Mother too frequently dulls our affections to our heavenly Father we have little cause to couzen our consciences with with a device to honour God by disobeying him in slighting his precepts under pretence of spiritual performances as if frequent attendance at heavens gates could hinder our spiritual growth or Gods Sabbath suppress one sanctity 5. We are marvailously delivered from all those Mass daies upheld by the Beast and his image to which Saints were compelled by Parators as Candle Mass Christ-Mass Michael-Mass and I know not how many Mastes and is it now such a matter with the Sabbath day to devote the first day of the week to Gods worship as Saints have done I fear such Professors did never count the cost before they took up Christianity and therefore they fail in that measure of self-denial which the Sabbath calls for which I confess is more then all other Ordinances but let such know they will find it as hard for flesh and bloud to inherit the Kingdome of God as now they feel the observance of Gods
they will find less difficulty in observing the seventh Circuit of the Sun then in supplying the defects of their native soyl by plowing the Ocean for the fruit of the Vine Having thus by Sun-beams and Scripture streams rescued the certainty of the seventh day from the clouds of obscurity it will be time with all humility to enquire at the gate of Grace Whether this seventh day be the unaltered solemn season for holy service under the Gospel That there is a special season designed distrinct from common time is generally asserted and received by Scripture-Christians and one would think that the Levellers of dayes and duties should even be thunder-smitten with the Apostles alarm 2 Tim. 4.1 2. I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome Preach the Word be instant IN SEASON OUT OF SEASON i. e. on the Sabbath day on the Week dayes in Gods time in mans time and this sense will be found the saving truth if we take that igitur in the Text for our direction to the fore-going Chapter I charge thee therefore i. e. since thou art so well instructed in the truths of the Old Testament the onely known Scriptures when thou wast a childe which are able to make thee wise through faith unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.14 therefore be instant in season out of season Now the onely moral season those scriptures in joyn us is the famous seventh-day Sabbath never changed till the little horn arose No wonder then the same spirit by another Apostle highly approves our fulfilling the royal Law accoring to the Scriptures Ja. 1.8 which as to the season of worship is none other in the royal Law then the seventh-day Sabbath and therefore we shall approve our selves noble Bereans indeed by searching the Scriptures whether this thing be so concluding that if the Scriptures bee able to furnish the man of God throughly to all good works 2 Tim. 3.17 then the seventh day Sabbath is that certain designed season which God will own as a good work in such as observe it Proud man presumes to make all seasons equal and alike but the good spirit promised by Christ to lead us into all truth puts undeniable difference between season and season And the Apostle which layes so great a charge upon Timothy to Preach in season out of season doth thus declare his own practise That he had been with the Saints At all seasons Acts 20.18 And he expounds his meaning first that he had preached publikely i. e. as in open places so in the solemn season designed by God for publike worship And from house to house Vers 20. i. e. improving all opportunities night and day Now that the seventh-day Sabbath was the special season for Gospel service namely prayer and preaching the Apostles practise yea his constant practise is pregnant proof as will be shewed in its proper place This is not left to the liberty of any creature to alter Acts 13. 16. 17. 18 though some who thereby justifie the abhominations of the little hom do assert but not for want of ignorance that 't is not that special seventh day that is enjoyned but A seventh day whereas we have not onely the Pattern in the Mount namely the precise time of Gods Rest to point out the Sabbath day but to end all cavils he points twice in the fourth Commandement to that very seventh on which he rested by the emphatical demonstrative particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that 't is not a seventh but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seventh day and further requires that we should keep Is holy because he blessed IT and sanctified IT And therfore they had need make sure work of a very clear word for a change or repeal of that seventh day against the day of judgement for fear of being left speechless And as for such as suppose A seventh day or A seventh part of time is the morality of the fourth Commandement they will never help themselves by it for if it be a seventh day then it cannot be A sixth day or an eighth day or any other but simply A seventh day unless they will destroy their own morality and so for the other notion of a seventh part of time which they confess is purely moral if so then no other time but simply the seventh part must from week to week be devoted to Gods worship throughout all ages for whensoever the seventh part of time is altered the Morality must needs be destroyed But by such vain jangling it seems they had rather have any Sabbath or no Sabbath then the true sanctified Sabbath which God hath especially designed and whereon the choicest blessings may be in faith expected All other dayes were good wherein God wrought but the seventh day was and is peculiarly blessed wherein God rested And therefore Antichrist engageth earthly powers more especially to prophane the seventh as the chief Market day and rakes up all the filth he can finde to defile the Lords Sabbath and affright the Saints from following the Lord in observing it His grand odium wherewith Mr. Aspinwal hath polluted his Title page is That it was the Jews Sabbath like that scornfull reproach of Pilate cast upon Christ Joh. 18.35 who was indeed a Jew and Lord of the Sabbath in which sense Gospel-saints may very safely embrace this blessed Jews Sabbath who hath proclaimed himself as well Lord of his Sabbath as of his Supper and there 's safe shelter under the skirts of this Jew But in scripture dialect 't is Jehovah's Sabbath and no where term'd the Jews Sabbath that I know of but this I know that as it was instituted before there was any distinction either of Jew or Gentile so it remains in full force to the people of God for ever ever since that wall of partition was demolished Christian is the fourth Command for the Sabbath made odious because it was given to the Jews thou maist even cast off all the Commandements upon the same account Why the whole Law was given to the Jews the holy Scriptures was given to the Jews Ast 7.38 They received the lively Oracles to give unto us Observe Christian these lively Oracles are Gods moral Laws which by a lively voice he committed to them Rom. 8.2 and that not onely for themselves but to give unto us As they received them from God so they gave them unto us and therefore see thou keep them as they gave them and amongst the rest the express seventh-day Sabbath And beware of slighting it because given to the Jews Let but this scoff drive thee to disdain what was given to the Jews and so living and so dying thou shalt assuredly be damned For the Scriptures that are able through faith in Christ to make wise unto salvation were given to the Jews 2 Tim. 3 Our Lord Jesus himself was a Jew